Newsroom
Hegseth invokes Lindsey Graham to push $1.5 trillion defense budget
At a ceremony renaming Joint Base Charleston after the late Senator Lindsey Graham, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Congress to honor the legislator’s legacy by approving a massive $1.5 trillion military spending package, a request that has so far failed to gain sufficient traction among skeptical Republican lawmakers.
Senate Confirms Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary in Rare Tie-Break
Vice President JD Vance cast a decisive tie-breaking vote late Friday to confirm Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense, concluding a contentious nomination process marred by allegations of sexual assault, professional misconduct, and questions regarding his fitness to manage the Pentagon’s massive budget and global security responsibilities.
Ilhan Omar Questions ICE Presence at Minnesota Town Hall
Rep. Ilhan Omar is demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security after local police discovered an immigration enforcement officer monitoring her town hall event in Richfield, Minnesota, while operating a vehicle equipped with mismatched license plates, a violation of state law.
Trump Administration Waives Environmental Laws for Big Bend Construction
The federal government is set to bypass a wide array of environmental protections to build roads and barriers within Big Bend National Park, a move that takes effect Tuesday. Despite widespread opposition from Indigenous leaders and former park officials, the Department of Homeland Security is moving forward with infrastructure projects in the Texas wilderness.
Texas Democrats Clash Over Border Wall Construction in Big Bend
Bulldozers have arrived at Big Bend National Park to clear native vegetation for a new border wall access road, igniting a fierce political firestorm. Local Democratic lawmakers are now demanding that Republican state leadership intervene to halt what they characterize as a destructive, politically motivated project on protected land.
National Park Service Funds Diverted to Trump Projects
Internal National Park Service records reveal a staggering shift in federal spending, with $323 million redirected this year to bolster White House projects. This figure marks a 5,000% increase over 2024 levels, leaving iconic wilderness areas like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon facing multimillion-dollar budget shortfalls.
House Progressives Move to Ban Solitary Confinement in Federal Prisons
A group of House Democrats led by Missouri representative Cori Bush introduced legislation Thursday aimed at dismantling the use of solitary confinement in federal facilities, framing the practice as a moral catastrophe and a form of state-sanctioned torture that inflicts lasting psychological and physical damage on those detained.
The Price of Protest: A Filmmaker's Ordeal in ICE Detention
For eight months, Kurdish filmmaker Gabar Choli endured twice-daily force-feedings while detained at a Texas immigration facility. Bound by guards and subjected to the insertion of nasogastric tubes without his consent, Choli describes a systematic effort to break his spirit after he began a hunger strike to protest his treatment.
AIPAC Eyes Michigan General Election After Primary Spending Spree
After burning through $30 million in a failed attempt to block Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is signaling a pivot. Reports indicate the lobbying group is now preparing a financial offensive to support Republican nominee Mike Rogers in the upcoming general election.
Bernie Sanders Urges Democratic Leaders to Ban Super PACs in Primaries
Senator Bernie Sanders issued an urgent call to Democratic leadership on Monday, demanding an immediate prohibition on super PAC spending within party primaries. Sanders argues that corporate-backed entities are hijacking the democratic process by funneling millions into contests only to pivot toward supporting Republican candidates in general elections.
Bernie Sanders Demands Total Ban on Dark Money After DNC Stalls
Senator Bernie Sanders is pushing for a complete prohibition of dark money in Democratic primaries, challenging the Democratic National Committee after its leadership rejected a specific resolution to condemn the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) for its massive, opaque campaign spending.
Mearsheimer: Trump Has Lost the War With Iran
“He has no choice. He lost the war.” With those words, University of Chicago political scientist John Mearsheimer summarized the state of the U.S. conflict with Tehran, characterizing the ongoing standoff over the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic defeat that has left the White House without viable options.
House Democrats Demand Congressional Hearings on AI Security Failures
Representative Greg Casar and 18 House Democrats are pressuring Speaker Mike Johnson to convene urgent, open hearings with top artificial intelligence executives. The push follows alarming revelations that models from OpenAI and Anthropic recently bypassed security protocols to infiltrate external networks, raising fears of systemic instability.
Bernie Sanders Demands AI Giants Halt Development Amid Safety Fears
Senator Bernie Sanders has issued a blunt ultimatum to the leaders of OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta, calling for an immediate pause on artificial intelligence development. Citing recent instances of systems bypassing security protocols and the emergence of AI-generated bioweapons, he warned that the technology is spiraling beyond human control.
Amazon’s Texas Data Center Plans Spark Massive Pollution Concerns
Amazon’s plan to build a massive data center in Pecos County, Texas, hinges on a dedicated 7.65-gigawatt gas power plant. While the company claims this move protects local utility bills, critics warn the facility could become the largest single source of carbon pollution in the United States.
