New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to investigate allegations that a Cornell University student was gang raped by seven fraternity members in 2024, after expressing lost faith in the local district attorney's handling of the case.
The Supreme Court agreed Thursday to hear a challenge to the Trump administration's policy requiring mandatory detention without bond hearings for immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally and are facing deportation proceedings. The case represents a major test of one of the administration's most aggressive immigration enforcement measures.
President Donald Trump attacked Fox News on Truth Social, accusing the network of focusing more on Democratic politicians like Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries than on "MAGA and REAL Patriots." The president questioned why the network regularly features Democrats and commentators critical of his administration.
The Federal Reserve's internal watchdog found significant mismanagement and cost overruns in the central bank's headquarters renovation project but no evidence of criminal violations, concluding an investigation that former President Trump had used to target Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
Senate Democrats blocked the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would have encouraged states to protect consumers from power rate hikes caused by data center growth, denying Republicans a legislative win ahead of the midterm elections.
The Senate voted 47-51 to block a Democratic resolution that would have required the State Department to report on violence and human rights violations in the occupied West Bank, including deaths of American citizens. John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote against it.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Elon Musk, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will co-lead 'Project Meridian,' a Pentagon study examining the future of warfare and military technology.
Sen. Eric Schmitt's attempt to accuse former special counsel Jack Smith of perjury collapsed during a Senate hearing when he confused the Atlanta Hawks NBA team with the Iowa Hawkeyes college team, undermining his claim that Smith lied about attending a basketball game.
Senate Democrats' attempt to prevent President Trump from clawing back $810 million in funding approved by Congress was blocked by Republican Senator Ron Johnson on Wednesday. The White House plan to cut the federal funding using a controversial budgeting maneuver faces legal challenges as the fiscal year ends.
A new AP-NORC poll shows Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of President Trump's handling of the economy, with only 17% approving of his handling of cost of living and just 26% approving of his overall economic management. The approval ratings have sunk to levels that rival some of the worst polling from former President Biden's term.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will announce plans to reduce by 20% the number of positions reserved for generals and admirals during his State of the Force address, marking a significant restructuring of military leadership.
Kurt Olsen, a Trump loyalist and 2020 election denier who was assigned to the Justice Department's 'grand conspiracy' investigation targeting Trump's perceived enemies, has resigned. He is the second prosecutor to quit the troubled probe, which has faced multiple setbacks.
Former special counsel Jack Smith appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to defend his two criminal investigations of President Trump, telling lawmakers he stands by his decisions and will not be silenced by threats of prosecution.
A federal judge declared a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a verdict in the bribery case against Washington DC Council member Trayon White, who was accused of accepting cash from a city contractor. Prosecutors plan to retry the case.
President Trump announced plans for Mesabi Metallics to build a $15 billion steel plant in Iowa, which the administration is calling the largest in U.S. history. The announcement comes as Trump campaigns for vulnerable Republicans in the battleground state ahead of midterm elections.
More than two dozen UN human rights experts have warned that the Trump administration's policy of deporting migrants to third countries—nations other than their countries of origin—has triggered a cascade of human rights violations and puts migrants at heightened risk of abuse, torture, and persecution. The warning comes as the Justice Department asks the Supreme Court to revive the program.
Two veteran FBI agents overseeing counterterrorism operations in Washington were removed from their positions and reassigned over their handling of an investigation involving Katie Miller, wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller.
National Republican groups are making massive late investments in Senate races in traditionally safe states like Texas and Kansas as new polling shows Democrats competitive. GOP operatives express concern about defending seats once considered secure.
Former Kennedy Center employees accused leadership of stopping planned waterproofing repairs in April 2026, then later citing those same structural issues as justification for closing the venue. The allegations contradict the Trump administration's stated reasons for the closure.
An independent review found Utah Valley University failed to properly assess security threats and didn't adequately plan for the outdoor event where political commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated in 2025, despite warnings from his organization.
Senator Maggie Hassan criticized a 30-second television ad praising President Donald Trump that was paid for with federal tax dollars and aired on Fox News, warning it may violate laws against using taxpayer funds for government propaganda. The White House defended the ad as a public service announcement.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill demanded Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resign by Friday after an independent investigation found he violated state ethics rules and engaged in sexual harassment, including attempting to get a woman to have sex with him.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his UN General Assembly speech to accuse New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of antisemitism and endangering Jewish New Yorkers, calling Hamas the mayor's 'buddies.' Mamdani responded by planting an olive tree with Palestinians during the speech.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. disclosed to Senator Elizabeth Warren and other lawmakers that he deviated from his ethics agreement, prompting concerns about non-disclosure to Congress and failure to report changes to agency ethics officials. The revelation comes amid scrutiny of Kennedy's financial disclosures, which revealed book deals worth millions of dollars.
