Foreign surveillance program set to expire after Democrats reject short-term renewal
Catch up with NBC News Clone on today's hot topic: Rcrd111781 - Politics and Government | NBC News Clone. Our editorial team reformatted this story for clarity and speed.
Democrats object to Trump’s appointment of Bill Pulte, who has no national security experience, as acting national intelligence chief. Trump said today he’ll nominate Jay Clayton to the post in a long-term capacity.
What to know today
- FISA VOTE: House Democrats this morning blocked passage of a short-term reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which gives the government powers to spy on foreign nationals living abroad as part of counterterrorism efforts without requiring warrants. The program is now set to expire tomorrow for the first time since 2008.
- INTELLIGENCE CHIEF: Trump announced this afternoon that he’s nominating Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, to be director of national intelligence. The announcement came after backlash to his naming of Bill Pulte, who has no national security experience, to the position in an acting capacity.
- FOSTERING INVESTMENT: First lady Melania Trump announced the launch of savings and investment accounts for foster children today alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The move expands the child investment accounts for parents or guardians created under the Republican tax cut and spending bill that Trump signed last year to include state child welfare agencies.
- GUILTY PLEA: Vance Boelter, the Minnesota man accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer and fatally shooting the state’s former House speaker in what authorities have described as a politically motivated assassination, pleaded guilty today.
Photo: UFC 'Claw' is ready for competition on White House lawn
Leigh Vogel / Sipa USA via Reuters
A media tour today allowed photographers a close-up view of the UFC arena on the South Lawn of the White House. The 600-ton structure has been dubbed “The Claw.”
The UFC matches Sunday at the White House will coincide with Trump’s 80th birthday.
Trump expected to attend World Cup final in New Jersey
Trump is expected to attend the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, according to two sources familiar with the plans, who cautioned that plans could change as the date gets closer.
A White House official confirmed to NBC News White House was “holding it” on Trump’s schedule. He attended the Club World Cup final at the same venue last summer.
Trump is not attending the opening game for the U.S. men’s national team, a break from precedent for past leaders of host nations: The emir of Qatar attended in 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended in 2018, and President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil attended in 2014. The U.S. plays its first match tomorrow in Los Angeles.
Trump told reporters this week he plans to go to a game at some point but did not specify which one.
SpaceX’s PAC doubles down on Republicans ahead of historic IPO and midterms
In the countdown to SpaceX’s stock market launch tomorrow, its political action committee has shifted increasingly to the right, funneling contributions heavily toward Republicans before the midterm elections, an NBC News review of Federal Election Commission records has found.
Trump administration appeals judge's ruling that Kennedy Center renaming was unlawful
The Trump administration is appealing a federal judge’s ruling that blocked its planned two-year closure of the Kennedy Center and ordered Trump’s name to be removed.
The last-minute appeal comes hours before U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper’s deadline for the administration to remove Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center’s facade.
Cooper ruled last month that the Kennedy Center’s renaming was unlawful and ordered that all signage with Trump’s name must be removed from its building and website by June 12. Earlier today, Trump’s name was removed from the center’s Facebook page.
Cooper also stopped the Kennedy Center from winding down its programming before it closed its doors on July 5, as its leadership had planned.
The appeal pertains to the lawsuit brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center’s board. Unless the court pauses Cooper’s order, Trump’s name must come down by tomorrow.
'It's going to be a Trump-a-Palooza': RNC chair says Trump will play key role on midterm campaign trail
Voters can expect to see Trump on the campaign trail ahead of the midterm elections this fall, particularly in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters told NBC Philadelphia this week.
"All the great things the president has done, all the great candidates we have running, and we're going to use it as a catapult to send the president on a barnstorming tour to make sure that he is successful hitting all these districts," Gruters said.
While Trump has handed out endorsements to many Republican candidates before the midterms and has appeared via tele-rally for some, he hasn't stumped for many of them.
With a little less than five months to go until Election Day, Gruters said that "we're going to make sure that it's going to be something like a Trump-a-Palooza" on the campaign trail.
Asked whether he was worried that Trump's low approval ratings could hurt candidates, Gruters maintained that "the president is ultimately the leader of the party."
