Category: Politics

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell was taken to the hospital Sunday morning, according to a statement released by his spokesman.

No further details regarding his condition or the circumstances surrounding the hospitalization were provided in the statement.

ATLANTA (AP) — Just days ahead of Georgia’s Republican U.S. Senate runoff election, President Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, passing over former football coach Derek Dooley in what has become a familiar pattern of backing loyalists in GOP primaries.

The two Republican candidates face off Tuesday for the right to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in what is expected to be one of the most high-profile races of the November midterm elections. Collins has built his political brand around unwavering support for Trump and the MAGA movement. In a social media post early Sunday, Trump praised the trucking company owner and two-term congressman, saying he “has been with me from the very beginning” and called him a “true friend, fighter, and WARRIOR.”

Dooley, a political newcomer, has the backing of outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp, who has had a contentious history with Trump. The president was blunt about his feelings toward Dooley, writing that he doesn’t know him and pointing out that Dooley failed to cast a ballot in either the 2016 or 2020 elections — both of which featured Trump on the ticket. Dooley has acknowledged going roughly two decades without voting, though he says he did vote for Trump in 2024.

Collins came out on top in the May 19 primary but fell short of the 40% threshold needed to avoid a runoff, leaving a significant pool of Republican votes still in play. Trump’s endorsements have repeatedly proven to be a decisive force within the party.

“Everybody knows that I do best with the MAGA base,” Collins said on primary night. “It’s because they know I’ve always been with President Trump.”

The endorsement puts Trump at odds with more establishment-aligned Republicans, particularly Kemp. The move echoes Trump’s recent decision to back Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who went on to defeat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in that state’s primary runoff.

Dooley fired back at Trump’s announcement, arguing that Georgia voters are hungry for “a political outsider” rather than “typical D.C. politicians like Mike Collins.” He posted on X that he remains confident heading into Tuesday’s vote.

Collins has been a Trump ally since his first congressional run in 2022, and he has repeated the president’s unsubstantiated claims that Trump’s 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden involved fraud. Collins also sponsored the Laken Riley Act, a 2025 law mandating detention of immigrants charged with certain crimes — a measure Republicans believe puts Ossoff in a difficult spot, since the Democratic senator initially voted against it before switching his position after Trump returned to office.

Dooley and his top surrogate, Gov. Kemp, contend that a political newcomer stands a stronger chance against Ossoff, who is the only Democratic senator up for reelection in a state Trump carried in 2024. Kemp, who previously angered Trump by declining to help challenge Biden’s Georgia victory, had been the preferred pick of Senate Republican leaders to take on Ossoff. He ultimately recruited Dooley, a childhood friend, to enter the race instead.

Kemp points to three first-term Republican senators — Montana’s Tim Sheehy, Pennsylvania’s Dave McCormick, and Ohio’s Bernie Moreno — who unseated Democratic incumbents in 2024 by running as outsiders who still aligned with Trump.

Trump, meanwhile, has been on a winning streak within his own party. In recent weeks, he has seen multiple Republicans who failed his loyalty test go down to defeat. Cornyn lost to Paxton, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky fell to Ed Gallrein, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana didn’t make a runoff, and several Indiana state senators were ousted by Trump-aligned challengers.

Dooley has told Georgia voters he will “work with President Trump but fight for you,” and he has stressed that Republicans have not won a U.S. Senate seat in Georgia since 2016.

Collins sees no need for that kind of balancing act, while still insisting he can broaden his appeal come November.

“You don’t beat Jon Ossoff by having no record,” Collins said. “You win by having a record of results.”

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia lawmakers are heading back to the state Capitol this week for a special session, where one of their top priorities will be untangling an election problem that stems from their own legislation.

The voting system currently used across the battleground state relies on a QR code printed on each ballot to count votes. Two years ago, the legislature passed a law prohibiting the use of that barcode for the official vote tally after July 1 of this year — but no alternative counting method has ever been put in place.

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who called the special session, specifically directed lawmakers to “address issues created” by that law. Making matters worse, the secretary of state’s office and the State Election Board have issued contradictory instructions to county election officials about how votes should be cast and counted going forward.

If a resolution isn’t reached quickly, the state could face widespread confusion and potential lawsuits over elections after July 1. A special election to fill a vacant U.S. House seat is already scheduled for that month.

Georgia’s current voting system was first rolled out statewide during the 2020 primary election. After that November’s general election — in which Republican President Donald Trump narrowly lost the state to Democrat Joe Biden — Trump and his allies claimed without evidence that the machines had altered or deleted votes.

Trump supporters continued to raise objections to the touchscreen voting machines, with some pushing unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. Election integrity advocates also took issue with the machines, arguing they could be vulnerable to hacking and that voters have no way to verify their choices since QR codes aren’t human-readable.

In 2024, Republican lawmakers attempted to respond to those concerns by passing legislation banning barcodes from the “official tabulation count” after July 1, 2026. However, in the two years that followed, neither the secretary of state’s office nor the General Assembly moved to put a replacement system in place. Now, with the deadline nearly here, a major midterm election is also on the horizon.

Trump specifically called out these voting machines — which are used in at least some counties across more than a dozen states — in his first executive order on elections after beginning his second term in January 2025. That order has since been blocked by multiple courts and is not currently being enforced.

Last month, Kemp announced the special legislative session, set to begin Wednesday, to address both the QR code issue and the redrawing of congressional maps ahead of the 2028 elections.

One possible outcome is that lawmakers could push back the deadline in the law, allowing QR codes to remain in use for now while a new system is developed before the 2028 elections. However, during the final hours of this year’s regular legislative session, a similar proposal was voted down.

Even if lawmakers reach an agreement this week, putting any new system into practice before the upcoming special election could prove difficult. That election is being held to fill the remainder of the term of U.S. Rep. David Scott, who passed away in April. Voting is set for July 28, with early voting starting July 6.

Last week, the secretary of state’s office released preliminary guidance to election officials in the six counties that make up that congressional district, noting the instructions could change depending on what happens during the special session.

Under that plan, ballots would be scanned and the QR code would be used to generate the election night vote count. Before the county certifies results, however, electronic images of each ballot would be uploaded to a server, where optical character recognition software would produce a second tally using the printed text — and that second count would serve as the official result.

The secretary of state’s guidance also states that counties must continue using the current election system, including the touchscreen machines, and that nothing in the law permits hand-marked paper ballots for in-person voting.

Two days later, the State Election Board stepped in with its own conflicting guidance, with board members arguing that the secretary of state’s proposed approach isn’t authorized under state law.

The board passed a resolution telling counties what to do if the special session does not result in an extended deadline for QR code use. That resolution directs counties to fall back on their emergency procedures, which call for hand-marked paper ballots counted by scanners.

During the election board meeting, a lawyer from the state attorney general’s office, Elizabeth Young, acknowledged the problem, saying that while neither set of guidance is legally binding, “obviously it would cause confusion for elections superintendents if they are getting differing instructions from two agencies, both of which have some authority over what they’re doing.”

The election board has been dominated by a Trump-aligned majority and has frequently clashed with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican who has often been a target of Trump’s criticism.

Henry County, located in Atlanta’s suburbs, is among the counties where voters will cast ballots in next month’s special election. Axiver Harris, the county’s interim elections director, said officials are aware of the competing guidance and are waiting for the state to provide clearer direction.

“Given the uncertainty surrounding the guidance currently available, we believe it is wise to wait for further direction to ensure that any decisions made are consistent with state requirements and election administration best practices,” Harris wrote in an email.

Marcye Scott, who is running in the special election to finish out the term of her late father, said she doubts most voters are following the issue closely and that her focus lies elsewhere.

“My goal is to get people to the polls, get my people to the polls and get them to vote for me,” she said.

Fellow candidate Carlos Moore, one of six people running in the special election, said he’s concerned that rushing in a new vote-counting method could invite legal challenges. He is hoping lawmakers simply extend the deadline and leave the QR code system in place for the special election.

“I would ask that legislators do the right thing, leave well enough alone for the special election,” Moore said. “Otherwise, it’s almost certain there will be challenges in court.”

WASHINGTON — President Trump rang in his 80th birthday Sunday night with a card of seven professional mixed martial arts fights staged inside a specially constructed arena on the White House South Lawn — an event that underscored his boundary-pushing approach to the presidency at a particularly tense moment in his time in office.

Now 17 months into his second term, Trump has repeatedly tested the limits of the presidency to capture attention and project an image of strength. His newest backdrop is the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s eight-sided cage, known as the Octagon, which was erected within view of the president’s White House bedroom for an event called “UFC Freedom 250” — a nod to the country’s 250th birthday coming up next month.

The fights are unfolding as Trump continues to manage the ongoing conflict with Iran, now four months old, which has driven consumer prices to their highest point in three years and rattled many voters according to polling data. The event also comes as Trump works to push back against the notion that he is becoming a lame-duck president.

A Break From the Battlefield

Fourteen fighters representing five countries competed before an expected crowd of 4,000 spectators inside a 92-foot-tall temporary structure nicknamed “The Claw.” The main event — scheduled for as many as five rounds — pitted UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria against former interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. The fights were set to get underway at 8 p.m.

Tickets were not made available to the general public. According to a source with knowledge of the arrangements, UFC offered seats to guests who had contributed more than $1 million. The Trump administration said roughly one quarter of the audience consisted of military service members.

Trump invoked broad executive authority to allow a private company’s event to take place on federal property — a departure from established norms that sparked a legal challenge and raised questions about costs and potential conflicts of interest. The UFC’s parent company is publicly traded TKO Group Holdings.

A Reuters/Ipsos online survey of 4,531 American adults conducted June 3 through 8 found that just 16% considered it appropriate for Trump to hold the event at the White House. A federal judge declined Friday to halt the event after plaintiffs argued the administration had overstepped its authority, including by failing to obtain congressional approval.

Trump has maintained a long personal relationship with UFC Chief Executive Dana White and the Ellison family, whose company Paramount holds a $7.7 billion deal to broadcast UFC fights through 2033.

White has leveraged the sport’s popularity — especially among younger male fans — to back Trump’s political campaigns going back to his first presidential run in 2016.

UFC has stated it invested more than $60 million in staging the event and does not expect to turn a profit.

In the lead-up to the fights, Trump’s trust acquired stock in TKO Group Holdings, while a company licensed to use the president’s image sold commemorative coins priced as high as $12,000. One of the event’s sponsors, Crypto.com, had previously worked with Trump Media & Technology Group.

The White House has maintained there is no conflict of interest and stated that the Trump family handles the president’s business matters.

Independent streaming analyst Dan Rayburn offered a critical take on the event. “The vast majority of Americans are not celebrating 250 years of America by watching a UFC fight,” he said. “This is really a private event.”

Sports as a Presidential Platform

Sports have become a consistent theme throughout Trump’s presidency. He has weighed in on topics ranging from transgender athletes to compensation for college football players and has attended numerous high-profile sporting events.

France even pushed back the start of the Group of Seven summit — which kicks off Monday — to allow Trump to attend the UFC event.

Roughly one in five Americans identifies as an MMA fan. Among that group, the Reuters/Ipsos poll found 45% approve of Trump’s job performance while 55% disapprove — higher than his overall 35% approval rating but far below his 79% approval among Republicans. MMA fans tend to lean male and politically independent, with nearly half saying they do not align with either major party, about a third identifying as Republicans, and one in five as Democrats.

The arena was designed to create a close, intimate atmosphere for the bouts. Some fighters were expected to begin their walk to the Octagon from the Oval Office, passing through the Rose Garden or along the West Wing colonnade. The venue is 20 rows deep on every side, and sound from the event’s audio system bounced off the face of the White House’s Truman Balcony, rattling the walls of the executive mansion.

Tens of thousands of additional spectators were expected to watch the action on a large screen at a nearby park. While daytime temperatures topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the evening was forecast to be cooler — though the National Weather Service warned of possible rain and thunderstorms. The arena was constructed without a roof.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Half a year after President Donald Trump put states on notice to stay out of artificial intelligence regulation, many are ignoring that warning and moving forward with their own rules.

While Congress has been unable to produce any federal AI legislation, states across the country are examining how AI-powered chatbots communicate with children, how businesses use AI in the workplace, and what obligations AI developers have to prevent worst-case scenarios caused by the technology.

Earlier, broader attempts to regulate AI at the state level were either vetoed or blocked by governors who felt those measures placed too heavy a burden on the industry — including proposals that would have held AI developers responsible for built-in bias in their systems. But state lawmakers have come back with more focused legislation that zeroes in on the specific ways people encounter AI in their everyday lives, often without realizing it.

Trump’s effort to rein in state AI regulation drew pushback from members of both parties, as well as civil liberties and consumer advocacy organizations, who argued that blocking state-level oversight would essentially hand a free pass to major AI companies that already face little accountability.

The president has elevated AI to a top national and economic security priority, arguing that allowing a patchwork of state regulations to complicate things for an industry investing trillions of dollars could jeopardize America’s competitive edge over China in the AI race.

Trump signed an executive order directing the attorney general to establish a task force to challenge state AI laws deemed more than “minimally burdensome,” while also directing the Commerce Department to compile a list of regulations considered problematic. The order also threatened to cut off funding from a broadband deployment program and other grant initiatives for states that enact AI laws.

The White House said it would not go after state laws designed to prevent fraud or protect consumers and children.

The Trump administration also put out a “national policy framework” urging Congress to override state AI laws that conflict with its regulatory vision and to pass legislation covering children’s protections, intellectual property, and free speech. A new bipartisan proposal in the House recently faced sharp criticism from key members of both parties.

So far, the White House has not followed through on its threat to sue any state over an AI law or to cut off funding. In a statement, the administration said it is “eager to work with partners” to carry out its policy framework.

Rather than discouraging state action, Trump’s executive order appears to have had little effect on lawmakers. More AI-related bills have been introduced this year than last, including from Republican legislators, according to Justine Gluck, policy director of the Future of Privacy Forum — a nonprofit that champions data privacy in technology and draws its membership from industry, academia, and civic organizations.

In Illinois, a bill sitting on Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk builds on legislation passed last year in California and New York. It would require developers of large, advanced AI models to put in place safeguards against catastrophic outcomes — such as a biological weapons attack, a widespread power failure, or a major cyberattack.

Illinois went a step further by adding a requirement that AI developers bring in an independent auditor to verify whether they are living up to their own stated policies — a move analysts view as pushing the industry toward greater accountability.

The bill’s sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, dismissed Trump’s warnings outright.

“I don’t know if you’ve met Illinois, but we’re pretty independent,” Edly-Allen told the Associated Press.

The bill passed with near-unanimous support, reflecting a willingness among members of Trump’s own party to join Democrats in addressing the regulatory gap left by federal inaction. Similar legislation is expected to spread to additional states.

A growing number of states are also cracking down on how AI chatbots interact with people — particularly minors. States with both Republican and Democratic leadership have enacted such laws this year, including Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, and Oregon.

In many cases, these laws require companies to disclose when someone is communicating with an AI rather than a real person. Many also restrict how chatbots can engage with children, give parents oversight of their child’s access, and require that information shared with chatbots remain private.

Connecticut recently enacted rules specifically for companion chatbots — AI systems designed to maintain ongoing relationships with users. Under those rules, chatbots cannot interact with anyone under 18 unless they are programmed to discourage self-destructive behavior and give parents tools to monitor and manage their child’s usage.

In May, Colorado passed a law requiring companies that deploy AI in high-stakes areas — such as employment, education, housing, or banking — to notify individuals when AI is being used to influence a decision affecting them. The measure softened an earlier 2024 law aimed at curbing AI-driven discrimination, following pressure from Democratic Gov. Jared Polis.

Connecticut also passed a separate requirement that employers using AI in hiring or employment decisions must inform workers or job applicants that they are dealing with an AI system.

Connecticut, Washington, and Utah additionally required AI developers to embed identifying data into digital content — such as photos or videos — so users can determine whether that content was created or modified by AI.

More legislation is still possible before the year is out. In California, lawmakers are advancing the “No Robo Bosses Act of 2026,” which would bar employers from relying entirely on AI to fire or discipline workers. California is also looking to expand its oversight of AI chatbots, including a ban on using chatbot interactions with children for advertising purposes.

In Florida, the state House declined to move forward with what Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis called his AI “Bill of Rights.” The proposal would have given parents control over their children’s access to companion chatbots and required companies to disclose when consumers are interacting with AI instead of a human.

Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez argued that Trump had made clear that AI regulation belongs at the federal level. DeSantis pushed back on that view, pointing out that the federal government has yet to act.

In Utah, a bill modeled on laws from New York and California stalled after the White House sent lawmakers a one-sentence memo stating it was “categorically opposed” to the legislation.

HOOVER, Ala. — U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville is no stranger to questions about where he actually calls home. For years, critics have argued the Alabama senator spends more time in Florida than in the state he represents. Now, as he campaigns for governor, those same questions are back — and this time they carry real legal weight.

Alabama Republican Party leaders are set to gather Sunday for a private hearing to decide whether Tuberville has satisfied the Alabama Constitution’s requirement that a governor be a resident of the state for at least seven years before the election. The challenge was brought by Ken McFeeters, who ran against Tuberville in last month’s Republican primary.

McFeeters was blunt about his position. “Does he live in Alabama? No,” he said. “He doesn’t live here.”

Tuberville, who crushed McFeeters in the primary with 85% of the vote and has received an endorsement from President Donald Trump, has dismissed the challenge entirely and insists he meets all legal requirements to run.

His campaign chairman, Jordan Doufexis, struck a confident tone earlier this month. “We’re happy to put the residency issue to bed,” Doufexis said, adding that “it’s time to provide the facts and move on.”

Property records, however, paint a complicated picture. Tuberville and his wife own a beachfront home in Florida appraised at $5.6 million. His campaign points to a much more modest property in Auburn as his official residence — a 1,551-square-foot home with an appraised value of roughly $291,780.

That Auburn property was originally purchased by Tuberville’s wife and son in 2017. The senator’s name was added to the deed later, while his son’s name was subsequently removed. Records indicate both the Auburn and Florida properties have recently been placed into a revocable trust.

To support his residency claim, Tuberville released Alabama income tax returns covering 2018 through 2024, though much of the information in those documents was blacked out. The returns list a redacted Auburn address and suggest the Tubervilles established Alabama residency in August 2018.

Voting records complicate that timeline. Tuberville cast a ballot in Florida in November 2018. He did not register to vote in Alabama until March 28, 2019 — roughly two weeks before he announced his Senate campaign.

McFeeters also pointed to Tuberville’s Senate travel records, which he said show the senator frequently traveling to the Florida Panhandle — further evidence, in his view, that Florida is where Tuberville truly resides.

Tuberville spent a decade as head football coach at Auburn University, from 1999 to 2008, before moving on to coaching positions at Texas Tech and the University of Cincinnati. After stepping away from coaching, he joined ESPN as an analyst. In a 2017 promotional video for the network, Tuberville spoke openly about having moved to Florida following his retirement from coaching.

The constitutional language at the center of this dispute is itself somewhat unclear. The Alabama Constitution states that the governor and lieutenant governor “shall have been citizens of the United States ten years and resident citizens of this state at least seven years next before the date of their election” — wording that legal experts say could complicate any court fight over the matter.

Alabama Republican Party Chairman Scott Stadthagen is expected to publicly announce the panel’s decision following Sunday’s closed-door session.

McFeeters said he has little confidence the hearing will result in a thorough examination of the issue. Still, he believes the question of where Tuberville lives will continue to follow the candidate if the party allows him to remain on the ballot.

This is not the first time Tuberville has weathered this kind of scrutiny. When he ran for Senate in 2020, his opponent Jeff Sessions — who had previously held the same seat before becoming President Trump’s first attorney general — ran a television ad calling Tuberville a “Florida Man.” Tuberville still won that Republican primary runoff with 61% of the vote to Sessions’ 39%, and went on to defeat Democratic incumbent Doug Jones in the general election.

Tuberville and Jones now appear headed for a rematch, this time in the race for governor in November.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is ringing in his 80th birthday Sunday with a birthday celebration the likes of which the White House has never seen: a professional cage-fighting event staged on the historic South Lawn.

Despite the fanfare, a series of serious challenges have threatened to steal the spotlight from the elaborate UFC mixed martial arts extravaganza — a competition where fighters locked inside a wire-mesh octagon attempt to overpower one another through punches, kicks, and grappling moves.

The president finds himself entangled in an expensive and unpopular war he helped ignite with Iran. A resolution may be within reach, but key details remain unresolved. Meanwhile, just a short distance from the birthday festivities, workers were removing the president’s name from the Kennedy Center after a court determined the renaming had exceeded legal boundaries.

None of that is expected to dim the celebration, however. The president is set to step outside to a crowd of Cabinet members, top administration officials, Republican members of Congress, and more than 4,000 cheering fans packed into a temporary outdoor arena beneath what’s being called “The Claw” — a spacecraft-shaped metal arch loaded with lights, speakers, and oversized video screens. Additional thousands will take in the action from large screens set up at the nearby Ellipse.

UFC chief Dana White, a close friend of the president, spoke enthusiastically about the event during a Friday night promotional gathering at the Lincoln Memorial, where fighters faced off for cameras beneath the marble statue of Abraham Lincoln. “This event is a one of one event, incredible event. I love it,” White said.

The president has framed Sunday’s event — which includes seven bouts running past midnight — as part of a broader, months-long commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

In practice, however, the celebration appears far more focused on honoring the president himself. The G7 summit of industrialized nation leaders was even rescheduled to allow the president to attend his cage-match party before flying directly to France for those meetings.

Weather remains a wild card. Severe thunderstorms and lightning forced disruptions at Friday’s Lincoln Memorial event, and forecasts for Sunday evening also look unsettled. “I’m sick and tired of hearing about the weather,” White declared Friday, though he acknowledged he would prefer to hold future UFC events in enclosed arenas.

The contrast with past milestone birthdays is striking. When the previous president turned 80 in November 2022, he marked the occasion with a quiet family brunch at the White House — a far cry from Sunday’s spectacle.

White House spokesperson Allison Schuster pushed back on comparisons, saying the fight “will be one of the most entertaining nights in American history.” Schuster added: “Having this spectacle take place at the people’s house on Flag Day during our nations’ semiquincentennial anniversary is a fitting tribute.”

When the previous president hit 80, he held the distinction of being the oldest person ever to serve as U.S. president — a title Trump has since claimed for himself. Trump is constitutionally prohibited from seeking another term, yet he regularly flirts with the idea in public statements. This comes even as polls reflect growing public doubt about his mental and physical fitness — echoing the same concerns that shadowed his predecessor.

A Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted in April found that fewer than half of American adults believe Trump possesses the mental sharpness or physical health needed to effectively carry out the duties of the presidency.

The White House responded with a lengthy statement from Trump’s former White House physician, Texas Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson, who argued that Trump’s “stamina, focus, and strength are exceptional and on display every day. Claims to the contrary are pure fiction.” Jackson went on to say the polling concerns were “being propagated by the same biased, liberal, Trump-hating press that completely ignored the absolute cognitive and physical disaster that was President Biden.”

The president has undergone four publicly disclosed physical exams during this term, with White House physician Dr. Sean Barbabella recently pronouncing him in “excellent health.”

The UFC event fits neatly with Trump’s combative approach to politics. He has long embraced a confrontational style that mirrors the sport he is celebrating.

Trump has also built a reputation for political sleight of hand — drawing public attention elsewhere when his administration faces difficulties. With the Iran conflict dragging on despite repeated assurances that a conclusion was near, fuel prices remaining elevated, renewed inflation fears, and his job approval numbers sliding, a jaw-dropping White House birthday bash serves as a convenient distraction.

“This is all distraction,” said Mike Fontaine, a classics professor at Cornell University, who compared the event to gladiatorial games in Imperial Rome — public bloodsport used by rulers to boost their standing and head off civil unrest. “This is a classic strategy,” Fontaine said. “In ancient Rome, the phrase would be, ‘bread and circuses.’”

Trump has stated that UFC is footing the bill for the event, though the full financial picture has not been made public. The National Park Service disclosed in a court filing that more than $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor have been invested in the production, with seven federal agencies having “allocated significant resources and manpower.”

UFC also announced Friday that cryptocurrency company World Liberty Financial had joined as an official event partner, contributing a $250,000 bonus pool for winning fighters. The crypto firm is co-owned by the Trump family, was founded alongside the president’s special diplomatic envoy Steve Witkoff, and is operated by his son Zach. The partnership raises further questions about the overlap between the Trump family’s business interests and the events and projects the president has championed using government resources.