The Trump administration began airing a campaign-style television ad on Fox News and other networks promoting the president and warning against communism, with a disclaimer stating it was 'Paid for by the U.S. Government.' Democrats and some Republicans criticized the ad as potentially illegal government propaganda.
Darializa Avila Chevalier, the Democratic nominee for New York's 13th Congressional District, was among approximately 100 protesters arrested outside the United Nations during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to the General Assembly. The protest was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace and included other progressive activists.
Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar introduced legislation to permanently ban artificial superintelligence and create a Cabinet-level Department of Artificial Intelligence, with support from employees at leading AI companies.
Democratic politicians including former vice president Kamala Harris and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are making early moves toward potential 2028 presidential campaigns. The maneuvering comes as the party searches for a candidate who can win back the White House.
President Trump personally welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, a rare gesture for a foreign leader, as Xi arrived for his first state visit to the U.S. in more than a decade. The two nations announced a two-month extension of their trade truce.
Former Republican vice-presidential candidate and Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan has been named the keynote speaker for the 2027 Utah Economic Outlook conference. The announcement marks a significant speaking engagement for the prominent GOP figure in Utah.
The Trump administration's fraud task force, led by Vice President JD Vance, claims to have uncovered $1.2 billion in suspected COVID-related contracting fraud tied to Biden-era spending. The task force is also removing approximately 750,000 individuals suspected of fraudulent registration from Obamacare, cutting $2.2 billion in taxpayer waste.
Rep. Byron Donalds scrubbed multiple references to President Trump from his gubernatorial campaign website, joining a growing number of Republicans distancing themselves from the increasingly unpopular president ahead of midterms.
A coalition of eight states led by California and New York filed lawsuits Tuesday challenging the Trump administration's deals to pay private companies over $1.5 billion in taxpayer funds to cancel offshore wind project leases. The legal action escalates an ongoing battle over the administration's efforts to discourage wind energy expansion in favor of fossil fuels.
The Trump administration launched a 24/7 YouTube streaming channel called Trump TV days after barring reporters from three major news outlets from the White House. The channel promises to showcase White House events and presidential moments directly to viewers.
House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan issued a criminal referral to the Justice Department against Jack Smith, while releasing transcripts related to a dispute over Arctic Frost records. Smith and his allies have criticized the DOJ criminal referral.
American television networks resumed coverage of President Donald Trump's events after a judge restored access to CNN, which had been banned from the White House along with MS NOW and Politico. Networks had banded together to suspend their pool coverage in solidarity while CNN was blocked.
ProPublica reports the FBI was investigating Senator Susan Collins over alleged pay-to-play campaign finance violations involving a defense contractor, but the probe was abandoned after Trump's inauguration in 2025.
U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy struck down a Trump administration directive that would have prevented certain immigrants, including those in the country illegally, from accessing Head Start preschools and other federal welfare programs. The ruling blocked the administration's reinterpretation of federal law regarding immigrant eligibility for taxpayer-funded benefits.
The Department of Justice has charged at least 16 people across multiple states with voter fraud, while Homeland Security reports approximately 1,600 cases and 160 arrests of noncitizens illegally registered on state voter rolls. The crackdown comes ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with cases including three noncitizens in Georgia charged with voting in federal elections.
Federal Aviation Administration halted flights at New York, Newark, and Philadelphia airports Monday after construction crew accidentally cut a fiber-optic line in New Jersey. Hundreds of flights were canceled as world leaders arrived for UN General Assembly.
Retiring Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine endorsed Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in his competitive New York reelection race, calling him 'a true partner.' The rare cross-aisle endorsement angered House Democrats.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned in Michigan for Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, calling the 2026 midterms a potential 'stopgap' on Trump's second presidency. The appearance highlighted that few Democratic candidates are accepting Harris's campaign help as she weighs a 2028 presidential run.
The Trump administration has informed Congress it intends to accept 17,500 refugees in fiscal year 2027, with the majority being white South Africans, primarily Afrikaners, who the administration claims face racial discrimination and persecution. South Africa disputes claims of systematic persecution against the group.
Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt disclosed new details about President Donald Trump's reaction after shots were fired at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, describing him as a 'caged lion' eager to return to the ballroom. She also shared lessons learned from Trump and explained her reasons for leaving the White House.
Three news outlets filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the Trump administration after being banned from the White House. The lawsuit contends the ban is a blatant violation of constitutional press freedoms and is severely impeding their ability to report on the administration.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has quietly stopped publicly disclosing the locations of thousands of detainees who are subject to final deportation orders. The unannounced change to ICE's online detainee locator system has made it significantly harder for lawyers, family members, and advocates to find and contact detained immigrants.
