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Florida state officials have agreed to pay nearly $500,000 to a wildlife researcher who lost her job after posting critical comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk on social media following his assassination.

Brittney Brown, who worked as a biologist, was terminated by the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission last September after sharing a meme on her personal Instagram that suggested Kirk was indifferent to school shootings. She pursued legal action demanding her position back, explaining that finding alternative employment proved difficult since the state commission regulates her field of expertise in avian conservation.

On Thursday, Brown finalized a settlement worth $485,000 with commission leadership, which includes back wages, compensation for damages, and legal fees. As part of the agreement, she has committed to not pursuing future positions with the agency.

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.

Brown joined numerous employees across public and private organizations who faced termination following remarks about Kirk’s shooting death at a university in Utah. Multiple legal challenges regarding these dismissals remain active in courts.

Prior to his assassination, Kirk and his organization, Turning Point USA, mobilized conservative young voters and contributed to President Donald Trump securing a second presidential term.

Following the September 10 shooting incident, Kirk’s followers searched social media platforms for content they interpreted as celebrating his death. Public figures including Laura Loomer vowed to damage the professional lives of those who made jokes about the killing, while the conservative social media presence Libs of TikTok revealed personal information and employment details of many who posted to its millions of followers.

After Libs of TikTok featured Brown’s post, her employment was terminated the following day, her legal filing states. Brown noted that someone informed Libs of TikTok about her dismissal approximately 10 minutes after it occurred and before any public announcement.

In an unusual case in Tennessee, authorities detained a former police officer for 37 days over a Facebook comment making light of Kirk’s assassination. Tennessee state officials agreed this Wednesday to pay $835,000 to resolve a lawsuit brought by Larry Bushart. During his incarceration, Bushart lost his post-retirement position and was unable to attend his granddaughter’s birth before prosecutors ultimately dismissed the felony charges, according to his legal complaint.

Prior to her dismissal, Brown had served with Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for approximately seven years, conducting research on coastal and marine birds in the panhandle region, court records show.

Carrie McNamara, representing the ACLU of Florida, described Brown’s settlement as “a hard-won vindication” that demonstrates to Florida authorities they cannot retaliate against speech they find objectionable.

“The First Amendment does not disappear when someone accepts a government job,” McNamara said.

Melissa Tucker, who supervised Brown as Habitat and Species Conservation Director, had asserted that Brown’s social media activity prompted hundreds of formal complaints and created substantial workplace disruption. Legal proceedings later showed the agency actually received approximately 50 complaints.

Last week, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued sanctions against Tucker for overstating the complaint volume and failing to correct the misrepresentation.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the United States will deploy an additional 5,000 military personnel to Poland, creating widespread uncertainty after weeks of contradictory statements from his administration regarding plans to decrease rather than expand American military presence across Europe.

The announcement on social media has generated additional confusion for European allies who have already been caught off guard by shifting policies, as the administration has criticized NATO nations for not contributing enough to their own defense and for insufficient support during the Iran conflict.

“Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

In recent weeks, both Trump and Pentagon officials had announced plans to withdraw at least 5,000 personnel from Germany following criticism from Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who stated the U.S. was being “humiliated” by Iranian leadership and condemned what he described as strategic failures in the conflict.

Earlier this month, Trump informed reporters that the U.S. would be “cutting a lot further than 5,000.”

Last week, approximately 4,000 soldiers from the Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division had their Poland deployment canceled. The Associated Press confirmed this cancellation was part of efforts to implement Trump’s directive to reduce European troop levels. A separate deployment to Germany involving long-range missile specialists was also suspended.

Lawmakers from both major political parties have condemned these reductions, arguing they send problematic messages to both allies and Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the ongoing four-year conflict in Ukraine.

Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska testified during a congressional hearing that Polish officials told him they were “blindsided.” He described the decision as “reprehensible” and called it “an embarrassment to our country what we just did to Poland.”

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated Tuesday that this represented “a temporary delay” for U.S. forces heading to Poland, which he described as a “model U.S. ally.” He explained this resulted from reducing assigned brigade combat teams in Europe from four to three, noting the Pentagon must still determine final troop positioning.

Questions remain about whether the brigade will eventually deploy to Poland, if extra troops beyond the rotational deployment might be added, or if troop reductions will occur in different European locations. Pentagon officials directed inquiries to the White House, which has not yet provided clarification.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Defense Undersecretary Elbridge Colby both conducted discussions with Polish officials this week. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressed satisfaction Wednesday with “Washington’s declaration that Poland will be treated as it deserves.”

On Tuesday, U.S. General Alexus Grynkewich, who commands both American and NATO forces in Europe, told Brussels reporters that “it will be 5,000 troops coming out of Europe.”

Trump’s statement coincided with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s travel to Sweden for meetings with NATO counterparts, who have been questioning the administration’s European troop reduction policies.

“There seems to be no process to deliberating policies like troop withdrawals and deployments at the top,” said Ian Kelly, a former career diplomat who served as U.S. ambassador to Georgia during both the Obama and first Trump administrations and currently teaches international relations at Northwestern University in Illinois.

Kelly suggested Rubio faces challenges explaining Trump’s policy reversals to Europeans seeking stability and predictability, regardless of potential disagreements.

“These are not well thought out decisions,” Kelly observed. “These are impulsive decisions based on Trump’s whims or what his advisors think are Trump’s whims.”

WASHINGTON — A previously popular proposal to establish a Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum on the National Mall fell apart Thursday when Republicans modified the legislation to exclude transgender individuals from museum displays.

