All articles tagged with #politics
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth drew fierce criticism after telling '60 Minutes' that 'the only ones that need to be worried right now are Iranians that think they're going to live,' a line critics characterized as grotesque and genocidal; the remark came during discussion of Russia's alleged help to Iran and potential targeting of Americans, prompting widespread social-media condemnation.
A federal judge ruled that the Trump-era three-person leadership of New Jersey’s U.S. Attorney’s Office was unlawfully appointed to bypass Senate confirmation, stayed the decision for appeal, and warned that keeping the trio could affect ongoing prosecutions.
Advisory panels are playing a smaller public role as drug regulatory decisions grow more contentious, with a Trump-era private briefing in which an FDA official anonymously criticized UniQure’s Huntington’s disease therapy illustrating a shift toward nonpublic decision-making and sparking calls for greater transparency from patients and clinicians.
Democrats in the Senate threaten to force expedited votes on five war-powers resolutions to halt Iran operations and compel public testimony from Defense Secretary and Secretary of State about the war’s rationale, cost, and endgame. The moves aim to secure public oversight and debate, but the resolutions face long odds amid partisan divides, and past war-vote efforts have stalled.
Trump said on Truth Social that he won’t sign any other bills until the SAVE America Act — a sweeping election-overhaul with new voter-ID provisions — reaches his desk, signaling a priority battle as House Republicans meet for a retreat while funding for Homeland Security and Mullin’s confirmation to lead the agency loom in the background.
With a razor-thin Republican majority, Speaker Mike Johnson and aides tightly manage attendance, travel, and personal crises to avoid defections and hold votes, highlighting how health, family tragedies, protests, and statewide campaigns shape governance as major legislation remains unlikely.
Due to a funding lapse that left TSA workers unpaid, airports in Houston and New Orleans faced hours-long security lines (over three hours in Houston, about three in New Orleans) as spring travel begins. The White House and MAGA allies blamed Democrats for the DHS shutdown, while DHS officials said the chaos stems from the funding impasse and staffing shortages, tying the disruption to broader political battles over national security amid ongoing tensions in the Iran conflict.
California Rep. Kevin Kiley announced he is leaving the GOP to become an independent, making him the lone independent in the House and narrowing Speaker Mike Johnson's majority to 217-214 with three vacancies; Kiley says he will caucus with Republicans for the rest of this term, but won’t commit on procedural votes amid frustration with partisanship.
The Trump administration issued a federal grand jury subpoena for records related to Arizona’s 2020 Maricopa County election audit, the latest move in a broader effort to relitigate the 2020 vote and extend federal involvement in elections. Maricopa County officials say they would cooperate if subpoenaed, while critics warn the effort weaponizes federal law enforcement in service of unfounded fraud claims. The development follows related actions in Georgia and ongoing disputes over election administration and audits at the state level.
Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Annette Ziegler announced she will not seek reelection in 2027, ending two decades on the state's top court and creating an open race as she focuses on family.
Georgia’s 14th District is set for a special congressional election to replace Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who resigned in January. The piece outlines what to expect: a crowded primary field, the timeline for the special election, and the dynamics of turnout, fundraising, and campaign issues that could influence the race and its impact on Georgia politics.
At the GOP retreat in Doral, Trump threatened to withhold signing any legislation until Congress passes a voter-ID measure that also tightens mail-in voting and includes provisions targeting transgender athletes and children, a move that could overshadow the party’s midterm messaging as the House majority remains slim and inflation and other costs worry voters; Senate dynamics and foreign-policy concerns add to the challenge for Republicans."
Rep. Kevin Kiley switches from Republican to Independent effective immediately, saying he will caucus with Republicans for administrative purposes. The move tightens Speaker Mike Johnson's narrow two-seat margin and follows redistricting that placed Kiley in more Democratic territory, with Kiley signaling he won’t commit to voting with Johnson on every measure and facing a competitive CA-6 race.
The White House says it fired NTSB board member Todd Inman after highly concerning reports of on-the-job alcohol use, harassment of staff, misuse of government resources, and missed meetings; Inman denies the allegations, calls it a political hit job, and says he will pursue legal options as the board’s composition evolves.
President Trump told Fox News he is not happy about Iran naming Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader and says he wants a say in approving Iran's leadership, after previously calling Khamenei a lightweight and warning that the worst case would be a worse successor.