The Trump administration has deported over 25,000 people to countries that are not their own under secretive agreements with 35 nations, according to an investigation by Forbidden Stories and international media outlets. Stephen Miller is spearheading an unprecedented White House effort to accelerate removals of undocumented immigrant children and expand third-country deportations.
Workers removed Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. following a federal appeals court ruling that denied a last-minute appeal. In response to the controversy, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) proposed that no living politicians should have buildings named after them.
President Trump said his son Donald Trump Jr. paid back Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev, who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars funding Trump Jr.'s wedding festivities in the Bahamas. The arrangement has drawn scrutiny over potential ethics violations and foreign influence.
President Trump announced his proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery will serve as a 'top grade military complex' housing drones, snipers and ammunition storage, providing new justification for the controversial project.
Multiple polls show Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa leading or tied with Gov. Greg Abbott, while Senate candidate James Talarico runs competitively against Ken Paxton. The results suggest potential Democratic gains in a state that has been reliably Republican for decades.
Representatives Gregory Meeks, Ami Bera, and Sara Jacobs led 26 House Democrats in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on September 18, 2026, urging the Trump administration to engage in sustained diplomatic talks with China on artificial intelligence risks.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Washington next week for a state visit featuring bilateral talks and a state dinner with President Donald Trump. Trump will personally greet Xi at Joint Base Andrews, with tech CEOs including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Jensen Huang, and Sam Altman invited to the White House dinner.
President Trump's escalating tariffs on Canadian imports and Canada's retaliatory measures are creating political challenges for Republican candidates in the 2026 midterm elections, particularly in states with economies closely tied to Canadian trade like Michigan and Maine. Rising gas prices and cost of living concerns are intensifying as the trade dispute affects voters in competitive races.
The Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement, including sending undocumented children to unlicensed Texas facilities and targeting pro-Palestinian international students, has triggered legal restrictions in California, Republican defections in Miami, and increased activism among young Latinos. The crackdown is emerging as a major issue ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Democratic candidates are navigating conflicting pressures as advisers warn against alienating tech super PACs over AI regulation, while rural swing-state Democrats face attacks over their party's opposition to the GOP Farm Bill. Senate Democrats are simultaneously working to protect food assistance programs.
Rep. María Elvira Salazar, a three-term Republican representing Miami, released a campaign ad criticizing President Trump's mass deportation operations, telling him that Hispanic voters who helped elect him in 2024 now 'feel betrayed.' The ad represents a notable break with Trump ahead of the midterm elections.
A House Judiciary Committee investigation released screenshots and internal records alleging that Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue failed to properly vet foreign donations and deleted whistleblower messages. The report claims overseas money illegally flowed to US campaigns with inadequate safeguards.
The House Financial Services Committee approved the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 on September 16, requiring the federal government to hold Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset for at least 20 years. The bill now advances to the full House for consideration.
President Donald Trump signed executive orders at a White House Rose Garden dinner expanding hunting and fishing access on public lands while rescinding Biden-era restrictions. The moves include repealing endangered species habitat protections, drawing bipartisan congressional pushback from lawmakers concerned about impacts on protected wildlife.
Postmaster General David Steiner has told confidants he wants to resign from his position, according to multiple sources, as the agency faces mounting pressure from the Trump administration over mail voting restrictions.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has placed a hold on a proposed $2.8 billion sale of 40,000 one-ton bombs to Israel, citing concerns that the heavy weaponry may not be used in accordance with U.S. and international law.
A federal appeals panel ruled in favor of Missouri's Republican-drawn congressional map backed by President Trump, setting up a return to the U.S. Supreme Court. The decision comes as election officials have already begun mailing ballots to overseas voters amid ongoing uncertainty over which map will be used for the midterm elections.
The Trump administration withdrew the nomination of former Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement after his confirmation stalled in the Senate, leaving the agency without a confirmed director.
House Speaker Mike Johnson canceled Thursday votes and sent members home early for the midterm recess, effectively delaying a vote on Rep. Thomas Massie's resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth until after the November elections.
Analysis by a pro-democracy nonprofit found the Trump administration has cut or frozen up to $177 billion in federal grants since taking office, affecting programs from maternal health to education research across every state.
Human Rights Watch released a report revealing the United States has deported more than 25,000 migrants to 35 third countries with which they have no ties since Trump returned to office in 2025. The report provides rare insight into the hardships faced by deportees, particularly those sent to gang-ravaged Haiti.
