National Politics - The Rapid City Post

FILE - In this photo illuminated by an off-camera flash, a woman walks past a homeless person's tent with a chair in downtown Los Angeles, Feb. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

Most US adults think individual choices keep people in poverty, new AP-NORC/Harris poll finds

September 8, 2025

A new AP-NORC poll finds that most U.S. adults think personal choices are a major driver of poverty and homelessness, while fewer blame a lack of government support. However, most also think the government doesn’t spend enough on those in need, the survey shows. The poll comes as homelessness is on the rise and as officials across the country, including Republican President Donald Trump in the nation’s capital, push to clear encampments where unhoused people live. At the same time, the GOP tax and spending cut bill signed into law by Trump in July is expected to reduce benefits for low-income people.

Invasive, disease-carrying tick found in Maine, the farthest northeast it has been spotted

September 8, 2025

Researchers say they have confirmed the presence of an invasive species of tick in Maine for the first time, marking the farthest northeast in the U.S. where the pest has been discovered. The University of Maine and state conservation officials say Monday they confirmed the presence of the Asian longhorned tick in the state in July. The tick is native to east Asia, where it is capable of spreading tickborne infections such as spotted fever. The tick was first confirmed in the United States in New Jersey in 2017 and it has since spread to more than 20 states, clustering mostly around the eastern third of the country.

Demonstrators protest against President Donald Trump's use of federal law enforcement and National Guard troops in the city during a protest at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Photos of protests during fourth week of Trump’s DC crime crackdown

September 8, 2025

WASHINGTON Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Washingtonians are responding with protests during the fourth week of National Guard troops and

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., left, and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani greet the crowd during a town hall on Saturday, Sept, 6, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Olga Fedorova)

What Americans think about socialism and capitalism, according to a new Gallup poll

September 8, 2025

A new Gallup poll finds that Democrats view socialism more positively than they did in the past, while their views of capitalism are more negative. Sixty-six percent of Democrats now have a positive image of socialism compared to only 42% who view capitalism favorably. This marks a shift over the past 15 years, with socialism rising as capitalism falls. Some Democratic politicians worry that embracing socialism might alienate moderates, while others see it as a way to address issues like the cost of living. Meanwhile, views on capitalism and big business have soured, especially among Democrats and independents. Bernie Sanders has helped rebrand socialism, inspiring a movement that includes figures like Zohran Mamdani and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

FILE - New York Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a campaign launch rally at City Hall, Thursday, June. 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)

NYC Mayor Eric Adams says he won’t quit the race and is the only one who can beat Mamdani

September 5, 2025

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has said again that he won’t end his reelection campaign. During a hastily convened news conference Friday, Adams stressed that he will remain in the race as reports swirl that he’s been approached about possibly taking a job in the Trump administration. He told reporters “I am running for reelection” and vowed to defeat the Democratic nominee, Zohran Mamdani. The mayor has spent the week fending off news reports that intermediaries for President Donald Trump have contacted people in his orbit to talk about whether he would consider abandoning his campaign to take a federal job.

Republican Winsome Earle-Sears greets voters at her military-themed rally at Saucy’s Sit-Down Bar.B.Q in Hopewell, Va., on Aug. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Olivia Diaz)

Democrats, GOP test their playbooks as Trump looms over elections in Virginia and New Jersey

September 5, 2025

Democrats and Republicans are testing dueling playbooks in fall elections that will decide the leadership of Virginia and New Jersey — and perhaps a new direction for the parties heading into next year’s midterms. In both states, Democratic candidates for governor are distancing themselves from their party’s far-left wing in campaigns focused instead on rising costs and the economy under President Donald Trump’s leadership. The move reflects what some see as a critical lesson from the 2024 national elections, in which Democrats faced a backlash for supporting so-called “woke” social policies. Republicans in Virginia and New Jersey are largely unwilling to separate themselves from Trump.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro speaks with reporters as President Donald Trump, from left, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listen in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Two DC teens arrested in congressional intern’s fatal shooting

September 5, 2025

Two teenagers have been arrested on murder charges in the killing of a congressional intern who was struck by stray bullets during a shooting in the nation’s capital. It’s a crime that President Donald Trump cited in announcing a law-enforcement surge in Washington. Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, of Granby, Massachusetts, was fatally shot on the night of June 30. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Friday’s arrests. She said both suspects in his killing are 17-year-old juveniles but are charged as adults with first-degree murder while armed. Police were searching for a third suspect whose name and age weren’t immediately released.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein speaks at the Land of Sky Regional Council, Aug. 20, 2025, Fletcher, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

A Democrat governor, a Republican legislature: How Josh Stein is navigating North Carolina politics

September 4, 2025

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein is taking a more collaborative approach with Republican opponents in his first eight months in office despite disagreeing with them on many issues. Stein succeeded fellow Democrat Roy Cooper in January. He aims to work with the GOP-controlled General Assembly and has built dialogue with them. Stein’s approach contrasts with Democratic governors elsewhere who have taken more combative stances against President Donald Trump and the GOP. Republican leaders have said they appreciate the open lines of communication with Stein. Still, the new governor has vetoed 15 bills, with lawmakers so far overriding eight of them.

FILE - Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy speaks during a dinner meeting with President Donald Trump and other business leaders on Aug. 7, 2018, at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

Fox News thrives two years after court settlement, but 2020 election coverage fight goes on

September 4, 2025

Fox News seemed to be dealt a crippling blow in a $787 million settlement of a libel lawsuit more than two years ago, but has instead thrived. Fox’s ratings are at a high when most television networks are sliding, including news rivals CNN and MSNBC, and Fox is the go-to source to distribute news for the new Trump administration. Yet court cases regarding coverage of the 2020 election aftermath involving outlets where Trump supporters gather are continuing. In its own recent settlement of a libel case, the conservative Newsmax network has learned that expressing regrets or apologizing doesn’t pay.

FILE - Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer for the Georgia Secretary of State, answers journalists' questions, Nov. 16, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Ben Gray, File)

Republican Gabriel Sterling, defender of 2020 Georgia election, runs for secretary of state

September 4, 2025

Gabriel Sterling, known for defending Georgia’s 2020 election results, is running for the state’s secretary of state. The 54-year-old Sterling announced his candidacy Thursday. He was a key figure in debunking election fraud claims and has been a close aide to Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Sterling’s campaign emphasizes maintaining the security of Georgia’s elections. He faces competition from Republicans Kelvin King and Tim Fleming. Both have appealed to Trump supporters who may dislike the record of Sterling and Raffensperger. The Republican primary will test whether Sterling can attract voters who approve of his handling of elections despite criticism from Trump.

Robin Rothove, left, and Paula Smith, right, demonstrate outside the Missouri Capitol as lawmakers prepare to conduct a committee hearing inside to consider redrawing the state's U.S. House districts, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Jefferson City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Trump-backed plan to redraw Missouri congressional districts draws opposition at first hearing

September 4, 2025

Some Missouri residents are denouncing a plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts at the urging of President Donald Trump. Dozens of people attended the first public hearing for the plan on Thursday in the Missouri Legislature, speaking against it. Republicans are pressing ahead with a proposed map that would split up a Kansas City district to give the GOP a shot at winning seven of Missouri’s eight U.S. House seats. Missouri is the third state to join a national battle over redistricting, following Texas and California. More states could follow. Nationally, Democrats need to gain three seats in next year’s elections to win control of the House.

FILE - Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, smiles during a walkthrough on stage during the second day of 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, July 16, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

Navy reverses demotion of Rep. Ronny Jackson, former White House doctor

September 3, 2025

Rep. Ronny Jackson has announced that the Navy has restored his retired rank of rear admiral. This overturns a 2022 demotion that followed a scathing investigation that found major issues with his behavior while he was the top White House physician. The Texas Republican on Wednesday posted a June 13 letter from Navy Secretary John Phelan saying he had reinstated Jackson to the retired rank of a one-star admiral following a “review of all applicable reports and references.” The Navy confirmed the move. Following his 2019 retirement from the Navy, Jackson was retroactively demoted in the wake of a yearslong investigation into his behavior.

