Trump leans on GOP senators as they gear up to make changes to his domestic policy bill
CNN
President Donald Trump spoke with several GOP senators on Monday, including ones who have raised concerns about his domestic policy bill, as the chamber gears up to make changes to the legislation and congressional leaders aim to put the package on Trump’s desk by July 4.
President Donald Trump spoke with several GOP senators on Monday, including ones who have raised concerns about his domestic policy bill, as the chamber gears up to make changes to the legislation and congressional leaders aim to put the package on Trump’s desk by July 4. In a sign of the challenges ahead for GOP leaders, a number of Republican senators have raised concerns about the House-passed package, demanding changes that could be tough for Speaker Mike Johnson’s narrow majority to swallow when it moves back over to the House. The president met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune at the White House on Monday, who said they “covered a lot of ground. A lot about the big, beautiful bill.” A White House official confirmed Thune and Trump met. Several of the senators who have been most vocal about their concerns — Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky — said that they discussed the package with the president. Paul told CNN that he “had a lengthy discussion” with Trump this week and told the President that he can’t back the bill if an increase to the debt ceiling remains in the package. “It’s just not a conservative thing to do, and I’ve told him I can’t support the bill if they are together. If they were to separate out and take the debt ceiling off that, I very much could consider the rest of the bill,” said Paul, who noted that Trump “did most of the talking” on their call.
The aircraft used in the US military’s first strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, a strike which has drawn intense scrutiny and resulted in numerous Congressional briefings, was painted as a civilian aircraft and was part of a closely guarded classified program, sources familiar with the program told CNN. Its use “immediately drew scrutiny and real concerns” from lawmakers, one of the sources familiar said, and legislators began asking questions about the aircraft during briefings in September.
DOJ pleads with lawyers to get through ‘grind’ of Epstein files as criticism of redactions continues
“It is a grind,” the head of the Justice Department’s criminal division said in an email. “While we certainly encourage aggressive overachievers, we need reviewers to hit the 1,000-page mark each day.”
A new classified legal opinion produced by the Justice Department argues that President Donald Trump was not limited by domestic law when approving the US operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro because of his constitutional authority as commander-in-chief and that he is not constrained by international law when it comes to carrying out law enforcement operations overseas, according to sources who have read the memo.
President Donald Trump is working to tighten his grip on his party this week as he faces an unusual threat from Congress: an embarrassing rebuke of his military actions overseas.
Bill and Hillary Clinton refused to appear on Capitol Hill Tuesday to testify in Congress’ Jeffrey Epstein probe in the face of threats from the House Oversight Committee to hold them in contempt.
Former teacher Arnulfo Reyes was questioned repeatedly in court Tuesday about how doors were left open at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, before a gunman entered in May 2022 and killed 21 children and teachers.
The Trump administration does not know the whereabouts of 137 Venezuelans it unlawfully deported last year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, adding that attempting to offer them due process would impact US foreign policy interests in the country.
Around 1,000 additional US Customs and Border Protection agents are expected to deploy to Minneapolis, Minnesota, according to two federal law enforcement sources. Follow for live updates.
President Donald Trump’s efforts to leverage the Justice Department for political purposes and to exact retribution against his perceived foes haven’t suffered from a series of setbacks.
Minnesota and Illinois separately filed lawsuits Monday against the Trump administration, arguing the president’s immigration crackdown is terrorizing their communities and violating the Constitution.
Former Navy sailor sentenced to 16 years for selling information about ships to Chinese intelligence
A former US Navy sailor convicted of selling technical and operating manuals for ships and operating systems to an intelligence officer working for China was sentenced Monday to more than 16 years in prison, prosecutors said.
The Defense Department has spent more than a year testing a device purchased in an undercover operation that some investigators think could be the cause of a series of mysterious ailments impacting spies, diplomats and troops that are colloquially known as Havana Syndrome, according to four sources briefed on the matter.
Jack Smith, the former special counsel who led two failed prosecutions of President Donald Trump, will testify publicly before the House Judiciary Committee on January 22, the panel announced Monday.