Ali Swenson, Author at The Rapid City Post

Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, leaves the White House campus, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Trump administration to launch TrumpRx website for discounted drugs

February 5, 2026

The Trump administration is set to launch TrumpRx, a website to help patients buy prescription drugs directly from manufacturers at discounted rates. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday’s expected unveiling in a social media post. The website is not a purchasing platform but directs users to drugmakers’ own sites. President Trump first mentioned TrumpRx in September, highlighting deals with pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices. The website’s release faced delays, but it now showcases efforts to reduce costs through agreements with major companies like Pfizer and AstraZeneca. However, the actual savings for consumers remain unclear.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. listens as President Donald Trump speaks at an event on addiction recovery in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

HHS unveils program to address homelessness and addiction, part of a set of new initiatives

February 2, 2026

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says his department will devote $100 million toward a pilot program addressing homelessness and substance abuse in eight cities. Monday’s announcement builds on an executive order President Donald Trump signed last week. Kennedy said the nation’s health department also will make faith-based organizations eligible for addiction-related grants and expand states’ ability to use federal health funding for substance abuse treatment in certain situations involving children. The initiatives come as the administration’s actions, including layoffs, have created uncertainty, fear and logistical challenges for mental health and substance abuse treatment providers around the country.

California Governor Gavin Newsom is seen during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Newsom files a civil rights complaint against Dr. Oz in latest feud with the Trump administration

January 30, 2026

A new front in the battle between Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump’s Republican administration has opened over a video in which the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services alleges Armenians in Los Angeles orchestrated health care fraud. The feud reached a peak Thursday when Newsom announced his office was filing a civil rights complaint accusing CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz of discrimination related to the video. Newsom’s office argues Oz spread baseless allegations. Oz says $3.5 billion in hospice and home care fraud has taken place in Los Angeles. Oz and CMS haven’t responded to a request for comment and haven’t publicly shared details confirming the alleged fraud.

President Donald Trump attends an event to promote investment in rural health care in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Washington. Standing with the President are Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Mehmet Oz, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump administration announces 15 new drugs for Medicare price negotiation program

January 27, 2026

The Trump administration has unveiled 15 new drugs selected for a Medicare drug price negotiation program that allows the federal government to haggle directly with drug manufacturers. The drugs announced Tuesday include treatments for Type 2 diabetes, HIV, arthritis and various other conditions. The neurotoxin Botox, which is often used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, will also be part of negotiations, but only for medical uses covered by Medicare. The announcement signals the start of a third round of negotiations under a 2022 law that has already resulted in lower prices for 25 drugs. Because the program targets some of the drugs on which Medicare spends the most money, it has the potential to deliver significant savings to taxpayers.

FILE - Vice President JD Vance, right, and second lady Usha Vance watch a demonstration by Marines during activities to mark the upcoming Marine Corps' 250th anniversary Oct 18, 2025, on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Camp Pendleton, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, file)

Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance say they are expecting their fourth child

January 20, 2026

Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, are expecting their fourth child. The couple announced Tuesday that Usha Vance is pregnant with a boy, who is expected to be born in late July. The announcement comes as the Republican vice president has spent years passionately advocating for Americans to have more children. The baby will join the Vances’ other three kids, Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel. The couple took to social media to thank military doctors and staff members, whom they said “ensure that we can serve the country while enjoying a wonderful life with our children.”

FILE - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services building is seen, April 5, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Confusion erupts in mental health and substance abuse programs as HHS cuts, then reinstates grants

January 15, 2026

Providers, state health agencies and others are feeling whiplash and confusion after the Trump administration eliminated and then abruptly reinstated grants that support substance abuse and mental health programs nationwide. The administration first notified grant recipients that their funding was being pulled Tuesday evening. By Wednesday evening, news reports were suggesting the cuts might be reversed — but grant recipients hadn’t been notified. It wasn’t until Thursday morning that grant recipients got confirmation the grant terminations were rescinded. One provider’s CEO said the episode builds on a pattern of uncertainty that makes it difficult to make long-term plans. An HHS spokesperson didn’t answer an inquiry about the reasoning and declined to comment about the confusion.

