PoliticsPage 7 of 11
This section covers the people, institutions and decisions that shape government and public life. Expect coverage of national leadership, legislation, elections, courts and policy debates, along with the officials and agencies carrying them out.
Stories here track how power is used and challenged, from budgets and regulations to campaigns and appointments, offering context on what these developments mean for citizens and communities.
Politics· Verified
California sued by Justice Department over voter eligibility checks
DoJ had demanded that LA county confirm citizenship of people on list in thumb drive, but officials refused US politics live – latest updates The US Department of Justice sued California on Thursday, seeking a court order to prevent the state from tabulating certain ballots cast in the midterm elections. The suit came two days after the department made a specious demand to the state. On Tuesday, the department sent election officials in Los Angeles county a thumb drive with a handwritten password purporting to contain the names of noncitizens registered to vote. The department asked officials to confirm the citizenship of anyone on the list and set aside ballots from those whose status could not be confirmed. It gave the state 48 hours – an extremely narrow window – to take action. It did not provide details on how it came up with the names on the list. In its lawsuit, filed in federal court in the central district of California, the justice department said it had provided the state with more than 20,000 names of likely noncitizens. Continue reading...
Politics· Verified
UK warns Eritrea of visa ban over failure to accept deported migrants
The home secretary said she would not hesitate to impose measures on other countries "refusing to co-operate".
Politics· Verified
Donald Trump rejects plan to livestream Nidal Hasan execution
Trump said the firing-squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan won’t be livestreamed — contradicting an announcement by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Politics· Developing
Donald Trump faces voter backlash over economy ahead of midterms, polling shows
Voters’ opposition to the state of Trump’s economy is well established – despite his desperate attempts to deflect Our reporters answer your questions about the US economy and the midterm elections It’s indisputable that the political polarization of our time has reduced (and confused) the influence of economic conditions on US elections. In September of 2024, in the waning weeks of the Joe Biden presidency, 65% of Republicans believed the US economy was getting worse. About six months later, as Donald Trump launched a trade war on the rest of the world with his “liberation day” tariffs, the share of Republican pessimists had dropped to 33%. Continue reading...
Politics· Developing
Trump downplays inflation at Montana rally despite supporters facing high costs
KALISPELL, Mont. — On a day when the U.S. inflation rate was shown to have climbed 3.7% over the past year, President Donald Trump said at a rally in Montana on Wednesday, “We have very little inflation.”
Politics· Developing
Election offices in three states targeted by mailings of unexplained powder
No injuries or adverse health effects have been reported, and officials said they are working with state and federal law enforcement.
Politics· Developing
ICC inquiry sanctions blocked by US judge for two human rights groups
Blow for Trump administration as Dawn and Taag hail ‘important step in unraveling the ICC sanctions regime’ A US federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from placing sanctions on two US-based human rights groups for working to help the international criminal court’s (ICC) investigations into war crimes in Gaza. In a 30-page order issued on Tuesday, Jesse M Furman, a judge at the US district court for the southern district of New York, granted a preliminary injunction to the two groups, Democracy for the Arab World Now (Dawn) and Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide (Taag). Continue reading...
Politics· Verified
Trump frames midterm elections around his record as early voting begins in 20 states
As early voting gets underway in 20 states, candidates are clashing in debates where the topics of rising costs and the war with Iran are taking center stage. At an event in Alaska, President Donald Trump made it clear that his policies and his legacy are on the line in the midterm elections. NBC's Garrett Haake reports for TODAY.
Politics· Developing
Judge blocks Trump's White House ban targeting CNN, MS NOW and Politico
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly said the White House's revocation of hard passes for CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists likely violated their First and Fifth Amendment rights.