The House voted down the measure 204-216, creating uncertainty about future efforts to move forward. The altered legislation also prohibited showcasing a “diversity” of perspectives and granted President Donald Trump final authority over the museum’s placement.

“It was a simple bill. You kind of ruined it with your trans obsession and your culture wars,” Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, a Democrat from New Mexico and chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, said earlier in the week.

However, Republicans contended that Democrats were overreacting to the modifications and now blocking progress on the long-desired women’s museum in the nation’s capital.

Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York, the bill’s chief sponsor, called it “a disgrace” that Democrats would obstruct the bill’s approval.

“Perhaps the party that is opposing a women’s history museum on the National Mall because they want to have transgender exhibits — maybe they are the ones who are trans obsessed,” Malliotakis said.

In the end, several Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the measure. The floor came to a halt as GOP leadership scrambled to find support within their own party.

Among Republican opponents, some conservatives objected to having any museum dedicated specifically to women.

“We say we need to unite this country, but then we isolate every group,” said Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., who was among several from the conservative Freedom Caucus who voted against it.

These developments endanger the lengthy campaign to establish a women-focused museum in Washington. Earlier authorization for the museum passed during Trump’s first presidency in 2020, and this recent legislation would have secured its National Mall location. Trump has shown interest in transforming the capital’s cultural landmarks, from the Kennedy Center to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Early this year, the bill had attracted approximately 230 co-sponsors, demonstrating unusual bipartisan cooperation in the divided House, where Republicans maintain a narrow majority. However, due to the bill’s revisions, the Democratic Women’s Caucus rejected the final version, and Democratic leadership urged opposition.

“A museum about women, fought for and supported by women, should not be controlled by one man,” the leaders of the women’s caucus said in a statement. “Republicans traded the representation of women for Trump’s gain and ego. It’s as embarrassing as it is disappointing.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson argued the modifications shouldn’t be contentious, but his attempt to advance the bill with only Republican support despite Democratic objections was unsuccessful.

“Why are they backing out? Simply because the bill reinforces an objective truth that a museum for women, get ready, should showcase only women,” said Johnson, R-La.

On Thursday, Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., said she brought her young daughter, Augusta, to the chamber to witness history in the making.

“Biological women deserve to have their stories told,” Cammack said, holding her child during her speech.

But Rep. Joe Morelle of New York, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, said the Republicans abandoned the bipartisan bill for one preferred by Trump’s White House.

Originally presented as progress toward securing the museum’s location, the legislation underwent several revisions during a committee vote last month.

One modification established a mission statement declaring, “The Museum shall be dedicated to preserving, researching, and presenting the history, achievements, and lived experiences of biological women in the United States.”

It also includes a restriction stating, “The Museum may not identify, present, describe, or otherwise depict any biological male as a female.”

Another revision specified the museum’s location on the mall — near 14th Street Southwest and Jefferson Drive, “except that the President may designate an alternative site for the Museum within 180 days of the date of the enactment of this subsection.”

Democrats argued this provision grants Trump power to determine the museum’s final location. “And we do not agree with that,” said Leger Fernandez.

Republicans maintained the provision serves as a backup plan if issues arise with the proposed site to keep the museum project moving forward.

A final change this week eliminated the word “diversity,” instead directing the museum’s organizing council to ensure a “range” of political viewpoints and experiences.

“I just think it’s ridiculous that we are arguing over this,” said Malliotakis.

She suggested it troubles Democrats that Trump will be the one to break ground on the museum, “but that’s the reality.”

House Republican leadership made a surprising decision Thursday to postpone a planned vote on legislation that would require President Donald Trump to get congressional approval before continuing military operations against Iran.

The voting session was supposed to happen Thursday afternoon before lawmakers departed Washington for the Memorial Day break. However, leadership pushed the vote back to early June following the recess.

Earlier this year, the House had rejected three similar war powers measures in tight votes, with Republicans showing nearly unanimous opposition. This demonstrated strong party support for both the Iran military actions and the president.

However, the voting margins had grown tighter over time – the most recent resolution was defeated in a tie vote – as weeks have elapsed since the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28. Thursday’s proposal appeared positioned to succeed, given anticipated Republican defections and several member absences.

“We had the votes without question, and they knew it,” Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told reporters after the vote was canceled.

Democrats and some Republicans have urged Trump to seek congressional authorization for military force, pointing to constitutional provisions that give Congress, rather than the president, the power to declare war. They have raised concerns that Trump may have committed the nation to an extended conflict without articulating a clear strategic plan.

Most Republicans and the White House maintain that Trump’s military actions are lawful and fall within his commander-in-chief authority to protect the United States through limited operations against immediate threats.

Republicans maintain slim control in both chambers of Congress.

Earlier this week, the Senate moved forward with a comparable war powers resolution in an unusual challenge to Trump. The procedural vote to advance the measure passed 50 to 47, with four Republicans joining nearly all Senate Democrats in support. Three Republicans were absent for that vote.

President Donald Trump will conduct a swearing-in ceremony for Kevin Warsh as the new Federal Reserve chairman this Friday at the White House, according to an announcement from the Trump administration on Thursday.

The confirmation of Warsh occurred on May 13 through a vote that largely followed party lines. Warsh will be replacing Jerome H. Powell in the top position at the nation’s central bank, although Powell will continue serving as a board member through 2028.

At 56 years old, Warsh will hold the chairman position for four years and serve as a Fed governor for 14 years. Trump chose Warsh as a counterforce to additional interest rate increases. Warsh has consistently advocated for reducing rates while also cutting back the Fed’s balance sheet.