FILE - Pages from the U.S. Affordable Care Act health insurance website healthcare.gov are seen on a computer screen in New York, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File)

Final day to select ACA health plans arrives in most states, with no subsidy deal yet

January 15, 2026

The final day to select Affordable Care Act health insurance for the year has arrived across much of the country. The open enrollment window ends Thursday in most states for plans that start in February. About 10 states that run their own marketplaces have deadlines later this month. The window is crucial for millions of small business owners, gig workers, farmers, ranchers and others who don’t get their health insurance from a job. But this year, the expiration of certain federal subsidies made most enrollees’ monthly premium fees more expensive. A potential compromise to extend the subsidies is in the works in the Senate, but there’s no deal yet.

FILE = The Health and Human Services seal is seen before the news conference of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the Hubert Humphrey Building Auditorium in Washington, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

Trump administration slashes funding for substance abuse and mental health programs nationwide

January 14, 2026

The Trump administration has made significant cuts to substance abuse and mental health programs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has canceled around 2,000 grants, totaling nearly $2 billion, according to an official. This represents about a quarter of SAMHSA’s budget. The cuts affect programs providing mental health services, opioid treatment and more. On Tuesday, grant recipients were notified that their funding would be canceled immediately. Many organizations are now forced to cut staff and consider whether they can continue their programs. Some programs, like the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative, have been supporting communities for over 20 years.

Judge orders HHS to restore funding for children’s health programs as lawsuit continues

January 12, 2026

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore nearly $12 million in funding to the American Academy of Pediatrics. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell’s preliminary injunction granted late Sunday sided with AAP in saying evidence showed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was likely retaliating against the group when it terminated the grants in December. The funding in question supports numerous public health programs, including efforts to prevent sudden unexpected infant death and strengthen pediatric care in rural communities. HHS had said in letters to AAP that the grants no longer aligned with the department’s priorities. AAP alleged the cuts were instead made in retaliation for the group speaking out against administration positions and actions.

Health subsidies expire, launching millions of Americans into 2026 with steep insurance hikes

January 1, 2026

Enhanced tax credits that have helped Americans offset the cost of Affordable Care Act health insurance for the last four years expired overnight. The arrival of the New Year’s Day deadline with no fix from Congress cemented higher health costs for millions of Americans, including many self-employed workers, small business owners, farmers and ranchers. The change represents a failure by lawmakers to address an affordability issue that many Americans have raised as a top concern ahead of the 2026 midterms. On average, the more than 20 million subsidized enrollees in the Affordable Care Act program are seeing their premium costs rise by 114% in 2026, according to an analysis by the health care research nonprofit KFF.

FILE - Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., arrives on stage at the inaugural Make America Healthy Again summit at the Waldorf Astoria, Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr., File)

In a tumultuous year, US health policy has been dramatically reshaped under RFK Jr.

December 30, 2025

President Donald Trump’s second term has brought major changes to the Department of Health and Human Services. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reshaped the department, eliminating jobs and cutting research funding. He has also promoted controversial views on vaccines, including removing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation for COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again movement has gained support for promoting healthy eating and exercise. However, experts warn of potential damage to scientific leadership. The overhaul comes amid broader uncertainties in the health system, including Medicaid cuts and expiring insurance subsidies.

Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., speaks during an event on prescription drug prices in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

More than a third of states sue HHS over a move that could curtail youth gender-affirming care

December 23, 2025

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, its Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and its inspector general over a declaration that could complicate access to gender-affirming care for young people. The lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Eugene, Oregon, alleges that the declaration is inaccurate and unlawful and asks the court to block its enforcement. Last week’s declaration called treatments like puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgeries unsafe and ineffective for children and adolescents whose gender expression doesn’t match their sex assigned at birth. An HHS spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Pages that show New York grand jury subpoenas being issued into the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell investigation, then pages of redactions that follow, in this document released by the U.S. Justice Department, are photographed, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

Takeaways from the US Justice Department’s initial release of Epstein files, mandated by Congress

December 19, 2025

The Department of Justice has published thousands of its files related to Jeffrey Epstein. The Friday document dump was long anticipated for its potential to reveal new details about the late sex offender and his connections to powerful people. However, it was clear soon after the release that it was far from complete, angering several lawmakers and prominent Democrats. Among the new files released were various photos taken by the FBI during searches of Epstein’s homes. Many of the most discussed photos feature former Democratic President Bill Clinton, who has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and who said through a spokesperson that he had no knowledge of the financier’s crimes.