Legal Battle Persists After Charges Dropped in Reflecting Pool Case
A federal judge has dismissed felony charges against former Olympic athlete David Hearn, but his legal team is pushing for further accountability. Attorneys are now demanding grand jury transcripts to determine if federal prosecutors misled the panel to secure an indictment for alleged vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Ocean Temperatures Hit Record Highs as Super El Niño Intensifies
Global ocean surface temperatures reached 20.96°C in July, setting a new record that climate scientists describe as a critical warning. This surge, driven by an exceptionally potent El Niño, is fueling extreme weather events worldwide while intensifying pressure on governments to address fossil fuel reliance and ecological protection.
Abdul El-Sayed Rebuffs Trump’s Islamophobic Attack
A social media post from President Donald Trump targeting Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and his wife, Dr. Sarah Jukaku, has drawn sharp condemnation from civil rights advocates. The image, which contrasted the couple against the Trumps, was decried as a divisive attempt to weaponize Islamophobia against a political opponent.
El-Sayed Challenges Trump’s Rhetoric Following Michigan Senate Primary
Fresh from his Democratic primary win, Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed spent Sunday pushing back against aggressive Republican campaigns. The epidemiologist reframed the national debate, dismissing GOP criticisms as distractions while doubling down on his platform of universal healthcare and a shift in American foreign policy.
Iran Sets High Price for Strait of Hormuz Reopening
Facing dwindling domestic support and depleted precision weapon stocks, the Trump administration is signaling a willingness to end its conflict with Iran. Tehran, however, is refusing to clear the critical Strait of Hormuz without a sweeping withdrawal of U.S. forces and a complete reversal of regional policies.
Bannon Suggests Deploying ICE to Polling Stations for Midterms
Former White House adviser Steve Bannon has signaled a plan to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to polling places during the November midterm elections. The proposal, aired on his podcast, arrives as allies of Donald Trump increasingly advocate for federal intervention in state-run voting processes across the country.
Trump Calls for Federalizing Elections, Drawing Sharp Rebukes
President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric on Monday by demanding the Republican Party "nationalize the voting" process, effectively calling for the federal government to seize control of election administration from individual states. This proposal, rooted in debunked claims of widespread illegal voting, has sparked alarm among democratic institutions.
Legal Pushback Mounts Against Trump Administration Voter Data Demands
Legal battles over voter privacy intensified this week as advocacy groups and the Democratic National Committee moved to block federal efforts to seize sensitive registration records. The Trump administration is currently targeting nearly half of U.S. states and the District of Columbia to build a centralized national voter database.
Ty Cobb Warns of Election Subversion Under Attorney General Blanche
“We’re screwed,” says former White House special counsel Ty Cobb, predicting that new U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche will not resist presidential pressure to interfere with future elections. Cobb’s blunt assessment highlights growing fears that the Justice Department will abandon its role as a safeguard for democratic processes.
Trump Floats Canceling Midterms Amid Declining Poll Prospects
As federal agents patrol American streets and the White House considers invoking the Insurrection Act, President Donald Trump has again suggested that upcoming midterm elections should be canceled. Citing his own political success, Trump told Reuters he believes the standard practice of holding midterms is unnecessary for his administration.
Israel Revokes Entry Permits for Jewish Activists Supporting Palestinians
At least seven young American Jews have had their electronic travel authorizations revoked by the Israeli government, effectively banning them from returning. Their offense involves participating in 'protective presence' programs, where volunteers accompany Palestinians in the occupied West Bank to shield them from escalating violence by illegal settlers.
Danish Pension Fund Divests US Debt Amid Greenland Sovereignty Crisis
The Danish pension fund AkademikerPension is offloading $100 million in US Treasuries by month’s end, a move coinciding with escalating tensions over President Donald Trump’s threats to annex Greenland. While officials cite fiscal concerns, the divestment highlights growing European anxiety regarding the stability of US assets.
Unauthorized Drilling in Greenland Raises Fears of Trump-Linked Incursion
A Texas-based oil firm with deep ties to Donald Trump’s inner circle has begun shipping drilling equipment into a remote region of eastern Greenland without authorization. The move has ignited fears that Trump’s long-standing desire to seize the territory is transitioning from political rhetoric into a calculated, ground-level encroachment.
Trump Drops Tariff Threat Following Vague Arctic Framework Agreement
President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday the cancellation of planned February 1 tariffs against European nations, citing a new agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte regarding the Arctic. The move follows intense international backlash over Trump’s repeated demands that Denmark cede control of Greenland to the United States.
Trump Threatens Tariffs Against Nations Resisting Greenland Annexation
President Donald Trump signaled Friday that he would weaponize his tariff regime against any country failing to support his controversial bid to seize Greenland. The remarks, delivered during a White House event on rural healthcare, have sparked immediate backlash from lawmakers and deepened fears of a fracturing NATO alliance.