Warsh assumes leadership while other board members are considering raising rates to combat inflation linked to Trump’s military conflict in Iran. According to meeting minutes released on Wednesday, most Fed policymakers during their April 28-29 gathering believed “some policy firming would likely become appropriate” should inflation continue to exceed the central bank’s 2% goal.

A public dispute between California’s governor and a major petroleum corporation has escalated, with the Democratic governor’s administration telling motorists to steer clear of Chevron gas stations during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

The governor’s office took to social media Thursday with advice for consumers, stating: “Pro tip: unbranded gas comes from the same refineries, storage tanks, and pipelines, and it meets the same state standards to keep your engine running clean. Big Oil is already making billions off Trump’s Iran War; don’t let them rip you off even more by overpaying for the brand name.”

The administration referenced research conducted by a division of the state’s energy commission, which regulates the petroleum industry, showing Chevron’s prices exceeded unbranded options by 60 to 80 cents per gallon on average.

This public criticism comes after Chevron began displaying notices at California filling stations that point to state environmental policies as the cause of elevated fuel costs. Gas prices in California reached $6.14 per gallon Thursday, exceeding the national average by approximately $1.58, data from the American Automobile Association shows. California imposes roughly 70 cents in taxes per gallon, the nation’s highest rate according to state energy officials.

The company’s posted messages declare: “California politicians are choosing foreign oil and fuels over local jobs and lower costs.” The notices include a QR code linking to a Chevron website encouraging people to “speak up for affordable, reliable energy.”

While the exact timing of when these signs appeared remains unclear, company representative Ross Allen explained they’re part of an educational initiative Chevron began three years ago to highlight how California policies affect pricing.

“We’ve been very vocal about the importance of customer education in California so that our drivers and our consumers understand where their tax dollars are going,” Allen stated.

Allen noted that California hosts hundreds of Chevron stations, with most operating independently and establishing their own pricing structures.

The Memorial Day period traditionally marks one of the year’s heaviest travel weekends.

Fuel costs have risen across the country since the Iran conflict started, creating a worldwide energy shortage. Crude oil prices, gasoline’s primary component, have increased during the war because the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway in the Persian Gulf that typically handles one-fifth of global crude oil shipments, has been effectively blocked. Oil vessels remain stuck there, unable to complete deliveries.

The governor, who frequently highlights California’s role as a worldwide environmental leader, has enacted legislation in recent years targeting oil company earnings and attempting to lower gasoline costs.

In 2023, he approved legislation empowering the state’s energy commission to fine oil companies for excessive profits, announcing the state had “finally beat big oil.” However, regulators decided last year to delay plans for penalizing companies until 2030, focusing instead on alternative consumer protection measures.

This delay occurred after two oil refineries representing about 18% of the state’s refining capacity announced closure plans, sparking renewed discussion about how the state’s aggressive environmental policies affect prices.

The governor signed additional legislation in 2024 granting the commission power to mandate that refineries maintain specific fuel reserves. This aims to prevent sudden price spikes when refineries shut down for routine maintenance, though this regulation has also encountered delays.

WASHINGTON – The head of the Department of Homeland Security has renewed warnings that federal authorities may halt international passenger and cargo processing at major airports located in cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement policies, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who first issued this warning publicly in April amid budget negotiations, reiterated the threat during private discussions with travel industry leaders last week. Sources indicate that airports in Denver, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Newark, Seattle and San Francisco could face suspension of international operations if their cities continue resisting the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies.

The warning comes as federal officials clash with so-called “sanctuary cities” that have declined to assist with the current administration’s immigration crackdown efforts. The Atlantic previously reported on Mullin’s remarks to travel executives.

Two federal judges delivered significant setbacks Thursday to the Justice Department’s nationwide campaign to obtain comprehensive voter registration records from states across the country.

In Wisconsin, U.S. District Judge James Pederson determined that voter registration databases don’t qualify as records subject to requests under the Civil Rights Act of 1960, contradicting arguments made by the current administration. Meanwhile in Maine, Chief U.S. District Judge Lance Walker characterized the federal government’s legal argument as “half-hearted” before approving the state’s request to throw out the case.

These decisions continue a pattern of courtroom losses for the current administration’s efforts to obtain state voter information. Beyond Maine and Wisconsin, similar federal demands have been struck down by judges in Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon and Rhode Island. In Georgia, a judge threw out a Justice Department case because it was filed in an incorrect jurisdiction, forcing federal attorneys to restart their legal action in a different location.

The Justice Department has initiated legal action against no fewer than 30 states plus the District of Columbia in pursuit of comprehensive voter databases. These records contain sensitive personal details including birth dates, home addresses, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.

“This represents a massive victory for voter privacy and a rejection of federal overreach,” stated Bianca Shaw, who serves as state director of Common Cause Wisconsin.

“The decision ensures voters are protected from an unauthorized national database that would have been a goldmine for hackers and a tool for intimidation,” she said in a statement. “Our elections remain safe, secure, and in the hands of Wisconsinites where they belong.”

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat and opponent who is running for governor, said the ruling affirms that states and not the federal government are in charge of elections and voting. The current administration has sought the voter data since last year in Maine and elsewhere.

“Let me be clear — the current administration and the DOJ may continue to try to interfere with free and fair elections run by the states. We will not let them,” Bellows said in a statement.

Justice Department representatives did not provide immediate responses to requests for comment regarding the court decisions or potential appeals.

In Wisconsin, Common Cause, the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans, Forward Latino and three individual voters joined the case to oppose the federal government’s efforts to access state voter databases.

