Trump tries 'softer' tact on immigration

Today: Trump signals immigration strategy shift, Washington Post layoffs backlash and Epstein fallout hits more leaders.

The shadowy bromance of Steve Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev

Bad things happen to Ukraine when these two men meet.

Will the Texas Supreme Court Legalize Child Abuse?

A case now before the Supreme Court of Texas may become the first real test of the state’s newly minted “ parental rights amendment ,” and the stakes could not be higher. The state constitutional amendment, approved by Texas voters in November 2025, declares that parents have

What the American Revolution Owes the Rest of the World

Perhaps the least commented upon feature of the dystopian Trump banners adorning parts of Washington D.C . is the red, white, and blue number—“250”—emblazoned just beneath the president’s Windsor-knotted tie. These ribbon-shaped digits are the emblem of the “America 250”

The People of Minneapolis Will Simply Not Let the ICE Thugs Prevail

The blood pooled in the snowbank, seeping into the thick sheet of ice below. On this corner, at 34th Street and Portland Avenue in Minneapolis, this was a reminder, visual and visceral, of Renee Good’s death by gunshots fired in daylight, for all to see, by ICE agent Jonathan

Republicans locked in 3-way race to succeed McConnell in Kentucky: Poll

Republicans are locked in a three-way race to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), with a new poll showing Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) and former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) statistically tied for first place. An Emerson College Polling survey released on Thursday

Republicans fear Trump backlash could cost them Senate control

Senate Republicans are concerned that a public backlash to President Trump’s handling of the economy and his aggressive deportation policies could give rise to a Democratic wave that not only sweeps away the House Republican majority, but also threatens their own three-seat

Nigeria’s first lady sees ‘divine intervention’ in Trump’s focus on Christians

Nigerian first lady Oluremi Tinubu, an ordained assistant pastor in a Pentecostal church, says global concern about persecution of Christians in the country is based on “propaganda.” Yet she sees “divine intervention” in President Trump’s focus on protecting Christians in the

Musk grapples with Epstein, deepfake ahead of high stakes projects

Elon Musk has once again found himself at the center of controversy, as the tech billionaire continues to grapple with the fallout from a surge in sexualized deepfakes on his social platform X, while newly revealed emails between him and Jeffrey Epstein have drawn fresh

Key things to watch in crowded NJ primary for Sherrill's House seat

Eleven candidates are vying for the Democratic nod to succeed New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) in Congress on Thursday in a contest that’s been defined in large part by an unusually high level of spending. Former Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.), Essex County Commissioner

How Federal Cuts to SNAP Are Already Roiling State Governments

Just as the beginning of a new year is a time for families to figure out their finances, the same is true for state legislatures. In the coming months, the majority of states will be penning their budgets for the upcoming fiscal year. As they tally costs, legislators will need

GOP game-plans for a DHS shutdown, as skepticism grows over talks

Republicans are skeptical that they and the White House will be able to reach an agreement with Democrats on reforms to immigration enforcement in the next few days, leaving many eyeing a long-term stopgap for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after funding expires Feb.

First, They Came for Your Elections. Then, Your Guns.

“I want to see elections be honest, and if a state can’t run an election, I think the people behind me should do something about it,” President Trump said on Tuesday. He then cited Detroit, Philadelphia, adding, “The federal government should get involved. These are agents of

Fears of nuclear arms race spike as key US-Russia treaty expires

The last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia is set to expire Thursday, leaving the world without a significant nuclear agreement between the two superpowers for the first time in more than half a century. Lawmakers are worried. The end of

Democrats face thorny DHS negotiations while looking to capitalize on ICE fight

Senate Democrats are staring down one of the thorniest negotiations they’ve faced in recent years as they push for a deal to fund essential programs at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) while trying not to squander a major opportunity on immigration, an issue that has

Trump Reveals Hint of Panic on ICE as Prison Camps Anger MAGA Country

Donald Trump just claimed in an off-the-cuff interview moment that the events in Minnesota suggest that ICE needs to use a “softer touch.” He also went out of his way to say he’s called the Governor and Minneapolis’s mayor, meaning he wants to create the impression that he’s

The Hill Republican who could get a deal on AI — if his leadership lets him

Rep. Jay Obernolte’s compromise approach to AI regulation is seen by many in the tech industry as their best hope to block state AI laws. But do GOP leaders want what he’s selling?