Even so, Fontaine acknowledged that when it comes to raw showmanship, the president’s second-term embrace of “hardcore masculinity and brute fighting” reflects a genuine talent for spectacle. “President Trump has a once-in-a-generation talent for this stuff,” he said.

WASHINGTON — The White House South Lawn is being transformed into a venue for an enormous UFC celebration. The event marks two major milestones: President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday alongside America’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Combat matches are set to take place Sunday evening, while organizers have arranged additional festivities spanning the entire weekend.

The Associated Press photo editors have assembled a collection of images documenting this unprecedented event.

The Kennedy Center’s facade no longer displays President Trump’s name after workers removed it following a court directive, with the entire operation conducted in secrecy away from public scrutiny.

NPR correspondent Frank Langfitt witnessed the concealed removal process alongside other observers as crews took steps to shield their work from public view.

The name removal came as a result of a judicial order, though the specifics of the court’s decision and the reasoning behind the secretive nature of the operation remain unclear.

President Donald Trump revealed Saturday his intention to appoint James M. McDonald as the federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, filling the position left vacant by Jay Clayton, whom Trump selected earlier this week to head national intelligence.

McDonald previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York and currently works as a litigation partner with Sullivan & Cromwell law firm. He also represented Trump personally, taking on the appeal of the former president’s Manhattan hush money case, which remains unresolved.

Trump faced conviction on 34 felony charges related to hiding a $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

Should McDonald receive confirmation as Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, he would lead one of the Justice Department’s most influential offices, handling cases that span from terrorism and espionage to securities fraud and government corruption.

Last month, McDonald was among the attorneys who achieved a positive result for Indian businessman Gautam Adani after the Trump administration’s Justice Department dismissed fraud and conspiracy charges that were filed during the Biden presidency.

During Trump’s initial presidency, McDonald held the enforcement director position at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and previously worked as deputy associate counsel in the White House under President George W. Bush.

“I am confident that Jamie will deliver strong results for our Country,” Trump wrote about McDonald’s selection on Truth Social Saturday afternoon.

Clayton’s appointment followed mounting congressional pressure to select a permanent successor for Tulsi Gabbard, who stepped down as ODNI director last month. Trump encountered significant criticism for choosing Bill Pulte, who heads the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as interim director.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump announced Saturday his selection of James McDonald to serve as the federal prosecutor for Manhattan’s Southern District of New York, replacing Jay in the position.

McDonald brings significant legal experience to the role, having previously worked as an assistant federal prosecutor and served as an enforcement chief at the CFTC.

A Massachusetts federal judge issued a court order Friday requiring the Trump administration to reinstate museum displays and park exhibits that were eliminated following an executive directive aimed at preventing the nation’s cultural sites from showing materials that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.”

U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley’s preliminary injunction also halts any further modifications, stating that plaintiffs demonstrated these actions attempt “to rewrite the Nation’s history with a white-out pen.”

“History cannot be faithfully told while excluding the experiences of communities whose contributions, struggles, and achievements form an important part of our Nation’s story,” the judge stated.

The court also mandated that the Trump administration submit weekly status updates detailing their progress on reversing these modifications.

“Under the guise of promoting American dignity, this Administration seeks to share a limited history by ordering the removal of all signs, displays, and interpretive exhibits at National Parks that do not align with its preferred narrative, thereby telling half-truths,” Kelley stated in her ruling.

The decision responds to a February legal challenge brought by conservation and historical organizations targeting National Park Service policies that allegedly forced park personnel to eliminate or modify numerous exhibits containing factually correct and pertinent U.S. history and scientific information, including materials about slavery and climate change.

Numerous modifications occurred at Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park, where the administration eliminated displays about nine individuals who were enslaved at the location during the 1790s under George Washington, the first U.S. president. Additional changes involved removing signage at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in Arizona that described basalt bubbles because it featured an image of a visitor with a Pride flag, while labor history films were taken down from the Lowell National Historical Park in Massachusetts.

President Donald Trump enacted the executive order “restoring truth and sanity to American history” at the nation’s museums, parks and landmarks last year. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum subsequently directed the elimination of “improper partisan ideology” from museums, monuments, landmarks and other public displays under federal oversight.

A request for comment was sent to the Interior Department on Saturday.

Alan Spears, senior director for cultural resources for the National Parks Conservation Association, one of the organizations that filed the lawsuit, stated the decision will help shield national parks from the administration’s attempt “to erase history and science at these one-of-a-kind places.”

“National parks belong to the American people and censorship of any kind goes against the values these places represent,” he stated.

Bill Wade, executive director for the Association of National Park Rangers, another organization that filed the lawsuit, called this particularly positive news for National Parks employees who “have prided themselves for being able to provide truthful, accurate and unbiased information.”

WASHINGTON, June 13 – Former President Donald Trump announced via social media on Saturday that an agreement with Iran is set to be finalized on Sunday, stating that the Strait of Hormuz would become immediately “open to all” following the signing.

The announcement came through Trump’s social media platform, though no additional details about the nature of the agreement were provided in the post.

WASHINGTON — A critical surveillance program has expired as Senate Democrats adopt increasingly aggressive tactics in their battle against President Trump’s policies, refusing to pass even traditionally bipartisan measures in their effort to resist his administration.

This confrontational stance represents a significant change from last year, when Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer faced harsh criticism from within his own party for joining Republicans in a spring vote that prevented a government shutdown. In the months since, Democrats have forced multiple government shutdowns, delayed Trump’s nominee confirmations, and now allowed bipartisan intelligence legislation to lapse as they search for ways to exert influence in a Republican-controlled Congress.

While this aggressive approach carries risks when government operations cease, and Democrats have achieved few concrete policy wins, Republicans warn that allowing the surveillance law to expire poses serious national security dangers. They argue the law, designed to prevent terrorist attacks, is especially crucial as millions of visitors enter the country for World Cup events and as preparations begin for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

However, this confrontational strategy has succeeded in rallying Democrats both in Congress and across the country, with party members arguing they have no alternative options available and placing responsibility on Trump’s governing style.

“I don’t deny that this is dangerous,” Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Thursday about Democrats allowing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to expire starting Saturday. “But this didn’t have to happen.”

The Democrats’ increased boldness coincides with frequent Republican clashes with Trump, who has demonstrated little willingness to compromise with legislators from either party. Democrats are preventing the renewal of the surveillance law, called FISA, to protest Trump’s selection of federal housing regulator and loyalist Bill Pulte to temporarily oversee the nation’s intelligence operations. This choice has also frustrated Republicans, who argue Pulte doesn’t possess the necessary experience for such a position.

Throughout the week, legislators from both parties pressed Trump to withdraw the appointment, and on Thursday he announced a permanent replacement for the position just as lawmakers departed Washington for the weekend. However, the Senate confirmation process requires time, and Trump has refused to reconsider Pulte’s interim appointment.

Without any changes, Democrats “are going to use every tool we have to fight back,” said Schumer, D-N.Y.

The FISA dispute has earned Senate Democrats renewed respect from base voters who were disappointed a year ago. Schumer and his caucus have “shifted to more of a fight posture,” says Joel Payne, a Democratic strategist who served as an aide to former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., accused Democrats of playing “fast and loose” with national security over the past year. He referenced the 43-day government shutdown last fall and months-long delays in funding Trump’s immigration enforcement operations.

“How did we get to the point where one party has completely abdicated any responsibility for our nation’s security?” Thune asked.

Democrats counter that Pulte, who has minimal national security experience, poses a greater danger. They highlight that in his role as a federal housing regulator, he has advocated for investigations targeting prominent political figures Trump views as adversaries.

“It’s not a close call,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. “We cannot extend these capabilities if the president is making clear that he’s going to use them not to protect the nation, but to protect himself politically.”

Strategist Payne believes Democrats have secured some additional leverage since the fall shutdown.

Democrats failed to obtain the health care subsidy extension they demanded when a small group of moderate Democrats joined Republicans to resolve the standoff. They also didn’t achieve their desired changes to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol after delaying funding for those agencies for months. However, the White House did agree to enter negotiations, despite those discussions ultimately failing.

Democrats have also become more cohesive. While moderates ended the fall shutdown, the party remained united in blocking immigration funding and the surveillance authority.

“They’ve showed Republicans they are not going to fold,” Payne said.

Nevertheless, this approach may not satisfy some party base members or help Democrats secure a majority in November’s midterm elections.

Andrew O’Neill, national advocacy director for the Democratic resistance group Indivisible, expressed concern about seeing some Democrats praise Jay Clayton, Trump’s permanent choice for the intelligence position.

Republicans are working quickly to confirm Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, before Tulsi Gabbard departs and Pulte assumes the interim director role on June 19.

It remains uncertain whether Democrats will support Clayton or permit Republicans to expedite the process and confirm him rapidly.

O’Neill said he approves of Democrats blocking FISA over Pulte’s appointment, but activists remain cautious.

“It’s a mixed bag,” O’Neill said of the past year. “The frustration is it took so long.”

Senate Republicans find themselves caught between these competing forces, having spent months securing funding for border enforcement agencies and now managing the FISA disagreement, despite lawmakers reaching a bipartisan agreement.

Republicans are also attempting to collaborate with Trump, who disrupted the intelligence legislation by announcing Pulte’s appointment just as senators were prepared to approve the deal.

Trump has undermined Republicans’ standing — and his own Senate support — by endorsing primary challenges against sitting senators. Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana both lost their primaries to Trump-supported candidates last month and have joined Democrats in opposing Pulte.

Senate Democrats express hope their strategy will provide sufficient leverage to attract more Republican allies.

Being in the minority presents “a difficult dynamic for us,” said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt. “But I’m seeing the Republicans start to move a little bit.”

Groundbreaking legislation in New York could mandate that 3D printers designed for home and commercial use include built-in technology preventing the creation of firearms.

This unprecedented requirement, which California is also examining, aims to combat the newest method for creating untraceable ‘ghost guns’ that have appeared in criminal activities. However, questions remain about the technology’s effectiveness and potential impacts on privacy rights and constitutional freedoms.

Approximately one-third of states across the country have already implemented measures to prohibit or control do-it-yourself weapons that don’t carry serial numbers and bypass background check requirements for gun purchases from licensed federal dealers. This new approach stands apart because it focuses on the manufacturing equipment rather than the individuals creating the weapons.

The prevention technology being promoted in two of America’s largest states by population could establish manufacturing standards for 3D printing devices. It might also provide a framework for other states with Democratic leadership seeking to expand their firearm restrictions, which typically already prohibit specific semiautomatic weapons and permit temporary removal of guns from individuals considered dangerous to themselves or others.

Three-dimensional printing devices have gained widespread adoption over the last twenty years.

From 2012 onward, global 3D printer numbers have expanded from approximately 30,000 to more than 3 million units, while the sector’s worth has increased from roughly $2 billion to $26 billion per year, according to Bill Decker, executive chairman of the Association of 3D Printing. While premium printers cost thousands, some 3D printing devices are now available for just a few hundred dollars.

These machines can produce toys, artificial limbs, and even aircraft components. They can also manufacture firearms — or the components needed to build them — using digital blueprints found online. Self-made weapons without serial numbers are frequently termed ‘ghost guns’ because law enforcement finds them difficult to track.

Weapons created using 3D printers are appearing more frequently in criminal cases, based on a U.S. Department of Justice study published last year. Privately manufactured firearms recovered from crimes and sent to federal agencies increased from roughly 1,600 in 2017 to almost 27,500 in 2023, although the study didn’t detail how many originated from 3D printers.

In a notable New York incident, authorities believe a 3D-printed weapon was likely involved in the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO.

New York legislation enacted last month and a California proposal would both establish expert committees to develop standards for firearm design detection algorithms. This technology would examine every design sent for 3D printing, match it against a digital database of weapon components, and refuse those showing similarities.

While the research phase would begin immediately, the requirement for 3D printers to include firearm-blocking technology wouldn’t take effect until 2029 — or later in New York’s situation if the study committee finds it’s not yet practical.

The idea resembles a mobile phone application that recognizes trees or flowers from uploaded photographs, explained Solomon Diamond, an associate engineering professor at Dartmouth College who participated in several expert presentations about the legislation during a recent online conference.

For 3D printers, one potential approach could employ geometric analysis of forms, measurements, and other structural characteristics to deny printing requests that closely match firearm components.

‘Geometric search is mature, it’s deployed, it is ready to be applied to this problem,’ said Julian Chultarsky, a technical account manager at Physna, a Columbus, Ohio-based company that develops such technology.

The Association of 3D Printing endorses the legislation in New York and California, but ‘it’s not going to work,’ Decker said. ‘It’s more of a political statement than anything else.’

Criminals will still find methods to manufacture weapons using 3D printers, either by modifying their blueprints or moving their printing operations to different locations, Decker explained.

The more intensive the technology becomes, the greater the likelihood it will also prevent unintended objects, said Rory Mir, director of open access and technology community engagement at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit digital rights group. Some innocent pipes might appear similar to gun components, or an S-shaped wall mounting device might look like an auto sear trigger used to convert a semiautomatic weapon into a machine gun.

‘These sort of censorship algorithms don’t work, and they wind up capturing and blocking a lot of lawful speech,’ Mir said.

When printing instructions are uploaded for cloud-based artificial intelligence analysis, it also threatens the privacy of individuals’ creative and proprietary designs, Mir explained.

Gun safety supporters argue 3D printers have established a new route for individuals who cannot legally buy firearms — such as minors or convicted criminals — to still acquire them. Eleven states already broadly ban 3D-printed weapons, and six more states mandate they receive serial numbers, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.

Preventing the actual 3D printing of weapons could make it more difficult for individuals to violate such regulations.

‘3D printing really is the new frontier of the fight against ghost guns,’ said Samuel Levy, director of policy advocacy at Everytown for Gun Safety.

The National Rifle Association might partially support that claim, though it opposes the policy.

‘Despite desperate fear-mongering campaigns, homemade firearms are nothing new — they are a proud, time-honored American tradition dating back to the founding of our Republic,’ John Commerford, executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement. He added that ‘these measures only restrict responsible Americans — who do follow the law — from participating in constitutionally protected activities.’

Republican lawmakers are pressing President Donald Trump to provide financial backing for his endorsed candidate in Texas after creating what many see as an unexpectedly competitive Senate race.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated incumbent four-term Senator John Cornyn in last month’s primary runoff, riding Trump’s last-minute endorsement to victory. The upset victory prompted political analysts to downgrade the race from a safe Republican hold to a competitive contest in a state Trump carried by nearly 14 points in 2024.

The attorney general now confronts a formidable Democratic challenger in state Representative James Talarico, who has emerged as a major fundraising force. Talarico’s campaign has collected $40 million through March and maintains $9.9 million in available funds. Meanwhile, Paxton has struggled financially, raising only $7.6 million through May 6 with just $2.3 million remaining in his campaign account. Paxton faces felony fraud charges and survived impeachment proceedings in the Texas House, though he maintains his innocence.

“It would be very helpful if the president would help the people he endorsed,” said Senator Cynthia Lummis, a retiring Republican from Wyoming, when questioned about Trump’s potential financial involvement.

The Lone Star State presents expensive campaign challenges with 20 separate television markets requiring significant advertising investment. Republican organizations already spent tens of millions supporting Cornyn, who was viewed as the stronger general election candidate. An internal strategy document from Senate Republicans’ campaign committee warned last August that a Paxton nomination would make Texas competitive for Democrats “and cause Republicans to divert hundreds of millions of dollars that would otherwise be spent winning key battlegrounds.”

“There is no doubt that Ken Paxton needs outside money to help him win this race,” commented a Texas political strategist.

Gregg Keller, speaking for the pro-Paxton Lone Star Liberty PAC, expressed confidence that Republican support is solidifying behind the attorney general as the campaign progresses toward Election Day.

“We are thankful to the president for his endorsement and leadership and look forward to joining the Senate majority next year,” Keller stated. “There is no amount of money Talarico can spend to erase his radical and dangerous record.”

Talarico has drawn audiences in traditionally Republican areas of Texas by discussing his Christian beliefs and proposing policies targeting billionaires he claims manipulate working-class anger to serve their own interests. Republican opponents have criticized his religious interpretations and attacked his positions on immigration and gender-related issues. A recent Texas Pulse poll from June 9 shows the candidates in a statistical tie.

“Paxton is now forcing the GOP to develop a completely new strategy for a state they never believed would be in play,” said Lauren French, representing Senate Democrats’ super PAC.

Republicans currently control the Senate with a 53-47 advantage. While targeting Democratic seats in Georgia and Michigan – states Trump won in 2024 – they must also defend positions in several competitive states including North Carolina, Ohio, Maine, Alaska, and potentially Iowa and Texas.

Trump’s affiliated super PAC, MAGA Inc., possesses a $356 million treasury but has not allocated funds for Paxton’s campaign. The organization invested nearly $377 million in Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and has spent $1.7 million this cycle supporting Republicans Matt Van Epps and Clay Fuller in special congressional contests in Tennessee and Georgia.

The Senate Leadership Fund, Republicans’ primary super PAC for Senate races, plans to invest $342 million in battleground states this fall, but Texas is not included in their current strategy. The organization declined to provide comment.

“The assumption is that he is” planning to support Paxton financially, said one Senate Republican speaking anonymously about Trump’s intentions. “I think he should. He put his foot on the scale for his candidate that won. So we are assuming that he will.”

The outcome could affect Trump’s final two presidential years. A Democratic Senate majority would gain greater influence over presidential appointments and could launch investigations into the Trump administration through congressional committees.

Representatives for Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.

Senate Republicans showed reluctance to publicly advise Trump on spending decisions during interviews.

“I won’t begin to tell the president what he should do,” stated Senator John Curtis of Utah.

When asked whether Trump’s potential Texas investment would benefit Senate Republicans, Curtis emphasized the president’s autonomy in the matter.

“That’s his funding,” Curtis said. “That’s his decision.”

Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser at MAGA Inc., told Politico the super PAC continues fundraising for campaign expenditures but does not reveal timing or locations for spending. He characterized Texas as an open Republican seat “that we’ll have to ensure that we win.”

Political observers suggest Paxton confronts substantial fundraising obstacles against Talarico, with some attributing responsibility to Trump for creating an unnecessarily close contest.

“National Republicans understand Paxton’s vulnerabilities – at least that he’s likely to run in a close race – and they want to be in a position to do what’s required to pull him through,” explained Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

“And lots of people are pointing the finger directly at Donald Trump because it was his endorsement that created that stampede to Paxton in the runoff.”

Texas Governor Greg Abbott represents another potential funding source. Abbott’s political committee, Texans for Greg Abbott, reported nearly $96 million available in February.

Eduardo Leal, press secretary for Texans for Greg Abbott, confirmed the governor supports all Republican candidates but would not specify whether Abbott plans to fund Paxton directly.

“Republicans are united and focused on delivering a decisive victory, and we’re confident Texans will once again reject the radical left’s agenda,” Leal said in a statement.

WASHINGTON — The facade of the Kennedy Center still displayed President Donald Trump’s name on Saturday morning, missing a court-mandated Friday deadline for removing all references to Trump from the renowned performing arts facility and its operations.

Workers had positioned scaffolding around the area bearing Trump’s name on Friday, but just after midnight, Kennedy Center officials petitioned a judge for additional time until Saturday at noon Eastern Time, citing thunderstorms that had moved through Washington and disrupted their timeline.

In their court submission, the Kennedy Center provided assurance that “removal work is presently ongoing” and would “conclude in the early hours of the morning.”

Hours later, crews started covering the scaffolding with protective tarps.

Throughout Friday, dozens of spectators gathered on the plaza facing the Kennedy Center, snapping photos and periodically erupting in celebration while chanting “take it down.” Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex-officio board member who filed the lawsuit demanding Trump’s name be stripped from the facility, was observed at the plaza during the demonstration.

Earlier on Friday, a judge denied a motion to delay the court-imposed deadline. The venue’s management appealed this decision, but that effort was also rejected Friday night.

Following years of minimal involvement with the Kennedy Center during his initial presidency, Trump has exercised significant control over the institution since returning to office. Within just one month of beginning his second term, he removed the center’s existing leadership and installed a new board of trustees that appointed him as chairman. Trump’s name was promptly displayed on the building.

In his decision stating that only Congress has authority to alter the Kennedy Center’s name, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper also prevented the administration from shutting down the cultural facility for extensive renovations scheduled to begin in July and continue for two years.

The Kennedy Center’s leadership contended in their Friday appeal that the renovation was critically necessary and criticized the lower court, using language that echoed Trump’s speaking style, for obstructing their efforts.

“The District Court is not allowing us to close in order to properly fix up and repair the Building, including potentially life threatening structural damage like beams and parking garage ceilings that are rusted, and in serious danger of falling onto people below,” the appeal stated. “Indeed, total collapse!”

While the Kennedy Center has resisted attempts to strip Trump’s name from the structure, it has implemented measures to follow Cooper’s original order.

A June 4 staff memorandum from the Kennedy Center’s Office of General Counsel instructed that email signatures, letterhead and other materials must show the name as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center.”

The Kennedy Center’s website has removed Trump’s name. Additionally, an earlier email to members promoting ticket packages for the June 28 Mark Twain Award for American Humor ceremony was sent from the Kennedy Center without referencing Trump’s name.

Eric Jones, a Democrat, secured his place on the November general election ballot following California’s nonpartisan primary on June 2, setting up a showdown with incumbent Democratic Representative Mike Thompson in the state’s 4th Congressional District.

The 35-year-old former venture capitalist claimed the second position in the top-two primary system, while Thompson, who first won his House seat in 1998 following his tenure as a state legislator, finished first.

With both candidates representing the same party, the district will definitely stay under Democratic control. The area encompasses the renowned Napa-Sonoma wine regions and covers extensive territory throughout Northern California above Sacramento.

This contest marks another instance of generational conflict within California’s Democratic delegation. Representative Doris Matsui, age 81, who assumed her deceased husband’s congressional seat in 2005, faces competition from Sacramento City Councilwoman Mai Vang, who is 41 years old.

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, 15-term Representative Brad Sherman managed to defeat a younger Democratic opponent who failed to secure one of the top two positions needed to advance to November. These challenges by younger Democrats against senior incumbents have increased following former President Joe Biden’s presidency.

The primary elections for California’s House seats centered largely on whether Democrats could benefit from their redistricting efforts to potentially gain five more seats come November. The party redrew California’s congressional map as a response to Republican redistricting advantages in Texas and other conservative states. Democrats successfully prevented themselves from being shut out of any newly competitive districts.

BOSTON, June 12 – A federal court has mandated that the Trump administration must put back educational materials and displays about subjects including slavery and climate change that were taken down from national parks and monuments across the country because they didn’t match “its preferred narrative.”

U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley in Boston granted a preliminary injunction on Friday following a lawsuit brought by organizations representing park conservationists, historians and scientists. These groups claimed the U.S. Department of the Interior has been conducting a “sustained campaign to erase history and undermine science.”

A federal judge has written an apology letter to a former law clerk following disciplinary measures taken against her for engaging in sexual conduct with a police officer inside her courthouse chambers and subsequently providing false statements about the incidents.

The disciplinary action against U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross stemmed from an investigation launched by the chief judge of the 11th Judicial Circuit, which determined that Ross engaged in sexual activity in the courthouse with a high-ranking uniformed police officer within hearing distance of courthouse staff, participated in a partisan political event, and initially provided false information when questioned about these matters. In her letter dated Thursday and acquired by The Associated Press, Ross acknowledged that her “actions were patently wrong, and there is no excuse.”

“You deserved better than to have your experience marred by my own offensive conflict,” Ross stated in the correspondence, which The New York Times initially reported.

Ross received her appointment to the bench in the Northern District of Georgia in 2014 under then-President Barack Obama, a Democrat.

The inquiry into Ross’s conduct commenced after one of her law clerks filed a complaint alleging that the judge had repeatedly engaged in sexual conduct with a high-ranking uniformed police officer in her chambers during business hours. Additional allegations included claims that the judge failed to provide adequate supervision to clerks and had verbally berated staff members using profanity.

Following the investigation’s confirmation of the allegations, Ross received a “private reprimand” that initially kept her identity confidential. She also committed to refraining from pursuing the chief judge position for the district when she becomes eligible and agreed to send apology letters to six former law clerks.

