Category: Politics

Federal agencies are cutting all ties with artificial intelligence company Anthropic following a direct directive from President Trump to cease using the startup’s technology products.

On Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced via social media that his department would completely discontinue using all Anthropic services, including the company’s Claude AI platform. This action follows Trump’s Friday mandate ordering government entities to sever relationships with the AI firm.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency is also eliminating its use of Anthropic technology, according to Director William Pulte, who posted the announcement on X. Pulte indicated that mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would likewise stop using the company’s products.

The Pentagon has indicated it will classify Anthropic as a supply chain security concern, delivering a significant setback to the artificial intelligence company following disagreements over technology safety protocols.

Trump has established a six-month transition period for the Defense Department and other federal agencies currently utilizing Anthropic’s services to phase out their operations.

This government action represents an unusual rejection of a major American AI company that has helped maintain U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence technology critical to national security. The move could isolate Anthropic in a way typically reserved for foreign competitors.

Meanwhile, competing AI firm OpenAI revealed late Friday that it secured its own agreement to provide technology services to the Defense Department’s secure networks.

PORTLAND, Maine — A Maine Democratic candidate seeking to challenge a longtime Republican senator has secured another notable endorsement, demonstrating continued momentum despite ongoing campaign challenges.

Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego announced his support Monday for Graham Platner, a first-time candidate who works as an oyster farmer and served as a combat veteran. Gallego praised Platner as embodying “the grit and independence that defines Maine.”

“Graham Platner is the kind of fighter Maine hasn’t seen in a long time, someone who tells you exactly what he thinks, doesn’t owe anything to the special interests, and wakes up every day thinking about working families,” Gallego stated. The Arizona Democrat secured his Senate position in 2024 with a victory margin exceeding 2 points, even as Trump won Arizona by nearly 6 points.

Platner’s endorsement list already includes Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who serves as an independent but works with Democrats, along with New Mexico’s Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich. However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has chosen to support Platner’s primary rival, Maine Governor Janet Mills.

The 41-year-old Platner and 78-year-old Mills are both targeting Republican Senator Susan Collins, age 73, who serves her fifth term and recently declared her intention to seek reelection. Securing a Maine victory represents a critical component of Democratic strategy to regain Senate control, with the party requiring four additional seats to achieve majority status. Democrats have identified Maine, North Carolina, Alaska, and Ohio as key battleground states.

Platner has built support through his outsider appeal and focus on economic fairness messaging. His campaign has weathered storms including scrutiny over past social media content and a tattoo that appeared similar to Nazi imagery, which he has since had modified.

Gallego, considered among potential Democratic presidential candidates for 2028, previously campaigned in New Jersey, Virginia, and Florida last fall, supporting Democrats who ultimately won their races.

“I have an immense amount of respect for him and I’m looking forward to joining him as a fellow Marine and combat infantryman in the U.S. Senate,” Platner commented in response to the endorsement.

AUSTIN, Texas — The 2026 midterm election season officially begins Tuesday as Texas voters participate in highly competitive Senate primaries that could reshape the political landscape heading into November’s general election.

With Republicans maintaining a 53-47 Senate advantage, Democrats acknowledge their challenging path to regaining control of the chamber in 2026. However, party leaders believe strong primary outcomes in Texas could potentially make the traditionally red state more competitive during a midterm cycle that historically favors the opposition party over the sitting president’s party.

Tuesday’s primary elections extend beyond Texas, with Arkansas and North Carolina also selecting their nominees. Texas voters will decide contests for every statewide position, including governor and state legislative seats.

On the Republican side, Senator John Cornyn encounters his most formidable primary challenge after sailing through his previous four Senate campaigns without serious opposition. This cycle, he confronts a field of eight candidates led by state Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Representative Wesley Hunt. Historical data shows only two Texas incumbent senators have suffered primary defeats over the past century.

The Democratic primary features a competitive battle between U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett and state Representative James Talarico, with Ahmad Hassan, who has previously sought office in both Texas and Minnesota, also in the running.

Governor Greg Abbott seeks his fourth consecutive term while facing ten Republican primary opponents. The Democratic gubernatorial field includes former U.S. Representative Chris Bell, state Representative Gina Hinojosa, and six additional active contenders.

Congressional races take on added significance as candidates compete within newly drawn district boundaries. State Republicans redesigned these maps following encouragement from President Donald Trump as part of their strategy to retain House control.

The redistricting’s effects are already apparent among Democratic incumbents. Representatives Christian Menefee and Al Green must compete against each other and two additional candidates in the reconfigured 18th Congressional District. Meanwhile, in the newly formed 33rd Congressional District, Democratic Representative Julie Johnson faces former Representative Colin Allred and two other primary challengers.

Several Republican incumbents face potentially difficult primary battles. Representatives Dan Crenshaw and Tony Gonzales encounter strong challenges in the 2nd and 23rd congressional districts respectively. Gonzales has weathered calls for his resignation from Republican colleagues following allegations regarding a relationship with a former staff member who died by suicide.

Texas election law requires primary winners to secure majority support to avoid a May 26 runoff election.

Democratic candidates traditionally face steep odds in Texas general elections. The party hasn’t captured any statewide office since 1994, spanning positions from governor to railroad commissioner. No Texas Democrat has won a Senate seat since 1988, with Lyndon Johnson being the last Democrat to hold Cornyn’s current position.

Harris County, encompassing Houston and representing the state’s largest population center, significantly influences both party primaries. Dallas and Travis counties maintain importance in Republican contests while contributing larger vote shares in Democratic races. Tarrant County, home to Fort Worth, typically carries greater weight in Republican primaries.

For the Republican Senate primary, counties showing strongest Trump support could prove decisive, given the campaign’s focus on questioning Cornyn’s conservative credentials during the Trump presidency. While many counties where Trump received 80% or more support in 2024 are rural with smaller populations, they collectively represented approximately one-fifth of previous state GOP primary votes. Historical data shows both Cornyn and Paxton won overwhelming majorities in these Trump strongholds during their last primaries, though Cornyn’s performance lagged behind his statewide numbers while Paxton exceeded his.

Democratic primary observers should monitor counties with substantial Hispanic populations along the border, particularly El Paso and Hidalgo counties, plus areas with significant African American populations in East Texas, part of the broader Southern region known as the Black Belt.

The Associated Press maintains its policy of declaring winners only when no mathematical possibility exists for trailing candidates to overcome deficits. Until races are officially called, the AP continues covering significant developments while clearly stating that winners haven’t been determined.

Texas law mandates automatic recounts solely for tied elections. Losing candidates may request and fund recounts when margins fall below 10% of the leading candidate’s total. The AP may call races subject to potential recounts if leads appear too substantial for recounts or legal challenges to alter outcomes.

Polls close at 7 p.m. local time statewide, though Texas spans two time zones. Most polling locations close at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, with westernmost areas closing at 9 p.m. Eastern. While significant results from most regions will be available between 8-9 p.m. Eastern, the AP won’t call statewide races until all polls close at 9 p.m. Eastern.

Coverage will include vote tallies and winner declarations for contested primaries across U.S. Senate, House, gubernatorial, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, railroad commissioner, state Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, state Board of Education, and both legislative chambers.

Any eligible voter may participate in either party’s primary. Texas doesn’t require party registration, but primary participation establishes party affiliation for May runoff eligibility purposes.

Texas had approximately 18.5 million registered voters as of the November 2025 general election.

The 2022 primaries saw nearly 2 million Republican gubernatorial primary participants and roughly 1.1 million Democratic voters. Early voting accounted for about 53% of Republican primary ballots and 58% of Democratic primary votes.

This year’s early voting totals reached nearly 1,177,000 Democratic primary ballots and more than 1,009,000 Republican primary ballots by Thursday.

During 2024 Senate primaries, the AP began reporting results at 8:09 p.m. Eastern, nine minutes after most polls closed. Final updates occurred at 4:41 a.m. Eastern for the Democratic primary with 96% of votes counted, and 5:46 a.m. Eastern for the Republican primary with 98% tallied.

Counties historically release complete or nearly complete early and absentee voting results in initial updates before reporting Election Day totals.

Tuesday marks 84 days until potential runoff elections and 245 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

WASHINGTON — Tuesday’s primary elections in North Carolina will determine the candidates for a pivotal U.S. Senate contest that could influence which party controls the evenly split chamber come November. Voters will also choose nominees for various U.S. House seats, state legislative positions, and Court of Appeals races.

Following Republican Senator Thom Tillis’s retirement announcement last June, North Carolina has emerged as one of the few states where Democrats see a realistic chance to capture a GOP-held Senate seat in what’s otherwise a challenging electoral landscape. With Republicans currently maintaining a 53-47 Senate advantage, Democrats require a net gain of four seats to reclaim control.

Twelve contenders — split evenly between both parties — are seeking to replace Tillis. Tuesday’s primary victors will advance to the November general election showdown.

Leading the Republican field is Michael Whatley, who previously served as Republican National Committee chair and has secured President Donald Trump’s endorsement. The GOP race also includes author and lawyer Don Brown, along with conservative activist Michele Morrow, both of whom pursued different offices in 2024. Brown previously sought the Republican nomination in the 8th Congressional District, while Morrow mounted a strong campaign for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Though Margot Dupre’s name remains on the ballot, election officials have disqualified her candidacy.

On the Democratic side, former two-term Governor Roy Cooper faces five challengers. Both Whatley and Cooper have significantly outpaced their primary opponents in fundraising efforts.

House races will take place using newly drawn district maps — state lawmakers redrew boundaries in 2025 as part of Trump’s initiative to increase Republican House representation through mid-decade redistricting. The reconfigured 1st Congressional District, now designed to favor Republicans, features five GOP candidates vying to unseat Democratic Representative Don Davis. Laurie Buckhout, who came close to defeating Davis in 2024, is making another attempt and will compete against Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck, state Senator Bobby Hanig, Lenoir County Commissioner Eric Rouse, and attorney Ashley-Nicole Russell.

The heavily Democratic 4th Congressional District, encompassing the Raleigh-Durham region, will see Democratic Representative Valerie Foushee in a primary rematch against Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam. Allam finished second to Foushee in a crowded 2022 Democratic field that featured former American Idol contestant Clay Aiken. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has endorsed Allam’s candidacy.

Wake and Mecklenburg counties, containing Raleigh and Charlotte respectively, represent the state’s most populous areas and typically generate the highest voter turnout in both party primaries. Guilford County, the third-largest with roughly half the population of Wake or Mecklenburg, also holds significant influence, though Durham County usually takes precedence in Democratic contests while Forsyth County carries more weight in Republican races.

Trump’s backing should benefit Whatley considerably in a state where the then-former president won every county during his 2024 primary battle against former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.

Cooper demonstrated similar dominance, winning every county in his 2020 primary reelection campaign and losing only five small counties in his 2016 primary race.

In the 4th District contest, Allam previously captured her home base of Durham — the district’s largest county — during the 2022 primary against Foushee, while Foushee secured Orange County and achieved commanding victories in four smaller counties. The redrawn 4th District retains Durham and Orange but now includes portions of Wake and Chatham counties while losing the four smaller areas where Foushee performed strongest. Should Allam and Foushee divide Durham and Orange by comparable margins to 2022, Wake County’s results could prove decisive.

The Associated Press maintains strict standards for declaring winners, only doing so when no mathematical possibility exists for trailing candidates to overcome their deficits. Until a race is officially called, the AP continues monitoring significant developments while clearly stating no winner has been determined.

North Carolina’s primary system allows second-place finishers to demand runoff elections when the leading candidate receives less than 30% of total votes.

The state doesn’t conduct automatic recounts, though candidates may request them when margins fall below 0.5% of total votes or 10,000 votes in statewide races, or 1% in other contests. The AP may still declare winners in recount-eligible races if the lead appears too substantial for legal challenges to alter outcomes.

Polling locations close at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

The AP will deliver vote tallies and winner declarations for contested primaries covering U.S. Senate, House, state Senate and House, plus state Court of Appeals positions.

Only registered party members can participate in their respective primaries, meaning Democrats cannot vote in Republican contests and vice versa. Unaffiliated voters may choose either party’s primary.

Current registration figures from February 21 show approximately 7.7 million eligible North Carolina voters. Republicans hold a slight edge over Democrats, with each party claiming roughly 2.3 million registered members. More than 3 million voters remain unaffiliated with any party.

The 2022 Senate primaries drew nearly 765,000 Republican votes and about 619,000 Democratic ballots. Early voting accounted for approximately 37% of Republican primary turnout and 46% of Democratic participation.

This year’s early voting numbers show more than 416,000 Democratic ballots and nearly 295,000 Republican ballots cast through Saturday.

During the 2022 Senate primaries, initial AP results appeared around 7:50 p.m. Eastern, roughly 20 minutes after polls closed. Final updates came at 12:25 a.m. Eastern with over 99% of votes tallied.

Most North Carolina counties release complete or near-complete mail and early voting results in their first updates before reporting any Election Day totals.

Following Tuesday’s primaries, 245 days will remain until the 2026 midterm elections.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated legal proceedings against Aid Access, alleging the organization unlawfully delivers abortion medications to residents within Texas borders, defying the state’s anti-abortion statutes.

In the legal filing, Paxton claims that “Aid Access’s illegal acts in Texas are not theoretical — they have already caused the deaths of unborn children across the state. Aid Access is a notorious part of a growing network of out-of-state abortion traffickers that deliberately target Texas residents.”

The lawsuit represents the latest effort by Texas officials to enforce restrictive abortion laws by targeting organizations that provide abortion services from outside the state’s jurisdiction.

A Republican legislator in Idaho has put forward legislation requesting that the U.S. Supreme Court take another look at its landmark 2015 ruling that made same-sex marriage legal throughout the United States.

State Representative Tony Wisnewski is behind the proposed measure, which would formally petition the nation’s highest court to revisit the decision. According to Wisnewski, “The government has to recognize that the family is the fundamental building block of society.” The lawmaker contends that same-sex marriage weakens this foundational institution.

This isn’t the first time Idaho legislators have pursued this approach. A comparable proposal successfully moved through the Idaho House of Representatives during the previous legislative session, though it ultimately stalled and failed to gain approval in the state Senate.

A prominent Christian legal organization is calling on the Trump administration to address concerns about federally funded medical education programs that allegedly compel students to take part in abortion procedures.

Alliance Defending Freedom has contacted the Department of Health and Human Services regarding roughly 50 medical training programs that receive government funding while potentially mandating student involvement in abortions. The legal group contends that such requirements are inappropriate for taxpayer-supported programs.

“No family medicine residency can tell applicants or employees that any aspect of abortion is a necessary part of the program,” the organization stated in their correspondence to federal officials.

The request aligns with President Trump’s campaign commitment to eliminate all government funding for abortion-related activities. The incoming administration has pledged to implement comprehensive restrictions on taxpayer support for such procedures.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas residents will head to polling stations Tuesday to select their party’s nominees across a wide range of federal, state and local races during primary election day.

The victorious candidates will advance to compete in the November midterm contests within a state where Democratic statewide victories have been absent since 2010. Beyond state-level positions, the Republican Party currently controls all four of the state’s U.S. House seats and maintains commanding majorities in both legislative chambers.

Senator Tom Cotton, seeking his third term as Arkansas’ Republican U.S. Senator, will compete against two challengers in his party’s primary. On the Democratic side, the nomination contest features Lewisville Mayor Ethan Dunbar against farmer and small business owner Hallie Shoffner.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Republican incumbent pursuing a second term in 2026, encounters no opposition in her primary race. Similarly, the state’s Republican lieutenant governor, attorney general, auditor and treasurer all run without primary challengers as they seek reelection.

The Democratic gubernatorial nomination pits State Sen. Fred Love against magazine publisher Supha Xayprasith-Mays in their effort to challenge Sanders this November. Xayprasith-Mays previously sought the nomination in 2022 but finished fourth in that Democratic primary.

Additional competitive primary battles will determine nominees for secretary of state, commissioner of state lands, two U.S. House districts, and over two dozen state legislative seats in both chambers.

Hotly contested statewide primary races have become uncommon in Arkansas during recent election cycles. Cotton faced no primary opposition in both 2014 and 2020, while Sanders and Republican U.S. Sen. John Boozman secured their 2022 primary victories with 83% and 66% of votes, respectively.

Pulaski County, which encompasses Little Rock, represents the state’s largest population center. As Arkansas’ most Democratic-leaning region — where Vice President Kamala Harris achieved her strongest state performance during the 2024 presidential election — Pulaski and similar Democratic-friendly counties typically exert greater influence in Democratic primaries compared to Republican contests.

During the 2016 GOP presidential primary, then-U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida captured over one-third of Pulaski County votes, sufficient to win the county against multiple opponents. However, despite strong showings in Pulaski and Benton County in northwest Arkansas, Rubio finished third statewide behind Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. While Pulaski represented Trump’s weakest county performance in 2016, he swept all Arkansas counties eight years later during his 2024 primary campaign against former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley.

Arkansas election law mandates that candidates receiving less than 50% of primary votes must compete in a March 31 runoff against the second-place finisher.

The Associated Press maintains its policy of avoiding projections and only declaring winners when no mathematical possibility exists for trailing candidates to overcome their deficits. Should races remain undecided, the AP continues reporting significant developments, including candidate concessions or victory claims, while clearly noting that no winner has been declared.

While Arkansas lacks automatic recount provisions, candidates may request and fund recounts, with costs reimbursed if results change. The AP may announce winners in recount-eligible races when determining that leads exceed margins that recounts or legal challenges could overturn.

Polling locations close at 7:30 p.m. local time, corresponding to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

The Associated Press will deliver vote tallies and winner declarations for contested primaries including governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House Districts 2 and 4, secretary of state, commissioner of state lands, state legislative races, plus a nonpartisan state Supreme Court position and special elections for state Senate District 26 and state House District 70.

Arkansas permits but doesn’t mandate party registration for voters. State law allows parties to establish specific eligibility criteria for primary participation. For 2026, Democratic Party rules permit registered Republicans to vote in Democratic primaries, while Republicans implemented a rule last June preventing registered Democrats from participating in Republican primaries.

Following the November 2024 general election, Arkansas maintained approximately 1.8 million registered voters.

The 2022 Republican primary drew roughly 348,000 participants, while about 94,000 voted in the Democratic primary. Early voting accounted for approximately 49% of Republican primary ballots and 52% of Democratic primary votes before primary day.

This year’s early voting totals show more than 61,000 Democratic primary ballots and approximately 125,500 Republican primary ballots cast through Saturday.

During the 2022 GOP gubernatorial primary, the AP began reporting results at 8:45 p.m. ET, just 15 minutes following poll closure. The final vote update occurred at 3:11 a.m. ET with roughly 98% of total ballots counted.

Historical patterns show counties typically release complete or near-complete early and absentee voting results in initial updates before reporting Election Day in-person voting totals.

Tuesday’s primaries occur 245 days before the 2026 midterm elections.

WASHINGTON — Federal lawmakers are preparing to hold war powers discussions regarding President Trump’s military actions against Iran under unprecedented conditions — the conflict has already begun, and the nation finds itself essentially engaged in warfare.

Military strikes are occurring, casualties are mounting, and threats of retaliation continue to escalate, while countless taxpayer funds support a military operation expected to last weeks without clearly defined objectives or endpoints. This situation differs markedly from the lead-up to the 2003 Iraq conflict, which featured extensive congressional deliberations following the September 11, 2001 attacks, or recent limited U.S. strikes on Venezuela. The combined American-Israeli military operation against Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, is actively progressing with no apparent conclusion in view.

At least three American military service members have lost their lives, with Trump cautioning Sunday that “there will likely be more.”

This represents a crucial moment for Congress, which holds exclusive constitutional authority to declare war, and for the Republican commander-in-chief, who has repeatedly expanded executive power during his second term with seemingly unlimited views of presidential authority.

“The Constitution is intended to prevent the accumulation of power in any one branch of government — and in any one person in government,” stated David Janovsky, acting director of The Constitution Project at the Project on Government Oversight, a watchdog organization.

“Congress is the people’s representatives in a way that the president isn’t, even though we tend to focus on the president,” he explained. “We need the people’s representatives to weigh in on whether we, the people, are going to war right now.”

Within the United States, Congress must explicitly authorize military operations through either a war declaration or an authorization for the use of military force to sanction such actions. However, this process occurs infrequently.

Congress has actually declared war only five times throughout American history, last doing so in 1941 to join World War II following the Pearl Harbor assault. Lawmakers approved an AUMF for the 1990 Gulf conflict and again in 2001 and 2002 to initiate post-9/11 military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

However, Congress also established the war powers resolution during the Vietnam conflict era as a final option — designed to restrain presidents who had initiated military operations without legislative consent.

Both chambers have prepared war powers resolutions for voting this week.

Senator Mark Warner, the leading Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, declared that Trump, as commander-in-chief, “does not have the right to do this on his own.”

“When the president commits American forces to a war of choice, he needs to come before Congress and the American people and ask for a declaration of war,” Warner stated on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

While legislators have condemned the Iranian government and its nuclear programs, Democrats argue Trump has failed to provide justification for the conflict or describe future strategy, and Trump’s MAGA supporters are dividing over what they view as the president’s inability to honor his “America First” pledge by drawing the U.S. into foreign warfare. Many representatives fear prolonged involvement as the operation resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and hundreds of regional casualties.

Administration officials are scheduled to update congressional leadership and members this week, though these question-and-answer sessions will occur privately, away from public scrutiny.

Historically, presidents from both parties have gathered extensive power to conduct often limited American military actions to achieve strategic national security objectives without legislative approval. Democratic President Barack Obama’s Libyan operations and Republican George H.W. Bush’s Panama interventions proceeded without congressional endorsement.

Yet limiting presidential war powers remains something lawmakers have seldom managed to achieve. Even if Congress successfully passes a war powers resolution to restrict Trump’s Iran actions, neither chamber would likely gather the two-thirds majority required to override a presidential veto.

Trump has dismissed Congress’s ability to control his actions in warfare and other areas. He provided only brief Iran commentary during last week’s State of the Union speech, treating legislative support as secondary.

John Yoo, a University of California, Berkeley law professor, explained that the Founding Fathers created a constitutional framework where the president and Congress would compete over these matters — with Congress wielding one especially strong weapon through federal budget control.

“Congress, they know how to stop this if they want to,” said Yoo, who assisted in creating the Bush administration’s 2001 and 2002 force authorizations. The Vietnam conflict concluded once Congress eliminated funding, he noted.

But Congress remains under Republican control that generally supports Trump’s approach of directing military force against Iran, and recently authorized significant new Pentagon funding, approximately $175 billion, through the major tax reduction legislation he enacted last year.

With the Republican president’s party controlling both the House and Senate, their reluctance to oppose him comes as no surprise, Yoo observed: “They agree with him.”

Before the debates, Republican Senator Tom Cotton, the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, said Trump has already outlined his Iran strategy.

Cotton explained Sunday that Trump has clarified the U.S. won’t deploy ground troops within Iran. Instead, Americans should anticipate an “extended air and naval campaign” throughout the region, which might lead to downed pilots, though he said military personnel would be retrieved.

He anticipates a campaign lasting several weeks as Iran selects new leadership and decides its response to American attacks.

“There’s no simple answer for what’s going to come next,” Cotton remarked on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump moved forward with military action against Iran even after top advisors privately warned that the escalating situation could prove difficult to control and potentially damage Republican prospects in this November’s midterm elections, two senior White House officials and a Republican familiar with the administration told reporters.

The extensive military operation has received widespread support from foreign policy hawks throughout Washington, many of whom have long advocated for removing Tehran’s authoritarian government. However, several White House staffers are concerned this foreign policy risk could hurt Republican efforts to maintain congressional control, particularly when voters focused on war concerns are more worried about living expenses than overseas conflicts.

Prior to launching the strikes, Trump continuously requested briefings about how the military operations might help him appear strong to domestic audiences, the senior White House officials revealed. Key advisors warned that U.S. intelligence could not clearly guarantee that further escalation would be prevented once military action commenced, and cautioned the administration might be linking its political future to an uncertain outcome.

Trump eventually agreed with advisors who argued that bold action would demonstrate strong leadership, despite potential long-term consequences, according to the officials.

These officials don’t anticipate immediate political consequences. Rather, they predict what one called a “slow-burn effect,” influenced by how long the conflict lasts, the extent of retaliation, American casualty numbers, and effects on fuel prices.

A Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted Sunday revealed that just 25% of Americans supported the U.S. strikes that resulted in Iran’s leader’s death. Approximately half of those surveyed — including 25% of Republicans — indicated they think Trump shows excessive willingness to employ military force. The polling concluded before the U.S. military reported the operation’s first American casualties.

“The President’s decision to launch Operation Epic Fury is one that presidents of both parties have contemplated for more than fifty years, but none had the courage to execute,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “Right now, the White House’s main priority is working alongside the Pentagon and the interagencies to ensure the continued and ultimate success of the operation.”

ECONOMIC FOCUS STRATEGY ABANDONED AGAIN

Considering public opinion before the midterms, White House staff and Trump advisors had been encouraging the president to concentrate on issues Americans prioritize most, such as healthcare and affordability, similar to his approach during the State of the Union address delivered four days prior to the attack.