"I think we're going to be OK, because I, you know, at the end of the day, the president's the best showman that's ever lived, and he's the best showman that's ever existed in our party," he added.
He also weighed in on Trump's clashes with Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., who has pushed back against parts of Trump's agenda. Gruters said the RNC is standing behind Fitzpatrick as he seeks re-election in a competitive district.
"We need to win all these seats, and so I respect and appreciate Congressman Fitzpatrick," Gruters said. "Fitzpatrick is a strong member of Congress, and we need him back in our delegation to make sure we have a majority."
Gruters also brushed off concerns over Rep. Tom Kean Jr.'s unexplained three-plus month absence from Congress, saying, "People get sick; this happens."
"He's a great member of Congress. We need him in our delegation, so we're fully supportive," Gruters said, adding that Kean, R-N.J., "is going to be successful."
We tore open the Trump phone — it was nearly the same as a Taiwanese device using Chinese parts
The Trump Mobile T1 phone, originally marketed as “Made in the USA,” is nearly identical to the two-year-old HTC U24 Pro, a phone the Taiwanese company HTC makes using Chinese parts, according to a technical analysis the repair-guide and parts company iFixit conducted in partnership with NBC News.
FISA spying power scheduled to expire as House fails to extend it before leaving town
A powerful surveillance tool backed by the intelligence community is scheduled to expire tomorrow after the House failed to pass an extension and left town for 12 days.
It would be the first time Congress has allowed Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to lapse since the law passed in 2008. It grants the government powers to spy on foreign nationals living abroad as part of counterterrorism efforts without requiring warrants.
Congress has struggled for months to reach a deal that placates privacy hawks on the left and the right, who demand restraints they say are necessary to prevent the law from being abused. They argue that there are insufficient guardrails on the government’s sweeping up private information about Americans.
Last week, Trump disrupted already fragile negotiations for a long-term renewal of Section 702 by tapping housing official Bill Pulte to be acting director of national intelligence. Pulte is a Trump ally with no intelligence background who’s known for targeting Trump critics with mortgage fraud investigations.
Trump’s UFC matches are unprecedented, but sports at the White House aren’t
The UFC matches to be held on the lawn of the White House on Trump’s 80th birthday are sure to be a spectacle unseen in the history of the storied complex.
The stage, which began being set up on the South Lawn in late May, features a 92-foot, 600-ton structure that has been dubbed “The Claw.”
An event like UFC Freedom 250 is a first for the South Lawn, but sports, even exhibition matches, are not a totally foreign concept at the White House, although it was more modest.
Then and now: Satellite images show changes to Reflecting Pool in Washington
Vantor
Satellite images from June 2023 to yesterday, show the draining, resurfacing, painting and refilling of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.
Trump sidesteps whether he regrets endorsing candidate who failed to advance in GOP primary
Trump would not say this afternoon whether he regretted endorsing Rep. Randy Feenstra, whose loss in the Republican primary for governor of Iowa last week was the first defeat of a Trump-backed candidate this election cycle.
Asked whether he regretted the endorsement, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, "The man running against him was all Trump, and the only one out of hundreds of races, hundreds."
"The other person was much more Trump, as you know, than Randy," he continued, referring to businessman Zach Lahn, whose campaign emphasized the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.
Trump endorsed Feenstra, a three-term congressman, four days before Election Day, choosing him over businessman Lahn.
Americans care about 'the price of gas,' not Trump's renovation projects, GOP Sen. Kevin Cramer says
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said today that people living outside of Washington, D.C., do not care about Trump’s renovation projects and instead are focused on “the price of gas.”
“He cares about it, and it’s fine,” Cramer told reporters on Capitol Hill. “But people don’t, and people out in North Dakota don’t; they care about the price of gas” and being able to afford a home, rather than the infrastructure in the nation’s capital, he added.
One of Trump’s renovation projects included painting and resurfacing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, at a $14.2 million price tag. Trump is also moving forward with construction of a White House ballroom and wants to see a triumphal arch constructed near Arlington National Cemetery.
“I think once you get past, you know, like that river right over there, no one gives a rat’s pajamas about the infrastructure in Washington D.C.,” Cramer said, referring to the Potomac River.