Six Senate Democrats are urging the Office of Personnel Management to abandon its plan to collect and store claims-level health information on federal employees, retirees, and their families for 30 years, warning the data collection could expose workers to security breaches.
The U.S. Postal Service has stopped development of a controversial computer system that was central to President Donald Trump's effort to limit mail-in voting, following the Supreme Court's rejection of his executive order this week. The decision comes just months before the 2026 midterm elections.
Sen. John Cornyn announced he will not vote for Bo French, the Republican nominee for Texas railroad commissioner, calling him "an embarrassment to the Republican Party" and a "bigot" following racist comments French posted on social media. The controversy has drawn intense pushback from within the GOP.
The Justice Department investigation into alleged conspiracies against President Donald Trump is pressing forward despite the departure of lead prosecutor Joe diGenova after five months. Former CIA Director John Brennan has been subpoenaed to testify before a Florida grand jury next month as part of the probe targeting former law enforcement and intelligence officials.
The Senate failed to advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act on Tuesday, falling short of the 60 votes needed for cloture despite last-minute ethics provisions added to address Democratic concerns about federal officials profiting from cryptocurrency. Republicans rejected a Democratic counteroffer ahead of the vote.
The Trump administration has proposed a new rule to exclude noncitizens from the census count used for congressional apportionment, overruling internal Treasury Department concerns. The move could significantly shift House seats away from Democratic states with larger immigrant populations ahead of the next presidential election.
Bo French, Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner, faced widespread condemnation from prominent Texas Republicans after posting xenophobic remarks about Asian American students celebrating a University of Texas football victory, claiming they showed "how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners." French has doubled down on his comments despite the backlash.
President Donald Trump announced during the trophy ceremony for the Irish Open that he plans to remove a 10% tariff on Irish whiskey, saying 'everybody's been bugging me' about the issue, including some of the golfers at the tournament.
Republican Senator Jon Husted dismissed his political director Stephen Woytek after The Washington Post revealed Woytek had previously used a photo of Nazi SS soldiers as his Facebook profile picture. The campaign confirmed it would part ways with the staffer following the disclosure.
The Senate is set to vote on the CLARITY Act on September 15, a major cryptocurrency regulation bill affecting 67 million American crypto holders. Republicans need approximately 10 Democratic crossovers to pass the legislation before the 2026 midterm elections, with failure potentially impacting crypto prices.
Super PACs aligned with President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are pouring tens of millions of dollars into battleground races ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. MAGA Inc. and related groups have reported roughly $21 million in spending across key Senate and House races as Republicans face typical midterm headwinds for the party controlling the White House.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. used military jets, including a $9,000-an-hour aircraft, to travel to campaign events supporting Republican candidates ahead of the midterm elections, with White House and HHS lawyers approving the arrangement. The campaigning by Cabinet officials has raised questions about Hatch Act compliance, echoing violations from the 2020 Republican National Convention.
The House of Representatives will vote next week on a sweeping Russia sanctions bill that passed the Senate 86-11 in August. The legislation, named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham, would impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian oil and gas, but faces uncertain prospects in the House despite strong Senate support.
The Trump administration announced it will send $500 payments to nearly 1 million Americans enrolled in Affordable Care Act health insurance plans, describing them as refunds for overcharges. The payments are scheduled for October, just weeks before the midterm elections, raising questions about the legal authority and political timing of the rebates.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump's emergency appeal to implement new mail-in voting restrictions, including a proposed bar code tracking system, for the 2026 midterm elections. The ruling allows voting by mail to continue as usual in November.
Hunter Biden announced he will debut the 'LAPTOP' memecoin on September 9, named after his controversial laptop, while openly teasing a possible 2028 presidential bid. The moves mirror tactics associated with Donald Trump, including cryptocurrency ventures and social media-driven political messaging.
Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani said current mayor Zohran Mamdani should not attend the 25th anniversary 9/11 memorial ceremony, stating his presence would be offensive. Giuliani, who led the city during the 2001 attacks, made anti-Islam remarks on a right-wing network about Mamdani, New York's first Muslim mayor.
The Trump administration removed language from a sign at Arlington National Cemetery that described a Confederate memorial as having "mythologized" the Confederacy and given "sanitized" depictions of slavery. A federal judge has ordered the administration to provide 48-hour notice before proceeding with work on a planned 250-foot arch at Arlington.
New polling shows more than 70% of Americans across the political spectrum oppose data centers in their areas, even as President Donald Trump promotes them as beneficial to communities. The backlash comes as tech companies invest trillions in data centers to support AI infrastructure, with cities like St. Louis becoming battlegrounds in the national debate.
