Live updates: Trump tries to break GOP impasse on Medicaid, SALT in ‘big, beautiful bill’  —  House Republicans can't come to agreement on various elements of the reconciliation bill that would fund President Trump's domestic agenda, so the president himself went to the Capitol on Tuesday to speak with them personally.

Feds charge New Jersey congressmember with assault  —  The charge against Rep. LaMonica McIver stems from a scuffle at a Newark migrant detention facility.  —  The Justice Department announced an assault charge Monday against Rep. LaMonica McIver, a New Jersey Democrat who was involved …

All the President's Enablers  —  Three books on Joe Biden's presidency jointly paint a devasting portrait of an ailing, geriatric leader surrounded by mendacious aides and grasping family members.  —  The first time I realized that Joe Biden might not be playing with a full deck was in 2014 when he addressed an LGBTQ+ rights group.

Trump's deference to Putin stunned European leaders on call  —  Ukrainian President Zelensky and five other European leaders joined a conference call with President Trump immediately after his call with Vladimir Putin on Monday hoping to hear that Putin had agreed to a ceasefire …

Sources contradict Trump narrative about Qatar offering plane as ‘gift’  —  The Trump administration first approached Qatar to inquire about acquiring a Boeing 747 that could be used as Air Force One by President Donald Trump, four sources familiar with the discussions told CNN.

Donald Trump and the power of the big (fake) number  —  🔌 🤖 💭 With corporate outlets obeying in advance, supporting independent political media is more important right now than ever.  PN is possible thanks to paid subscribers.  If you aren't one already …

White House officials wanted to put federal workers ‘in trauma.’ It's working.  —  Federal workers describe struggling with panic attacks, depression, suicidal thoughts.  “Why doesn't anyone care?”  —  For this story, Post reporters interviewed more than 30 current and former federal employees.

Chicago Sun-Times Prints AI-Generated Summer Reading List With Books That Don't Exist  —  “I can't believe I missed it because it's so obvious.  No excuses,” the writer said.  “I'm completely embarrassed.” … The Chicago Sun-Times newspaper's “Best of Summer” section published …

Supreme Court Won't Take Up Case Because Too Many Justices Recused Themselves  —  Topline  —  The Supreme Court declined Monday to take up a copyright dispute case because it lacked a quorum after five justices had to recuse themselves, a move that was cheered by ethics watchdogs as the high court …

Johnson offers $40,000 SALT deduction cap with income limits  —  House Speaker Mike Johnson offered GOP holdouts a detailed proposal on Monday to set the SALT deduction cap at $40,000 for anyone who makes less than $751,600 a year.  —  Why it matters: But Johnson (R-La.) …

Virginia Republicans worry about their gubernatorial candidate who invoked slavery when criticizing DEI  —  Winsome Earle-Sears has had a sluggish start to her campaign.  Republicans are urging her to turn it around — or face a bloodbath this fall.  —  Virginia Republicans are bracing for November with a growing sense of doom.

Trump's Pick to Lead I.R.S. Promoted a Nonexistent Tax Credit  —  Billy Long's effort to promote the credit, along with his pushing of a fraud-ridden pandemic-era tax break, will be under close scrutiny during his Senate confirmation hearing.  —  Billy Long, a former Republican congressman …

Elon Musk to Cut Back Political Spending  —  After making huge bets on the 2024 election, the world's richest person and Trump booster said he would spend less.  He promised to stay on as Tesla CEO.  —  Elon Musk says he plans to cut back on political spending, after making huge donations …

Lawyer for Venezuelans deported to El Salvador prison arrested  —  Ruth López held without access to lawyers at secret location accused of ‘embezzlement’ a decade ago  —  Thomas Graham and agencies in San Salvador  —  The head lawyer of a human rights group representing the families …

Justice Dept. to Use False Claims Act to Pursue Institutions Over Diversity Efforts  —  The department's use of the law is all but certain to be met with legal challenges.  —  The Trump administration plans to leverage a law intended to punish corrupt recipients of federal funding …

Trump's Gulf Trip Also Brought Benefits to Elon Musk  —  The world's richest man inked new deals as he tagged along on President Trump's tour of the Gulf.  —  President Trump's recent trip to the Persian Gulf was notable for the ways that American foreign policy overlapped with his family's business interests.

KFile: Too toxic for Trump's first term, some officials are back in the fold  —  At least four people from Donald Trump's first term who were deemed too extreme or politically toxic to win Senate confirmation - or even keep their jobs - are now back in the fold and in some cases with more power than before.

Trump administration pulls $60M in Harvard grants in third round of cuts  —  The cut to Harvard's federal funding was again linked to alleged failures to tackle antisemitism, and brings the total losses in recent weeks to over $2.7 billion.  —  The Department of Health and Human Services …

Qatar lobby reaches deep into US conservative media, documents show  —  Newly revealed DOJ documents show Doha's increasing efforts in right-wing outlets, including Fox News, to promote favorable narratives; critics warn of growing Qatari influence, after Trump's public praise for the emirate

Trump's NIH And NSF Cuts Estimated To Cost The U.S. Economy $10 Billion Annually  —  John Drake is a professor at the University of Georgia.  —  SaveComment  —  America's long-term growth is at stake.  Congress is weighing sweeping FY2026 cuts to fundamental science …

Senate will vote on nixing California clean-air waivers, Thune says  —  Senate Republicans will move this week to nix California's vehicle emission waivers, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said, setting up a high-stakes fight over the chamber's rules.  Thune said in a Tuesday floor speech …

Donald Trump Drops Crude Line At Kennedy Center Dinner In Bizarre Rant About 2020 Election  —  The pro-MAGA audience lapped up the president's remark.  —  President Donald Trump on Monday dropped a vulgar turn of phrase as he talked about how he'd vowed to avenge his defeat in the 2020 election …

Judge strikes down DOGE takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace  —  A federal judge ruled that the actions of “illegitimately-installed leaders” — including the purported transfer of the institute's building — were “null and void.”  —  WASHINGTON — A federal district judge on Monday tossed …

Golden running for reelection in Maine, forgoing statewide bid  —  Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) announced on Tuesday he is running for reelection in Maine's 2nd Congressional District, opting out of a statewide campaign.  —  “While I have considered many options for how best to continue serving …

Don't make immigrants pay just to enter a visa lottery  —  The House Judiciary Committee unveiled a budget bill last month containing a provision designed, much like poll taxes, to undermine access to the Diversity Visa Program and disproportionately impact immigrants of color.

While Trump overhauls FEMA, Mississippi tornado survivors await assistance  —  More than two months after a tornado destroyed his home, Brian Lowery still looks through the rubble, hoping to find a tie clip his mother gave him, made from the center stone of her wedding band.  “I still have hope,” Lowery said.

South Africa to Offer Musk Starlink Deal Before Trump Meet  —  South Africa's government plans to offer Elon Musk a workaround of local Black-ownership laws for his Starlink internet service to operate in the country, aiming to ease tensions with both the billionaire and US President Donald Trump.

Fight or Don't Fight and Take the Consequences … It's become almost commonplace in recent years, and especially in the last four months, that the divisions among Democrats are less progressives vs. “centrists” or liberals than one between institutionalists and what we might call Team Fight.