Trump administration files emergency request asking US supreme court to lift order blocking USPS from implementing mail-in voting restrictions
As a federal judge is deciding whether to extend a ban on the USPS’s new mail-in voting restrictions, Donald Trump has asked the US supreme court to step in.
The Justice Department filed an emergency request seeking to have the court lift Judge Indira Talwani’s order that temporarily blocks the postal service from implementing the plan, which includes an online portal that would track millions of mail ballots.
The new system to regulate mail ballots, which came about following an executive order by Trump, has drawn fierce criticism. A whistleblower told Congress that the requirements could result in scores of mail ballots never being sent.
We’re wrapping up our live coverage for the day. Here are today’s key developments in US politics:
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The Trump administration filed an emergency request asking the US supreme court to lift order blocking USPS from implementing mail-in voting restrictions. Chuck Schumer said the president was “[attempting] to destroy the integrity of our elections” with the move.
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Excavation work on Donald Trump’s “Great Triumphal Arch” project in Washington is set to begin in the coming weeks, interior secretary Doug Burgum said. Congressman Don Beyer, whose district includes Arlington National Cemetery, described the arch project as “illegal, gridlock-increasing [and] narcissistic”.
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Missouri’s supreme court ruled that a Donald Trump-backed US House map must go before voters to approve or reject the new districts, preventing it from being used in the upcoming November election. Trump and Republicans fumed over the decision.
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Maryland’s supreme court has decided that a Democrat-backed congressional redistricting amendment can go before voters in the state in November in a win for Democrats.
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Donald Trump announced an interim replacement for army secretary, Dan Driscoll, who suddenly resigned earlier this week amid reports of tension between him and defense secretary Pete Hegseth.
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been asked to testify before a congressional subcommittee as part of an investigation into the “potential misallocation” of federal funds by the region’s Homeless Services Authority. Congressman Robert Garcia described the move as “another attempt by Donald Trump and House Republicans to launch a witch hunt against Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles.”
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Missouri’s supreme court has ruled that a Donald Trump-backed US House map must go before voters to approve or reject the new districts, preventing it from being used in the upcoming November election.
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The development was a blow to Republicans who were hoping the new congressional boundaries would help them keep a majority in the House in the midterms. Trump fumed over the ruling, describing it as “horrible, ridiculous, and unConstitutional” and arguing the election process was being “disturbed”.
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Catherine Hanaway, the state’s Republican attorney general, planned to appeal the decision to the supreme court. She argued it “thrust our state into a full‑fledged constitutional crisis”.
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Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries praised the ruling, calling it a “resounding victory for the people of the Show-Me State and a clear message to MAGA extremists trying to rig the midterm elections.”
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“The people are now empowered to decide what the congressional map should look like in November, not Donald Trump and corrupt Republicans,” Jeffries said.
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Excavation work on Donald Trump’s “Great Triumphal Arch” project in Washington is set to begin in the coming weeks, interior secretary Doug Burgum said on Thursday.
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The 250ft tall gilded structure will be built in between Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
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“This will be one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture, honoring the history and significance of Arlington Cemetery and befitting the most powerful Capital in the World,” Burgum said.
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But critics say the arch will interfere with historic sightlines and that it has not received congressional authorization. Three veterans and an architectural historian filed a lawsuit over the project.
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“We believe that construction cannot and should not proceed apace, and we are prepared to inform the court that it needs to, at this juncture, needs to step in,” said Nicolas Sansone, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group, who is representing the plaintiffs.
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As a federal judge is deciding whether to extend a ban on the USPS’s new mail-in voting restrictions, Donald Trump has asked the US supreme court to step in.
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The Justice Department filed an emergency request seeking to have the court lift Judge Indira Talwani’s order that temporarily blocks the postal service from implementing the plan, which includes an online portal that would track millions of mail ballots.
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The new system to regulate mail ballots, which came about following an executive order by Trump, has drawn fierce criticism. A whistleblower told Congress that the requirements could result in scores of mail ballots never being sent.
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The vice president rebuffed Iran’s claims that US strikes hit a wedding party, saying that country’s state-run media has not been a “very good scribe” about covering the conflict.
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“I’m extremely skeptical of this. What I can say with 100% confidence is that unlike [Iran], the United States never targets civilians in combat. We never will do that. We never have done that, and unfortunately, obviously, sometimes things happen,” Vance said in a response to a question about Iran’s claim. “But in this particular case, I don’t think that we have any information one way or the other. We’re investigating because obviously we care.”
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“We want to know, and if we do make mistakes – again, this is a big difference between us and Iran – when our military makes mistakes, they learn from them to try to get better from them. “So we’re investigating it very quickly.”
