House won’t act to extend Trump’s DC police takeover

White House defends Kennedy after fiery Senate hearing

White House officials rallied to the defense of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who faced an onslaught of criticism from Democratic senators and skepticism from some Republicans during a fiery hearing on Thursday. "Secretary @RobertKennedyJr is taking

RFK Jr. says HHS expanding eligibility to catastrophic health insurance plans

The Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday it would expand eligibility for catastrophic health insurance plans with new hardship exemption guidance. Applicants will be able to apply for catastrophic health coverage on Nov. 1, which will grant them access to lower

Top House Democrat to Zelensky: 'Don't go to Moscow'

Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) on Wednesday evening warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to not attend a Moscow summit floated by Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I'll give a free piece of advice to President Zelensky: don't go to Moscow. They don't have your best

Agency that issues visas, green cards forming police force

USCIS will expand its law enforcement ranks by adding armed officers to investigate fraud and national security issues within the agency's jurisdiction.

Frontier announces $299 'all you can fly' pass through Friday: How it works

Time is ticking on a deal that boasts "nearly two years of unlimited travel for just $299."

Judge Stops Trump’s Sneaky Scheme to Strip Foreign Aid

A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump’s shady attempt to claw back funds through a rare legal move called a pocket rescission, ordering the president to unfreeze billions of dollars of foreign aid. U.S. District Court Judge Amir Ali ruled Wednesday that while the

Hawaii joining West Coast vaccine alliance

Hawaii is joining a coalition of West Coast, Democratic-led states forming a new public health alliance in opposition to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. California, Oregon and Washington state announced the alliance Wednesday, which officials

Senators spar over Trump's grip on Fed at testy confirmation hearing

The question of Federal Reserve independence took center stage Thursday at the confirmation hearing of Stephen Miran, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, whom President Trump nominated for a seat on the Fed board of governors. Both Democrats and Republicans

Vance says senators grilling Kennedy 'full of s‑‑‑'

Vice President Vance fired back at senators criticizing Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday during his testimony before the Senate Committee on Finance. “When I see all these senators trying to lecture and ‘gotcha’ Bobby Kennedy today,

Kennedy digs in at explosive hearing

📝 Plus: House GOP making own 'Epstein list' {beacon} HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday erupted into shouting, finger-pointing and accusations of malfeasance as a broader cultural fight over

JD Vance Claims Senators Questioning RFK Jr. Are “Full of Shit”

Vice President JD Vance didn’t take well to senators pressing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on his wanton mismanagement of the Department of Health and Human Services. In response to the health secretary’s contentious Thursday Senate Finance hearing, the vice president lost his cool on

DOJ investigating Fed governor Lisa Cook: Reports

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has reportedly opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve board of governors member Lisa Cook over alleged mortgage fraud. The probe, reported by several outlets Thursday, follows two criminal referrals by Federal Housing Finance Agency

Nadler: Schlossberg 'certainly is not going to be a major candidate'

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy, “certainly is not going to be a major candidate” vying for his House seat. CNN's Kate Bolduan asked the retiring lawmaker about his thoughts on Schlossberg potentially holding the

Republican Senator Traps RFK Jr. With Trump Nobel Prize Question

Senator Bill Cassidy deftly grilled Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a Senate hearing Thursday, forcing Kennedy to contradict himself on the topic of vaccines. Cassidy, who chairs the Health Committee, is a Republican and a medical doctor. He’s had

Cuomo on possible Trump involvement in NYC: 'I don’t want him involved in anything to do with my race'

New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo said he doesn’t want President Trump involved in the mayor’s race following reports that he’s seeking to clear the field for the former governor. Cuomo said during a press conference Thursday he doesn’t know if The New York Times

Northwestern University president resigns amid fights with Trump, GOP

Northwestern University President Michael Schill announced Thursday he will resign from the post, ending a three-year tenure during which the school dealt with on-campus protests and fights with the Trump administration and GOP lawmakers. “As I reflect on the progress we have

Search warrant reveals what feds seized at John Bolton's home

FBI agents raided former national security adviser John Bolton's home and seized multiple computers, phones, and documents related to his handling of classified information while writing his 2020 memoir.