William Pryor, serving as chief judge of the 11th Circuit, initiated the investigation of Ross last fall. When he requested her response to the clerk’s allegations regarding sexual activity in her office and attendance at partisan events, she responded immediately and “specifically denied” all claims. The following day, the judge sent another email to Pryor suggesting that the law clerk might have fabricated the allegations as revenge for being required to work in the office.

Ross’s letter states, “I also want to convey my deepest apologies to you for my false accusation against you. Again, I have no excuse and immensely regret my behavior.”

The correspondence also mentions an earlier letter that Ross had written to the clerk, describing it as “entirely deficient, as I did not take full accountability for my actions, and I failed to give you the apology that you deserve.”

Federal judges receive lifetime appointments and can only be removed through congressional impeachment proceedings. This week, two Georgia congressmen submitted separate impeachment resolutions targeting Ross. The House Judiciary Committee holds the authority to determine whether to initiate impeachment proceedings.

Pryor established a special committee to conduct the investigation. The committee’s findings were documented in a report accompanying the disciplinary order.

The committee’s examination of access logs and security recordings revealed that an officer had regularly visited the judge’s chambers while in uniform during lunch hours. Six clerks recalled observing someone matching the officer’s description, with three recalling overhearing what appeared to be sexual activity coming from the judge’s office.

Three clerks remembered bringing summer interns on their first day to observe the judge conducting a hearing in a criminal matter. Immediately afterward, they reported to the committee, the judge declined to have lunch with the interns, admitting to consuming too many martinis the previous evening at a primary election celebration for a district attorney friend.

The clerks indicated that the judge provided inadequate guidance and “rarely, if ever, substantively edited civil orders the clerks drafted.” Although clerks described an “eggshell culture,” the committee found no evidence of abusive conduct.

The judge eventually confessed to maintaining an extramarital sexual relationship with the officer while denying the staff mistreatment allegations, according to the committee. The judge acknowledged attending a “mixer” for former employees of a district attorney’s office where she previously worked, but claimed it occurred in a separate room from the victory celebration.

“Though I can never fully undo the harm that I have caused you, I hope that my acknowledgment of these failures is a small first step,” Ross wrote to her former clerk. “I will be taking further steps to ensure that this never happens again.”

A delegation of Democratic legislators from Congress visited Puerto Rico on Friday, making commitments to address the territory’s slow recovery from major natural disasters that have relied on federal assistance.

Mississippi Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, who serves as the ranking member of the House Committee of Homeland Security, explained that he and fellow lawmakers conducted meetings with Puerto Rican mayors during their two-day visit to the territory. The mayors expressed frustrations about delayed reimbursements and slow approval processes for recovery projects.

“We’ll move some of those concerns into corrective actions,” Thompson stated during a press conference. “The system should work better.”

Pablo José Hernández, who represents Puerto Rico in Congress, explained that local mayors raised these issues after former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem established a requirement that DHS spending exceeding $100,000 needed direct approval from her office.

This requirement created additional setbacks for Puerto Rico’s recovery from hurricanes Maria and Fiona, along with powerful earthquakes that occurred in late 2019 and early 2020.

The new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin eliminated this rule in April, though obstacles continue to exist.

Thompson pointed out that approximately one-third of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency’s workforce “has been done away with.”

“Not a lot of people to answer the phones or look at the paperwork because they’re not there,” he explained.

While Thompson mentioned that Mullin has committed to restoring employees, the timeline for these additions remains uncertain.

“FEMA’s role is to be here in a time of need when local resources have been overrun,” Thompson explained. “Obviously, hurricanes that you’re dealing with over time have overrun local resources.”

Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in September 2017 as a devastating Category 4 storm. The hurricane destroyed the island’s electrical infrastructure and resulted in approximately $90 billion in damages. Following the storm’s aftermath, an estimated 2,982 people lost their lives.

Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico in September 2022 as a Category 1 storm, once again damaging an electrical system that had not been fully restored since Hurricane Maria.

Additionally, earthquakes that affected southern Puerto Rico resulted in an estimated $3 billion in damages.

The territory continues working toward recovery from these disasters, with approximately 30% of reconstruction projects still awaiting completion.

According to Puerto Rico’s Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency, which handles federal grant funding, nearly $43 billion in federal money has been allocated, with nearly $40 billion obligated and $12.7 billion distributed.

Caguas Mayor William Miranda Torres explained that accumulated pending projects create bottlenecks that increase expenses, leading to additional delays. He noted numerous projects in his municipality remain unfinished.

A DHS report from September 2025 determined that FEMA “did not ensure the timely rebuilding of Puerto Rico’s electrical grid” following Hurricane Maria and that FEMA officials “missed opportunities to provide more assistance to Puerto Rico.”

A February 2024 audit conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office revealed that Puerto Rico’s government had utilized less than 10% of more than $23 billion in available federal funding at that time.

Problems included increasing expenses, worker shortages, major reductions in insurance availability, and global supply chain disruptions. Many of these issues continue to affect recovery efforts.

WASHINGTON (AP) — When Minnesota Senator Tina Smith arrived in the Senate, the Democratic Party operated under very different principles.

Smith was named to her position in late 2017 as a replacement for Senator Al Franken, who stepped down after Democratic colleagues called for his departure following accusations of inappropriate physical contact. Her arrival coincided with the peak of the #MeToo era, when Democrats were forcing out their own members while highlighting the contrast with Republicans who continued supporting Donald Trump despite various scandals.

Almost ten years have passed, and Smith believes Democrats now have a more straightforward priority.

“Democrats want to win,” she said.

With the party working to gain control of both congressional chambers in upcoming midterm elections, Smith and fellow Democrats have thrown their support behind Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner, even as controversies continue mounting around him. These include body art identified as Nazi imagery, inappropriate communications with women soon after his wedding, and accusations he denies involving confining a former partner in a room and forcibly twisting her arm. Platner secured an easy primary win this week after Governor Janet Mills ended her campaign.

The backing of Platner represents more than support for a single candidate. It demonstrates how the Democratic Party has become more willing to excuse conduct it previously might have considered unacceptable, instead evaluating candidates based on their ability to motivate voters and restore party control.

“Voters are looking for candidates that are speaking their language and talk about the things that matter to them,” Smith explained. “That’s the standard that we have to hit in order to win.”

This support emerges during a challenging period for Democrats, who hold minority status in both legislative chambers while Trump has returned to the presidency.

Following their comprehensive defeats in 2024, numerous Democrats maintained the party required broader appeal with reduced ideological requirements and greater accommodation for candidates and supporters who don’t align perfectly with the party’s established base.

However, this expansion has created challenging decisions about acceptable boundaries. In Virginia, Democrat Jay Jones secured the attorney general position after campaign-period reports revealed he had sent messages to a colleague suggesting the then-House speaker deserved “two bullets to the head.”

Party members also criticized Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed for participating in a campaign appearance with progressive content creator Hasan Piker. The 34-year-old streamer, who has 3.1 million Twitch followers and 1.8 million YouTube subscribers, has made numerous inflammatory statements, including claiming “America deserved 9/11.”

Platner’s campaign has emerged as perhaps the most obvious illustration. While certain Democrats consider his controversies disqualifying, others maintain that voters have made their selection.

“He won the nomination. That was the decision of Maine voters. And I respect that decision,” stated Senator Adam Schiff from California.

Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego, who has endorsed Platner, similarly believes the choice belongs to voters.

“It’s not up to the politicians to decide,” he stated.

Some Democrats view this transformation as wisdom gained during Trump’s presidency. Republicans maintained loyalty to Trump throughout scandals, impeachment proceedings, and criminal convictions, frequently without experiencing lasting electoral consequences. Many Democrats now contend voters prioritize whether candidates address their concerns over meeting conventional standards for personal behavior.

“I think what the people of this country and the people of Maine are interested in is how we’re going to have a government that represents all of us and addresses the many crises we face. Not the marriage problems of a campaign,” said Senator Bernie Sanders, who supported Platner early on.

Progressive activists who have consistently argued Democrats focus excessively on candidate oversight rather than channeling voter anger view Platner’s success as proof the party’s foundation desires change.

Maine resident Elizabeth Massey from Penobscot, who supports Platner, acknowledged taking the accusations seriously and remaining concerned about aspects of his history. However, she said his willingness to acknowledge mistakes and current national issues ultimately influenced her voting decision more.

“So do I care more about texts that he sent or the war in Iran and what that’s doing to gas prices?” Massey asked. “Pretty clearly the latter.”

Massey explained Platner’s attraction lies in his direct communication with voters about their concerns, not his lack of imperfections.

“He owns them. He has apologized for them,” she said regarding the allegations.

Additional supporters contend Republicans are applying standards to Platner they haven’t used with Trump.

“The Republicans don’t have much moral high ground to stand on when they’re criticizing him for what he’s done when Trump is a convicted felon,” said Annette Babcock from Platner’s hometown of Sullivan.

This acceptance of candidates with problematic backgrounds occurs as many Democrats express significant dissatisfaction with their party.

Approximately two-thirds of Democrats held “somewhat” or “very” positive opinions of their party in an April AP-NORC survey, dropping from 85% in September 2024. A separate AP-NORC poll from August 2025 found many Democrats characterizing their political party as “weak” or “ineffective.”

While Platner might energize core supporters, uncertainty remains about whether this will produce general election victories. Platner now confronts Republican Senator Susan Collins, among the GOP’s most enduring incumbents and a politician with extensive experience appealing to independent and crossover Democratic voters.

“The test is never going to be who wins the primary,” explained Michigan Senator Gary Peters, who directed Senate Democrats’ campaign operations in 2022 and 2024. “It’s going to be who wins the general election.”

Numerous Democrats have withheld enthusiastic endorsements of Platner’s candidacy.

This group includes New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who chairs the Senate Democrats’ campaign committee and has concentrated primarily on defeating Collins rather than promoting Platner. Gillibrand helped spearhead the effort for Franken’s departure, declaring “enough is enough” and stating she believed his accusers.

Other Democrats have expressed more direct skepticism. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman and New Jersey Representative Josh Gottheimer have voiced opposition to Platner, while some legislators have provided only conditional support following his primary victory.

“Well, Maine supports him. So yes,” Senator Peter Welch from Vermont replied when questioned about his support for Platner.

Emily Cherniack, who serves as executive director of New Politics, an organization recruiting military veterans and public service leaders for political campaigns, said she has been “stunned” by some Democrats’ readiness to minimize allegations of aggressive and unstable behavior against Platner.

“Democrats are saying, we think it’s actually more important to win the majority and protect democracy, regardless of what he did. That to me is what the message is,” Cherniack explained.

“Just be honest and explicit about that choice.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal banking regulations were expanded Friday as the Treasury Department enhanced ways for financial institutions to assist with immigration enforcement efforts under President Donald Trump’s administration, according to new guidance released by officials.

The updated rules allow banks to exchange customer information more quickly and include fresh advisory materials directing financial institutions to watch for indicators that account holders might not have proper immigration documentation.

These regulatory modifications represent part of the current administration’s strategy to exclude workers without legal status from the banking sector, though officials have not directly required banks to take such action. Administration leaders have positioned these measures as anti-fraud and anti-crime initiatives rather than explicitly immigration-focused policies.

Speaking at a banking industry conference in Houston, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addressed financial leaders about their potential role in enforcement efforts.

“The information in your purview can help stop a cartel financier, disrupt a money laundering network, uncover labor exploitation, or protect taxpayers from fraud,” Bessent said in prepared remarks.

The Treasury Secretary’s comments and the department’s updated guidelines stem from an executive order Trump signed in May. That directive instructs banks to examine customer citizenship more closely and tells banking regulators and government agencies to look for evidence of people without legal status accessing financial services. However, the order stopped short of explicitly requiring banks to gather citizenship data, which industry groups had opposed for months.

Financial institutions have historically been permitted to exchange customer information with other banks through Patriot Act provisions when they suspect money laundering or fraudulent activity, a system established after September 11th to fight terrorism and other criminal enterprises.

Friday’s regulatory changes expanded this framework in two key ways. Banks now have authorization to share such data immediately and with fewer restrictions.

Additionally, the Trump Administration has broadened the circumstances under which banks may share information, now including indicators traditionally associated with immigration status. One such indicator involves customers using individual taxpayer identification numbers (ITINs), which undocumented immigrants commonly use when seeking employment.

Bessent emphasized to banking professionals that the new guidance simply represents standard operational requirements for financial institutions.

“The advisory does not ask banks to become immigration officers,” Bessent said. “It asks banks to do what they do best: know their customers, identify risk, recognize suspicious patterns, and report illicit activity when they see it.”

Banking industry leaders have expressed concerns about providing customer information to federal authorities for immigration enforcement purposes. Since banks traditionally have not gathered citizenship data from customers, implementing such requirements would demand substantial institutional changes and extensive documentation processes.

Immigration advocacy groups have previously warned that any directive requiring banks to collect citizenship information would likely push undocumented immigrants away from the financial system, potentially increasing the population of individuals without banking services.

The White House has implemented additional measures aimed at discouraging undocumented workers from accessing financial services. Last November, the Treasury announced plans to reclassify certain refundable tax credits as “federal public benefits,” preventing some immigrant taxpayers from receiving them despite filing returns, paying taxes, and meeting other qualification requirements.

Three nonprofit organizations that provide legal representation to unaccompanied migrant children report that federal agents attempted to access their offices in what they characterize as intimidation efforts targeting legal service providers.

The organizations announced Friday that personnel from Homeland Security Investigations, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement division, and the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General sought entry to Washington D.C.-area offices of Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, Ayuda, and Kids in Need of Defense.

These visits occurred as the current Trump administration works to reduce funding for nonprofit legal groups that assist immigrant children, part of what advocates describe as broader efforts targeting this vulnerable population.

Michael Lukens, who leads Amica, reported that agents arrived at their facility Thursday requesting financial documents connected to their contract for serving unaccompanied migrant children. The agents lacked warrants or supporting documentation for their demands, prompting the organization to refuse entry, according to Lukens.

“There was no reason to show up other than to intimidate us, which didn’t work,” said Lukens, who added that the legal service providers already regularly provide updates to the government on their work. Lukens said the law enforcement visits were part of months of “very quiet and strategic attacks” by the administration against immigrant children’s legal rights.

“If the kids don’t have attorneys it’s very unlikely they can fight their cases,” he said.

Wendy Young, president at KIND, described how two agents with the HHS Office of Inspector General appeared at their D.C. office Thursday. Without warrants or subpoenas, they requested access to financial records.

Paula Fitzgerald, the executive director at Ayuda, said two agents came to their location Wednesday morning seeking billing and invoice information related to their migrant children legal services. When Fitzgerald requested they submit their request via email, they agreed to follow up and departed.

Young warned these encounters could create a chilling atmosphere for legal service providers already facing financial pressure under the Trump administration.

“I think there’s an overarching approach which is to harass and intimidate those organizations that are set up to provide services to this very vulnerable population because these are kids who cannot navigate the immigration system without the assistance of counsel,” Young said.

Both Young and Lukens noted the visits coincided with a Thursday news conference where Justice Department, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services officials announced cases against three Guatemalan nationals, highlighting concerns about sponsor vetting in programs reuniting children with relatives or family friends.

Conference officials also announced investigations into so-called super-sponsors who obtained custody of more than three unrelated children, examining whether these arrangements involved fraud.

“It seems to be that the timing probably wasn’t coincidental,” Young said.

The second Trump administration briefly suspended the legal aid program for children early in its tenure with minimal explanation, then reversed the decision one week later.

Currently, the legal aid organizations report unpaid government obligations. KIND, which claims to have represented 14,000 immigrant children and provided legal rights education to 70,000 more since its founding, states they are owed $20 million for completed services.

The 2008 Trafficking Victims Protection Act established special protections for children arriving in the U.S. without parents or legal guardians, directing the government to facilitate legal representation for children in deportation proceedings, though not requiring every child receive an attorney.

Unaccompanied children may seek asylum, juvenile immigration status, or visas for sexual exploitation victims. Most children require interpreters as they don’t speak English.

When contacted for comment, Immigration and Customs Enforcement referred inquiries to the Justice Department, which directed them to the Office of Refugee Resettlement under Health and Human Services. HHS referred questions to the inspector general’s office, which stated they generally neither confirm nor deny ongoing investigations.

A federal court has rejected the Kennedy Center board of trustees’ request to halt proceedings that would strip President Trump’s name from the performing arts venue.

On Friday, the judge turned down the appeal from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ governing board, which had sought to block the name removal process through a legal stay.

The court’s decision allows the removal proceedings to continue without the legal obstacle the trustees had hoped to establish.

President Trump has officially selected Todd Blanche, who previously worked as his personal lawyer, to serve as the nation’s top law enforcement official as attorney general.

Blanche’s nomination offers a glimpse into what direction the Department of Justice might take under Trump’s administration.

WASHINGTON — A federal court decision on Friday cleared the way for a mixed martial arts spectacle to take place this weekend on White House grounds, despite legal efforts to halt the controversial event.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta dismissed a challenge brought by a legal advocacy organization seeking to prevent Sunday’s planned UFC competition from proceeding on the South Lawn. The event is scheduled to coincide with both President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday celebration and commemorations of America’s 250th anniversary.

In his ruling, Mehta determined that those bringing the lawsuit probably lack the legal authority to contest the event and haven’t demonstrated they would experience lasting damage if the competition moves forward. The judge also pointed to the challengers’ delayed response to an event that has been under development for several months.

“In the context of an emergency application — and coupled with the fact that the UFC fight date was long ago known — it is fair to say Plaintiffs unreasonably delayed bringing suit, undercutting their claims of irreparable harm,” Mehta wrote.

Legal representatives from the nonprofit Public Integrity Project filed the court action on behalf of an activist and a Vietnam War veteran, challenging Trump’s “UFC Freedom 250” event. The lawsuit also sought to prevent construction of event infrastructure on White House property, including a massive 92-foot-tall, 600-ton steel framework known as The Claw.

The judge observed that any visual disruption claimed by the challengers would be short-lived, as The Claw is set for removal beginning Monday morning, with all staging materials at the Lincoln Memorial required to be cleared beforehand. “The President’s musings about permanency of the Claw does not move the dial in the face of a White House official’s clear representation,” the judge wrote.

White House representatives characterized the legal action as an unfounded effort to stop Trump from conducting an event similar to numerous other gatherings regularly held at public venues throughout the nation’s capital.

According to the plaintiffs’ legal team, Trump’s administration lacks authority to approve sporting competitions on the South Lawn or at the Lincoln Memorial, where UFC athletes were scheduled to conduct a fan event on Friday. They emphasized that this represents a private, commercial enterprise, with premium access packages priced in the millions.

“The President’s administration is granting the UFC an extraordinary business opportunity it may not lawfully grant, and in exchange the UFC is throwing an event at which its leadership, fighters, advertisers, and various celebrities will all pay tribute to the President on his birthday,” plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.

Public Integrity Project attorney Brendan Ballou expressed disappointment with the court’s ruling while maintaining respect for the decision, stating their intention to “keep bringing cases to raise the cost of corruption in America.”

“This isn’t a case about a sporting event, it’s about corruption, as a handful of people and companies stand to profit from our public monuments,” Ballou said in a statement.

The lawsuit names the National Park Service and the Interior Department as defendants.

Trump made history in 2019 during his initial presidency by becoming the first sitting president to attend a UFC competition. The Republican president maintains a friendship with UFC president and CEO Dana White.

Judge Mehta received his appointment from President Barack Obama, a Democrat. He has overseen additional Trump-related litigation, including civil cases alleging Trump encouraged supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, following his 2020 presidential election loss to Joe Biden, a Democrat.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Election officials in Maine started processing ranked choice voting ballots Friday following primary elections where no candidates achieved majority victories in key races for governor and a U.S. House position.

The secretary of state’s office announced that final outcomes should be available sometime during the upcoming week.

Both Maine and Alaska employ ranked choice voting systems for certain statewide contests. This method allows voters to list candidates according to their preferences rather than selecting just one.

When this system is used, any candidate failing to reach 50% of votes cast triggers an elimination process where the last-place finisher is removed and those voters’ secondary picks are redistributed. This process repeats until one candidate secures more than half of all votes.

Tuesday’s primary elections saw no candidate surpass the 50% threshold in either party’s gubernatorial contest or the Democratic race for the 2nd Congressional District. Officials from the Maine Secretary of State Department announced Friday that ballot processing would commence that afternoon, with public viewing available both in person and through the secretary of state’s YouTube channel.

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who has been in office since 2018, faces term limits that prevent her from seeking reelection, resulting in competitive fields for both political parties. Five Democrats actively sought their party’s nomination in the June 9 primary, while seven Republicans competed for theirs. The Democratic contest proved particularly tight, with the leading four contenders separated by only small margins.

Democratic voters selected from among Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows; former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson; former state House Speaker Hannah Pingree; energy executive Angus King III; and former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Nirav Shah.

Since Bellows’ office oversees the ranked choice counting process, she “has stepped aside from this part of the process and has delegated to her staff,” explained Jana Spaulding, the deputy secretary of the office.

Republican voters chose from former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Bobby Charles; healthcare executive Jonathan Bush; former Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason; former Paris, Maine, selectman Robert Wessels; and businessmen Owen McCarthy, David Jones and Ben Midgley.

Mills entered the U.S. Senate primary race this year but ended her campaign in April. Oyster farmer Graham Platner ultimately won that primary and will challenge longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the general election.

For the 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary, the ballot featured former Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, state Sen. Joe Baldacci, former U.S. Senate candidate Jordan Wood and social worker Paige Loud.

The Democratic winner will face Republican former Gov. Paul LePage, an ally of President Donald Trump who ran unopposed in his party’s primary. LePage held the governor’s office from 2010 to 2018, establishing himself as an outspoken opponent of liberal policies and strong supporter of Trump during that period.

November’s 2nd District election will not feature an incumbent since Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, who has represented the area since 2018, decided not to seek reelection.

This district has a history of supporting Trump in presidential elections while also choosing Golden for four consecutive terms.

WASHINGTON — A federal court has rejected the Kennedy Center’s appeal to postpone a judicial order requiring the removal of President Donald Trump’s name from the renowned Washington arts venue.

The rejection occurred on Friday. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper had previously determined that Trump’s name was unlawfully attached to the famous Washington performing arts center. Cooper concluded that only Congress holds the authority to modify the Kennedy Center’s official designation and mandated that all Trump references be eliminated by Friday.

A June 4 memo to staff from the Kennedy Center’s Office of General Counsel said email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center.”

The performing arts center’s online presence has already eliminated Trump’s name. Additionally, an email sent earlier this week to patrons promoting ticket packages for the June 28 Mark Twain Award for American Humor ceremony originated from the Kennedy Center without mentioning Trump’s name.

Following a period of limited engagement with the Kennedy Center throughout much of his initial presidency, Trump has exercised significant control over the institution since returning to the presidency. Within just one month of beginning his second administration, he removed the facility’s existing leadership and installed a personally selected board of trustees that appointed him as chairman.

Federal investigators conducted a search of a Cleveland-based organization that works on voter registration initiatives, confiscating paperwork and electronic records, according to an organizational board member who spoke Friday.

The operation represents another federal action targeting voting and election activities across various states, occurring in Ohio where competitive gubernatorial and U.S. Senate contests are anticipated this fall.

Agents arrived at the Cleveland headquarters of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative on Thursday, spending several hours interviewing personnel, according to Prentiss Haney, who serves on the grassroots group’s board. The organization began operations in 2007 with stated goals of advocating for criminal justice reform, racial justice and expanded voting access.

Investigators also visited residences of individuals connected to the organization, conducting interviews and gathering information regarding suspected voter fraud, Haney reported. He characterized the agents’ approach as “intimidation tactics and harassment,” while voicing concerns that the investigation aims to create uncertainty about upcoming elections.

The investigation’s specific focus remained unclear, though a source with knowledge of the situation indicated Friday that authorities were looking into possible fraud violations. The individual lacked authorization to discuss the matter publicly and requested anonymity.

Both the FBI and Justice Department refused to provide comment Friday.

During President Donald Trump’s second term, the Justice Department has initiated multiple legal proceedings and investigations concerning voting and state election systems.

