Trump signs bill to end DHS shutdown; Pete Hegseth faces questions from Senate committee amid Iran war
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Congressional Republicans will seek to provide additional funding for ICE and the Border Patrol in the coming weeks.
What to know today
- DHS FUNDING: The House passed a Senate-approved bill that would fund much of the Department of Homeland Security, ending the record 75-day shutdown of the sprawling federal agency. President Donald Trump signed the measure into law this afternoon.
- HEGSETH, CAINE TESTIFY: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, faced questions from senators about the cost of the Iran war and the depletion of U.S. munitions stockpiles. The hearing came after they were grilled by House lawmakers for six hours about the Iran war and the Defense Department's budget request.
- FOREIGN SURVEILLANCE BILL: The House passed a 45-day clean extension of the FISA Section 702 program that had already been approved by the Senate. Trump signed the extension into law tonight.
- SURGEON GENERAL NOMINEE: Trump announced a new nominee for surgeon general, Dr. Nicole Saphier, putting an end to months of speculation about whether the Senate would confirm his previous pick, Dr. Casey Means.
Alaska governor vetoes bipartisan election bill over ‘significant operational burdens’
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed a major election reform bill today, citing “significant operational burdens” and unspecified legal challenges.
The bill, at least a decade in the making, sought to allow absentee and other voters to track their ballots and see when they had been received and counted.
It also sought to expand acceptable voter identification, modify voter roll maintenance, change the absentee ballot timeline and create a rural community liaison position. Alaska is the least densely populated state and the largest by area.
Alaskans are set to hold elections this year for governor, lieutenant governor, Congress and the Legislature.
Tom Steyer to land another progressive endorsement tomorrow
California gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer may be a billionaire, but another group that rails against big money is preparing to back him.
The liberal group RootsAction is expected to announce its endorsement of Steyer tomorrow, the group first told NBC News. It follows an endorsement from Our Revolution, the grassroots group founded by democratic socialist Bernie Sanders.
“The irony is not lost on us that RootsAction is a group that rails against corporate and billionaire influence over the Democratic Party," RootsAction co-founder Jeff Cohen said. Cohen said the group will blast out its endorsement to the more than 150,000 people on its list.
Cohen said progressive groups are taking a cue from one another and coalescing around Steyer as they see mainstream support circling Democratic competitor Xavier Becerra. Steyer and Becerra are the two top-polling Democrats since former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped his bid amid allegations of sexual assault that he's denied.
"It's part of what motivates us: We saw the establishment pushing Swalwell and now pushing Becerra," Cohen told NBC News. "The guy who is a billionaire is the strongest on climate and against the oil industry."
Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna and the California Nurses Association have also backed Steyer.
Roots Action also lauded Steyer's ads, saying they lay out "a populist pro-working-class agenda and take on all the right foes, including corporate monopoly and AIPAC.”
New video shows correspondents’ dinner suspect shooting officer, top prosecutor says
Video released today shows the suspect in the shooting during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner appearing to shoot a Secret Service officer as he sprints through a security checkpoint with a shotgun in his hands, authorities said.
Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, posted the video on X. She wrote that it shows Cole Tomas Allen shooting the Secret Service officer at the Washington Hilton hotel on Saturday.
“There is no evidence the shooting was the result of friendly fire,” Pirro said on X.
The video also shows Allen “casing the area in the Hilton Hotel the day before the attack,” Pirro wrote.
Trump signs short-term FISA extension into law
Trump today signed a short-term extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act today, hours before it was set to expire.
The House earlier today passed the 45-day extension of the powerful foreign surveillance program, which was already pre-approved by the Senate.
This was the second short-term extension of FISA, after Congress extended it for 10 days earlier this month. The House passed a three-year extension last night, but the Senate didn’t take that up due to an unrelated anti-central bank digital currency provision that was attached.
The clean 45-day extension is meant to give Congress more time to negotiate a longer-term extension with reforms.
How Janet Mills’ Maine Senate bid fell apart
When Maine Gov. Janet Mills launched her first attack ads against Graham Platner last month, supporters hoped it would be a turning point for her Senate campaign. Instead, the gambit exposed two major vulnerabilities that ultimately ended her run today, six weeks ahead of the primary.