Politics· Verified
Katie Zacharia makes White House press secretary debut in brief 14-minute session
New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia faced reporters for the first time on Tuesday, delivering a brief 14-minute briefing and taking questions from just three media outlets. In her opening remarks, she praised Donald Trump’s energy policies, saying he had restored US 'energy dominance', and credited his tariffs with stopping China from producing fentanyl precursor chemicals. Asked how she would balance the demanding role with family life, Zacharia said missing evenings with her children wasn't acceptable before mistakenly referring to her husband as 'my president' and correcting herself, 'excuse me, my husband' Enter the Zachbot: Trump’s new press secretary malfunctions on podium debut Trump says he picked ‘devoted fan’ Katie Zacharia to be next press secretary Continue reading...
Politics· Verified
Supreme Court to consider watchdog lawsuit seeking Elon Musk DOGE files
The Trump administration argues that DOGE is exempt from freedom of information requirements.
Politics· Verified
Elon Musk pours over $276 million into Republican midterm campaigns
Elon Musk, the world’s only trillionaire, has quietly become the biggest known donor in this year’s midterm elections, doling out more than US$276 million since July to try to save Republican majorities in Congress. The numbers, first reported by the New York Times ahead of this week’s federal filing deadline, were confirmed by Andrew Romeo, a spokesman for Musk’s super PAC (Political Action Committee). The money includes US$158 million given to the Senate Leadership Fund, the main super PAC...
Politics· Developing
Medicaid work rules and major federal funding cuts to take effect in January
Trump’s reform law that seeks to make coverage harder to get, and to keep, includes working 80 hours per month It is a date keeping US healthcare providers up at night: 1 January 2027. As the midterm elections loom, everyone from hospital leaders and to patient advocates are focused on the New Year, when Republicans scheduled the most controversial elements of their healthcare reform law to go into effect. Continue reading...
Politics· Verified
Ilhan Omar condemns federal search of her home after Trump rally remarks
President says Somalia, birthplace of the Minnesota Democratic congresswoman, is ‘one of the worst countries on the planet’ Sign up for the US Breaking News email Most Americans think Donald Trump is profiting off the presidency in unethical or illegal ways and is focused more on his wealth than helping people like them, a new AP-NORC poll finds. As Trump’s family business pulls in record money from new ventures helped by his policies, the survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that when it comes to allegations that Trump is profiting from the presidency, about six in 10 US adults believe he is either illegally profiting or doing something unethical but not illegal. Continue reading...
Politics· Verified
Military's archbishop criticizes plan to livestream execution
Archbishop for the U.S. Military Timothy Broglio said Catholic service members assigned to the firing squad that will execute the Fort Hood shooter should ask to be excused.
Politics· Verified
Federal judge orders temporary halt to taxpayer-funded pro-Trump TV ads
New York judge also orders administration to cancel remaining portion of a $20m advertising purchase A federal judge has ordered Donald Trump’s administration to temporarily halt the broadcast of taxpayer-funded television ads promoting the president ahead of the 3 November midterm elections. Effective as of 6.45pm ET on Sunday, US district judge Jennifer L Rochon of the southern district of New York issued a temporary restraining order aimed at the ads that is meant to stay in effect for at least 14 days. Continue reading...
Politics· Verified
Democrats rebuke federal raid of Ilhan Omar’s home: ‘rogue abuse of power’
Top House Democrats question the ‘corrupt weaponization’ of federal government against Trump’s adversaries Ilhan Omar’s Democratic colleagues have condemned federal agents’ search of the Minnesota congresswoman’s home on Monday morning, describing it as “deeply disturbing” and emblematic of the Trump administration’s “corrupt weaponization” of the US government. House Democratic leaders, including minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, party whip Katherine Clark and caucus chair Pete Aguilar, issued a joint statement excoriating the president for the search. Continue reading...
Politics· Verified
Trump faces growing backlash over plans to import diesel from Russia
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have criticised the deal, which was announced weeks before the US midterm elections.
Politics· Verified
Justice Department investigating major TV networks over suspending pool coverage of Trump
The Justice Department said it is investigating five major TV broadcast networks for potentially violating federal antitrust laws after the networks temporarily declined to provide pool coverage of President Donald Trump, a department spokesperson said.
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