The weekend military strikes highlighted how rapidly that approach has collapsed, at least temporarily. During Sunday interviews, the president indicated the Iran operations would likely require four to five weeks, and he continued preparing the nation for additional American deaths following the military’s announcement that three service members had died.

“The juxtaposition between a successful State of the Union address that focused on affordability and the economic issues that voters care about and going to war in the Middle East days later is not just whiplash-inducing, it’s head-spinning,” said Rob Godfrey, a Republican strategist.

“Making midterm voters comfortable with that juxtaposition will be one of the most important things that the White House needs to undertake in the next few weeks.”

One unofficial Trump advisor, who recently visited the White House, contended that the primary electoral threat comes not from moderate or independent voters, but from Trump’s MAGA base, for whom avoiding foreign intervention was a central element of the president’s 2024 campaign message.

Many of these supporters might simply skip voting during the midterms, when participation rates are typically already lower, the advisor explained.

With 58% of Americans expressing disapproval of Trump’s job performance according to February Reuters/Ipsos polling, Republicans need strong turnout from core supporters to prevent Democratic victories that could shift control of the U.S. House of Representatives and potentially threaten the Republican Senate majority.

COMPETITIVE HOUSE DISTRICTS FACE GREATER RISK

White House staff are analyzing how an extended military involvement in Iran, along with casualties and increased fuel prices, might weaken public support in competitive congressional districts, the White House officials reported.

The White House considers competitive House races, where Republicans maintain a slim majority, far more vulnerable to Iran-related consequences than Senate contests, sources indicated.

White House political analysis identifies numerous swing districts where even minor voter doubt could prove critical, or at minimum force vulnerable Republican representatives — including Colorado’s Gabe Evans, Wisconsin’s Derrick Van Orden, and Pennsylvania’s Rob Bresnahan — to vote on difficult war-powers measures and address questions about expanding international conflict when they prefer focusing on domestic concerns like living costs.

A senior Republican operative working to preserve the party’s congressional majorities stated that foreign intervention presents more political danger than benefit for Trump. Foreign policy successes often don’t resonate with voters, though foreign policy disasters typically do.

“Unless this operation goes bad, voters, especially for the midterms, don’t care about foreign policy,” the operative explained.

Trump’s successful capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro during a raid last month generated minimal political backlash and caused no American deaths. Nevertheless, since that early January operation, Trump’s approval rating declined from 42% to 39%, according to recent Reuters/Ipsos polling.

Political analysts suggested that a brief conflict resulting in Iran abandoning its nuclear program and establishing new leadership would receive more positive reception than an extended war with many American casualties.

Conversations with Trump supporters reveal that — despite a significant minority expressing concern about his increasing tendency toward foreign intervention — many remain willing to support his shift from self-described “peacemaker” to aggressive military strategist.

“This totally blindsided me, I didn’t even know this was even being thought about,” said BJ Moore, an 83-year-old Trump voter from Atlanta, Georgia, regarding the Iran operation. “No one wants to be involved in a war, but Iran just killed thousands of their own people, so I’m fine with what Trump did.”

WASHINGTON – The road to Senate control runs through eight key battleground states this November, where Republicans currently enjoy a comfortable 53-47 advantage in the upper chamber. Political experts say Democrats face a steep climb to regain the majority, needing to flip four additional seats while protecting their own vulnerable incumbents.

Out of 100 total Senate positions, 35 will appear on ballots this election cycle, but only a handful are expected to be truly competitive.

TEXAS

The Lone Star State’s traditionally red Senate seat could be in jeopardy following a chaotic Republican primary battle. Current Senator John Cornyn, representing the party’s establishment wing, finds himself behind populist Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in recent polling. With Representative Wesley Hunt also in the mix, Tuesday’s primary may head to a May 26 runoff if no candidate secures a clear majority.

Despite facing multiple personal and professional controversies, Paxton maintains strong support among conservative grassroots activists due to his aggressive stance against Texas immigration organizations and alleged voter fraud. His three statewide electoral victories, including his 2022 reelection, demonstrate his political durability, though strategists believe his nomination could create an opening for Democratic challengers.

The Democratic contest features a compelling showdown between Representative Jasmine Crockett, known for her combative political style, and state Representative James Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian targeting centrist voters. Political observers suggest Crockett may resonate better with primary voters but could struggle in a general election matchup.

NORTH CAROLINA

An open Senate seat in the Tar Heel State presents Democrats with their best pickup opportunity after Republican Senator Thom Tillis announced his retirement following disagreements with Trump on immigration policy, Federal Reserve matters, and fiscal issues.

Former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, known for his moderate approach, appears positioned to win Tuesday’s primary, while Republicans have rallied around Michael Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chairman who has secured Trump’s backing.

Campaign strategists consider this contest among the year’s most competitive races.

ALASKA

The Last Frontier typically favors Republican candidates, but this year’s Senate race could prove surprisingly competitive as former Democratic Representative Mary Peltola challenges incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan.

Sullivan has represented Alaska since 2015 and enters the race as the favorite in a state Trump carried by 14 percentage points in 2024.

Despite Sullivan’s mainstream conservative credentials, Alaska voters have historically supported moderate candidates like Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski.

Peltola brings proven statewide appeal as a moderate voice who made history as the first Alaska Native elected to Congress in 2022, though she narrowly lost reelection in 2024.

MAINE

Five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins faces another potentially tight reelection battle. As Senate Appropriations Committee chair, she controls government spending decisions, a role that has created tension with the Trump administration this year.

Collins, a well-known party moderate, represents Republicans’ strongest hope of retaining the seat. Her Democratic challenger will emerge from a June 9 primary featuring current Governor Janet Mills against progressive candidate Graham Platner.

At 77, Mills would become the oldest first-term senator in history if elected, surpassing Collins’ age of 72. Mills gained Democratic support for her defense of transgender rights against Trump administration policies. Platner, a Marine veteran and oysterman, campaigns on populist themes but has faced scrutiny over controversial past social media posts and a tattoo resembling Nazi imagery, highlighting his political inexperience.

GEORGIA

Among the four competitive seats Democrats must defend, two are located in states with Republican governors, illustrating the party’s electoral challenges. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff seeks reelection after winning the seat in a January 2021 runoff.

At 38, Ossoff holds the distinction of being the Senate’s youngest member. He has concentrated on Georgia-specific priorities, including opposing proposed budget cuts to Atlanta’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Trump has withheld his endorsement ahead of the May 19 Republican primary, leaving the three-way race wide open between Representatives Mike Collins and Buddy Carter, plus Derek Dooley, an attorney and former college football coach backed by the Republican governor.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Democrats face defending an open seat following three-term Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s retirement announcement. The race features well-known figures familiar to New Hampshire’s politically engaged electorate.

Both Republican contenders in the September 8 primary bring Senate experience. John E. Sununu served one term before losing in 2008, while Scott Brown represented Massachusetts from 2010 to 2013. Trump has given his endorsement to Sununu.

The Democratic side features Representative Chris Pappas, a four-term centrist who would make history as the first openly gay man elected to the Senate.

OHIO

Once considered a swing state, Ohio has shifted increasingly Republican over the past decade, culminating in long-serving Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown’s defeat in 2024.

Brown is mounting another campaign, hoping to perform better without Trump on the ballot.

However, he confronts a formidable challenger in incumbent Republican Senator Jon Husted, who previously served as secretary of state and lieutenant governor before receiving appointment to fill Vice President JD Vance’s former Senate seat.

MICHIGAN

Senator Gary Peters’ retirement creates an open contest in this crucial midwestern swing state, giving both parties realistic chances at victory.

The August 4 Democratic primary features candidates across the party’s ideological range. Four-term Representative Haley Stevens is seeking leadership support, while Michigan state Senator Mallory McMorrow and progressive activist Abdul El-Sayed position themselves as anti-establishment alternatives.

Trump has endorsed former Representative Mike Rogers for his second Senate bid. Rogers brings military service in the Army, FBI experience, and ran unsuccessfully for Senate in 2024.

What began as an ambitious Republican strategy to secure congressional control has ended in a virtual tie, leaving the battle for the House of Representatives right back where it started.

Sixteen months before the midterm elections, former President Donald Trump launched an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting effort, starting with Texas last July. Breaking with over a century of tradition, Trump persuaded Texas Republicans to redraw their congressional boundaries in a bold move to safeguard the party’s narrow House majority.

Initially, Democrats faced significant disadvantages in countering this strategy. With fewer state legislatures under their control and constitutional restrictions in key states like California and New York preventing similar tactics, Republicans seemed positioned to gain up to twelve additional House seats.

However, eight months later, the political landscape has shifted dramatically. Trump’s redistricting initiative encountered obstacles in multiple Republican-controlled states, while Democrats mounted their own aggressive campaigns and benefited from favorable judicial decisions, creating an essentially even playing field.

The battle for chamber control in November will ultimately depend on a small number of contested districts, despite the extensive political turmoil and wholesale redrawing of dozens of congressional boundaries nationwide.

“I do think that it is a wash right now,” said Erin Covey, a House analyst with the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. “It’s a huge amount of turnover and disruption all basically for nothing, if you’re looking solely at partisan seat gain.”

The situation remains fluid, with ongoing legal challenges targeting several new maps and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announcing plans for April redistricting. Additionally, the Supreme Court is considering whether to weaken the Voting Rights Act, which could enable Republican-controlled Southern states to eliminate multiple Democratic districts.

TEXAS LEADS THE CHARGE

The Texas redistricting plan that initiated this nationwide effort faces its inaugural test Tuesday, as voters select party candidates for all 38 House seats, plus statewide Senate and gubernatorial races.

The elimination of several Democratic districts has produced unusual primary contests, including a Houston-area matchup between incumbent Democrats Christian Menefee and Al Green.

Tuesday’s primaries in Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas officially launch the midterm season. Democrats require just three Republican seat flips to claim House control, though their Senate prospects appear more challenging.

A Democratic House majority could obstruct much of Trump’s legislative priorities while wielding subpoena authority to investigate his administration. Historically, the president’s party typically loses congressional seats during midterms, a pattern Trump’s redistricting campaign aimed to disrupt.

Congressional redistricting normally occurs once per decade following the Census to account for population shifts. Both parties have historically engaged in partisan gerrymandering, manipulating district lines for electoral advantage.

Trump’s mid-decade redistricting represented a dramatic departure from century-old precedent. The Texas map targeted five Democratic incumbents, with Missouri and North Carolina Republicans quickly following with their own aggressive redistricting plans.

While Democrats previously supported anti-gerrymandering legislation, Trump’s actions prompted many party members to advocate responding with similar tactics. Longtime gerrymandering opponents including former President Barack Obama and Senator Bernie Sanders endorsed Democratic states pursuing their own redistricting efforts.

“I’m sick and tired of this Democratic Party bringing a pencil to a knife fight,” Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin told a party gathering in August. “Let’s grow a damn spine and get in this fight.”

As Texas Republicans advanced their plans, Democratic House members from the state consulted with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi regarding party strategy, according to Representative Julie Johnson from the Dallas area.

Democrats rallied behind California Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposal to amend the state constitution through referendum, installing a map designed to flip five Republican seats. The initially unlikely plan passed the legislature and received overwhelming voter approval in November.

Virginia Democrats subsequently pursued an even more complex constitutional amendment strategy, potentially yielding four additional seats if it survives Republican legal challenges this spring.

JUDICIAL INTERVENTIONS

Court decisions also aided Democratic efforts. Judges in Utah and New York mandated new maps likely to flip one Republican seat in each state.

Meanwhile, Republicans in several states rejected Trump’s pressure campaign, most notably in Indiana, where state Senate Republicans defeated a Trump-endorsed redistricting plan despite threats of political retaliation.

Democrats haven’t achieved universal success. In Maryland, a proposed map eliminating the state’s sole Republican seat remains stalled due to opposition from the Democratic state Senate leader.

Whatever this year’s outcome, the redistricting conflicts Trump initiated appear far from over. Democratic-leaning states Colorado and New York, both with anti-gerrymandering laws, are considering rule changes to permit new maps for the 2028 election.

“We could have just as many states redraw their lines in 2028 as they did in 2026,” Covey predicted.

The nation’s highest court is currently examining a federal statute that prohibits individuals who consume marijuana from owning firearms, creating an unlikely coalition of supporters spanning from conservative Second Amendment advocates to progressive civil rights organizations.

This particular regulation gained national prominence as the identical statute employed in the criminal case against Hunter Biden, the president’s son, regarding his unlawful firearm possession charges.

The legal challenge has brought together groups that typically find themselves on opposite sides of policy debates, highlighting the complex intersection between gun rights and drug policy in American law.

Food assistance programs nationwide are experiencing significant changes as stricter work requirements for SNAP recipients begin taking effect under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The new regulations impose expanded employment obligations for individuals seeking to maintain their food assistance benefits. However, the timeline for putting these requirements into practice varies significantly across different states and local jurisdictions.

Some communities began enforcing the updated standards this past Sunday, while others will phase in the changes according to their own implementation schedules.

The varying rollout means Delaware residents may experience different timelines compared to neighboring states as local agencies work to comply with the federal mandate.

Recent modifications to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are introducing fresh employment obligations for individuals receiving food assistance benefits.

A Martinez from NPR conducted an interview with Ty Jones Cox, a representative from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, to discuss these updated employment stipulations affecting SNAP recipients.

The conversation focused on how these policy adjustments will impact people who depend on food stamps for nutritional support, examining the practical implications of the new requirements for benefit recipients across the country.

SAN ANTONIO — Texas voters will head to the polls Tuesday for what’s shaping up to be one of the most expensive and closely watched Senate primaries in the nation, marking the first major electoral test of the 2026 midterm cycle.

Republican Senator John Cornyn finds himself in an unusual position for a Texas GOP incumbent, battling to avoid becoming the first Republican senator from the Lone Star State to fall in a primary. His main challengers include Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt, both seeking to unseat the longtime senator.

On the Democratic side, party leaders believe they have their strongest opportunity since 1988 to capture a Texas Senate seat, though they must first navigate their own competitive primary battle.

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, known for her sharp exchanges with President Donald Trump, emphasized her Washington experience during a Sunday church visit, highlighting the federal dollars she’s secured for her district.

“So yes, I will clash with folk when it’s time to do so but I actually govern as well,” Crockett stated during her appearance.

Crockett acknowledged the Black women who form her base of support across Texas and beyond. If victorious, she would make history as the first Black woman elected to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate. Her campaign received a boost Friday with an endorsement from former Vice President Kamala Harris, while Senators Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Ayanna Presley of Massachusetts joined her on the campaign trail over the weekend.

Meanwhile, State Representative James Talarico, a seminary student who promotes his ability to attract Republican voters, planned a San Antonio rally as part of what he calls his final campaign tour.

The spotlight has largely remained on Cornyn’s vulnerable position, with both parties pouring massive resources into the March 3 contest.

“Complacency is a killer,” Cornyn warned supporters Saturday during a stop at a seafood establishment in The Woodlands, near Houston. “It kills relationships. It kills careers.”

Republican leadership in Washington has expressed concern for months about potentially losing what was once considered a safe Texas seat if GOP voters select Paxton, who appeals to Trump supporters but carries significant legal baggage.

Fundraising has reached unprecedented levels for this primary, with Talarico outpacing Crockett in total donations raised. His campaign alone has invested $13 million in television advertisements this year, surpassing all other entities in the race, according to AdImpact, which monitors political advertising.

Total spending on advertising and reserved airtime has exceeded $110 million ahead of Tuesday’s vote, setting a new record for Senate primary contests. Cornyn’s campaign and supporting organizations account for more than $67 million of that total, primarily targeting Paxton while also working to prevent Hunt’s advancement.

Should no candidate secure 50 percent of the vote Tuesday, the primary will advance to a runoff between the top two finishers on May 26.

President Trump’s Friday appearance in Texas, where he spoke about energy policy at the Port of Corpus Christi, attracted all leading Republican Senate hopefuls. Though Trump indicated he’s “pretty much” made his endorsement decision, he stopped short of revealing his choice.

“We have a great attorney general, Ken Paxton. Where’s Ken? Hi, Ken,” Trump remarked. He continued, “And we have a great senator, John Cornyn. Hi, John.”

Acknowledging their competition, Trump observed: “It’s going to be an interesting one, right? They’re both great people.”

Despite his extensive Texas political background, Paxton has positioned himself as an outsider to Washington politics and a devoted Trump ally.

“I’m not going up to Washington, D.C., to join the swamp club,” Paxton declared at a Fort Worth campaign stop. “I will go up there and fight for you.”

Virginia Senator Mark Warner, who serves as the leading Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, offered his analysis regarding recent U.S. military operations targeting Iran.

Warner, representing Virginia in the U.S. Senate, provided his assessment of the intelligence information that led to American strikes against Iranian targets.

As the ranking minority member of the Senate’s intelligence oversight panel, Warner is among the lawmakers with access to classified briefings on national security matters involving Iran and other international threats.

Texas Republican Representative Tony Gonzales is working to secure his political future as he confronts a challenging primary election on Tuesday. The congressman finds himself embroiled in scandal while attempting to convince constituents he deserves another term in office.

Voters in his district must decide whether the embattled representative has earned their support despite the swirling allegations and controversy surrounding his candidacy. The primary contest presents a significant test for Gonzales as he seeks to overcome the personal and political challenges that have emerged during his tenure.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump declared Sunday that American military operations against Iran will remain active until the United States fulfills all its strategic goals in the region.

In a video message shared on his Truth Social platform, Trump acknowledged that three American military personnel had lost their lives and cautioned that additional casualties could occur. The president pledged to seek retribution for the fallen Americans.

“Combat operations continue at this time in full force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved. We have very strong objectives,” Trump said.

President Donald Trump provided his assessment of how long a potential conflict with Iran might last, telling the Daily Mail on Sunday that such military action would span roughly four weeks.

In his interview with the British publication, Trump explained his timeline estimate: “It’s always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four-week process so — as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks — or less.”

The president indicated he has not closed the door on diplomatic discussions with Iranian leadership, though he stopped short of providing a timeline for when such conversations might occur.

When asked about the possibility of renewed dialogue, Trump responded with uncertainty. “I don’t know,” he stated, according to the Daily Mail’s reporting. “They want to talk, but I said you should have talked last week, not this week,” Trump continued.

WASHINGTON – A new national survey shows limited public support for weekend military action that resulted in the death of an Iranian leader, with just 27% of Americans backing the strikes, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling data released Sunday.

The survey found that 43% of respondents opposed the Saturday strikes, while 29% remained undecided. Nearly 90% of those polled indicated they had at least some awareness of the military action that commenced early Saturday morning.

Beyond the immediate strikes, the poll revealed broader concerns about President Trump’s approach to military intervention. More than half of Americans – 56% – view the president as overly aggressive in deploying military force to pursue U.S. objectives abroad. Trump has authorized similar operations in Venezuela, Syria and Nigeria in recent months.

Political divisions were evident in the responses, with 87% of Democrats expressing concern about Trump’s willingness to use military force. However, the sentiment crossed party lines, with 23% of Republicans and 60% of independent voters sharing similar views.

The nationwide online survey collected responses from 1,282 American adults beginning Saturday as the strikes commenced. The poll carries a margin of error of three percentage points.

President Donald Trump revealed during a Sunday television interview that American military actions directed at Iran are progressing more rapidly than originally planned.

Speaking with CNBC, Trump indicated that U.S. military operations targeting Iran are currently “ahead of schedule,” suggesting the mission timeline is moving faster than expected.

The President’s comments provide insight into ongoing American military activities in the region, though specific details about the nature and scope of these operations were not disclosed during the interview.

Former President Donald Trump delivered a stern warning to Iran on Sunday, threatening military action of unprecedented scale if the Middle Eastern nation follows through on threats to retaliate against recent American strikes.

Taking to his Truth Social platform, Trump referenced Iranian statements about planned retaliation, writing that “Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever been hit before.”

The former president then escalated his rhetoric, declaring in all capital letters: “THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”

Trump’s social media post on March 1st suggested the U.S. would respond to any Iranian retaliation “with a force that has never been seen before,” marking another instance of heightened tensions between the two nations.

Starting January 1st, millions of Americans receiving Medicaid benefits will need to prove they’re employed, volunteering, or attending school to maintain their healthcare coverage. However, states nationwide are discovering they must invest massive amounts upfront to modernize their technology systems before these new federal requirements can take effect.

An Associated Press review of budget estimates from over 25 states reveals the total cost for necessary technology upgrades and additional personnel will likely surpass $1 billion. This expense comes even as the federal government has allocated $200 million to help states transition to the new system, with the first half of that funding already distributed.

Missouri’s Department of Social Services Chief Information Officer Toi Wilde explained the challenge states face: “Our current eligibility systems are pretty old, and the ability to change them is very, very difficult.”

The new mandates stem from tax legislation signed by former President Trump, designed to reduce government spending through significant Medicaid reforms. The changes will impact four-fifths of all states and affect Medicaid beneficiaries between ages 19 and 64 who don’t have young children and whose earnings exceed standard eligibility thresholds.

Under the updated rules, these Medicaid recipients must complete at least 80 hours monthly of work or community service, or maintain at least half-time student enrollment. Additionally, eligibility assessments will occur every six months rather than annually, potentially causing people to lose coverage more rapidly when their situations change.

Federal projections estimate these two changes combined will reduce government spending by $388 billion over ten years, while resulting in 6 million fewer Americans having health insurance coverage, according to Congressional Budget Office analysis.

Before implementation, states must modernize their online platforms used by Medicaid participants, upgrade outdated computer infrastructure used by government employees, and establish new methods for confirming information across multiple databases.

Given tight deadlines, most states will need to contract with private companies for assistance. At least ten firms have committed to providing reduced-rate services, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Jason Reilly, a partner at consulting firm Guidehouse which is helping multiple states prepare, described the technological improvements: “Making those technology upgrades is going to be a lift. It’s not something straightforward. It’s not easy.”

Currently, most states don’t gather employment or educational data from Medicaid participants. States are exploring connections to external databases for verifying job and academic information, though no comprehensive volunteer database exists.

States are also awaiting federal guidelines, expected in June, that will clarify exemptions to work requirements, including criteria for determining who qualifies as “medically frail.”

Additional pressure comes from federal penalties that will begin in October 2029 for states with excessive Medicaid payment errors.

While Congress guaranteed every state a portion of the $200 million Medicaid allocation, states must separately request additional federal assistance. The federal government covers up to 90% of system development costs, 75% of system maintenance expenses, and half of most other administrative costs.

Missouri received early approval for the 90% federal funding rate. State legislators are now expediting a $32 million budget allocation to solicit contractor bids for technology platform upgrades and chatbot improvements for Medicaid users. The state’s social services department anticipates needing approximately 120 additional employees over the coming year, costing $12.5 million.

Similar substantial expenses are projected elsewhere. Maryland anticipates spending over $32 million in combined federal and state funds for Medicaid implementation, Kentucky expects costs exceeding $46 million, and Colorado projects over $51 million. Arizona estimates implementation could cost $65 million and require 150 additional staff members.

Some states reported even higher anticipated costs to the AP, though they didn’t always separate expenses for Medicaid changes from related Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program modifications also included in the legislation.

Multiple states, including Arkansas, are still calculating cost estimates for the Medicaid changes. Arkansas previously implemented Medicaid work requirements from 2018-2019, during which thousands lost coverage before federal courts halted the program. The Arkansas Department of Human Services indicated many required technology changes might fall under existing vendor agreements and have “a minimal financial impact on our Medicaid budget.”

Nebraska plans to launch Medicaid work requirements in May, seven months before the federal deadline, but hasn’t released cost details and didn’t respond to AP inquiries.

Georgia currently stands as the only state requiring certain Medicaid recipients to work, having received special federal permission years ago to expand coverage to some previously ineligible adults.

Georgia’s Pathways to Coverage program accumulated over $54 million in administrative expenses from 2021 through early 2025 — double the medical assistance payments distributed during the same timeframe, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Nearly all expenses resulted from technology modifications to eligibility and enrollment systems.

Some Medicaid experts cite Georgia’s costs and Arkansas’ enrollment reductions as warning signs for other states implementing work requirements.

Joan Alker, executive director of Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families, expressed concern: “A huge amount of funding is going to go to vendors to construct these complicated red-tape systems that prevent people who need it from getting health care. In my view, that is a big, big risk.”

AUSTIN, Texas — The battle for Texas’s U.S. Senate seat reached fever pitch this weekend as candidates from both parties delivered closing arguments to voters before Tuesday’s primary election, marking the opening contest of the 2026 midterm election season.

Republican Senator John Cornyn, who has represented Texas since winning his first election in 2002, faces the most challenging campaign of his political career. His primary opponents include Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Representative Wesley Hunt, both seeking to unseat the longtime incumbent.

Speaking to supporters at a Houston-area seafood establishment in The Woodlands on Saturday, Cornyn warned against taking anything for granted. “Complacency is a killer,” he told the crowd. “It kills relationships. It kills careers.”

The Democratic Party hasn’t secured a Texas Senate victory since 1988, but party leaders believe this cycle presents a unique opportunity to advance their ambitious goal of regaining Senate control. Their optimism grows particularly strong if Republicans select Paxton, whose appeal among Trump’s base contrasts sharply with his ongoing legal challenges.