Brothers of Virginia Giuffre, Daniel Wilson, left, and Sky Roberts, second from left, Amanda Roberts, second from right, and Annie Farmer, right, listen during a Stand with Survivors Rally on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Publisher agrees to changes in Virginia Giuffre’s memoir after family objections

September 3, 2025

The publisher of Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, “Nobody’s Girl,” has finalized a draft with her family after they raised concerns. Giuffre, an accuser of Jeffrey Epstein, died by suicide in April. Her family worried the book portrayed an overly positive view of her marriage, which ended before her death. Knopf, the publisher, says they worked with Giuffre’s family to ensure her voice is heard. The book is set to be released on October 21. Giuffre had alleged she was part of Epstein’s sex-trafficking ring and was exploited by powerful men, including Prince Andrew.

FILE - New York Mayor Eric Adams arrives at his campaign launch rally at City Hall, June. 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)

NYC Mayor Eric Adams insists he isn’t ending his reelection campaign

September 3, 2025

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is insisting that he isn’t dropping his reelection campaign after reports he had been approached about potentially taking a job with the federal government. A person familiar with those conversations says intermediaries with President Donald Trump’s administration recently reached out to people close to Adams, a Democrat, to discuss whether he would be open to abandoning his reelection campaign to take a federal job. It was unclear how far those talks progressed. But as media reports about them multiplied, Adams insisted in interviews and through a spokesperson on Wednesday that he had no intention of dropping out of the contest

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 - A Seattle police officer walks past tents used by people experiencing homelessness, March 11, 2022, during the clearing and removal an encampment in Westlake Park in downtown Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

Federal judge ends 13-year oversight of Seattle Police Department after use-of-force reforms

September 3, 2025

A federal judge has returned full control of policing practices to the Seattle Police Department. On Wednesday, the judge approved a request to end over a decade of oversight aimed at addressing excessive force by officers. The Department of Justice found in 2011 that Seattle officers used too much force, too quickly. A consent decree was established in 2012 to address these issues. The ruling marks a new chapter for the department, giving it full autonomy over policing decisions. The DOJ described this as the “successful completion” of the 13-year consent decree. The department has expanded training and rerouted some 911 calls to civilian first responders.

New York City mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa is interviewed in a subway entrance as he campaigns, in New York, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Red beret-wearing Republican Curtis Sliwa likes his chances in a crowded NYC mayor’s race

September 2, 2025

Curtis Sliwa is the bombastic creator of New York City’s Guardian Angels anti-crime patrol group who lost his last election battle with Mayor Eric Adams by almost 40 percentage points. This time around, the red beret-wearing Republican believes the race is very much up for grabs. Even in a city where Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans, the math is different from the two-man race in 2021. With three polarizing candidates potentially splitting the Democratic vote, the 71-year-old hopes to maintain the 28% he secured last time around while picking up some backers from the other side of the aisle with his message that he’s best positioned to handle crime in the city.

FILE - Kari Lake speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, Feb. 21, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

Trump is cutting 500-plus jobs at Voice of America and its parent agency despite legal challenges

August 30, 2025

The agency that oversees Voice of America and other government-funded international broadcasters says it’s eliminating jobs for more than 500 employees. That word came late Friday and could ratchet up a monthslong legal challenge over the news outlets’ fate. A federal judge on Thursday had blocked the administration from removing Michael Abramowitz as VOA director. And the same judge earlier in the week had ruled that the Trump administration had failed to show how it was complying with his orders to restore VOA operations.

FILE - Judge Rebecca Bradley speaks as she kicks off her campaign for the Wisconsin Supreme Court in Milwaukee, on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015. (AP Photo/Greg Moore, File)

A conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice won’t run again, creating an open seat

August 30, 2025

A conservative justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court says she will not seek reelection, creating an open race for a seat on the court that’s controlled 4-3 by liberals. Justice Rebecca Bradley’s decision announced Friday not to run for a second full term comes after conservative candidates for the highest court in the battleground state have lost each of the past two elections by double digits. The open race, to be decided in April, comes as a number of high-profile issues could make their way to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the coming months, including abortion, collective bargaining rights, congressional redistricting and election rules.

FILE - A Homeland Security vehicle, right, is parked outside the Moakley Federal Courthouse, April 19, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

Federal judge issues order blocking Trump effort to expand speedy deportations of migrants

August 30, 2025

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from carrying out speedy deportations of undocumented migrants detained in the interior of the United States. It’s a setback for the Republican administration’s efforts to remove migrants from the country without appearing before a judge first. U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb wrote in a 48-page opinion issued Friday night that the effort is based on the argument “that those who entered the country illegally are entitled to no process under the Fifth Amendment, but instead must accept whatever grace Congress affords them.” The administration says the judge’s ruling ignores federal law and Trump’s power under the Constitution.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs legislation calling for a special election on a redrawn congressional map on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Big money and names power the campaign to influence California voters over a new congressional map

August 30, 2025

California voters will decide in November whether to OK a new congressional map that would benefit Democrats. The campaign to influence voters has already begun. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic allies want voters to approve the new districts to stop what they say are President Donald Trump’s attempts to rig elections. Republicans and others say it’s a Democratic power grab. Days into the campaign, supporters and opponents each brought in more than $10 million. That’s a fraction of the $100 million-plus expected to be spent to win over voters. The contest also is drawing some high-profile names, including actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

The Chicago city skyline is seen from Diversey Harbor, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago is in the Trump administration’s sights for its next immigration crackdown

August 29, 2025

President Donald Trump’s administration plans to send officers to Chicago for an immigration crackdown. That’s according to two U.S. officials speaking on the condition of anonymity Friday to discuss plans that had not been made public. It’s the latest move by the Republican president to expand the federal law enforcement presence in major Democratic-run cities. Chicago has strong rules against cooperating with federal immigration enforcement, often clashing with the Trump administration’s deportation agenda. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and other federal agencies will participate. The operation is focused on immigration and isn’t expected to rely on the National Guard like in the federal police takeover in Washington.

FILE - Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

Sen. Ernst of Iowa is expected to announce next month that she won’t run for reelection in 2026

August 29, 2025

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst is expected to announce next month she won’t seek reelection, leaving another vacancy in an Iowa seat that could have ripple effects down the ballot as Democrats look to the state for pickup opportunities. As Senate Republicans work to maintain their majority in the chamber, Ernst is joining a wave of her peers making headaches for the party. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina turned down a reelection bid after clashing with President Donald Trump. Ernst plans to announce in September she’ll opt out of the race for a third term. That’s according to four people familiar with her plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity Friday to preview the announcement.

New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani arrives for the March on Wall Street, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is working to woo Black voters away from Adams and Cuomo

August 29, 2025

New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani is out courting Black voters, trying to do better with them in the general election than he did in the primary. Mamdani won the Democratic mayoral primary in June, but polls show he has plenty of room to improve his performance in the city’s predominantly Black neighborhoods. Mamdani and his supporters say he’s working to grow trust with Black New Yorkers. He’s running against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in the general election. Both Cuomo and Adams have years of experience campaigning and building relationships in the city’s Black neighborhoods and churches.

FILE - The Voice of America building is photographed June 15, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

Federal judge blocks Trump administration from removing Voice of America director

August 28, 2025

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from removing Michael Abramowitz as director of Voice of America. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled Thursday that Abramowitz cannot be removed without the approval of the International Broadcasting Advisory Board. In June, layoff notices were sent to over 600 employees of Voice of America and its overseeing agency. Abramowitz was placed on administrative leave along with most of the staff. Kari Lake, whom President Donald Trump tapped to be a senior adviser to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, told a congressional panel that the agency is “rotten to the core.”

