The Guardian

US president reportedly backs plan for Ukraine to cede unoccupied territory to Russia; West Virginia to deploy up to 400 troops to national capital – key US politics stories from Saturday 16 August at a glance Donald Trump has told European leaders he believes a peace deal could … Trump news at a glance: Trump supports Putin plan for Ukraine peace, report says; West Virginia to send national guard to DCRead more

Program providing key aid halted after complaints from Laura Loomer, the far-right influencer close to Trump The US state department announced on Saturday that it would stop issuing visas to children from Gaza in desperate need of medical care after an online pressure campaign from Laura Loomer, a … US state department stops issuing visas for Gaza’s children to get medical careRead more

Troops requested by Trump team are ‘ready to respond’ but ‘not on a political policing mission’, veteran group says West Virginia is to deploy 300 to 400 national guard troops to Washington DC at the request of the Trump administration, the state’s governor said on Saturday. West Virginia … West Virginia to deploy hundreds of national guard troops to Washington DCRead more

Details of post-summit call were leaked in which US president supports plan for Kyiv to give up Donbas region Donald Trump will back a plan to cede unoccupied Ukrainian territory to Russia to secure an end to the war between the two countries, it was reported on Saturday, … Trump to back ceding of Ukrainian territory to Russia as part of peace dealRead more

White House officials said it mentioned the abductions of Ukrainian children by Russian forces in occupied territory Donald Trump hand-delivered a personal letter from first lady Melania Trump to Russian leader Vladimir Putin raising the plight of Ukrainian and Russian children caught in the middle of the ongoing … Donald Trump reportedly delivered letter from first lady to Vladimir PutinRead more

HHS chief took to social media with deference to president after ‘Trump’s Rasputin’ said he was plotting move The US health and human services (HHS) secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has fended off an attack by conservative firebrand and Donald Trump influencer Laura Loomer by issuing a statement … RFK Jr denies 2028 presidential ambitions after attacks from Trump influencer Laura LoomerRead more

Redistricting call a stereotypical power-play by Republican governor who has often bent state lawmakers to his will With Gavin Newsom and Greg Abbott, the respective heavyweight governors of California and Texas, trading blows over plans to gerrymander the 2026 midterms, it was always kind of inevitable that Florida’s … Ron DeSantis enters the chat: governor eyes chance to redraw Florida mapsRead more

Excess rainfall has fueled disease and pest pressure in Ohio’s soybean fields as a trade war with China puts farmers’ biggest export market in doubt Seventh-generation farmer Brian Harbage grows corn, soybeans and grass, and runs a cattle operation across five counties in western Ohio. In the world … Farmers in US midwest squeezed by Trump tariffs and climate crisisRead more

Protests against redrawing of electoral maps in Texas and other states to take place in 34 US cities and towns Saturday Thousands are expected to gather in cities and towns across 34 states on Saturday for a national day of protest against Republican redistricting plans in Texas and … Thousands to join US ‘Fight the Trump Takeover’ protests against Republican redistricting plansRead more

Personalized intervention has transformed the former murder capital of the US – Trump’s recent cuts have experts fearing a rebound The end of violence in Baltimore is a litany of stories that weren’t told in 90-second clips on the evening news, about shootings that didn’t happen. The untold … How Baltimore’s violent crime rate hit an all-time low: ‘This is not magic. It’s hard work’Read more

For those who feared the summit on Ukraine might resemble Chamberlain’s appeasement of Hitler in 1938, the reality was worse That was the moment he knew it was true love. Donald Trump turned to gaze at Vladimir Putin as the Russian president publicly endorsed his view that, had … Love in a cold climate: Putin romances Trump in Alaska with talk of rigged elections and a trip to MoscowRead more

Fighting set to continue in Ukraine while US and Russian leaders cling to old grievances and exchange warm words Full report: No deal, and no answers, after brief Trump-Putin talks on Ukraine in Alaska Donald Trump’s much-hyped summit in Alaska with Vladimir Putin ended on Friday after just … No Ukraine ceasefire but a PR victory for Putin: key takeaways from Trump’s Alaska summit with Russian presidentRead more

US president leaves more questions than answers after summit on ending Ukraine war with Vladimir Putin; White House agrees to scale back takeover of DC police department – key US politics stories from 15 August 2025 Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin lavished praise on each other but offered … Trump news at a glance: Trump claims ‘great progress’ in Putin talks, DC police takeover scaled backRead more

Prosecutors says Solomon Peña showed no remorse for shootings on the homes of four Democratic officials in Albuquerque A failed political candidate in New Mexico has been sentenced to 80 years in federal prison for his convictions in a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of state … New Mexico Republican candidate gets 80 years for shootings at Democrats’ homesRead more

Discussions could reshape war in Ukraine and Moscow-Washington relations – without Zelenskyy or European leaders What’s at stake at the Trump-Putin Ukraine peace summit? Donald Trump has given Russian president Vladimir Putin a warm welcome to US soil as they begin a critical summit on the war in … Grins and banter: Trump gives warm welcome to Putin before Ukraine summit in AlaskaRead more

