Rep. John James Launches 2026 Michigan Governor Campaign
By Ben Kamisar Republican Rep. John James of Michigan is running for governor, he announced Monday, as one of the most pivotal elections on the ballot in 2026 continues to draw big-name politicians. In a message posted on his social media channels, James lamented Democratic governance in the state and argued that “it’s time to get Michigan’s government out of fantasyland and back to common sense.” “Our state has suffered long enough. Michigan is strong. Our people are strong. But we are being held back by a lack of strong, competent leadership,” he wrote. Ahead of a potentially crowded primary, James signaled
China Slams Trump’s 104% Tariffs Amid Export Turmoil
By Kelly Ng China has called for the world to unite against Trump’s tariffs as the country’s exporters reel from crippling new US levies that have risen to 104%. “Global unity can triumph over trade tyranny,” declared an editorial in the state-run newspaper China Daily, noting Beijing’s collaborations with Japan, South Korea and other Asian economies. A separate piece called for the European Union to work with it to “uphold free trade and multilateralism”. Beijing “firmly opposes and will never accept such hegemonic and bullying practices,” foregin ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters on Wednesday. The tariffs come at a
Supreme Court Backs Trump on Venezuelan Deportations
The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the administration of President Donald Trump can continue to deport Venezuelan migrants under an 18th-century wartime law, but ordered that they be granted “reasonable time” to appear before a judge. In a 5-4 ruling, the US top court on Monday overturned an order from a lower federal court that sought to temporarily block summary deportations under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. The Trump administration has invoked the law, last used during World War II, to deport alleged members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang by claiming they are “conducting irregular warfare” in
Trump Escalates Tariffs Amid Market, Global Pushback
President Donald Trump pressed forward with aggressive tariffs that have roiled the global economy as he faced pushback from Wall Street, world leaders and some members of his own party. Here’s the latest on where the trade war stands: Trump plows ahead: Trump said he is “not looking” to pause his tariffs before they go into effect Wednesday. “We have many, many countries that are coming to negotiate deals with us,” Trump said. “They’re going to be fair deals, and in certain cases, they’re going to be paying substantial tariffs.” Asked whether the tariffs are permanent or open to negotiation — a point
Supreme Court Backs Trump on DEI Grant Termination
By Lawrence Hurley The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the Trump administration to terminate Education Department grants for teacher training that officials deemed to violate their new policy opposing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The 5-4 decision blocks a Massachusetts-based judge’s ruling that said the administration had failed to follow the correct legal process in terminating the grants. About $65 million in grant payments are outstanding. The decision is the first win for President Donald Trump at the Supreme Court in his second term. Five of the court’s conservatives were in the majority, while Chief Justice John Roberts joined the three liberals in dissent.
Trump Admin Threatens School Funds Over DEI Compliance
By Tyler Kingkade The Trump administration on Thursday threatened to pull federal funding from K-12 districts and states if they don’t certify within 10 days that they do not have unlawful diversity, equity and inclusion practices. States have to sign and submit a certification form asserting that each of their districts do not give advantages to people based on their race, according to a memo sent to education officials by the U.S. Department of Education. The form itself warns that states or individual schools could be subject to litigation or be forced to pay back funds if they’re found to violate the law. The directive is
RFK Jr. Reinstates Workers After HHS Cuts 20,000 Staffers
By Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Thursday that some of the programs and workers purged in last week’s dramatic restructuring plan to shed 20,000 staffers will be reinstated, saying they were mistakenly cut. “There were some programs that were cut that are being reinstated,” Kennedy told ABC News. “Personnel that should not have been cut were cut; we’re reinstating them, and that was always the plan.” The restructuring plan is part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s workforce optimization initiative, led by Elon Musk, President Donald Trump’s billionaire adviser. Departmental agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control
Congress Moves to Curb Trump’s Canadian Tariffs Power
By Sahil Kapur and Scott Wong The fallout from President Donald Trump’s aggressive new tariffs has spurred Congress into action, with a growing number of Republicans joining Democrats to express interest in using their power to restrain him. After the GOP-led Senate delivered a rare rebuke to Trump on Wednesday by voting to undo his tariffs on Canada, lawmakers in both chambers are weighing additional steps to rein him in. Senators are eyeing other mechanisms to rescind Trump’s existing tariffs while limiting his ability to impose new ones. And Democrats in the House are exploring ways to force a vote to revoke Canadian tariffs, putting out
Elon Musk to Exit Trump Admin as Doge Cuts Face Scrutiny
By Joseph Gedeon Elon Musk’s polarizing stint slashing and bashing federal bureaucracy will probably soon end, with the world’s richest person’s government service hitting its legal limit in the coming weeks. “He’s got a big company to run … at some point he’s going to be going back,” Donald Trump told reporters on Monday. “I’d keep him as long as I could keep him,” the president added. As a special government employee, Musk faces a strict 130-day cap on his service – probably expiring in late May if counted from the day of inauguration, despite earlier White House claims Musk was “here
Senate Rebukes Trump Over Canada Tariffs in Close Vote
By Stephen Groves The Senate passed a resolution Wednesday night that would thwart President Donald Trump’s ability to impose tariffs on Canada, delivering a rare rebuke to the president just hours after he unveiled sweeping plans to clamp down on international trade. The Senate resolution, passed by a 51-48 vote tally with four Republicans and all Democrats in support, would end Trump’s emergency declaration on fentanyl trafficking that underpins tariffs on Canada. Trump earlier Wednesday announced orders — his so-called “Liberation Day” — to impose import taxes on a slew of international trading partners, though Canadian imports for now were spared from new taxes. The Senate’s