Higher cost, worse coverage: Affordable Care Act enrollees say expiring subsidies will hit them hard

December 13, 2025

Americans are feeling the strain already with less than three weeks to go until the expiration of COVID-era tax credits that have helped many people pay for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. For one Wisconsin couple, the loss of government-sponsored health subsidies in 2026 means choosing a lower-quality insurance plan with a higher deductible. For a Michigan family, it means going without insurance altogether. For a single mom in Nevada, the spiking costs will mean fewer Christmas gifts this year. She’s stretching her budget while waiting to see if Congress will act. But a legislative fix seems increasingly unlikely.

The Senate voted down dueling health proposals. Here’s what’s at stake for Americans

December 11, 2025

Hopes for solving a major health insurance issue are fading in Washington. The Senate on Thursday rejected two bills that would have addressed expiring COVID-era subsidies. Affordable Care Act subsidies will end in three weeks, more than doubling the premiums for many with health coverage through the 2010 law known as “Obamacare.” The issue is crucial as affordability concerns grow heading into the 2026 midterm elections. Pocketbook concerns, including health costs, are expected to be top issues for voters. More than 24 million people have health insurance through the ACA.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during the Western Governors' Association meeting Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rebecca Noble)

US health department unveils strategy to expand its adoption of AI technology

December 4, 2025

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has outlined a new strategy to expand its use of artificial intelligence. The 20-page document builds on the Trump administration’s enthusiastic embrace of the rapidly advancing technology. The strategy calls for embracing a “try-first” culture for AI among the workforce and encourages employees to use chatbots and AI assistants for daily tasks. It also calls for the creation of a suite of AI resources that can be used across the department. Experts said the bold plan was worth celebrating but warned that the government’s embrace of AI tools shouldn’t come at the expense of safety.

Trump administration says lower prices for 15 Medicare drugs will save taxpayers billions

November 26, 2025

The Trump administration says pharmaceutical companies have agreed to slash the Medicare prices for 15 prescription drugs after months of negotiations and that it’s expected to produce billions in savings for older adults. But the net prices unveiled Tuesday aren’t what Medicare recipients will pay at their pharmacy counters because those final amounts will depend on each individual’s plan and how much they spend annually on prescriptions. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. touted the deals as part of efforts to address affordability concerns. The negotiation program is mandated by law and began under the Biden administration.

FILE - Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a news conference on the Autism report by the CDC at the Hubert Humphrey Building Auditorium in Washington, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, file)

RFK Jr. says he personally directed CDC’s new guidance on vaccines and autism

November 21, 2025

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told The New York Times in an interview that he personally directed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to update its website to contradict its longtime guidance that vaccines don’t cause autism. His comments to the outlet in an interview published Friday answer provide clarity into who directed the CDC’s website change. The CDC’s “vaccine safety” page, which used to clearly state that vaccines do not cause autism, was updated Wednesday to claim that statement is not based on evidence. Public health researchers and advocates strongly refute the CDC’s new position and note that decades of research has thoroughly explored vaccines and autism and found no link.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., arrives on stage at the inaugural Make America Healthy Again summit at the Waldorf Astoria, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

MAHA idealism meets political reality as RFK Jr. attempts to wrangle a growing movement

November 21, 2025

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is fending off criticism from his own base as some of the environmental and anti-vaccine activists who propelled him into politics have said they want stronger action against vaccines and pharmaceutical companies. Other Kennedy supporters have questioned why he and other government leaders have appeared willing to work closely with large corporations. The tensions reflect emerging cracks within Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” coalition as it amasses power and broadens in scope. The MAHA initiative has enjoyed widespread popularity, but public health researchers say the broad appeal of making Americans healthier can also cause conflicts within the movement by inviting competing interests.