Democratic contenders include state Representative James Talarico, who describes himself as a policy expert with bipartisan appeal, and Representative Jasmine Crockett, known for her combative style in Congress. Crockett received a significant boost Friday when former Vice President Kamala Harris announced her endorsement.

Campaign spending has reached unprecedented levels, driven largely by Talarico’s fundraising success and efforts by Cornyn supporters to preserve his lengthy tenure. According to AdImpact, a firm that monitors political advertising, total spending on ads and reserved airtime has surpassed $110 million, setting a new record for Senate primary campaigns.

President Donald Trump’s Friday appearance at the Port of Corpus Christi, where he delivered remarks on energy policy, attracted all leading Republican Senate hopefuls. While Trump indicated he has “pretty much” made his endorsement decision, he stopped short of revealing his choice publicly.

“We have a great attorney general, Ken Paxton. Where’s Ken? Hi, Ken,” Trump remarked during his speech. He continued, “And we have a great senator, John Cornyn. Hi, John.”

Acknowledging the competitive nature of their contest, Trump observed: “Noting that they’re in a ‘little bit of a race,’ it’s going to be an interesting one, right? They’re both great people.”

Paxton, despite his extensive experience in Texas government, has positioned himself as an outsider ready to challenge Washington’s established order while emphasizing his loyalty to Trump.

“I’m not going up to Washington, D.C., to join the swamp club,” Paxton declared at a Fort Worth campaign stop. “I will go up there and fight for you.”

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s military strike against Iran has created a rift among his most loyal supporters, with several influential conservative figures expressing concern that the action could damage Republican prospects in this November’s midterm elections.

Leading conservative voices are questioning whether the Iran operation aligns with Trump’s 2024 campaign pledges to prioritize economic issues over military interventions abroad. Polling data indicates voters are growing more frustrated with the president’s economic performance.

Right-wing commentator Jack Posobiec referenced warnings from late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed in September, writing on social media platform X: “Charlie Kirk told us all that the younger generation of Americans are far more interested in domestic policy than pursuing international conflicts and we can’t forget that in a midterm year.”

Trump had gained significant support from younger male voters in 2024, though recent surveys suggest that backing is declining.

The Iran military action represents a significant political risk for Trump during an election year, potentially jeopardizing Republican efforts to maintain congressional control this fall.

Reagan Box, among a dozen GOP candidates vying to fill former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Georgia seat, expressed her opposition to the Iran strikes despite her Trump allegiance. Though she considers Iran’s government “heinous,” Box explained to Reuters: “every time we’ve tried to do a regime change, especially in the Middle East, we just destabilize it.”

Israeli officials reported that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed during the operation.

Greene, previously among Trump’s most devoted allies before breaking with him over his domestic policy focus, wrote on X: “War with Iran does not lower inflation and make cost of living affordable.”

Surveys consistently reveal that Americans’ primary worry remains rising living costs. However, Trump’s initial 13 months in office have been largely consumed by international affairs. GOP congressional leadership fears unhappy voters may retaliate at the ballot box in November.

The Hodgetwins, popular conservative podcasters who typically support Trump, criticized the strikes to their 3.5 million X followers, calling them contrary to his 2024 campaign promises. Their post stated: “Freeing the people of Iran is not why I voted for Trump.”

However, other MAGA influencers endorsed the bombing campaign. During a televised address, Trump announced his pursuit of regime change and cautioned that American casualties were possible in what he characterized as warfare.

Trump supporter Laura Loomer defended the action on X, writing: “Iran has been attacking the US for over 47 years. And now, the 47th President of the United States is ending their reign of terror.”

Trump’s base largely celebrated January’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro as a quick, successful military operation.

University of Michigan political scientist and professor emeritus Michael Traugott noted that opposition has emerged primarily from MAGA movement commentators rather than Republican officeholders. He cautioned it’s premature to assess long-term supporter sentiment.

Traugott warned that an extended Iran conflict might cause some core Trump voters to withdraw their support, explaining: “For the popular MAGA base, this is pretty much a direct violation of a major campaign promise to stay out of foreign engagements.”

The Republican National Committee issued a statement endorsing the Iran operation, while congressional responses followed typical partisan divisions, with GOP members defending the strike as essential.

Mike Davis, who leads the pro-Trump Article III Project legal advocacy organization, justified the strikes Saturday by citing a recent video where he claimed Khamenei threatened to destroy American naval vessels. Speaking on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast, Davis said: “That video right there is all the justification that the president needs to flatten the supreme leader’s home and take him out.”

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump finds himself navigating the same type of overseas military engagement he once strongly criticized during his political ascent within the Republican Party.

Saturday’s joint U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran highlights Trump’s evolution over the past decade — from a 2016 candidate who labeled the Iraq War a “big, fat mistake” to a commander-in-chief now warning Americans about possible overseas casualties while urging Iranians to “seize control of your destiny.” This military action contradicts Trump’s 2024 campaign rhetoric, where he characterized his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris as being influenced by “war hawks” pushing for military deployments abroad.

The president defended Saturday’s strikes as essential for preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons or developing long-range missile capabilities targeting America — despite claiming less than a year ago that previous airstrikes had “obliterated” Iran’s military capacity. U.S. intelligence agencies have also reported significant degradation of Iran’s weapons programs.

Trump now faces potential pressure to substantiate his claims about Iran’s immediate threat to American security, echoing concerns about the false intelligence that preceded the Iraq War. Republicans, already confronting electoral challenges amid economic concerns, may need to reevaluate how this military engagement aligns with the “America First” isolationist philosophy that has defined the party during Trump’s political era.

Although Trump could experience an initial boost from patriotic support, sustaining that momentum over extended periods presents challenges — unlike the quick operation to oust Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela earlier this year.

Initial success differs vastly from the unpredictable aftermath that follows.

“The question is whether Iran’s goal is simply to outlast America and whether Trump has strategic attention deficit disorder, which will allow the Iranians to rise from the ashes and claim victory,” explained Michael Rubin, an American Enterprise Institute historian who served as a Pentagon adviser on Iran and Iraq from 2002 to 2004.

Several Republicans rallied behind Trump’s decision, including Texas Senator John Cornyn and state attorney general Ken Paxton, both competing in Tuesday’s Senate primary race.

“Hopefully lives will not be lost needlessly, but this always entails risk,” Cornyn stated Saturday during a Houston-area campaign event. “But we know that Iran will not stop unless the United States and our allies stop them.”

Indiana Senator Todd Young offered measured support, praising military personnel and condemning Iran while acknowledging that Americans deserve answers to questions that “must be answered.”

However, some Republicans openly opposed the action, particularly those who have consistently opposed foreign military interventions. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul criticized what he called “another preemptive war.” Former Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, previously a strong Trump supporter, dismissed the president’s warnings about Iran’s nuclear threat.

“It’s always a lie and it’s always America Last,” she posted online. “But it feels like the worst betrayal this time because it comes from the very man and the admin who we all believed was different.”

The Trump administration provided minimal advance preparation for Americans regarding such significant military action.

Vice President JD Vance assured The Washington Post this week there was “no chance” of U.S. involvement in an extended conflict similar to Iraq. During Tuesday’s State of the Union address, Trump devoted only brief remarks to Iran, claiming the nation and its allies have “spread nothing but terrorism, death and hate.”

This approach contrasts sharply with the extended buildup preceding the Iraq War.

President George W. Bush designated Iraq as part of the “axis of evil” in January 2002. Then-Secretary of State Colin Powell delivered his controversial United Nations presentation in February 2003, arguing for war based on incorrect claims about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. The invasion didn’t commence until March 2003, ultimately defining Bush’s second presidential term.

“We just have to be honest that there is a sense that this was not sold to the American public sufficiently,” Andrew Kolvet commented Saturday on “The Charlie Kirk Show,” an online program created by the late conservative activist who maintained close Trump ties. “Perhaps there will be an opportunity on the backend of this.”

Despite concerns, Kolvet expressed willingness to support Trump’s judgment, recognizing the difficult decisions presidents must make.

“President Trump has earned a big, long leash,” he stated. “Not an unlimited one. But a very long one to make tough decisions.”

Public opinion data indicates Americans share Trump’s Iran-related concerns while questioning his response approach. Approximately half of U.S. adults express being “extremely” or “very” worried about Iran’s nuclear program threatening America, according to recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling.

Most Americans — 61% — consider Iran a U.S. “enemy,” representing a slight increase from September 2023 Pearson Institute/AP-NORC polling. However, public confidence in Trump’s judgment regarding adversary relationships and overseas military force remains limited, with only about 30% of Americans expressing “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of trust in the president.

Democrats view this situation as a political opportunity. In Maine, Governor Janet Mills and Graham Platner are seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Senator Susan Collins this fall. Both issued Saturday statements urging Collins — the sole Republican candidate in a state Harris won — to increase administration oversight.

Collins joined two other Senate Republicans supporting last month’s unsuccessful war powers resolution that would have restricted Trump’s ability to conduct additional Venezuelan operations. Democrats announced Saturday plans to pursue similar Iran-focused legislation.

“If we’ve started a war where we begin to lose American lives, that starts changing the political calculus,” noted Republican strategist Ron Bonjean.

He emphasized that Democrats face their own vulnerabilities, particularly regarding potential domestic terror attacks while the Department of Homeland Security remains closed due to their immigration policy demands.

Currently, Trump offers limited details about future strategy. In Saturday evening social media posts, he indicated bombing operations could continue “as long as necessary.”

A major confrontation between the Pentagon and artificial intelligence company Anthropic has become public this week, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth abruptly cutting off the military’s partnership with the tech firm and other federal agencies.

The conflict began when Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei stood firm on his company’s position against allowing their AI products to be utilized for widespread surveillance operations or fully automated military drones. This stance led President Donald Trump and Hegseth to claim the San Francisco-based AI company poses a threat to America’s national security.

In an unusual step, Hegseth moved to classify Anthropic as a supply chain threat – a designation typically reserved for foreign companies with ties to hostile nations. The company has promised to fight back in court against what they describe as an legally questionable action.

“We will challenge any supply chain risk designation in court,” Anthropic stated, calling it an action “never before publicly applied to an American company.”

This brewing court fight could significantly impact the technology industry’s power structure and establish new precedents for how the military can use AI technology, along with safety measures designed to protect human lives.

The dispute has already created a major win for OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, which quickly moved to offer its services to the Pentagon after Anthropic rejected the Trump administration’s conditions. This development is expected to intensify the rivalry between OpenAI’s Sam Altman, who faced his own board troubles in 2023, and Amodei, who departed OpenAI in 2021 to start Anthropic due to AI safety concerns.

The Pentagon’s decision to label Anthropic as a defense supply chain threat will terminate a contract worth up to $200 million with the AI firm. Military officials say this action will also prevent other defense contractors from partnering with Anthropic.

Trump announced on Truth Social that most federal agencies must immediately cease using Anthropic’s AI systems, though he granted the Pentagon six months to remove the technology already integrated into military systems.

Anthropic disputes Hegseth’s legal power to block business relationships with other defense contractors. The company maintains that firms with existing commercial agreements can continue using Anthropic’s products for non-military projects.

The supply chain risk classification was originally established to help military leaders reduce the Pentagon’s dealings with potentially dangerous companies. This list has historically featured businesses connected to rival nations, including Chinese telecom company Huawei and Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.

For Anthropic, this designation sends a clear message to other AI and defense companies about the consequences of refusing government demands.

“We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!” Trump declared on social media.

The six-month transition period Trump established essentially provides time for other companies to obtain the necessary classified security approvals to work with the Pentagon.

Anthropic reports they have not yet received official notification of Hegseth’s designation.

“When we receive some kind of formal action, we will look at it, we will understand it and we will challenge it in court,” Amodei promised during a CBS News interview scheduled to air Sunday morning.

Currently, Anthropic is working to reassure businesses and government agencies that the Trump administration’s supply chain risk label only impacts the use of Claude, their AI assistant and coding tool, when defense contractors employ it for Pentagon projects.

“Your use for any other purpose is unaffected,” Anthropic explained in their statement.

This clarification is vital for Anthropic since most of their anticipated $14 billion in annual revenue comes from businesses and government agencies using Claude for programming and other functions. Over 500 clients pay Anthropic at least $1 million yearly for Claude access, according to recent investment announcements valuing the company at $380 billion.

Anthropic’s Claude technology has gained significant momentum, positioning itself as a potential substitute for various business software tools currently offered by major tech corporations like Salesforce and Workday. This potential has caused stocks of business software companies to decline this year.

However, with Anthropic now labeled as a supply chain risk, questions arise about whether customers will remain comfortable using Claude for non-military purposes, potentially risking Trump’s displeasure. Any widespread hesitation to use Claude could slow AI advancement in the United States during a critical period of technological competition with China.

Simultaneously, Anthropic and Amodei may now have a prominent platform to advocate for stronger AI safety measures.

“No amount of intimidation or punishment from the Department of War will change our position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons,” the company declared. “We will challenge any supply chain risk designation in court.”

In his CBS interview, Amodei framed Anthropic’s disagreement with the Trump administration as defending democratic principles.

“Disagreeing with the government is the most American thing in the world,” Amodei stated. “And we are patriots. In everything we have done here, we have stood up for the values of this country.”

Shortly after Anthropic faced punishment, OpenAI’s Altman announced Friday evening that his company reached an agreement to provide AI services to classified military networks. However, Altman revealed that the same AI limitations that caused Anthropic’s dispute with the Pentagon are now included in OpenAI’s new partnership.

In an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press, Altman informed OpenAI staff: “We have long believed that AI should not be used for mass surveillance or autonomous lethal weapons, and that humans should remain in the loop for high-stakes automated decisions. These are our main red lines.”

The reason why the Pentagon accepted OpenAI’s restrictions but rejected Anthropic’s remains unclear. In his memo, Altman suggested the company believes it can “de-escalate things” by collaborating with the Pentagon while maintaining proper safety protections.

OpenAI’s agreement with the Trump administration coincided with announcing another $110 billion funding round, bringing the San Francisco company’s valuation to $730 billion.

OpenAI may also face potential criticism if consumers who use ChatGPT view its Pentagon work as prioritizing profits over AI safety.

The Anthropic conflict could create new opportunities for Elon Musk, who co-founded OpenAI with Altman in 2015 before their bitter separation over safety and financial disagreements. Musk has accused Altman of fraudulent behavior in a case set for trial in late April.

Musk now operates the AI chatbot Grok, which the Pentagon also plans to connect to classified military networks despite safety and reliability concerns, plus government investigations into its creation of inappropriate deepfake images. Musk has already supported the Trump administration’s conflict with Amodei, posting on his X platform that “Anthropic hates Western Civilization.”

Google, which has created widely-used AI tools through its Gemini technology, could also compete for additional military contracts, though some employees have urged executives to avoid deals that would contradict the company’s former “Don’t be evil” principle. Google leadership has not yet publicly addressed Anthropic’s dispute with the Trump administration.

WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders from both parties are pushing for an urgent vote on legislation that would limit President Donald Trump’s ability to conduct military operations against Iran without first securing approval from lawmakers, following weekend strikes they argue could be constitutionally questionable and risk escalating Middle East tensions.

Legislative chambers had previously prepared such measures before Saturday’s military action occurred. Now Congress is poised to engage in an uncommon war powers discussion next week that will essentially judge Trump’s choice to proceed with military action without formal legislative consent.

“Has President Trump learned nothing from decades of U.S. meddling in Iran and forever wars in the Middle East?” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., a leader in the bipartisan effort. He said the strikes on Iran were “a colossal mistake.”

House Representatives Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., are pushing for lawmakers to formally record their position through a public vote on their bipartisan proposal. “Congress must convene on Monday to vote,” Khanna said, “to stop this.”

Massie criticized Trump’s campaign messaging, stating: “This is not ‘America First.’”

However, most GOP members, especially leadership, supported Trump’s action against Iran. Many pointed to the long-standing adversary’s nuclear development and missile programs as justification for military intervention.

“Well done, Mr. President,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. “As I watch and monitor this historic operation, I’m in awe of President Trump’s determination to be a man of peace but at the end of the day, evil’s worst nightmare.”

The administration’s choice to initiate what appears to be an ongoing joint military campaign with Israel targeting regime change in Tehran is challenging constitutional separation of powers in significant ways. Two months prior, Trump authorized U.S. operations that removed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Though presidents possess commander-in-chief authority for certain strategic military operations independently, the Constitution grants Congress war-making powers. Before the Iraq War started in March 2003, Republican President George W. Bush spent months seeking congressional authorization. No such vote was pursued regarding Iran, and a previous Senate attempt to restrict Trump’s actions following last summer’s Iranian strike was unsuccessful.

Any congressional war powers discussion would largely carry symbolic weight. Even if legislation passed the closely divided Congress, Trump would probably veto it, and Congress lacks the two-thirds majority required to override such rejection. Congress has frequently been unable to prevent other U.S. military actions, including a Senate vote regarding Venezuela, but these votes create a public record.

House Speaker Mike Johnson’s reaction reflected his party’s established position. Iran, he stated, is experiencing “the severe consequences of its evil actions.”

Johnson, R-La., said House and Senate leadership and intelligence committees received detailed briefings earlier this week that military action “may become necessary” to safeguard U.S. personnel and citizens in Iran. He said he received updates from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and will maintain “close contact” with Trump and the Defense Department “as this operation proceeds.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., praised Trump “for taking action to thwart these threats.”

Thune indicated he anticipated administration officials briefing all senators — suggesting lawmakers want additional answers about Trump’s future plans.

Numerous Democrats are labeling the operation unlawful, arguing the Constitution exclusively grants Congress authority to declare war. They contend the administration has not provided adequate justification or strategy for the military strikes and their consequences.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the president has undertaken “illegal, regime-change war against Iran.”

“This is not making us safer & only damages the US & our interests,” Van Hollen, D-Md., said in a social media post. “The Senate must immediately vote on the War Powers Resolution to stop it.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said while Iran is a “bad actor and must be aggressively confronted” for its human rights abuses and the threat it poses to the U.S. and allies, the administration “must seek authorization for the preemptive use of military force that constitutes an act of war.”

New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader, insisted Congress receive immediate briefings on the administration’s strategy.

“Iran must never be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon but the American people do not want another endless and costly war in the Middle East when there are so many problems at home,” he said.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s recent military action against Iran has created divisions within his conservative base, with several high-profile MAGA supporters expressing concern about potential consequences for Republican candidates in this November’s midterm elections.

The criticism centers on Trump’s 2024 campaign pledge to prioritize economic issues and avoid military conflicts abroad. Recent polling data indicates voters are growing more frustrated with the president’s economic performance.

Right-wing commentator Jack Posobiec referenced warnings from late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed in September. “Charlie Kirk told us all that the younger generation of Americans are far more interested in domestic policy than pursuing international conflicts and we can’t forget that in a midterm year,” Posobiec wrote on X.

Polling shows Trump’s support among young men, which grew during 2024, has begun to decline recently.

The Iranian strikes represent a significant political risk for Republicans working to maintain congressional control this fall. Reagan Box, among the candidates seeking to fill former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Georgia seat, expressed support for Trump while opposing the Iranian military action.

Box described Iran’s government as “heinous” but told Reuters, “every time we’ve tried to do a regime change, especially in the Middle East, we just destabilize it.”

Greene, previously among Trump’s most devoted supporters before breaking with him over his domestic policy focus, wrote on X: “War with Iran does not lower inflation and make cost of living affordable.”

Surveys consistently identify rising living costs as Americans’ primary concern. Trump’s administration has focused heavily on international affairs during his first 13 months, causing worry among Republican congressional leadership about voter backlash in November.

The Hodgetwins, conservative podcasters with 3.5 million X followers who typically support Trump, criticized the strikes as contradicting his campaign promises. “Freeing the people of Iran is not why I voted for Trump,” their post stated.

However, other MAGA personalities endorsed the bombing campaign. Trump announced in a televised address that he seeks regime change and acknowledged potential American casualties in what he termed a war.

Trump ally Laura Loomer posted on X: “Iran has been attacking the US for over 47 years. And now, the 47th President of the United States is ending their reign of terror.”

Trump supporters generally praised January’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as a quick, successful military operation.

University of Michigan political scientist Michael Traugott noted that criticism has emerged primarily from MAGA movement commentators rather than Republican officeholders. He said it remains unclear how supporters will react long-term.

Traugott warned that extended conflict with Iran might cause some core Trump supporters to withdraw their backing. “For the popular MAGA base, this is pretty much a direct violation of a major campaign promise to stay out of foreign engagements.”

The Republican National Committee issued a statement supporting the Iranian operation, while congressional responses followed typical party divisions, with Republicans defending the attack as necessary.

Mike Davis, who leads the Article III Project supporting Trump, defended the strikes Saturday, citing a recent video where Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei allegedly threatened to destroy American warships.

“That video right there is all the justification that the president needs to flatten the supreme leader’s home and take him out,” Davis said on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast, which attracts significant MAGA audience.

The recent detention of a 5-year-old Minneapolis boy and his father at a Texas immigration facility reflects a broader pattern affecting hundreds of families nationwide.

The Dilley Immigration Processing Center, located approximately 75 miles south of San Antonio, has housed numerous children alongside their parents, with some families remaining in custody for several months. Department of Homeland Security officials have vigorously defended the facility’s care standards and conditions.

An Associated Press investigation reveals significant findings about how intensified immigration enforcement under the Trump administration has affected daily life within the detention center.

During the initial nine months of the Trump presidency, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processed over 3,800 children through detention facilities, based on AP’s examination of University of California, Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project statistics.

Daily averages showed more than 220 children in custody, with the majority of those held beyond 24 hours transferred to Dilley. The AP’s analysis revealed that children comprised more than half of all Dilley detainees during the Trump administration’s early period.

Following its reopening last spring, Dilley’s population has increased dramatically, housing over 1,300 individuals by late January, researchers report. Almost two-thirds of children detained by ICE during the Trump administration’s initial months were ultimately deported.

Federal authorities are keeping numerous children at Dilley far beyond the 20-day maximum established by existing court orders.

“We’ve started to use 100 days as a benchmark because so many children are exceeding 20 days,” explained Leecia Welch, chief legal director at Children’s Rights, who conducts regular compliance visits to Dilley. During her most recent visit this month, Welch documented over 30 children who had been detained for more than 100 days.

When the Obama administration established Dilley in 2014, virtually all detained families had recently entered from Mexico.

However, many current detainees have resided in the United States for multiple years, according to attorneys and observers, resulting in children being separated from familiar environments including schools, communities, and their support networks.

Families have described difficult circumstances within Dilley, sharing experiences that challenge claims about adequate care quality.

One mother told the AP that her 13-year-old daughter harmed herself with a plastic utensil after staff members withheld her prescribed antidepressant medication and refused her request to stay with her mother nearby.

Another parent reported that when her 1-year-old developed high fever and vomiting, medical personnel repeatedly provided only acetaminophen and ibuprofen before the child was finally hospitalized for bronchitis, pneumonia, and stomach infections. ICE challenged this account, stating the infant “immediately received proper care.”

Additional families cited common issues including children’s sleep difficulties in rooms where lighting remains constant throughout the night, and digestive problems from contaminated drinking water.

Both parents and children have expressed feeling overwhelmed by the stress of detention, leading many to experience despair.

DHS did not provide responses to the AP’s detailed inquiries about Dilley. However, both DHS and ICE issued strong rebuttals this week regarding allegations of substandard care and conditions.

“The Dilley facility is a family residential center designed specifically to house family units in a safe, structured and appropriate environment,” stated ICE Director Todd M. Lyons.

According to ICE, Dilley offers medical evaluations and infant care supplies, along with educational facilities and recreation areas.

At full capacity, Dilley is projected to produce approximately $180 million yearly for CoreCivic, the private prison corporation operating under ICE contract, based on the company’s recent regulatory filings.

Responding to AP questions, a CoreCivic representative stated that no Dilley child “has been denied medical treatment or experienced a delayed medical assessment.” The corporation emphasized that detainees receive thorough care from medical and mental health specialists.

The expansion of family detention coincides with the Trump administration’s elimination of an office previously responsible for monitoring conditions at Dilley and similar facilities.

Previous investigations identified problems at Dilley, including persistent understaffing and failure to address detention-related trauma.

A specialized committee had recommended ending family detention except in unusual circumstances, and the Biden administration started eliminating the practice in 2021. Dilley closed in 2024, but the Trump administration’s reopening represents a complete policy reversal.

LAREDO, Texas — After spending a month at a Texas immigration detention facility located 1,300 miles from their Minnesota residence, an Ecuadorian mother and her 7-year-old child finally gained their freedom.

However, as their bus arrived at a border town shelter in Laredo in mid-February, the trauma from their recent experience at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center continued to weigh heavily on both mother and daughter.

During countless nights confined alongside hundreds of other families at the south Texas facility, the young girl cried repeatedly, desperately seeking answers about their imprisonment.

“She would tell me, ‘Mom, what crime did I commit to be a prisoner?’ I didn’t know what to tell her,” explained the 29-year-old mother, who requested anonymity to protect their ongoing immigration proceedings. Her spouse was removed to Ecuador shortly after their detention began.

