Politics

President Donald Trump arrives to speak at the Faith & Freedom Coalition's policy conference at the...

A Trump commission urges ‘bridges’ between church and state in sweeping draft report

A new report by a Trump administration commission suggests replacing the idea of separating church and state with the idea of building bridges between them. The assertion — challenging a longstanding concept in American law — comes amid a raft of recommendations in a draft report of the Religious Liberty Commission, released Friday afternoon. The […]
3 months ago

Fear grips Haitian communities after Supreme Court ruling unwinds protection from deportation

MIAMI (AP) — A 35-year-old nurse in Kentucky prepared her will. The single mother named a legal guardian for her four children and transferred her properties into their names. She felt like she needed to prepare for death — in case she gets deported back to Haiti, a country she fled at 9 years old. […]
3 months ago
FILE - LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund, speaks on a panel about threats t...

Black women’s non-profit awards grants to local Southern groups as part of joy-filled tour

Organizations supporting Black women and girls across the American South can expect a bit more joy — and more money — this summer following a new round of grants. The Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium will grant $350,000 to two dozen Southern community organizations working in thirteen states. The grants will fund organizations that […]
3 months ago
CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman talks to CEO of Google DeepMind Demis Hassabis, not seen, on the sidelines...

OpenAI limits its latest ChatGPT product to Trump-approved customers during cybersecurity review

ChatGPT maker OpenAI said Friday it is restricting the release of its new artificial intelligence model at the request of President Donald Trump’s administration, the latest in an unprecedented government vetting of AI products that could pose cybersecurity risks. OpenAI said its new AI product, called GPT-5.6 Sol, would only be available for now to […]
3 months ago
President Donald Trump speaks at a Rose Garden Club dinner with farmers, in the Rose Garden of the ...

Trump threatens 100% tax on European imports if countries impose tax on digital services

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday threatened a 100% tax on imports from any country that imposes a tax on digital services from United States companies. In a post on social media, Trump took aim at European countries that he said are discussing “imminent” implementation of taxes on American companies. “Please let this […]
3 months ago
Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf in Provo listens during a hearing for Tyler Robinson, accused...

Judge holds prosecutors in Charlie Kirk murder case in contempt for comments about his guilt

The Utah judge in the murder case over Charlie Kirk’s killing held prosecutors in contempt of court on Friday over comments they made to media organizations about defendant Tyler Robinson’s guilt. Judge Tony Graf says the comments violated his restrictions on what the two sides can say about the case outside of court. But Graf […]
3 months ago
This combination photo shows Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Sept 16, 2024, in New York, left, and Justice...

Disagreements between Supreme Court justices bubble into public view as major rulings loom

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is handing down major opinions at a rapid clip, but even with some of the biggest decisions yet to come there are signs of tension between the justices. One highly unusual exchange for the restrained and traditional atmosphere came Thursday, as the members of the nation’s highest court took […]
3 months ago
FILE - National security adviser John Bolton straightens his tie before an interview, March 5, 2019...

Ex-national security adviser John Bolton pleads guilty to illegally retaining classified information

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty on Friday to illegally retaining classified information, sealing a deal with federal prosecutors that could allow him to avoid a prison term. Bolton, who became an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump after serving in the Republican’s first administration, is scheduled […]
3 months ago
FILE - The Ariel Rios Federal Building, which houses the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and E...

ATF cancels phone tracking contract after lawmakers raise concerns

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives canceled its contract for a surveillance tool that enables warrantless tracking of mobile devices after lawmakers, a prosecutor and a judge raised concerns about the legality of the tool in criminal investigations. ATF, the federal agency responsible for enforcing the nation’s gun laws, told […]
3 months ago
California Gov. Gavin Newsom mingles ahead of the Obama Presidential Center dedication ceremony Thu...

Newsom urges a national ‘billionaires’ tax’ while fighting one in California

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who is considering a run for president as he approaches the end of his term, called for a national “billionaires’ tax” on Friday even as he fights another proposal targeting the wealthy in his home state. Newsom also said the U.S. government should own a stake in artificial intelligence […]
3 months ago
President Donald Trump speaks at a Rose Garden Club dinner with farmers, in the Rose Garden of the ...

The Latest: Federal judge halts Trump’s executive order seeking to create a federal voter list

A federal judge on Thursday halted President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to create a federal voter list and limit who can receive a mail ballot. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani sided with a coalition of nearly two dozen states that challenged the Republican president’s order in granting a summary judgment. Her ruling […]
3 months ago
The U.S. Capitol is seen at sunset, Thursday, June 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)Cr...

Billionaire investor Leon Black is set to testify to Congress about $158M in payments to Epstein

WASHINGTON (AP) — Billionaire investor Leon Black is appearing before the House Oversight Committee on Friday as lawmakers seek to untangle the web of wealth and influence around Jeffrey Epstein that they say enabled decades of sexual abuse. Black is the latest powerful figure to sit for a closed-door deposition before the committee. Microsoft co-founder […]
3 months ago
FILE - A pride flag is waved during an NBA basketball game in Philadelphia on Sunday, March 30, 202...