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Vance also described Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth – whose leadership of the military has come under immense scrutiny – as a “very good friend of mine.”
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And, Vance said, “I think he’s an amazing secretary of war. And, you know, fundamentally where I look, there are a lot of issues where I agree with Pete on the issue. Where I’m in the most strident agreement with Pete is that we needed to have a culture shift at the Department of War.”
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“What Pete came in wanting to do was revive the warrior spirit in the United States of America,” Vance said.
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Vice President JD Vance has just started his press conference at the White House.
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The Pentagon has stepped back from its recently posted clinical guidelines for its new, mandatory testosterone deficiency testing policy for US armed service members age 30 and above, Reuters reported Thursday.
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The Pentagon published a “Clinical Guidance for Health and Human Performance Optimization” Wednesday on its website. But by Thursday, Reuters said, this memorandum and a press statement were taken down.
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“The draft (document) published on September 2, 2026, has been temporarily rescinded to allow for updates,” an official told Reuters, saying temporary guidance was still in effect.
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The testosterone deficiency testing guidelines set forth different assessment paths for men and women that are supposed to take place during yearly health checks.
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This guidance was poised to start right away. The Pentagon has claimed this testing was intended on strengthening military readiness by mitigating potential hormone problems and associated symptoms such as low energy.
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Defense secretary Pete Hegseth announced the new testosterone deficiency screening program in July. In a video to X, Hegseth said he wanted to make sure service members had “the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best.”
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“As we know, the modern battlefield is brutal and unrelenting,” Hegseth also said. “It requires and demands maximum psychological and mental readiness, and by addressing these health markers early, we’re keeping you on the leading edge of lethality, and giving you the same level of support that you give this nation – the absolute best.”
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Those with low testosterone–a condition which has become a frequent topic of conversation in conservative circles–can get treatment for “restoring and optimizing”, Hegseth said. This treatment would be voluntary.
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Democrat representative Robert Garcia called for Leon Black to be held in contempt after the billionaire investor did not show up for a scheduled deposition about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
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Republican oversight chair James Comer has also weighed in on Black not sitting for a deposition about his ties to Epstein, saying “It’s a shame Leon Black is hiding behind litigation rather than provide answers to the American people.”
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Black, who has denied wrongdoing, filed suit against the oversight committee Thursday alleging the subpoenas were improper. “This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr. Black,” his lawyers said in a statement about the lawsuit.
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Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick erroneously claimed no Americans have died during the US war on Iran during a CNBC interview, leaving Donald Trump to do his version of damage control. Trump said on Truth Social this morning that 18 people were killed in Iran.
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A US federal judge blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a new executive order limiting who qualifies for birthright citizenship. The move thwarts Trump’s latest attempt to restrict the constitutional right.
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An army of attorneys is rallying to free hundreds of children from immigration custody, where they have been stranded indefinitely by the Trump administration without their parents or loved ones, the Guardian reported earlier.
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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s apparent misstatements during a CNBC interview on Wednesday didn’t just involve Iran war-related deaths – he also claimed data centers don’t use water.
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“One of my favorite things is when people talk about data centers using water. The No 1 product in America that uses water is cattle,” he said, according to a writeup of his interview on The Hill.
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“I mean, data centers don’t use water,” Lutnick also said. “This is propaganda by our adversaries to try to slow us down.”
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Citing a 2024 report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, The Hill said that data centers used 66bn liters of water in 2023. This report predicts that hyperscalers themselves could use 60bn and 124bn liters come 2028.
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Lutnick’s statement is amid growing backlash against datacenters that has brought together people from across the political spectrum. Donald Trump has criticized data center opposition, saying “The only reason that communities throughout the U.S.A. should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor.”
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“If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign.”
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Republican oversight chair James Comer has also weighed in on Leon Black not sitting for a deposition about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The billionaire financier, who has denied wrongdoing, filed suit against the oversight committee Thursday alleging the subpoenas were improper.
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“It’s a shame Leon Black is hiding behind litigation rather than provide answers to the American people. Our investigation is examining how the federal government for decades failed survivors of Jeffery Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s crimes and how Mr. Epstein sought to curry favor with influential individuals to avoid scrutiny,” Comer said in a statement. “Mr. Black’s testimony is crucial to our investigation as he was one of Mr. Epstein’s fee paying clients and has several nondisclosure agreements.”
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“Our deposition is moving forward this morning for the record and there will be an empty chair for Mr. Black. I will speak with our members about next steps.”
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In a statement about the lawsuit, Black’s lawyers said: “The Committee is on a fishing expedition that oversteps its authority and completely ignores its responsibility.”