Federal agents have confiscated ballots and additional records from Georgia’s Fulton County and Arizona’s Maricopa County related to the 2020 election, as well as materials from Michigan’s Wayne County concerning the 2024 election. Investigators have also conducted interviews with election personnel in Wisconsin’s Milwaukee County. These four counties are all located in states considered presidential battlegrounds.

The Justice Department has filed lawsuits against no fewer than 30 states plus the District of Columbia following their refusal to provide comprehensive voter information including birth dates and partial Social Security numbers. Court documents indicate the department seeks this data to process through a Department of Homeland Security citizenship verification system, though questions have been raised about the program’s reliability. The Justice Department has experienced consistent defeats in its legal efforts to obtain data from resistant states.

Trump also directed the Justice Department early in his second term to investigate ActBlue, the primary fundraising platform used by the Democratic Party.

Voter registration fraud allegations typically fall under state investigation and commonly involve individuals employed by organizations that compensate for registration sign-ups. California authorities launched an investigation this year into whether petition gatherers were paying people to sign ballot measures. In 2025, Pennsylvania officials filed criminal charges against seven individuals for submitting false voter registration documents.

A federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia has decided to maintain a court-imposed prohibition on the Trump administration’s establishment of a $1.8 billion compensation fund intended for individuals claiming to be victims of government weaponization.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche informed Congress earlier this month that the administration was abandoning the fund following intense opposition from both political parties. While government lawyers contend the legal challenges are no longer relevant, attorneys representing the plaintiffs remain unconvinced by Blanche’s promises to halt the fund’s implementation.

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema shared their skepticism and determined the fund would stay blocked pending further court action.

“The (government’s) mootness argument, in my view, doesn’t go anywhere,” the judge said.

President Donald Trump has not made any clear public statements supporting the fund’s elimination and continues to voice his backing for it when speaking with reporters.

The judge has given both sides one week to work out terms for Blanche to provide a sworn statement promising the administration will not resurrect the fund.

Brinkema had earlier granted a temporary prohibition preventing the administration from moving ahead with the fund for a minimum of two weeks. That May 29 ruling was set to end on Friday.

The Republican administration established this fund as part of resolving Trump’s legal action against the Internal Revenue Service regarding the disclosure of his tax documents.

Those who filed suit to prevent fund distributions contend the government lacks authority to redirect taxpayer funds into what they characterize as a discretionary fund for rewarding Trump’s supporters.

President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, nominated Brinkema to her judicial position.

WASHINGTON, June 12 – A federal judge has put an indefinite halt to President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund on Friday, ordering the administration to submit a sworn declaration within seven days stating the fund will not move ahead.

The court granted a preliminary injunction that prevents the fund from proceeding.

The Kennedy Center must comply with a Friday deadline to eliminate President Trump’s name from its entire branding operation, including the marble facade of its Washington, D.C. facility, following a judge’s order.

The cultural institution is challenging the court’s decision that requires the removal of Trump’s name from all organizational materials and building signage.

TRENTON, N.J. — A Clifton City councilwoman has secured the Republican nomination to challenge the Democratic incumbent in New Jersey’s 9th Congressional District race.

Rosie Pino emerged victorious over attorney Tiffany Burress in the GOP primary for the northern New Jersey seat, according to The Associated Press, which declared her the winner on Friday. She will now face Democratic Rep. Nellie Pou, who is running for her second term in Congress.

Political observers are keeping a close eye on this congressional district, especially Republicans who believe they have a viable chance following the unexpectedly tight 2024 election results and Donald Trump’s success in areas where the GOP hadn’t claimed victory in many years.

President Donald Trump has been anticipating this weekend to mark a significant moment for his administration.

Friday brings the World Cup back to American soil. Sunday marks his 80th birthday celebration with a UFC fight night hosted at the White House. Following that event, he’s set to travel to the G7 summit in the French Alps. However, Trump raised expectations further by declaring that the United States and Iran might reach an agreement this weekend to conclude their current conflict.

At the same time, recent AP-NORC polling data reveals that independent voters have become more dissatisfied with Trump throughout his second term, especially those lacking college education.

Here are the current developments:

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney emerged as a representative of middle power opposition following a notable address earlier this year, though he’s anticipated to tone down his Trump criticism at the forthcoming European summit.

Carney’s address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, elevated him to international political prominence in January when he proclaimed the end of the global rules-based system and criticized powerful nations’ coercion of smaller states. The prime minister garnered extensive acclaim and media coverage for his statements, overshadowing Trump at the event.

However, the Group of Seven summit involving industrialized democracies starting Monday in France precedes the planned July 1 assessment of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, the current version of the North American trade agreement that has connected the economies of the United States, Mexico and Canada since the early 1990s. This represents a critical juncture in trade negotiations, with Trump indicating this week he might not extend the agreement.

Trump’s selected Kennedy Center board is making an eleventh-hour attempt to maintain his name on the renowned performing arts center’s exterior before a court-mandated Friday deadline for its removal.

The board decided Thursday to request a postponement of U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper’s May 29 decision declaring Trump’s name was unlawfully placed on the Kennedy Center, according to someone knowledgeable about the action who asked for anonymity regarding a private session. The official petition was submitted late Thursday.

Cooper determined that only Congress possessed authority to modify the Kennedy Center’s designation and mandated Trump references be eliminated by Friday. He additionally prevented the administration from shutting down the cultural and arts facility for major renovations scheduled to begin in July and continue for two years.

Independent voters have become more dissatisfied with Trump during his second term, according to new AP-NORC polling research, particularly those without college degrees.

The research from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research demonstrates that while approximately half of independents lacking college education viewed Trump favorably around the 2024 election, his support among this demographic dropped to roughly one-quarter this spring. This change has eliminated the substantial education divide that existed among independents before Trump began his second term, with independents now maintaining similarly unfavorable opinions of the president regardless of educational background.

The research combined nearly two dozen AP-NORC surveys from July 2024 through April 2026, enabling detailed examination of Trump support changes across multiple distinct timeframes, including the final six months of 2024, Trump’s first 100 presidential days, summer 2025 when the Big Beautiful Bill was enacted, last fall’s government shutdown and the start of the Iran conflict.

Trump has been anticipating this weekend to represent a major milestone for his presidency.

The World Cup comes back to America on Friday for the first time in three decades after Trump committed himself to securing the bid to co-host the soccer tournament during his initial term. Sunday brings his 80th birthday festivities during a UFC fight night expected to attract thousands to the White House grounds. Shortly after the concluding match, he’s planned to depart for the G7 summit in the French Alps for discussions with multiple world leaders he’s been clashing with over warfare and trade policies.

Yet Trump elevated expectations further for the upcoming period when he declared Thursday that the United States and Iran might reach terms this weekend on an accord that would establish the framework to conclude the three-month conflict that has been widely unpopular among Americans and disrupted international oil markets. He indicated plans to send Vice President JD Vance to the agreement signing.

WASHINGTON — A critical intelligence-gathering program that officials say helps prevent terrorist attacks and catch foreign spies has expired after lawmakers in Congress were unable to agree on extending it.

The program, called Section 702, faced a Friday deadline that came and went as both political parties failed to find common ground on a temporary extension. President Donald Trump has now selected a new national intelligence director that both Republicans and Democrats find more acceptable than his first choice, but it remains uncertain when Congress — preparing for recess — might be able to restart the intelligence program.

However, there may not be an immediate impact since a court ruling from March allowed these government surveillance authorities to continue operating for an additional year.

This provision falls under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, and gives U.S. intelligence agencies broad authority to gather and review communications from foreign nationals outside American borders without obtaining a warrant first.

Government officials view this legislation as an essential national security resource that has helped prevent terrorist plots, provided important information about ransomware attacks on vital infrastructure, and played a role in the 2022 drone strike that killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.

The legislation became law in 2008 to formalize important elements of an earlier intelligence program established under President George W. Bush’s Republican administration.

Ever since, government leaders from both major political parties have cautioned that losing this law would prevent the government from gathering essential intelligence from overseas.

The regular requirement to renew this law has created lengthy congressional debates long before this year, including discussions about whether more safeguards are necessary to protect Americans’ privacy and personal information.

This concern exists because when the government monitors foreigners overseas, it also captures communications from American citizens and others in the U.S. who communicate with those under surveillance.

Privacy rights groups have expressed alarm over reports that FBI analysts have repeatedly misused the extensive intelligence database collected through this program to search for information about Americans, including matters related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot by Trump supporters and the 2020 racial justice protests, as well as state and federal political leaders.

Some advocates argue the government should need a warrant before reviewing communications involving Americans. Government officials counter that warrants would be legally unneeded and too burdensome, and that reforms have been put in place to reduce improper searches.

The debate has created unusual political partnerships, bringing together lawmakers skeptical of government surveillance from both privacy-focused liberal Democrats and Republicans who remain suspicious of intelligence agencies following the investigation into connections between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Democrats objected when Trump chose Bill Pulte as acting national intelligence director and refused to back a FISA extension until that nomination was withdrawn. Pulte, a Trump supporter without apparent national security background, raised concerns by using his position as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to pursue questionable mortgage fraud investigations targeting perceived Trump opponents.

A House vote this week that would have temporarily continued the program failed, with 19 Republicans and almost all Democrats voting against the temporary measure, 198-218. A Senate attempt to pass its own version also collapsed.

Following those votes, Trump announced he was selecting Jay Clayton, a U.S. attorney in Manhattan who formerly led the Securities and Exchange Commission, as his permanent choice for director of national intelligence, or DNI. The selection received positive reactions on Capitol Hill, but it wasn’t sufficient to resolve the standoff before Friday’s expiration.

Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said that he has “known and respected” Clayton for decades and that if he had been chosen a week earlier, “lots of pain might have been avoided.”

“His intelligence, temperament and deep commitment to public service will make him a terrific DNI,” Himes said.

Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, have cautioned the Trump administration to prepare “for a potential significant gap in foreign intelligence collection.”

This expiration is likely the first substantial lapse of Section 702 since its creation over 15 years ago. In 2024, the Senate narrowly missed its midnight deadline before voting to pass a bill that President Joe Biden, a Democrat, then signed, creating a short interruption.

Despite the lapse, there’s no expectation of any immediate reduction in intelligence gathering as the U.S. prepares to host several events this summer with potential national security implications, including the World Cup and celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the United States.

A March ruling from the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court approved the program’s continuation for another year, meaning Section 702’s authority should remain active for months.

Still, it’s possible that without congressional reauthorization, a telecommunications company or internet service provider could contest the government’s authority to force cooperation with surveillance requests.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is launching a series of major sporting spectacles this week in the nation’s capital, as the commander-in-chief seeks to display American power both domestically and internationally.

At Trump’s request, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will present a series of mixed martial arts competitions on the White House lawn this Sunday. The timing aligns with Flag Day, a rarely celebrated national holiday honoring America’s flag adoption, as well as Trump’s 80th birthday.

Trump has also convinced IndyCar to conduct a Grand Prix race through the National Mall in Washington, D.C. during the upcoming summer months. Additionally, the FIFA World Cup, which was granted to the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2018 while Trump served his first term, commenced this week.

“We’re going to showcase our country that whole weekend because of the surroundings that we have,” stated Bud Denker, chair of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix and president of Penske Corp. “I really think it excites him (Trump) that it provides this positivity to our country when we need it.”

American officials aim to leverage these events’ energy to promote the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles while boosting the president’s international standing.

While Congress formed a bipartisan commission to organize the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations, the Trump administration established its own organization, Freedom 250, which has arranged events including the UFC competitions and automobile race.

International leaders have noticed Trump’s sports enthusiasm. In December 2025, FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented Trump with its first FIFA Peace Prize. The next month, Trump authorized a military operation in Venezuela to remove its leader, Nicolás Maduro, followed weeks later by strikes against Iran.

Shortly after the UFC mixed martial arts competitions conclude, Trump is set to travel to France for a G7 leaders’ summit. French officials postponed the gathering’s start to prevent scheduling conflicts with the UFC event, according to local media reports.

Trump has described the UFC fights as “the greatest show on Earth” and compared the UFC’s “Claw” arena towering over the White House’s South Lawn to Paris’ Eiffel Tower.

Several critics charge the president with “sportswashing,” or utilizing athletic competitions to enhance his reputation while facing criticism over human rights issues, immigration policies and international conflicts.

“We tend to talk about sportswashing when we talk about dictators or oil-rich countries,” said Nick Watanabe, who studies sport and entertainment management at the University of South Carolina. “It definitely applies to the United States.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized the UFC’s expansion and the White House fights as “the definition of American soft diplomatic power.” He announced a public-private partnership with UFC to integrate combat sports into the State Department’s diplomatic initiatives. Rubio did not detail the financial arrangements.

Critics have made comparisons to Gulf nations that fund combat sports organizations, including UFC, to extend influence and divert attention from their human rights records.

“It’s him using this opportune moment and it’s him trying to place himself at the forefront of 250 years of the American republic,” Watanabe said. “There’s nothing subtle about it, I think. He wants to show everybody that America is great, and he is the one leader.”

Trump’s supporters said the events demonstrate Trump’s longtime passion for athletics, his business skills and his efforts to establish his legacy as a transformational president. White House representatives did not respond to multiple Reuters requests for comment.

Julia Friedland, a spokesperson for Freedom 250, said: “Sports have long served as a common language that brings Americans together, and that spirit is reflected throughout the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.”

The UFC event has attracted critics simply due to its Trump connection, said Mark Teixeira, a Texas Republican and former Major League Baseball star. “If you’re getting bent out of shape about a sporting event in Washington, D.C. — we have a lot bigger problems in our country,” he said.

Trump’s involvement with mixed martial arts began before his political career. UFC conducted its first officially sanctioned event at Trump’s Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 2000. Trump also tried MMA promotion personally in 2008 and 2009, and UFC’s early events occurred at his casino.

Outside of MMA, Trump has repeatedly tried to buy National Football League teams. He once owned a franchise in a failed football league that competed with the NFL for players and audiences.

Some political rivals with athletic backgrounds voiced concerns about the White House event.

Representative Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat who competed in two professional MMA matches, said the image of a massive, temporary arena constructed at the White House troubles her during a period of rising consumer prices and ongoing U.S. military involvement. She told Reuters she also fears that Trump’s UFC association could damage the sport.

“My main concern is seeing the politicization of a sport that I hope continues to grow and that people continue to find and fall in love with,” she said.

UFC competitors told Reuters they had varying approaches for managing the ceremony and politics.

Lightweight fighter Michael Chandler, who has publicly supported Trump previously, said he would attempt to ignore the atmosphere and approach the fight like any other. Canadian bantamweight fighter Aiemann Zahabi anticipates facing boos and criticism while fighting American Sean O’Malley, a declared Trump supporter.

However, Zahabi said he would seek opportunities to recognize the event and the president.

“It’s something that’s probably never going to be repeated again,” Zahabi said. “It’s a one-off, and you know, Trump’s an eccentric guy, and you know, he loves MMA. He loves UFC… I think of it (as) just one big celebration.”

Advocacy organizations express concern that the venue atmosphere introduces politics and Trump deference into the sporting competition.

“Rising authoritarianism, large-scale conflicts, and global retreat from multilateralism all have direct consequences to sport,” said Andrea Florence, executive director of the Sport & Rights Alliance, a nonprofit human rights group.

“Global actors vie for power, but they use sports as a weapon, and we have seen Donald Trump and the U.S. under his administration using sports in different ways.”

WASHINGTON, June 12 – A recent Reuters/Ipsos survey reveals that roughly half of evangelical Christians – a key segment of President Donald Trump’s political coalition – question whether his administration’s Iran military campaign and immigration policies align with their Christian beliefs.

The evangelical community played a crucial role in the Republican’s 2024 electoral success, and Trump along with senior officials like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth frequently incorporate religious rhetoric when discussing their policy objectives. The party will rely heavily on this demographic during November’s midterm contests, where they face the challenge of maintaining narrow control in both chambers of Congress.

The survey, conducted June 3-8, found that 54% of evangelicals viewed Trump’s military operations in Iran as inconsistent with their Christian understanding, while 41% considered it aligned. Similarly, 51% of evangelical respondents felt the administration’s immigration approach conflicted with Christian principles, compared to 44% who saw it as compatible.

Trump’s support among evangelicals registered at 52% in the most recent polling, representing a decline from 61% recorded in August, though still significantly higher than his 35% approval among the broader American population.

His overall approval numbers have declined in recent months as the controversial Iran conflict has driven fuel costs substantially higher.

During his initial presidency, Trump fulfilled a long-sought evangelical objective by establishing a 6-3 conservative Supreme Court majority, which subsequently reversed the decision that had guaranteed nationwide abortion access.

In his current term, he has frequently welcomed religious leaders to the Oval Office and modified policies to permit federal workers to express their faith-based views in the workplace.

Evangelical voters lean Republican by more than a 2-to-1 margin, and Trump captured the white evangelical vote 81%-16% in 2024, based on exit polling analysis from the Pew Research Center.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers stated that Trump has fulfilled promises to faith communities by protecting religious freedoms and pardoning anti-abortion activists with criminal convictions. “There has never been a greater president for Christian Americans than President Trump,” Taylor said.

Potential fractures within this critical voter group could create additional challenges for the Republican Party heading into the midterm elections.

Evangelical Christian Sandy Miller, 63, indicated she would not support him again given the chance. The Worthington, Indiana resident, from a community of approximately 1,400 people, cares for a 24-year-old daughter whose home-healthcare Medicaid benefits were eliminated under Trump.

Beyond her economic circumstances, Miller emphasized that her faith guides her voting decisions. She believes Trump may be a Christian but doesn’t demonstrate it publicly.

“I just don’t think waging war is the answer to everything all the time,” Miller said. “I understand sometimes you have to, but I don’t know in this instance that it needed to be done.”

Miller shared that she prays nightly for the nation’s leaders to follow God’s guidance. “I wish our politicians would pray more than they talk,” she said.

The Reuters/Ipsos survey included 4,531 American adults nationwide with a margin of error of 2 percentage points in either direction.

Evangelicals also rate Trump poorly on cost-of-living management.

The United States and Israel launched the Iran war on February 28 to prevent the Iranian government from completing nuclear weapon development. Despite the conflict’s effect on family budgets, Trump has pledged to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities regardless of cost.

The Iran war has resulted in thousands of casualties, including over 3,000 in Iran according to official counts, though rights organizations estimate closer to 3,600, plus more than 1,800 deaths in Lebanon and over 100 in Iraq, based on official and NGO data.

Many evangelicals view the United States as morally bound to defend Israel, a crucial American ally in the Middle East region.

Connie Reese, 77, an evangelical voter from Iowa, explained in a subsequent Reuters interview that his backing for Trump’s Iran war has biblical foundation, and that nations possess the right to defend themselves preemptively. While acknowledging disagreements with Israel’s government at times, he believes the Jewish people have “historical grounds for their homeland.”

“The re-establishment of Israel, the country, is a prophetic answer or an answer to a prophecy that is clearly spelled out in the word of God,” he said. “So in that regard, I support Israel as a free and sovereign nation.”

New York City’s mayor hosted a Pride Month celebration at a city courthouse this week, flanked by drag performers and prominent LGBTQ+ rights advocates. Zorhan Mamdani addressed attendees, declaring his commitment to “protecting trans and queer New Yorkers from these relentless attacks that we’re facing with the federal administration.”

During the event, Mamdani announced that the city has allocated $15 million in taxpayer funds for what he described as “gender-affirming care” services.

Federal legislators are responding to a Pennsylvania incident where a convicted sex offender successfully obtained a child through a surrogate mother arrangement. Congressman Scott Perry, a Pennsylvania Republican, has put forward federal legislation that would impose penalties on surrogacy agencies that place children with individuals who are known sex offenders.

According to the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network, the proposed legislation tackles “the current patchwork of surrogacy laws that leaves too much ambiguity.”

Senator Jim Banks is pushing for changes to television content ratings to help parents monitor what their children watch. The Illinois Republican has asked the Federal Communications Commission to incorporate LGBT content warnings into existing rating systems for television programming.

Banks expressed worry about the increasing presence of characters and storylines that promote what he calls the gay agenda in children’s programming. According to research from Concerned Women For America, approximately 40% of Netflix programming targeted at young children includes LGBT content.

The senator’s proposal would expand the current content rating framework to specifically identify shows containing such material, giving parents advance notice before their kids view the programs.

WASHINGTON – After federal officials abandoned President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion fund designed to compensate ‘weaponization’ victims, supporters are now turning to an alternative legal pathway to secure payments for Trump loyalists, including individuals who participated in the January 6, 2021, Capitol uprising.

According to Trump associates and legal specialists, the most promising option involves utilizing the Federal Tort Claims Act, legislation from 1946 that permits individuals to submit administrative claims and file lawsuits against the federal government for purported misconduct, with potential out-of-court settlements.

Stanley Woodward, holding the third-highest position at the Justice Department, stated in an interview: “At my level, the fund is dead. If somebody wants to submit a claim against the government and sue us, they can still do that.”

The Republican president has consistently advocated for federal compensation to supporters he characterizes as targets of a ‘weaponized’ federal government under his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden.

However, the ‘anti-weaponization’ fund, developed as part of a legal agreement between Trump and the Justice Department to settle his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS regarding alleged mishandling of his tax documents, was suspended following strong Republican congressional opposition. Trump’s opponents criticized it as a slush fund rewarding supporters with public funds.

Hundreds of individuals prosecuted following their involvement in the Capitol assault, which represented an unsuccessful attempt by Trump supporters to block Congress from confirming his 2020 electoral defeat to Biden, have already submitted claims, with at least 10 filing government lawsuits for damages – receiving minimal response thus far.

This approach has been under development for some time. Conservative attorneys discussed the strategy during a previously undisclosed planning meeting at the 2024 Republican National Convention, according to longtime Trump associate Michael Caputo, who participated in the gathering.

Additional compensation methods remain under consideration, according to Caputo, who spearheaded ‘anti-weaponization’ initiatives in Trump’s 2024 campaign and submitted the first known claim under the now-cancelled ‘weaponization’ fund.

“I’ve heard no indication that they’ve slowed down on trying to get victims paid,” Caputo stated, noting that administration officials instructed him to “watch this space.”

Caputo, who worked as a Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson during Trump’s initial presidency, requested $2.7 million in ‘restitution’ from Blanche regarding investigations by the Biden administration and former special counsel Robert Mueller.

“It’s the most logistically feasible method,” explained Patrick Jaicomo, a senior lawyer at the libertarian legal organization Institute for Justice who focuses on Federal Tort Claims Act cases. “The government would have a lot of flexibility.”

Trump’s continued advocacy for compensating supporters he describes as ‘weaponization’ victims has sparked questions about which approach he might pursue for such payments.

When questioned about alternative compensation plans, the White House referenced earlier statements by Trump and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche indicating the weaponization fund would not proceed.

“We have no additional announcements at this time and any speculation about potential future actions is just that – speculation,” a White House official told Reuters anonymously. “President Trump remains committed to addressing Biden-era weaponization.”

A Justice Department official, speaking anonymously, indicated there is no initiative to encourage claim submissions.

Trump has alleged that the Biden administration and other political adversaries improperly utilized law enforcement, intelligence and regulatory agencies to target him and his associates. Critics argue these actions were legally warranted due to actual or suspected misconduct by Trump and others.

Trump, for example, granted executive pardons to his supporters prosecuted for their January 6 riot participation.

“The people were destroyed by dirty cops and by weaponization,” Trump said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” program broadcast Sunday. “Many of those people should be compensated.”

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham endorsed pursuing payouts through the Federal Tort Claims Act in a social media statement, prompting Justice Department’s Woodward to respond with what appeared to be support in a subsequently deleted post.

“We’re working on it,” Woodward wrote.

Woodward later explained to Reuters he intended to communicate that individuals believing they were government abuse victims retain a compensation pathway despite the absence of the $1.8 billion fund.

Financially compensating Trump associates has evolved from political fringe territory toward mainstream Republican strategy.

Caputo said he participated in discussions about finding methods to pay ‘weaponization’ victims dating to October 2023.

In 1956, Congress established a permanent Judgment Fund for settling federal government lawsuits.

Caputo reported that presidential allies and conservative attorneys discussed utilizing this fund for Federal Tort Claims Act payouts “ad nauseam” during the 2024 Republican National Convention. Discussion participants opposed compensating violent felons, including those who attacked police officers, according to Caputo.

