Washington
Trump announces plan to lower beef prices, but ranchers and some Republicans are already balking
WASHINGTON | President Donald Trump announced Friday that his administration will allow more beef to be temporarily imported into the U.S. without triggering higher tariffs, as he remains under pressure to cut costs and address affordability issues ahead of November’s midterms. Beef prices have climbed to record highs amid a sharp drop in the number […]
Supreme Court’s chief justice allows work on Trump’s $400M White House ballroom to continue for now
WASHINGTON | Chief Justice John Roberts on Friday allowed the White House to continue construction on President Donald Trump’s $400 million ballroom project for now, as the Supreme Court considers the Trump administration’s emergency request to intervene in lawsuits over the project. The temporary order comes hours before lower-court rulings would have forced a halt […]
Investigators examining foes of Trump seek interviews related to Mar-a-Lago search, AP sources say
WASHINGTON | Justice Department investigators have sought to interview law enforcement officials related to the FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate as part of a Florida-based inquiry aiming to establish a conspiracy against the Republican president, multiple people familiar with the matter said Thursday. The requests for interviews, made in recent weeks, suggest that […]
The US national debt now stands at $40 trillion
WASHINGTON | The national debt surpassed a record $40 trillion on Wednesday, a staggering milestone as defense costs, social programs like Social Security and Medicare and interest on the burgeoning deficit make up an enormous share of federal spending. The milestone figure was recorded just five months after the U.S. hit a record $39 trillion […]
National security question trips up Sen. Darline Graham in South Carolina debate
WASHINGTON | Sen. Darline Graham, who is competing in next week’s runoff election in South Carolina, stumbled over a question about foreign policy in a debate on Tuesday night. “Are Taiwan and the South China Sea national security issues for the United States and if so, why or how?” asked one of the moderators. Graham […]
5 states offer to accept nuclear waste in exchange for help developing nuclear energy
WASHINGTON | Five states have agreed to accept nuclear waste from around the country in exchange for federal help developing nuclear energy to create thousands of jobs. The states — Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Utah and Idaho — all have Republican governors who say they welcome the chance to help America reclaim its leadership in civilian […]
Whistleblower alleges political pressure, lack of evidence in antisemitism probes targeting schools
WASHINGTON | A Trump administration task force created to combat antisemitism pushed for settlements with Ivy League universities despite government investigations that were rushed and incomplete or that failed to establish legal violations by the schools, a former Justice Department lawyer alleged in a whistleblower disclosure obtained by The Associated Press. The complaint alleges that […]
US and Canada hold last-minute talks to stop Trump’s 50% tariffs
WASHINGTON | The U.S. and Canada are negotiating in an effort to reach a truce on tariffs before a 12:01 a.m. Wednesday deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump. If no deal is reached, Trump has threatened to impose 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian products, ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors. […]
Pull up to the window, please, for a glimpse of an American icon: The drive-thru
WASHINGTON | Full disclosure: this should really be two tales. How better to pay tribute to the natural and perhaps inevitable combination of two distinctly American icons: fast food and cars? Those two massive sociological forces had already joined up, Voltron-style, early in the 20th century with the development of the drive-in restaurant – that […]
Forget left vs. center. Democratic voters are making clear they just want change
WASHINGTON | Democrats remain mixed over what ideological direction the party should take. But across a series of closely watched primaries, they are sending a clearer message about the party’s path forward: They want change. In marquee Senate primaries in Michigan and Minnesota, progressive candidates defeated two members of Congress with significant backing from party […]