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“This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr. Black. We were left with no choice but to file this lawsuit in response to an abuse of Congressional power.”
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More soon…
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Democrat representative Robert Garcia called for Leon Black to be held in contempt after the billionaire investor did not show up for a scheduled deposition about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
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“By refusing to testify today, Leon Black is now defying two Congressional subpoenas,” said Garcia, the ranking member of the oversight committee.
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“His connections to Epstein and his unwillingness to cooperate are unacceptable,” Garcia also said. “We must hold him in contempt immediately.”
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Black, whose name has come up repeatedly in the Epstein files, has denied wrongdoing. Black also said that he regrets dealing with Epstein.
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Black left his transcribed interview with the oversight committee in June after refusing to respond to questions about non-disclosure agreements purportedly related to Epstein, according to reports.
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Black’s attorneys on Thursday sued the oversight committee, alleging that two congressional subpoenas were “invalid.”
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“The Committee is on a fishing expedition that oversteps its authority and completely ignores its responsibility,” his lawyers said in a statement about the lawsuit. “This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr. Black. We were left with no choice but to file this lawsuit in response to an abuse of Congressional power.”
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Donald Trump is doing his version of damage control after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick erroneously claimed no Americans have died during the US war on Iran.
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“The way the president is playing Iran…there haven’t been American deaths, it’s really just an economic choke-out,” Lutnick said Wednesday on CNBC while explaining his view that the US bond market would stabilize.
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Just after 7 am this morning, Trump said on Truth social that “Sec. Lutnick had Venezuela on his mind when he said nobody was killed. 18 people were killed in Iran!”
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Seven American soldiers were injured during the US attack on Venezuela, according to CNBC.
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An army of attorneys is rallying to free hundreds of children from immigration custody, where they have been stranded indefinitely by the Trump administration without their parents or loved ones, the Guardian can reveal.
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The effort is a counter strike to what critics see as unprecedented moves by federal officials to ride roughshod over children’s rights and increase deportations – while in the meantime corralling them in conditions that can allegedly lead to psychological harm.
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Around 1,900 kids who arrived in the US unaccompanied by a parent or guardian were under the federal government’s control across the country as of the end of August. From babies to teenagers, children have spent an average of 183 days – roughly six months – in shelters or long-term foster care, according to the government’s own data, despite many of them having family members in the United States anxiously awaiting their release as their legal cases proceed through the immigration system.
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Now, more than 50 legal organizations, firms and law offices have mobilized to join a mission they are calling the Children’s Due Process Project, where lawyers working pro bono head to federal courts to argue case-by-case that these kids are being detained unlawfully.
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The immediate goal is to use highly effective habeas corpus petitions to force federal officials to justify their actions in keeping the children in their custody or let them go, the Guardian has exclusively learned.
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Apple has renamed Lake Ontario as “Lake America” for US users of its Maps app, after an executive order from Donald Trump to change the name of the Great Lake amid his trade spat with Canada.
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The Apple Maps app now displays the controversial new name for the lake, which sits between New York state and the Canadian province of Ontario, for users in the US. Apple users outside the country will still see the Lake Ontario name.
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Apple had been reportedly mulling whether to submit to Trump’s new order after receiving a personal request from the president for the tech company to change the lake’s name.
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Trump welcomed the news, declaring in a Truth Social post that the adoption of “Lake America” by Google Maps and Apple Maps meant the name change was “complete, ratified, and binding”. However, the US cannot compel Canada – or any other country – to also change the name.
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The US president officially unveiled the name swap last week. He did not mention his escalating trade feud with the US’s northern neighbors in the order, but the timing suggested a retaliatory move after Canadian officials denounced Trump’s new sweeping tariffs and promised to instate tariffs of their own.
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Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, rejected the attempt to rename the body of water, saying in a post on social media that the lake’s name comes from the language of the Indigenous Wendat people and predates both the Canadian Confederation and the US Declaration of Independence.
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Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog.
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A US federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a new executive order limiting who qualifies for birthright citizenship.
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The move thwarts President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to restrict the constitutional right, which comes after the US supreme court rejected his previous effort, AFP reported.
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US district judge Deborah Boardman of Maryland issued a preliminary injunction following an appeal by rights groups who challenged Trump’s executive order from 6 August targeting what he termed “birth tourism”.
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“The supreme court has spoken: Children in the certified class are ’citizens at birth’,” Boardman wrote in her 35-page ruling, adding the president’s August order “is almost certainly unconstitutional”.
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“When it comes to attacking birthright citizenship, the Trump administration has lost before this court, lost before the supreme court, and lost again today,” said Shana Khader, legal director at We Are CASA, a Maryland-based group.