Fulton County Commissioner Dana Barrett (right) speaks outside the Fulton County courthouse in Atlanta on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, while her colleague, Commissioner Mo Ivory, looks on. (AP Photo/Kate Brumback)

Georgia’s Fulton County fined $10,000 a day for not appointing Republican election board nominees

August 27, 2025

A judge has ruled that Georgia’s Fulton County must pay $10,000 daily until it appoints two Republican nominees to its election board. Superior Court Judge David Emerson found the county’s Board of Commissioners in contempt for not complying with an earlier order to appoint the nominees. The fine begins Friday. The county’s Democratic commissioners had refused to approve the nominees, citing concerns about their suitability. The Republican Party sued, arguing the law requires the appointments. The judge agreed, stating the commissioners lack discretion to reject qualified nominees.

FILE - NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson speaks before President Joe Biden addresses the crowd, at the 115th NAACP National Convention in Las Vegas, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Texas election map for 2026 is racially biased, voting-rights advocates say in lawsuit

August 26, 2025

Voting-rights advocates are suing to overturn all of the redistricting plans drawn by Texas Republicans meant to favor Republicans in 2026 midterm elections, saying the map weakens the electoral influence of Black voters. The NAACP and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed the lawsuit in Texas Tuesday. They accuse Texas legislative leaders of engaging in gerrymandering to prevent Black voters from electing candidates of their choice. Black residents for decades have overwhelmingly favored Democratic candidates. The NAACP says since the Voting Rights Act was adopted the state of Texas has been found to have discriminated against Black and/or Brown citizens after every cycle of redistricting.

Armed members of the South Carolina National Guard patrol inside the metro system, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in downtown Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Photos of week three of Washington’s federal takeover, as troops on patrol start carrying guns

August 26, 2025

WASHINGTON The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Washingtonians are in their third week of National Guard troops and federal law

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.

President Donald Trump speaks with members of law enforcement and National Guard soldiers, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

What Trump’s crime crackdown in DC looks like in photos

August 26, 2025

WASHINGTON Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Pedestrians walk their dogs past parked military vehicles. Commuters move past National Guards at

Judge rules Utah’s congressional map must be redrawn for the 2026 elections

August 25, 2025

The Utah Legislature will need to rapidly redraw the state’s congressional boundaries after a judge ruled the Republican-controlled body circumvented safeguards put in place by voters to ensure districts aren’t drawn to favor any party. The current map, adopted in 2021, divides Salt Lake County, the state’s population center and a Democratic stronghold, among four congressional districts that have since all elected Republicans by wide margins. District Court Judge Dianna Gibson, who ruled Monday, made few judgments on the content of the map but declared it unlawful because lawmakers had weakened and ignored an independent commission established by voters to prevent partisan gerrymandering.

Jennifer Vasquez Sura, front left, and her husband Kilmar Abrego Garcia, front center, attend a protest rally at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Baltimore, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, to support Kilmar Abrego Garcia. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

What to know about Trump deportation policies that could send Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda

August 25, 2025

Efforts by U.S. immigration officials to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda, a country to which the Salvadoran national has no ties, has again focused attention third-country deportations. The Trump administration has recently entered into agreements with various nations around to world to deport immigrants to countries other than their own. These third-country agreements have been contested in court by immigrant rights groups, who have argued the migrants’ due process rights are being violated. In June, a divided Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to restart the swift removal of migrants to countries other than their homelands and with minimal notice.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., speaks to reporters as he arrives for a deposition with former Attorney General Bill Barr, on Capitol Hill Monday, Aug 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

House committee subpoenas Epstein’s estate for documents, including birthday book and contacts

August 25, 2025

The House Oversight Committee is subpoenaing the estate of the late Jeffrey Epstein. Congressional lawmakers are trying to determine who was connected to the disgraced financier and whether prosecutors mishandled his case. The subpoena is the latest effort by both Republicans and Democrats to respond to public clamor for more information about Epstein, who was found dead in his New York jail cell in 2019. The subpoena demands that Epstein’s estate provide documents including a book that was compiled with notes from friends for his 50th birthday, his last will and testament, agreements he signed with prosecutors, his contact books, and his financial transactions and holdings.

FILE - Charles Kushner arrives for the funeral of Ivana Trump, July 20, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

France summons US Ambassador Kushner over ‘unacceptable’ letter about rising antisemitism

August 24, 2025

France has summoned the American ambassador to Paris after the diplomat, Charles Kushner, wrote a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron alleging the country did not do enough to combat antisemitism. France’s foreign ministry issued a statement Sunday announcing it had summoned Kushner to appear Monday at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and that his allegations “are unacceptable.” The White House and U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Texas Rep. James Talarico speaks at a rally, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, at Wrigley Square in Millennium Park in Chicago. (AP Photo/Talia Sprague)

Texas redistricting fight shakes up battle lines for both parties in key US Senate race

August 22, 2025

The push to redraw congressional maps in Texas is shifting the dynamics of the state’s 2026 Senate campaign. It is renewing hope for Democrats as they gain attention for pushing back against the GOP redistricting efforts led by President Donald Trump. Republican rivals are using the moment to burnish their leadership credentials. Texas Democrats have ended a two-week walkout aimed at stopping a Republican effort to redraw districts before the 10-year timeline in order to secure Trump more allies in the U.S. House during the 2026 midterms.

Fatima Igram Smejkal, whose family immigrated to the United States from Lebanon in the early 1900s, greets fellow faithful before Friday prayer at the Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Being Muslim and American in the nation’s heartland

August 22, 2025

The oldest surviving place of worship for Muslims in the United States was erected in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, almost a century ago by immigrants from present-day Lebanon. Today, their descendants and newcomers from Afghanistan, East Africa and beyond are continuing to redefine what it means to be both Muslim and American in the heartland. The Muslim community that founded the “Mother Mosque” keeps growing. Its prayer and cultural centers are key spaces as they seek to maintain and transmit their faith and heritage, while also embracing in varying degrees the diversity of U.S. culture.

FBI agents carry boxes from former National Security Advisor John Bolton's office in Washington, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Photos of FBI searching the home and office of John Bolton, a former Trump ally turned critic

August 22, 2025

WASHINGTON Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI searched the home and office of former Trump ally and national security

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s national profile soars with latest Trump fight, but there are risks

August 22, 2025

Gavin Newsom is having a moment. In the national struggle over U.S. House control, perhaps no politician has more at stake than the California governor, who has emerged as the leading Democratic adversary to President Donald Trump. Newsom is pushing through a plan that could add five Democratic House districts in California, intended to counter five Republican seats Trump wants in Texas. Newsom’s press office is getting attention on social media for mimicking Trump’s blustery style. But voters might reject Newsom’s plan for new House districts. And while Newsom is widely seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, the maneuverings might dampen his chances.

Proposal could lead to sanctions against Alaska medical professionals for gender-affirming care

August 21, 2025

The Alaska State Medical Board will be considering language that says medical professionals provide gender-affirming care for children could risk having their work considered unprofessional conduct. Critics worry the board is overstepping its authority in pursuing regulations that could leave medical providers open to possible disciplinary actions. Meeting minutes from June show the board designated member Matt Heilala to help draft a statement for future consideration that would pertain to declaring people providing the care “as being grossly negligent and therefore subject to disciplinary sanctions.” Heilala declined to discuss the specific language ahead of Friday’s meeting. But he said there would be a transparent process, and this could take months.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks as President Donald Trump listens at an event to promote his proposal to improve Americans' access to their medical records in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Supreme Court lets Trump administration cut $783 million of research funding in anti-DEI push

August 21, 2025

The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to slash hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of research funding in its push to cut federal diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. In a split decision Thursday, the high court lifted a judge’s order blocking $783 million worth of cuts made by the National Institutes of Health to align with Republican President Donald Trump’s priorities. The order marks the latest Supreme Court win for Trump and allows the administration to forge ahead with canceling hundreds of grants while the lawsuit continues to unfold. The high court did keep the Trump administration anti-DEI guidance on future funding blocked, however.

