In today's issue: ▪ GOP skepticism of Trump rises ▪ Castro indicted in escalation of Cuba tensions ▪ Senate parliamentarian in crosshairs ▪ Difficulties of Trump primary success President Trump’s approval rating is hitting new lows for his second term as the Iran war and
Trump has joined a dance, and he has given the Iranians the lead.
The following is a lightly edited transcript of the May 2 episode of the Daily Blast podcast. Listen to it here . Greg Sargent: This is The Daily Blast from The New Republic , produced and presented by the DSR Network. I’m your host, Greg Sargent. Republicans are quietly
I don’t know that I’ll watch Stephen Colbert’s final episode of The Late Show tonight, which will also be the final episode of The Late Show ’s 33-year run on CBS. I did, however, watch David Letterman’s . Last Thursday, the enigmatic, Santa-bearded comedian emerged from
President Trump has spent the past several months working to reshape the Republican Party, backing primary challenges against lawmakers who have bucked him and seeking to fill Congress with allies who will advance his agenda with minimal resistance. But even as Trump has flexed
The Trump administration set the stage for the largest heist in American history this week by creating an illegal fund of taxpayer dollars to compensate President Donald Trump and his allies—including the January 6 insurrectionists for being brought to justice after storming
Let’s don’t waste any time debating the legality of President Donald Trump’s IRS “settlement” (click here to read part one and here to read part two). As my colleague Matt Ford explains at length, this deal is very illegal . The only question is whether Congress and the courts
No matter their relationship with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), House Republicans on Wednesday largely concurred on one thing: The Kentucky Republican’s primary loss on Tuesday was practically inevitable. “President Trump's the captain of the team, and when you fight the
President Trump’s success in knocking off GOP lawmakers who have defied or criticized him is striking fear among Republicans on Capitol Hill, but some say the retribution tour could backfire on the president by making it tougher to pass his agenda. Trump successfully urged his
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) has a naturally blunt demeanor, but he says a softer touch is the key to wooing rambunctious members in the super-slim House Republican majority. “Human beings are very emotional animals. If you don't manage the emotions, then you got
Angelo Carusone and Aaron Rupar share a distinction that we imagine many Americans would happily cede to them: They have likely watched more Donald Trump rallies, speeches, and press briefings than any other living Americans. Carusone is the chairman and president of Media
Charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro are fueling speculation that the Trump administration is creating a pretext for military action against the communist regime. The charges against Castro and five others come amid renewed tensions between Havana and Washington
Mom is still alive! It’s fall! The trees outside her window turn The sheets and blankets on the hospital bed come and go like hills in a painting No one would buy Gentle and white and very still Like a snow scene or a dish of ice-cream
Kevin Warsh will face a political and economic obstacle course upon taking the helm of the Federal Reserve later this week. Warsh is set to be sworn in by President Trump on Friday as the next chair of the Fed board, taking over the central bank at a pivotal time for the U.S.
Republicans are starting to break with Donald Trump’s corrupt $1.8 billion slush fund. Vulnerable House GOPer Brian Fitzpatrick announced that he’s pursuing legislation to block the fund. Other Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, are raising serious
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) warned about children’s screen time in an advisory released Wednesday, citing impacts on sleep and mental health. The “Surgeon General's Warning on the Harms of Screen Use” states that “harmful screen use among children and
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday made a joke referencing criticism from President Trump over a teleprompter issue at the United Nations (UN) last year. During an event for the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade on Wednesday, Carney was delivering a speech when he
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) claimed that Greenland “was not on a map” until President Trump “put it on a map,” comments that follow rhetoric for months from the president to acquire the island. “What I’ve found, that Greenland was not on a map, until Donald Trump put it on
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) on Wednesday said the U.S. won't need to use military action in Cuba and that he thinks the Cuban people will "rise up." "I don't think we're going to have to do it," Scott said when asked about possible military intervention on "The Hill with Blake
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief on Wednesday shot down Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s comments alleging the agency was a “little late” to identify an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “We don’t replace the countries’ work, we only support them,”
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story US, Cuba tensions flare amid threats of invasion The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Nimitz arrived in the Caribbean this week amid U.S. tensions with
The IRS reached a settlement with President Trump over the leak of his tax returns, barring the agency from auditing his previous filings and reigniting a years-long battle over Trump’s taxes. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order Tuesday declaring the IRS is
Presented by Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare {beacon} Health Care Health Care The Big Story Democrats push Medicare home care Senate Democrats are honing in on health affordability issues ahead of November's midterms, signaling what they would do if they can
A quote from the second U.S. president, John Adams, was projected onto the Department of Justice (DOJ) building on Tuesday night following the Trump administration’s announcement of an “anti-weaponization" fund. “A government of laws, not of men,” the quote from Adams read,
A House Democrat and Republican on Wednesday highlighted their push to expand access to clinical trials, saying artificial intelligence could be one tool used to reach more underrepresented communities seeking additional treatment options. The Clinical Trial Modernization Act,
{beacon} Technology Technology The Big Story Anti-prediction market group kicks off DC ad blitz A new group describing itself as a “market integrity watchdog” rolled out a six-figure ad blitz in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning, taking aim at prediction market Kalshi,
Presented by Anthropic {beacon} Business & Economy Business & Economy PRESENTED BY The Big Story Trump orders banks to monitor customers’ citizenship President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that requires banks to more closely examine the citizenship status of its
GOP lawmakers fear a self-interested president is needlessly risking their party’s majorities.