988’s LGBTQ+ hotline to relaunch this year. But the group that helped start it might be excluded

The Trump administration is moving to restart the specialized LGBTQ+ option for youth who contact the 988 crisis intervention hotline, but the group that helped pioneer the idea is being shut out. The Trevor Project, the leading nonprofit for suicide prevention in LGBTQ+ young people, may not be allowed to offer the service it had […]
3 months ago
This combination of images shows Black Lives Matter plaza on 16th Street, NW, near the White House ...

Touring Trump’s Washington: How the president is putting his imprint on the nation’s capital

WASHINGTON (AP) — America is celebrating its 250th year. And what better way to mark that anniversary than with an American summer staple — a trip to Washington, D.C.? But visitors to the nation’s capital will find that it is undergoing tremendous change, courtesy of President Donald Trump’s takeover makeover. Since returning to office 17 […]
3 months ago
FILE - A large banner is seen at a campaign event for a proposed "billionaires tax" in Los Angeles ...

California voters will consider a measure in November to raise taxes on billionaires

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California voters will consider a controversial proposal in November to temporarily raise taxes on billionaires after the labor union backing the measure announced Thursday it would forge ahead despite pressure from critics to withdraw it. The proposal, backed by the Service Employees International Union Healthcare Workers West, would impose a one-time […]
4 months ago
FILE - The U.S. Department of Education building is seen in Washington, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Jos...

Judge blocks Trump plan that would limit graduate student loans in nursing and other fields

A federal judge has blocked part of a Trump administration plan that would have limited access to loans for students pursuing graduate degrees in nursing, physical therapy, public health and some other fields. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners, one of the groups that sued, described the ruling in a Facebook post Thursday as “an […]
4 months ago
FILE - State House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, center, speaks about the Republican party'...

Judge blocks Tennessee from reporting sick children to immigration authorities, for now

Nashville, Tennessee (AP) — A judge temporarily ordered the Tennessee Department of Health not to give immigration authorities information about roughly 400 seriously sick and disabled immigrant children who are enrolled in a healthcare assistance program. The restraining order was issued Wednesday at the request of three Nashville doctors who treat some of those children […]
4 months ago
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance smile during a meeting with NATO Secretary Gener...

Vance, an admirer of Richard Nixon, says Watergate would be a ‘a 12-hour news story’ today

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said the Watergate scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon would have been a blip in today’s news cycle, and he drew parallels between Nixon and President Donald Trump — arguing that both were targeted by “deep state” forces. Vance described his admiration for Nixon during […]
4 months ago
FILE - People hold Haitian flags and candles during a vigil at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex af...

Supreme Court’s ruling to end protections for Haitian, Syrian immigrants could have broader impact

MIAMI (AP) — The reach of the Supreme Court’s decision allowing President Donald Trump’s administration to end temporary legal protections for Haitian and Syrian immigrants may extend to many other countries. Thursday´s decision directly applies to about 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians, but may be a sign of what´s in store for nearly 1.3 million […]
4 months ago
FILE - Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani arrives at the NBC studios to participate in a D...

Rent board poised to fulfill Mamdani’s vow to freeze the rent on 1 million NYC apartments

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani barreled into City Hall vowing to tackle the city’s notoriously high cost of living, partly by fulfilling a campaign promise repeated with almost monomaniacal zeal in social media ads, speeches and rallies: “As your next mayor, I will freeze your rent.” On Thursday evening, a […]
4 months ago
FILE - Senior Judge Glen H. Davidson speaks to the audience during the "gavel passing ceremony" for...

Judge rules against effort to create majority-Black DeSoto County districts

U.S. District Judge Glen H. Davidson ruled Wednesday that the plaintiffs in Harris v. DeSoto County did not provide enough evidence that DeSoto County district maps were drawn to intentionally dilute Black voting power. In ruling for DeSoto County, Davidson wrote, “plaintiffs cannot prove their claims for vote dilution pursuant to Section 2 of the […]
4 months ago
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa salute eacho...

Rubio hails US-Gulf Arab unity despite that region’s persistent concerns about Iran agreement

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that relations between the United States and its Gulf Arab partners are rock solid, despite fears by some of them that they might be left out of discussions aimed at ending the war with Iran. Rubio used a three-day, three-nation trip to the […]
4 months ago
The Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool are seen from the Washington Monument, Wednesday, June...

Reflecting Pool liner was cut with a sharp knife or razor, National Park Service says

WASHINGTON (AP) — A liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor this month, causing damage to the foam sealant installed as part of a $16 million rehabilitation project, a top official at the National Park Service says. The agency reported the June 9 incident […]
4 months ago
FILE - Trucks come and go from the "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention center in the Florida...

‘Alligator Alcatraz’ immigration detention center in Florida is officially closed, governor says

OCHOPEE, Fla. (AP) — The immigration center built in the Florida swamps known as “Alligator Alcatraz” is closing after nearly a year of holding thousands of immigrant detainees, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday. DeSantis said the center was always supposed to be temporary and now federal officials have enough ability to handle detention and deportation […]
4 months ago