The SPLC is biased — and extraordinarily wealthy

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has been criticized for its "hate map" and its wealth, which has more than doubled since 2016 and is now rivaling prominent universities and charities, despite its controversial and divisive activities.

Tim Burchett and a protester get into a physical altercation on Capitol Hill

GOP Rep. Tim Burchett (Tenn.) got into a physical altercation with a protester Thursday outside the Longworth House Office Building in Washington. The demonstrator approached Burchett with criticism on the handling of the war in Gaza and later bumped the lawmaker. The

Melania Trump hosts tech leaders at AI education roundtable

First lady Melania Trump hosted several top technology leaders at the White House on Thursday for a meeting of an artificial intelligence (AI) education task force, as she increasingly takes up the mantle of AI-related issues. She was joined by Google CEO Sundar Pichai and IBM

White House gives Congress a midterm pitch: focus on tax cuts and follow 2024 playbook

Pollster Tony Fabrizio suggested lawmakers focus on the tax benefits in the GOP's legislation.

The Senate faces a reality check on blue slips

President Trump's acting U.S. attorney in New Jersey, Alina Habba, is unable to be confirmed due to the blue slip tradition, which requires the consent of both New Jersey senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, and is a powerful tool that senators use to assert control over the

Jeffries says Democrats will fight GOP efforts to ‘whitewash’ Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Thursday that Democrats are prepping to battle any GOP effort to minimize the severity of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Jeffries said he’s in talks with Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.), the senior Democrat on the House

If you won the $1.7B Powerball jackpot, how much would be withheld for taxes?

You wouldn't gain instant billionaire status but, depending on where you live, you could become rather wealthy.

Parents still support vaccine mandates for measles, polio: Survey

A new survey shows parents still overwhelmingly support vaccine mandates for measles and polio, as Florida moves to remove immunization requirements for school-aged children and other states consider changes to their laws. A Washington Post-KFF poll found that 81 percent of

Trump urges Europe to avoid Russian oil

{beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment The Big Story Trump pushes Europe to avoid Russia's oil President Trump joined a call Thursday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and world leaders during which he urged Europe to stop purchasing Russian oil as a

Here are the top Powerball winners of all time: California dominates

After Wednesday night’s drawing yielded no major winners, the Powerball jackpot ticked up another $300 million to a staggering $1.7 billion. That marks the third-largest jackpot in U.S. history, behind only the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot win in November 2022 and the $1.765

US, Mexico agree to increase cooperation in fight against drugs

The U.S. and Mexico late Wednesday agreed to increase cooperation in the fight against illegal drugs, including working together to dismantle cartels and "address" illegal immigration on both sides of the border. “The aim is to work together to dismantle transnational organized

What's really holding China back: Bribes, 'guanxi,' and the illusion of progress

China is investing more than $140 billion in its race to dominate the semiconductor industry, aiming to close the gap with giants like TSMC and Intel. On paper, it’s an ambitious leap toward technological self-sufficiency. In reality, though, it is a race held back by something

Trump’s Unsupported Death Penalty Claim

At a Cabinet meeting on Aug. 26, President Donald Trump proposed seeking the death penalty for anyone convicted of murder in Washington, D.C., claiming the death penalty is "a very strong preventative." But the research, which has been difficult to conduct, is inconclusive on

RFK Jr. Makes Up Batshit Reason for Why CDC Director Was Fired

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gave an absolutely vexing answer to a basic question on why he fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention head Susan Monarez. “Did you tell the head of the CDC that if she refused to sign off on your changes to

Student challenging Idaho trans athlete ban withdraws case ahead of Supreme Court fight

A transgender college student challenging Idaho’s 2020 ban on trans athletes notified the Supreme Court this week that she would drop her case, citing personal and academic challenges and intensifying “negative public scrutiny” tied to her involvement in it. Attorneys for

DOJ sues utility over Southern California fires

The Justice Department has filed two lawsuits against Southern California Edison Co. (SCE) alleging the power provider's negligence contributed to the deadly Eaton and Fairview fires in California, which resulted in 21 deaths and widespread property damage.