Doug Poland, who directs litigation for Law Forward, a Wisconsin-based liberal law firm, described the current administration’s actions as “thinly-masked efforts to manipulate and subvert future elections.”

“The court recognized this as an illegal attempt to gather and weaponize data on Americans, dressed up in the language of voting rights enforcement,” he said.

Judge Walker, who received his appointment from the current president, determined in Maine that election oversight remains a state responsibility.

“Under our Constitution, states are the primary regulators and administrators of elections for federal office, unless Congress passes legislation that preempts that framework,” Walker wrote.

Pederson, the Wisconsin judge, received his appointment from former President Barack Obama.

Federal prosecutors in Chicago have dismissed all remaining criminal charges against four individuals who were arrested during protests at an immigration detention facility in Illinois last year.

Chicago U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros informed a federal judge on Wednesday that his office was dropping charges against Kat Abughazaleh, a former journalist who recently lost a Democratic primary race for a U.S. House seat, Andre Martin, Michael Rabbitt and Brian Straw. The charges were dismissed with prejudice, meaning they cannot be brought again, according to a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office.

The four defendants were facing misdemeanor charges for impeding a federal officer after prosecutors previously dropped a felony conspiracy charge against them last month. A trial was set to begin Tuesday, May 26, for the incident at the Broadview facility, which had become a focal point during President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement campaign.

The defendants were part of what became known as the “Broadview Six,” which included two other individuals — Catherine Sharp and Joselyn Walsh — whose cases were already dismissed by prosecutors earlier this year.

“I am relieved to be exonerated today, but I want to state clearly that fighting these unjust federal charges over the past seven months was never just about me or my co-defendants in this case,” Straw, a shareholder at U.S. law firm Greenberg Traurig and a member of the Village Board for Chicago suburb Oak Park, said in a statement.

Terence Campbell and Valerie Davenport, attorneys for Martin, said in a statement that their client and his codefendants have been “living under the threat of going to prison simply for exercising their First Amendment rights as decent, honorable citizens and seeking to protect their fellow human beings.”

A spokesperson for the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment further. Boutros said last month that his office was “constantly evaluating the facts and law in our Operation Midway Blitz cases, as well as new information when it is brought to our attention.”

According to prosecutors, Abughazaleh and the others surrounded a government vehicle operated by a federal agent during a September 26 protest, blocking its entry into the Broadview facility. They allegedly struck and pushed the vehicle, carved the word “pig” into its surface, and damaged a rear windshield wiper.

The Trump administration’s enforcement effort, known as Operation Midway Blitz, resulted in thousands of arrests as federal immigration officers confronted protesters from September through December. Officers shot two people, including one fatally, and made threats to shoot others, according to body-camera video.

Officers regularly used tear gas, pepper balls and rubber bullets against protesters gathered outside the Broadview immigration detention center during almost daily demonstrations and throughout various Chicago neighborhoods. An independent commission established by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker last month suggested that local prosecutors should investigate federal agents for potential misconduct.

This month, Illinois State Police announced they were investigating the death of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in suburban Chicago.

In another collapsed case, the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office dropped charges on November 20 against Marimar Martinez, who was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent after she allegedly attempted to strike agents with her vehicle. Martinez, a U.S. citizen and Montessori school teacher in Oak Park, was indicted on October 5 on charges of impeding a federal officer with a deadly weapon.

In January, a Chicago jury found Juan Espinoza Martinez not guilty of charges that the Justice Department had brought against him for allegedly planning an attack on a high-profile Border Patrol official.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Members of Colorado’s Democratic Party delivered a stinging rebuke to their own governor, formally censuring Gov. Jared Polis after he shortened the prison term of Tina Peters, a former election official who promoted conspiracy theories supporting President Donald Trump’s unfounded allegations of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

Wednesday’s censure vote passed by an overwhelming margin, with approximately 90% of the state party’s roughly 700 Central Committee members supporting the measure. The action bars Polis, who is serving his final year due to term limits, from serving as a distinguished guest, keynote speaker, or official party representative at Democratic events.

Peters, age 70, previously worked as a county clerk before receiving a nine-year prison sentence following her 2024 conviction for orchestrating a plan to duplicate her county’s election computer system.

Following Polis’s decision to commute her sentence on Friday, Peters is now scheduled for release on June 1.

Trump has publicly supported Peters’ situation. The Colorado Democratic Party released a statement calling the sentence reduction a “dangerous and disappointing” precedent during a time when democratic institutions and voting rights face threats across the country.

“It sends a message to future bad actors that election tampering has consequences, unless you’re friends with the president,” the statement said.

Roughly 700 party members, including sitting and former elected officials, signed a petition demanding the party condemn Polis. The censure vote occurred during a scheduled virtual meeting of the party’s Central Committee.

A Colorado appeals court upheld Peters’ conviction in April while ordering a new sentencing hearing, determining the original judge improperly penalized her for making public statements about election fraud.

When commuting the sentence, Polis wrote to Peters acknowledging she merited incarceration but had received an “extremely unusual and lengthy” punishment for someone with no prior convictions and no violent offenses.

Following the censure vote, he stood by his decision.

“The governor made this decision based on the facts of the case and what he believed was the right thing to do. Sometimes the right thing isn’t the popular thing with everybody. Democracy is strongest when disagreement is met with debate and dialogue, not censorship,” Polis spokesperson Eric Maruyama said in an emailed statement Thursday.

Peters expressed gratitude to Polis and offered an apology for her actions in a statement released after her sentence was commuted.