The participants viewed the Judgment Fund as a “limitless” money source that would circumvent political obstacles of establishing a new administrative fund, Caputo said, though they recognized these payouts could generate controversy.

Several prominent Trump allies have already received Federal Tort Claims Act payouts. Michael Flynn, who briefly served as Trump’s national security adviser during his first term, obtained a $1.25 million settlement under the statute.

Attorney Peter Ticktin said his firm represents over 400 Capitol riot participants who have filed Federal Tort Claims Act claims. Ticktin expressed hope the government will settle cases before court proceedings, but has received no settlement plans notification.

“We’re asking for restitution in the millions of dollars,” Ticktin said, adding he trusts Trump and the Justice Department will ensure his clients receive payment.

The administrative procedure for Federal Tort Claims Act claims begins when someone files a form, designated SF-95, alleging government wrongdoing and seeking damages.

Claims generally must be submitted within two years of the incident, but January 6 defendants argue the alleged wrongdoing against them represents continuing harm. It remains uncertain how courts or the Justice Department will interpret that position.

If the government accepts the requested amount, officials can authorize payment before judicial assignment, Jaicomo explained, meaning no judge would examine the payment.

If the government refuses settlement, claimants may file lawsuits, at which point a judge would oversee the case. Ticktin has filed 10 lawsuits and plans hundreds more.

Rupa Bhattacharyya, a former Justice Department official who supervised the September 11, 2001, attack victims’ compensation fund, said department lawyers typically settle only when facing high trial loss risk, though they maintain broad settlement discretion including in January 6 cases.

“That would be a travesty because these are very defensible lawsuits,” said Bhattacharyya, who served under presidents from both parties. “It would violate the purpose and spirit of the judgment fund – but it is unlikely it would violate the text of the law.”

WASHINGTON — Independent voters have become more dissatisfied with President Trump throughout his second term, according to fresh polling data from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, with the steepest decline among those lacking college education.

Research findings indicate that approximately half of independents without college degrees viewed Trump favorably around the 2024 election, but that number plummeted to roughly 25% by this spring. This dramatic shift has eliminated the significant education divide that previously existed among independent voters regarding their views of the president.

The research compiled data from nearly two dozen AP-NORC surveys spanning July 2024 through April 2026, providing insight into how Trump’s support evolved across multiple timeframes, including the final six months of 2024, his first 100 days back in office, summer 2025 when the Big Beautiful Bill became law, last fall’s government shutdown, and the start of the Iran conflict.

The data reveals consistent erosion of support among independents during Trump’s current presidency. His standing has also weakened among smaller but significant voter groups that had moved in his direction during the 2024 race, including Black and Hispanic independents.

With more Americans identifying as independents than ever before, and this group having shifted toward Trump in 2024, any loss of their support could create challenges for Trump and Republicans as midterm elections approach, which typically serve as a referendum on the party in power.

Tafari Torres, a senior research associate at NORC who helped write the analysis, observed that while Democratic and Republican opinions of Trump have remained relatively unchanged during his second presidency, independent viewpoints continue to shift. “Independents are, broadly, the people who are reacting to the events and dropping in their support,” he said.

Trump’s White House comeback was driven partly by independent voters who viewed him as superior on crucial matters like economic policy. However, the new research examining Trump’s favorability and job approval numbers shows their attitudes deteriorated rapidly once he assumed office.

Non-college-educated independents held significantly more favorable opinions of Trump than their college-educated counterparts during and immediately following the 2024 election, but this pattern reversed during his first months in office. Positive assessments among independents without degrees dropped from 48% before his return to power to 31% during his initial 100 days, then fell further to approximately 25% during the government shutdown and early 2026.

College-educated independents showed less dramatic change, with only about 30% viewing Trump positively before his return to office, making their decline to roughly 25% less striking.

“The decline among no-college independents was steeper and it was greater than the slight decline in college independents,” said Sean Collins, a research associate at NORC who co-authored the analysis. “That was surprising, especially given, when you think of Trump’s coalitions, those without college degrees is usually one of the ones that that stands out.”

Americans lacking college degrees have traditionally formed a core component of Trump’s political base. However, Trump’s 2024 victory also came from expanding support among typically Democratic-leaning demographics, including Hispanic voters.

Roughly 42% of independent voters backed Trump in 2024, an increase from 37% in the 2020 race. According to AP VoteCast, independents without college degrees showed slightly higher preference for Trump over former Vice President Kamala Harris, while Hispanic independents were roughly evenly divided.

Current circumstances appear far less favorable for the president.

Nearly 46% of Hispanic independents viewed Trump positively in polling conducted around the presidential election. However, his approval among this demographic fell sharply during his second term, dropping to just 15% during last fall’s government shutdown before recovering to about 25% this spring.

Younger independents have also grown less supportive of the president, while those aged 60 and above have remained relatively steady. Additional AP-NORC polling has shown Trump losing support among younger Republicans due to inflation worries and increasing discontent among Hispanic Americans.

“The gains Trump appeared to make during the election, I don’t know if they’re sticking around. He’s experienced some significant shifts among those people,” Torres said. “From our research, they don’t appear to be permanent gains.”

Survey data suggests economic concerns drive much of Americans’ dissatisfaction with Trump, including among independents.

About half of independents who voted for Trump in 2024 identified inflation as their primary voting consideration, according to AP VoteCast, with most expressing serious concerns about food and gas costs.

More than a year into Trump’s second presidency, inflation continues at elevated levels, driven by gas prices that remain high due to the ongoing Iran conflict. An April AP-NORC survey found roughly 30% of independents were “extremely” or “very” worried about affording groceries recently, with similar numbers concerned about gas expenses.

The analysis determined that Americans’ economic perceptions typically mirror their presidential assessments. Those with negative views of the nation’s economy generally held unfavorable opinions of Trump, with approximately 80% of independents describing the U.S. economy as poor this spring.

May’s most recent AP-NORC polling showed only about 30% of independents approve of Trump’s economic performance, consistent with similar numbers from early in his second term. The April survey found just 12% of independents approved of his handling of living costs.

The AP-NORC analysis examined responses from 4,836 independents across 21 surveys, organized into five time periods before and during President Trump’s second term. Independents were defined as respondents who did not identify with or lean toward either major political party.

GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. — In upstate New York, a Republican congressional candidate is taking his support for President Donald Trump to extraordinary lengths that go far beyond typical political endorsements.

Anthony Constantino, a first-time political candidate competing in the June 23 Republican primary to replace Rep. Elise Stefanik, has displayed a massive “Vote for Trump” sign on top of his successful sticker company in Amsterdam. He produced a hip-hop record called “Thank you President Trump” and personally presented Trump with a large bronze sculpture of the former president at his West Palm Beach golf course last year.

While Constantino’s dramatic gestures haven’t impressed local party leaders, who are overwhelmingly backing his rival, state Assembly Member Robert Smullen, in the 21st Congressional District contest, he has secured support from one influential Republican who can still influence primary outcomes: Trump himself.

“Anthony is strongly supported by many of the most Highly Respected MAGA Warriors in our Movement, including Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Roger Stone!” Trump wrote in an endorsement of Constantino.

The president added: “The sign is still there!”

The contest between Constantino and Smullen, a former U.S. Marine Corps colonel, represents another examination of Trump’s influence in primary elections, matching an aggressive MAGA supporter against a more conventional conservative in this solidly Republican district.

Constantino has continuously criticized Smullen, labeling him a “Trump hater” and using a Trump-style disparaging nickname — “Slimebob.” He also frequently clashes with the state’s Republican leadership.

“The New York GOP is a failing establishment, it’s a losing establishment,” Constantino said in an interview. “They reject outsiders. This happened with Donald Trump. The Republican Party tried to keep Donald Trump out, as well, because they knew he was going to reform things.”

Smullen has positioned himself as the mature candidate, emphasizing his state Legislature experience, military background, and his own connections to Trump.

“I think I directly represent the vast majority of the people in this district, their values, what they think about issues,” he said.

The predominantly rural district covers most of New York’s northern region and encompasses the Adirondack Mountains, the U.S. Army’s Fort Drum, dairy operations and numerous small communities.

It’s firmly Republican territory — Stefanik won her most recent election by 24 points — with registered Republicans outnumbering Democrats 215,000 to 134,000. The voter base tends to be older and white, including many correctional officers, law enforcement personnel, agricultural workers and deeply religious residents, according to Jack McGuire, an associate professor of politics at the State University of New York at Potsdam.

“It’s not your country club Republican party,” he said.

Stefanik surprised New York’s political establishment when she announced late last year that she was pausing her gubernatorial campaign and wouldn’t seek House reelection.

Her announcement followed lukewarm support from Trump in the governor’s race and came after an incident where Trump retracted her nomination as his United Nations ambassador due to concerns about Republicans’ narrow House majority.

Local Republicans initially began positioning themselves for the seat after she was selected for the UN role, then regrouped when she entered the gubernatorial race.

Smullen, who serves portions of the district in the state Assembly, is conducting a conventional campaign, engaging with constituents at volunteer fire departments and community gatherings.

He emphasizes his 24-year military service that included three Afghanistan deployments and combat duty, plus over seven years in the state Legislature. His 2018 selection by Trump for the White House Fellows program and attendance at both Trump inaugurations became his standard response when Constantino attempted to position himself as the Trump candidate during a recent debate.

“The idea that I have never been a supporter of President Donald Trump is a lie, it really is,” Smullen said during the debate. “And what’s happening here is that if you say it long enough and if you say it hard enough then it’s going to be true. But it’s not true.”

Local GOP officials and committees are supporting Smullen, along with the state Republican chair. He also has backing from the state Conservative Party, which ensures him a general election ballot line even if he loses the GOP primary.

Matt Capano, who operates a hardware business in Gloversville, a small community in the district, said he knows Smullen as his local state representative and had to “give him a lot of credit” due to his experience.

Constantino — who achieved success with his business Sticker Mule — displays more theatrical tendencies. His approach has compelled his more reserved opponent to become more aggressive. Smullen’s campaign created an anti-Constantino website that criticizes him for various issues, including his previous Democratic party registration.

“I am the conservative Republican in this race,” Smullen stated at the debate.

Constantino explained that he registered as a Democrat to support a childhood friend’s political campaign while describing himself as a “lifelong conservative.”

He quickly redirected the discussion back to the president.

“I’ve always had his back through the whole thing,” he said of Trump. “In fact, in 2020, when he nicely exited the White House and a terrible person named Joe Biden entered, I went and I supported the president quietly by buying a Mar-a-Lago membership.”

The Trump administration is working to reduce the U.S. Forest Service and cut wildfire and smoke research programs at a time when western states are preparing for what could be an intense summer fire season.

The proposed changes would eliminate research that helps develop tools like wildfire and smoke tracking maps available on the federal government’s fire.airnow.gov website, which rely on data from U.S. Forest Service-funded studies.

The timing of these potential cuts coincides with forecasts suggesting the American West could face significant wildfire activity in the coming months.

WASHINGTON — The board of trustees at the Kennedy Center is making an emergency attempt to halt a federal court mandate requiring the removal of President Donald Trump’s name from the renowned performing arts venue before Friday’s deadline.

During a Thursday meeting, board members voted to request a stay of U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper’s May 29 decision declaring that Trump’s name was unlawfully placed on the Kennedy Center, according to an individual with knowledge of the private deliberations who spoke anonymously. The official stay request is scheduled to be submitted Friday, the source indicated.

Cooper determined that only Congress possesses the authority to modify the Kennedy Center’s designation and mandated that all Trump references be eliminated by Friday. The judge additionally prevented the administration from shuttering the cultural institution for extensive renovations that were set to begin in July and continue for two years.

This board action represents a departure from a June 4 internal memo from the Kennedy Center’s Office of General Counsel instructing employees that email signatures, official letterhead and other materials should display the name as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center.”

The Kennedy Center’s online presence has already eliminated the president’s name. Additionally, an email distributed this week to patrons promoting ticket packages for the June 28 Mark Twain Award for American Humor ceremony originated from the Kennedy Center without incorporating Trump’s name.

“The Trump administration’s 11th hour gambit after waiting nearly two weeks evinces desperation,” stated Norm Eisen, a board member at Democracy Defenders Action, and Nathaniel Zelinsky, senior counsel at the Washington Litigation Group. “That is what they should be feeling because they don’t have a legal leg to stand on. We will be vigorously contesting this latest ploy as we have throughout the case on behalf of Congresswoman Beatty and the American people.”

The attorneys represent Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex-officio Kennedy Center board member who initiated the legal challenge to strip Trump’s name from the institution.

Following minimal attention to the Kennedy Center throughout most of his initial presidency, Trump has exercised significant control over the facility since returning to office. Within one month of beginning his second term, he removed the center’s existing leadership and installed a personally selected board of trustees that designated him as chairman. He appointed Richard Grenell as president, a role he maintained until March when Matt Floca took over the position.

The venue’s programming has shifted toward more Trump-aligned content, hosting events including the debut of first lady Melania Trump’s documentary, “Melania.”

The board additionally announced the facility’s rebranding as the Trump Kennedy Center, a modification that legal experts and legislators argue requires congressional approval, and physically installed the president’s name on the building’s exterior.

The arts community’s reaction was immediate and severe. Performer Issa Rae, musician Bela Fleck and writer Louise Penny were among many artists who canceled scheduled appearances, while advisors including musician Ben Folds and vocalist Renée Fleming stepped down. This month, National Symphony Orchestra executive director Jean Davidson departed to lead the Los Angeles-based Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

Along with approving the stay request Thursday, the board endorsed a resolution acknowledging Trump’s “commitment to uphold this cherished American institution.”

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska’s chief election administrator has warned a Republican Senate candidate that he may be removed from the August primary ballot because he has the identical name and party as the current Republican senator Dan Sullivan.

Elections Division Director Carol Beecher sent a letter to the challenging candidate Dan Sullivan stating her department had received two complaints about his qualifications and concluded “that the preponderance of evidence does not support your eligibility for the office of United States Senator.”

Beecher set a Thursday deadline for him to provide “any additional information and evidence” to defend his candidacy.

The challenger Sullivan has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding Beecher’s correspondence, who is a registered Republican with a history of contributing to GOP organizations and campaigns. The Wednesday-dated letter, which was reported by the Anchorage Daily News, did not detail what evidence might justify removing him from the primary ballot, and her department has not answered media inquiries.

The challenger’s campaign has created controversy in one of the nation’s most watched U.S. Senate contests. Democrats view this seat as a key pickup opportunity as they work to reclaim control of the Senate in the upcoming midterm elections.

The incumbent senator has claimed his same-name opponent is collaborating with Democrats to confuse voters and help his main rival, former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, an allegation both have rejected. The challenger, a resident of the small fishing town of Petersburg south of Juneau, told The Associated Press this week that running was “my choice.” He stated he has had no communication with Peltola’s campaign — “zero, none, zilch.”

Earlier this week, the challenger also responded to Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom’s announcement that she was launching an inquiry into his campaign.

“The law forbids your office from denying me access to the ballot just because Senator Sullivan and the NRSC would prefer I not be allowed to run,” he stated, referencing the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

He described the inquiry as “an unprecedented affront to my rights as a candidate and the rights of Alaska voters to select their own representation in the U.S. Senate.”

It remains unclear whether he has hired legal counsel to fight for his ballot position.

Several lawyers have also questioned Dahlstrom’s inquiry, which among other demands required Sullivan to explain his party membership, the duration he has used the name Dan Sullivan, his connection to a consultant and any communication he may have had with other candidates or the Democratic Party.

Dahlstrom, who supervises elections, wrote to the challenger that the inquiry concerned “credible allegations” that he did not file his candidacy “with a good faith purpose to seek office but rather with a purpose to confuse voters and have them mistakenly vote for you rather than the incumbent with the same name and same political party affiliation.”

These concerns mirror claims made in a letter sent to her and Beecher this month from a National Republican Senatorial Committee lawyer.

The ACLU of Alaska released a statement saying it is “unaware of any other instance where the Lieutenant Governor has investigated a specific candidate for reasons other than determining whether a candidate meets federal, state and local eligibility requirements.” The organization said it was watching the developments.

Jahna Lindemuth, who served as Alaska attorney general under an independent governor, said probing someone’s reasons for seeking office “starts infringing on free speech concerns and other protections under the Constitution.” She suggested Dahlstrom could address voter confusion by marking the senator as the incumbent on the ballot.

Federal law mandates senators be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for no less than nine years and reside in the state they wish to represent when elected. The challenger Sullivan, who turns 69 this weekend, told the AP he relocated to Alaska in 1980 and worked for the U.S. Forest Service before changing careers to become an educator. He is currently retired.

The candidate declaration form required by the elections division requests their name, desired party affiliation for the ballot, address and preferred name display. By signing the form, candidates must confirm they satisfy citizenship, age and residency qualifications.

The division had previously approved the challenger Sullivan’s candidacy, listing him on the candidate roster as Dan J. Sullivan. The senator appears as Dan S. Sullivan and is marked as the incumbent.

At least one organization running advertisements supporting the senator, One Nation, has started identifying him as Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.

PORTLAND, Ore. — A Portland man will spend two and a half years behind bars after being convicted of attacking a federal officer with a rock during demonstrations at the city’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.

Robert Jacob Hoopes received his 30-month prison sentence Thursday after entering a guilty plea to aggravated assault of a federal employee with a dangerous weapon. Court records show Hoopes hurled a rock that struck an officer in the head, creating a cut above the officer’s eye during June protests.

U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson also imposed three years of supervised release following Hoopes’s prison term and required him to pay more than $8,000 in restitution.

“Today’s message is clear — violence is not a protest,” the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, Scott Bradford, said in a statement. “When you cross the line and assault a federal officer, you will be prosecuted.”

Hoopes’s defense attorney, Matthew McHenry, did not respond to requests for comment.

The case represents part of a broader Justice Department effort to pursue charges against individuals who allegedly attacked federal officers during demonstrations opposing President Donald Trump’s immigration policies in cities nationwide, spanning from Chicago to Los Angeles. Most recently, a New Jersey immigration detention facility has emerged as another site where protesters and law enforcement have clashed, resulting in numerous arrests.

Portland’s ICE facility has experienced ongoing demonstrations against the administration’s deportation policies since June, featuring nightly protests for months and repeated attempts by federal officials to break up even small gatherings using chemical weapons. Trump’s failed attempt to send National Guard troops to Portland last fall to protect federal facilities and workers, which courts prevented, also sparked additional protests.

Hoopes isn’t the only Portland ICE protester to receive prison time, though others weren’t convicted of officer assault. Trenten Edward Barker received an 18-month sentence in March after admitting to setting fire to a federal building. Prosecutors say he tossed a burning flare onto debris piled against the ICE building’s gate last June, causing thousands in property damage.

Four other Portland protesters have had their cases dropped, including three who faced federal officer assault charges. Two cases proceeded to trial — one involving a woman charged with officer assault that resulted in a hung jury, and another where the defendant received one year probation for disobeying lawful orders and causing a disturbance and is now appealing.

The Trump administration filed an appeal Thursday challenging a federal court decision that mandated the removal of Trump’s name from Washington’s Kennedy Center and prevented the Republican leader from shutting down the performing arts facility for renovations.

The appeal was submitted to the Washington-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, contesting a comprehensive decision against the administration in legal action initiated by Democratic U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio, who serves on the Kennedy Center’s board through her congressional role.

Neither the White House nor Beatty’s office provided immediate responses to comment requests.

On May 29, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper determined that federal law “makes crystal clear” that Congress designated the center for former Democratic President John F. Kennedy, “and only Congress can change it.” The judge mandated Trump’s name be stripped from the building’s exterior, website, and promotional materials.

Following the ruling, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that his administration would hand over Kennedy Center control to Congress.

“I cannot be involved with a situation where danger to the Public is allowed to flourish in plain and open sight,” Trump stated, citing significant structural problems with the facility.

Trump indicated he instructed the U.S. Commerce Department to “make all necessary arrangements with Congress to allow a full and complete transfer of this Institution” and transfer operational, maintenance, and management duties to lawmakers.

The Kennedy Center began operations in 1971 as a tribute to the assassinated president, who died in 1963. The board decided in December to modify the center’s designation to incorporate Trump’s name, after he replaced multiple board members last year and named himself as a trustee.

Beatty initiated legal proceedings against the Trump administration in December, describing the facility’s renaming as “a flagrant violation of the rule of law” that “flies in the face of our constitutional order.”

Trump declared the Kennedy Center’s two-year shutdown in February without advance notice.

The Republican leader’s Kennedy Center renovation proposal represents one element of his wider initiative to transform Washington’s central monuments. His plans also include constructing a 250-foot (76-meter) arch and developing a 90,000-square-foot ballroom where the demolished East Wing of the White House currently stands.

WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that the United States may continue collecting 10% tariffs on imports from around the world while ongoing legal battles over these trade levies move through the judicial system.

The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington delivered a procedural victory to the Trump administration, determining that the government’s position was “likely to succeed on the merits.”

The dispute centers on temporary 10% global tariffs that President Donald Trump put in place following a February Supreme Court ruling that struck down more extensive double-digit tariffs the president had established last year affecting nearly all nations worldwide. These current tariffs, implemented using Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, are scheduled to end on July 24.

Section 122, which has never before been utilized to support import duties, permits the president to establish global tariffs up to 15% for a 150-day period, after which Congress must approve any extension.

The provision targets what it describes as “fundamental international payments problems.” The central question is whether this language encompasses trade deficits — the difference between American exports to other nations and imports from them — as the Trump administration argues.

Last month, a divided three-judge panel from the specialized Court of International Trade in New York determined the 10% global tariffs were unlawful following a lawsuit by small businesses seeking to halt them. The trade court ruled 2-1 that Trump exceeded the tariff authority Congress had granted to the president under the statute. The majority opinion declared the tariffs “invalid” and “unauthorized by law.”

The matter may ultimately reach the Supreme Court.

A federal appeals court on Thursday prolonged its suspension of a lower court decision that challenged the Trump administration’s 10% worldwide tariff policy implemented under Section 122 of the Trade Act, maintaining the collection of these duties from three importers who had previously secured relief from the charges.

The Federal Circuit appeals court’s action permits the United States to maintain tariff collection from the three importers during the government’s appeal process.

On May 7, the U.S. trade court issued a ruling against these new tariffs, though it did not establish a broad prohibition on their collection.

The three importers affected by the court decision include two small businesses and the state of Washington, which had paid tariffs on goods purchased by the University of Washington.

Following the Trump administration’s appeal, the appeals court on May 12 temporarily restored tariff collection for the three importers who had prevailed in the lower court.

The 10% worldwide tariff was established in February, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the majority of tariffs that the Trump administration had implemented in 2025.

This 10% global tariff is set to conclude in July, unless Congress chooses to extend it.

The current global tariffs were established under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.

Congressional representatives from both sides of the aisle unveiled new legislation Wednesday designed to increase federal security funding for Jewish institutions and bolster government efforts to combat antisemitism, earning praise from prominent Jewish advocacy groups as threats against Jewish communities continue nationwide.

The House legislation, spearheaded by Reps. Dan Goldman, a New York Democrat, and Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, serves as the House counterpart to the Jewish American Security Act that Sens. Jacky Rosen, a Nevada Democrat, and James Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican, introduced in the Senate last month.

The proposed legislation would provide authorization for up to $1 billion annually through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which assists houses of worship, educational institutions, community centers, and other vulnerable nonprofit organizations in funding security improvements. While the program serves institutions across all faiths, Jewish organizations have been particularly vocal advocates for its expansion.

Additionally, the legislation would permit grant funds to cover security personnel costs, broaden law enforcement protection around religious facilities, mandate that the Department of Education create a Title VI framework for addressing antisemitism on college campuses, and establish transparency mandates for major social media platforms regarding their management of antisemitic material.

According to Jewish Insider, which initially reported the House bill’s introduction, Goldman stated: “Words of condemnation are no longer enough. Since the October 7th attacks, there has been a systematic failure in Congress and in our communities to counter the threat posed by surging antisemitism across this country.”

Jewish advocacy organizations have urged Congress to increase security assistance following years of escalating reported antisemitic incidents, encompassing synagogue attacks, campus conflicts, property damage, online harassment, and violence connected to anger surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.

According to Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, the organization’s 2025 audit documented 6,274 antisemitic incidents, which included 203 physical assaults and three murders.

Greenblatt emphasized: “The data is unambiguous: Jewish Americans are under threat in their communities, on their campuses and online, and the federal government must act.”

