Judge Blocks Trump Order Targeting Harvard International Students
By Stephanie Saul and Andrés R. Martínez A federal judge late Thursday temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s latest effort to prevent Harvard from enrolling international students, stalling President Trump’s first bid to directly use the power of the presidency against the university. Judge Allison D. Burroughs of the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts also extended for about two weeks her previous order from May that prevented the Trump administration from blocking Harvard from issuing certain types of student visas. The orders from Judge Burroughs were victories, if perhaps temporary ones, in Harvard’s battle with Mr. Trump, for whom the university
CBO: GOP Bill Adds $2.4T to Deficit, Cuts Health Coverage
Republicans’ sweeping policy bill aimed at advancing President Trump’s second-term agenda would increase annual budget deficits by a total of $2.4 trillion over the next decade, according to a new estimate prepared by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The CBO also estimates that 10.9 million more people would be without health insurance in 2034 as the result of the House-passed legislation, mostly due to cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act under the bill. House Republicans are aiming to cut at least $1.5 trillion in spending to offset trillions in tax cuts, while also raising the debt ceiling by
Elon Musk Slams Trump’s 2025 Budget Bill as “Abomination”
By Bernd Debusmann Jr. Elon Musk has hit out at President Donald Trump’s signature tax and spending bill, describing it as a “disgusting abomination”, in a widening rift between the two allies. The budget – which includes multi-trillion dollar tax breaks and more defence spending while also allowing the US government to borrow more money – was passed by the House of Representatives last month. “Shame on those who voted for it,” Musk said in a post on X about the legislative linchpin of Trump’s second-term agenda. The tech billionaire left the administration abruptly last week after 129 days working
Keisha Lance Bottoms Launches 2026 Georgia Gov Bid
Keisha Lance Bottoms, a proud Florida A&M University alumna, is officially running to become Georgia’s next governor. The former mayor of Atlanta and senior advisor in the Biden administration made the announcement earlier this week, entering a high-stakes 2026 race that could make her the first Black woman ever elected to the position. Bottoms, who led Atlanta from 2018 to 2022, is no stranger to making history. As one of the few Black women to have led a major U.S. city, she gained national prominence for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and for her strong stances on equity, criminal justice reform,
Trump Seeks $9.4B in Cuts to NPR, PBS, and Foreign Aid
President Trump formally asked Congress on Tuesday to rescind $9.4 billion in already approved funding for foreign aid and the Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB), which funds NPR and PBS. Why it matters: The rescissions package is an attempt to codify DOGE-driven cuts amid a wider push from the Trump administration to target news organizations perceived to be biased against Republicans. NPR and PBS are suing the administration after Trump signed an executive order last month that directed CPB to“cease direct funding” for the two biggest public broadcasters in the U.S., which he called “biased.” Details: Congressional Republican leaders in
Trump’s Trade Talks Falter Amid Tariff Threats, Court Rulings
By Shannon Pettypiece and Rob Wile President Donald Trump’s ambitious plan to broker dozens of trade deals with some of the United States’ closest trading partners has begun to show cracks as the clock on his 90-day pause for most country-specific tariffs winds down to just over one month. While some of the fissures are self-inflicted, like recent threats of tariffs against the European Union and higher duties on steel imports, a fresh set of court rulings questioning the president’s tariffs-granting authority now hangs over his entire push to reset U.S. trade relations. On Friday, Trump announced a plan to
Trump Tariffs Face Legal Hurdles Amid Trade War Push
By Ana Swanson The legitimacy of President Trump’s tariffs is being questioned by U.S. courts, but the president is showing no signs of backing off his favorite tool. On Wednesday, the tariffs that Mr. Trump imposed on foreign steel and aluminum are set to double to 50 percent, a move that the president has said will better protect domestic metal makers. In the coming days, the U.S. government is set to face off with states and businesses that have sued over the president’s tariffs, and both sides will be required to submit more information as judges work toward final decisions
Musk Resigns as Special Govt Employee Amid Spending Dispute
Written By Lexx Thornton Musk departed as a “special government employee” a day after he expressed disappointment over a spending package Trump has been rallying Republicans to support. Musk’s monthslong stint as a special government employee tasked with slashing federal spending formally ended Wednesday evening. He has served the designated 130 days out of 365 in the year as a special government employee. Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, announced his departure Wednesday on X, after he said he was “disappointed” by a domestic package Trump rallied House Republicans to get behind. Musk stated, “CBS Sunday Morning” in an
Senate to Weigh Cuts to Immigrant Benefits, Higher Fees
By Ximena Bustillo The Senate will soon consider a measure that cuts social safety net programs for several groups of legal immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, and aims to make the immigration process more expensive. The House last week passed a sweeping bill to advance much of President Trump’s agenda, including immigration-related measures that deal with food assistance, health care and education. The goal is to save money and send a signal that Republicans are tough on immigration. But, if approved by the Senate, immigration advocacy groups say hundreds of thousands of legal immigrants could lose access to vital
The Filibuster’s Decline: Senate Rules and Political Battles
The filibuster is on life support. Both parties have vowed to protect it, but both have chipped away at it. The latest blow came last week, when the parliamentarian, Senate’s independent rules referee, said a measure to strike down a California air pollution law was not exempt from the filibuster’s 60-vote threshold — and Republicans found a way to maneuver around her, pushing the bill through with a simple majority. The next test for the filibuster is coming soon, when members consider a sprawling bill that carries much of President Trump’s domestic agenda. Republicans are moving it through Congress using