Peters secretly brought in an outside computer specialist, who was connected to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, to duplicate her county’s Dominion Voting Systems election server during a scheduled system update in 2021. She later appeared with Lindell at a “cybersymposium” that claimed it would present evidence of election manipulation, and images from the upgrade process, including security passwords, were published online.

WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee finally published its delayed analysis of the 2024 election on Thursday, but the document arrived with prominent red warnings on every page questioning its credibility.

“This document reflects the views of the author, not the DNC,” stated the disclaimer. “The DNC was not provided with the underlying sourcing, interviews, or supporting data for many of the assertions contained herein and therefore cannot independently verify the claims presented.”

The unusual warning accompanies a document that has generated significant internal controversy. DNC chair Ken Martin initially pledged to make the analysis public, then reversed course, stating he wanted to avoid distracting from midterm elections.

Following months of internal debate, Martin made the report available Thursday, explaining the delay by characterizing the work as poorly executed.

The 192-page analysis contains several notable gaps, steering clear of some of the campaign’s most significant challenges.

The document fails to examine President Joe Biden’s choice to seek reelection at age 81, despite widespread questions about his age. Biden withdrew following a poor debate showing, with Harris quickly selected as his replacement.

While Harris emerged as the apparent successor after serving as Biden’s vice president, the analysis doesn’t tackle concerns that the nomination process moved too quickly or lacked proper deliberation.

Significantly, the Middle East conflict receives no attention — the words “Gaza” and “Israel” are absent from the entire text. Democratic divisions over the war diminished support for Harris among voters frustrated with the Biden administration’s backing of Israel.

The analysis determined that the Biden White House failed to “position or prepare the vice president” for mounting an effective campaign.

Only after Biden announced his July exit did campaign pollsters rush to gather fresh data on three crucial areas — “one on the Vice President’s biography and record, one on her vision and plan, and another on attacks and responses.”

Researchers also found Harris lacked responses to a critical vulnerability: The Trump campaign’s anti-transgender messaging. The analysis emphasized that pollsters believed the Democratic candidate was “boxed” in by Republicans’ “very effective” commercial featuring Harris’ past support for taxpayer-funded gender-affirming surgeries for prison inmates.

“Kamala is for they/them, President Trump is for you,” the advertisement stated.

The report concluded: “If the Vice President would not change her position — and she did not — then there was nothing which would have worked as a response.”

Harris’ campaign has faced extensive post-election criticism. Some Democrats believe she devoted excessive time to courting Republicans like Liz Cheney, while others argue she failed to develop compelling economic messaging.

The analysis offers different reasoning, arguing insufficient effort went toward portraying Trump as unfit for office.

“There was a decision in the 2024 Democratic leadership not to engage in negative advertising at the scale required,” the document states. “The Trump campaign and supportive Super PACs went full throttle against Vice President Harris, but there was not sufficient or similar negative firepower directed at Trump by Democrats.”

Later, the analysis states, “Democrats made a mistake by assuming voters were already aware of Trump’s various weaknesses.

“The idea Trump’s negatives were ‘baked in’ is a major failure of analysis and reality,” the report says.

DNC officials appeared to reject these findings, inserting comments such as “no evidence provided; contradicts claims elsewhere in report” and “no sourcing or evidence provided.”

The document faulted Harris’ appeals to important voter groups while making several critical references to “identity politics.” The analysis expresses particular alarm about Latino voters.

“Democrats can no longer assume Latino voters, especially younger Latino men, are a reliable part of their base,” the report says. “The party needs a complete rethink of its Latino outreach strategy, moving beyond traditional approaches like Spanish-language ads and late-cycle surrogates.”

The analysis cites successful Democratic statewide campaigns in Arizona, Nevada and North Carolina, demonstrating that “economic messaging, and addressing cost-of-living concerns resonate more than identity politics.”

The document also noted Democratic struggles with male voters.

“Male voters require direct engagement. The gender gap can be narrowed,” the report says. “Deploy male messengers, address economic concerns, and don’t assume identity politics will hold male voters of color.”

Harris also lacked solutions for the party’s rural voter problem.

“Harris wrote off rural America, assuming urban/suburban margins would compensate. The math doesn’t work,” the report says. “You can’t lose rural areas by overwhelming margins and make it up elsewhere when rural voters are a significant share of the electorate. If Democrats are to reclaim leadership in the Heartland or the South, candidates must perform well in rural turf. Show up, listen, and then do it again.”

The State Department announced Thursday that its decision to take Francesca Albanese, a United Nations expert on Palestinian territories, off its sanctions list represents a temporary action rather than a shift in policy.

Albanese was placed under U.S. sanctions in July 2025 due to what officials described as her attempts to encourage the International Criminal Court to pursue action against American and Israeli officials, businesses, and executives.

A federal judge issued a temporary block on these sanctions earlier this month, determining that the Trump administration likely infringed upon her constitutional right to free speech by implementing the penalties following her public criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, where Israel is a U.S. ally.

“The Government has appealed the court’s order,” the State Department said in a statement.

“In the event the D.C. Circuit stays or overturns that order, the Government intends to restore Ms. Albanese’s name to the SDN List,” the department added, referring to the Specially Designated Nationals list.

WASHINGTON — The possibility of U.S. military action against Cuba emerged as a serious consideration Thursday, as President Donald Trump suggested he might be the first commander-in-chief to follow through on decades of contemplated intervention against the island nation. The escalating rhetoric followed Wednesday’s announcement of criminal charges filed against Cuba’s former leader, Raúl Castro.