RFK Jr. claims Monarez said she wasn't 'trustworthy' in fateful meeting

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed before the Senate on Thursday that former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez told him she wasn’t “trustworthy” during a meeting last month, days before he fired her. Sen.

GOP Senator Grills RFK Jr. on How He’s Destroying Health Department

At a Thursday Senate Finance Committee hearing, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. came under fire for his mismanagement of the Department of Health and Human Services—and the criticism didn’t just come from the Democratic side of the aisle. Republican Senator Thom Tillis of Florida

RFK Jr. Claims He Can’t Hear as He Falls Apart in Senate Hearing

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy couldn’t cough up answers when pressed about the Trump administration’s actions that would increase drug prices for seniors, leaving one senator baffled. While testifying before the Senate Finance Committee Thursday, Kennedy

Can you read this? US low-literacy crisis is costing us $2 trillion per year

Since last September, new assessment data on both children and adults has shown increasing cause for concern.

Fiscal hawks fire warning shot in House ahead of shutdown deadline

Fiscal hawks in the House fired a warning shot over government funding by withholding support for, but ultimately allowing passage of, a funding measure Thursday. It sent Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) a message about the confrontational members’ posture ahead of an end-of-month

Transcript: How Trump Is Screwing Michigan—and What Democrats Can Do

The following is a lightly edited transcript of the September 4 episode of Right Now With Perry Bacon. You can watch this interview here . Perry Bacon: Good morning, everybody. I’m Perry Bacon. I’m the host of The New Republic ’s Right Now show, and I’m honored to be joined

Social media influencer Rolling Ray dies at 28

Raymond Harper used his platform to advocate for people with disabilities and was a presence in social justice movements.

The luckiest (and unluckiest) states to play Powerball in

Some states have seen jackpot wins this year. Others haven't seen victory in two decades.

Musk meddling with Grok AI over perceived woke bias

If one billionaire can pull the strings on an AI that millions of people use, what does that mean for the future of truth itself?

It’s Time for the MAHA Moms to Turn on RFK Jr. Too

On Wednesday, more than 1,000 Health and Human Services employees demanded , in a letter, that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resign. They criticized him for firing Susan Monarez, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; severely curtailing access to

How Trump Is Screwing Michigan—and What Democrats Can Do About It

President Trump’s policies, particularly tariffs, are annoying voters in left-leaning Detroit but also more conservative, rural areas of Michigan, says Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II . In the latest edition of Right Now With Perry Bacon , Gilchrist discussed his

Former HHS chief: 'I can’t imagine what I would do if I were a parent in Florida'

Former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Wednesday she “can’t imagine” how parents in Florida will protect their children as the state moves to end all school vaccines mandates. “Florida has put out some terrifying guidance suggesting that they’re going

No joke: Comedian Graham Linehan arrested in Britain for quip about trans women

So much for free speech in Britain.

Confirm Mike Waltz as UN ambassador to implement Trump’s agenda

The Senate Foreign Affairs Committee has cleared Mike Waltz to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and the full Senate must act quickly to confirm him before the U.N. General Assembly convenes on Sept. 10, as his unique combination of military and political experience

11 of 12 Senate Finance Democrats demand RFK Jr resign

Almost every Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee called on Robert F. Kennedy Jr to step down as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services following a major shakeup at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Eleven of the 12 Democratic

Wind developer sues Trump over effort to block offshore project

A wind energy developer sued the Trump administration over its efforts to block a major project that would provide power to Rhode Island and Connecticut. Revolution Wind, which is a joint venture between Ørsted and a consortium led by Skyborn Renewables, sued over a stop work