Interior Department calls giant '8647' marking on the National Mall 'deranged' vandalism
After giant markings of the numbers 8647 were seen on the National Mall today, an Interior Department spokesperson called it “deranged” vandalism and said it “will not be tolerated.”
“Any threat against the President is taken very seriously by the Department, and our U.S. Park Police will investigate this incident and hold those responsible accountable,” the spokesperson said.
Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted in April after the Justice Department argued that he had threatened Trump’s life when he posted a photo on Instagram of seashells arranged to spell “8647.” Restaurant veterans have said “86” is “everyday lingo” meaning an item has run out and should be removed from the menu. Trump is the 45th and 47th president.
The U.S. Park Police Public Information Office said in a statement that police responded to the numbers’ being marked on the grass this morning and that “the cause of the discoloration has not yet been determined.”
“Grass samples have been collected for testing. The investigation is ongoing,” the office added.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia — which would prosecute a potential case stemming from the vandalism — declined to comment.
A federal judge ruled this month that "8647" by itself is not a threat, saying a protest flag with the numbers outside a federal courthouse in Washington, on land managed by the National Park Service, didn't need to be taken down since it constituted free speech.
Chuck Schumer says Haley Stevens has 'the best chance to win' Michigan
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has sent his most explicit signal yet that he prefers Rep. Haley Stevens in the slugfest that is Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary.
“I think she has the best chance to win,” Schumer said today in an interview with Punchbowl News.
Stevens faces state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former public health official Abdul El-Sayed in what has become a bitter clash of ideology and personality — one that could provide clues about the party’s future. The winner of the August primary will face former Rep. Mike Rogers, who is unopposed for the Republican nomination.
Schumer’s preference of Stevens has long been speculated, if not directly articulated.
McMorrow quickly responded to his remarks.
“Chuck Schumer doesn’t pick Michigan’s nominee. We do,” she wrote on X. “I flipped a seat no one thought we could win, helped flip the State Senate, and delivered for our rights, our families, our kids, and our state. Let’s show Washington what it looks like to fight like Michigan and win.”
Rubio touts UFC as United Nations of fighting in promotion of new partnership
Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a memorandum of understanding between the State Department and the UFC today calling the mixed martial arts company with fighters from more than 75 countries "the United Nations of fighting."
"If you've been to UFC fights, and I've been to many, and you look into the crowd, the crowd is as diverse as you can imagine," Rubio said. "And I'm not talking about ethnic background; I'm talking about economic background, I'm talking about social background, I'm talking about geographic."
The public-private partnership is just one of many U.S. sports diplomacy programs at the State Department, with the Trump administration signing a similar agreement with the NFL this year.
Under the State Department’s Sports Envoy Program, UFC athletes and coaches will serve as U.S. sports ambassadors and mentors, leading overseas training clinics and workshops for young international athletes that "promote teamwork, leadership, and healthy lifestyle," a State Department spokesperson said.
"It doesn't matter what color you are, what country you come from, what language you speak, we're all human beings and fighting is in our DNA." UFC President Dana White said at the signing ceremony. "We get it, and we like it."
Rubio said there was even interest from global leaders in attending Saturday's fights at the White House.
"The number of foreign leaders that want to come to this is unbelievable. It's to the point where we may have a diplomatic crisis, because it's like we can't bring everybody," he said. "Some of them don't even have a fighter in the fight from their country; they just want to come because they are fans of the sport."
He also joked that Trump may just leave Octagon where the cage matches will take place as a permanent structure on the White House South Lawn.
"We'll just host weekly fights between people in politics and settle our scores that way," Rubio said. "But all kidding aside, Sunday is an unbelievable, historic, I think never-to-be-repeated-until-next-year experience for the American people."
Republicans who pushed Epstein files release see political careers upended by Trump
The four House Republicans who helped force the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files called themselves “The Bravehearts” — an acknowledgment that their risky stand would require a stiff spine, especially given Trump’s fierce opposition to the move.
As they later learned, the gambit would also upend their political futures.
Seven months after the House voted to release the Epstein files, sparking a Trump-led crusade against the rebellious quartet behind the effort, one of those four lawmakers is now an ex-member. Two of them won’t be returning to Congress next year. And another is facing the threat of a primary challenge next cycle.