Speaking to reporters during an environmental gathering at the Oval Office, Trump indicated that while past administrations have weighed Cuban intervention for generations, he appears ready to act. “Other presidents have looked at this for 50, 60 years, doing something,” Trump stated when questioned about Cuba policy. “And, it looks like I’ll be the one that does it. So, I would be happy to do it.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to media in Miami before departing for a NATO conference in Sweden followed by an India visit, characterized Cuba as a persistent national security concern due to its relationships with American adversaries. While acknowledging the administration’s preference for peaceful resolution, Rubio expressed pessimism about diplomatic success.

The Secretary of State, whose parents immigrated from Cuba and who has maintained a consistently tough stance against the island’s socialist government, emphasized Trump’s commitment to peaceful negotiations while questioning their feasibility. “Trump’s preference is always a negotiated agreement that’s peaceful. That’s always our preference. That remains our preference with Cuba,” Rubio explained.

However, he added candidly: “I’m just being honest with you, you know, the likelihood of that happening, given who we’re dealing with right now, is not high.”

Recent diplomatic efforts involving senior Trump administration officials — including Rubio, CIA chief John Ratcliffe and other top national security personnel — have produced disappointing results in meetings with Cuban representatives. These unsuccessful talks have prompted additional sanctions against Cuba’s government within the past week.

Rubio criticized Cuba’s historical strategy of delay, stating: “Over the years, Cuba has gotten used to ‘buying time and waiting us out.’ They’re not going to be able to wait us out or buy time. We’re very serious, we’re very focused.”

When pressed about potential military force to alter Cuba’s political structure, Rubio reiterated the preference for diplomatic solutions while noting that “the president always has the option to do whatever it takes to support and protect the national interest.” He rejected characterizations of potential action as “nation-building,” instead framing it as addressing national security risks.

The heightened tensions follow Wednesday’s unsealing of an indictment against Castro, accusing him of authorizing the 1996 destruction of civilian aircraft operated by Miami-based Cuban exiles. The charges, secretly filed by a grand jury in April, include murder and aircraft destruction.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel denounced the indictment as political theater designed to “justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba.”

Many observers draw parallels to the Trump administration’s approach toward then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was captured in a military operation in early January. Maduro remains imprisoned in the United States facing federal drug trafficking charges, to which he has entered a not guilty plea.

The timing of military movements has not gone unnoticed, as the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its accompanying vessels arrived in Caribbean waters on the same day Castro’s charges were announced. U.S. Southern Command described the deployment as part of ongoing maritime training exercises with Latin American partners that began in March.

Rubio declined to elaborate on potential methods for executing the indictment against Castro, who will turn 95 next month.

Military action threats have intensified since Trump removed Maduro from power and implemented an energy embargo that severely restricted fuel deliveries to Cuba. These measures have resulted in widespread power outages, food scarcity, and economic devastation throughout the island.

Trump has intensified regime change discussions regarding Cuba after promising a “friendly takeover” contingent on the leadership opening Cuba’s economy to American business interests and severing ties with U.S. adversaries.

On Thursday, Rubio outlined Cuba’s national security threat to America, citing the island’s security and intelligence partnerships with China and Russia, plus its cordial relationships with other U.S. opponents in Latin America.

China expressed opposition to American sanctions and pressure against Cuba through Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Thursday. “China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty and national dignity and opposes external interference,” Guo stated.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services revealed Thursday it is dramatically expanding artificial intelligence technology to monitor how states and other federal health funding recipients conduct audits of their programs. Officials say the initiative aims to reduce fraud risks and protect taxpayer dollars.

According to Gustav Chiarello, the assistant secretary for financial resources overseeing the program, the department will deploy ChatGPT and similar AI platforms to continuously review audit reports submitted by all 50 states.

“It’s classic big government: Everyone files an audit and it lands with a thud and no one does anything about it,” Chiarello explained during an interview. “Here, with AI, we’re able to dig into it.”

This expansion follows the department’s previous adoption of generative AI technology for examining state Medicaid programs, streamlining administrative processes, and text editing. While AI can effectively identify patterns and issues within extensive documentation, skeptics warn federal agencies should proceed carefully due to AI’s tendency toward errors and potential bias.

The current administration and the anti-fraud task force led by Vice President JD Vance have recently emphasized crackdowns on fraudulent activity within Medicaid and Medicare programs, along with student loan applications and other sectors. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson recently discussed on Fox News how these efforts incorporate AI technology to identify potential fraud cases.

Annual audit submissions are mandatory for states, local governments, nonprofits, and higher education institutions receiving at least $1 million in federal funding yearly. Chiarello explained the new program will apply AI analysis to audits from HHS-funded initiatives, encompassing state Medicaid programs and federal grant recipients in research, addiction treatment services, and additional areas.

Organizations failing to submit required reports or address identified issues could lose their federal funding.

Opposition voices have criticized the administration’s anti-fraud campaigns, pointing out that most targets have been Democratic states and suggesting a pattern of accusations preceding thorough fact-gathering. The administration previously admitted to The Associated Press that it had made a significant data error used to support a New York Medicaid fraud investigation.

When questioned about protections against AI errors, Chiarello emphasized that officials would be reviewing existing public reports rather than discovering new information. He stated the technology’s purpose is to help grantees become more responsible stewards of federal money.

Rob Weissman, co-president of consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen, expressed doubt about the administration’s genuine commitment to fraud prevention and questioned whether AI tools would be applied fairly and without partisan bias.

“The AI is kind of beside the point when you assess what their actual objectives are, rather than what they pretend they are,” he commented.

HHS confirmed it has notified governors and treasurers across all 50 states about the new program through official letters. The Wall Street Journal first reported on this initiative.