Last month, widespread concern emerged when images showed Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minneapolis apprehending 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was photographed wearing a bunny hat and carrying a Spiderman backpack. Public attention followed Liam and his father to Dilley, a facility encircled by chain-link barriers on barren land roughly 75 miles south of San Antonio.

However, Liam’s situation represents just one case among many. ICE currently detains hundreds of minors at Dilley, with many confined for extended periods.

“We are all Liam,” stated Christian Hinojosa, a Mexican immigrant speaking by telephone from Dilley, where she and her 13-year-old son remained detained for over four months. They gained release this month and returned to San Antonio, where she works as a healthcare assistant.

Hinojosa observed that Liam and his father were freed after just 10 days following intervention by congressional members and a judge.

“My son says, ‘That’s unfair, Mama. What’s the difference between him and us?’”

Originally opened during the Obama presidency in 2014, Dilley initially housed families who had recently entered from Mexico. The Biden administration reduced operations at the facility in 2021 before shuttering it three years later.

Since President Trump’s administration reopened the compound of trailers and prefabricated structures last spring, conditions at Dilley have been influenced by three significant modifications.

Family detention numbers have increased dramatically since autumn. Officials are holding numerous children well past the 20-day maximum established by longstanding court orders. Additionally, many detainees had established lives in American communities for years, maintaining connections to neighborhoods, jobs, and schools, according to legal representatives and observers.

“Just imagine that you’re a child and you’re taken out of your surroundings,” explained Philip Schrag, a Georgetown University law professor who authored “Baby Jails: The Fight to End the Incarceration of Refugee Children in America.”

Suddenly children find themselves in “a completely strange environment with the doors locked and guards in uniform roaming around,” said Schrag, who provided legal assistance to Dilley detainees as a volunteer attorney during the Obama years.

During the initial nine months of the current Trump administration, ICE processed over 3,800 children into detention, based on Associated Press analysis of University of California, Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project information. Daily averages exceeded 220 detained children, with most held beyond 24 hours transferred to Dilley. Children comprised more than half of Dilley’s population during this timeframe.

Nearly two-thirds of detained children were ultimately deported, while almost 10 percent departed when parents accepted voluntary removal, according to AP analysis of comprehensive data. Approximately one-quarter received release within the U.S., requiring parents to maintain regular ICE contact during legal proceedings.

Dilley’s population has surged dramatically since the data period, nearly tripling from fall through late January to exceed 1,300 individuals, according to Relevant Research, which analyzes immigration enforcement statistics.

“We’ve started to use 100 days as a benchmark because so many children are exceeding 20 days,” said Leecia Welch, chief legal director at Children’s Rights, who conducts regular Dilley visits for compliance monitoring. During a recent visit, Welch documented over 30 children held beyond 100 days.

Expanded child detention coincides with the Trump administration’s elimination of a Department of Homeland Security office responsible for overseeing conditions at Dilley and similar facilities.

“It’s a particular concern that family detention is being increased,” said Dr. Pamela McPherson, a child and adolescent psychiatrist contracted by DHS from 2014 until last year for inspecting and investigating conditions at Dilley and other ICE facilities housing children.

“Just who’s providing that check-and-balance now?”

Representative Tony Gonzales, whose congressional district includes Dilley, said multiple facility visits have convinced him that criticism is unwarranted.

Gonzales expressed admiration for Dilley’s facilities and staff professionalism. “They’re not doing policy. They’re just fulfilling a duty,” said the Republican representative.

DHS did not respond to detailed AP inquiries about Dilley. However, both DHS and ICE strongly disputed allegations regarding inadequate care and conditions.

“The Dilley facility is a family residential center designed specifically to house family units in a safe, structured and appropriate environment,” ICE Director Todd M. Lyons stated this week. Available services include medical screenings, infant care packages, classrooms, and recreational areas.

Concerns about Dilley became personal for Venezuelan immigrant Kheilin Valero Marcano, who was detained with her husband and 1-year-old daughter Amalia in December and held nearly two months.

When the child developed high fever, Valero Marcano said Dilley personnel dismissed it as merely viral. Two weeks later, Amalia began vomiting and losing weight. Despite at least eight visits to Dilley’s medical office, Valero Marcano said staff only offered Tylenol and ibuprofen.

The infant was eventually hospitalized twice, where physicians diagnosed COVID, bronchitis, pneumonia, and stomach virus, she reported.

ICE challenged Valero Marcano’s version, stating the baby “immediately received proper medical care” at Dilley before hospital transfer. Upon returning to Dilley, “she was in the medical unit and received proper treatment and prescribed medicines,” officials said.

The family’s Dilley return coincided with a measles outbreak. They gained release earlier this month after legal petitions to the court.

“I’m so worried for all the families who are still inside,” Valero Marcano said.

Following over two months in cramped Dilley quarters shared with three other families, a 13-year-old girl’s depression deepened significantly.

The eighth-grader refused food after discovering a worm in her meal, family members reported. Staff occasionally withheld medications she had long received for anxiety management and sleep assistance.

During a complete lockdown, a guard prevented the teenager from leaving their crowded room to accompany her mother and sister to the bathroom. She entered crisis mode and used a plastic cafeteria knife to cut her wrist.

“She said she didn’t want to live anymore because she preferred to die rather than having to keep living in confinement,” her mother, Andrea Armero, told AP via video call from Colombia, where the family was deported this month. AP typically avoids identifying individuals who attempt or complete suicide.

The girl’s difficulties predated Dilley arrival. Shortly after beginning Colombian middle school, she learned a family member had sexually abused her younger sister. Armero said departure seemed the only option, and in early 2024 she and her daughters traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum.

While living with Florida relatives, the 13-year-old performed well academically but occasionally experienced panic attacks about potential return to Colombia. Under psychiatric care, she received anti-anxiety and antidepressant prescriptions and regular therapy. Then in December, ICE agents detained Armero and her daughters during routine check-in.

At Dilley, the 13-year-old found comfort in drawing, creating disturbing images of a girl trapped behind gates. However, when she and other detainees participated in protests after 5-year-old Liam and his father arrived at Dilley, guards confiscated art supplies and ordered everyone inside.

The teenager’s mental health deteriorated completely. She attempted self-harm with the plastic knife and repeatedly struck her head, Armero said. The family was placed in isolation without medical evaluation, then deported to Colombia on February 11 following a judge’s removal order.

Dilley discharge documents listed “active problems,” including “suicide attempt by cutting of wrist” and “self-harm,” plus “history of post-traumatic stress disorder” and “history of anxiety.” AP also interviewed detainees and attorneys who independently confirmed the girl’s suicide attempt.

Addressing AP questions, a DHS official acknowledged “a case of self-harm” within the facility but provided no specifics about the incident or staff response. DHS did not respond to follow-up inquiries seeking details.

“No child at Dilley has been denied medical treatment or experienced a delayed medical assessment,” said Ryan Gustin, spokesman for CoreCivic, the for-profit prison company operating the facility under ICE contract. Gustin declined specific questions about the 13-year-old, citing privacy regulations.

During a phone call from inside Dilley, 13-year-old Gustavo Santino-Josa introduced himself to a reporter by name and the nine-digit identification number ICE assigned when he and his mother were detained.

“Until today I don’t know what we did wrong to get detained,” Gustavo said. “I’ve seen my mom cry almost daily and I ask God that we can go out and go home soon.”

He expressed concern they might never gain release.

“My mom says that as long as there is hope it is worth fighting for,” Gustavo said before transferring the phone to his mother, Christian Hinojosa, the healthcare aide originally from Mexico.

“All his friends have left already,” his mother explained. “Some were deported. Some got released recently. And it hurts. It hurts to see people leaving and you’re staying here.”

Built to accommodate 2,400 individuals, Dilley houses families in clusters ICE terms “neighborhoods.” Bunk beds are positioned side-by-side for up to four families, frequently placing parents with young children in close proximity.

At full capacity, Dilley is projected to generate approximately $180 million in annual revenue for CoreCivic, according to the company’s recent securities filing.

A CoreCivic website video describes Dilley’s “open campus layout allows residents to move freely and unescorted throughout the day.”

The video omits mentioning that parents and children are locked inside.

Responding to AP questions, CoreCivic’s Gustin said Dilley staff includes a pediatrician, pediatric nurse practitioner, other trained medical professionals, and mental health services to “meet the needs of children and families in our care.”

However, discussions with parents of Dilley-detained children reveal recurring issues, said Welch, the children’s rights attorney.

Children frequently cry and experience sleep deprivation, partly due to 24-hour lighting, she noted. The water tastes awful and causes stomach problems and rashes, leading some families to rely on commissary purchases.

Children eat inadequately and have lost weight, Welch reported. While classrooms exist, instruction is limited to one hour daily, primarily completing worksheets.

A 14-year-old girl, identified in court documents as NVSM, reported tensions with up to 12 people sharing their room. At night when she and her mother attempted sleep, others insisted on loud television.

“I feel very sad and stressed to be here,” the teenager stated in court filings related to the binding settlement governing child detention and release. “My nerves are so high. I don’t know what is happening. My muscles will twitch because I’m so nervous and on edge.”

As government detention of parents and children faced scrutiny in 2014, an ICE official claimed that family detention centers, featuring basketball courts and medical clinics, were “more like a summer camp.”

This characterization frustrated McPherson, the child psychiatrist who, with another physician, was hired in 2014 by DHS to inspect family detention centers. The Trump administration did not renew their contracts last year after announcing extensive staff reductions.

“Having a clean place to sleep, having food, that’s not the same thing as having family and community,” McPherson said.

The physicians’ family detention center investigations revealed consistently inadequate staffing and administrative disregard for detention-caused trauma, concerns they reported in 2018 to a Senate caucus established for whistleblower testimony.

At Dilley, the doctors documented persistent pediatrician shortages and inability to hire a child psychiatrist throughout their inspection period until alerting senators.

Employees uncertain about managing 2-year-olds who bit and hit each other placed children and parents in medical isolation for days, McPherson and her colleague told senators. Without supervision, a Dilley nurse administered adult-strength hepatitis A vaccines to approximately 250 children in 2015, the American Immigration Lawyers Association reported.

DHS addressed many findings through changes before a special committee recommended in late 2016 that government discontinue family detention except in rare circumstances. The first Trump administration expanded family detention before the Biden administration began phasing it out in 2021.

The Trump administration’s decision to again hold families at Dilley after numerous warnings feels “dystopian,” McPherson said.

“The decision to knowingly traumatize children and subject them to chronic stress, I just have no words for it,” she said.

Gathered around picnic tables at the Laredo migrant shelter, parents released from Dilley searched frantically for flights to the homes they left behind. They contacted relatives, friends, teachers, anyone who might provide financial assistance for travel.

The young Ecuadorian mother discussed returning to Minneapolis, where her 2-year-old daughter, born in the U.S., was staying with a friend. With her husband deported, she faces sole parenting responsibilities.

This means re-enrolling her 7-year-old in school. Then the woman, who held a work permit and restaurant job in Minneapolis before detention, must provide for her children.

“Let’s go home, Mom, but don’t go back to work because ICE is going to pick you up again,” the little girl said. Her mother attempted reassurance.

That won’t happen, she explained, because they now possess special documentation instructing ICE to leave them alone.

She hopes that’s a promise she can maintain.

Following the enactment of recent legislation, Kansas state officials have begun notifying transgender residents that their driver’s licenses have been suspended. The invalidation notices are being mailed to affected individuals, informing them that their driving privileges will remain suspended until they modify the gender designation on their identification documents.

The license suspensions are a direct result of new state legislation that has changed how Kansas handles gender information on official identification documents. Hundreds of transgender residents across the state have reportedly received these notification letters from the Kansas Department of Revenue.

The affected individuals must update their gender information with the state before their driving privileges can be reinstated. This requirement stems from the recently passed law that has altered the state’s policies regarding gender markers on official documents.

PHARR, Texas — The familiar voice of Latin Grammy winner Bobby Pulido echoes through an adult day care facility in South Texas, his Spanish lyrics floating from corner speakers as he prepares to make his pitch for votes in his congressional campaign.

Wearing his signature cowboy boots, dark denim, leather jacket and cream-colored cowboy hat, the Democratic candidate enters the facility where seniors are engaged in card games and friendly conversation. While some inquire about the man in Western attire, others pay little attention until the music stops and Pulido takes the microphone.

Speaking in Spanish, he urges the crowd to vote and encourage their children to do the same. “Because the truth is that we are living in difficult times right now and it is important to make a change,” he tells them.

The Tejano music icon, who has spent thirty years performing the genre that originated in South Texas fields and neighborhoods, represents the Democratic Party’s strategy to regain ground with Hispanic voters who have increasingly supported Republicans during the Trump years. Party leaders view him as their strongest candidate to unseat U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, the sole Republican House member representing Texas’ Rio Grande Valley in a district specifically designed to protect her seat.

The region features three competitive contests this election cycle, placing it at the heart of the fight for House control after Texas Republicans redrew district maps at former President Donald Trump’s urging to benefit their party. Tuesday marks the primary elections.

Despite being new to political campaigns, Pulido continues his farewell concert tour with two remaining performances, including one scheduled this weekend in Mexico. His Democratic primary opponent is Ada Cuellar, a physician and law school graduate campaigning from a more progressive position. Cuellar contends that Pulido lacks connection with voters and that both he and party leaders overestimate the value of his musical fame.

The competitive U.S. Senate primary has spilled into the congressional race, with state Rep. James Talarico supporting Pulido while U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett backs Cuellar.

Whoever wins the Democratic nomination for the 15th Congressional District faces an uphill battle in November. De La Cruz secured victory by 14 percentage points in 2024, before Republicans adjusted district boundaries to strengthen her advantage further.

The territory Pulido seeks to represent spans 300 miles from the Mexican border northward through ranch land and small communities. The district’s population is 81% Hispanic, economically disadvantaged compared to state and national averages, and predominantly Catholic. It exemplifies the movement of working-class Hispanic voters toward the Republican Party, a significant political development of recent years.

Within the redrawn district, Democratic presidential support declined from 55% for Hillary Clinton in 2016 to just 41% for Kamala Harris in 2024.

Acknowledging the area’s cultural conservatism, Pulido has adopted centrist positions that sometimes frustrate progressive activists. On abortion, he explains his personal opposition while supporting women’s right to choose.

“Even if I personally would not be OK with it, I still respect that other people might make their own decisions and that we have to be OK with that,” he stated.

The candidate has faced criticism for years of provocative social media content, including offensive jokes and links to adult websites. He once shared a video appearing to show him urinating on Trump’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star, later revealing it was a prank involving a water bottle.

“My sense of humor on social media — and it’s very much in Spanish, I have a lot of fans in Mexico — sometimes that humor doesn’t translate,” Pulido acknowledged, expressing embarrassment over some past posts.

Primary rival Cuellar emphasizes her healthcare system experience and policy knowledge, contrasting her background with Pulido’s entertainment career.

“He doesn’t really understand the issues or have the solutions that I have,” she argued.

Running a more liberal campaign, Cuellar particularly challenges Pulido’s abortion stance as misaligned with Democratic voters.

She views Pulido’s threat stemming not from his fame but from strong backing by Washington and local Hidalgo County establishment figures. Unnamed officials have pressured her to withdraw from the race, Cuellar claims.

“I am like a scrappy underdog, and I’ve been one my whole life,” Cuellar said. “So I really am not concerned about the celebrity itself, but I’m fighting this establishment pressure, and that’s really the biggest challenge I’m faced with.”

Self-funding her campaign to match Pulido’s spending, she has broadcast television advertisements while he has not.

National Democratic leadership considers Pulido’s moderate approach better suited for the general election against De La Cruz. Despite generally supporting Trump and House leadership, she was among just 17 House Republicans voting with Democrats to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies.

At a Trump rally in Corpus Christi Friday, De La Cruz highlighted their collaboration on pressuring Mexico to release water owed from the shared Rio Grande basin.

“We have together delivered for Texas and delivered for our nation by turning all of South Texas red, and we will continue to keep Texas red,” De La Cruz declared.

Back at My Morning Star Adult Day Care, Pulido’s music resumed as he moved between tables, greeting visitors with handshakes and conversation in English or Spanish based on their preferences.

“I’ll ask the sky to not make me suffer anymore,” his recorded voice croons over accordion and percussion, telling a tale of heartbreak and yearning. The 1997 hit “Le Pediré” ranks among his career highlights spanning three decades.

Pulido earned Latin Grammy Awards for Best Tejano Album in 2022 and 2025, plus received an American Grammy nomination this year.

His musical roots run deep in Tejano culture, which combines Mexican folk traditions with European dance styles introduced by Czech, German and Polish immigrants. The genre remains closely tied to this specific Central and South Texas region, where many residents trace ancestry to the Republic of Texas era before statehood.

His father, Roberto Pulido, pioneered the genre, which has declined in popularity since its 1990s peak when Selena achieved mainstream success.

Beyond celebrity status, Bobby Pulido’s generational connection to Tejano music provides authentic credibility with local residents, according to Cathy Ragland, a University of North Texas ethnomusicology professor specializing in border music.

“He is a homegrown guy in the border, and that gets you a lot of mileage,” she observed.

Sitting outside the day care center, Pulido acknowledged that fame helps in political campaigns but doesn’t guarantee victory.

“I’m not going to lie, it opens the door. It doesn’t seal the deal,” Pulido reflected.

“I don’t think people vote for you because you’re famous. They’ll listen to you because you’re famous, and then they’re going to decide if they want to vote for you or not.”

WASHINGTON — Two political movements that typically stand on opposite sides of the aisle are finding common ground in an extraordinary Supreme Court case scheduled for Monday, creating partnerships that would have seemed impossible just years ago.

The high court will examine whether federal law can prohibit marijuana users from legally possessing firearms, a question that has produced some of the most surprising political alliances in recent memory.

In an unusual twist, the incoming Trump administration finds itself defending restrictions on gun ownership, with support from gun-control organizations that typically back Democratic policies.

Meanwhile, the National Rifle Association has joined forces with the American Civil Liberties Union in opposing the federal restriction.

The legal battle centers on federal legislation that prohibits individuals who regularly consume marijuana from lawfully possessing firearms. This issue has created disagreement among lower courts following a significant 2022 Supreme Court ruling that broadened Second Amendment protections.

ACLU legal director Cecillia Wang argues the statute violates constitutional gun rights and lacks clarity regarding what constitutes drug use.

“We’re deeply concerned with the potential of this statute to basically give federal prosecutors a blank check,” she said. “Millions of Americans use marijuana and there is no way for them to know based on words of this statute whether they could be charged or convicted of this crime because they own a firearm.”

Medical marijuana has gained legal status in most states, while recreational use is permitted in approximately half the nation.

However, the federal prohibition extends beyond marijuana to encompass all illegal substances, potentially opening the door for broader gun ownership rights among various drug users. Everytown for Gun Safety maintains the restriction satisfies the Supreme Court’s standard that firearms laws must be rooted in historical precedent.

“Restricting firearm use by illegal drug users is ‘as old as legislative recognition of the drug problem itself,’” their legal team stated.

Despite state-level changes, marijuana remains federally prohibited, though President Trump has issued an executive order to expedite its reclassification as a less hazardous substance.

The Justice Department seeks to reinstate criminal charges against Ali Danial Hemani, a Texas resident who faced felony accusations for possessing a firearm while admitting to smoking marijuana every other day. During a home search connected to a larger investigation, FBI agents discovered a small quantity of cocaine, though only the gun-related charge was pursued.

The conservative-leaning 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the case, determining that only individuals who are intoxicated while armed can face criminal charges.

While the administration has supported gun rights in other matters, government attorneys contend this restriction is reasonable. “Habitual illegal drug users with firearms present unique dangers to society — especially because they pose a grave risk of armed, hostile encounters with police officers while impaired,” they argued in legal filings. They compare the law to historical restrictions on frequently intoxicated individuals.

Although the conservative-majority Supreme Court has expanded firearm rights, it has also maintained federal legislation disarming individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders. The Justice Department draws parallels between drug users and domestic violence subjects as similar risks. The same law was applied in Hunter Biden’s case, who was convicted of purchasing a firearm while struggling with cocaine addiction.

However, the NRA and other Second Amendment organizations, typically Republican allies, oppose the administration in Hemani’s case.

“Americans have traditionally chosen which substances are acceptable for responsible recreational use, and the fundamental right to keep and bear arms was never denied to people who occasionally partook in such drugs — unless they were carrying arms while actively intoxicated,” Second Amendment Foundation attorneys wrote in court documents.

The marijuana advocacy organization NORML supports this position, noting that baby boomers represent one of the fastest-growing user demographics, often using products like marijuana gummies for arthritis relief and sleep issues.

“It’s laughable to think that by outlawing cannabis users possessing firearms you’ll minimize the problem with gun violence,” said Joe A. Bondy, chair of NORML’s board of directors, one of America’s oldest and largest marijuana legalization advocacy groups.

The Biden administration is working to explain recent U.S. military operations against Iranian targets to the American people through official statements and briefings.

White House officials are focusing their public communications on providing context and justification for the military strikes that have taken place in Iran.

The administration’s messaging strategy appears centered on keeping the public informed about the developments and the reasoning behind the military action.

Kansas state officials have begun mailing notifications to transgender residents informing them that their driver’s licenses will be revoked unless they modify the gender designation on their identification documents, following the enactment of new state legislation.

The recently passed law mandates that individuals update their official identification to reflect their birth-assigned gender, prompting the state to take action against current license holders whose documents show a different gender identity.

Recipients of these official notices are being told they must alter their gender information or face having their driving privileges suspended under the new legal requirements.

A congressional primary battle in North Carolina is providing insight into how the Democratic Party plans to position itself during the Trump administration.

The race features a showdown between incumbent Representative Valerie Foushee, who has served two terms in Congress, and Nida Allam, a progressive local government official. Their competition is taking place in a district considered a Democratic stronghold.

This primary contest illustrates the broader conversation happening within the Democratic Party as members debate the best strategy for moving forward in the current political climate. The matchup between an established congresswoman and a progressive challenger represents the different approaches party members are considering for the years ahead.

The outcome of this race could signal which direction North Carolina Democrats prefer as they work to define their party’s identity and priorities going forward.

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, General Dan Caine, are overseeing American military operations against Iran while based at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

The Pentagon leader and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are directing the U.S. mission from the Palm Beach resort, where Trump is presently staying, the source confirmed to Reuters on Friday.

WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump is planning to deliver a public statement Saturday morning while American forces conduct military operations against Iran, according to a report from Axios.

The news outlet cited an unnamed government official as the source for information about Trump’s planned remarks. The timing of the address coincides with ongoing U.S. military strikes taking place in Iranian territory.

When contacted for verification, White House officials did not immediately provide a response to requests for comment about the reported address.

Former President Donald Trump announced in an 8-minute video posted to his Truth Social platform that American military forces have initiated significant combat operations against Iran. Trump stated the action targets Iran’s ongoing nuclear weapons development and urged Iranian citizens to “take over your government.”

The following is Trump’s complete statement:

“A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran. Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. A vicious group of very hard, terrible people. Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world.”

“For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted Death to America and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops and the innocent people in many, many countries. Among the regime’s very first acts was to back a violent takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, holding dozens of American hostages for 444 days. In 1983, Iran’s proxies carried out the marine barracks bombing in Beirut that killed 241 American military personnel.”

“In 2000, they knew and were probably involved with the attack on the USS Cole. Many died. Iranian forces killed and maimed hundreds of American service members in Iraq. The regime’s proxies have continued to launch countless attacks against American forces stationed in the Middle East in recent years, as well as U.S. naval and commercial vessels and international shipping lines. It’s been mass terror, and we’re not going to put up with it any longer.”

“From Lebanon to Yemen and Syria to Iraq, the regime has armed, trained and funded terrorist militias that have soaked the earth with blood and guts. And it was Iran’s proxy, Hamas, that launched the monstrous Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, slaughtering more than 1,000 innocent people, including 46 Americans, while taking 12 of our citizens hostage. It was brutal, something like the world has never seen before.”

“Iran is the world’s number one state sponsor of terror, and just recently killed tens of thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested. It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I’ll say it again, they can never have a nuclear weapon. That is why in Operation Midnight Hammer last June, we obliterated the regime’s nuclear program at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. After that attack, we warned them never to resume their malicious pursuit of nuclear weapons, and we sought repeatedly to make a deal. We tried. They wanted to do it. They didn’t want to do it. Again they wanted to do it. They didn’t want to do it. They didn’t know what was happening. They just wanted to practice evil. But Iran refused, just as it has for decades and decades.”

“They’ve rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can’t take it anymore. Instead, they attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and to continue developing the long range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and could soon reach the American homeland. Just imagine how emboldened this regime would be if they ever had, and actually were armed with nuclear weapons as a means to deliver their message.”

“For these reasons, the United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests. We’re going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally again obliterated. We’re going to annihilate their navy. We’re going to ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces, and no longer use their IEDs, or roadside bombs as they are sometimes called, to so gravely wound and kill thousands and thousands of people, including many Americans. And we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. It’s a very simple message. They will never have a nuclear weapon.”