FILE - Students sit on the front steps of Low Memorial Library on the Columbia University campus in New York City, Feb. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

Privacy and civil rights groups urge US colleges to end campus surveillance to protect protesters

August 21, 2025

A coalition of more than 30 privacy and civil rights groups is calling on U.S. universities to dismantle campus surveillance and data collection in order to protect student protesters from government retaliation. The demands, issued in a letter sent to leaders of 60 major universities and colleges, directly contradict changes promised by some schools in response to intense pressure by President Donald Trump’s administration to crack down on alleged antisemitism. But the groups said that with the start of the new academic year, it is essential that universities resist that pressure, including threats to millions of dollars in federal research grants, to preserve the academic freedom and rights to expression of their students, faculty and others.

FILE - Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill, April 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Rep. Chip Roy, an outspoken fiscal conservative, is running for Texas attorney general

August 21, 2025

A Republican congressman from Texas, Chip Roy, says he’s running for state attorney general. Roy is a prominent member of the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative faction that wields outsize influence in the narrowly divided House. The outspoken fiscal conservative was a central player this summer in the negotiations around President Donald Trump’s big tax bill. But the lawmaker’s relationship with Trump has been complicated at times. Roy enters an increasingly crowded Republican primary field to succeed Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton is challenging Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary next year.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with a reporter on her plane while in the air en route from Quito, Ecuador to Joint Base Andrews, Md., Thursday, July 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)

DHS Secretary says entire southern border wall to be painted black to stop people from climbing it

August 19, 2025

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the entire southern border wall with Mexico is being painted black to deter illegal immigration. She credits President Trump with the idea, noting that black paint makes the wall hotter, making it harder to climb. Noem discussed this during a visit to New Mexico on Tuesday, where she helped paint a section of the wall. U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks adds that the paint will also deter rust. Building the wall was a key focus of Trump’s first term, and Homeland Security is receiving $46 billion to complete it.

Alaska man gifted $22,000 motorcycle by Russian government after viral interview

August 19, 2025

An Alaska man might have walked away as the biggest winner of last week’s high stakes summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage. He came away with a new motorcycle, courtesy of the Russian government. Mark Warren already owns a 2007 Ural motorcycle with a sidecar and was driving it in Anchorage earlier this month when a Russian television crew saw him. They interviewed him about the difficulty in obtaining parts for it. When the Russian delegation sent 18 planes from Moscow to Anchorage for the summit last Friday, a new Ural motorcycle was on board one of the planes for Warren.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Services wait on a tow truck to take away a food truck on the National Mall, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, in Washington. The owner says his employees were asked for immigration status by ICE and then he was told that the truck's tires were bad and it would have to be towed, though he insists it recently passed DC inspection. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

DC unemployment rate is the highest in the US for the third straight month

August 19, 2025

Washington, D.C.’s, unemployment rate was the highest in the nation for the third consecutive month. New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Tuesday shows the jobless rate reached 6% in July, highlighting how the mass layoffs of federal workers initiated by the Department of Government Efficiency have hit the District. An overall decline in international tourism may also be affecting the unemployment rate. Neighboring states Maryland and Virginia have also seen slight increases in unemployment rates in July.

FILE - In this Nov. 19, 2001 file photo, Northern Alliance soldiers watch as U.S. air strikes attack Taliban positions in Kunduz province, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, File)

Veterans’ voices shape a report on the Afghanistan War’s lessons and impact

August 19, 2025

U.S. veterans of the war in Afghanistan are telling a commission reviewing decisions on the 20-year conflict that their experience was not only hell, but also confounding, demoralizing and at times humiliating. The bipartisan Afghanistan War Commission is aiming to reflect veterans’ experiences in a report due to Congress next year. It will analyze key strategic, diplomatic, military and operational decisions made between June 2001 and the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. The group released its second interim report on Tuesday. It draws no conclusions yet, but identifies themes emerging from documents, interviews and veteran forums.

Jules Witcover, reporter best known for ‘Politics Today’ column, dies at 98

August 18, 2025

Jules Witcover, who cowrote one of the nation’s leading political columns for nearly three decades, died Saturday at the age of 98. Witcover’s widely syndicated daily column “Politics Today” was written jointly for 24 years with the late Jack Germond, and he continued writing it solo for another five years after his partner retired in 2001. Witcover had a remarkable front seat to history, some of it tragic. He watched Robert F. Kennedy steady first lady Jackie at President John F. Kennedy’s grave in 1963. In 1968, he pushed his way through a crowded hotel kitchen in Los Angeles after hearing shots and saw Robert F. Kennedy bleeding on the floor.

FILE - Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, speak to reporters after a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans, at the Capitol in Washington, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Iowa US Senate candidate ends bid to run against Republican incumbent Joni Ernst

August 18, 2025

An Iowa Democratic state lawmaker is bowing out of the 2026 U.S. Senate primary race and endorsing a colleague as the “best hope” to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst. Ernst has yet to formally announce her bid for a third term. Rep. J.D. Scholten said Monday he is suspending his campaign and endorsing Rep. Josh Turek. Both represent districts in counties that overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump in 2024. An announcement from Ernst may come in the next few weeks. Last week she said: “I’ve got a lot more work to do.”

FILE - The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is seen, Sept. 8, 2021, in Kittery, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

US seeks shipbuilding expertise from South Korea and Japan to counter China

August 17, 2025

American lawmakers are using a trip to South Korea and Japan to explore how the United States can tap those allies’ shipbuilding expertise and capacity to help boost its own capabilities. The U.S. commercial shipbuilding accounted for 0.1% of global capacity in 2024, while China produced 53%, followed by South Korea and Japan, according to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Two Democratic senators, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Andy Kim of New Jersey, plan to meet top shipbuilders from the world’s second- and third-largest shipbuilding countries. Their trip comes as President Donald Trump demands a plan to revive U.S. shipyards and engage foreign partners.

One of the U.S. Postal Service's new zero-emission electric Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDV) is displayed in front of the organization's headquarters in Washington, on Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Haigh)

Republicans look to make a U-turn on federal commitment to electric vehicles for the Postal Service

August 17, 2025

The U.S. Postal Service is facing congressional attempts to strip billions in federal EV funding. The effort comes a year after the agency was honored for its plan to replace thousands of aging, gas-powered mail trucks with a mostly electric fleet. In June, the Senate parliamentarian in June blocked a Republican proposal to sell off the agency’s new electric vehicles and infrastructure and rescind any remaining money, but the push continues. Republican Sen. Joni Ernst says she’s going ahead with a bill to rescind what’s left of the $3 billion in federal funding.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attends a news conference, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Bad diets, too many meds, no exercise: A look inside the latest ‘Make America Healthy Again’ report

August 15, 2025

A report promised by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to improve children’s health does not call for major changes to food or farming policies. A draft of the “Make America Healthy Again” strategy, obtained by The Associated Press, focuses on studying chronic diseases, air quality, diets, and prescription drug use. The report outlines four problem areas: poor diet, chemical exposure, lack of activity, and medication overuse. It calls for an awareness campaign to boost confidence in pesticides. The report has been submitted to President Trump, but the White House has not confirmed its final version.

Delaware ex-Gov. Mike Castle, who championed 50 State Quarters Program while in Congress, dies at 86

August 15, 2025

Former Delaware governor and congressman Mike Castle has died at 86. The Delaware Republican Party announced he died Thursday in Greenville. Castle was among Delaware’s most successful politicians, never losing a race until his stunning upset in a 2010 U.S. Senate primary. During his 18 years in Congress, he became a leader of centrist Republicans, earning a reputation as a fiscal conservative and social moderate not afraid to challenge the party line. His signature issue in Congress was creating the popular 50 State Quarters Program, which featured commemorative coins honoring each state, starting with Delaware.

