A group of 42 Democratic lawmakers wants the Pentagon’s watchdog to look into billionaire Elon Musk’s role in the contracting process for the “Golden Dome” missile defense shield, a project pushed by President Trump meant to protect the U.S. homeland from incoming missiles. In a letter sent to the Defense Department inspector general on Thursday, the House […]

Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she has “serious objections” to the defense funding proposals in President Trump’s fiscal year 2026 budget request, while also taking issue with some of the non-defense programs being targeted. In a statement on Friday, Collins called Trump’s request “simply one step in the annual budget process,” adding […]

As the mayor of Utah’s “Military City,” I have the daily privilege of watching the men and women at Hill Air Force Base help defend our national security. Unfortunately, these same airmen’s security at home is under a different kind of attack right now: Personnel, from the newly enlisted to the officer level, can no […]

As sky-high housing costs bring widespread economic pain, some in Washington are using the crisis as an opportunity to push a reckless proposal to sell off America’s public lands. After many years of stagnant housing construction, the U.S. needs a focused effort to support struggling families and build more affordable homes. Solving the housing crisis […]

President Trump is proposing significantly reducing federal funding for Howard University, potentially creating a funding gap for the nation’s only federally chartered Historically Black College and University (HBCU). In his budget request to Congress on Friday, Trump proposed cutting $65 million in federal funding for Howard. The move would reduce the D.C. school’s federal funding […]

Canada’s newly elected prime minister, Mark Carney, said he will visit the White House on Tuesday for a meeting with President Trump.  “There will be zigs and zags, ups and downs. But as I said in my remarks, I will fight for the best deal for Canada and only accept the best deal for Canada […]

National security adviser Mike Waltz is out, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio replacing him on an interim basis. President Trump announced Thursday afternoon that Waltz, a former House GOP lawmaker, would instead be his next nominee for U.N. ambassador. “From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security […]

Close Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the 12:30 Report newsletter Subscribe Happy Friday! Monday is Cinco de Mayo, but I absolutely plan on overeating tortilla chips, salsa and tacos this weekend as an early celebration. Who’s with […]

The White House closed the so-called de minimis tariff loophole for lower-value Chinese imports Friday but also waived a customs rule that will make collecting those tariffs very difficult, trade experts say. As part of its ongoing trade war, which is focused now particularly on China, the Trump administration formally ended the small-package exemption that […]

Vice President Vance described the first 100 days of President Trump’s return to the White House as a “revival” of the American spirit in a Washington Post op-ed Friday. “In just 100 days, the Trump administration has begun to tear down the barriers standing between our nation’s working class and the American Dream,” he wrote. […]

Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated Thursday that a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is still on the horizon but noted the Eastern European nations are still very much at odds with “no military solution.”  “I think we know where Ukraine is and we know where Russia is right now and where [Russian President […]

Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) knocked President Trump’s 2026 budget proposal on Friday for not doing enough to keep pace with military threats from China, Russia and other adversaries. Wicker warned the spending level called by the White House budget would “decrease President Trump’s military options and his negotiating leverage.” “President Trump […]