“This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States Armed Forces. I built and rebuilt our military in my first administration and there is no military on earth even close to its power, strength or sophistication. My administration is taking every possible step to minimize the risk to U.S. personnel in the region. Even so, and I do not make this statement lightly, the Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war. But we’re doing this not for now. We’re doing this for the future. And it is a noble mission. We pray for every service member as they selflessly risk their lives to ensure that Americans and our children will never be threatened by a nuclear-armed Iran. We ask God to protect all of our heroes in harm’s way. And we trust that with his help, the men and women of the armed forces will prevail. We have the greatest in the world, and they will prevail.”

“To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity. Or in the alternative, face certain death. So, lay down your arms. You will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death. Finally, to the great proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”

“For many years, you have asked for America’s help. But you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want. So let’s see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny, and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.”

“May God bless the brave men and women of America’s armed forces. May God bless the United States of America. May God bless you all. Thank you.”

Tuesday’s primary elections in Texas marked the first time millions of voters cast ballots under newly configured congressional boundaries, creating a vastly different political landscape than previous elections.

Following a nationwide push to redraw U.S. House districts before November’s midterm elections, Texas voters experienced the effects of new mapping boundaries firsthand. Former President Donald Trump had urged Republican-controlled states to reconfigure congressional districts as a strategy to diminish Democratic opportunities to regain control.

The Lone Star State’s revised maps are designed to secure five extra House seats for Republicans. These adjustments combined progressive Dallas communities with conservative East Texas regions and modified boundary lines near the Mexican border to capitalize on Republican gains among Hispanic constituents.

While the altered district lines for political advantage concern some Democratic voters regarding fair representation, Republican supporters view them as better reflecting the state’s conservative leanings. Meanwhile, certain Houston areas continue experiencing outright bewilderment.

Angela Juergens, a 37-year-old former New York resident who relocated to Texas for her career as a public school art educator, now serves as a stay-at-home mother of two. Despite questioning her decision to remain in a state led by far-right Republicans, she had discovered solidarity among fellow Democratic voters in her tree-lined Dallas community.

Previously residing in a district where Kamala Harris won by substantial margins during the 2024 presidential race and represented by Democratic Rep. Julie Johnson, Juergens now finds her street reassigned to Republican Rep. Lance Gooden’s district, which extends over 100 miles eastward into Texas’ rural pine forest regions.

“We felt represented, but with this change, we did not elect Lance Gooden and we don’t feel at home with that,” she said.

“While this administration feels like it’s out of control, we need some checks and balances in the government,” Juergens said. “And we need a true representation of all the people and it just feels like they are just trying to cut it all out.”

Ryan Vannest, a 53-year-old retired high school educator who has supported Republican candidates since 1990, has long respected GOP leaders including Ronald Reagan, John McCain and George H.W. Bush.

The border resident expressed disappointment about his transfer from Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz’s district to one represented by Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar, who faced bribery and conspiracy allegations before receiving a Trump pardon. “We just need new people,” Vannest said.

He expressed his distaste for Trump and submitted protest votes for entertainers during all three presidential campaigns. The practice of redrawing districts for partisan benefit troubles him.

“It’s just so extreme,” Vannest said. “They’re pandering to the elite, rich, white folk who just want to keep themselves in power. The redistricting, it’s just another example of it, trying to keep power.”

Clara Faulkner relocated to the Fort Worth suburb of Forest Hill nearly five decades ago when virtually no other Black families resided there. Over time, she witnessed the community transform into a racially diverse area within a secure Democratic congressional district.

The updated mapping places Faulkner, an 83-year-old former mayor of the small community housing approximately 14,000 people, into a heavily conservative district represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Roger Williams. About half the constituents in her new district are white, spanning into predominantly rural counties. “It’s just outlandish racism, right in your face,” Faulkner said.

“How the Republicans operate has never been a benefit to me,” Faulkner said. “And the way they draw the Republican districts just to tear our neighborhoods apart, I think they believe in divide and conquer.”

Kenneth Crawley, an 81-year-old retired nurse residing in Mission near the Mexican border, expressed dissatisfaction about his removal from Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz’s district.

However, he maintains that Republican leadership should continue, believing they best represent his preferences for reduced taxation and robust public safety. He consistently votes for Republican candidates across the ballot.

“I stick with the party, and the party that I stick with is the Republican Party because that’s the things that they support,” Crawley said. “In this new district, the Democrats, they want to let all these foreigners come across the border. That’s not what I want.”

Rene Martinez, a 79-year-old Democratic supporter, was also transferred into Gooden’s firmly Republican district. He expresses concern that issues affecting farm subsidies or healthcare access in rural areas Gooden represents differ significantly from his priorities in Dallas, where he serves as president of a local League of United Latin American Citizens council.

“I can’t identify with it. They can’t identify with us,” Martinez said.

Despite his district not being expected to remain competitive, he maintains optimism for Democrats this election cycle. Martinez referenced the surprising special election victory in January when a Democrat captured a state Senate district that Trump won decisively in 2024.

“I’m feeling like we’ve got some tailwinds behind our sails a little bit,” he said.

Luke Wilkinson, a 43-year-old Republican voter working as an inventory manager at a Rio Grande Valley car dealership, doesn’t view redistricting as particularly significant.

He remains doubtful that “my vote or my opinion matter all that much.” With employment responsibilities, financial obligations and other concerns occupying his attention, he was also placed in Cuellar’s district and described the congressman as “a decent enough guy.” Nevertheless, he plans to support the GOP candidate because the party aligns with his values.

“I’ll still vote. I’ll vote the way I feel and what my heart says,” Wilkinson said. “If I’m in a different district, that doesn’t change anything.”

The acclaimed British rock group Radiohead has issued a forceful demand for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to remove a promotional video that featured their music without authorization, the band announced Friday.

The federal immigration agency recently published a video incorporating a version of Radiohead’s track “Let Down” as background music. The video displayed a compilation of violence victims that ICE linked to individuals living in the United States without legal status.

In a strongly-worded statement released to news organizations, the band expressed their outrage: “We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down. It ain’t funny, this song means a lot to us and other people, and you don’t get to appropriate it without a fight.”

The musical group emphasized that ICE used their composition without obtaining proper authorization from the band.

ICE officials had not provided a response to requests for comment as of Friday evening.

The federal agency has faced widespread criticism from civil liberties organizations during the current administration’s aggressive approach to immigration enforcement and deportation operations. Human rights groups have particularly condemned ICE following the January shooting deaths of two American citizens by federal officers in Minnesota.

Advocacy organizations report that the enforcement campaign has fostered an atmosphere of fear among both citizens and immigrants, particularly affecting minority communities.

Since early 2026 began, at least eight individuals have perished while in ICE custody facilities nationwide, adding to the 31 fatalities recorded during the previous year.

Civil rights advocates have also expressed concerns about First Amendment protections and legal due process regarding ICE’s detention and deportation efforts targeting foreign nationals who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations opposing Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

The current administration has defended its enforcement strategy as necessary to address unauthorized immigration and enhance national security.

Radiohead joins numerous other entertainment industry figures who have previously criticized the immigration agency’s policies and practices.

The Pentagon has struck a deal with Scouting America that will preserve the organization’s access to military bases and continued support from the armed forces, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday.

Hegseth stated the agreement requires the youth organization to eliminate what he called “radical woke ideology” from its programs and establish membership criteria “based solely on biological sex at birth.”

However, Scouting America offered a different interpretation of the same deal, maintaining that transgender youth will continue to have a place in the organization that was previously called Boy Scouts of America.

“Our mission and commitment to serving all youth remains unchanged,” the organization declared in a press release describing the agreement, which they said was necessary to maintain their longstanding relationship with the U.S. military.

Scouting America President and CEO Roger Krone emphasized this point further, stating: “We have transgender people in our program, and we’ll have transgender people in our program going forward.”

The youth organization has undergone significant changes in recent years that drew criticism from conservative groups. In 2015, it removed restrictions on openly gay adult leaders and staff members. Two years later, it welcomed its first transgender participant, and in 2018 began accepting girls into its programs. The organization stopped using the “Boy Scouts” designation in 2019, though Girl Scouts of the USA continues as a distinct organization.

According to Hegseth, ongoing military support for Scouting America – including permission to hold national Scout jamborees and other activities on military installations – depends on the organization following the agreement’s requirements.

A key component involves adhering to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14173 from January 2025, which aims to eliminate race and gender-based preferences in policies and programs created under “diversity, equity and inclusion” initiatives.

“That means no more DEI in Scouting, zero,” Hegseth declared.

In his Friday video statement, Hegseth claimed Scouting had abandoned its core purpose as an organization that “develops boys into men,” instead adopting “an insidious radical woke ideology that is anti-America and anti-American.”

“They even welcomed the destructive myth of gender fluidity and transgenderism to infiltrate their membership,” he stated.

To remedy this situation, Hegseth said Scouting America would “modify its policy to make clear that membership will be based solely on biological sex at birth and not gender identity.”

“Any application will have only two sex designations, male and female, and the application must match the applicant’s birth certificate,” he explained.

Hegseth also specified that “biological boys and girls will not be allowed to occupy intimate spaces together, such as toilets, showers and camping tents.”

Krone responded by noting that Scout applications already offer only male or female options and currently request information about birth sex.

“We do not put boys and girls together in intimate spaces and in order to do that we need to have some knowledge of who they are,” Krone stated.

Beyond these changes, Scouting America indicated it has implemented various unspecified “programmatic updates to comply with Executive Order 14173.”

Both parties confirmed additional modifications, including eliminating the “Citizenship in Society” merit badge, which Hegseth characterized as promoting DEI principles, and creating a new “Military Service” merit badge. Registration costs will also be waived for children from active-duty, Guard and Reserve military families.

Since its establishment in 1910, Scouting America has grown into one of the nation’s largest youth organizations, having served approximately 130 million young people throughout its history.

A Thursday morning incident at Columbia University has ignited debate over federal immigration enforcement tactics after agents allegedly impersonated police officers to carry out an arrest.

Campus security received a 911 report at 6:32 a.m. about two suspicious individuals in dark clothing loitering in a university residential building. When New York Police Department officers responded, they discovered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducting what officials described as an unusually complex operation.

University officials stated that the federal agents had deceived their way into the building by claiming to be police officers searching for a missing 5-year-old child. The agents reportedly showed a flyer featuring the supposed missing child to a campus security officer to gain entry.

This deception enabled the agents to reach the apartment of Ellie Aghayeva, an international student from Azerbaijan whom immigration authorities allege violated her visa terms by overstaying. NYPD officers arrived after the agents had already entered her residence, confirmed their federal status, and departed the scene.

The incident has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic officials and calls for investigation, while President Donald Trump intervened to secure Aghayeva’s release following discussions with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday.

The operation threatens to strain relationships between local police and ICE, as federal agents increasingly adopt disguises including utility workers, delivery personnel, and other uniformed roles to advance Trump’s expanded deportation efforts.

Though these deceptive practices aren’t prohibited by law, former law enforcement officials describe the Columbia incident as a concerning escalation that could severely damage public confidence in legitimate emergency situations.

“When police genuinely need to locate an endangered child, citizens may now hesitate to provide assistance,” explained Michael Alcazar, a former NYPD hostage negotiator. “This type of ICE deception will immediately complicate police work.”

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin challenged aspects of the university’s account, asserting that federal agents “identified themselves verbally and displayed visible badges” while being admitted by a property manager.

McLaughlin avoided answering repeated inquiries about whether agents used the missing child pretense to access the apartment.

Columbia’s acting president Claire Shipman confirmed Thursday that security footage “recorded the agents displaying photographs of the alleged missing child in the hallway,” calling the situation “completely unacceptable.”

The university has not yet released the surveillance video, while NYPD has also withheld body camera footage from their response. Police officials stated their officers acted lawfully by not interfering with an ongoing federal investigation.

The arrest has triggered campus demonstrations and created anxiety among students. Aghayeva’s supporters describe her as a final-semester neuroscience and politics student on an international visa. Her legal representatives filed an emergency petition stating she received no explanation for her detention.

DHS officials claim Aghayeva’s visa was revoked in 2016 for class attendance violations. Despite her release, she continues facing deportation proceedings.

Columbia law professor Jeffrey Fagan, who researches policing practices, noted that studies demonstrate deceptive law enforcement tactics particularly damage public trust when they result in arrests “viewed as unwarranted.”

“Anyone examining this situation will immediately consider it unjustified,” he stated. “This will diminish community trust when officers next require public cooperation.”

Peter Moskos, a criminal justice professor at John Jay University and former Baltimore police officer, shared similar concerns. He emphasized that sanctuary policies were designed to improve public safety by fostering trust between immigrant communities and police.

“The concept relies on trusting police and calling them when needed without deportation fears,” he explained. “However, ICE appears determined to destroy that trust.”

An artificial intelligence company plans to take the Pentagon to court over a security designation that could impact its federal business relationships.

On Friday, Anthropic announced its intention to legally contest the Defense Department’s classification of the AI firm as a supply-chain security risk. The company’s decision to pursue litigation came just hours after President Donald Trump issued a directive ordering all federal agencies to halt their work with Anthropic.

The dual actions represent a significant escalation in tensions between the AI company and the federal government, with potential implications for how artificial intelligence firms interact with government agencies moving forward.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued a formal warning to Scouting America, giving the organization six months to address Pentagon concerns about recent policy changes.

In a video message shared on social media, Hegseth announced that the Defense Department will spend the next half-year evaluating its ongoing relationship with the youth organization, which was previously known as the Boy Scouts of America.

The warning comes after the Pentagon expressed dissatisfaction with the organization’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, as well as policies that center programming around female participants.

Hegseth’s announcement represents a temporary reprieve for the scouting organization, which had faced the possibility of losing its longstanding partnership with the military entirely.

The Defense Department’s review will determine whether the relationship between the Pentagon and Scouting America will continue beyond the six-month evaluation period.

WASHINGTON — Federal employees at the Internal Revenue Service have lost their union representation after the Treasury Department canceled their collective bargaining agreement Friday, marking a significant step in President Donald Trump’s effort to reshape the federal government workforce.

The Treasury Department also ended the union contract for Bureau of the Fiscal Service employees earlier this week, according to two sources with knowledge of the decision who requested anonymity since they weren’t permitted to discuss the matter publicly.

Both the IRS and the fiscal service bureau, which handles government payment processing, have employees represented by the National Treasury Employees Union. Agency officials notified these workers that Treasury had dissolved their collective bargaining agreements, citing a Trump executive order from last March as justification for the action.

IRS Chief Human Capital Officer Alex Kweskin wrote to IRS staff Friday that the decision “deepens our commitment of operating as one IRS, a collaborative team focused on serving American taxpayers,” according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press.

These contract cancellations follow guidance from Scott Kupor, who leads the Office of Personnel Management, who sent a directive to agency heads this month instructing them to follow Trump’s March directive and inform labor organizations “that they are terminating any applicable CBAs (collective bargaining agreements), whether represented by the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) or another labor union.”

The labor organization had filed a lawsuit against the federal government last year challenging Trump’s executive directive.

Although a Washington D.C. court granted a preliminary injunction blocking the government’s action, that ruling was suspended while an appeal proceeds. On Thursday, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled in a related case, opening the door for Trump’s executive order to move forward.

National Treasury Employees Union President Doreen Greenwald argued Friday that the IRS “cannot unilaterally end” its agreement with the labor organization. She stated that federal sector labor law mandates the IRS maintain a collective bargaining agreement “with the exclusive representative of its bargaining unit employees.”

The National Treasury Employees Union serves as the representative for approximately 150,000 workers across 37 federal departments and agencies.

MINNEAPOLIS — A federal judge in Minnesota has made permanent a protective order shielding legal refugees from arrest and deportation, delivering sharp criticism of a Trump administration policy that he says transforms the ‘American Dream into a dystopian nightmare.’

U.S. District Judge John Tunheim on Friday approved a request from refugee advocates to convert a temporary restraining order he issued in January into a preliminary injunction as the legal case continues to unfold.

While the ruling only covers Minnesota, it comes amid broader concerns about a new Department of Homeland Security policy announced February 18 that was discussed during a court hearing the following day.

‘Minnesota refugees can now live their lives without fear that their own government will snatch them off the street and imprison them far from loved ones,’ said Kimberly Grano, an attorney with the International Refugee Assistance Project, in comments to The Associated Press.

The Trump administration claims authority to detain potentially tens of thousands of refugees nationwide who entered legally but haven’t yet obtained green cards. A recent Homeland Security memo reinterprets immigration law to require refugees seeking green cards to return to federal custody one year after their admission to the U.S. for application review.

Judge Tunheim voiced strong skepticism in his 66-page ruling.

‘This Court will not allow federal authorities to use a new and erroneous statutory interpretation to terrorize refugees who immigrated to this country under the promise that they would be welcomed and allowed to live in peace, far from the persecution they fled,’ Tunheim wrote.

The judge emphasized that the U.S. made commitments decades ago to refugees escaping persecution, promising them opportunities to rebuild their lives following thorough background screenings.

‘We promised them the hope that one day they could achieve the American Dream,’ Tunheim stated. ‘The Government’s new policy breaks that promise — without congressional authorization — and raises serious constitutional concerns. The new policy turns the refugees’ American Dream into a dystopian nightmare.’

Neither Homeland Security nor U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services provided immediate responses to requests for comment Friday.

During last week’s court proceedings, Justice Department attorney Brantley Mayers argued the government should retain the authority to arrest refugees one year after their entry, though he suggested this wouldn’t occur in every case.

Tunheim highlighted the case of one refugee, referred to as D. Doe, who was detained in January after being told someone had damaged his vehicle.

‘He was immediately flown to Texas, where he was interrogated about his refugee status. He was kept in ‘shackles and handcuffs’ for sixteen hours. D. Doe was ultimately released on the streets of Texas, left to find his way back to Minnesota,’ the judge noted.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is throwing her support behind Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ proposal to put the USDA’s South Building on the market. The Republican senator criticized the previous administration’s handling of the property, stating “The previous administration’s USDA denied their ghost town, but Secretary Rollins took action on this.”

According to Ernst, the Department of Agriculture no longer requires the South Building, describing it as predominantly unoccupied. The Iowa lawmaker argues that disposing of the underutilized federal property makes fiscal sense for taxpayers.

President Donald Trump is receiving military briefings on possible strikes against Iran while diplomatic efforts to resolve nuclear tensions continue to face obstacles, according to multiple reports.

Admiral Brad Cooper, who leads U.S. Central Command, is set to present Trump with potential American military responses targeting Iran, ABC News reported Thursday. Sources familiar with the matter told the network that General Dan Cain, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is also involved in these briefing preparations. Officials indicate that a coordinated U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran remains under active consideration.

Despite the military planning, diplomatic efforts are still underway. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi, who has been facilitating negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, is expected to meet with Vice President JD Vance and other top American officials in Washington on Friday. These discussions aim to prevent potential U.S. military action against Iran.

In a Washington Post interview, Vance addressed the situation directly, stating there is “absolutely no chance” that any Trump-ordered strikes on Iran would result in an extended conflict. While Vance acknowledged he doesn’t know what decision Trump will ultimately make, he outlined potential approaches, including military action “to ensure that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons,” or finding a solution “through diplomatic means.”

The New York Times reported Thursday that any military response currently being discussed would be narrowly targeted, concentrating on Iran’s nuclear facilities and missile capabilities. American officials quoted by the newspaper expressed doubt about Iran’s commitment to finalizing an agreement, while suggesting that precision strikes could pressure Iranian leadership to make compromises during ongoing Geneva negotiations.

Thursday marked the conclusion of those Geneva talks. Al Busaidi characterized the discussions as productive and announced that technical negotiations will resume next week in Vienna. The American negotiating team included special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law. Rafael Grossi, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency, also took part in the discussions.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the talks as making “good progress,” noting that negotiators found common ground on certain matters while acknowledging that significant differences remain unresolved.

Ex-Vice President Kamala Harris threw her political weight behind Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett on Friday, backing the Texas Democrat in her bid for the U.S. Senate nomination in a move that provides significant establishment support amid concerns about Crockett’s ability to appeal to moderate voters in November.

Harris delivered her support through a recorded phone message, according to a Crockett campaign representative who confirmed the endorsement on Friday.

The congresswoman faces off against Texas State Representative James Talarico in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, with Talarico positioning himself as the candidate better able to attract Republican crossover votes in a state where the GOP holds significant power.

Crockett has gained nationwide recognition for her aggressive debating style in Congress and has galvanized Democratic voters who want leaders prepared to confront President Donald Trump and conservative Republicans head-on.

The Texas Democratic primary represents the opening major political battle of the 2026 midterm election cycle.

Harris announced her support on the same day President Trump made an appearance in Corpus Christi, though Trump has remained silent on whether he supports current Senator John Cornyn or any of the Republican challengers who claim to be more loyal Trump supporters.

While Democrats face an uphill battle for the Texas Senate seat, some party leaders believe conditions could favor their candidate in the fall general election.

The Texas Tribune first broke the news of Harris’s endorsement.

TOPEKA, Kan. — A legal battle has erupted in Kansas after two transgender men filed a federal lawsuit challenging new state legislation that rendered their driver’s licenses invalid along with roughly 1,700 others belonging to transgender residents.

The lawsuit was submitted Thursday, coinciding with the law’s implementation date. The plaintiffs contend the legislation violates constitutional protections including privacy rights, individual autonomy, and proper legal procedures outlined in Kansas state law. Their legal challenge also targets enhanced enforcement measures related to a three-year-old state policy preventing transgender individuals from accessing public restrooms and single-gender facilities that match their gender identity.

The legal action seeks to halt enforcement of the law, which simultaneously invalidated approximately 1,800 birth certificates belonging to transgender Kansans. The case was filed in Douglas County district court, where both plaintiffs reside in an area known for its liberal politics within the predominantly conservative state and home to the University of Kansas main campus.

“The Kansas Constitution prohibits the Kansas Legislature’s targeting of transgender individuals for this discriminatory and dehumanizing treatment,” the lawsuit says.

Kansas’s highest court established in 2019 that the state’s Bill of Rights includes protections for bodily autonomy — a ruling that safeguarded abortion access in the state.

The contested legislation became law last week after Republican lawmakers, holding a supermajority, successfully overturned a veto from Democratic Governor Laura Kelly. Judge James McCabria, who will oversee the case, received his appointment in 2014 from former Republican Governor Sam Brownback and has been retained by Douglas County voters in three subsequent elections.

Previous legislation from 2023, also passed despite Kelly’s opposition, established legal definitions of male and female based on individuals’ “biological reproductive system” present at birth. The Kansas Supreme Court has not yet examined that earlier law.

The current law establishes significant financial penalties for municipalities, counties, educational institutions, and government agencies that fail to enforce restrictions on transgender facility usage. It also creates potential fines and criminal charges for transgender individuals who violate these restrictions, while allowing private citizens to file lawsuits against transgender people for alleged violations.

Republican state lawmakers defended the new legislation as protective measures for girls and women, frequently referring to transgender women and girls using male terminology.

“Kansans expect clarity, not confusion,” House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said after the law was enacted. “They expect leadership, not surrender to radical activists.”

The legislation prohibits any gender designation on driver’s licenses and birth certificates other than what was determined at birth, automatically voiding existing documents that don’t meet this requirement. State officials have begun mailing notifications to transgender residents informing them their licenses are no longer valid and requiring immediate replacement.

While at least eight additional states prevent transgender individuals from modifying one or both identity documents, Kansas stands alone in retroactively invalidating previously modified records.

The two Lawrence residents bringing the lawsuit, located approximately 40 miles west of Kansas City, are receiving representation from American Civil Liberties Union lawyers. Court documents identify them as Daniel Doe and Matthew Moe, with both citing concerns about potential discrimination, harassment, and violence as reasons for maintaining anonymity.

A federal court has temporarily halted Virginia’s enforcement of legislation designed to shield minors from social media addiction through mandatory age verification and daily usage limits.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles in Alexandria ruled in favor of the technology industry group NetChoice, determining the organization would likely succeed in proving the statute violates constitutional free speech protections for adults, minors, and member companies such as Google, Meta Platforms, Netflix, Reddit and X.

The preliminary injunction prevents implementation of Senate Bill 854, which former Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin signed into law last May. The legislation, which became effective January 1, 2026, would have restricted social media usage to one hour daily for users under 16.

NetChoice has mounted legal challenges against comparable legislation in multiple states, including California.

State officials defended the measure as appropriately designed to shield children from social media’s “addictive features” and combat a youth mental health emergency.

However, Judge Giles determined the law was simultaneously too broad by mandating age verification for all users, including adults, and too narrow by excluding potentially habit-forming interactive gaming from its scope.

The judge also noted the legislation creates unequal treatment of “functionally equivalent” content by preventing minors from accessing educational, historical, or religious programming beyond one hour on social platforms while allowing unlimited access to identical content on streaming services.

“The court recognizes the Commonwealth’s compelling interest in protecting its youth from the harms associated with the addictive aspects of social media,” Giles wrote. “However, it cannot infringe on First Amendment rights, including those of the same youth it aims to protect.”