Chiarello mentioned ongoing discussions with colleagues at other federal departments, hoping they will adopt similar approaches.

“It would be fairly easy for the other agencies to use our technology and jump on it,” he noted.

The White House is pressing Congress to approve railroad safety legislation that has been stalled for months, following a devastating 2023 train derailment in Ohio that resulted in a fire and the release of more than a million gallons of dangerous chemicals and pollutants.

The proposed legislation has backing from President Donald Trump and numerous Democrats, but its future remains uncertain due to strong resistance from railroad companies and many Republican lawmakers.

On Thursday, the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee was reviewing a five-year, $580 billion highway funding package while considering whether to include rail safety provisions that would strengthen safety protocols for trains transporting hazardous cargo and impose stricter regulations on railcar wheel bearings.

Representative Troy Nehls, a Texas Republican, argued the legislation is essential because the derailment “exposed serious weaknesses in the freight rail industry safety practices, particularly when it comes to transporting hazardous materials.”

However, Representative Sam Graves, the Republican committee chair, warned the proposal would increase rail shipping expenses by billions of dollars over a decade. “It’s going to ripple across the entire supply chain,” Graves stated.

The 2023 accident occurred when a railcar wheel bearing overheated and failed catastrophically. Norfolk Southern reached a $310 million settlement with the Justice Department in 2024, which included commitments to install additional equipment for early detection of overheated wheel bearings to prevent future derailments.

National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy noted that numerous safety recommendations issued after the 2023 East Palestine, Ohio derailment have not been implemented more than three years later.

“People living in the community of East Palestine and all Americans deserve no less than a comprehensive approach that addresses critical rail safety issues,” Homendy stated.

The proposed legislation would mandate improved safety protocols for hazardous material transport, require wayside defect detection systems, establish minimum two-person train crews, and increase penalties for violations.

The Association of American Railroads, representing major railway companies, opposed the measure, claiming it has “increasingly become a vehicle for longstanding labor and operational mandates that would raise costs throughout the supply chain while doing little to measurably improve safety outcomes.”

Under mounting internal pressure, the Democratic National Committee made public on Thursday a critical analysis of Kamala Harris’ presidential defeat to Donald Trump that party leaders had previously kept under wraps — while simultaneously rejecting its conclusions.

The analysis determined that Democrats lost territory to Trump’s Republican Party due to inadequate financial support for state organizations and a “persistent inability or unwillingness to listen to all voters.”

The study highlighted Democratic struggles with male voters, those without college degrees, infrequent voters, and rural communities. The document’s release comes just months ahead of November’s congressional midterm races.

DNC Chairman Ken Martin declared in an accompanying statement that the report “does not meet my standards, and it won’t meet your standards,” though he explained the publication was necessary to rebuild party confidence.

The 192-page analysis carries disclaimers on every page indicating it “reflects the views of the author, not the DNC,” with additional notes throughout pointing out factual errors and unsupported assertions.

Democratic consultant Paul Rivera authored the study, which was finished in late 2024. Some party members expressed frustration that the document had been kept confidential. Rivera was unavailable for immediate response.

Despite Trump’s waning approval ratings potentially benefiting Democrats in November’s congressional contests, the party continues seeking a cohesive platform for the 2028 presidential race.

Recent polling by The New York Times and Siena College revealed widespread dissatisfaction among Democratic supporters across all demographics, even as the party maintains what appears to be a significant edge over Republicans approaching the election.

Martin had originally committed to publishing the review but reversed course in December, stating he preferred Democrats focus forward rather than assign blame for 2024’s outcome. This decision prompted questions about his leadership from party supporters.

Martin explained he delayed the report’s release following Democratic wins in Virginia and New Jersey last November to prevent distraction, but admitted this choice created greater controversy. “For that, I sincerely apologize,” he stated.

Historical precedent exists for both major parties conducting such post-defeat analyses to identify lessons, typically involving interviews with party officials, activists, and financial supporters while examining expenditures and communication strategies.

The study acknowledges 2024’s narrow margins might lead Democrats to believe only small adjustments are necessary.

However, this thinking represents denial, according to the analysis, which argues the party “has vacillated between stagnation and retrogression” following Barack Obama’s overwhelming 2008 presidential victory.

The review also criticized Democrat Joe Biden’s administration for inadequately preparing Harris for success during her vice presidency, weakening her position when Biden suddenly ended his reelection campaign in July 2024.

WASHINGTON — Federal officials developed new regulations over nearly 12 months designed to prevent foreign enemies from purchasing commercial location information collected from mobile devices near the government’s most critical facilities.

But the final regulations contain significant omissions, according to a Thursday alert from three congressional Democrats. Notable facilities missing from the 736 protected locations include the White House, Congress, and CIA headquarters.

“The sale of Americans’ location data by data brokers poses a serious threat to U.S. national security, particularly when data about U.S. government employees is sold to foreign governments,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Trump administration officials. “Such data can reveal sensitive information that can be exploited for espionage purposes.”

The correspondence, bearing signatures from Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, along with Rep. Sara Jacobs of California, called on the Trump administration to fix these omissions and establish a comprehensive “protection zone” covering the entire Washington, D.C. area instead of selecting specific buildings. The lawmakers also pushed for expanding the roster of restricted countries prohibited from obtaining Americans’ data.

Justice Department representatives declined to provide comment. Officials from the Director of National Intelligence’s office did not return requests for comment.

Commercial data brokers have historically sold this type of information to assist businesses with targeted marketing, consumer behavior analysis, and investment research. Government agencies have increasingly relied on these information sources for law enforcement and intelligence gathering. Foreign intelligence services can utilize such data to track movement patterns and activities of U.S. government workers.