Advocates indicate the legislation aims not only to strengthen physical security measures at Jewish facilities but also to enhance federal enforcement, monitoring, and oversight in areas where antisemitism has become increasingly prevalent.

BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota will receive nearly $28 million from the federal government to resolve a legal dispute over law enforcement expenses stemming from large-scale demonstrations against the Dakota Access oil pipeline that took place almost ten years ago, the state’s top legal official revealed Thursday.

The settlement amount matches what a federal judge awarded the state following a trial last year. Federal officials also agreed to drop all pending appeals and issue a formal acknowledgment recognizing “that the people of North Dakota, including, centrally, our law enforcement officers, endured repeated acts of intimidation, violence, property destruction, unlawful conduct associated with encampments established on federal land without authorization,” Republican Attorney General Drew Wrigley explained to the media.

“We deeply appreciate those acknowledgments. They’re a long time coming,” he stated, appearing alongside legal counsel and investigators from his department.

Wrigley indicated that North Dakota is now “made financially whole” and that the settlement funds will cover outstanding debts from loans obtained through the state-owned Bank of North Dakota.

Republican Gov. Kelly Armstrong praised the resolution as “long overdue” and expressed gratitude to Wrigley’s team and others involved in securing the agreement “that removes the financial burden from North Dakota taxpayers and places it on the shoulders of the federal government where it belongs.”

The U.S. Justice Department issued a statement disagreeing with the court’s legal reasoning “but acknowledges in hindsight that, under the Obama Administration, the federal government could have done more to reduce the impacts to the people of North Dakota” from the demonstrations, which sometimes involved “unlawfulness and confrontational violence.”

“To avoid further escalation of unlawful behaviors, the federal government at the time chose not to forcibly remove the protestors from the encampment on federal property. The United States recognizes that this difficult choice had painful consequences for North Dakota and many of its residents,” the department stated.

The agreement comes over a year after U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor ruled the federal government responsible on all charges, including negligence, gross negligence, civil trespass and public nuisance, awarding approximately $27.8 million.

During 2016 and 2017, thousands of demonstrators established camps and conducted protests on and near federally controlled property close to where the pipeline crosses the Missouri River upstream from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation. The tribe has consistently challenged the pipeline due to concerns about threats to their water resources.

The demonstration participants came from across the United States and internationally, including tribal supporters, Native rights advocates, environmental activists, and fossil fuel opponents. Notable figures like actors Shailene Woodley and Mark Ruffalo and the Rev. Jesse Jackson made trips to North Dakota to show solidarity with the tribe.

The demonstrations led to periodic violent confrontations between protesters and police officers. A state legal representative said the protests triggered a response lasting seven months, involving 178 different agencies, leading to 761 arrests, and requiring four days to clean up the campsite and remove millions of pounds of debris.

North Dakota filed its lawsuit in 2019, requesting $38 million in damages. In 2017, pipeline operator Energy Transfer contributed $15 million toward response expenses. That same year, the Justice Department provided a $10 million grant to help the state cover costs.

The judge determined that Energy Transfer’s payment was a voluntary contribution and deducted the $10 million previously provided by federal authorities when calculating the nearly $28 million judgment.

Last month, Traynor withdrew several earlier rulings, including his 2025 decision, at both parties’ request as they worked toward a settlement.

“The Court does not believe it should stand in the way of a satisfactory settlement between the Parties but should encourage litigants to pursue settlements even when federal government conduct is at its worst,” Traynor stated.

The pipeline began operations in mid-2017 and currently carries roughly 4% of daily U.S. oil production, approximately 540,000 barrels per day.

In May, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided final authorization for the pipeline’s Missouri River crossing near the reservation, six years after a federal judge ordered a more comprehensive environmental assessment. Tribal Chairman Steve Sitting Bear indicated that Standing Rock will evaluate its options to protect treaty rights, ensure water safety, and maintain accountability for government and corporate actions.

WASHINGTON — Federal authorities have flagged more than 15,000 instances where adults have gained custody of multiple immigrant children who arrived in the United States without parents, officials announced Thursday, indicating a potential crackdown on prolific child sponsors.

The Justice Department spotlighted criminal charges against three individuals from Guatemala that officials say highlight the risks of inadequate sponsor screening in a system designed to connect children with relatives or family friends after they arrive in the country. Authorities said they are examining many other so-called super-sponsors — individuals who obtained custody of more than three unrelated children — to assess whether fraud was involved in the sponsorship process.

“We will not accept half measures when it comes to securing the border, protecting American lives and saving children from exploitation,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said during a news briefing.

Obtaining custody of multiple unrelated migrant children does not constitute a criminal offense. While the sponsors could be compassionate and well-meaning, senior administration officials highlighting their cases suggests authorities view them with suspicion and may subject them to enhanced investigation.

During the Biden administration, officials worked to place children with qualified adult sponsors within 30 days, allowing many families to reunite rapidly. However, this approach also resulted in mistakes, with some children placed with adults who compelled them to work unlawfully, or with individuals who supplied obviously fraudulent identification and contact information.

Under the current administration, officials have implemented stricter regulations designed to stop traffickers from illegally transporting children into the nation, which has also caused a significant extension in federal custody periods for minors. As of May, children remain in federal custody for an average of 206 days before placement, compared with an average of 37 days when the administration began. Meanwhile, the total number of children in custody has consistently declined.

Finding the right approach to place children with screened sponsors while protecting them from harm has become a divisive political issue.

Democrats “want to claim that Republicans, because we’re enforcing the laws, it’s inhumane, somehow,” Blanche said after criticizing the screening processes under the previous administration. “What’s inhumane about taking care of our kids?”

The criminal cases revealed Thursday involve charges against a woman who, according to authorities, was residing in the country illegally, conspired with others to transport children across the border, then employed false identities to obtain custody of them for financial gain. In a separate case, a woman faces accusations of falsely stating she was related to a teenager who had entered the country illegally in her application to become the teen’s sponsor.

The Associated Press has requested statements from lawyers representing the defendants in these cases.

Those critical of the current administration have expressed alarm about wellness inspections conducted by immigration officers at elementary schools, immigration officers appearing and detaining sponsors during child reunification appointments, and newly mandated documentation that has established a “paperwork barrier” and prompted a recent legal challenge.

Even sponsors prepared to complete the new screening requirements have faced prolonged and unnecessary delays.

A father from Chicago who is a U.S. citizen and possessed valid documentation for his child waited five months before the government arranged a fingerprinting appointment. While waiting, his young daughter suffered sexual abuse while in federal custody, according to a lawsuit.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday his intention to select Jay Clayton, who currently serves as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and previously led the Securities and Exchange Commission, to head the nation’s intelligence operations.

The president revealed his choice through a social media post as lawmakers continue demanding a permanent successor to Tulsi Gabbard, who stepped down from the role last month. Trump encountered significant opposition regarding his choice of Bill Pulte, who leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to serve in an interim capacity.

The circumstances have created tension on Capitol Hill, with Democrats threatening to block the renewal of foreign intelligence authorities until Trump withdraws Pulte’s appointment and selects a permanent candidate.

“Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay,” Trump posted online. “I encourage the United States Senate to confirm Jay as soon as possible.”

WASHINGTON — The first lady and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed Thursday the creation of Fostering the Future Accounts, an extension of existing Trump Accounts investment programs designed to provide $1,000 starter funds to newborns when parents establish accounts.

Expanding her ongoing efforts to support foster children, the first lady explained that new federal guidelines will enable child welfare agencies to serve as guardians for foster care children when establishing these accounts.

During a Treasury Department press conference, the first lady stated the initiative “gives foster children the same chance at asset ownership and long-term wealth as every other child.”

Account enrollment begins July 4th. Children must be U.S. citizens born from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2028, to be eligible.

White House Council of Economic Advisers projections show a Trump Account opened for a 2026 newborn could reach $5,800 at age 18 and $18,100 at age 28 without additional deposits.

Twenty-three governors have committed to allowing their state agencies to start enrolling children in the initiative, the first lady reported. “I urge every governor and business leader to help fund these accounts,” she stated.

The National Council for Adoption reports approximately 330,000 children currently live in U.S. foster care. According to the National Foster Youth Institute, one in five faces homelessness risk after leaving the system, and only half find jobs by age 24.

“Those outcomes are unsettling but we refuse to accept them as inevitable,” Bessent said during the announcement. “We are affirming that the American dream belongs to every child.”

Trump Accounts originated from provisions in tax and spending legislation signed last summer. The Treasury Department provides $1,000 to infants when parents establish accounts, with private companies investing the funds in stock markets. Children gain access at 18 years old.

Nationwide employers and wealthy donors have committed to matching contributions for Trump Accounts as employee benefits. Michael and Susan Dell announced a $6.25 billion donation, while hedge fund founder Ray Dalio and his wife Barbara pledged $75 million for Connecticut children under 10.

Congressional lawmakers are pushing back against recent cuts to Ukraine assistance, with the Senate Armed Services Committee voting Thursday to authorize $750 million in continued military aid for the war-torn nation.

The committee’s version of the annual National Defense Authorization Act would extend the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which funds American companies to manufacture weapons for Ukrainian forces battling the Russian invasion. Sources familiar with the legislation told Reuters the bill also contains a provision changing the Pentagon’s official name from Department of Defense to Department of War.

The Republican-controlled committee finished work on the NDAA, the yearly legislation that sets Pentagon policy and funding priorities. The comprehensive measure supports $1.15 trillion in total defense spending and covers everything from military equipment purchases to service member pay increases and responses to global security challenges.

Thursday’s Senate proposal includes language preventing any authorized funds from being used to recognize Russian sovereignty over Ukrainian territory that is internationally recognized as belonging to Ukraine. The bill also directs the Pentagon to provide intelligence assistance to Ukrainian officials for military operations aimed at defending or reclaiming occupied areas.

The Senate committee released their legislation one week following House passage of separate measures providing Ukrainian aid and implementing additional Russian sanctions.

Regarding weapons and equipment, the Senate bill grants multi-year purchasing authority for various munitions and military systems, including Boeing’s F-15EX fighters and Lockheed Martin’s F-35 aircraft.

The proposed legislation still faces multiple hurdles before potentially becoming law. Both the complete House and Senate must separately approve their respective committee versions. Following that, representatives from both chambers must negotiate a unified compromise bill, which would then require passage in both the House and Senate before reaching the White House for presidential action.

The House committee’s NDAA version similarly endorsed the administration’s proposal to rename the Department of Defense to Department of War, despite Democratic opposition to the change.

Although bipartisan congressional support for Ukraine remained strong during the initial period following Russia’s February 2022 invasion, some of the administration’s closest Republican supporters in House and Senate leadership have shown decreased enthusiasm for Ukrainian assistance since January 2025.

American aid to Ukraine has decreased significantly even as both nations continue exchanging missile, drone, and artillery attacks. Diplomatic efforts remain deadlocked, with Ukrainian officials rejecting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands for territorial concessions of areas Ukraine has successfully defended since 2022.

The current administration intends to send several Iranian nationals and other migrants to Central African Republic, a nation struggling with ongoing instability, violence, and widespread poverty, according to two attorneys and an official with knowledge of the situation who spoke to Reuters.

Among those facing deportation are two Iranian women who could face torture and persecution if sent back to Iran, according to their attorney, Emily Trostle. She explained that one woman converted to Christianity while the other is an advocate for democratic reform.

Neither the U.S. State Department nor the Central African Republic’s presidential office, which recently signed an agreement to accept third-country deportees from the United States, provided immediate responses when asked for comment.

Trostle stated that both women were taken into custody when they arrived in the United States in November 2024. She noted that they had filed asylum claims and obtained withholding of removal protection from a U.S. immigration judge.

The informed official told Reuters that the initial flight to Central African Republic under this arrangement would transport approximately 20 individuals, including people from Syria and Afghanistan. The attorneys indicated the aircraft could depart as soon as Thursday.

An additional source with knowledge of the arrangements mentioned that one person from Turkey was also scheduled for deportation.

The current administration has utilized third-country deportation agreements, including one with Central African Republic’s neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, which is currently dealing with an Ebola outbreak, to remove individuals who cannot legally be returned to their home countries.

Washington has maintained these agreements are legal, though advocacy organizations and rights groups have criticized the lack of transparency in the deals and noted that many deportees are eventually sent back to their countries of origin.

The United States and Israel conducted extensive military strikes against Iran in late February, beginning what is now a three-month conflict.

In April, U.S. President Donald Trump stated to reporters that he believed Iranian citizens should revolt against their government if a ceasefire was reached, but acknowledged it would be too dangerous for them to attempt.

According to the briefed official, those deported will be housed in residential facilities in Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic, and are not expected to be immediately returned to their home countries.

The official added that the agreement could ultimately result in hundreds of migrants being sent to the country.

The New York Times first reported the Iranian deportation plan earlier on Thursday.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced last week that all individuals facing deportation would receive complete due process protections.

A representative from the International Organization for Migration stated the organization would “provide post-arrival humanitarian assistance” to migrants sent to Bangui, following a request from the Central African government.

The representative emphasized that the IOM was not participating in the removal process and would offer aid “on a strictly voluntary basis and respecting applicable international standards.”

This year, the United States provided $85 million to the IOM for its operations in Central African Republic.

The nation has experienced continuous periods of conflict since gaining independence from France in 1960, resulting in widespread poverty affecting most of its 5.5 million residents.

Rwanda sent military forces five years ago to prevent rebel groups from disrupting elections and continues to maintain troops in the country. President Faustin-Archange Touadera has signed peace agreements this year with multiple rebel organizations, leading to decreased violence in certain areas.

WASHINGTON — From a distance, the massive structure resembles something from outer space rather than a fighting venue.

Perhaps it appears to be the type of spacecraft that might transport extraterrestrials to the White House for a diplomatic encounter with the nation’s commander-in-chief.

However, upon closer inspection, the outline of an eight-sided fighting cage becomes clear, measuring 30 feet (9 meters) across and designed with meticulous detail to mirror the MMA organization’s iconic Octagon. Essentially, it resembles a STOP sign turned on its side, complete with mesh barriers and cushioned edges displaying various corporate sponsor names: Morgan & Morgan, Bud Light, Dodge Ram, Corona Extra and Polymarket, which calls itself the globe’s biggest prediction market.

Above it all towers The Claw, a four-sided structure that stretches over 90 feet (27 meters) skyward and contains lighting equipment, sound systems, thick cables and four massive screens so spectators seated away from the Octagon can watch the combat action taking place inside the cage.

Picture the four-pronged mechanical device that attempts to grab plush toys at an arcade game rather than feline appendages — explaining the otherworldly appearance.

Encircling this setup are bleachers packed with gray folding seats creating a makeshift venue designed to accommodate more than 4,000 spectators for the seven UFC matches scheduled for Sunday in honor of President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and the 250th anniversary of when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

For those unfamiliar with UFC, this entire scene might seem bewildering regardless of the setting. However, the temporary venue spans almost the complete White House South Lawn, the same space where Marine One typically touches down to transport the president on out-of-state journeys and where countless children hunt for eggs during the annual Easter celebration each spring.

Over $60 million and countless work hours have been invested in constructing the arena, based on a court document filed by the National Park Service, which manages the South Lawn and is defending against a legal challenge aimed at stopping the event.

The White House indicates the UFC is funding the expenses, although the filing reveals that seven government departments — including the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Aviation Administration — have “allocated significant resources and manpower.”

Combat athletes, their teams and various support personnel are anticipated to occupy the driveway and portions of the West Wing when not competing. They will access the arena through covered walkways leading directly to the Octagon.

Both the fighters and regular attendees of Sunday’s event will enjoy scenic views of the White House Executive Residence and the historic Truman Balcony on one side, with the Washington Monument rising in the background on the other. The entire scene will be enhanced by rotating spotlights, and possibly even perspiration and blood from the athletes battling each other.

A full schedule of preliminary events includes a media conference at the Lincoln Memorial featuring UFC chief Dana White and the competitors on Friday evening.

Additionally, a formal weigh-in ceremony for the fighters will take place Saturday at the Ellipse, a park adjacent to the White House where event organizers anticipate over 120,000 visitors will view Sunday evening’s competition on large screens after receiving complimentary tickets through a lottery system.

Stunt performer Travis Pastrana is scheduled to execute a potentially dangerous backflip on a motorcycle on the White House grounds as part of the opening entertainment.

The president has described the Octagon and its Claw as “quite attractive to a lot of people.” He has even hinted that the temporary installation might remain permanently, similar to the Eiffel Tower, which he points out was initially constructed for the 1889 World’s Fair but was never dismantled.

Whether the president is serious about this proposal remains unclear.

Construction of the arena commenced May 20 and has progressed for several weeks. During a media tour on Thursday, building sounds — especially grinding and pounding — were audible. Massive cranes were moving materials overhead, though those were for the $400 million ballroom the president is constructing in the vicinity, not for the UFC event.

The remaining grass areas around the arena, on other sections of the White House grounds, have been equipped with additional lighting. However, the lawn that typically exists between the White House and the arena’s bleacher area has been removed, leaving only bare soil that will require new sod installation once the event concludes — unless the president actually decides to make the arena a permanent fixture.

A large Freedom 250 emblem has been positioned between the White House and the arena. In the area, workers removed tables and yellow umbrellas from the president’s renovated Rose Garden and were pressure-cleaning that section, along with the walkway to the Oval Office, in advance of the fights.

Sunday’s program begins at 8 p.m. ET. As evening approaches, workers will light up The Claw in patriotic colors, and the array of lights will create projections making it appear as if the entire framework is wrapped in a spinning American flag design.

Weather predictions indicate hot and humid conditions with potential thunderstorms. The bottom of The Claw’s tower includes overhead protection that should keep the fighters relatively dry if precipitation occurs — and the president will likely observe from a sheltered, covered location.

However, all other attendees would almost certainly become soaked.

White has promised that even severe lightning — when The Claw could become an obvious target for electrical strikes — would not cancel the program.

“I don’t care if it snows,” White stated.

A federal magistrate judge has cleared a Democratic congressional hopeful of criminal charges stemming from his participation in an immigration protest in New York City last fall.

Brad Lander walked free Thursday after U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo found him not guilty of obstruction charges related to his September arrest at a building housing immigration courts.

Ricardo announced his decision following a day-long trial in Manhattan, stating “I find the defendant not guilty” after delivering a detailed review of the case evidence and Lander’s testimony. The candidate embraced his legal team enthusiastically once the proceedings concluded.

Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, Lander, who is running against U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman in the Democratic primary, praised the judge’s careful examination of the case.

“I feel genuinely moved by the rule of law,” Lander remarked, describing it as fortunate to live where citizens can successfully challenge government overreach when facing improper charges.

The candidate expressed hope that immigrants at risk of deportation could access the same caliber of legal representation and court access he received.

Government attorneys had contended that Lander blocked an elevator on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza by sitting in front of it for approximately 20 to 25 minutes on Sept. 18, 2025. However, Ricardo determined prosecutors couldn’t demonstrate that Lander meant to obstruct the elevators or was uncooperative when federal officers provided contradictory directions to demonstrators.

Prosecutors’ representatives declined to provide statements Thursday.

During the previous day’s proceedings, Lander took the stand in his defense, stating he never meant to disrupt elevator operations in the lower Manhattan facility that accommodates 40 federal offices, including the FBI.

The former city comptroller and associate of Mayor Zohran Mamdani testified that no one instructed him to move away from the elevator or indicated he was causing an obstruction before his detention.

Following his arrest, he turned down a plea agreement that would have dropped the misdemeanor obstruction charge after six months.

This wasn’t Lander’s first legal trouble related to immigration activism. The former mayoral candidate was also detained in June 2025 at a Manhattan immigration court after linking arms with someone officials were attempting to apprehend, though no charges resulted from that incident.

Political advertising spending for November’s midterm elections is expected to reach an unprecedented $11.6 billion, setting a new benchmark for any election cycle, according to data released Thursday by advertising tracking company AdImpact.

This projection surpasses the previous high of $11.2 billion from the 2024 presidential election and significantly exceeds the $8.9 billion from the 2022 midterms. The figure also represents an increase from AdImpact’s September estimate of $10.8 billion.

With Republicans holding narrow control of both chambers of Congress, they face challenges from elevated cost of living concerns and President Donald Trump’s declining approval numbers. While Democrats appear positioned to regain House control, their Senate prospects remain more challenging. Campaign dollars are concentrating on the handful of competitive contests that will determine which party controls Congress.

AdImpact attributes the record-breaking spending forecast primarily to anticipated advertising surges in hotly contested Senate and gubernatorial battles across Ohio, Alaska, and Iowa, plus tight Senate competitions in Texas and Maine.

Ohio leads the spending surge with projected outlays now reaching $749 million, representing a $309 million jump from earlier predictions, according to AdImpact. The state features Democrat Sherrod Brown competing against Republican Senator Jon Husted alongside a competitive governor’s race.

Texas follows with the second-largest spending increase, where projections climbed $288 million to reach $850 million total. Maine rounds out the top increases with advertising expenditures now forecast at $491 million, up $185 million from previous estimates.

The Texas Senate race gained intensity after Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated four-term incumbent Senator John Cornyn in an expensive Republican primary last month. Paxton now faces Democratic state Representative James Talarico in what analysts expect could become one of history’s most costly political contests.

Maine’s Senate battle features Democratic newcomer Graham Platner, who has encountered criticism regarding past online content, a Nazi-associated tattoo, and accusations of inappropriate text messages to women. Platner is anticipated to challenge sitting Republican Senator Susan Collins in another potentially expensive showdown.

WASHINGTON, June 11 (Reuters) – The head of U.S. Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, stood behind the Trump administration’s visa rejection decisions on Thursday as this week marked the start of the World Cup tournament. He indicated that discussions had taken place with FIFA leadership while refusing to provide details about individual visa situations.

WASHINGTON — Officials have postponed the debut of a new international bridge spanning the Detroit River after President Donald Trump had previously threatened to prevent its opening due to unresolved matters.

The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority announced Thursday, just one day before a planned ribbon-cutting event, that both nations have decided to postpone the bridge’s launch to allow additional time for addressing remaining concerns.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge represents a joint venture between Canada and Michigan, with traffic expected to begin flowing across it before the end of this month.

Uncertainty surrounding the bridge’s debut had persisted for several months following Trump’s February ultimatum demanding Canada transfer no less than half of the bridge’s ownership to the federal government, along with meeting other undisclosed conditions as part of his ongoing disputes regarding international trade matters.

This week’s distribution of opening ceremony invitations followed discussions between Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.

Bobby Leddy, a spokesperson for Whitmer, stated: “This project is a powerful example of bipartisan and international cooperation, and the governor looks forward to attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony when it happens.”

A recent national survey shows limited public support for President Donald Trump’s proposal to stage mixed martial arts competition at the White House, with most Americans expressing disapproval of the controversial plan.

According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, merely 16% of respondents believe it would be suitable for Trump to organize the Ultimate Fighting Championship event, which is set to coincide with his 80th birthday celebration. Nearly half of those surveyed, 46%, deemed the idea unsuitable, while the remainder provided no response.

Republican support proved surprisingly weak, with only 31% backing the proposal despite Trump maintaining approximately 80% approval among party members for his presidential performance overall, the six-day survey that ended Monday revealed.

The mixed martial arts event represents part of Trump’s broader series of public festivities commemorating the 250th anniversary of America’s independence declaration from Britain on July 4, 1776. These planned celebrations have generated debate, with multiple musical acts withdrawing from the opening ceremony due to concerns about Trump’s involvement.

On Tuesday, Trump’s legal team requested a federal judge dismiss attempts to block the UFC competition after area residents challenged the event, claiming sporting activities violate South Lawn regulations and the massive metal structure being built for the matches lacks proper permits.

The competition will feature athletes wearing minimally padded gloves who will strike opponents using hands, feet, knees and elbows within a 92-foot-tall octagon-shaped enclosure.

Survey data showed 18% of respondents identified as mixed martial arts enthusiasts, trailing behind basketball fans at 31% and slightly ahead of U.S. soccer followers at 16%.

The nationwide online Reuters/Ipsos survey included 4,531 American adults and carried a 2 percentage point margin of error.

Trump’s relationship with UFC extends to the early 2000s, when he permitted events at his now-defunct Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. UFC Chief Executive Dana White maintains a close relationship with Trump.