FILE - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is seen in Washington, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

Senate committee advances a Trump-aligned pick for HHS watchdog, a role long seen as nonpartisan

November 19, 2025

A U.S. Senate committee has advanced a candidate openly supportive of President Donald Trump to be inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services. Thomas March Bell’s nomination has raised questions about independence as the office he aims to lead is traditionally viewed as nonpartisan. A number of Democratic lawmakers have criticized Bell’s nomination. The inspector general of HHS is charged with investigating fraud, waste and abuse in the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs. The Republican-led Senate Finance Committee’s vote sends Bell to the full, Republican-controlled Senate, where he is expected to be confirmed.

Vice President JD Vance, right, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., wave as they depart the inaugural Make America Healthy Again summit at the Waldorf Astoria, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

At ‘Make America Healthy Again’ summit, Vance praises RFK Jr. for defying convention

November 12, 2025

Vice President JD Vance has praised Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for questioning established science and embracing nontraditional voices in health care. Speaking at a “Make America Healthy Again” summit Wednesday, Vance highlighted Kennedy’s role in challenging orthodoxies. Kennedy’s approach, including vaccine skepticism and changes to public health agencies, has made him a polarizing figure. Vance’s words were the latest embrace by the White House of Kennedy and his movement. The White House has supported Kennedy’s efforts to phase out artificial dyes and update dietary guidelines. Critics, including some of the country’s leading medical associations, say Kennedy’s disregard for established science is fomenting public distrust in mainstream medicine.

FILE - House Democrats prepare to speak on the steps of the Capitol to insist that Republicans include an extension of expiring health care benefits as part of a government funding compromise, in Washington, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

An emerging shutdown deal doesn’t extend expiring health subsidies. Here’s what could happen to them

November 10, 2025

A legislative package that could end the weekslong government shutdown leaves out any clear resolution on the expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits that have made private health insurance less costly for millions. The deal agreed to by Senate Republicans and a handful of Democrats on Sunday instead only guarantees a December vote on the enhanced premium tax credits. If the subsidies run out, it will more than double what subsidized enrollees currently pay for premiums next year, according to the health care research nonprofit KFF. But Congress may still extend the subsidies or come up with alternatives. For example, some Republican lawmakers have suggested scrapping the subsidies and instead giving Americans flexible spending accounts to defray their health costs.

FILE - Dr. Casey Means, a wellness influencer, left, and journalist Megyn Kelly attend a confirmation hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the Secretary of Health and Human Services post, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

Casey Means, a physician-turned-wellness-influencer and Trump’s surgeon general pick, faces senators

October 30, 2025

Casey Means, a Stanford-educated physician and wellness influencer, is set to face the Senate health committee over her nomination to become the U.S. surgeon general. Means is expected at Thursday’s hearing to present her vision for tackling chronic disease by addressing root causes, aligning with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda. Means, who says she left her surgical residency in 2018 after becoming disillusioned with traditional medicine, co-founded a health tracking app and has promoted wellness products. Concerns about her qualifications and potential conflicts have arisen. Means lacks government experience and has an inactive medical license. If confirmed, Means has pledged to resign from her company roles and divest stock options.

President Donald Trump listens as Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Some furloughed workers will return to manage health insurance open enrollment as shutdown drags on

October 23, 2025

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services says it will temporarily bring all its furloughed employees back to work starting Monday to manage health insurance open enrollment. A spokesperson said Thursday the recall to duty amid the government shutdown was needed to “best serve the American people.” The employees’ return will be paid for by user fees gathered from sharing data with researchers. The decision shows how significantly shutting down the government and losing staffing has impacted federal government operations during a crucial season for health insurance. Millions of Americans are selecting their plans for next year during this fall’s open enrollment. CMS provides health coverage to more than 160 million people, according to its website.