Drug Enforcement Agency Administrator Terrance Cole speaks during a television interview outside the White House, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Terry Cole, chosen to take over DC’s police force, has spent 22 years at DEA

August 14, 2025

Attorney General Pam Bondi has named the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration to be Washington’s “emergency police commissioner” as she carries out President Donald Trump’s unprecedented decision to take over the Washington police department. The move comes less than a month after the U.S. Senate conformed Terry Cole to be the DEA’s leader and he was sworn in as head of the agency. Cole was most recently Virginia’s secretary of public safety and homeland security under Gov. Glenn Youngkin. His biography on the DEA’s website says he’s spent more than 31 years as a law enforcement officer, including 22 at the DEA. He was also a police officer in New York State.

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2015, file photo, Nike co-founder Phil Knight watches from the sidelines during the second half of an NCAA college football game between Oregon and Utah in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Ryan Kang, File)

Nike co-founder Phil Knight and wife pledge record $2B to Oregon cancer center, university says

August 14, 2025

An Oregon university says Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife Penny Knight have pledged a record $2 billion to its cancer center. Oregon Health & Science University described the donation Thursday as the “largest single donation ever made to a U.S. university, college or academic health center.” It surpasses the $1.8 billion given by Michael Bloomberg to Johns Hopkins in 2018, described by that university at the time as the largest single donation to a U.S. university. Universities across the country are struggling with moves from President Donald Trump’s administration to cancel or freeze research grants at universities.

FILE - Taylor Swift performs at the Paris Le Defense Arena during her Eras Tour concert in Paris, on May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly, File)

Taylor Swift’s new album has everyone seeing orange: An exploration of the color

August 14, 2025

Taylor Swift’s new album announcement has everybody seeing orange. She dropped the news in a swirl of a bright orange hue she calls Portofino Orange Glitter. The pop star says the color ushers in her latest era. Her orange era. Color experts say orange evokes creativity and optimism, though some see it as clownish. Laurie Pressman from the Pantone Color Institute describes Swift’s choice as a “new personality” emerging. In India, the saffron shade of orange has religious and now political significance. Meanwhile, Portofino, Italy, has embraced Swift. Fans and fashion experts celebrate the color’s versatility, suggesting ways to incorporate it into wardrobes.

FILE - People visit the Smithsonian Museum of American History on the National Mall in Washington, April 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

White House orders a review of exhibits at Smithsonian museums ahead of nation’s 250th birthday

August 12, 2025

The White House is ordering a review of the Smithsonian museums to align content with President Donald Trump’s interpretation of American history. On Tuesday, a letter was sent to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, outlining steps for the review. The examination will assess public-facing content for tone and historical framing. The initiative aims to celebrate American exceptionalism and remove divisive narratives. The Smithsonian says it remains committed to factual history and is reviewing the letter. The review will initially focus on eight museums, with more to follow. Civil rights leaders have criticized the focus on the National Museum of African American History and Culture in particular.

Sherrod Brown, Ohio’s highest-profile Democrat, expected to seek a return to the US Senate in 2026

August 12, 2025

Former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, Ohio’s best-known Democrat, is expected to make another run for the Senate next year as Democrats wage an uphill fight to win control of the chamber. Democrats view Brown as one of their most formidable candidates in 2026, despite his reelection loss to Republican Bernie Moreno last year. The former three-term senator hasn’t yet made a formal announcement, but several people familiar with his plans who were not authorized to speak publicly about them said he plans to run.

In this undated photo provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Vinay Prasad smiles for a portrait. (U.S. FDA via AP)

Ousted FDA vaccine chief Vinay Prasad is returning to the agency

August 11, 2025

A Food and Drug Administration official who stepped down less than two weeks ago is getting his job back as the agency’s top vaccine regulator. Dr. Vinay Prasad will resume leadership of the FDA’s vaccine center. Prasad was forced to step down late last month after drawing ire of right-wing activists, including Laura Loomer. Among other things, Prasad was targeted for previous statement criticizing President Donald Trump and for his handling of a safety issue with a gene therapy for muscular dystrophy. But Prasad has also had strong backing from health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who supports his work scrutinizing COVID-19 vaccines. A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson confirmed Prasad’s return on Monday.

Democratic state lawmakers from across the U.S. and their supporters protest outside the Massachusetts State House on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025 in Boston. (AP Photo/Leah Willingham)

How closely do congressional delegations reflect how people vote? Not very

August 8, 2025

At the core of the fight in Texas over redrawing the state’s congressional districts is a debate over a time-honored right spelled out in the Constitution: Every two years, “the People” get to pick someone to represent their interests in the U.S. House of Representatives. But just how closely do those choices reflect the overall political leanings of the people? In many cases, not very closely at all, although that’s not always because of partisan gerrymandering. State congressional maps often produce House delegations that are much more lopsided in favor of one party than the state’s partisan demographics might suggest.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom calls for a new way for California to redraw it's voting districts during a news conference In Sacramento, Calif., Friday July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

California rushes to plan a still unscheduled election in US House seats standoff with Texas

August 7, 2025

California Democrats are rushing to schedule an election to remake U.S. House districts to counter plans to boost Republican seats in Texas. It has created a tricky dilemma as county officials are being urged to plan for an election that hasn’t been scheduled and might not happen at all. It’s also not known if the state will cover the cost of the potential November election. Texas and California are the leading actors in a back-and-forth push to remake the balance of power in the U.S. House, kicked off when President Donald Trump called for Texas to redraw lines to boost GOP seats.

The Little Miami River flows in Oregonia, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)

JD Vance went kayaking for his birthday. Secret Service had the river level raised

August 7, 2025

Vice President JD Vance’s security detail had an Ohio river’s water level raised last weekend to accommodate a kayaking trip he and his family took for his 41st birthday. The U.S. Secret Service said it requested the increased waterflow for the Little Miami River to ensure motorized watercraft and emergency personnel “could operate safely” while protecting the Republican vice president, whose home is in Cincinnati. The Army Corps of Engineers action was first reported by The Guardian. Critics blasted Vance as entitled, pointing to the Trump administration’s government-cutting efforts. His office said Vance was unaware the river had been raised.

A demonstrator waves a flag during a protest in reaction to recent immigration raids on Friday, July 11, 2025, in Oxnard, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Trump administration asks high court to lift restrictions on Southern California immigration stops

August 7, 2025

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to lift a court order restricting immigration stops that swept up at least two U.S. citizens in Southern California. The emergency petition comes after an appeals court refused to lift the temporary restraining order restricting what factors authorities can use to make stops and arrests. The judge found there was a “mountain of evidence” that federal immigration enforcement tactics were violating the Constitution. The Trump administration has argued that her order hinders their enforcement of immigration law and asked the justices to immediately halt it.

FILE - College students pass out Plan B to educate young voters at Florida Atlantic University April 11, 2024, in Boca Raton, Fla. (AP Photo/Cody Jackson, File)

Young adults are less likely to follow politics or say voting is important: AP-NORC poll

August 5, 2025

A new poll finds young people in the United States are less engaged in politics than older generations are. Many young adults feel disillusioned with the political system and question the importance of voting. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows only about 2 in 10 young adults follow politics closely, compared with higher numbers among older Americans. The poll also shows about one-third of adults under age 30 identify as political independents, rejecting party labels. Despite this, youth voter turnout has been high in recent elections, suggesting potential for greater political engagement in the future.

The New York Post is seen at a newsstand in Manhattan, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Jennifer Peltz)

Post to Coast: New York Post plans a California newspaper

August 4, 2025

The New York Post is launching a California tabloid newspaper and news site next year. The company announced the plan Monday. The California Post will add another title to Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. And the new paper stands to bring an assertive, irreverent and conservative-friendly fixture of the Big Apple media landscape to the Golden State. Plans for the Los Angeles-based paper call for a print edition seven days a week, plus a website, social media accounts and videos and audio pieces. The venture is being launched into a turbulent atmosphere for the news business. But the Post expects its voice, editorial lens and coverage will be a hit in California.

Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., speaks during a news conference on tariffs, Thursday, July 31, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

Senate heads home with no deal to speed confirmations as irate Trump tells Schumer to ‘go to hell’

August 2, 2025

The Senate is leaving Washington Saturday night for its monthlong August recess without a deal to advance dozens of President Donald Trump’s nominees. The chamber is calling it quits after days of contentious bipartisan negotiations and Trump posting on social media that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer can “GO TO HELL!” Without a deal in hand, Republicans say they may try to change Senate rules when they return in September to speed up the pace of confirmations. Trump has been pressuring senators to move quickly as Democrats blocked more nominees than usual this year, denying any quick unanimous consent votes and forcing roll calls on each one.

Federal agents escort a man to a transport bus after he was detained following an appearance at immigration court, Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Judge pauses Trump administration’s push to expand fast-track deportations

August 1, 2025

A federal judge has agreed to temporarily block the Trump administration’s efforts to expand fast-track deportations of immigrants who legally entered the U.S. under a process known as humanitarian parole. Friday’s ruling by U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb in Washington, D.C., could benefit hundreds of thousands of people. Cobb concluded that the Department of Homeland Security exceeded its statutory authority in its effort to expand “expedited removal” for many immigrants. The judge said those immigrants are facing risks that outweigh any harm from “pressing pause” on the administration’s plans.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives for a meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon, Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Senate rejects bid to halt sale of bombs and rifles to Israel, but Democratic opposition grows

July 30, 2025

The Senate has rejected an effort from Sen. Bernie Sanders to block the sale of U.S. bombs and firearms to Israel. But the vote showed a growing number of Democrats opposed to the arms sales amid widespread hunger and suffering in Gaza. Sanders, an independent from Vermont, has repeatedly tried to block the sale of offensive weapons to Israel over the last year. The resolutions before the Senate Tuesday would have stopped the sale of $675 million in bombs as well as shipments of 20,000 automatic assault rifles to Israel. They failed to gain passage, but 27 Democrats — more than half the caucus — voted for the resolutions.

Bessent says new Trump child savings accounts are ‘back door for privatizing Social Security’

July 30, 2025

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the Trump administration was committted to protecting Social Security hours after he described a children’s savings program in President Trump’s recent tax package as a “back door for privatizing Social Security.” Democrats seized on Bessent’s privatization comment, suggesting the GOP aims to revive efforts to privatize the retirement program that is used by millions of Americans. The new program, called Trump Accounts, allows for savings accounts for babies born in the U.S. with a potential $1,000 deposit. These accounts can grow over time. Bessent’s remarks have reignited debate over a politically sensitive issue that Republicans have largely avoided for years.

Texas state Rep. Carl H. Tepper, R-Lubbock, looks through U.S. Congressional District maps during a redistricting hearing at the Texas Capitol, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Texas Republicans get a bigger House edge under a new map, meeting Trump’s goals

July 30, 2025

Texas Republicans have proposed a new congressional map that creates five additional GOP-leaning districts as they brace for a challenging midterm election in 2026. The move aims to bolster their chances of maintaining control in the U.S. House. The redrawn map comes during a special legislative session called by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. President Donald Trump has urged Texas Republicans to reshape districts in the party’s favor. Some Democratic state lawmakers have talked of walking out of the special session to block action on redistricting, which has had mixed results in the past. Meanwhile, Democrats in California and New York are considering redrawing their districts to counter GOP efforts.

Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., center, speaks during a news conference after a policy luncheon at the Capitol Tuesday, July 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

Republicans consider changing Senate rules to speed confirmation of Trump nominees

July 30, 2025

Senate Republicans are considering changing Senate rules to speed up confirmation of President Donald Trump’s executive branch nominees, forcing a possible clash with Democrats as Trump pressures them to fill dozens of administration posts before they leave town for the monthlong August recess. Trump’s pressure comes as Senate Majority Leader John Thune has already more than doubled the number of executive branch and judicial confirmations compared to Trump’s first term by holding the Senate in session for more days and longer hours all year. Still, Trump says he wants more, and Democrats are delaying a vote on most every nominee, arguing that Trump’s picks are extreme.

FILE - President Joe Biden walks after speaking during an interfaith prayer service in New Orleans, Jan. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

Biden aide denounces GOP probe into former president’s health as baseless and denies any cover-up

July 30, 2025

A top aide to former President Joe Biden is denouncing a Republican investigation of his former boss. Steve Ricchetti, in an appearance Wednesday before the House Oversight Committe,e denounced a Republican investigation into Biden’s health in office as “baseless.” Ricchetti, in a statement to the committee, said Biden was aware of his administration’s actions “at all times,” and he dismissed claims there was a cover-up of his health. The testimony and pushback on the committee’s claims come as the Republican-led probe into Biden’s alleged decline has been ramping up this summer. At least seven more staffers are expected to testify in the coming weeks.

FDA vaccine chief leaving agency after less than 3 months

July 30, 2025

Dr. Vinay Prasad is stepping down as the Food and Drug Administration’s top vaccine regulator after a brief tenure. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services says Prasad did not want to be a distraction and is leaving to spend more time with his family. Prasad, a longtime critic of the FDA’s leniency in drug approvals, joined the agency in May. He has faced scrutiny over his handling of a gene therapy for a form of muscular dystrophy. In recent weeks he became a target of conservative activists, who noted his past comments criticizing Trump.

FILE - Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks at the Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to headline signature South Carolina GOP event

July 29, 2025

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is set to headline a major Republican event in South Carolina. Rep. Sheri Biggs announced Sanders as the featured speaker for her Salute to Liberty event on Aug. 18 in Anderson. This venue has historically been a platform for Republican White House hopefuls. Sanders, a potential 2028 presidential contender, has deep ties to South Carolina, where her father Mike Huckabee stumped for president in 2008 and 2016. She served as press secretary for President Donald Trump, who remains popular in the state. Biggs, who won her district last year, aims to create a new identity for the event while maintaining its significance for national-level Republicans.

FILE - Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te waves after an offshore anti-terrorism drill at the Kaohsiung harbor in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying, File)

As US grapples with China relations, Taiwan’s president scraps stop on American soil

July 29, 2025

The Associated Press has learned that the Taiwanese government has called off a plan for its president to transit through the United States on his way to Latin America. The decision has led to conflicting accounts of the reason for the cancellation. Amid speculation that the Trump administration had opposed a proposed stopover by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te in New York, Taipei said Lai had no overseas travel plans due to domestic issues. The other proposed stop on Lai’s itinerary was Dallas, Texas. Whatever the reason, the cancellation is certain to hand a major diplomatic victory to Beijing. It also has drawn concerns from experts that the White House is setting a bad precedent for U.S.-China relations.

FILE - Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga., presides over a House Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr., File)

Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene won’t run for governor in 2026

July 29, 2025

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she won’t run for governor in Georgia. The staunch ally of President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that she isn’t running with a long social media post saying she is turned off by Georgia’s “good ole boy” system and alleging that it is endangering Republican control of the state. Greene chose earlier not to run for Senate under pressure from Republicans who feared she would hand a second term to Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff. Greene had been saying she was considering running for governor. She appeared at the Georgia Republican Party convention in Dalton in June wearing a “Make Georgia Great Again” hat and discussing state issues.

Palestinians carry sacks of flour unloaded from a humanitarian aid convoy that reached Gaza City from the northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

What Americans think about Israel’s military action in Gaza, according to a new Gallup poll

July 29, 2025

A new poll shows support for Israel’s military action in Gaza has dropped among U.S. adults, with only about one-third approving. This marks a decline from the beginning of the war with Hamas, when about half of Americans approved of Israel’s action. The Gallup poll shows about half of U.S. adults now have an unfavorable view of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The rising disapproval is driven by Democrats, independents and younger Americans, who are much less likely to approve of Israel’s actions than they were in November 2023, just after Israel expanded its ground offensive in Gaza. Republicans remain largely supportive of both Israel’s military actions and Netanyahu.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., looks over notes as Senate Republicans work to cancel $9.4 billion in previously approved spending targeted by DOGE, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Government shutdown talk is starting early ahead of a difficult funding fight in Congress this fall

July 29, 2025

Congressional leaders are already starting to trade blame for a government shutdown, two months before the funding deadline. The posturing sends a signal the threat of a stoppage is more serious than usual. Democratic leadership from both chambers and the two panels responsible for drafting spending bills met behind closed doors recently to discuss the strategy ahead. The Democrats emerged asserting Republicans need to work with them. But the Democrats carefully avoided spelling out red lines if Republicans opt not to go that route. Republican lawmakers view the Democrats as itching for a shutdown after a series of political losses this year.