Progressive advocacy group sues FBI and DOJ for records related to Director Kash Patel
The progressive advocacy group Democracy Forward sued the FBI and Justice Department today to try to force the disclosure of records related to FBI Director Kash Patel.
Democracy Forward alleged that the FBI and DOJ did not comply with Freedom of Information Act requests "seeking records related to FBI Director Kash Patel’s conduct, management of the bureau, use of government resources, and reports that have raised questions about agency operations and leadership," a press release from the group said.
Democracy Forward pointed to a report by The Atlantic, which covered allegations of drinking and unexplained absences.
The Atlantic described questionable incidents during Patel's tenure, including one in which he allegedly believed he was fired after having difficulty logging onto an internal computer system, citing nine people familiar with the situation, which turned out to be a technical error. The outlet also reported that six current and former officials and others familiar with Patel's schedule said that early in his time as FBI director, "meetings and briefings had to be rescheduled for later in the day as a result of his alcohol-fueled nights."
Patel sued The Atlantic, calling the story a "sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece."
Spokespersons for the Justice Department and FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
ISkye Perryman, the president and CEO of Democracy Forward, said in a statement that "because the FBI and DOJ have failed to provide these documents in the timeline required by law, we are filing this lawsuit to compel their release."
"They cannot simply ignore lawful requests for information about the performance and conduct of senior government officials," she added.
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh takes on a starring role in Maine’s Senate race
In a time of war, rising costs and Medicaid cuts, Democrats in Maine say another issue is motivating them in this fall’s Senate race: Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court eight years ago.
A pivotal vote by longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine pushed Kavanaugh over the finish line in 2018 after she famously said he considered Roe v. Wade “settled law” — a comment that turned out to be wrong.
In 2022, Kavanaugh was a deciding vote in the 5-4 majority that overturned the landmark case, paving the way for abortion bans in many states.
“After she voted for Kavanaugh, that was the last straw,” said Arie Mobley, who attended a rally Friday for Collins’ presumptive challenger, Graham Platner, a Democrat.
Bill Gates accuses Jeffrey Epstein of potential blackmail at hearing
Billionaire Bill Gates answered questions from lawmakers for six hours yesterday about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, where he accused the late sex offender of possible blackmail over Gates’ extramarital affairs. Gates said Epstein “was working to use information about my infidelities, in addition to many lies that he layered on top, to pressure me to re-engage with him.” NBC’s Hallie Jackson reports for "TODAY."
Pentagon issues shelter-in-place order over ‘air quality issue’
Hazmat crews and emergency response teams deployed to the Pentagon this morning over what the Defense Department called “an air quality issue.”
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that “sophisticated systems” had “detected an air quality issue necessitating precautionary measures until we determine its significance.”
Brad Lander found not guilty of charges in NYC immigration detention center incident
A New York judge ruled today that congressional hopeful Brad Lander is not guilty of misdemeanor charges related to a September inspection attempt at an immigration holding facility in Manhattan.
“In a loss for the fascists, a federal judge ruled that Brad Lander is NOT guilty in the trial resulting from his arrest by ICE last year at 26 Federal Plaza,” Lander wrote in a social media statement.
The one-day bench trial took place in New York City yesterday.
Lander, along with 75 others — including nearly a dozen other elected officials — were arrested at 26 Federal Plaza in downtown Manhattan as they attempted to inspect the living conditions for those being held in immigration detention in the building.
Man accused of killing Minnesota lawmaker and her husband accepts guilty plea
Vance Boelter, the Minnesota man accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer and fatally shooting the state’s former House speaker in what authorities have described as a politically motivated assassination, pleaded guilty today.
Boelter had initially pleaded not guilty, but federal prosecutors said that in exchange for a guilty plea, they would no longer pursue the death penalty.
Boelter’s attorney and prosecutors did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The inflation surge is hitting businesses, too
Business inflation in May surged to its highest level since late 2022, as high fuel prices triggered by the war with Iran ripple across the U.S. economy.
New data released today showed that from April to May, the producer price index saw a 1.1% month-over-month rise.