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Trump’s fresh executive order was aimed at those who he alleges enter the country under the guise of tourism while actually intending to give birth.
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The president’s efforts to curb birthright citizenship are part of his wider campaign to limit immigration, which includes expelling millions of undocumented migrants and removing deportation protections from nationals of more than a dozen countries.
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In other developments:
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House Democrats rejected a constitutional amendment proposed by Republicans to ensure the size of the supreme court is permanently capped at nine justices. The proposal, a Republican effort to make the supreme court a campaign issue ahead of the November midterms, failed 212-206.
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House Democratic lawmakers introduced a war powers resolution seeking to stop the Trump administration’s boat strikes. Gregory W Meeks, Adam Smith, Jim Himes and Bennie G Thompson said people have been killed “without due process” in attacks never authorized by Congress.
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Senator Richard Blumenthal pushed back against a statement from the US Postal Service about its new system to screen millions of mail-in ballots for the upcoming midterm elections. “‘Just trust us’ is not acceptable,” he said.
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Donald Trump celebrated the news that Apple had fulfilled his request to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for Maps app users in the US following an executive order that came amid rising trade tensions between the US and Canada.
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The Pentagon introduced guidelines for the mandatory new testosterone deficiency screening required for service members age 30 and older, a policy introduced by Pete Hegseth last month.
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Trump – claiming that the US has control over the strait of Hormuz despite escalating conflict with Iran and extensive evidence to the contrary – has floated the idea of naming the critical waterway “TRUMP STRAIT”.
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Key events
Summary
We’re wrapping up our live coverage for the day. Here are today’s key developments in US politics:
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The Trump administration filed an emergency request asking the US supreme court to lift order blocking USPS from implementing mail-in voting restrictions. Chuck Schumer said the president was “[attempting] to destroy the integrity of our elections” with the move.
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Excavation work on Donald Trump’s “Great Triumphal Arch” project in Washington is set to begin in the coming weeks, interior secretary Doug Burgum said. Congressman Don Beyer, whose district includes Arlington National Cemetery, described the arch project as “illegal, gridlock-increasing [and] narcissistic”.
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Missouri’s supreme court ruled that a Donald Trump-backed US House map must go before voters to approve or reject the new districts, preventing it from being used in the upcoming November election. Trump and Republicans fumed over the decision.
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Maryland’s supreme court has decided that a Democrat-backed congressional redistricting amendment can go before voters in the state in November in a win for Democrats.
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Donald Trump announced an interim replacement for army secretary, Dan Driscoll, who suddenly resigned earlier this week amid reports of tension between him and defense secretary Pete Hegseth.
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been asked to testify before a congressional subcommittee as part of an investigation into the “potential misallocation” of federal funds by the region’s Homeless Services Authority. Congressman Robert Garcia described the move as “another attempt by Donald Trump and House Republicans to launch a witch hunt against Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been asked to testify before a congressional subcommittee as part of an investigation into the “potential misallocation” of federal funds by the region’s Homeless Services Authority.
The Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency said in a letter to Bass that it was looking at “waste, fraud, and abuse” of federal grants to address homelessness.
Federal officials are investigating the agency’s use of funds because of “repeated false statements and its irresponsible actions and failures, including its lack of financial management, internal controls, and safeguards against conflicts of interest,” the letter states. The Trump administration sought to freeze funding for the agency earlier this year – a move that was blocked by a judge.
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority has recently been under increased scrutiny by local and federal officials. The county announced this year that it would seek a review of the agency’s financial and operational practices over delays in invoice processing and failure to pay county providers as scheduled. An audit earlier this year identified issues with the agency’s bookkeeping and accounting.
Bass sits on the agency’s board – the first mayor in the city to do so – but has been absent from more than half of the meetings in the last three years, according to LAist.
Congressman Robert Garcia described the move as “another attempt by Donald Trump and House Republicans to launch a witch hunt against Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles.”
Chuck Schumer said Donald Trump was “[attempting] to destroy the integrity of our elections” by asking the supreme court to lift an order blocking USPS from implementing mail-in voting restrictions.
The Senate Democratic leader said in a statement that the court should not “accelerate a case that so poisons our democracy”. Earlier Thursday, the Trump administration asked the court to step in to allow the USPS new system to regulate mail ballots to go into effect.
“Americans are fed up with Trump, his failed war, and his rising costs. But instead of facing the voters, Trump is trying to make it harder for them to vote and hold him accountable for his horrific agenda.”
In more redistricting news, Maryland’s supreme court has decided that a Democrat-backed congressional redistricting amendment can go before voters in the state in November.
