Senate Reaches Deal to End Lengthy U.S. Government Shutdown
By Frank Thorp V, Sahil Kapur and Brennan Leach Senators struck an agreement Sunday, projecting confidence that it will be sufficient to end the lengthy U.S. government shutdown, three sources with direct knowledge of the details told NBC News. The agreement, reached by a group of Democrats who teamed up with Republicans, cleared the first hurdle on a vote of 60-40 to advance in a late-night Senate vote. If it’s approved, it would then need to pass the House and gain President Donald Trump’s signature to become law and reopen the government. Even if it has enough support to clear those hurdles, the process
Trump Admin Seeks Emergency Block on Order to Pay Food Stamps in Full
Written By: Dan Mangan The Trump administration asked a federal appeals court to issue an emergency block on a judge’s order that it pay 42 million Americans their full SNAP benefits for November by Friday as the federal government shutdown persists. The administration requested that the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals allow it to pay 65% of the food stamp benefits this month from a contingency fund, as the administration had proposed to the judge earlier this week. The request came a day after Judge Jack McConnell issued an order in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island rejecting the
Supreme Court Backs Trump Passport Gender Policy
By Lawrence Hurley The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Trump administration to enforce a policy aimed at limiting transgender rights that would restrict sex designations on passports to “male” and “female” based on sex assigned at birth. The justices granted an emergency request filed by the administration, which is seeking to reverse a policy introduced during the Biden administration that allowed people to put “X” as a gender marker or self-select male or female. “Displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth—in both cases, the Government is merely attesting to
Supreme Court Questions Trump’s Authority to Impose Tariffs
By Lawrence Hurley President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs appear to be on shaky legal ground, with Supreme Court justices on Wednesday indicating he may not have the authority to impose them under a law designed for use during a national emergency. The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority that has regularly backed Trump on various contentious cases since he took office in January, but based on the almost three-hour oral argument, the tariffs dispute could go the other way. Both conservative and liberal justices asked tough questions of Trump’s lawyer, Solicitor General D. John Sauer, though some of the conservatives seemed more
Clark Atlanta Student Jayden Williams Elected Youngest Mayor
At just 21 years old, Jayden Williams has become the youngest mayor in Stockbridge history, marking a powerful moment for both his city and the HBCU community. A senior political science major at Clark Atlanta University, Williams’ victory represents a generational shift in leadership — proof that today’s HBCU students are stepping up to lead cities, drive innovation, and amplify the voices of young Black changemakers. Williams’ campaign theme, “Ready to Lead Together,” resonated with voters who were eager for fresh leadership and new energy in local government. “I’m asking for leadership and a new direction,” Williams told The Atlanta Voice. “I’m happy to be the youngest candidate
Democrats Win Key Races as GOP Faces Post-Trump Test
By Matt Dixon, Henry J. Gomez, Jonathan Allen and Garrett Haake No one thought Tuesday was going to be Donald Trump’s election night, but there were even fewer silver linings than many Republicans had hoped. Democrats attacked Trump’s agenda to help score victories in Virginia, where former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger quickly defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. They also prevailed in the attorney general’s race — where their candidate had been wrapped up in a texting controversy — and made double-digit gains in the state Legislature. Democrats won in New Jersey, where Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill beat Republican Jack Ciattarelli in a race for governor considered the best Tuesday night
California Approves Democrat-Backed Redistricting Plan
By Ben Kamisar California voters have approved a new congressional map drawn by state Democrats, NBC News projects, giving the party the chance to gain up to five House seats in next year’s midterm elections and counter Republican redistricting efforts in other states. The approval of the ballot measure allows California Democrats to temporarily circumvent the independent commission that typically controls the redistricting process and enact a more partisan map. The green light from voters will help Democrats limit, but not eliminate, the political disadvantage they’re set to face in the 2026 elections after Republicans in several other states, most notably Texas,
Key Races to Watch in Tuesday’s 2025 Off-Year Elections
By Ben Kamisar, Bridget Bowman, Alexandra Marquez, Adam Edelman and Owen Auston-Babcock Off-year elections on Tuesday provide the first big chance for voters across several states to make their voices heard this year — and shed early light on some major questions ahead of next year’s midterm elections. How are voters responding to President Donald Trump’s second term? Can Republicans build on the president’s gains with working-class voters and people of color, and will they be able to keep Trump’s coalition engaged when he isn’t on the ballot? As for Democrats, how are they regrouping after Trump’s 2024 victory? And how are they juggling the needs of their
DNC Chair Defends California Redistricting, Blasts GOP
By Gary Grumbach and Megan Lebowitz Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin defended California’s redistricting efforts while criticizing Republicans’ own efforts as unconstitutional. “If they’re going to do this and continue doing this nonsense, which is unconstitutional and illegal, we’re going to be forced to do it ourselves in other states,” Martin said in an interview with NBC News, referencing GOP redistricting efforts. Asked whether two unconstitutional acts make a right, Martin said, “In this case, I would say yes.” His comments come as Californians will decide Tuesday whether to approve the state’s Prop 50 ballot measure, which would allow the state to
Federal Judge Signals Intent to Protect Food Aid for 42 Million Americans Amid Shutdown Crisis
Written by Lexx Thornton A federal judge indicated Thursday she is inclined to take steps to ensure that critical federal food assistance keeps flowing to the 42 million Americans who depend on it, pushing back forcefully against the Trump administration’s claim that it must halt the payments due to the government shutdown. Trump administration officials had warned that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, would be cut off on Saturday, stating on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) website that “The well has run dry.” The administration’s stance prompted Democratic governors and attorneys general from