MIAMI (AP) — During a late March evening, an officer with Florida’s Fish and Wildlife department approached a Guatemalan husband and wife as they walked their pet through a park in the wealthy Gulf Coast town of Bonita Springs. Without leaving his vehicle, the officer requested the man’s identification documents and directed the pair to walk toward the park’s entrance, the woman recalled.

Upon reaching the parking area, the officer placed the husband under arrest using what his wife described as fabricated charges. The woman agreed to speak with The Associated Press anonymously to protect herself and her 48-year-old spouse from potential detention and to safeguard their ongoing asylum proceedings.

“The officer claimed he was writing a citation because our dog had attacked him, which was impossible since he never stepped out of his vehicle,” the woman explained. “He began making phone calls, placed my husband under arrest, and we waited for 40 minutes” until federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived to transport her husband.

While Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts have faced strong opposition in Democratic-controlled sanctuary jurisdictions—where law enforcement is prohibited from cooperating, political leaders have resisted, and community members have attempted to shield immigrant residents through warning signals, video documentation, and confronting masked federal operatives seen by many as occupying forces—the situation differs significantly in Republican-controlled Florida.

In the Sunshine State, 347 state and municipal agencies have agreed to participate in the enforcement campaign, resulting in a massive increase in immigration detentions. Participating organizations include police forces and sheriff’s offices, the Florida National Guard and Highway Patrol, along with seemingly unexpected participants like the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Florida Lottery.

The dramatic increase in Florida’s immigration detentions during Trump’s current presidency has remained largely hidden from public view, as many begin as routine police encounters like traffic violations, the public appears more accepting of the program, and cooperating state and local departments are consistently denying requests for detention records and body camera footage following instructions from the Department of Homeland Security.

Data shows that approximately 39,000 immigrants were detained in Florida during the 416-day span from Jan. 20, 2025—when President Donald Trump began his second presidency—through March 11, 2026, the most recent date available in information provided to the University of California, Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project and examined by the AP. The previous 416 days under the Biden administration saw 11,088 detentions. Florida averaged 93 daily detentions during the Trump period, ranking second only to Texas’s 239, which borders Mexico along the nation’s longest international boundary.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has promoted Florida’s collaboration with ICE through what are known as 287(g) agreements, which grant immigration enforcement authority to state and local law enforcement departments, enabling them to question immigrants in their custody and hold them for potential deportation. Experts indicate these officers face pressure to produce results.

“Numerous officers have received deputization and immigration authority, and they are actively seeking targets,” explained immigration lawyer Vilerka Bilbao, who represents no fewer than 23 clients detained by local police in the Jacksonville region. “They are detaining anyone they can—they must demonstrate results to DeSantis and federal authorities.”

Officers conduct vehicle stops using a “pretext reason”—like a damaged taillight or excessively dark window tinting—”and subsequently you find yourself in ICE detention,” Bilbao explained.

On Feb. 15, Lee County sheriff’s officers detained a 44-year-old Guatemalan man along with his 21-year-old son near Fort Myers. The deputies confronted the pair in a retail parking lot, claiming their license plate had expired and demanding they exit their vehicle despite the tags remaining valid until March 25, according to the older man’s spouse and the younger man’s mother.

The 40-year-old Guatemalan asylum-seeker, who requested anonymity for her family due to safety concerns for herself and her three remaining children in Florida, reported that her husband and adult son were detained and sent back to Guatemala one week later, abandoning her, her two minor sons, and her daughter, who holds American citizenship.

She explained that both her husband and adult son had active immigration court proceedings but were detained regardless. Her husband had appeared at three immigration hearings but missed one scheduled in Miami, approximately 120 miles (193 kilometers) south of Fort Myers, because he lacked transportation funds. Her son was pursuing asylum, possessed a valid driver’s license, and held a work authorization.

DHS contests that the man and his son were legally present in the U.S., stating they entered the border unlawfully in 2017 and received a final removal order in 2019.

Regarding the dog-walking incident, DHS stated the man was arrested due to having two final removal orders.

In both situations, the Florida departments that conducted the initial stops—the Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office—declined to provide arrest documentation and body camera recordings to the AP, stating that ICE requires them to direct all inquiries regarding immigration arrests to federal authorities.

ICE and DHS, its oversight agency, refused to provide the arrest documentation and body camera footage, with DHS stating: “We are not going to disclose law enforcement sensitive intelligence.”

An ICE directive distributed to the 287(g) partners in Florida specifies that “information obtained or developed” through the agreements remains “under the control of ICE” and cannot be disclosed without federal authorization.

The directive seems to conflict with Florida’s established Sunshine Law, enacted in 1967, which assumes records are publicly accessible unless specifically exempted. However, the conservative state Legislature has created additional exceptions in recent years.

While Florida leads in partnering with the enforcement campaign, establishing the “Alligator Alcatraz” and “Deportation Depot” immigration detention facilities within the past year, participation in the 287(g) program has exploded, expanding from 135 agreements across 20 states before Trump’s second term to over 1,700 across 41 states and territories.

DHS has announced financial incentives for state and local law enforcement departments, including salary reimbursement. These benefits include up to $7,500 for equipment per participating officer in the agreements, and up to $100,000 for agencies to acquire new vehicles.

A defendant facing charges in the political killings of Minnesota’s top Democratic House leader and her spouse is scheduled to appear in federal court Thursday to modify his not-guilty plea, following prosecutors’ announcement that they will not pursue capital punishment.

The Minneapolis U.S. attorney’s office informed the court Wednesday that the Justice Department will not seek the death penalty against Vance Boelter under the terms of a proposed plea deal. Boelter’s legal team has not yet responded to requests for comment, and the court documents did not reveal specifics about the agreement’s conditions.

Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, along with state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, were attacked by a gunman who arrived at their residences in the early morning hours of June 14, 2025. The assailant was dressed as a police officer and used a counterfeit patrol vehicle. The Hortmans’ golden retriever sustained such severe injuries that the animal had to be put down.

Boelter, age 58, was apprehended near his residence in rural Green Isle the following evening after what authorities described as Minnesota’s most extensive manhunt for a criminal suspect. He is facing both federal and state charges including murder, attempted murder, and additional offenses. His state prosecution has been suspended while federal charges are resolved.

Minnesota eliminated the death penalty in 1911 and has no history of federal capital cases. Daniel Borgertpoepping, a spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, indicated the federal plea arrangement would not impact Boelter’s state charges.

Although the Trump administration has advocated for expanded use of capital punishment, there were uncertainties about whether Boelter’s case would meet federal death penalty criteria.

Authorities have characterized the shootings as politically motivated. When announcing the federal charges in July, they disclosed a lengthy handwritten note they claim Boelter sent to FBI Director Kash Patel admitting to the attacks. The letter, however, did not clearly explain his reasons for targeting the Hortmans or Hoffmans.

In communications with news outlets, Boelter mentioned a vague and mysterious “investigation” he claimed to be conducting, sometimes suggesting it related to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Acquaintances characterized Boelter as an evangelical Christian who occasionally served as a preacher and missionary, held politically conservative beliefs, and had been experiencing employment difficulties.

John Hoffman stated in a lawsuit filed against Boelter in April that his left arm and hand would likely never fully heal, and that he also sustained permanent damage to his digestive and urinary systems.

Yvette Hoffman was left with lasting physical impairment, according to the lawsuit, while their adult daughter, Hope Hoffman, who witnessed the attack and contacted 911 but was not shot, experienced severe psychological trauma.

A New Mexico district court judge was set to hear arguments Thursday in a legal challenge targeting the state’s pioneering universal childcare initiative, which aims to provide free daycare services to all working families.

Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Duke Rodriguez and additional plaintiffs filed the lawsuit questioning the authority used by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration to remove income limits and co-payment requirements for childcare assistance without first securing legislative approval or funding authorization.

“This is executive overreach. The program was launched unlawfully,” Rodriguez stated. Rodriguez was unsuccessful in securing his party’s nomination during New Mexico’s recent primary election.

State childcare officials reject these claims, contending in legal documents that legislators have subsequently “expressly authorized” and provided funding for the program expansion, making the legal challenge irrelevant. In February, Lujan Grisham approved legislation that formally established the program in state law, contingent on maintaining adequate state finances.

District Judge Elaine Lujan may deliver a decision Thursday regarding whether the legal challenge can move forward. Any temporary suspension of the program would force thousands of New Mexican families to resume paying for daycare services and create operational difficulties for businesses.

Ilene Harding, who operates seven daycare facilities in the Albuquerque region, reported that the program expansion has increased enrollment numbers and simplified the billing process.

“We’ve always been financially solvent, but it’s given us stability,” Harding commented.

This legal battle emerges as New Mexico works to establish itself as the first state in the nation to provide daycare coverage for all working families without income restrictions. The implications reach beyond state borders as officials from New York to California seek effective approaches to lower family costs and increase public childcare investment.

New Mexico’s initiative, funded primarily through state oil and gas production revenues, ranked among the country’s most generous programs even before the November expansion, eliminating fees for families earning up to 400% of the federal poverty threshold, approximately $132,000 annually for a four-person household.

State legislative analysts have already questioned the long-term viability of New Mexico’s expanded initiative, noting earlier this year that the state Early Childhood Education and Care Department began exceeding spending projections just weeks after the November implementation.

The state department confirmed at that time that participation levels exceeded projections, resulting in increased expenses, but challenged claims that it had surpassed its allocated budget.

WASHINGTON — A critical intelligence-gathering program faces potential shutdown as President Donald Trump continues backing his controversial temporary choice to lead the nation’s spy agencies despite widespread opposition from both parties in Congress.

Trump remains committed to Bill Pulte, currently a federal housing finance regulator, as his interim selection for director of national intelligence, despite Pulte’s limited background in intelligence work. Democratic leaders have declared they will block renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, commonly called FISA, until Trump removes Pulte and selects a permanent nominee.

Congressional leaders plan to attempt passage of a temporary FISA extension Thursday morning in the House, though success appears doubtful. Senate leadership may also pursue similar action to avoid what would be an historic interruption of the surveillance authority.

This standoff threatens to restrict American intelligence collection capabilities overseas just as World Cup matches commence in various U.S. cities and before upcoming celebrations marking the country’s 250th birthday. The current authorization ends Friday at midnight.

“We can’t let them extort us,” Trump said of Democrats.

Trump has maintained his support for Pulte as interim leader, ignoring legislative pressure for a more experienced candidate. He requested Congress approve a temporary law extension to “provide time for the selection and confirmation” of a permanent director. He indicated his intention for Pulte to begin reducing the size of intelligence organizations.

Both political sides have assigned responsibility for the possible disruption of what many consider a vital, though long-contested, surveillance capability for national security.

“We’re going to ask every member here to do the right thing,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “We cannot allow that to go dark.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries stated that if Trump desires consideration of a temporary extension, he must withdraw the Pulte nomination. Pulte represents a “disgraceful individual” and a “partisan political hack” who lacks proper qualifications for the role, Jeffries declared.

Republican congressional members have pressured Trump throughout the week to swiftly nominate a permanent successor. However, he maintains he requires additional time for the decision.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., indicated Republican leadership has “made our views known” to the White House.

Trump has revealed he is conducting interviews with five potential candidates for the permanent agency leadership position, following the departure of Tulsi Gabbard.

Johnson explained the president has clearly communicated that Pulte will fulfill a “very short term — a sort of renovation role” to help the Office of the Director of National Intelligence undergo “renovation and downsizing.”

However, Democratic members of the House Intelligence Committee, headed by Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, wrote to the president describing Pulte as a “uniquely poor choice” even for temporary service.

Lawmakers from both parties who question Pulte have highlighted his absence of intelligence background and his tenure at the Federal Housing Finance Agency. In that role, he has been connected to criminal referrals regarding alleged mortgage fraud by public officials Trump aimed to target, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat; Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; and Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve board member.

“He has distinguished himself only as someone who will do or say anything to stay in your good graces,” Himes and fellow lawmakers stated, “qualities that are precisely the opposite of what our nation needs.”

Section 702 of FISA permits organizations like the CIA, National Security Agency and FBI to gather communications from foreign subjects abroad without obtaining warrants.

Although legislators from both parties citing privacy concerns have historically sought to restrict this power, broad bipartisan agreement existed for renewal, particularly after Republicans and Democrats recently negotiated a compromise measure.

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the leading Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, has collaborated with Republicans on the compromise legislation for renewing the authority. Yet he described Pulte’s selection to succeed Gabbard as “a live hand grenade” disrupting the proceedings.

Warner stated his sole condition for supporting a temporary surveillance law extension would be having the principal deputy director of national intelligence, Aaron Lukas, serve as acting leader throughout that extension period.

Sen. Tom Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, have cautioned the administration that the surveillance capability will likely expire.

The administration should prepare “for a potential significant gap in foreign intelligence collection,” they stated in correspondence.

Following bipartisan resistance to Pulte’s temporary selection, Trump announced last week he would not permanently nominate him for the position. Yet Democrats, along with some Republicans, demand immediate withdrawal of his appointment and Trump’s nomination of a replacement confirmable by the Senate.

On Tuesday, however, Trump revealed that Pulte would not only assume acting director duties — he would also begin earlier than anticipated, on June 19.

Among several possible successors could be Pete Hoekstra, Trump’s ambassador to Canada and former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. The White House has contacted Hoekstra regarding the position and discussions continue, according to someone familiar with the outreach who requested anonymity to discuss the private conversations.

A recent Democratic primary contest in California’s Central Valley represented more than just another battle between the party’s progressive faction and moderate establishment forces.

The race was ultimately won by populist candidate Randy Villegas, but what makes this outcome significant is what happens next.

Rather than competing for a safely Democratic seat, Villegas will now face Republican Rep. David Valadao in November, representing one of the Democratic Party’s best opportunities to regain control of the U.S. House and counter President Donald Trump’s agenda.

The upcoming November election will put to the test a theory embraced by the political left: that voters will rally behind progressive, anti-establishment candidates even in areas that have historically leaned Republican.

“A populist message isn’t just for blue districts or certain parts of the country,” said Ravi Mangla, a spokesperson for the Working Families Party, one of the progressive groups that backed Villegas. “It can win anywhere people feel like politics is not working for them.”

“More than ever, voters across the political spectrum want candidates who are willing to stand up to power,” Mangla said.

The National Republican Congressional Committee has written off Villegas’ prospects, despite recent redistricting by state Democratic leaders that was designed to make the seat more competitive this cycle.

“Democrats know Villegas can’t beat Congressman David Valadao, as he embraces the same failed policies that have made California more expensive, less safe, and harder for working families in the Central Valley,” said spokesperson Christian Martinez.

Villegas’ win reflects a broader pattern this election cycle where significant portions of the Democratic base are turning away from candidates that party leadership views as having the best chances of winning Congressional seats.

In Maine this week, Graham Platner secured a decisive victory in the Democratic Senate primary after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s preferred choice, the governor, withdrew from the race due to weak support just weeks before the election.

Platner, a combat veteran and oyster farmer who has never served in elected office, has faced scrutiny over past relationships with women, controversial social media posts, and a now-covered tattoo that has been identified as a Nazi symbol.

Michigan presents another battleground where Rep. Haley Stevens finds herself in a three-candidate fight for the Democratic Senate nomination against state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and progressive favorite Abdul El-Sayed. With the primary scheduled for Aug. 4, El-Sayed recently gained momentum by securing a major endorsement from the United Auto Workers union, a significant political force in the state that serves as the heart of America’s automotive industry.

Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race features progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan locked in intense competition with U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, who has garnered backing from labor organizations, LGBTQ advocacy groups, and centrist Democrats before the Aug. 11 primary.

Colorado will provide another crucial test on June 30, where progressive Manny Rutinel will compete against establishment-supported Shannon Bird in the Democratic primary to challenge Republican Rep. Gabe Evans. Similar to Valadao, Evans represents a priority target for Democrats, and like the California contest, the Colorado race centers on debates over electability in the general election.

In California’s primary system, Valadao placed first while Villegas came in second, with both advancing to the general election as the top two vote-getters.

About a month before primary voting commenced, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee made an unusual public endorsement of Jasmeet Bains, a physician and state Assembly member who had secured endorsements from numerous elected officials, labor unions, and healthcare organizations.

“Dr. Jasmeet Bains has fought on the frontlines of health crises and built a track record of delivering for the Central Valley,” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene said in a statement at the time. While she refrained from criticizing Villegas directly, the public backing of his opponent sent a clear message to Democratic donors and activists that party leadership considered Bains the stronger contender. It’s rare for Congressional leadership and the party infrastructure to openly intervene in competitive primaries for open seats.

The choice to support Bains angered many progressive activists, who viewed it as yet another instance of Washington establishment figures being disconnected from both the Democratic grassroots and frustrated voters who contributed to Trump’s electoral successes.

“I think the moderates are wrong. People don’t want status quo, pro-corporate candidates,” said Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of Our Revolution, a progressive organization that emerged from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. “They want people who are going to shake things up.”

Following Villegas’ victory, Washington Democrats are now expressing confidence in his candidacy and his ability to defeat Valadao. They highlight the grassroots enthusiasm that carried him through the primary and note that Democratic candidates collectively received 59% of primary votes compared to Valadao’s 41%, though general election turnout is expected to be much higher.

Any friction between Villegas and party officials appears to have been resolved by Wednesday, with both sides presenting a unified message. California Congressional members, including some who had previously supported Bains, released enthusiastic endorsements, while Villegas responded graciously.

“We’re all in to elect Randy and flip this seat,” said Anna Elsasser, a spokesperson for the DCCC, the Democratic Party’s House campaign arm. The district represents “a must-win seat for the House majority, and we are confident in winning with Randy as the Democratic nominee,” she added.

An elaborate UFC event planned for this weekend on the White House South Lawn has demanded extensive coordination from more than seven federal agencies, hundreds of daily workers, and a minimum of $60 million in expenses, court documents reveal.

The mixed martial arts spectacle forms part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration, with seven fights scheduled for Sunday as the centerpiece attraction.

However, the event could face cancellation if a federal judge grants a request from two Virginia residents who have sued the National Park Service, the agency responsible for overseeing the South Lawn.

In a Tuesday court filing responding to the lawsuit, the agency outlined the massive scope of preparations for the event.

“Well over $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor have been expended,” the filing stated, noting that the UFC and its associated organizations provided the funding.

The centerpiece of the constructed arena features the traditional eight-sided cage where fighters will compete, sometimes resulting in bloodied contestants.

Organizers expect 4,000 spectators in the arena itself, while an additional 120,000 visitors who secured tickets through an online lottery system will view the action from the nearby Ellipse.

Construction activities commenced on May 20, with the Secret Service collaborating with the UFC to inspect between 20 and 30 equipment trucks and screen “700 and 900” personnel arriving daily for setup operations.

While the filing doesn’t detail specific government expenditures, it notes that seven agencies, including Homeland Security and the Federal Aviation Administration, have “allocated significant resources and manpower.”

Weekend festivities begin Saturday with an official weigh-in ceremony at the Ellipse, followed by a performance from country music act Zac Brown Band.

Throughout the weekend, a UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest will feature “interactive experiences,” live performances, celebrity appearances, “exclusive on-stage moments,” meet and greets, live music and athlete interviews.

The seven competitive matches are set for Sunday evening. Following the event’s conclusion, the president plans to depart for France to attend the G7 summit.

Teardown operations will commence the following day, with complete removal expected by June 23.

Fourteen fighters will participate, following intense preparation regimens that begin months ahead of competition, culminating in severe weight reduction and dietary modifications during the final week, including fasting, extended sauna sessions and hot Epsom salt baths.

Competitors may shed up to 20 pounds before official weigh-ins, a process intended to ensure fair competition between athletes of similar weight classes.

The Public Integrity Project filed the lawsuit Saturday representing the two Virginia residents, contending that the president’s event approval violates National Park Service rules that prohibit sporting competitions on federal parkland.

Attorney Brendan Ballou described the event as a “corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain.”

The National Park Service disputed this characterization while detailing the event’s extensive preparations to emphasize potential consequences.

“All these hopes could be dashed at the very last moment,” the agency wrote, “by the whim of two people who believe they have superior taste and want to spoil the event for everyone else.”

Florida’s highest court has refused to halt a controversial congressional map drawn by Republicans, clearing the way for its use in this November’s midterm elections.

The state Supreme Court issued a 6-1 ruling Wednesday that allows the disputed map to remain in effect, potentially giving Republicans a significant advantage in their battle to maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The contested redistricting plan could result in flipping up to four seats currently held by Democrats. With candidate filing deadlines approaching Friday and primary elections set for August, the court’s decision virtually ensures the map will be used for this fall’s contests.

The justices determined they lacked authority to step in while the case continues working its way through a lower appeals court.

Democratic challengers argue the new boundaries violate state constitutional rules that prohibit drawing district lines to favor one political party over another – a practice called partisan gerrymandering. They had requested the Supreme Court freeze the map and require officials to use the prior version while litigation proceeds.

This redistricting battle represents part of a broader national trend that began last summer when President Donald Trump encouraged Texas Republicans to implement new, more favorable district lines. The move sparked an unusual mid-decade redistricting push, even though such boundary changes typically happen only once every ten years following the census.

Both Republican and Democratic-controlled states have since pursued similar efforts to redraw districts for political gain.

Florida Republicans gave final approval to their new map in late April, coinciding with a U.S. Supreme Court decision that weakened Voting Rights Act protections for districts with substantial racial minority populations. Multiple Republican-led Southern states quickly moved to take advantage of that ruling by removing majority or near-majority Black districts, which tend to support Democratic candidates.

These combined redistricting efforts have given Republicans an overall edge in the national map-drawing battle, although Democrats could still win House control due to President Trump’s low approval numbers.

Genesis Robinson, who leads the advocacy organization Equal Ground that brought the lawsuit, criticized the court’s action. “The Florida Supreme Court’s failure to stop this brazen partisan power grab is not only an assault on democracy, but an abdication of its duty to the people of Florida,” Robinson stated.

Republicans currently control 20 of Florida’s 28 House seats.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates appeared before congressional investigators on Capitol Hill to discuss his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. During his testimony to House lawmakers, Gates stated he had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities.

WASHINGTON — Federal officials are proposing an aggressive construction timeline that would involve nearly round-the-clock work to build President Donald Trump’s massive triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial, according to a new National Park Service evaluation.

The proposed structure would stand 250 feet tall and require construction crews to work in two 10-hour shifts daily throughout the year to meet the administration’s three-year completion goal, the preliminary Park Service analysis reveals.

Building the monument would demand tower cranes reaching heights of 320 feet, along with forklifts, concrete pumping systems and other heavy machinery. The finished arch would tower more than double the height of the nearby Lincoln Memorial, according to the 24-page assessment released last week.

The evaluation was made public as part of an expedited historic preservation review that commenced Friday. The National Park Service manages the federal land where officials want to construct the arch.

Last week, the National Capital Planning Commission decided to request additional details from the Interior Department, which supervises the park service. This decision effectively allows the project to move forward while officials examine potential impacts on aviation and other construction-related concerns including area traffic patterns.

The June 4 decision followed almost three hours of public testimony from approximately 20 citizens, including representatives from historical and architectural groups. Most speakers voiced opposition to the arch, which represents one of multiple projects the Republican president is advancing to establish his legacy in Washington.

Site surveys and testing at the proposed location started last month, with other approvals currently in progress. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which reviews designs but has no authority over actual construction or project funding, has given its approval to the arch’s design.

The capital planning commission wants more justification for the monument’s proposed height, plus additional information about illumination plans, stormwater management and visitor traffic and parking arrangements.

The selected location sits across the Potomac River from the memorial and lies within a flight corridor near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday it is examining whether the structure’s planned height could threaten aircraft operations in the vicinity. Last year, an American Airlines aircraft and an Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed in the busy airspace near the airport, resulting in 67 deaths.

The FAA analysis “found no adverse impacts to operations” at Reagan Airport from the proposed monument, but concluded that red obstruction lights would be required at the structure’s peak — a standard safety measure, according to spokesman Donnell Evans. The FAA plans to conduct a comprehensive aeronautical study working with the National Park Service, he added.

In its documentation, the park service stated that federally mandated aviation safety lighting would be built into the arch design “using the least intrusive technology available, ensuring compliance with aircraft visibility requirements while limiting unnecessary light emission.”

Will Scharf, who previously worked as Trump’s White House staff secretary, leads the commission and has expressed his view that federal height restrictions for new Washington construction should not cover the arch. Current law caps most building construction in Washington at 130 feet maximum.