King 'raising a dram' to Trump's removing tariffs on Scottish whisky
King Charles proposed a toast to Trump today after Trump lifted tariffs on U.K. whisky as the royals began their return across the pond.
In response to Trump’s announcement, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said Charles was “raising a dram” to Trump’s “thoughtfulness and generous hospitality.”
“The King has been informed of President Trump’s warm gesture and sends his sincere gratitude for a decision that will make an important difference to the British whisky industry and the livelihoods it supports,” the spokesperson said.
U.K. Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle echoed the sentiment.
“This is great news for our Scotch whisky industry, which is worth almost £1bn in exports and supports thousands of jobs across the UK,” Kyle said in a statement.
House passes short-term extension of FISA spying powers
The House today passed a 45-day clean extension of the Section 702 foreign spying program already approved by the Senate. The measure heads to Trump's desk for his signature before the program expires tonight.
While the House passed a three-year extension last night, the Senate did not take it up because of an unrelated digital currency provision that was attached.
It is the second time Congress has punted on a long-term extension of the program. Lawmakers passed a 10-day extension last week.
The Section 702 FISA program is a controversial tool intelligence agencies use to spy on non-U.S. persons abroad.
Murkowski says she plans to introduce Iran use-of-force resolution in May
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said today that she plans to introduce an authorization for use of military force when Congress returns in May if there’s still a “lack of a credible plan” on Iran.
Such authorization could allow the U.S. to remain engaged in Iran, but it could also limit the length of U.S. involvement and increase congressional oversight.
“When American service members are deployed and lives are on the line, the administration owes Congress and the American people a straight answer about what we are trying to achieve, and that’s why I have been working with several of my colleagues on an authorization for the use of military force,” Murkowski said on the Senate floor.
Murkowski has opposed the six war powers resolution votes that Democrats forced in the past months that sought to halt the war in Iran.
“The war powers resolutions have attempted to stop this conflict without establishing a path forward, and AUMF recognizes the reality that the U.S. military is already engaged and provides structure and clarity by requiring the administration to define what we’re trying to achieve and the means of achieving it,” Murkowski said, adding that authorizations ideally would precede wars but that “that wasn’t a choice for us here.”
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., raised the idea of an authorization resolution in an interview with CBS News last week.
“So to legitimize this effort and send the message to Iran that Congress is behind it, but in order for us to gain support for that, we have to have specifics, the specific strategic objectives that they want to achieve, and over what time period they think it’s going to be required to accomplish it,” Tillis said about a potential authorization resolution.
Trump signs DHS funding bill, ending partial shutdown
Trump signed into law today legislation that would fund much of the Department of Homeland Security, ending a record 75-day partial shutdown of the federal agency. The measure funds agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Transportation Security Administration through the end of September.
The bill does not provide new funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the Border Patrol. Republicans will seek to provide additional funding for those agencies in the coming weeks.
Senate again rejects war powers resolution
The Senate voted today for a sixth time today to reject a war powers resolution to end U.S. military operations in Iran until Congress votes to approve them.
The resolution, which was introduced by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., failed 47-50.
Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to vote no, and Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky were the two Republicans to vote yes.
Collins’ vote is notable, as it’s the first time she has voted to support the resolution.
“As I have said since these hostilities with Iran began, the President’s authority as Commander-in-Chief is not without limits,” Collins said on X. “The Constitution gives Congress an essential role in decisions of war and peace, and the War Powers Act establishes a clear 60-day deadline for Congress to either authorize or end U.S. involvement in foreign hostilities. That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement.”
“Further military action against Iran must have a clear mission, achievable goals, and a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close,” she added. “I voted to end the continuation of these military hostilities at this time until such a case is made.”
Senate passes 45-day extension to key spy program
The Senate just unanimously passed a 45-day clean extension of the spy program known as FISA Section 702 to give Congress more time to negotiate a longer-term extension with reforms.
The bill now goes to the House, which needs to pass it and send it to Trump’s desk for his signature before the program expires at the end of the day today.
The House will vote around 4 p.m., according to a whip notice sent to members.
Cassidy responds to Trump's calling him a 'very disloyal person'
As he left the Capitol this afternoon, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., responded to Trump’s calling him “a very disloyal person” by saying: “I am loyal to the United States of America. I’m going to do my darndest and work with the president whenever we’re working for the best in the United States of America.”
He reassured reporters that he feels “very good” about his race and said he has delivered more for Louisiana than any of his opponents.