Schumer, Jeffries send DHS reform demands to GOP leadership

Democratic leaders laid out their demands for reform at the Department of Homeland Security in a letter to Republican leadership on Wednesday, as lawmakers race to reach a compromise before the agency’s funding runs out in less than 10 days. A funding package passed earlier

Trump directing federal law enforcement to help search for Savannah Guthrie's missing mother

President Trump on Wednesday said he is directing federal agents to assist in the search for "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie. "I spoke with Savannah Guthrie, and let her know that I am directing ALL Federal Law Enforcement to be at the family’s, and

F-35s caught in trade crossfire between US and Canada

Canada is reevaluating its planned purchase of U.S. F-35 fighter jets over the escalating trade tensions between Washington and Ottawa in what has become a flash point in bilateral relations between the two allies. Canada has committed to buying at least 16 F-35A Lightning II,

Trump endorses Clay Fuller to succeed Greene

President Trump said Wednesday that he is endorsing Clay Fuller in a special election for former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) seat in Georgia’s 14th congressional district. “As District Attorney for the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, and Air National Guard Officer,

6 in 10 say Trump administration hasn't given honest account of Pretti shooting: Survey

A poll released Thursday found that public support for Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and the Trump administration’s immigration policies eroded following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a federal agent in Minneapolis last month, with a majority of voters

Trump says 'it bothers me that somebody is going after Bill Clinton'

President Trump said in an interview Wednesday that he is bothered by the investigation into former President Clinton as part of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s probe into files related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “It bothers me that

Trump says he does not believe his team is good at public relations on immigration

President Trump said in an interview on Thursday that he does not believe his administration is good at public relations when asked about criticisms of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “What happens is that, I think we do a phenomenal job, but I don't think we're

Trump says Good, Pretti were 'not angels' but their actions didn't justify fatal shootings

President Trump said in an interview Wednesday that Renee Good and Alex Pretti "were not angels" but said their actions did not justify their fatal shooting deaths at the hands of federal immigration officers. “I’m not happy with the two incidents,” Trump told anchor Tom

Senators introduce bill targeting social media scam ads

Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) unveiled legislation Wednesday that would require online platforms, including social media companies, to take “reasonable steps” to prevent fraudulent or deceptive advertisements from reaching consumers. The Safeguarding

Musk says SAVE Act requiring ID to vote 'must be done or democracy is dead'

Tesla CEO and former White House adviser Elon Musk on Wednesday weighed in on legislation that would require ID and proof of citizenship to register to vote, warning that democracy could be at risk if the legislation isn't enacted. "It must be done or democracy is dead," Musk

Senate talks to revive ACA tax credits appear to be fizzling out

Talks to revive enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that expired at the end of last year appeared to be fizzling out Tuesday, with Democrats expressing little optimism about a proposal from Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) that he described as the “best and final” offer his

US, Ukraine disagree on whether Russia following ceasefire

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security The Big Story US, Ukraine disagree on whether Russia following ceasefire President Trump defended Russian President Vladimir Putin as holding to the terms of his personal request to halt

Young Americans more likely to say economy is most pressing concern: Gallup

Younger Americans were more likely to say the economy was the country’s most pressing concern last year, according to a new survey. In the Gallup poll, 32 percent of Americans aged 15 to 34 said that economic issues were “the most important problem” the U.S. “is facing

Crockett chastises Nicki Minaj for 'selling out' to Trump

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) on Tuesday criticized rapper Nicki Minaj’s recent dabbling in conservative politics, accusing the singer of “selling out” to President Trump and his administration. “I just don’t do sellouts, especially in this moment,” Crockett told TMZ. “Things