The U.S. is targeting fentanyl distribution for the Sinaloa Cartel with new sanctions, according to the Treasury Department. In a Wednesday press release, the Treasury Department said that its Office of Foreign Assets Control had sanctioned over 12 entities and people
The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and its strike group arrived in the Caribbean this week amid U.S. tensions with Cuba and as President Trump has threatened to invade the island. The Nimitz-class battleship; its air wing made up of F/A-18E Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers and
The United States on Wednesday indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro on charges including murder and conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens. Castro, the younger brother of the late Fidel Castro, will turn 95 next month. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday
Unfortunately, things may be about to get a whole lot more expensive, economists are warning.
{beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment The Big Story Trump faces 'no hurry' to make deal with Iran President Trump said Wednesday he is not in a hurry to make a deal with Iran as any progress on a potential deal between the two countries remains elusive. ©
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) on Wednesday said GOP lawmakers are manufacturing a “regime change” in Cuba amid the Trump administration’s oil blockade and charges against former President Raúl Castro. “We’re seeing Republicans manufacture a reason for another regime change war
President Trump taunted a Fox News reporter on Wednesday over her relationship with a Republican congressman and his record of breaking with the president on key votes. In a gaggle with reporters, Trump responded to an unrelated question by taking a personal jab at Fox News
The nearly $1.8 billion fund created by the Trump administration to compensate those who allege they were the victims of a weaponized Justice Department is facing its first legal challenge as well as criticism from some Republican lawmakers. Police officers who defended the
In October 2005, days after Israeli forces killed a commander of the Hamas-aligned militant group Islamic Jihad in the West Bank, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke out unequivocally. “As the imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map,” said Iran’s newly elected president, referring to
A $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund created by the Trump administration this week for individuals who believe they have been unfairly targeted by the federal government is facing some resistance from congressional Republicans. “We’re gonna try to kill it,” Rep. Brian
Lawmakers might, however, encounter opposition from industry heavyweights who don’t want more regulation.
A former federal prosecutor was indicted for emailing herself an unreleased volume of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report into President Trump, according to charging documents unsealed Wednesday. Carmen Lineberger, 62, faces four criminal counts over accusations she improperly
Two child safety advocacy groups are urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate the gaming platform Roblox, alleging the company is committing "unfair and deceptive" acts, risking kids' safety and well-being. In a complaint filed Wednesday with the FTC, Fairplay
The average price of a gallon of regular gas is over $4 in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., according to AAA, as the U.S. war against Iran nears the three-month mark. Oil and gas prices have spiked as the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for the oil industry, has been
Flying with marijuana has long been complicated, but a quiet update from TSA may make it slightly easier.
Multiple Republican senators objected to sending taxpayer dollars to the president’s East Wing revamp.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) issued a warning to President Trump after losing in the Kentucky primary on Tuesday evening to a challenger endorsed by the president. “I think it’s dangerous when you shrink the tent,” Massie told MS NOW after his concession speech. “I mean, I give
Donald Trump cannot be living the same reality as the rest of America. The president aggressively dodged questions about the future impact of artificial intelligence Wednesday, claiming that nothing but good has come from the technology’s rapid implementation across industry.
A California woman is suing the Walt Disney Co. over allegations that the use of facial recognition technology at theme park entrances violates consumer privacy laws. The class-action complaint was filed in the Southern District of New York on behalf of Summer Christine
President Trump on Wednesday commemorated Cuban Independence Day while also slamming the island country's regime, the same day his administration indicted former President Raúl Castro on murder charges. Trump likened Cuba's "founding generation" that rose up against Spain to
President Donald Trump’s proposed ballroom, which would boast lavish golden interiors and is totally needed for, uh, security reasons, is beginning to face backlash from Republicans as well as Democrats. On Wednesday, Republican Senator John Kennedy told Samantha Handler of