Asked why Trump pulled Dr. Casey Means’ nomination for surgeon general, Cassidy said the White House has “known for a while she didn’t have the votes to pass.” Trump has blamed the fact that Means' nomination stalled on Cassidy.
Senate bans members and staff from trading on prediction markets
The Senate passed a resolution to ban members and staffers from trading on prediction markets.
The resolution, which changes the rules of the Senate, passed unanimously without a roll call vote. It goes into effect immediately.
The resolution applies only to the Senate. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, said on X that she would introduce a similar resolution in the House.
Louisiana Senate primary will move forward as scheduled on May 16, while House contests will be delayed
Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry announced this afternoon that House primaries that were set to take place May 16 will be delayed following yesterday's Supreme Court decision.
But she said all other races, including the state’s hotly contested Senate primary, will go forward as scheduled.
Absentee voting for the May 16 primary is already underway in Louisiana, and early voting for all races had been set to start this weekend. The move to halt voting for the House primaries could face legal scrutiny. But Republicans are confident they’ll be able to press pause on the process because the Supreme Court’s ruling directly labeled Louisiana’s congressional lines an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
In the Senate primary, Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy faces a crowded field that includes Rep. Julia Letlow, who has Trump’s endorsement.
Trump expected to sign DHS bill today
Trump is expected to sign the DHS bill today, according to a White House official, but it’s unclear exactly when. It typically takes a little bit of time for a bill to get enrolled and sent over to the White House.
Trump says he plans to remove whisky tariffs in honor of King Charles visit
Trump said on Truth Social that he will remove tariffs on whisky from Scotland and cited a conversation with King Charles III as the driving factor in his decision.
"In Honor of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, who have just left the White House, soon headed back to their wonderful Country, I will be removing the Tariffs and Restrictions on Whiskey having to do with Scotland’s ability to work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky on Whiskey and Bourbon," Trump wrote.
He added later in the post, "The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!"
Senate Armed Services Committee hearing wraps up
The hearing featuring Hegseth and Caine has concluded. A protester yelled at Hegseth as he stood up to leave the room, but Hegseth didn't acknowledge him and walked over to shake Sen. Roger Wicker's hand.
Hegseth says it will take 'months and years' to rebuild weapons stockpile depending on type of equipment
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., pressed Hegseth about how long it would take to rebuild the weapons stockpile that has been drawn down because of the war with Iran and other military conflicts in the past several years.
"Many of these strikes use our best weapons, and we're using a lot of them and a lot of interceptors," Kelly said, adding: "We can't make these munitions overnight. And it's clear from your budget request that you know that. Can you tell us how many years specifically is it going to take to replace these systems?"
Hegseth began his response by telling Kelly, "That's the question, I think, that's exactly the right question to ask," before he said it could take "months and years," depending on the weapons system, to rebuild the stockpile.
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., walks past Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth before the hearing today. Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
Trump pushes for redistricting in Tennessee
The president said in a post on Truth Social that he spoke to Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee this morning about redistricting in his state.
Trump said they had "a very good conversation" and Lee "stated that he would work hard to correct the unconstitutional flaw in the Congressional Maps of the Great State of Tennessee."
"Likewise, all of the other Political Representatives of Tennessee have promised to do so. This should give us one extra seat, and help Save our Country from the Radical Left Democrats," the post said. "Thank you Governor Lee — PUSH HARD!"
Sen. Elizabeth Warren questions Hegseth about potential insider trading
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., questioned the witnesses about possible insider trading, saying that multiple times stock traders have made bets or purchases minutes before Trump's market-moving social media posts about the war.
"Prices are rising for nearly every American family, but someone is profiting off Trump's war: insiders who know what's going on and who place bets on that inside information," Warren said.
She also mentioned the U.S. soldier who was charged with using classified information to place a bet on a prediction market about the January Venezuela military operation.
Hegseth responded that the Defense Department has been operating "above board."
He added, when pressed by Warren about potential insider trading, "What I'm saying is we're focused on our mission of executing for the American people. And what happens in markets is not, in betting markets, is not something we're involved in."
Trump pulls surgeon general nominee and announces replacement
Trump announced a new nominee for surgeon general, Dr. Nicole Saphier, putting an end to months of speculation about whether the Senate would confirm his prior pick, Dr. Casey Means.