House Democrats prepare to speak on the steps of the Capitol to insist that Republicans include an extension of expiring health care benefits as part of a government funding compromise, in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Just before shutdown, most Americans wanted health insurance tax credits extended, KFF poll finds

October 3, 2025

A new poll conducted just prior to the current government shutdown showed most Americans wanted Congress to extend tax credits that could expire at the end of the year. If not extended, health insurance costs could rise for millions. A Senate standoff over these tax credits has led to a government shutdown now in its third day. Republicans are open to negotiating but want to restore government funding first. The poll by health care research nonprofit KFF, released Friday, indicates that prior to the shutdown, Americans who wanted the subsidies to continue were more inclined to blame President Trump and Republicans if they expired. However, many Americans were unaware of the credits’ looming expiration, leaving room for opinion to shift.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and GOP leaders, from left, Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., and Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., blame the government shutdown on Democrats during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The blame game is on at federal agencies, where political messages fault Democrats for the shutdown

October 2, 2025

Americans’ routine interactions with the federal government this week are increasingly being met with partisan messaging. As a Senate deadlock keeps the federal government unfunded, some traditionally apolitical federal agencies are using their official channels to spread a coordinated political message that the shutdown is the Democrats’ fault. The messages are appearing in banners on agency websites, in autoreplies to emails, and in social media posts. They blame the political party that is out of power in Washington, when both sides are refusing to accommodate the other. Some experts suggest that they might be violating a federal law related to political activity by federal employees.

FILE - A YouTube sign is shown near the company's headquarters in San Bruno, Calif., Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, file)

YouTube to start bringing back creators banned for COVID-19 and election misinformation

September 24, 2025

YouTube will offer creators a way to rejoin the streaming platform if they were banned for violating COVID-19 and election misinformation policies that are no longer in effect. YouTube parent Alphabet said in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that the decision reflects the company’s commitment to free speech. The move is the latest in a cascade of content moderation rollbacks from tech companies, who cracked down on false information during the pandemic and after the 2020 election but have since faced pressure from President Donald Trump and other conservatives who argue they unlawfully stifled right-wing voices. It comes as tech CEOs, including Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, have sought a closer relationship with the Republican president.

Committee members attend a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the CDC on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Chamblee, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Takeaways from RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel meeting on COVID-19 and childhood vaccines

September 19, 2025

A vaccine advisory committee handpicked by U.S. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. met in Atlanta for two days this week to consider various vaccine recommendations. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, recommended new restrictions for a vaccine that protects against chickenpox, measles, mumps and rubella. In a surprise move, it put off an expected vote on hepatitis B shots. The group also declined to recommend COVID-19 shots for any Americans, saying they could make individual decisions. The lengthy and at-times chaotic meeting struck a different tone from past gatherings of the committee. Critics worried the panel’s makeup and agenda could sow distrust in vaccines.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio smiles as he prepares to enter a vehicle upon arrival at London Stansted Airport, during an official visit near London, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

Trump administration’s new global health aid strategy focuses on bilateral deals with countries

September 18, 2025

The State Department is refocusing its foreign health assistance programs around multiyear bilateral deals with recipient countries. The Trump administration says that will help reduce waste and advance U.S. priorities. A senior administration official says the strategy announced Thursday will give countries receiving foreign aid more ownership over the aid and incentivize governments to work toward self-reliance. The strategy advances President Donald Trump’s pattern of dealing with foreign governments transactionally. It comes as the administration has made sweeping cuts to foreign aid programs, including cutting billions in congressionally approved foreign aid funding.

FILE - A worker passes a Dominion Voting ballot scanner while setting up a polling location at an elementary school in Gwinnett County, Ga., outside of Atlanta on Jan. 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Ben Gray, File)

Justice Department requests access to Dominion voting equipment used in Missouri in 2020

September 3, 2025

The U.S. Department of Justice has requested access to voting equipment used in the 2020 election in two Missouri counties in what appears to be a wide-ranging effort to more closely monitor election processes around the country. A memo from the Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities that was shared Wednesday with The Associated Press says a DOJ official in August contacted the county clerks and asked for access to their Dominion Voting Systems equipment. Both clerks declined, with one issuing a statement noting that state and federal law prohibits election officials from giving unauthorized access to election equipment. The unconventional requests signal how the DOJ is seeking a closer watch over how states run their elections.