Following the ruling, Rae Pickett, representing Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones, stated: “We look forward to continuing to enforce laws that empower parents to protect their children from the proven harms that can come through social media.”

Paul Taske, co-director of the NetChoice Litigation Center, praised the decision in a statement: “This ruling reaffirms that the government cannot ration access to lawful speech – even if it has noble intentions. Fundamentally, parents must stay in the driver’s seat when it comes to decisions about their families.”

Former President Donald Trump revealed Friday that he’s contemplating nominating Senator Ted Cruz of Texas for a potential Supreme Court vacancy, despite Cruz indicating last month he has no interest in such a position.

Speaking at a political rally in Corpus Christi, Texas, Trump praised the Republican senator as “an amazing guy” while making light of the situation. The former president suggested Cruz would sail through the confirmation process because both parties in Congress would be eager to remove him from the Senate.

“He’s the only guy I know, he’ll get 100% of the Democrat vote, 100% of the Republican vote. They want to get him out of there. He is such a pain in the ass, but he’s so good and so talented,” Trump remarked to the crowd.

The comments came as Trump introduced Cruz during the Friday evening event, highlighting the Texas lawmaker’s abilities while acknowledging his reputation as a divisive figure among his Senate colleagues.

A federal judge in Central Islip, New York handed down a nine-year prison sentence Friday to a businesswoman who orchestrated an elaborate financial fraud that bilked foreign investors out of more than $30 million and illegally directed portions of those funds toward American political campaigns, including events supporting former President Donald Trump.

Sherry Xue Li, 54, of Oyster Bay, must also surrender $31.5 million along with properties in three different locations and compensate her victims through restitution payments.

Li, who has remained in custody since authorities arrested her in 2022, entered guilty pleas last year to charges of money laundering conspiracy and conspiring to defraud the United States by interfering with Federal Election Commission oversight of campaign finance regulations.

Her accomplice, Lianbo Wang, also admitted guilt to comparable charges and received a five-year prison term.

While Li’s attorney did not respond to requests for comment Friday, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella declared that she “faces justice for her cynical schemes.”

“She peddled false promises and outright lies to her many investors and stuffed her pockets while they suffered devastating losses,” he said in a statement.

Federal prosecutors detailed how Li and Wang spent years targeting investors, particularly those from China, convincing them to contribute $500,000 apiece to a nonexistent development venture while falsely guaranteeing the investments would secure permanent U.S. residency status.

Rather than funding any legitimate project, the pair, both naturalized American citizens, diverted millions from these investments to cover lavish personal spending on designer clothes, expensive jewelry, luxury homes, exotic vacations, and fine dining experiences, according to federal authorities.

Prosecutors revealed that Li and Wang marketed access to American political figures to their victims and converted the proceeds into unlawful political contributions.

In a particularly brazen example, the duo collected $93,000 from each investor for tickets to a 2017 Trump campaign fundraising event, then converted that money into $600,000 in prohibited donations to the organizing committee.

Li managed to pose for a photograph with Trump and First Lady Melania Trump during the gathering, later exploiting that image to attract additional investments for her fraudulent development scheme, prosecutors stated.

Federal authorities emphasized that the political campaigns and committees had no knowledge of the illegal activity, and no criminal charges were filed against any political organizations.

WASHINGTON — Military service members will be barred from enrolling at several elite universities beginning with the upcoming academic year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared in a social media announcement Friday.

The prohibition targets prestigious institutions including Yale, Columbia, Brown, Princeton, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which Hegseth characterized as centers that foster anti-American attitudes.

In his video statement, Hegseth claimed these academic institutions have transformed into environments that work against core military principles, though he provided no supporting evidence for his assertions.

“For decades, the Ivy League and similar institutions have gorged themselves on a trust fund of American taxpayer dollars, only to become factories of anti-American resentment and military disdain,” he said. “They’ve replaced the study of victory and pragmatic realism with the promotion of wokeness and weakness.”

This latest announcement follows Hegseth’s decision three weeks earlier to sever military ties with Harvard University. He referenced “many others” in his ban but did not specify additional institutions affected by the policy.

Pentagon officials did not respond immediately to requests for clarification about the scope and implementation of these restrictions.

Pentagon records from Friday showed that Columbia, Brown, MIT and Harvard remained on the approved list for the military’s Tuition Assistance program, which provides full tuition coverage for active personnel. Recent data indicates Harvard enrolled 39 military participants in 2023, while Columbia had nine and MIT had two.

The Harvard restriction specifically targets graduate-level professional military education, fellowship opportunities, and certificate programs. Questions remain about whether programs like Harvard’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps will be affected.

Harvard has developed specialized programs for Pentagon personnel, including professional development courses and degree programs designed for military members. The university launched a new master’s program in public administration for active-duty service members and veterans last year. Notably, Hegseth himself holds a Harvard master’s degree, though he ceremonially returned his diploma during a 2022 Fox News broadcast.

Military officers typically receive graduate education opportunities through both military-operated war colleges and civilian academic institutions like Harvard.

These elite universities have become frequent targets of criticism from President Donald Trump’s administration, which alleges they promote excessive “woke” ideology. The administration has withdrawn billions in research funding and imposed various penalties on these institutions, often citing investigations into how campus officials handled antisemitism concerns.

Hegseth’s declaration represents a setback for universities that appeared to have found common ground with the administration recently. Both Columbia and Brown were among the first institutions to negotiate agreements with the White House, accepting various conditions to restore their federal funding.

Harvard has chosen to challenge these demands through legal action, filing lawsuits that claim the government is unlawfully punishing the university for rejecting its ideological positions. Trump indicated last summer that a deal with Harvard was imminent, but those discussions seem to have collapsed. Earlier this month, Trump increased his demands, stating Harvard must pay $1 billion to the government as part of any agreement, doubling his previous requirement.

A college freshman who was wrongfully sent back to Honduras has turned down a government flight meant to return her to the United States after federal officials indicated they might immediately arrest and deport her once more.

Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, age 20 and a student at Babson College in Massachusetts, was sent back to Honduras – a nation she departed at age 8 – following her detention at Logan International Airport in Boston while she was traveling to visit family in Texas for Thanksgiving.

The young woman was transported to Honduras on November 22, even though a Massachusetts judge had issued an order the day before preventing her deportation or transfer from the state for three days. A federal attorney later expressed regret for what he termed a “mistake.”

Federal Judge Richard Stearns in Boston issued a ruling on February 13 directing the Trump administration to correct their error by Friday through arranging Lopez Belloza’s return to the country.

Lopez Belloza shared with media that she initially felt thrilled Thursday when learning the government had organized a flight to bring her back.

“Hours later, that excitement turned into a nightmare,” Lopez Belloza said.

She explained that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official deceived her by consistently claiming Thursday that boarding the aircraft would result in her release once she landed in America.

“I believed him for a second,” she said. “I pictured stepping off of the plane and finally being free.”

However, in legal documents submitted Thursday afternoon, federal officials revealed plans to pursue her deportation again upon arrival. They stated they possessed authority to hold her if she accepted the ICE flight from Honduras to Texas, citing an existing final removal order issued when she was just 11 years old.

“I won’t mince words,” Lopez Belloza said during a virtual press conference. “I am angry. I am sad.”

Her attorney, Todd Pomerleau, criticized the government’s approach as “gamesmanship” and promised to persist with her legal battle.

“I’m not stopping until she’s back here, but she’s not coming back in handcuffs,” he said.

In legal paperwork filed Friday, federal officials stated that Lopez Belloza failed to appear for a scheduled meeting regarding her departure and did not take the planned flight, despite previously agreeing to meet at an airport in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

Christina Sterling, a representative for U.S. Attorney Leah Foley’s office, which has been opposing Lopez Belloza’s legal challenge, explained in a statement that the ICE flight was designed to restore the previous situation.

“The status quo that existed prior to her removal was that she was subject to a final order of removal and as the government argued throughout this case, ICE has statutory authority to detain an individual to effectuate such removal,” Sterling stated.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump announced Friday that he’s commanding all federal agencies to immediately stop using artificial intelligence technology from the company Anthropic, with a six-month transition period allowed for departments like Defense that currently depend on these AI systems.

In a Friday post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared: “I am directing EVERY Federal Agency in the United States Government to IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic’s technology. We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!”

The president’s order follows an ongoing dispute between the Pentagon and Anthropic, one of the leading artificial intelligence companies, regarding concerns about potential military applications of AI technology in warfare situations. Representatives from Anthropic have not yet provided a response to requests for comment on Trump’s announcement.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the military will halt all officer enrollment in educational programs at Ivy League universities, calling these elite institutions ‘anti-American.’

The prohibition takes effect with the 2026-27 school year, Hegseth announced in a social media video on X.

This decision represents part of the Trump administration’s broader campaign against universities over various issues including diversity initiatives, transgender policies, and pro-Palestinian demonstrations related to Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

‘For decades, the Ivy League and similar institutions have gorged themselves on a trust fund of American taxpayer dollars, only to become factories of anti-American resentment and military disdain,’ Hegseth stated in his X video.

He continued, ‘I’m ordering the complete and immediate cancellation of all Department of War attendance at institutions like Princeton, Columbia, MIT, Brown, Yale and many others starting next academic year.’

This announcement follows Hegseth’s earlier decision this month to terminate professional military education programs, fellowships, and certificate offerings with Harvard University.

President Donald Trump disclosed on Friday that American officials are engaged in high-level diplomatic conversations with Cuba, floating the idea of what he termed a “friendly takeover” of the island nation, though he provided no specifics about his meaning.

While departing the White House for a Texas visit, Trump informed reporters that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been conducting discussions with Cuban officials “at a very high level.”

“The Cuban government is talking with us,” the president said. “They have no money. They have no anything right now. But they’re talking to us, and maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba.”

He added: “We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba.”

Trump offered no clarification on his statements but appeared to suggest that circumstances involving Cuba, the communist-controlled nation that has remained one of America’s most hostile adversaries for generations, had reached a pivotal moment. White House officials did not provide additional details when asked Friday.

The president also characterized Cuba as “a failed nation” and stated “they want our help.”

These statements followed by two days Cuba’s report that a speedboat registered in Florida and carrying 10 armed Cubans from the United States fired upon soldiers along the island’s northern coastline. Cuban authorities said four of the armed individuals died and six sustained injuries from return fire, while one Cuban official was also wounded.

Cuba has occupied Trump’s attention since at least early January, following U.S. military operations that removed one of Havana’s key allies, Venezuela’s socialist leader Nicolás Maduro. In the wake of that action, Trump indicated that military intervention in Cuba might be unnecessary since the island’s economy was sufficiently weakened — especially without Venezuelan oil deliveries that ceased after Maduro’s detention — to potentially collapse independently.

“We’ve had a lot of years of dealing with Cuba. I’ve been hearing about Cuba since I’m a little boy. But they’re in big trouble,” he said Friday.

Referencing the Cuban exile population residing in America, Trump suggested something might develop that “I think (is) very positive for the people that were expelled, or worse, from Cuba and live here.” He offered no further explanation.

America has enforced a comprehensive trade embargo against Cuba since 1962, one year following the unsuccessful CIA-backed Bay of Pigs invasion. Despite this, Trump revealed earlier this month that discussions with Cuban representatives were in progress.

Cuban officials acknowledged this week that they were communicating with American authorities after the boat shooting incident. Rubio has stated that the Department of Homeland Security and Coast Guard are examining what occurred.

A late January executive order signed by Trump committed to imposing tariffs on nations supplying oil to Cuba, potentially worsening conditions for a country already experiencing a severe energy shortage, although U.S. officials have since noted that Venezuelan oil can be sold to Cuban entities under certain circumstances.

Carlos Fernández de Cossío, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, wrote on social media Friday that “the US maintains its fuel embargo against Cuba in full force, and its impact as a form of collective punishment is unwavering.”

“Nothing announced in recent days changes this reality,” he posted on X. “The possibility of conditional sales to the private sector already existed and does not alleviate the impact on the Cuban population.”

Simultaneously, more than 40 American civil society groups delivered a letter to Congress Friday urging lawmakers to “press the Trump administration to reverse its aggressive policy towards Cuba” and warning that attempts to halt oil deliveries to the Caribbean nation would trigger a humanitarian disaster.

Organizations signing the letter included the Alliance of Baptists, ActionAid USA and the Presbyterian Church.

“Policies that deliberately impose hunger and mass hardship on millions of civilians constitute a form of collective punishment, and as such are a grave violation of international humanitarian law,” the letter states.

Two transgender men have taken legal action against Kansas over groundbreaking legislation that wiped out approved gender marker changes on identification documents for more than 1,000 state residents.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Kansas state court with support from the American Civil Liberties Union, argues the new law breaches constitutional protections for equality, due process, and privacy under state law.

Kansas now stands alone as the only state in America to reverse previously authorized gender marker modifications on official documents, reflecting a wider movement among Republican-controlled state governments to limit transgender rights.

The comprehensive legislation, which became effective Thursday, mandates that Kansas residents update their gender designation on driver’s licenses and birth certificates to match their birth-assigned sex. Additionally, it permanently prohibits future gender marker changes on these official documents.

The law further restricts transgender individuals from accessing multi-occupancy restrooms in government facilities that don’t align with their birth-assigned sex, while empowering private citizens to pursue legal action against violators.

Filing under assumed names, the plaintiffs argue the legislation forces them to reveal their transgender identity whenever showing identification and puts them at risk for harassment and violence in public restrooms. They plan to request a temporary injunction to halt enforcement during litigation.

State officials confirmed Thursday that identification documents for more than 1,000 Kansas residents have been invalidated. Those affected must purchase replacement driver’s licenses at their own expense.

Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach’s office, named as a defendant alongside state agencies responsible for issuing identification and managing government facilities, has not yet responded to requests for comment.

At least eight additional states, including Texas, Florida, and Indiana, have implemented similar restrictions on future gender marker changes, with several facing court challenges.

Transgender Americans are encountering growing limitations at state and federal levels. President Donald Trump has implemented multiple executive orders targeting transgender rights since resuming office.

One presidential directive declares the federal government will acknowledge only male and female as recognized sexes. Additional orders aim to bar transgender athletes from women’s sports and mandate passport applicants list their birth-assigned sex.

In 2023, Kobach’s office had argued that permitting gender marker changes on driver’s licenses violated existing state law, but a state court dismissed those claims last year.

State legislators subsequently introduced the bill that became law after the Kansas legislature successfully overrode Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s veto.

Federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against 30 more individuals linked to a protest involving immigration enforcement at a Minnesota church, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Friday.

Bondi revealed that law enforcement officials have already taken 25 of the newly charged individuals into custody under her orders, with plans for additional arrests to continue during the day.

“At my direction, federal agents have already arrested 25 of them, with more to come throughout the day,” Bondi stated in a post on the social media platform X.

The charges stem from a demonstration that took place at a church in Minnesota involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.

President Donald Trump suggested on Friday that the United States might pursue what he called a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, stating that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is managing the situation at the highest levels of government.

Speaking to reporters before departing for Texas, Trump indicated that Cuban officials have been in communication with the U.S. government. “The Cuban government is talking with us, and they’re in a big deal of trouble,” Trump stated. “They have no money. They have no anything right now, but they’re talking with us, and maybe we’ll have a friendly takeover of Cuba.”

The president characterized Cuba as a struggling country requiring significant changes, noting he had been aware of the island’s problems since childhood.

“I can see that happening. Marco Rubio is dealing on it and at a very high level,” Trump explained. “They have no money, they have no oil, they have no food. And it’s really right now a nation in deep trouble and they want our help.”

However, Cuban officials have stated they are not engaged in any formal high-level negotiations with the United States. The government has not completely dismissed media reports suggesting U.S. representatives may be conducting informal discussions with Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, who is the grandson of former Cuban leader Raul Castro.

According to Axios reporting earlier this month, Rubio has been conducting confidential discussions with the former leader’s grandson. The Miami Herald reported Thursday that U.S. officials connected to Rubio met with Castro’s grandson again during this week’s Caribbean Community conference in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Relations between the two nations have become more strained following this week’s deadly maritime incident. Cuban military forces killed four Cuban exiles and injured six others when their Florida-registered speedboat entered Cuban waters and fired upon a Cuban patrol vessel. Rubio has stated this was not a U.S.-sponsored operation and confirmed no American government personnel participated.

This confrontation occurred while the United States continues blocking nearly all petroleum deliveries to the island, intensifying economic pressure on Cuba’s Communist leadership. The situation changed further last month when U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, eliminating a crucial Cuban ally.

In recent weeks, Rubio has strongly criticized Cuba’s government, declaring the current situation unsustainable and insisting the country must undergo “dramatic” transformation.

The Cuban exile community, primarily based in Miami, has historically hoped for the Cuban government’s collapse or overthrow, having previously organized efforts against the regime established by the late revolutionary Fidel Castro.

Trump referenced this community when discussing potential benefits of U.S. involvement in Cuba. He suggested such action could be “something good … very positive” for individuals who were forced to leave the country.

“We have people living here that want to go back to Cuba, and they’re very happy with what’s going on,” Trump commented.

A Missouri Representative has launched an investigation into the National FFA Organization’s business relationship with agricultural corporation Syngenta, specifically questioning their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.

Congressman Jason Smith informed Brownfield that the youth agriculture organization has acknowledged his congressional inquiry and committed to providing information. “They have said they will comply and we’re waiting on their response. This organization is so important for every child who cares about agriculture,” Smith stated.

The National FFA Organization serves students across the country interested in agricultural education and careers, including many from Delaware’s farming communities.

A federal civil rights agency has rejected a transgender Army employee’s request to use bathroom facilities matching her gender identity, marking a significant policy shift under the Trump administration.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled Thursday against an unnamed civilian information technology worker stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. The employee had notified Army supervisors in summer 2025 that she identified as female and requested access to women’s restrooms and changing facilities, but officials denied her appeal.

Following the Army’s rejection of her internal grievance, the worker brought her case to the EEOC. However, the commission sided against her in a 2-1 vote, referencing President Trump’s recent executive directive that acknowledges only biological male and female categories. Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal, the panel’s lone Democrat, opposed the majority ruling.

This decision represents a dramatic shift from the EEOC’s position ten years ago, when the agency found that denying a transgender Army employee bathroom access and preferred pronouns constituted workplace discrimination. The commission now argues that the Army’s actions don’t breach Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which outlaws employment discrimination based on sex, race, religion, and national origin.

EEOC Chairwoman Andrea Lucas has actively implemented Trump’s gender identity directives, withdrawing legal cases supporting transgender and nonbinary employees facing termination or harassment. She has also revised harassment policies to remove language suggesting that intentional misgendering or bathroom restrictions could constitute workplace harassment. Republican legislators have praised these changes while criticizing previous administrations for exceeding the agency’s authority on gender matters.

“Today’s opinion is consistent with the plain meaning of ‘sex’ as understood by Congress at the time Title VII was enacted, as well as longstanding civil rights principles: that similarly situated employees must be treated equally,” Lucas said in a statement. “Biology is not bigotry.”

The commission contended that permitting “trans-identifying” workers to access facilities matching their gender identity would effectively eliminate single-sex spaces altogether.

“All bathrooms would be mixed-sex by law, and every employee would be required to perform bodily and other private functions in the presence of the opposite-sex,” the EEOC wrote.

Kotagal strongly criticized the ruling in a LinkedIn statement.

“I strongly disagree with the decision’s substance and tone. The decision rests on the false premise that transgender workers are not worthy of the agency’s protection from discrimination and harassment and that protecting them threatens the rights of other workers. Worse, it suggests that transgender people do not exist,” Kotagal said.

Multiple transgender and gender-nonconforming federal workers have lodged formal discrimination complaints regarding Trump administration policies, which include removing “gender ideology” content from government websites and reinstating military service restrictions for transgender personnel.

The EEOC serves a quasi-judicial role, reviewing appeals from federal employees whose discrimination complaints were rejected by their agencies’ civil rights departments.

Thursday’s ruling affects all federal agencies but doesn’t apply to private companies, nor does it establish binding legal precedent for courts. For private sector cases, the EEOC investigates complaints and determines whether to pursue litigation but doesn’t issue formal decisions.

The Army employee has 30 days to request EEOC reconsideration or 90 days to file a new case in federal district court.

In her statement, Kotagal referenced the Supreme Court’s 2020 Bostock v. Clayton County decision, arguing it strengthened Title VII protections for transgender workers. She criticized the EEOC for “rushing” its decision while a federal court examines similar issues in a class action lawsuit involving federal employees.

However, the EEOC maintained that Bostock only prevented employers from firing or refusing to hire transgender workers based on gender identity, without addressing bathroom access, locker room usage, or sex definitions.

Reflecting Lucas’s longstanding position, the EEOC argued that allowing transgender employees into their preferred facilities would endanger women by violating privacy expectations. This reasoning relied on the commission’s assertion that the Army employee isn’t actually a woman and was seeking “special treatment” by requesting access to “the opposite sex” facilities.

The EEOC referenced Trump’s executive order and dictionary definitions to support its position that “the complainant’s sex is male, from the moment of his conception and continuing even after he began to identify as transgender.”

While social conservatives have endorsed this viewpoint, the American Medical Association and other leading medical organizations cite extensive research suggesting sex and gender exist on a spectrum rather than in binary categories. Some biologists have criticized Trump’s executive order as scientifically flawed, noting it overlooks variations including intersex individuals who possess physical characteristics outside typical male or female definitions. The EEOC acknowledged intersex people represent “rare and unique circumstances” requiring “case-by-case” evaluation.

The Congressional Equality Caucus and various civil rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign and National Women’s Law Center, denounced the decision.

“Andrea Lucas has spent her time leading EEOC undermining enforcement of minority workers’ rights — she’s exactly who the Commission was designed to fight back against,” said Rep. Mark Takano, chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus.

The Defense Department directed inquiries to the Department of Justice and Army, which haven’t responded to comment requests.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump announced that further discussions concerning Iran’s nuclear program are planned for Friday, while expressing his displeasure with the current situation involving Tehran.

Before departing for Texas, the President addressed reporters and stated his desire to reach an agreement with Iran, while emphasizing his firm stance that Tehran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.

The ongoing negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear capabilities have continued throughout this week, occurring alongside a significant increase in U.S. military presence in the region. Trump indicated his preference to avoid military action against Iran, though he noted that force may sometimes become necessary.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Oman’s foreign minister traveled to Washington on Friday to serve as a mediator, meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance to discuss the matter.

Four weeks have passed since President Donald Trump announced Kevin Warsh as his choice to lead the Federal Reserve, yet the formal nomination paperwork has still not been submitted to the Senate – an unusual delay that’s creating uncertainty around the nation’s central banking leadership.

The holdup stems from Republican Senator Thom Tillis’s pledge to obstruct any Federal Reserve nominations while the Department of Justice continues investigating current Fed Chairman Jerome Powell over his congressional testimony regarding central bank building renovations in Washington.

Tillis has characterized the investigation as baseless and described it as intimidation tactics by the Trump administration, which has openly criticized Powell for not implementing interest rate cuts as aggressively as desired.

Derek Tang, an analyst with forecasting firm LH Meyer, observed the unusual nature of the situation. “It does strike me as odd that there’s been no forward movement on the Warsh nomination,” Tang noted. “The White House seems no closer to overcoming the Tillis block: that the senator won’t let any nominee for the Fed get past the Senate Banking Committee unless and until the Powell probe goes away.”

The White House has not provided immediate comment on the timeline but has previously stated that Warsh possesses excellent qualifications and expressed eagerness to collaborate with the Senate for swift confirmation.

The Federal Reserve’s independence from immediate political influences and its authority to establish interest rates without presidential interference is broadly viewed as crucial for controlling inflation and maintaining economic stability.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated that the Republican-led Senate Banking Committee is prepared to proceed with confirmation hearings once Warsh receives formal nomination. Committee Republicans, including Tillis, have expressed support for Warsh’s qualifications and suitability for the position.

However, without Tillis’s support to move Warsh’s nomination forward to the full Senate, the committee’s narrow Republican majority cannot overcome unified Democratic resistance.

Both Warsh and Federal Reserve representatives have declined to provide statements.

Powell revealed the Justice Department investigation in January, characterizing it as part of the Trump administration’s “threats and ongoing pressure” to reduce interest rates.

According to a Wall Street Journal report Thursday, the central bank has petitioned a judge to dismiss the government’s subpoenas related to the investigation. The Fed has not commented on this report.

The investigation represents just one obstacle to Trump’s longstanding objective of replacing Powell with a Fed chair more favorable to rate reductions.

With only 11 weeks remaining until Powell’s term concludes on May 15, the timeframe is tighter than what most current Fed governors experienced between nomination and Senate confirmation.

While the timing isn’t necessarily problematic – the Senate confirmed former Trump economic adviser Stephen Miran as a Fed governor in under two weeks last fall – extended delays would place both the nominee and the central bank in an awkward position as the June 16-17 Fed meeting approaches, when rate cut discussions are anticipated.

Trump plans to nominate Warsh for the position currently held by Miran, whose term ended January 31 but who may continue serving until Senate confirmation of his replacement. This change would substitute one rate-cut supporter with another, still leaving Trump appointees one vote shy of controlling the seven-member Fed board.