Saphier is listed on Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s website as a radiologist and director of breast imaging at the center’s facility in Monmouth, New Jersey. She has regularly appeared as a medical expert on Fox News.
Hegseth says ongoing Iran ceasefire 'pauses' 60-day clock on congressional authorization for war
Asked by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., about whether the Trump administration would seek authorization from Congress for the ongoing war with Iran on the 60-day mark of the war as required by law, Hegseth deferred to the White House, but said that he believes the 60-day clock is paused due to the ceasefire.
"Ultimately, I would defer to the White House and White House counsel on that. However, we are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire," the defense secretary said.
"I do not believe the statute would support that," Kaine said. "I think the 60 days runs [out] maybe tomorrow, and that's going to pose a really important legal question for the administration there."
House expected to vote on DHS funding today
The House is expected to vote today on a Senate-passed bill that would fund much of the Department of Homeland Security, ending the record 75-day shutdown of the sprawling federal agency.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin had warned lawmakers that if they did not pass funding by today, emergency funding would run out and thousands of workers would not be paid.
The vote is expected to take place before House and Senate lawmakers depart for a weeklong recess at the end of today. But the funding issue could be held up by a separate effort to make sure a foreign spying program doesn’t expire.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal says he thinks $25 billion is 'less than half' the real cost of the Iran war
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., questioned Caine, Hegseth and Hurst about the cost of the war, citing the $25 billion figure Hurst provided House lawmakers yesterday.
"We've had an estimate from Mr. Hurst yesterday that the cost to date, in dollars for this war, has been $25 billion, which I believe is well below the actual cost, based on everything that I've heard, everything available to us in various kinds of settings, and I'm going to ask for a more accurate assessment," Blumenthal told the witnesses.
Then the senator specifically asked whether the $25 billion figure included the cost of repairing damage to military bases and equipment in the Middle East.
"You're here to ask for appropriations, and I would like a more accurate estimate of what has been done that will require replacement and renovation, as well as the other costs," Blumenthal said, adding, "And I think $25 billion is probably less than half, maybe less than a quarter of the total cost of war."
Johnson says the U.S. is ‘not at war’ with Iran
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told NBC News that it is not necessary for Congress to weigh in on the Trump administration’s military action in Iran because the United States is currently “not at war.”
“I don’t think we have an active, kinetic military bombing, firing or anything like that. Right now, we are trying to broker a peace,” Johnson told NBC News in the Capitol. “I would be very reluctant to get in front of the administration in the midst of these very sensitive negotiations, so we’ll have to see how that plays out.”
King and queen lay wreaths at Arlington
King Charles III and Queen Camilla laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, shortly before entering the Memorial Amphitheater.
King Charles III visits the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier today. Heather Diehl / Getty Images
Protester interrupts Hegseth's opening statement
As Hegseth delivered his opening remarks, a protester interrupted him and was removed from the room.
"We appreciate the First Amendment rights of Americans to express themselves, but disruptions of this hearing will not be tolerated," Wicker, the chair of the committee, said before allowing Hegseth to continue his testimony.
King and queen arrive at Arlington Cemetery
King Charles III and Queen Camilla have arrived at Arlington National Cemetery shortly after departing the White House.
The pair posed for photos before walking toward the cemetery escorted by soldiers.
The king and queen then stood in silence as the British national anthem played out, followed by the U.S. anthem.
Senate Armed Services Committee hearing underway
Hegseth, Caine and Hurst are seated for the public portion of the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today. Chair Roger Wicker, R-Miss., is delivering his opening remarks.
King and queen depart White House
King Charles III and Queen Camilla have departed the White House, sharing a few words with Trump and first lady Melania Trump by the doors of their car before exchanging goodbyes.
"Great people. We need more people like that in our country," Trump said after they left.
The pair are expected to head to Arlington Cemetery.
King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive at White House for farewell
King Charles III and Queen Camilla have arrived at the White House to say farewell before returning to the U.K. today as their four-day state visit comes to an end.
The monarchs met with Trump and first lady Melania Trump, shaking their hands before standing for photos.
"The greatest king," Trump said, pointing at Charles, before the four entered the White House.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greet King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the White House today. Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
Louisiana plans to delay House primaries after Supreme Court redistricting ruling
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry plans to push back his state’s May 16 primary to give state lawmakers time to redraw congressional maps there, after the Supreme Court struck down the current district lines in a decision with far-reaching consequences for control of Congress in 2026 and beyond.