The ruling, a major victory for Democrats, comes after two lower courts first blocked it from appearing on ballots. The proposal could allow Democrats to create new congressional districts ahead of the 2028 election if voters approve it.
Missouri voters must decide whether to adopt Trump-backed US House map, state supreme court rules
Missouri’s supreme court has ruled that a Donald Trump-backed US House map must go before voters to approve or reject the new districts, preventing it from being used in the upcoming November election.
The development was a blow to Republicans who were hoping the new congressional boundaries would help them keep a majority in the House in the midterms. Trump fumed over the ruling, describing it as “horrible, ridiculous, and unConstitutional” and arguing the election process was being “disturbed”.
Catherine Hanaway, the state’s Republican attorney general, planned to appeal the decision to the supreme court. She argued it “thrust our state into a full‑fledged constitutional crisis”.
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries praised the ruling, calling it a “resounding victory for the people of the Show-Me State and a clear message to MAGA extremists trying to rig the midterm elections.”
“The people are now empowered to decide what the congressional map should look like in November, not Donald Trump and corrupt Republicans,” Jeffries said.
Energy, manufacturing, agriculture and transportation groups are appealing to Congress to take action to stop California clean car rules that it argues aim to “[limit] choice in vehicle and other engine purchasing decisions”.
Dozens of groups, including the American Petroleum Institute, the US Chamber of Commerce and Agricultural Retailers Association, sent a letter to the leaders of the House and Senate asking for congressional intervention. The missive came one day after a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from overturning a set of California vehicle pollution standards.
“We strongly urge Congress to protect consumer choice by using its Congressional Review Act authority to disapprove these rule makings. Doing so will protect consumers, our economy, and our national security,” the authors wrote.
Donald Trump announced an interim replacement for army secretary, Dan Driscoll, who suddenly resigned earlier this week amid reports of tension between him and defense secretary Pete Hegseth.
The president said on Thursday that Adam Telle, who currently serves as the assistant secretary of the army office for civil works, will become the acting army secretary.
“He is a Great Patriot, who is respected by all,” Trump said.
Congressman Don Beyer, whose district includes Arlington National Cemetery, described Trump’s arch project as “illegal, gridlock-increasing [and] narcissistic” and criticized the administration for moving ahead with it.
The representative pointed to a report from the the National Park Service – which supports the project – that found it would have adverse effects on multiple landmarks.
“This project is not even close to being ready for prime time. The Administration has not won the legal battle over the proposal, which is plainly illegal without congressional authorization,” Beyer said in a statement.
“The only study they have completed and released, from the National Park Service, confirms my admonition that the arch would be a massive, unnecessary disruption to iconic and historic sites across the region.”
Excavation work on Donald Trump’s arch in Washington DC set to begin in coming weeks, says interior secretary
Excavation work on Donald Trump’s “Great Triumphal Arch” project in Washington is set to begin in the coming weeks, interior secretary Doug Burgum said on Thursday.
The 250ft tall gilded structure will be built in between Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
“This will be one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture, honoring the history and significance of Arlington Cemetery and befitting the most powerful Capital in the World,” Burgum said.
But critics say the arch will interfere with historic sightlines and that it has not received congressional authorization. Three veterans and an architectural historian filed a lawsuit over the project.
“We believe that construction cannot and should not proceed apace, and we are prepared to inform the court that it needs to, at this juncture, needs to step in,” said Nicolas Sansone, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group, who is representing the plaintiffs.
Trump administration files emergency request asking US supreme court to lift order blocking USPS from implementing mail-in voting restrictions
As a federal judge is deciding whether to extend a ban on the USPS’s new mail-in voting restrictions, Donald Trump has asked the US supreme court to step in.
The Justice Department filed an emergency request seeking to have the court lift Judge Indira Talwani’s order that temporarily blocks the postal service from implementing the plan, which includes an online portal that would track millions of mail ballots.
The new system to regulate mail ballots, which came about following an executive order by Trump, has drawn fierce criticism. A whistleblower told Congress that the requirements could result in scores of mail ballots never being sent.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency appears to be downplaying $168 million in winter storm damage across New York City, Long Island, and Mid-Hudson region.
In response to a query about New York Gov Kathy Hochul’s claim that federal authorities denied her request for disaster relief because of “political games,” FEMA said: “No new information was provided by New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island for FEMA to consider; they only repeated their requests for federal reimbursement of costs to plow snow.”
“Winter weather is not new to the Northeast and neither is snow removal,” FEMA also said in its statement to The Guardian. “Federal disaster aid is not a backstop for routine state and local budgeting.”