Opponents contend the arch would overwhelm the skyline and interfere with the intentionally planned sightlines connecting the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The structure would exceed twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial at 99 feet and reach nearly half the elevation of the Washington Monument at approximately 555 feet.

Trump has advocated for the 250-foot monument to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, stating the project could be funded through private contributions remaining from the new White House ballroom construction. The White House East Wing was torn down to accommodate the large ballroom.

Officials are still developing cost projections for the arch, though a combination of public and private funding is anticipated. A coalition of veterans and a historian have filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking to halt the project due to concerns about visual disruptions.

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut has criticized the administration for what he termed its “persistent lack of transparency” in promoting Trump’s Washington-area building initiatives. Along with the planned ballroom, Trump is also updating the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool and reconstructing a public golf course along the Potomac River. None of these projects have undergone standard legal reviews or Congressional oversight.

“Your disregard for legal process and public interest has been apparent in projects ranging from the construction of a White House Ballroom and triumphal arch to the resealing of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool,” Blumenthal stated in a Tuesday letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acting park service director Jessica Bowron.

WASHINGTON — A pair of prominent Republican House members are scheduled to hold discussions with Taiwan’s opposition party leader during her Washington visit this week, as China closely watches the Trump administration’s approach toward the island territory that Beijing claims as its own.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., and Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., have arranged meetings with Cheng Li-wun, who heads the Kuomingtang Party and advocates for peaceful reunification between Taiwan and Beijing.

During an interview, Mast explained he had no particular agenda for his session with Cheng, noting that as Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, “I take intelligence from anywhere I can get.”

A representative for Kim, who chairs a subcommittee focused on East Asian policy matters, indicated the congresswoman intends to urge Cheng and her political party to back increased defense expenditures as an “important demonstration of Taiwan’s commitment to self-defense and deterrence.”

Last month, Taiwan’s opposition-dominated legislature approved a $25 billion emergency defense budget designated for significant U.S. weapons acquisitions. Officials in the Trump administration voiced frustration that the final approved sum represents a substantial decrease from Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s initial $40 billion request.

Kim additionally seeks to address Cheng’s April meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and “seek greater clarity on the substance of those discussions,” according to Ellie Gilchrist, the congresswoman’s spokesperson.

Cheng’s Washington trip occurs while President Donald Trump publicly contemplates the possibility of conducting a direct conversation with his Taiwanese counterpart.

The U.S. president has suggested his desire to communicate with Lai while his administration weighs whether to proceed with a $14 billion weapons sale to Taipei that received congressional approval earlier this year but remains suspended.

Trump stated last month upon his return to the U.S. from China that he plans to speak with Lai, which would mark the first direct communication between current U.S. and Taiwanese presidents in multiple decades. China has opposed such contact.

“I’ll always talk to him,” Trump informed reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday when questioned about whether he continues to consider a telephone conversation with Lai.

President Donald Trump has selected Brian Johnson to serve as the permanent director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, choosing a former agency insider who previously worked in the administration during Trump’s first presidency.

Johnson previously served as deputy director at the agency when Kathy Kraninger led the CFPB during Trump’s initial term. During that time, Johnson was recognized as an influential aide to Kraninger who wielded considerable authority in determining the bureau’s priorities and focus areas.

Should the Senate approve his nomination, Johnson would take control of an agency that has largely ceased normal operations since Trump returned to the White House and placed budget director Russell Vought in temporary charge. The bureau’s recent efforts have primarily focused on reversing its prior initiatives.

Florida’s highest court has declined to block newly drawn congressional districts created by the Republican party, delivering another win for GOP redistricting efforts across the country as the party works to maintain its narrow control of the House of Representatives.

On Wednesday, the state’s Supreme Court rejected a petition for an emergency order that would have prevented the use of these new electoral boundaries. Legal representatives for citizens who filed the lawsuit contended that these congressional districts breach a state constitutional rule that forbids redistricting for partisan advantage, requesting the court mandate continued use of the prior election’s district lines.

The GOP currently controls 20 out of Florida’s 28 congressional seats. These new electoral boundaries, which became law through Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis following a rapid two-day special legislative session, may boost the party’s opportunity to secure four more seats in the upcoming election.

Those opposing the maps referenced a constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2010 that bars congressional districts designed to benefit or harm any political party or sitting lawmakers.

Florida joins other Republican-controlled states conducting redistricting in the middle of the decade as part of President Donald Trump’s strategy to maintain a narrow House majority in November by redrawing electoral boundaries to benefit the GOP.

The state legislature gave final approval to the new House map on April 29 — coinciding with a U.S. Supreme Court decision that reduced federal Voting Rights Act safeguards for minorities by overturning a predominantly Black congressional district in Louisiana. Following this ruling, multiple Southern states have moved to try eliminating minority districts that typically elect Democrats.

DeSantis had convened lawmakers for a special session prior to the high court’s decision, though he had expected this result. The governor’s office maintained that racial demographics were not considered in creating the map he submitted to the Legislature. The revised map includes changes to a southeastern Florida district that DeSantis’ office claimed was originally designed to help elect a Black representative to meet federal Voting Rights Act requirements.

Beyond prohibiting partisan gerrymandering, Florida’s constitution also forbids districts from being designed to deny or reduce the voting power of racial or language minorities to choose their preferred representatives. The constitution additionally mandates that districts be geographically compact and, when possible, follow existing political and geographic borders.

In correspondence to legislators, DeSantis’ General Counsel David Axelman claimed that the racial redistricting section of Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment conflicts with the U.S. Constitution. Axelman argued that if any part is unconstitutional, then the complete 2010 amendment becomes invalid, including sections preventing partisan gerrymandering.

Legal counsel for state officials presented comparable arguments to the Florida Supreme Court, following a lower court judge’s refusal last month to grant a preliminary order blocking the new map. They also contended that changing back to previous maps would be too disruptive this close to the election.

In documents submitted to the Florida Supreme Court, attorneys for state officials described the new map as “cause for celebration” during America’s 250th anniversary. “Perhaps for the first time in Florida’s history, the State has a truly colorblind map; a map that refuses to assault the dignity of men and women by color-coding them,” their court filing said.

Legal representatives for the voters who filed suit claimed the new districts were designed with political bias in mind. They contended in Supreme Court documents that the new congressional districts represent “among the most extreme partisan gerrymanders enacted in any state over the past half-century.”

According to the new House map, 82% of voters in districts represented by Republicans stay in the same districts as the previous map, stated attorney Chris Shenton, who represented Common Cause and other organizations challenging the map. Only 41% of voters in districts represented by Democrats remain in their current districts, he noted.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump launched harsh verbal attacks against Graham Platner on Wednesday, branding the Maine Senate hopeful a “thug” and a “pig” while accusing Democrats of double standards for supporting a candidate facing questions about his past behavior toward women.

The criticism appeared ironic given Trump’s own history of alleged misconduct with women, including recorded comments about grabbing women by the genitals and a New York jury’s finding that he committed sexual abuse.

Trump has also backed numerous Republican candidates despite their personal controversies, yet criticized Democrats for similar support.

“He’s a thug, and they’re trying to make excuses for him,” Trump stated regarding top Democrats. “I mean, he’s worse than any human being that’s ever run for office, probably.”

Platner secured the Democratic nomination Tuesday night amid controversy over several issues, including previous inflammatory social media posts, a covered-up tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol, and sexually explicit messages sent to women after his marriage. He will challenge five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.

When asked about Trump’s remarks, Platner’s campaign responded that the candidate was concentrating on Maine’s challenges.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee responded by targeting Collins, viewed as among the most vulnerable senators seeking reelection this cycle.

“Susan Collins is facing backlash in Maine after voting with Trump 96 percent of the time, being the decisive vote for the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, and selling out to the special interests that fund her campaigns after three decades in the Senate, and that’s why Trump praised her today in the Oval Office,” spokesperson Josh Marcus-Blank said in a statement.

The White House backed Trump’s statements by highlighting Platner’s social media history.

“Graham Platner proudly referred to himself as a ‘communist,’ called all police ‘bastards,’ and said rural White Americans ‘actually are’ racist and stupid. President Trump is absolutely correct that Platner is both a thug and a pig. Attempting to compare President Trump to Graham Platner is exactly why trust in legacy media outlets like the failing Associated Press is at an all-time low,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement.

During White House remarks while signing immigration and deportation funding legislation, Trump told reporters, “Nobody’s ever had a record like that.”

“He’s like a pig,” the president declared, joking that perhaps “pigs would be very upset” to be linked with Platner, prompting laughter from Republican lawmakers present in the Oval Office.

Trump also referenced his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, attempting to portray Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer as hypocritical by saying he “goes crazy over this or that or Epstein, Epstein, Epstein” but should focus on Platner instead.

Trump later asked, “Can you imagine if the Republicans had him?”

Beyond the allegations Trump has confronted over time, Republicans have fielded candidates accused of serious misconduct who still received Trump’s endorsement.

This year, the president endorsed Republican Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton over incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn, despite Paxton facing state and federal corruption probes and a 2023 state impeachment trial where he was cleared but his extramarital affair became public. Paxton has called wrongdoing allegations politically motivated.

Trump also maintained his endorsement of 2017 Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, who faced accusations of sexual misconduct with teenage girls from decades past. Trump cited Moore’s denials and said his vote was essential for Republican goals. Moore’s defeat resulted in Alabama’s first Democratic senator in 25 years.

He supported 2024 North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson and refused to withdraw backing after CNN revealed the candidate made lewd and racist remarks on a pornography website — though he attempted to create distance. Robinson, who later admitted to making the posts, lost decisively in the swing state.

He similarly maintained support for Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales this year after the congressman admitted to an affair with a staff member who later died by suicide. Gonzales ended his reelection campaign, and Trump subsequently endorsed another candidate.

Trump also selected officials for his second-term Cabinet and other important positions who faced accusations of sexual misconduct.

This includes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who faced sexual assault allegations and denied them, and Trump’s original attorney general pick, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who was subject to a Justice Department sex trafficking investigation and a House Ethics Committee probe into sexual misconduct.

Gaetz denied any wrongdoing and removed his name from consideration. The DOJ investigation concluded without federal charges against him.

Federal authorities announced Wednesday they will forgo pursuing capital punishment in a plea arrangement with the suspect charged in the fatal shooting of Minnesota’s leading House Democrat and her spouse, while also injuring another state legislator and his wife.

Vance Boelter, the accused, has a plea modification hearing set for Thursday morning at the federal courthouse in Minneapolis.

The victims include former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her spouse Mark, along with state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman. All four were shot by an individual who approached their residences during the early morning hours of June 14, 2025, while impersonating a law enforcement officer and operating a counterfeit police vehicle.

NEW YORK (AP) — A candidate for Congress received his requested court hearing Wednesday to contest misdemeanor charges filed against him following his arrest last summer during a demonstration with fellow elected officials at a New York City immigration detention facility.

The Democratic candidate took the witness stand in Manhattan federal court, defending himself against allegations that he blocked an elevator while sitting nearby during the demonstration on the 10th floor of a federal building in lower Manhattan housing 40 federal agencies, including the FBI.

The magistrate judge presiding over the bench trial announced he will deliver his decision Thursday morning.

Government attorneys argued Lander violated the law because he positioned himself in front of elevator doors that remained closed throughout the 20 to 25 minutes he sat on the floor in a circle with fellow politicians. If convicted, prosecutors indicated they would not pursue imprisonment.

Lander, who previously served as the city’s comptroller and maintains an alliance with Mayor Zohran Mamdani, testified that no one instructed him to move away from the elevator or informed him he was blocking access before his detention.

“We were chanting: ‘We shall not be moved,’” he said. “The idea is to say: ‘We’re here for our immigrant neighbors and we’re not going to stop showing up and defending their rights.’”

Lander is mounting a challenge against U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman in a liberal district encompassing lower Manhattan and sections of brownstone Brooklyn.

The candidate, who sought the mayor’s office last year, was detained alongside 10 other legislators on Sept. 18 following their attempt to examine detention facilities at 26 Federal Plaza, which also contains an immigration court.

Several weeks later, he declined a plea agreement that would have dismissed the misdemeanor obstruction charges after six months.

Following his detention, Lander faced criticism from then-Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, who issued a statement characterizing him as “another sanctuary politician pulling a stunt in attempt to get their 15 minutes of fame while endangering DHS personnel and detainees.”

WASHINGTON — A federal court declined Wednesday to grant a government oversight organization’s emergency request to immediately halt the Trump administration’s controversial $1.776 billion compensation program designed to pay individuals who say they were targeted by weaponized federal agencies.

However, the presiding judge concluded the court session by delivering a stern warning to President Donald Trump’s legal team: “Don’t play possum with this court,” U.S. District Judge Richard Leon cautioned a Justice Department lawyer.

Leon delivered his decision from the bench, siding with the administration’s position that the oversight group’s legal challenge has become irrelevant since acting Attorney General Todd Blanche informed lawmakers last month that the government is abandoning its plans for the compensation program. Leon, who received his judicial appointment from Republican President George W. Bush, stated he is accepting Blanche’s assurance at this time.

The judge’s decision to deny the temporary restraining order doesn’t represent the final resolution of the government’s “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” Leon indicated he will review a separate petition from the plaintiffs — Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington — seeking a preliminary injunction that would halt fund distributions on a longer-term basis.

Another federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia, has already issued a temporary halt to the fund’s activities. However, that directive from U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema will lapse Friday unless she chooses to extend it following a hearing scheduled for the same date.

The administration established the compensation program last month to settle Trump’s legal action against the Internal Revenue Service regarding the unauthorized disclosure of his tax documents. The Justice Department has not yet assembled the five-person panel that will establish payout guidelines, meaning no funds have been distributed and no applications have been processed.

The compensation program has sparked intense opposition across party lines. Even numerous supporters of the Republican president oppose providing payments to individuals who participated in the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. During his appearance before Congress, Blanche declined to eliminate the possibility that rioters who attacked Capitol police officers could qualify for compensation.

“We are not moving forward with the fund, period,” Blanche stated during the House committee hearing.

“Not moving forward ever?” inquired Rep. Grace Meng, a New York Democrat.

“Correct,” Blanche responded.

Leon questioned Justice Department attorney Andrew Block about why Blanche hasn’t officially withdrawn his May 18 directive creating the fund.

“I don’t know the reason for that,” Block replied.

Block contended that Blanche’s congressional testimony is adequate to render the watchdog organization’s legal arguments moot. He further maintained that the group lacks proper legal standing to pursue their claims.

The plaintiffs’ legal representative Nikhel Sus pointed out that Trump himself provided conflicting statements to Blanche’s testimony. In a June 3 interview, occurring one day following Blanche’s congressional appearance, Trump voiced his backing for proceeding with the fund despite the Virginia judge’s adverse ruling.

“On paper, the fund is still a legally operating entity,” Sus argued. “Nothing has changed.”

A federal judge in Florida overseeing Trump’s case against the IRS has directed Trump’s legal team to address “grievous allegations” from settlement opponents who claim the president dropped his lawsuit to evade judicial review of an unlawful agreement. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams has given them until Friday to provide written responses to accusations of collusion and whether the case should be reopened because the court was the “victim of a fraud.”

In Virginia, lawyers from the legal advocacy organization Democracy Forward are pursuing a court directive to stop the fund’s launch and block the Trump administration from making any payments from it. The Virginia case plaintiffs include a terminated prosecutor and a college instructor who was cleared of charges related to assaulting federal officers during a demonstration.

Congressional leaders from both political parties came together with religious figures on Capitol Hill Wednesday, June 10, 2026, for an annual Jerusalem Day commemoration organized by the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus.

The gathering drew lawmakers, Jewish and Christian religious leaders, and advocates supporting American-Israeli relations to honor Jerusalem’s reunification and reinforce backing for the city as Israel’s capital.

Four representatives serve as co-chairs for the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus that organized the ceremony: Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), and Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL).

The attendee list included Congressional members, faith community representatives, and US-Israel alliance supporters. Among those scheduled to speak were Senator Ted Cruz, White House Faith Office Head Paula White, Special Envoy to Combat Anti-Semitism Leo Terrell, Pastor Larry Huch, and a senior Israeli official.

Event coordinators emphasized that the ceremony demonstrated cross-party American backing for Jerusalem and US-Israeli ties. The program also spotlighted faith-centered diplomacy and collaboration between Jewish and Christian groups.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) stated: “On Jerusalem Day, we join Israel in celebrating the 1967 restoration of its ancient capital city to Israeli sovereignty. This was a great day for the Jewish people and for everyone who believes in the right of every nation to exercise its sovereignty within secure borders.”

“As Co-Chair of the Israel Allies Caucus, I am honored to join the Jerusalem Day Reception celebrating Jerusalem as Israel’s unified capital city,” Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) commented.

Schneider continued: “For more than 3,000 years, Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish people, the holy city to the three Abrahamic faiths and today is unique for its faith and history woven into the very fabric of the city. It is a place where people of diverse backgrounds and religions prosper together. I am proud to celebrate its enduring significance and the unbreakable bond between the people of the United States and Israel.”

Jordanna McMillan, Israel Allies Foundation US Director, stated that acknowledging Jerusalem and moving the US Embassy there demonstrates “our shared Judeo-Christian values, commitment to religious freedom, and a strategic partnership that advances America’s interests in a more stable Middle East.”

According to the Israel Allies Foundation, the organization works with over 1600 legislators across 64 parliamentary caucuses globally to promote faith-based diplomacy and support for Israel.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump delivered an unexpected response Wednesday when confronted with rising costs affecting American families, declaring his affection for current economic conditions.

When questioned about fresh data showing consumer prices rose 4.2% in May compared to the previous year, the president adopted an unusually positive stance toward the troubling economic news. Trump avoided his typical approach of labeling affordability concerns as a Democratic “hoax” or asserting he was reducing living costs.

Following the government’s announcement that price increases reached their peak since April 2023, Trump offered praise for the figures.

“You know what I really love?” Trump said. “I love the inflation.”

The comment caught observers off guard, particularly since economic concerns rank among voters’ primary worries heading into November’s midterm elections — an area where Trump has received poor ratings. Democratic officials immediately began circulating his remarks across social platforms within moments of the televised statement.

While Trump’s 2024 campaign promised swift action against inflation, he now attributes elevated prices entirely to the Iran conflict driving up energy expenses. Wednesday’s remarks included claims that relief approaches through covert military activities that allegedly moved 100 million oil barrels through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage handling 20% of global oil transport that has remained largely blocked since the war’s start in late February.

“Trump really said, ‘I love the inflation.’ On camera. For all of America to hear,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer quickly posted on X. “His contempt for you knows no bounds.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on X that with Trump’s stated love of inflation, “We finally found something that Donald Trump loves as much as he loves himself.”

Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Ohio, quickly pressed Energy Secretary Chris Wright at a hearing about whether he, too, loved inflation.

“Do you love inflation?” Sykes asked.

“I love ending Iran’s ability to have a nuclear weapon,” Wright answered. He only conceded after being pressed: “No, I would prefer lower inflation.”

When asked about Trump’s specific comments, Wright said, “He’s an entertaining, hyperbolic guy who’s done tremendous leadership.”

Trump attributed the covert transport operations to oil prices dropping under $90 per barrel after exceeding $110 in early April.

“I’m just announcing today for the first time, but we’ve been taking out millions of barrels of oil, millions of barrels every night,” Trump said.

Through social media, the president indicated the operation started last month and had “resulted in more than 100 MILLION Barrels of Oil making its way through the Strait, and into the Open Market. More than 200 Commercial Ships have safely traveled through the Strait.” No immediate verification existed for these numbers, and the U.S. military’s involvement remained unclear.

For perspective, approximately 20 million oil barrels passed through the strait daily before hostilities began, suggesting Trump’s described mission equals roughly five days of typical oil movement.

Addressing the latest inflation data, the White House highlighted certain May price decreases from the prior month: new vehicle costs, prescription medications, and auto insurance rates. However, combining overall inflation with wage changes reveals concerning evidence that consumer purchasing power compared to earnings has weakened.

“President Trump has consistently maintained that oil and gas prices — and thus overall inflation — will plummet once the Iran situation is resolved, and the administration will continue pushing our affordability agenda to enable Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in an email.

Financial markets remained skeptical of Trump’s assertions about reducing prices through strait oil transport — statements made as the United States conducted airstrikes against Iran while Tehran retaliated against regional targets.

U.S. crude oil futures rose approximately 4% Wednesday afternoon, reaching nearly $92 per barrel.

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers from both parties on Capitol Hill have urged President Donald Trump to quickly appoint a permanent intelligence director to help Congress extend crucial surveillance powers before they expire. However, Trump has refused to change course.

Instead, Trump has reinforced his support for his interim choice to oversee intelligence operations, federal housing finance regulator Bill Pulte, despite his limited background in the field. Democrats are blocking votes on renewing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, commonly called FISA, which expires June 12. Trump requested Wednesday a brief extension of the legislation to “provide time for the selection and confirmation of a permanent Head of the Agency.”

This standoff may soon restrict the U.S. government’s foreign intelligence gathering capabilities as World Cup matches start across the nation and before festivities marking America’s 250th anniversary.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., stated Wednesday that GOP leadership has “made our views known” to the White House regarding the simplest path to pass the legislation, and “we’re just doing what we can here to ensure that the White House understands what will be necessary in order to make that happen.”

Trump announced Friday he is interviewing five potential candidates for the permanent agency leadership role, all with national security credentials.

“It’s an important position and one that I think will be filled by a highly qualified person,” stated House Speaker Mike Johnson, who met with Trump recently about the FISA deadlock.

However, securing FISA votes requires swift action — and Trump’s selection must appeal to lawmakers from both parties.

Among potential successors is Pete Hoekstra, Trump’s ambassador to Canada and former House Intelligence Committee chairman. The White House has contacted Hoekstra regarding the position and discussions continue, according to someone familiar with the outreach who requested anonymity to discuss private talks.

FISA’s Section 702 permits agencies like the CIA, National Security Agency and FBI to gather communications from foreign subjects abroad without warrants.

Although lawmakers from both parties citing privacy concerns have long sought to restrict this authority, broad bipartisan backing exists for its renewal, particularly after recent compromise legislation. Yet Democrats now withhold support due to Pulte concerns.

Mark Warner of Virginia, the leading Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, helped craft the compromise bill with Republicans. But he labeled Pulte’s selection to succeed outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard “a live hand grenade” for passage efforts. GOP leaders attempted to begin the process last week, but seven Republicans joined nearly all Democrats in preventing a long-term extension.

Warner declared Wednesday his only condition for backing a temporary surveillance law extension is having principal deputy director of national intelligence Aaron Lukas serve as acting leader throughout that period.

Sen. Tom Cotton, the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, have cautioned the administration that the surveillance tool will likely expire.

The administration should prepare “for a potential significant gap in foreign intelligence collection,” they stated in correspondence.

Following bipartisan resistance to Pulte’s interim appointment, Trump said last week he would not permanently nominate him. But Democrats and some Republicans want his appointment withdrawn immediately and Trump to nominate a Senate-confirmable replacement.

Tuesday, however, Trump declared Pulte would not only become acting director — he’d begin sooner than planned, on June 19. Trump maintained support for Pulte Wednesday, posting he needed additional time to locate a permanent successor and requesting a brief extension.

“FISA 702 is very important to our Military, and keeping the American People safe, especially during the World Cup and America250 Celebrations,” Trump wrote.

Trump said Pulte would reduce the agency’s size and blamed Democrats for delaying surveillance authority renewal.

Senators from both parties questioning Pulte cite his intelligence experience deficit and Federal Housing Finance Agency record. In that role, he’s been connected to criminal referrals regarding mortgage fraud allegations against public officials Trump wanted to target, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat; Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; and Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve board member.

Whether sufficient votes exist for temporary surveillance powers extension remained uncertain as Trump disregarded bipartisan pressure to withdraw Pulte’s appointment.

After a White House ceremony Wednesday, Johnson told reporters the president is “working very hard” to select a permanent ODNI leader — possibly before Pulte assumes the role.

Johnson described it as a “good faith gesture” from Trump that Democrats should accept for a short-term FISA extension agreement.

Trump made clear, Johnson said, that Pulte will serve a “very short term – a sort of renovation role” to help the Office of the Director of National Intelligence be “renovated and downsized.”