The judge overseeing the Jan. 6 election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump dropped charges yesterday, following a request from Special Counsel Jack Smith. Smith similarly moved to dismiss charges against Trump, accusing him of illegally retaining classified documents after leaving office. In filings (read here), Smith said his view of the case remained unchanged but cited the Justice […]
President-elect Donald Trump nominated his former White House aide Brooke Rollins for secretary of agriculture Saturday. The announcement—part of a rapid pace of appointments—closes out Trump’s list of 15 Cabinet advisers requiring Senate confirmation. Among the final nominations announced this weekend were hedge fund manager Scott Bessent—an advocate for tax cuts and deficit reform—to lead the Treasury Department. Trump also […]
President-elect Donald Trump’s future administration has begun taking shape with a wave of recently announced picks. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R, NY-21)—a vocal supporter of Israel—has been tapped to serve as the US ambassador to the United Nations. Former New York congressman Lee Zeldin (R) was selected to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Both Cabinet-level roles are likely to secure confirmation from […]
President-elect Donald Trump is on track to return to the White House with a decisive victory in the Electoral College and the popular vote—the first Republican to secure the popular vote since President George W. Bush in 2004. Trump has earned 295 electoral votes as of this writing, flipping all three “blue wall” states—Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan—an achievement he […]
The consumer price index dropped to an annual inflation rate of 2.4% in September, the lowest annual level since February 2021. Separately, weekly jobless claims surged to 258,000 last week, the highest number in 14 months—possibly the consequence of a chain of hurricanes and recent labor strikes. The consumer price index—a data tool dating to the 1910s—takes roughly 80,000 […]
The death toll from Hurricane Helene has surpassed 200 people across six states as crews continue searching for survivors in remote areas one week after Helene struck the US. Roughly 900,000 people remain without power (see map), and tens of thousands without running water, as of this writing. Hurricane Helene is the deadliest storm to make landfall […]
Sen. JD Vance (R) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) faced off last night for the first and only planned vice presidential debate of the 2024 election season. The debate—moderated by CBS’ Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan—featured exchanges on issues including immigration, abortion, childcare, gun violence, and the economy. Vance and Walz took the opportunity to reintroduce […]
At least 45,000 dockworkers across 36 East and Gulf Coast ports began striking after their contract expired early this morning, the first such strike in the US since 1977. The work stoppage could disrupt supply chains and cause delays; see what’s at stake here. The International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance, which represents the ports, failed to […]
NBC News is reporting that more than 13,000 immigrants convicted of homicide — either in the United States or abroad — are living outside of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention, according to data ICE provided to Congress earlier this week. The report notes that the immigrants are part of ICE’s “non-detained” docket, meaning the agency has […]
Hurricane Helene has left a trail of devastation since making landfall last week, killing over 100 people across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Dozens of people remain unaccounted for; more than 4 million people have experienced power outages. A leading danger has come from floods and mudslides. In Tennessee, a bridge collapsed and a dam […]