The president has taken the unprecedented step of attempting to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook over alleged misrepresentations on her mortgage applications. Cook, appointed by former President Joe Biden, denies any wrongdoing and is challenging her removal in a case now before the Supreme Court. Powell attended January oral arguments, calling it “the most important legal case in the Fed’s 113-year history” due to its implications for central bank independence.

Powell has the option to remain as a Fed governor until January 31, 2028, if he chooses. He has not indicated whether he will leave the board when his chairmanship ends, as nearly all predecessors have done.

Breaking with this tradition would represent an extraordinary decision, signaling Powell’s serious concerns about the Fed’s ability to maintain independence from the administration.

Such concerns stem from Trump’s explicit requirement that Fed nominees support rate cuts and the administration’s unprecedented pressure tactics on central bank leadership, including the Justice Department investigation.

However, remaining on the board would likely attract criticism from the Trump administration and others as a partisan attempt to undermine the president’s authority to appoint new Fed governors.

Even if Powell stayed as a governor, the Federal Open Market Committee would likely follow institutional precedent and select Warsh to chair the policy-making panel.

This scenario would present Warsh with the challenging task of persuading a divided committee to support his preferred rate cuts while navigating the complexities of working alongside his predecessor.

At a Virginia resort this week, House Democrats projected optimism about their chances of winning back control in November while working to craft their legislative priorities.

“We’re here at this issues conference to talk amongst each other and with outside stakeholders and experts about a bold, meaningful, transformational path forward,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York stated.

Following a difficult 2024 election cycle, many Democratic lawmakers believe rising living expenses and public dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump’s second administration have created favorable conditions for them to regain the House majority. However, behind their optimistic outlook lies a significant challenge: creating a cohesive policy platform that can unite a party experiencing both generational shifts and ideological divisions.

Should Democrats win control, they would immediately gain subpoena authority to investigate the Republican administration – power they currently lack as the minority party. Yet while members align on key voter concerns including affordability, immigration enforcement, and countering Trump, divisions persist between the party’s progressive and moderate factions.

“We can’t be just anti-Trump,” Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell, the caucus’ policy leader, emphasized. “We have to have an agenda.”

Internal party disagreements became apparent during the 2024 campaign and afterward as Democrats debated messaging strategies on immigration, economic issues, and foreign policy matters. However, these disputes diminished when Trump assumed office and began rapidly advancing his priorities, prompting Democrats to unite in opposition.

House Democrats have coordinated their resistance to Trump’s initiatives, successfully pushing votes against tariffs and demanding the public release of Justice Department documents concerning Jeffrey Epstein.

“We have become the most effective minority party in U.S. history,” California Rep. Ted Lieu, vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, declared.

After spending over three years in the minority, Democrats argue the political landscape is changing in their favor. They cite November’s California ballot measure on congressional redistricting and strong Democratic gubernatorial showings in Virginia and New Jersey as positive indicators.

Democrats also point to recent victories, including flipping a Texas state Senate seat this month in a district Trump carried by 17 points in 2024.

“It’s going to be a sprint” to November 3rd Election Day, Jeffries noted. “House Democrats are on the verge of a takeover.”

Regaining House control would grant Democrats immediate oversight capabilities. Committee chairpersons would obtain subpoena power and authority to compel witness testimony – tools leadership pledges to use aggressively in examining the administration.

“Make no mistake, oversight will be muscular and significant,” Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse, a House Judiciary Committee member, stated.

California Rep. Pete Aguilar, House Democratic Caucus leader, described the oversight opportunities as “a target-rich environment” while acknowledging that investigations alone won’t suffice.

The Department of Homeland Security funding dispute has demonstrated how opposition can unite the caucus, with Democrats maintaining solidarity while leveraging their position to demand accountability measures.

Nevertheless, internal divisions persist.

Progressive members including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts have advocated eliminating U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement entirely. Party leadership and centrist members prefer substantial reforms instead, creating potential friction points.

“We cannot allow a federal agency — one that was created for one purpose to terrorize — to function as an occupying force in our communities,” Omar said during House floor remarks this month. “Real accountability starts with abolishing ICE.”

Previous government shutdown negotiations highlighted how compromise can test party unity. When Democratic senators agreed to reopen government without securing health care subsidy extensions, progressive members responded with sharp criticism.

“The American people asked us over and over to fight for health care and to lower our costs overall,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said at the time. “Obviously that broke apart at the end.”

The week’s policy gathering concluded with limited concrete details about the “bold, meaningful, transformational path forward” Jeffries initially described. Instead, members focused on broad priorities – reducing costs, preserving health care, and contrasting with Trump – while deferring specifics.

“That’s the work that we’re still to do,” Illinois Rep. Nikki Budzinski responded when asked about potential first legislation under Democratic control. “We’ve rolled out nine different frameworks. All of them are equally important, I think, to address affordability, which is our coalition’s goal. It’s hard to say that there’s one silver bullet.”

Historical precedent shows Democrats often finalize campaign messages closer to elections. Their “Six for ’06” platform wasn’t revealed until fall 2006, weeks before winning the majority. In 2018, the party campaigned on “For the People” themes months before converting them into legislation.

“I expect to refresh our core message frame ahead of a closing argument for this fall,” Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood explained. “The closing argument was 6 for ’06. Closing argument in 2018 was ‘For the People,’ right? So, we’re going to have a closing argument message frame that you all be delighted and wowed by as we head into the fall election season.”

As Democrats grow more confident about reclaiming the majority, developing their agenda becomes increasingly urgent. While oversight may provide immediate tools for a new majority, maintaining power and influencing the party’s long-term direction will require more comprehensive strategies than investigations alone.

“What we tell our members and what we tell candidates who are running is we have to do all of the things,” Aguilar concluded. “We have to do oversight and accountability, and we have to talk about the affordability agenda and how we’re going to make life better for people if we are given the opportunity to lead.”

WASHINGTON — The 2024 midterm election cycle officially launches Tuesday with primary elections that will offer the first real indicators of voter sentiment as we approach the general election season. Results from Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas will shed light on what Americans are looking for as President Donald Trump’s second presidency reaches its midpoint.

GOP leaders claim Trump’s latest electoral victory handed them a sweeping mandate to advance their policy priorities. Democratic leaders are working to challenge that narrative, highlighting their recent electoral wins as evidence they can regain ground in the nation’s capital.

Primary contests will continue through September, setting the stage for November’s general election that will decide which party controls Congress and governor’s mansions nationwide.

Several key questions emerge: How much sway does Trump maintain even as a lame-duck president? Will Democratic voters choose established leaders or newcomers? What impact will new district maps have on competitive races?

These are among the major storylines to follow as primary season gets underway.

Trump’s backing continues to be highly sought after among GOP hopefuls, with the former president supporting over 200 congressional and state executive candidates this cycle, based on Associated Press tracking.

However, Trump hasn’t weighed in on every contest.

In Texas, he’s remained neutral in the race involving Sen. John Cornyn and his two primary opponents, state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. While Cornyn has long-standing Republican credentials, both Paxton and Hunt are working to gain ground by highlighting their loyalty to Trump.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas also lacks Trump’s endorsement. The Houston-area representative generally aligns with his party on issues like immigration enforcement and policies regarding transgender youth, but he has backed military aid to Ukraine and criticized fellow Republicans who continue promoting unfounded claims about the 2020 election being stolen from Trump.

Crenshaw faces a challenge from state Rep. Steve Toth, with both candidates questioning each other’s conservative credentials.

Traditional fundraising advantages favor incumbents, and both Cornyn and Crenshaw are vastly outspending their opponents on campaign ads. Whether this financial edge will protect them without Trump’s explicit support remains uncertain.

While Trump has shaped American politics for the past decade, Democrats continue debating their response strategy. Should the party prioritize a combative approach or focus on unity and healing?

Texas provides a clear contrast in the Senate primary race. Rep. Jasmine Crockett has built her reputation on confronting Republicans directly. Her campaign ads highlight that she “drives the president crazy” and emphasize that “Crockett fights for us.” This approach views political conflict as energizing for Democrats who believe their party has been too passive.

The alternative is represented by state Rep. James Talarico, a former middle school educator pursuing divinity studies. He rejects “politics as a blood sport” and argues voters seek “a return to more timeless values of sincerity and honesty and compassion and respect.”

Democrats have spent years attempting to flip Texas from Republican red to competitive purple without success. Some believe this could be their year as Trump’s popularity declines. The question remains which type of candidate voters will prefer.

The generational divide extends beyond campaign style to candidate age and experience.

Rep. Christian Menefee, 37, is challenging Rep. Al Green, 78, in Texas. They’re competing against each other because redistricting merged portions of their separate districts.

Menefee, just weeks into his first term after winning a special election, is attempting to unseat Green, who is serving his 11th term.

Protect Progress, a cryptocurrency-focused super PAC, is running ads declaring “Democrats used to be the party of the future” and calling for voters to “pass the torch” to Menefee.

In North Carolina, Rep. Valerie Foushee, 69, faces progressive challenger Nida Allam, 32, who has received endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders and Justice Democrats. This rematch follows Foushee’s victory over Allam and other candidates in a competitive 2022 primary.

Allam, currently a county commissioner, is campaigning on promises of a “brighter future.”

North Carolina holds the unfortunate record for congressional redistricting frequency over the past decade. The state has implemented different maps for every election since 2020, plus two additional maps in the previous decade.

Nearly all districts in the current version, created by the Republican-controlled state legislature last fall, heavily favor one party or the other. The sole exception is the 1st Congressional District, which leans Republican but could potentially be competitive for Democrats.

This partisan sorting means primary elections will essentially determine most House seats, rather than November’s general election. This lack of general election competition appears to fuel voter apathy.

During the last three presidential elections, when North Carolina was a key battleground, the state ranked between 11th and 14th nationally in voter turnout, according to US Elections Project data. However, in the past four midterm cycles, it hasn’t ranked higher than 23rd.

Limited competition also translates to reduced campaign spending. In the 1st District, five Republican candidates have collectively spent nearly $4.5 million, according to Federal Election Commission records. That exceeds the combined Democratic and Republican spending in any other state race by more than three times.

Despite North Carolina’s closely divided political landscape, the redistricting process has created fewer opportunities for voters to influence the House’s balance of power.

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed Friday that Scouting America must implement new policies to keep its partnership with the U.S. military, including mandating that members identify by “biological sex at birth and not gender identity.”

Several modifications reflect proposals the organization presented to the Defense Department in January, such as eliminating its Citizenship in Society merit badge while creating a Military Service merit badge and waiving fees for military families’ children.

The Pentagon under Hegseth has challenged the military’s relationship with Scouting America, criticizing the organization’s 2024 name change from Boy Scouts and other recent modifications he views as “woke culture” initiatives he aims to eliminate.

In a video shared on X, Hegseth stated the Pentagon will conduct a “vigorous review” of organizational changes over the next six months and will withdraw support from Scouting America if compliance fails.

“We hope that doesn’t happen, but it could,” Hegseth stated. “Ideally I believe the Boy Scouts should go back to being the Boy Scouts as originally founded, a group that develops boys into men. Maybe someday.”

The Texas-based Scouting America has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The organization welcomed gay youth starting in 2013, lifted its complete prohibition on gay adult leaders in 2015, and declared in 2017 it would admit transgender students. Girls joined as Cub Scouts beginning in 2018 and entered the primary Boy Scout program — now called Scouts BSA — in 2019. By May 2024, over 6,000 girls had achieved the prestigious Eagle Scout designation.

Earlier this month, the Pentagon released a statement reviewing its Scouting America relationship, asserting the organization had “lost its way” and describing its diversity, equity and inclusion programs as “unacceptable.”

“Scouting America’s leadership has made decisions that run counter to the values of this administration,” the February 6 statement declared, “including an embrace of DEI and other social justice, gender-fluid ideological stances.”

Pentagon officials previously indicated they and Scouting America were approaching an agreement to maintain their partnership provided the organization “rapidly implements the common-sense, core value reforms.”

“Scouting America remains far from perfect, but they have firmly committed to a return to core principles,” the statement noted. “Back to God and country—immediately!”

The military and Boy Scouts have maintained extensive connections, with armed forces providing logistical assistance for the National Boy Scout Jamboree since 1937.

Military branches also historically sponsor Scout units and programs on bases nationwide while maintaining strong Eagle Scout relationships, as many members later join the military.

Last year, Scouting America expressed concerns after NPR reported the Pentagon intended to eliminate support for Scout programs on military installations and the National Jamboree while removing pay grade increases for enlisting Eagle Scouts.

The Scouts informed Hegseth in January that following his recommendations, they developed a review plan including discontinuing their Citizenship in Society merit badge, introducing a Military Service merit badge, waiving military personnel registration fees, conducting a rededication ceremony emphasizing leadership and service to God and country, and dissolving their DEI board committee.

Established in 1910, the Boy Scouts of America gained prominent status across the nation over decades, with pinewood derbies, the Scout Oath, and Eagle Scouts becoming cultural touchstones.

Legend suggests American businessman William Boyce founded the organization after becoming lost in London fog and receiving guidance from a youth who refused payment, explaining that as a scout (British scouts formed in 1907) he couldn’t accept money for good deeds.

The organization has since encountered controversies and experienced substantial transformations.

In 1990, officials expelled an Eagle Scout turned assistant scoutmaster upon learning he co-led his university’s gay and lesbian organization. His 1992 discrimination lawsuit reached the Supreme Court, which ruled the Scouts could maintain membership standards excluding gay individuals.

While conservative groups supported the Boy Scouts, numerous institutions withdrew backing as the ban persisted. The restriction ended in 2013. By 2015, the organization eliminated its complete ban on gay adult leaders while permitting church-sponsored units to maintain religious exemptions.

In 2017, Boy Scouts announced they would accept transgender children identifying as boys into boys-only programs following an incident where an 8-year-old was removed from his New Jersey troop after parents and leaders discovered he was transgender.

The Boy Scouts also confronted numerous sexual abuse allegations and filed for bankruptcy protection in 2020 amid approximately 275 lawsuits and awareness of 1,400 additional claims.

In 2023, a judge approved the $2.4 billion bankruptcy plan enabling continued operations while compensating over 80,000 men who filed abuse claims from their scouting experiences.

Last year, Scouting America President and CEO Roger Krone recognized some rebranding criticism but characterized the overall reaction as positive and generating broader interest.

“The fact that we were going with a more kind of gender-neutral name, a lot of people kind of wanted to know more about it,” Krone explained.

The organization reported gaining approximately 16,000 new scouts, representing less than 2% growth from the previous year, with total membership slightly exceeding 1 million.

Former President Bill Clinton appeared before congressional investigators Friday to address his past associations with convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, creating a historic moment as the first ex-president ever required to provide testimony to Congress.

The private questioning session took place in Chappaqua, New York, one day following Hillary Clinton’s own testimony before lawmakers examining the disgraced financier’s criminal activities spanning over twenty years.

On the same day, President Donald Trump made his way to Texas to discuss energy initiatives and economic strategies during a heated Republican Senate primary campaign. All three GOP contenders are scheduled to appear alongside him just days ahead of the election.

Recent polling data reveals approximately 60% of American adults support creating an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip regions. This level of backing remains consistent with trends observed since 2020, when at least half of Americans began endorsing Palestinian statehood.

However, Democratic and independent voters have shown increased enthusiasm for the two-state approach. Roughly three-quarters of Democrats and about 60% of independents now back Palestinian independence.

Contrasting sharply with American sentiment, separate Gallup surveys indicate only around 30% of Israelis and Palestinians living in affected territories actually support a two-state arrangement.

The shifting American perspective stems largely from Democratic voters, who now express significantly greater sympathy for Palestinians compared to Israelis. Gallup findings show approximately two-thirds of Democrats align more closely with Palestinian concerns, while only about 20% favor Israeli positions.

Democratic sympathy toward Palestinians grew stronger as the Gaza conflict continued, with independent voters’ perspectives also evolving. For the first time in Gallup’s tracking, independents now show more Palestinian sympathy than Israeli support, with 40% favoring Palestinians versus 30% supporting Israelis.

Artificial intelligence company Anthropic faced mounting pressure Thursday when CEO Dario Amodei declared the firm “cannot in good conscience accede” to Pentagon requirements for unrestricted technology access. This escalated tensions with the Trump administration, which threatened contract termination and additional measures by Friday.

The Claude chatbot creator stated it wouldn’t abandon negotiations but criticized new Defense Department contract terms for making “virtually no progress on preventing Claude’s use for mass surveillance of Americans or in fully autonomous weapons.”

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell responded on social media that the military “has no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans (which is illegal) nor do we want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons that operate without human involvement.”

Anthropic remains the sole holdout among major AI companies, as the Pentagon maintains contracts with Google, OpenAI, and Elon Musk’s xAI for a new military internal network.

A tragic case in Buffalo has sparked outrage after a nearly blind Myanmar refugee died following his abandonment at a donut shop by Border Patrol agents. Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, was detained February 19th after his jail release but was freed the same day when authorities determined he couldn’t be deported.

Agents transported him to a Tim Hortons restaurant north of downtown Buffalo and left him there, according to officials and advocacy groups. His family, expecting him to leave jail directly, wasn’t notified of his release. Shah Alam’s attorney reported him missing February 22nd after learning immigration detention facilities didn’t have him.

Shah Alam was discovered dead Tuesday evening, though the exact time of death remains unknown. Family friend and spokesperson Khaleda Shah said relatives are demanding justice.

Iran and the United States conducted lengthy indirect negotiations Thursday concerning Tehran’s nuclear program but failed to reach agreement, maintaining the threat of Middle Eastern warfare as the U.S. has assembled substantial military forces in the region.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who facilitated the Geneva discussions, reported “significant progress in the negotiation” without providing specifics.

Before talks concluded, Iranian state television announced Tehran’s determination to continue uranium enrichment, rejection of proposals to transfer materials abroad, and demands for international sanctions removal, suggesting unwillingness to meet Trump’s requirements.

Al-Busaidi indicated technical discussions involving lower-level officials would resume next week in Vienna, headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which would likely play a crucial role in any agreement.

American Middle East sympathies have dramatically shifted toward Palestinians, according to fresh Gallup polling, following decades of overwhelming Israeli support. This transformation accelerated during the Gaza war.

Three years ago, 54% of Americans sympathized more with Israelis compared to 31% for Palestinians. Currently, support stands nearly balanced, with 41% expressing greater Palestinian sympathy and only 36% favoring Israelis.

These figures reflect how Israeli support has become deeply divisive in America, carrying profound implications for domestic politics and foreign policy. The sentiment change has been primarily driven by Democrats, who now show much stronger Palestinian sympathy.

Gallup data suggests this shift began before Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, then intensified during Israel’s subsequent Gaza military operations. The polling carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, indicating roughly equal sentiment toward both sides.

Federal immigration officials arrested a Columbia University student early Thursday, sparking campus demonstrations and accusations that agents entered university housing by impersonating police officers searching for a missing child.

Hours after detaining student Ellie Aghayeva, federal authorities suddenly reversed course, allowing her freedom following apparent intervention by President Donald Trump.

In a Thursday afternoon social media post, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he raised arrest concerns during an unrelated Trump meeting, after which the president agreed to her immediate release.

“I am safe and okay,” Aghayeva posted on Instagram minutes after Mamdani’s announcement, adding she felt “complete shock” from the experience.

This whirlwind sequence highlighted the unusual relationship between the Republican president and Mamdani, a democratic socialist whom Trump previously threatened with deportation.

Trump appears unable to select a favorite in the Texas Senate Republican primary, so when he visits the state Friday, all three candidates from the competitive race will join him just days before primary voting.

Senator John Cornyn seeks his fifth term while facing challenges from state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Representative Wesley Hunt in an increasingly bitter personal battle. All three men, lacking Trump’s coveted endorsement, have emphasized their connections to him while intensifying campaigning before Tuesday’s vote.

Trump will attempt to build on his Tuesday State of the Union address message, declaring economic prosperity and enhanced American security as central Republican arguments for maintaining congressional majorities.

Trump’s endorsement hesitation reflects the race’s complex dynamics.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton informed congressional members Thursday she possessed no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s or Ghislaine Maxwell’s crimes, beginning two days of depositions that will include former President Bill Clinton.

The depositions in the Clintons’ Chappaqua hometown follow months of tense exchanges between the former Democratic power couple and the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee investigating Epstein. This marks the first instance of a former president being compelled to testify before Congress.

The push for Epstein abuse accountability has become nearly unstoppable on Capitol Hill and beyond.

Trump, who has expressed regret about the Clintons’ forced testimony, yielded to pressure last year to release Epstein case files. The Clintons agreed to testify after the Oversight panel and Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., rejected their sworn statement offers and threatened criminal contempt charges.

The Trump administration has selected a controversial official with strong conservative views to oversee U.S. relations with Brazil, according to multiple sources familiar with the appointment.

Darren Beattie, who currently serves as acting assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs, has been named to a senior advisory position focusing on Brazil policy, three sources told reporters. The sources requested anonymity when discussing internal personnel decisions.

A senior State Department official confirmed the appointment, stating that Beattie “currently serves as a Senior Advisor for Brazil Policy.”

Brazil’s Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the appointment.

Beattie’s selection comes despite his history of creating diplomatic friction with Brazil. Last August, he caused an international incident when he posted on X that Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes was “the key architect of the censorship and persecution complex directed against” former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

The inflammatory social media post prompted Brazil’s Foreign Ministry to summon the top American diplomat in Brasilia for an explanation.

Justice Moraes, whom Beattie targeted in his criticism, oversaw the criminal proceedings against Bolsonaro, a Trump ally. Bolsonaro received a conviction for orchestrating a coup attempt to reverse Brazil’s 2022 presidential election results and is currently serving a 27-year prison term.

The United States imposed sanctions on Moraes in July, with Trump administration officials claiming he authorized unjustified pre-trial imprisonments and restricted free speech while handling cases connected to the 2022 coup attempt.

Following the sanctions announcement, Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of the former president and a prominent conservative politician in Brazil, publicly thanked Beattie on X for his work. Another Bolsonaro son, Flavio, is considered a top candidate in Brazil’s upcoming October presidential race.

The appointment indicates Washington’s continued focus on what it views as excessive censorship in Brazil and suggests the administration hasn’t fully reconciled with the leftist government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Two Brazilian government sources said they weren’t informed of Beattie’s new role, noting that his influence on diplomatic relations would depend on his internal authority within the administration. Both officials expressed concern given Beattie’s previous public remarks.

Relations between Washington and Brasilia became strained after Trump’s return to the presidency. Beyond sanctioning Brazilian officials, the U.S. imposed trade tariffs on Brazilian products, partly due to what Trump characterized as unfair treatment of Bolsonaro.

However, diplomatic ties showed improvement following a brief meeting between Lula and Trump at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last September, where Trump described their immediate connection positively. Later in the year, the Trump administration reduced tariffs on certain Brazilian imports and removed sanctions against Moraes.

The relationship faces another test as Lula announced plans to visit Washington in March.

Lula has become a vocal opponent of recent U.S. actions, including the operation to apprehend former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and efforts to restrict oil shipments to Cuba.

Beyond his new Brazil-focused role and his position leading the State Department’s educational and cultural affairs division, Beattie heads the U.S. Institute of Peace, a congressional-funded organization dedicated to resolving international conflicts.

In December, the Trump administration rechristened the institute as the “Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace,” though questions remain about the legal authority for such a name change.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, Beattie made controversial statements suggesting U.S. intelligence agencies might be involved in assassination attempts against Trump. He also faced criticism for racist and sexist comments, including a social media post claiming “competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work.”

In 2021, he posted on social media: “Imagine having respect for the State Department.”

Beattie was previously dismissed from his White House speechwriting position in 2018 after it was revealed he had spoken at an event associated with white nationalist attendees.

WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors have initiated legal proceedings to claim ownership of a sanctioned oil vessel and approximately 2 million barrels of crude oil that were captured near Venezuela’s coastline this past December, representing another move by President Donald Trump’s administration to exert control over the nation’s petroleum industry following the capture of former leader Nicolás Maduro.

This represents the initial legal filing by American authorities to begin the formal process of gaining control over one of no fewer than 10 oil vessels that have been intercepted by U.S. forces since the end of last year. Federal officials have alleged that Venezuela has been operating a covert fleet of improperly flagged ships to transport illegal oil into international markets.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the era of secretly bankrolling regimes that pose clear threats to the United States is over,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in an emailed statement. “This Department of Justice will deploy every legal authority at our disposal to completely dismantle and permanently shutter any operation that defies our laws and fuels chaos across the globe.”

The capture of the ship, called the Skipper, in December represented the Republican administration’s initial move in a sequence of comparable operations and signaled a significant intensification of Trump’s efforts to pressure Maduro by eliminating his access to petroleum revenues that have historically served as Venezuela’s economic foundation.

Maduro was captured during a U.S. operation last month and transported to New York to confront drug trafficking accusations. He has entered a not guilty plea, objecting to his detention and stating himself as “the president of my country.” After his removal from power, multiple ships departed Venezuela’s waters despite Trump’s blockade on sanctioned oil vessels, and American forces have pursued and intercepted some of these ships as distant as the Indian Ocean.