Judge previously blocked president from laying off 1,500 employees at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau A federal appeals court set the stage for the Trump administration to resume firings at the top US consumer watchdog, ruling in a split decision that a lower court lacked jurisdiction in temporarily … Court lifts block on Trump’s mass firings at top US consumer watchdogRead more

LaToya Cantrell’s indictment comes after businessman was charged for exchanging gifts with her for favors The New Orleans mayor, LaToya Cantrell, was indicted on Friday on federal corruption charges after spending roughly three years under investigation. The indictment against Cantrell came after the September 2024 indictment of local … New Orleans mayor indicted on federal corruption chargesRead more

Legislation says special emergency conditions that would warrant federalization of DC police have not been met Democratic lawmakers have introduced a joint resolution aimed at ending what they call Trump’s unlawful and unprecedented move to federalize the Metropolitan police department (MPD) in Washington DC. Representative Jamie Raskin, the … Democrats introduce joint resolution to end Trump’s ‘lawless’ DC takeoverRead more

Senator Adam Schiff suggests in letter that use of funds to alter outflow of lake for personal use may have been inappropriate US politics live – latest updates The US Secret Service and US military engineers are facing scrutiny after Adam Schiff, the California senator, demanded they answer … Secret Service and US military engineers face scrutiny over raising river water level for Vance’s birthdayRead more

The Putin-Trump meeting is scheduled to get under way at 3.30pm ET; US president says he wants to see a ceasefire and ‘won’t be happy if it’s not today’ What’s at stake at the Trump-Putin Ukraine peace summit? Welcome to our coverage of the president’s summit with Vladimir … Trump-Putin summit live updates: US and Russian leaders to meet in Alaska to discuss ending Ukraine warRead more

Trump wants to go after cities across the US to settle political scores, assert himself as a strongman and, potentially, arrest his opponents US politics live – latest updates It’s not about immigration – or rather, it’s not just about immigration. Pam Bondi, the US attorney general, sent … Trump’s attacks on Democratic-run US cities will not stop with WashingtonRead more

Governor Greg Abbott said he will immediately call another session as Democratic lawmakers signaled return to state US politics live – latest updates Texas lawmakers will adjourn their first special session without passing new congressional maps on Friday – though Greg Abbott, the state’s governor, has said he … Barack Obama praises Texas Democrats as state legislature moves to end special session without passing new electoral mapsRead more

Federal officers swept encampments across DC overnight, leaving many uncertain about where they will find shelter US politics live – latest updates For the past eight months, David Harold Pugh has found his “spot” outside the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Library in Washington DC. He keeps all … ‘It’s not illegal to be homeless’: unhoused Washingtonians evicted from encampments as part of Trump’s crime crackdownRead more

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes billions of dollars in giveaways to fossil fuel companies and their executives The Republican lawmakers who voted for Donald Trump’s anti-environment tax and spending bill have accepted more than $105m in political donations from the fossil fuel industry, a new analysis … Republicans who backed Trump’s anti-environment bill have accepted over $105m from big oilRead more

Pam Bondi says DEA chief Terry Cole in charge of Metropolitan police amid White House crackdown on crime Washington DC was seeking an emergency restraining order on Friday against Donald Trump’s takeover of its police department, dubbing it a “hostile takeover” of law enforcement in the nation’s capital. … Washington DC sues after Trump officials’ ‘hostile takeover’ of city policeRead more

Republican redestricting move aims to win House majority in midterms. Plus, plastic pollution talks fail in Geneva Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up here Good morning. California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, has said lawmakers will proceed with a redistricting plan to counter the Republican-led map … Newsom says California hopes to redraw maps in response to Texas plan | First ThingRead more

Trump’s plan to boost Republican House seats in the midterms through gerrymandering has provoked a reaction The mid-decade redistricting war looming between Republicans and Democrats is exposing an idea that’s corroding American democracy – voters may not matter that much in determining who controls the US House. After … Democrats are fighting fire with fire over redistricting – but will democracy burn?Read more

Critics say Jay Bhattacharya’s comments on so-called failure of mRNA vaccines to ‘earn public trust’ are ‘astounding’ When the director of the National Institutes of Health this week said funding for the development of mRNA vaccines – the backbone of Covid vaccines – was being wound down because … Experts condemn NIH director’s defense of cut to vaccine researchRead more

Local officials slam president’s remarks and point to federal funding cuts as the real harm to public safety in their cities When Donald Trump announced a federal takeover of the Metropolitan police department in Washington DC on Monday, he left room for the possibility of making a similar … How Trump is using ‘pure lies’ about high crime in US cities to justify federal takeoversRead more

At least one person reportedly arrested as protesters heckle law enforcement and warn drivers to avoid area as Trump makes false claims about crime levels Pam Bondi, the attorney general, said she has sent “sanctuary city” letters to the mayors of 32 cities and a handful of county … Protesters gather in Washington DC as federal law enforcement officers stop drivers – US politics liveRead more