This type of commercially accessible information has previously been employed to locate sensitive U.S. installations. Fitness tracking applications have also created security issues during military missions or at classified locations, including a recent incident when a French aircraft carrier operating in the Mediterranean allegedly revealed its position after a crew member recorded a jogging route on the vessel’s deck.

The regulations, effective April 2025, aim to restrict data sales to China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela. They generally prohibit selling location information from more than 1,000 American devices to these nations. However, recognizing that foreign governments could potentially bypass these limitations by purchasing smaller datasets, the rules specifically designated certain government-linked sites where even single-device data sales are prohibited.

The regulation identified these locations only through GPS coordinates. Staff members working for Wyden, with assistance from the Congressional Research Service, examined the GPS coordinates to determine which U.S. government facilities were covered and which were overlooked, according to a representative for the senator.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump abruptly canceled a planned signing ceremony Thursday for an executive order addressing artificial intelligence, citing fears the directive might damage America’s competitive position in AI development.

The president announced he was delaying the signing after reviewing the order’s language, making the decision just hours before the scheduled Oval Office ceremony.

“We’re leading China, we’re leading everybody, and I don’t want to do anything that’s going to get in the way of that lead,” Trump told reporters during a separate Oval Office gathering.

The effort to establish government oversight of advanced AI systems stems from mounting concerns among banking institutions and other sectors about AI’s expanding capability to identify cybersecurity weaknesses in global software systems.

In April, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and outgoing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell organized an emergency session with Wall Street chief executives, alerting them to cybersecurity threats from Anthropic’s AI model, Claude Mythos.

The hastily arranged meeting at Treasury Department headquarters aimed to make banks aware of potential risks from these AI models, Bessent explained during CNBC’s “Invest in America Forum” in Washington that April. “This new Anthropic model is very powerful,” he stated. “Some banks are doing a better job in cybersecurity than others, and we want to have the ability to convene them and talk about what is best practices and where they should be heading.”

The concerns prompted some Republican president allies to suggest improved methods for providing these AI tools to reliable cybersecurity professionals.

However, any strategy resembling government review of commercial AI models would represent a major departure from Trump’s campaign promises to eliminate AI safety regulations established by Democratic President Joe Biden during his second White House term.

The current administration will postpone enforcement of two environmental regulations from the previous presidency that control refrigerants, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced Thursday as part of efforts to reverse environmental policies.

The postponement will impact grocery stores, semiconductor companies and other businesses that rely on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), powerful greenhouse gases found in cooling and air conditioning equipment. These compliance mandates originated from a 2023 EPA regulation designed to cut emissions of these super-pollutants.

President Donald Trump’s administration has reversed almost all regulations that targeted greenhouse gas emission reductions.

The EPA also plans to suggest eliminating additional HFC restrictions through a different regulation that impacts companies transporting refrigerated products, according to Zeldin.

According to Zeldin, relaxing these regulations would cut consumer expenses, with projected savings exceeding $2.4 billion.

“Americans were right to be frustrated with the Biden-era refrigerant rules,” Zeldin said in a statement. “They didn’t protect human health or the environment and instead piled on costly, unattainable restrictions beyond what the law requires.”

The cooling and air conditioning sector had generally backed earlier regulatory measures, and several industry groups stated the postponement would ultimately increase expenses for manufacturers, food retailers and consumers since they would need more refrigerants.

The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute condemned grocery chains that advocated for this reversal, claiming it would increase prices by limiting the availability of current refrigerants.

“This was never a rule forcing stores to replace existing equipment. It was a rule for new equipment. The EPA has no analysis showing that delaying these dates will lower costs for consumers,” said Steven Yurek, president of AHRI.

Last week, the EPA also suggested reducing wastewater restrictions for coal-powered plants, stating the modifications would decrease electricity expenses.

The Justice Department announced Thursday that it has sworn in its largest group of immigration judges ever, as the current administration continues reshaping the nation’s immigration court system.

Officials confirmed that 82 new immigration judges took their oath of office Wednesday in Washington, D.C., including 77 permanent positions and five temporary appointments. This brings the total number of immigration judges to approximately 700, following the dismissal of more than 100 judges by the current administration.

“Today, we are onboarding the largest immigration judge class in agency history,” Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “This could only happen thanks to President Trump’s decisive leadership and commitment to securing our borders.”

These immigration judges operate under the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review rather than as part of the federal court system, alongside the Board of Immigration Appeals that reviews their rulings.

Following President Donald Trump’s return to office in January 2025 with his strict immigration policies, his administration has dismissed at least 115 immigration judges while a comparable number have accepted buyouts, stepped down, or retired from a pool of roughly 700 judges, according to the National Association of Immigration Judges.

The administration has simultaneously worked to fill these positions, frequently selecting candidates with experience in criminal prosecution or immigration enforcement. Many of the 77 newly appointed permanent judges, who will work in approximately half the states, have similar enforcement experience.

According to the Justice Department, its immigration review office has appointed 153 permanent immigration judges during the 2026 fiscal year that started October 1, marking the highest annual total on record.

The five temporary judges come from military backgrounds and can serve for up to six months. The Pentagon announced in September that military and civilian attorneys working for the U.S. Defense Department under the leadership of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would take on temporary immigration judge roles.

The Justice Department identifies clearing the immigration court backlog as a top priority. Officials report that pending cases in immigration courts have dropped from approximately 4 million to less than 3.53 million since Trump assumed office.