FILE - Heather Honey, a conservative election researcher, leaves the federal courthouse in Harrisburg, Pa., Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Scolforo, File)

Researcher who has distorted voter data appointed to Homeland Security election integrity role

August 26, 2025

A conservative election researcher whose faulty findings on voter data were cited by President Donald Trump as he tried to overturn his 2020 election loss has been appointed to an election integrity role at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The agency’s website shows Pennsylvania activist Heather Honey is now serving as the deputy assistant secretary for election integrity. The political appointment shows how self-styled election investigators who have thrown themselves into election conspiracy theories since 2020 are now being celebrated by Trump’s administration. Her new role also comes as Trump has used election integrity concerns as a pretext to try to give his administration power over election administration that the Constitution does not give to presidents.

FILE - Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Sean Plankey, Senior adviser to the Secretary for the U.S. Coast Guard, right, help serve sailors and Coast Guardsmen at Naval Support Activity in Bahrain, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool, File)

Senate committee advances Trump nominee to lead cybersecurity agency that protects election systems

July 30, 2025

A Senate committee has advanced the nomination of President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The agency is tasked with protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure, including election systems. Wednesday’s vote sends the nomination to the Republican-controlled Senate. If confirmed, Sean Plankey will inherit an agency that has been mired in partisan tensions over the role it should play in combating false claims about voting or election fraud. During his Senate hearing this month, Plankey wouldn’t directly answer when asked whether the 2020 election was rigged and stolen.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., walks to board a bus to the White House with other Senate Republicans for a meeting with President Donald Trump on his spending and tax bill, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

How a GOP rift over tech regulation doomed a ban on state AI laws in Trump’s tax bill

July 2, 2025

A stark disagreement over regulating AI in Republicans’ tax cut and spending bill is the latest tension among conservatives about whether to let states continue to put guardrails on emerging technologies or minimize such interference. The advocates for guardrails won this time, after a proposed moratorium on state AI legislation was removed from the congressional bill this week. The episode revealed the enormous influence of a segment of the Republican Party that has come to distrust Big Tech. They believe states must remain free to protect their citizens against potential harms of the industry, whether from AI, social media or emerging technologies. Other conservatives saw the moratorium as essential for the country to compete against China in the race for AI dominance.

FILE - Elon Musk attends a news conference with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, May 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Elon Musk renews his criticism of Trump’s big bill as Senate Republicans scramble to pass it

June 28, 2025

Elon Musk is doubling down on his distaste for President Donald Trump’s sprawling tax and spending cuts bill. In a social media post on Saturday, Musk argued the legislation that Republican senators are scrambling to pass would kill jobs and bog down burgeoning industries. Ahead of a procedural Senate vote Saturday to open debate on the nearly 1,000-page bill, Musk wrote that it would “cause immense strategic harm to our country.” The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, whose birthday is also Saturday, later posted that the bill would be “political suicide for the Republican Party.” The criticisms reopen a recent fiery conflict between the former head of the Department of Government Efficiency and the administration he recently left.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, right, and FBI Director Kash Patel speak during a news conference at the Department of Justice, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump has long warned of a government ‘deep state.’ Now in power, he’s under pressure to expose it

May 30, 2025

President Donald Trump has built a coalition by promising to demolish a so-called deep state that he claims is behind dark government conspiracies. But four months into his second term, his administration hasn’t arrested hordes of corrupt officials or revealed massive crimes from within its ranks. As a result, some of the president’s supporters who took him at his word are getting restless. They are asking why his administration, which now holds the keys to chasing down these alleged government secrets, is denying them the evidence and retribution they expected. One conservative commentator lamented: “People are tired of not knowing.”

Ali Swenson.