The Trump administration has embarked on a mission to oversee the production, processing and international distribution of Venezuelan petroleum while monitoring revenue streams. The U.S. has started removing comprehensive sanctions to permit international corporations to function in Venezuela in an effort to restore the struggling oil sector.

A federal judge in Washington must approve the U.S. government’s request to permanently acquire the Skipper and its petroleum cargo so the oil can be potentially marketed.

The Justice Department claims the vessel transported oil from Iran and Venezuela globally, using fraudulent flags to conceal its unlawful operations while generating income for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which the U.S. has classified as a foreign terrorist organization.

“Because of the coordinated efforts of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, a ghost tanker that for years secretly moved illicit oil from Iran and Venezuela around the globe has been taken off the seas,” Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, who leads the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said in a statement.

“Today’s actions are an important step in making America and the world safer by disrupting the flow of millions of dollars to foreign terrorist organizations,” he said.

WASHINGTON — In an unprecedented move, former President Bill Clinton appeared before congressional investigators Friday to face questions about his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, addressing connections that date back over twenty years.

The private testimony session in Chappaqua, New York, represents a historic first — never before has a former president been required to give sworn testimony to Congress. The questioning occurred just one day after his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, underwent her own deposition with lawmakers.

While Bill Clinton has not faced accusations of criminal behavior, congressional members are examining accountability standards in the United States, particularly as powerful figures worldwide have lost their positions for maintaining relationships with Epstein following his 2008 guilty plea to Florida state charges involving solicitation of prostitution from a minor.

During her Thursday testimony, Hillary Clinton informed investigators she possessed no information about Epstein’s sexual abuse of minors and could not recall ever encountering him personally. However, Bill Clinton must address questions regarding his well-established relationship with both Epstein and his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Hillary Clinton stated Thursday that she anticipated her husband would testify to having no awareness of Epstein’s criminal sexual conduct during their acquaintance.

Republican lawmakers expressed enthusiasm about the chance to question the former Democratic president under oath.

“The Clintons haven’t answered very many, if any, questions about their knowledge or involvement with Epstein and Maxwell,” stated Rep. James Comer, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee, on Thursday.

“No one’s accusing, at this moment, the Clintons of any wrongdoing,” he continued.

For years, Republicans have sought to question Bill Clinton regarding Epstein, particularly as conspiracy theories emerged after Epstein’s 2019 death by suicide in a New York detention facility while awaiting sex trafficking charges.

These demands intensified significantly last year when multiple photographs of the former president appeared in the Department of Justice’s initial release of Epstein and Maxwell case documents. Maxwell, a British socialite, received a sex trafficking conviction in December 2021 while maintaining her innocence. One photograph depicted Bill Clinton aboard an aircraft with his arm around an unidentified woman whose face was obscured. Another image showed Clinton and Maxwell in a swimming pool alongside another person whose identity was concealed.

Additionally, Epstein made multiple visits to the White House during Clinton’s presidency, and the two men later traveled internationally together for charitable endeavors.

Leading up to his testimony, Bill Clinton has maintained he possessed minimal knowledge about Epstein and remained unaware of any sexual abuse perpetrated by him.

“I think the chronology of the connection that he had with Epstein ended several years before anything about Epstein’s criminal activities came to light,” Hillary Clinton remarked following her Thursday deposition.

Comer has promised thorough questioning of the former president, claiming that Hillary Clinton frequently redirected Epstein-related inquiries to her husband during her testimony.

Democratic lawmakers, who have endorsed efforts to obtain answers from Bill Clinton, argue this establishes a standard that should equally apply to President Donald Trump, a Republican who maintained his own relationship with Epstein.

“We’re demanding immediately that we ask President Trump to testify in front of our committee and be deposed in front of Oversight Republicans and Democrats,” declared Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee’s ranking Democrat, on Thursday.

Comer has resisted this proposal, noting that Trump has previously addressed Epstein-related questions from journalists.

Democrats are simultaneously demanding the resignation of Trump’s Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Lutnick was Epstein’s longtime New York City neighbor but claimed on a podcast that he cut ties with Epstein after a disturbing 2005 visit to Epstein’s residence with his wife.

However, released case files revealed Lutnick maintained contact with Epstein years afterward. Records show he attended a 2011 gathering at Epstein’s home and shared lunch with Epstein on his private island in 2012 alongside his family.

“He should be removed from office and at a minimum should come before the committee,” Garcia said regarding Lutnick.

On Thursday, Comer indicated it was “very possible” that Lutnick would be summoned to testify.

WASHINGTON — California Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley has watched his political world turn upside down over the past year as redistricting battles have completely redrawn the boundaries of his district.

Despite the upheaval, Kiley remains determined to fight back. As he puts it: “I’m not going away at all.”

This defiant attitude has characterized Kiley’s approach in Congress lately. One day he’s attacking Democrats and continuing his long-running feud with California Governor Gavin Newsom, including criticism of the state’s high-speed rail project. The next day, he’s opposing President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and taking aim at House Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership style.

The former state lawmaker is using this dual-front strategy as he tries to secure a third House term after watching his current district get carved up into six separate pieces, severely limiting his options to stay in office. He’s set to reveal his reelection decision on Monday.

Kiley’s situation demonstrates how the redistricting battles that started in Texas at Trump’s request and prompted Democratic retaliation in California have forced some lawmakers to scramble to save their political futures.

According to his social media posts, Kiley has narrowed his choices to two possibilities. He could face off against fellow Republican Tom McClintock in a primary and potentially again in the general election, since California’s system advances the top two primary vote-getters regardless of party affiliation. Alternatively, he could run in a district that leans Democratic and try to win despite the challenging environment Republicans face in midterm elections.

Republican strategist Rob Stutzman noted the congressman’s precarious position: “He’s in real jeopardy of not coming back to Congress. Having said that, I think he’s got a better shot than most would under this circumstance. He’s a shrewd politician. He works hard.”

The redistricting war escalated when Texas redrew its maps to create five additional Republican-friendly districts, prompting California to respond similarly. California voters approved new congressional boundaries designed to give Democrats better chances of winning up to five more seats.

Several other California Republicans are also facing tougher reelection battles. Representatives Ken Calvert and Young Kim will compete against each other in a newly drawn district. Rep. Darrell Issa plans to run for a 13th term in his current district, which now favors Democrats. Rep. David Valadao’s Central Valley district has become even more Democratic-leaning.

Kiley has been vocal about these challenges, introducing legislation to prevent states from conducting multiple congressional redistricting efforts after each ten-year census. However, the bill has gained little traction with only one co-sponsor. He’s also used House floor speeches to criticize Johnson for failing to prevent the redistricting conflicts that have spread to states like Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.

During one floor speech, he questioned: “Why is the leader of this institution simply watching as the institution crumbles?”

Johnson dismissed Kiley’s criticism as “misinformed” and highlighted his efforts to combat California’s redistricting changes, saying he raised $13 million to fight the redistricting effort through ballot measures.

“Last cycle, I practically lived in California,” Johnson said. “I spent so many days campaigning in California, I thought Gavin Newsom was going to send me a tax bill. I’ll be out there again because California is equally important to us now as it always has been.”

On social media, Kiley indicated he’s choosing between McClintock’s solidly Republican district and an open Sacramento County-centered district where Democrat Kamala Harris would have won the 2024 presidential race by roughly 8 percentage points.

“Over the coming weeks leading up to the March 4 filing deadline, I will be talking with constituents and folks throughout the state about the best path forward, and I would love to hear from you,” he posted. “Thank you for all of the encouragement in working through a set of a challenges we never expected.”

His willingness to clash with GOP leadership and Trump might help him with independent voters crucial for success in the Democratic-leaning Sacramento area.

Earlier this month, Kiley joined five other Republicans in voting to eliminate tariffs Trump had imposed on Canada. Previously, he voted to override two Trump vetoes. He also introduced legislation to temporarily extend health care subsidies in the Affordable Care Act marketplace, though he ultimately opposed the three-year extension Democrats wanted.

“He’s positioning himself to basically run as a Republican that is independent of the speaker and the leadership, and independent from the White House,” Stutzman explained.

Stutzman added that some of Kiley’s actions reflect genuine frustration with Republican leaders over the redistricting battles.

“They started a fight and then left these guys bleeding on the battlefield,” Stutzman said.

According to Stutzman, the Sacramento-area district could work well for Kiley since part of his political identity involves opposing Newsom, and the governor hasn’t performed as strongly there compared to statewide results.

“He’s going to put up a good fight in this seat — if that’s what he does,” Stutzman said.

Democratic strategist Paul Mitchell doubts Republicans can win the seat in an election likely to focus on Trump.

“It is a more swingy seat than a seat in Santa Monica or San Francisco, but it’s not a seat that I think a Republican wins, especially not in a blue wave election,” said Mitchell, who specializes in political data analysis.

Mitchell believes Kiley’s best chance of returning to Congress involves defeating McClintock, who has served nine House terms after spending 22 years in the California legislature. He’s considered among the most conservative members of California’s congressional delegation.

Regarding a potential Kiley challenge, McClintock said: “Desperate people do desperate things, but it’s a free country and he’s free to run where he wishes.”

The Club for Growth Political Action Committee, a major force in GOP primaries that typically supports the most fiscally conservative Republican candidates, endorsed McClintock last week. Trump also gave McClintock his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”

These endorsements will be crucial for McClintock, who started the year with a significant financial disadvantage compared to Kiley. Federal Election Commission filings show McClintock had less than $100,000 in cash at the end of December, while Kiley had over $2 million.

Kiley’s campaign has already put some of those resources to work, spending more than $175,000 earlier this month on a political advertisement portraying him as Newsom’s opponent. “That’s why President Trump said no one has fought Gavin Newsom harder than Kevin,” the ad’s narrator states.

Ad-Impact, which monitors political advertising spending, reported most of the money went toward the Fresno and Visalia media markets. Mitchell suggests the lack of Sacramento spending might indicate Kiley’s intentions.

“I should expect to see him at things in this part of the district or Republicans all excited about Kiley in this part of the districts. It’s like crickets,” Mitchell observed.

Kiley emphasized that the advertisements don’t necessarily signal a final decision. He said he’s consulting with current constituents as well as potential future ones, “seeing which is the best fit.”

A major confrontation between the Pentagon and artificial intelligence company Anthropic is approaching a critical Friday evening deadline, with significant implications for how AI technology might be used in military operations.

The conflict, which must be resolved by 5:01 p.m. Friday, centers on disagreements about safety restrictions for AI use in warfare and surveillance. Military officials are demanding broader access to the technology, while Anthropic maintains certain protective measures should remain in place.

The Pentagon is seeking unrestricted lawful use of AI systems and has issued business threats against Anthropic if the company refuses to remove additional safety protocols.

Former acting defense secretary Chris Miller described the situation as significant for the future of battlefield AI. “It’s a shot across the bow about the future of artificial intelligence and its use on the battlefield,” Miller said. “The outcome will be an acid test for those companies that claim to want to use AI humanely.”

The extended disagreement has created divisions among industry executives, defense officials, and congressional members regarding whether AI technology should operate without limitations, particularly given Anthropic’s position that the technology isn’t ready for fully independent weapons systems.

Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin voiced concerns during a Thursday hearing for defense secretary nominees. “The average person does not think we should allow weapons systems to get into war and kill people without a human being overseeing that in some way,” Slotkin stated. She added: “I certainly don’t think any American, Democrat or Republican, wants mass surveillance on the American people.”

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell responded to criticism on social media Thursday, rejecting what he called false narratives. “The Department of War has no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans (which is illegal) nor do we want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons that operate without human involvement,” Parnell wrote.

The Pentagon has established $200 million contract frameworks with leading AI companies over the past year, including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google. Defense officials are pressuring these firms to abandon their individual usage restrictions in favor of accepting broad lawful-use terms.

Anthropic has maintained firm boundaries regarding military applications of its Claude AI technology, specifically opposing use in autonomous weapons and domestic surveillance programs. The company was the first among major AI firms to handle classified materials through its partnership with Amazon’s cloud services.

Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei, who left OpenAI in 2020 due to concerns about AI oversight, has cautioned that artificial intelligence development is outpacing legal frameworks. In a Thursday blog post, he warned that advanced technology could collect diverse information to surveil ordinary citizens without their knowledge.

“Anthropic understands that the Department of War, not private companies, makes military decisions,” Amodei wrote, but noted that AI in certain situations “can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values.”

Following Amodei’s meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week, the Pentagon offered modified contract terms. However, both sides appear to remain deadlocked.

An Anthropic representative said Thursday that overnight contract revisions from the Defense Department “made virtually no progress” and would permit “safeguards to be disregarded at will.”

Significant business consequences hang in the balance for Anthropic. The Pentagon has warned it will end its partnership with the startup and classify it as a supply-chain risk if the company doesn’t accept the military’s demands for unrestricted AI access.

Such a designation, typically reserved for suppliers from hostile nations, would prevent defense contractors from using Anthropic’s AI systems in Pentagon-related work.

This potential setback comes as Anthropic competes aggressively for business and government contracts, with national security representing a key growth area.

The Pentagon has requested assessments from contractors including Lockheed Martin regarding their dependence on Anthropic technology ahead of the possible risk classification. The defense contractor network included approximately 60,000 companies as of 2021, including major publicly-traded corporations.

Military officials have made an additional threat that some legal experts question. “If they don’t get on board, SecWar will ensure the Defense Production Act is invoked on Anthropic,” a senior Pentagon official stated, “compelling them to be used by the Pentagon regardless of if they want to or not.”

Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to appear before a congressional committee Friday morning for private questioning regarding his connections to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, setting up what could be a contentious session between the former Democratic president and Republican lawmakers.

The 11 a.m. testimony comes one day after Hillary Clinton appeared before the House Oversight Committee, where the former Secretary of State stated she had no recollection of ever encountering Epstein and possessed no information regarding his criminal activities.

Records show Bill Clinton took multiple flights aboard Epstein’s aircraft during the early 2000s following his presidency. Recently released Justice Department documents contain photographs showing Clinton with women whose identities have been concealed. The former president has maintained his innocence while acknowledging regret over his connection to Epstein.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, has stated the Clintons face no allegations of criminal conduct but must respond to inquiries about Epstein’s relationship with their charitable organization.

The couple consented to provide testimony at their Chappaqua, New York residence after facing potential contempt of Congress charges for initially declining to cooperate. Several Democrats backed the enforcement action.

The Clintons maintain that Republicans are orchestrating a politically motivated investigation aimed at shielding President Donald Trump from examination, pointing out that other witnesses were permitted to submit written responses instead of appearing personally.

Democratic lawmakers argue the committee should also compel Trump’s testimony, noting his name appears repeatedly in Epstein-related documentation. Trump maintained extensive social ties with Epstein throughout the 1990s and 2000s, prior to Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Democrats have also criticized Trump’s Justice Department for allegedly withholding documents related to a woman who claims Trump sexually assaulted her as a minor. The Justice Department has indicated it is reviewing the materials and will release them if deemed appropriate.

The department has previously warned that released materials contain unsubstantiated allegations and sensational claims about Trump, and law enforcement has not charged him with any crimes related to Epstein.

Epstein died by suicide in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Following significant pushback from the veteran community, the Veterans Affairs Department has withdrawn a controversial regulation that veterans feared would reduce their monthly benefit payments.

The agency made the decision to rescind the new policy after facing substantial criticism from veterans who expressed concerns about potential negative impacts on their financial support.

Veterans had voiced strong opposition to the rule, arguing it posed a threat to their existing benefit levels and could have resulted in lower monthly payments for those who depend on VA assistance.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Corpus Christi, Texas this Friday to highlight his economic policies and energy initiatives, timing his appearance just before the state holds its Republican primary contests.

While Trump has avoided taking sides in the heated GOP Senate race, his appearance in southern Texas puts him in proximity to multiple competitive House districts where Latino voters may prove decisive in this November’s midterm battles.

The presidential visit comes after a Texas Republican candidate recently described her defeat in a state legislative race as a “wake-up call” for the party, despite receiving Trump’s backing.

Friday’s economy-centered event builds upon themes from Trump’s State of the Union speech, where he attempted to highlight policy differences with Democrats on cost-of-living issues and border security as the GOP seeks to reclaim congressional control this year.

According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump plans to promote his “drill baby drill” energy policies during the Texas stop. The Corpus Christi region serves as America’s leading liquefied natural gas export hub, handling 42% of the nation’s LNG shipments through its port facilities.

Historically, midterm elections tend to favor the opposition party, and Trump has cautioned that his policy agenda faces obstacles if Republicans lose legislative control. However, GOP voters in the conservative state must first choose their November candidates through the primary process.

Polling data indicates Senator John Cornyn, who has served since 2002, is running behind two primary opponents – state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Representative Wesley Hunt – in what has become the state’s most contentious Republican contest.

In contrast to Louisiana, where Trump supported a primary challenge against the sitting GOP senator, the president has remained neutral in the Texas Senate fight, which has featured personal attacks involving allegations of extramarital relationships and questions about political effectiveness.

Several Republican Senate and House candidates are expected to participate in Trump’s Friday gathering.

Following Trump’s encouragement last year, Texas Republicans pursued redistricting changes designed to boost the party’s House election chances. The revised electoral map could potentially deliver up to five additional Republican seats statewide.

State Senator Adam Hinojosa from Corpus Christi, who became the first Republican to win a Rio Grande Valley Senate seat since 1874, emphasized the importance of Hispanic voters for GOP success in south Texas.

“We need the job opportunities, we need to make sure that our families are taken care of, we need to be able to afford all of the groceries and things to have a decent lifestyle,” Hinojosa explained during an interview.

Hinojosa expressed confidence that Trump’s border enforcement stance and energy-friendly policies would help motivate Republican voters, crediting the president’s visit as beneficial for base turnout.

Trump has made expanding domestic fossil fuel production a priority through regulatory rollbacks and faster permitting processes for energy developments, providing economic benefits to regions like southern Texas.

Despite these efforts, a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey showed 36% of Americans approve of Trump’s economic management, while 56% express disapproval.

“It’s hard to know if he is perceptive to economic concerns,” said Tiffany Ritchie, a 50-year-old Corpus Christi independent who supported Trump in the 2024 presidential race. “I would like to think he is, however, he is the kind of character who will just kind of throw anything against the wall and see if it sticks.”

Republicans are focusing on two Democratic-controlled border districts: Vicente Gonzalez’s Brownsville-area seat, which he has held since 2016, and the Laredo-area district represented by 11-term incumbent Henry Cuellar.

Although Trump pardoned Cuellar and his spouse in December, the president has since endorsed local Republican judge Tano Tijerina, criticizing Cuellar for an “act of disloyalty” in seeking reelection as a Democrat.

“If Donald Trump wants to remind South Texans how terrible the economy is, he can be our guest,” responded Madison Andrus, a spokesperson for the Democratic campaign organization.

HOUSTON – A fierce Republican primary contest in Texas is creating unexpected concerns about what has long been considered one of the party’s most secure Senate seats, potentially impacting GOP control of the upper chamber.

Current polling data indicates that 74-year-old Senator John Cornyn, an establishment conservative who first won his seat in 2002, is running behind Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 63, a Trump-aligned populist known for his aggressive legal battles on abortion, transgender issues, and voting laws.

Should Paxton emerge victorious in Tuesday’s primary contest, or in a potential May 26 runoff if no candidate secures over 50% of votes, he would advance to face a Democratic opponent in November’s general election. Political observers suggest this matchup could prove challenging for Paxton due to his hardline positions and history of controversies.

While still considered unlikely, a Democratic victory would represent a seismic political shift. Texas serves as a Republican stronghold comparable to California’s role for Democrats, with no Democrat capturing a statewide office there since 1994.

In recent campaign appearances, Cornyn has escalated his warnings about the potential consequences of a Paxton nomination, claiming it could result in an “electoral massacre” for the GOP and threaten their narrow Senate control.

“Ken Paxton will be the kiss of death for Republicans on the ticket in November of 2026,” Cornyn stated to reporters following a February 19 campaign event at a Houston organic restaurant and sports bar.

Paxton has dismissed these warnings as scare tactics, expressing confidence that his record as attorney general would carry him to victory in a general election.

“You look at my record, I’ve done more in two weeks for the voters and the constituents of Texas than he’s done in 40 years,” Paxton responded to reporters after a February 20 rally near Houston.

The Tuesday primary represents one of the most significant contests as Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas launch the 2026 election cycle as the initial states selecting midterm candidates.

Historically, the party occupying the White House experiences losses during midterm elections, and Democrats require just four additional seats in November to secure Senate control for Trump’s final two presidential years.

The primary features a three-candidate field including two-term Representative Wesley Hunt, 44, though political experts anticipate a runoff between Cornyn and Paxton.

Rather than policy differences, the campaign centers on each candidate’s perceived relationship with President Trump.

During a February 18 event at a Nacogdoches barbecue establishment, Hunt briefly paused upon spotting Trump on a silent television screen.

“I was with him last week,” Hunt informed his supporters. “He is a good man.”

While all three contenders maintain Trump connections, analysts view Cornyn as the least conservative due to his bipartisan approach, Paxton as the least electable given his controversies, and Hunt as having the lowest name recognition.

Trump is scheduled to visit Texas Friday for an economic speech but has not yet endorsed any candidate, a decision that could influence undecided voters. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One earlier this month, he expressed support for “all three of them.”

Senate Republican leadership and former Governor Rick Perry have endorsed Cornyn, whose supporters have invested over $60 million in the race to counter Paxton’s momentum.

Cornyn’s campaign strategy emphasizes character concerns, consistently highlighting Paxton’s numerous controversies, including his 2023 impeachment by the Texas House on charges of misusing public resources, bribery, and abuse of public trust, though he was later acquitted by the state Senate.

“I know he still thinks he’s bulletproof even with all the scandals and the baggage … Well, I guarantee in a general election it will be a dead weight around the neck of Republicans up and down the ticket,” Cornyn told reporters at his Houston campaign stop.

Paxton has rejected Cornyn’s character-based criticisms as political theater, telling Reuters: “He’s being completely dishonest about his record, and he’s being very dishonest about me.”

State polling shows Paxton leading, reflecting his appeal among conservative voters. Political analysts note that scandals carry less weight with voters than previously, and Texas conservatives prefer uncompromising fighters.

Paxton’s combative legal initiatives, especially his prominent challenges to immigration groups and what he terms illegal voting, have earned praise from conservative activists.

Cornyn has built his career on legislative compromise and bipartisan cooperation. He angered Trump supporters by stating in 2023 that Trump couldn’t win another election, and earlier by declining to support 2021 efforts to overturn former President Biden’s electoral victory.

His most recent election was in 2020, when he secured reelection by nearly 10 points, exceeding Trump’s 5.5-point state victory margin.

Political analysts suggest a Paxton victory would highlight the dramatic transformation of Texas Republican politics in recent years, with hardline candidates increasingly replacing traditional establishment Republicans. Trump won the state by 14 percentage points in the 2024 presidential race.

“If we were talking about the general election, we’d be talking about Cornyn winning comfortably,” explained Cal Jillson, a Southern Methodist University political science professor. “But the Republican primary electorate is just such a sliver of the total electorate and so skewed toward MAGA at this point that it gives Paxton a clear advantage.”

Analysts acknowledge that Paxton has proven his statewide electoral ability through his attorney general victories in 2014, 2018, and 2022. However, they concur with Cornyn that a Paxton nomination would increase the state’s competitiveness and demand substantial party resources to defeat a Democratic challenger.

Recent polling indicates Paxton maintains the narrowest margins in general election scenarios against Democratic candidates Representative Jasmine Crockett and state Representative James Talarico. Representative Hunt, despite having the lowest Republican name recognition, shows the largest leads over Democratic opponents.

Former President Donald Trump is currently evaluating potential military responses regarding Iran following the conclusion of the most recent diplomatic negotiations between the two nations.

In separate legal proceedings, former President Bill Clinton’s deposition testimony in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation is scheduled to resume this Friday, continuing the ongoing probe into the disgraced financier’s activities.

In corporate news, media giant Paramount has successfully secured the acquisition of Warner Bros. in a major entertainment industry merger.

With America’s 250th birthday approaching, Latino Americans nationwide find themselves wrestling with complex emotions about their role in the nation’s milestone celebration.

The upcoming semiquincentennial has prompted soul-searching within Latino communities, as members weigh their deep love of country against feelings of alienation sparked by contemporary political discussions.

Among those navigating these conflicted feelings are prominent community leaders and military veterans who have dedicated their lives to serving America, yet now question their acceptance in the national narrative.

Nora de Hoyos Comstock, who established Las Comadres Para Las Americas, represents one voice in this ongoing conversation about Latino identity and American belonging.

Military veterans including Benny Aleman, Frank Maldonado, and Chris Sanchez also exemplify the complex relationship many Latino Americans have with their homeland during this historic moment.

The current political climate has left numerous U.S.-born Latinos experiencing heightened worry and uncertainty about their standing in American society.

Despite these challenges, many Latino Americans remain determined to participate in commemorating their nation’s quarter-millennium anniversary, refusing to let political tensions diminish their patriotic spirit.

This internal struggle reflects broader questions about inclusion and identity that continue to shape American society as the country prepares for its most significant birthday celebration in generations.