Landry, a Republican, called congressional Republicans to inform them of the plan, a source familiar with the conversations told NBC News. A second source, a Louisiana-based Republican strategist, also confirmed Landry’s plans to NBC News.
The governor’s office did not immediately return a request to comment. The Washington Post first reported Landry’s decision.
Absentee voting for the May 16 primary is already underway in Louisiana, and early voting is set to start this weekend. It’s likely any move to halt voting could face legal scrutiny. But Republicans are confident they’ll be able to press pause on the process because the Supreme Court’s Wednesday ruling directly labeled Louisiana’s congressional lines an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
Hegseth and Sen. Mark Kelly to face off today for the first time since viral video fallout
In a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee today, Hegseth will face Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., for the first time since the two sparred over a video Kelly participated in urging military service members and intelligence officers to disobey illegal orders.
After the video, Hegseth led an effort to censure Kelly and demote his military retirement rank and pay. In the wake of that effort, the Arizona senator sued Hegseth and the Pentagon, alleging that the attempted demotion was "unlawful and unconstitutional."
A federal judge in February sided with Kelly, saying the Trump administration had "trampled" on Kelly's First Amendment rights.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills suspends Senate campaign
Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced today that she is suspending her campaign for Senate after trailing military veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner in the Democratic primary, citing a lack of financial resources.
“While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else — the fight — to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources. That is why today I have made the incredibly difficult decision to suspend my campaign for the United States Senate,” Mills said in a statement.
Senate Democrats had touted Mills as a top recruit to take on GOP Sen. Susan Collins, the only Republican senator representing a state that President Donald Trump lost last year. Maine is practically a must-win if Democrats are to net the four seats they need to take control of the chamber in the 2026 midterm election. But Collins has proven a tough opponent in previous elections.
After launching her Senate campaign in October, Mills struggled to gain traction against Platner, who burst onto the scene as a brash political newcomer and quickly built a loyal following. Platner notched endorsements from high-profile progressive leaders including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Most importantly, he built major support among Maine Democrats, leading by double digits in recent polls of the primary.
White House is in 'active conversations' with Congress regarding a 60-day requirement for seeking congressional approval
The 60-day requirement for the administration to seek congressional approval for the war against Iran is approaching.
There are "active conversations" with Congress about this topic, according to a senior White House official.
If Trump were to seek a 30-day extension, the White House would need to be prepared to say that it needed 30 days to withdraw all U.S. forces safely. It's not clear, though, whether the Trump administration has determined that this is what it wants to do.
Republicans and Democrats agree that he should not ignore the requirement altogether. It is also possible for lawmakers to grant authorization for a certain time period, but it is unclear how long they might do this for.
“Members of Congress who try to score political points by usurping the Commander-in-Chief’s authority would only undermine the United States Military abroad, which no elected official should want to do,” the senior White House official said.
In a statement, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said that Trump has been "transparent" and pointed to administration officials briefing Congress throughout the war.
"The President’s preference is always diplomacy, and Iran wants to make a deal," she said.
Hegseth and Caine to testify on the Hill again today
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine will head back to the Hill today for another hearing.
This time, the pair will testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee after testifying yesterday before the House's counterpart. The hearing is supposed to center on the administration's budget request for fiscal year 2027, but lawmakers can ask questions about any topic.
The hearing comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed during the ceasefire in Iran. The war has led to rising oil and gas prices too, sparking political concerns from Republicans.
House votes to renew foreign spy program and creates pathway to end DHS shutdown
The Republican-controlled House voted yesterday to renew a powerful foreign surveillance program and passed a Senate-approved measure that would jump-start the process to fund ICE and Border Patrol for the rest of Trump’s term.
The House voted 235-191 to extend the critical spy program, known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which expires this week.
Lawmakers later voted 215-211 along party lines to pass the GOP budget resolution previously approved by the Senate after a revolt by House Republicans over an unrelated farm bill delayed final passage by more than five hours.
Asked to describe the chaotic day in one word, Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., replied: “s---show.”
The successful budget vote could unlock the GOP support needed to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which has been shut down for a record 74 days because of Democrats’ demands for reforms to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement tactics.