FILE - Ford Foundation President Darren Walker speaks at the opening of the Afro-Atlantic Histories exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Gallery of Art in Washington, April 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

Darren Walker’s new book is still hopeful despite growing inequality as he leaves Ford Foundation

July 28, 2025

Outgoing Ford Foundation President Darren Walker’s new book “The Idea of America” is a collection of more than eight dozen texts spanning his 12-year tenure with one of the nation’s leading philanthropies. He says he regrets that American democracy weaker now than when he started. He finds that younger generations lack access to the “mobility escalator” he rode from poverty. And he describes the Trump administration’s first six months as “disorienting” for the philanthropic sector. But he still considers the upcoming collection to be patriotic. He says: “My own journey in America leaves me no option but to be hopeful because I have lived in a country that believed in me.”

A woman holds a sign during a rally to protest against redistricting hearings at the Texas Capitol, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

How redistricting in Texas and other states could change the game for US House elections

July 26, 2025

Redistricting usually happens after the once-a-decade population count by the U.S. Census Bureau or in response to a court ruling. Now, Texas Republicans want to break that tradition. And other states could follow suit. President Trump has asked the Texas Legislature to create districts, in time for next year’s midterm elections, that will send five more Republicans to Washington and make it harder for Democrats to regain the majority and blunt his agenda. There’s no national impediment to a state trying to redraw districts in the middle of a decade and to do it for political reasons, such as increasing representation by the party in power.

AP PHOTOS: A look back at the White House Rose Garden as Trump’s paved makeover nears completion

July 25, 2025

President Donald Trump’s paved makeover of the White House’s Rose Garden is nearly finished. The garden’s previously grassy lawn was fully covered by stone pavers as construction crews put the final touches on Trump’s project Friday. The last rows of pavers appeared to have been put in place as workers taped off their edges. It’s part of Trump’s bigger plan to add his own flourishes to the Executive Mansion and its grounds. The Republican president’s updates have already added flagpoles to the North and South Lawns, and he wants to build a new ballroom on the grounds. The Rose Garden was created during Democrat John F. Kennedy’s administration.

A Stryker combat vehicle sits atop a hill overlooking the U.S.-Mexico border fence in Sunland Park, N.M., Wednesday, July 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Photos of the US troop deployment at new militarized zones on the border with Mexico

July 24, 2025

NOGALES, Ariz. JAE C. HONGAssociated Press NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) — U.S. troops from all branches of the military are sharing

Texas state Rep. Jolanda "Jo" Jones looks through U.S. Congressional District maps during a redistricting hearing at the Texas Capitol, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

The White House wants more states to redraw House maps to help GOP. Democrats are readying a fight

July 24, 2025

The White House is focusing on redistricting efforts beyond Texas to help Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House in 2026. Democrats are preparing to respond, with one senator promising to go “nuclear” if necessary. This multistate redistricting battle could be the first step in the fight for House control ahead of next year’s midterms. Democrats see retaking the House as their best chance to break Republicans’ hold on Congress. At Trump’s urging, Texas Republicans are redrawing congressional maps to favor GOP candidates. Democrats are exploring legal options and shifting their posture to fight back.

Agog Executive Director Chip Giller, left, philanthropist Wendy Schmidt and Kinfolk Tech co-founder Idris Brewster, right, tour Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City on June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/James Pollard)

Philanthropist Wendy Schmidt insists science and immersive media can inspire action for the planet

July 24, 2025

Philanthropist Wendy Schmidt and her husband, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, have long insisted that the scientific advancements they fund be shared widely and for the planet’s protection. The Silicon Valley veterans’ philanthropies are among the growing ranks focused on marine conservation. And they’re embracing their role even as the Trump administration cuts billions in federal funding for research. Wendy’s latest venture is Agog, an immersive media institute that attempts to spark social change by fostering new connections with the natural world through extended reality technologies. She says: “We work really hard to make sure science holds its place in our society.”

A Sheriff's deputy pauses while combing through the banks of the Guadalupe River near Camp Mystic, Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas, after a flash flood swept through the area. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

3 people are still missing from deadly July 4 floods in Texas county, down from nearly 100

July 19, 2025

Officials in a Texas hill country community pummeled by deadly flooding on July 4 say just three people remain missing, down from nearly 100. The announcement comes after people who had previously been reported missing have since been accounted for. The reduction in the number of people on the missing list comes as the search for victims entered its third week. It is a significant drop from the more than 160 people officials previously said were unaccounted for in Kerr County alone.

Wabanaki artwork is displayed in the Tekakapimək Contact Station, Jan. 7, 2025, at the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in northern Maine.(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

How a federal monument’s new welcome center in Maine honors Native Americans

July 19, 2025

A new welcome center at the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine tells the story of the land from the perspective of its original inhabitants — the Native Americans who comprise the Wabanaki Confederacy. The $35 million center was funded by private philanthropy led by Burt’s Bees founder Roxanne Quimby, who bought more than 87,000 acres of logging company land and donated it to the National Park Service. In Penobscot, the name of the center atop Lookout Mountain means “as far as the eye can see.” The Penobscot Nation’s historian says the collaboration should be a template for projects involving Native Americans.

FILE - EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin attends a Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission Event in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

EPA eliminates research and development office, begins layoffs

July 19, 2025

The Environmental Protection Agency said Friday it is eliminating its research and development arm and reducing agency staff by thousands of employees. The agency’s Office of Research and Development has long provided the scientific underpinnings for EPA’s mission to protect the environment and human health. The EPA said in May it would shift its scientific expertise and research efforts to program offices that focus on major issues like air and water. The agency said Friday it is creating a new Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions that will allow it to focus on research and science “more than ever before.″ Once fully implemented, the changes will save EPA nearly $750 million, officials said.

A man surveys debris and flood damage along the Guadalupe River, Sunday, July 13, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

What to know as Texas’ search for flood victims stretches into a 3rd week

July 18, 2025

The search for victims of deadly flooding in Texas Hill Country is headed into its third week as officials try to pin down exactly how many people remain missing. State lawmakers are preparing to discuss authorities’ initial response and possible improvements to warning systems in a special session set to convene Monday. Flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, most along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, northwest of San Antonio. State and local officials say about 100 people remain missing. but the list fluctuates as reports come into a hotline.

FILE - Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents escort a detained immigrant into an elevator after he exited an immigration courtroom, Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Olga Fedorova, file)

In American life, a growing and forbidding visual rises: The law-enforcement officer in a mask

July 18, 2025

Immigration enforcement agents are detaining people and taking them into custody, at times under public anger and outcry. What’s often not visible are the agents’ faces, covered by caps, sunglasses, pulled-up neck gaiters or balaclavas, effectively rendering them unidentifiable. The increase in high-profile immigration enforcement was already contentious between those opposed to the actions of President Donald Trump’s administration and those in support. The sight of masked agents carrying it out is creating a whole new level of conflict in a way that has no real corollary in the U.S. history of policing.

FILE - The nearly $3 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project along the Mississippi River, intended to stave off coastal land loss in southeastern Louisiana, is seen during a flyover with the environmental coalition group Restore the Mississippi River Delta, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Jack Brook, File)

Louisiana cancels $3 billion coastal restoration project funded by oil spill settlement

July 17, 2025

Louisiana is officially canceling a $3 billion coastal restoration project funded by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement. The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project aimed to rebuild over 20 square miles of land in southeast Louisiana to combat erosion and sea level rise. Conservation groups supported the project as a science-based solution to climate change. However, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry opposed it, citing harm to local oystermen and the fishing industry. On Thursday, a coalition of federal agencies overseeing the settlement funds declared the project “no longer viable” because of litigation and a suspended federal permit after the state halted work.