GOP Rep. Barry Loudermilk becomes 29th House Republican to not seek reelection

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) on Wednesday announced he will not seek reelection, ending his congressional career after more than a decade and adding to the ranks of Republicans declining to run for another term. “I first ran for election to Congress in 2014 and, as I stated

Leading OB/GYN organization recommends clinicians protect immigrants

Click in for more news from The Hill {beacon} Health Care Health Care The Big Story Leading OB/GYN organization recommends clinicians protect immigrants The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) released new recommendations this week opposing immigration

Cornyn campaign makes divorce swipe at rival Ken Paxton in nasty Texas primary

Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-Texas) campaign team fired back at an inflammatory post from GOP primary opponent Ken Paxton, taking aim at the Texas attorney general's recent divorce in strikingly personal terms. “Ken, when this over, you will have nothing. Which turns out to be the

Republican Barry Loudermilk won’t seek reelection

States race forward on education AI regulations

{beacon} Technology Technology The Big Story States race forward on education AI regulations State lawmakers gave AI in education a lot of attention in last year’s legislative session with more than 50 bills proposed, and schools have wasted no time in trying to teach

Top Oversight Republican mulls Bill Gates subpoena in Epstein probe

Vance announces price floor effort for minerals

{beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment The Big Story Vance announces price floor effort for minerals The Trump administration on Wednesday pushed for an international trade system involving price floors for minerals during a summit it held with representatives

Melania Promotes Her Terrible Movie in Weirdest White House Event

Either Melania Trump doesn’t know the law, or she doesn’t care to follow it. The first lady denied that she was using the White House in order to promote her unwatchable documentary, Melania , during a press conference on Wednesday—mere minutes after plugging the film. “Why do

Trump Admin Investigates Nike for Discrimination Against White People

The Trump administration is probing claims of anti-white racism at Nike. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is investigating the sportswear company over “systemic allegations of D.E.I.-related intentional race discrimination” against white employees and job applicants.

Man charged with assault after fight with students during anti-ICE protest in Texas

The incident remains under investigation.

76 percent in Greenland oppose becoming part of US: Survey

Few Greenlanders believe it would be advantageous for the territory to become part of the U.S., according to a new poll released after President Trump's threats to acquire the island roiled the U.S.'s relationship with its European allies. The poll, published by the Copenhagen

Sanders on past praise for Gabbard: 'That was way back when'

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Tuesday dismissed his previous praise for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, saying that was "way back when." CNN's Kaitlan Collins spoke with Sanders and mentioned that the senator once called Gabbard, a former Democratic House

58 percent say Noem should be removed: Poll

More than half of respondents in a new poll said they support the removal of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem. The Quinnipiac Poll comes as Democrats in Congress have called for Noem’s ouster after federal immigration agents shot and killed two

Republican Senator Warns Noem to Keep ICE Center Out of His State

A Republican senator wants Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE to stay out of his state. Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker has come out against a proposed ICE detention facility in Byhalia, noting that the facility’s construction in the small town would not give the

Search for Savannah Guthrie's mother captivates an alarmed nation

The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie, has left much of the country on edge as the search stretches into its fourth day with no known suspects and few promising leads. The story has resonated far beyond a typical

Labor Department announces jobs report release date after shutdown delay

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has announced new dates for several reports, including the January jobs report, pushing back their publication after a partial government shutdown temporarily paused the agency’s operations this week. The jobs report was initially supposed

Trump says Iran's ayatollah 'should be very worried'

President Trump warned that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei should be “very worried” during an interview on Wednesday amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. "I would say he should be very worried, yeah. He should be,” Trump told anchor Tom Llamas on

UK plan to release files related to appointment of former US ambassador despite Epstein links

The British government on Wednesday announced that it will release all files related to former Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson despite his connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson stepped down from the Labour Party and his seat in Parliament

Democrats knock Bezos, decry Washington Post layoffs

A growing number of elected Democrats and public figures are blasting billionaire Jeff Bezos in the wake of sweeping cuts to The Washington Post's newsroom carried out on Wednesday. The Post's leadership announced the cuts, which had been anticipated at the news outlet for