FILE - Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., addresses a crowd at a rally protesting the National Rifle Association's annual convention a few blocks away in Atlanta, April 29, 2017. (AP Photo/David Goldman, file)

Nationwide protests planned against Trump’s immigration crackdown and health care cuts

July 16, 2025

Protests and events against President Donald Trump’s controversial policies that include mass deportations and cuts to Medicaid and other safety nets for poor people are planned at more than 1,600 locations around the country. Organizers of the “Good Trouble Lives On” national day of action in honor of the late Congressman John Lewis say that more than 163,000 people have confirmed plans to participate, but that they expect turnout into the “hundreds of thousands.” The protests are expected to be held along streets, at court houses and other public spaces. Organizers are calling for them to be peaceful. The phrase “Good Trouble” was coined by the late congressman who helped lead civil rights protest marches in the 1960s.

FILE — People walk in front of the Minskoff Theatre where "The Lion King" plays on Broadway in New York, Nov. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

Inside the high-stakes battle to win a New York City casino license

July 16, 2025

Eight projects are vying for a state license to operate a casino in the lucrative New York City market. Each has dangled the prospect of generational investment in America’s largest metropolitan region, including thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars of taxable gambling revenues for the state. Among the notable proposals are a Caesars Palace casino in Times Square, a gambling hall along Coney Island’s boardwalk, and a Hard Rock casino and hotel next to the home stadium of baseball’s New York Mets. The state Gaming Commission has said it plans to pick up to three proposals by December.

FILE - First lady Jill Biden talks with senior adviser Anthony Bernal before her speech at the Carondelet Palace in Quito, Ecuador, May 19, 2022. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times via AP, Pool, File)

Jill Biden aide invokes Fifth to decline testimony in Republican investigation

July 16, 2025

A former senior aide to first lady Jill Biden has declined to answer questions as part of a House Republican probe into former President Joe Biden’s mental state. Anthony Bernal invoked his Fifth Amendment right Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee. Chair James Comer vowed to continue the Republican probe and did not rule out requesting interviews with Jill Biden or former Vice President Kamala Harris. Republicans question whether actions Biden took in office may have been invalid. Biden has denied claims that he was not aware of decisions made during his term. Democrats have dismissed the investigation as political theater.

University of Michigan faces federal investigation after arrest of 2 Chinese scientists

July 15, 2025

The University of Michigan is under federal scrutiny after two Chinese scientists linked to the school were separately charged with smuggling biological materials into the United States. The Education Department on Tuesday opened an investigation into the university’s foreign funding, citing the pair of cases that were announced days apart in June. It said the “highly disturbing criminal charges” raise concerns about Michigan’s vulnerability to national security threats from China. The university will cooperate with federal investigators and takes its responsibility to comply with the law seriously.

FILE - The American and Chinese flags wave, Feb. 2, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)

Global views of China and Xi improve, while they decline about the US and Trump, survey says

July 15, 2025

Global views of China and its leader Xi Jinping have improved, while opinions of the U.S. and Donald Trump have declined. That’s according to a Pew Research Center survey released Tuesday. It shows that international views of the two superpowers and their leaders are closer than since 2020. The results are a drastic departure from those in the past several years when the U.S. and its leader — then-President Joe Biden — enjoyed more favorable international views than China and its president. Pew didn’t provide definitive explanations for the shifts, but its associate director of research said it’s possible that views of a country may change when those of another superpower shift.

Michael Pimentel, center, a resident at the Gabriel House assisted living facility, in Fall River, Mass., receives assistance from an emergency medical worker, right, outside a temporary shelter, Monday, July 14, 2025, in Fall River, following a fire that started late Sunday. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Assisted-living home cited for late reports of safety incidents years before fatal fire

July 15, 2025

A Massachusetts assisted-living center where nine residents died in a fire was cited for failing to immediately report more than two dozen health and safety incidents. That’s according to regulators’ most recent review of the facility. Five men and four women were killed and at least 30 others were injured Sunday night at Gabriel House in Fall River, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Boston. Some of the 70 residents were rescued by ladder after screaming for help from the windows of the three-story building. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

FILE - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers wait to detain a person, Jan. 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Immigration agents demand tenant information from landlords, stirring questions and confusion

July 14, 2025

Immigration authorities are pressuring landlords to share tenant information, including leases and IDs. The requests are a sign that the Trump administration is targeting landlords to assist in its drive for mass deportations. An Atlanta-area real estate attorney recently shared one of his clients’ subpoenas with The Associated Press. These subpoenas are not signed by judges and raise legal concerns about compliance and potential violations of the Fair Housing Act. Critics argue landlords might feel forced to comply, risking tenant privacy. Some legal experts advise ignoring such requests unless court-ordered. Federal officials, however, defend the subpoenas and warning of penalties for noncompliance.

People embrace outside of Glass House Farms, a day after an immigration raid on the facility, on Friday, July 11, 2025, in Camarillo, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

California farmworker who fell from greenhouse roof during chaotic ICE raid dies

July 13, 2025

A farmworker who fell from a greenhouse roof during a chaotic ICE raid this week at a California cannabis facility has died. Niece Yesenia Duran says 57-year-old Jaime Alanis died Saturday of his injuries. He is the first person to die in one of the Trump administration’s aggressive anti-immigration operations. According to family and union sources, Alanis fell about 30 feet and broke his neck as he was being chased by ICE agents. Federal immigration authorities reported arresting some 200 others on suspicion of being in the country illegally in raids Thursday on Glass House Farms facilities in Camarillo and Carpinteria.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes part in a media briefing during the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting and related meetings at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur on July 10, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)

State Department tells staffers that layoff notices are coming soon

July 10, 2025

The State Department has formally advised staffers that it will be sending layoff notices to some of them soon. It comes as part of dramatic changes to the agency that the Trump administration announced earlier this year. The workforce cuts and reorganization of the country’s diplomatic corps are part of a wider effort to reduce the size of the federal government. A recent ruling by the Supreme Court cleared the way for the layoffs to start. Critics say the scale of cuts floated at the State Department would lessen U.S. influence globally and make it hard for many offices to carry out their missions.

FILE - This combo of images released by the Arkansas Department of Corrections shows the recapture of escaped inmate Grant Hardin, an ex-police chief and convicted killer, by Arkansas law enforcement officers and the U.S. Border Patrol, June 6, 2025, near Moccasin Creek in Izard County, about 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) northwest of Calico Rock prison. in Calico Rock, Ark. (Arkansas Department of Corrections via AP, File)

Arkansas prison employees fired after ‘Devil in the Ozarks’ escape

July 10, 2025

Two Arkansas prison employees have been fired after an inmate known as the “Devil in the Ozarks” escaped in May. Corrections officials said Thursday that the employees violated policies, allowing Grant Hardin to leave the Calico Rock prison wearing a fake law enforcement uniform. Hardin is a former police chief serving sentences for murder and rape. He was captured on June 6 not far from the prison. Lawmakers criticized the incident, calling it a sign of deeper systemic issues. Hardin has pleaded not guilty to an escape charge and is scheduled to face trial in November.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, left, listens as President Donald Trump, right, speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump administration opens investigation into Minnesota agency’s affirmative action policy

July 10, 2025

The Trump administration has launched an investigation into the Minnesota Department of Human Services over its newly updated affirmative action hiring policy. The policy requires supervisors to justify hiring candidates who are not from underrepresented groups, such as women or racial minorities, in certain job categories. The investigation comes amid the administration’s broader push against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Attorney General Pam Bondi says that state government employees should be hired based on merit, not based on what she called “illegal DEI.” The state Department of Human Services says it follows all state and federal hiring laws.

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