Even more notably, it rose to 6.5% from the same period a year ago.
The year-over-year reading was “the largest 12-month rise since moving up 7.4% in November 2022,” the Bureau of Labor Statistics said in a statement.
Johnson doesn't commit to bringing House back for another FISA vote
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Republicans did “everything within our power to try to ensure that” FISA Section 702 “does not expire” and that Democrats “are using it as a political hostage.”
Speaking to reporters after the failed vote to extend the spy authority to July 2, Johnson declined to commit to bringing the House back from recess next week to take another vote on FISA.
“What would be the point?” Johnson asked, pointing to the House’s previous passage of a three-year FISA extension that the Senate has not taken up.
Asked whether Trump should withdraw his appointment of housing official Bill Pulte as temporary director of national intelligence, Johnson said the president is “very close to a decision” on a permanent appointee “and the Democrats know that, but they see this as a political moment that they can somehow score political points.”
The vote on the FISA extension this morning was 198-218. Nineteen Republicans joined 199 Democrats in voting against the measure, which would have needed the support of two-thirds of the chamber to pass.
First lady Melania Trump announces launch of savings and investment accounts for foster children
First lady Melania Trump announced the launch of savings and investment accounts for foster children today in an event at the Treasury Department.
“Fostering the Future Accounts give foster children the same chance for asset ownership and long-term wealth building as every other American child,” she said in remarks alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “By investing in our foster youth now, we help strengthen America’s workforce, communities and economic future.”
The first lady said that once foster youth turn 18, they can access the assets from the accounts.
According to the White House, 23 Republican governors have promised to help set up these accounts in their states.
“Now is the time for everyone to act,” Trump said. “All 50 states should pledge to protect America’s foster youth. Let’s elevate America’s children above politics.”
The White House said the sweeping Republican tax cut and spending bill President Donald Trump signed into law last year authorized this type of account. The new initiative expands the child investment accounts for parents or guardians created under that bill to include state child welfare agencies.
Bessent lauded Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry's leadership in implementing the program and encouraged other states to follow suit.
“Our goal is to work toward full participation from all 50 states, and I encourage every local welfare agency to follow Louisiana’s example by looking beyond a child’s present circumstances to invest in their potential by affirming that the child born into adversity possesses equal worth as the child born into abundance,” Bessent said.
Vance’s chief of staff to leave Trump administration
Jacob Reses, the chief of staff to Vice President JD Vance, will leave the administration at the end of the summer, people close to the vice president’s office said Thursday.
Reses, who has served in the role since Vance and President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, informed Vance of his plans several months ago, after his wife became pregnant with their first child.
House fails to pass short-term FISA extension
The House failed to approve a short-term extension of FISA Section 702 to July 2.
The vote was 198-218, which is not even a simple majority. The bill needed the support of two thirds of the chamber to pass because it was brought up under a fast-track process known as "suspension of the rules."
The chamber is scheduled to leave town until June 23.
Florida Supreme Court rejects challenge to new GOP-drawn congressional maps
The Florida Supreme Court has rejected a legal challenge from voting rights groups who sought to block Gov. Ron DeSantis’ newly drawn congressional maps from being used during the 2026 midterm elections.
The challengers, which included Equal Ground Florida, argued that the maps should not be used during the midterms because they alleged the new lines violate the state’s so-called Fair Districts Amendments — which is anti-gerrymandering language in the state’s constitution.
An underlying legal fight over the constitutionality of the new maps will continue. But in the meantime, the state’s highest court will let the maps stand.
Trump says ‘I love the inflation’ as consumer price index rises
After newly released federal data showed inflation spiking to its highest level in three years, driven in large part by the soaring gas and oil prices stemming from the United States’ war with Iran, Trump reacted by saying, “I love the inflation.” He later said that what he meant to say is that “despite the fact that we’re in a war, the numbers are much lower than anticipated.” NBC’s Garrett Haake reports for "Today."
FAA says Trump’s proposed 250-foot arch won’t have ‘adverse impacts’ on nearby airport
The Federal Aviation Administration said yesterday that Trump’s proposed 250-foot triumphal arch will not have adverse impacts on operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to a review by career safety experts.
The government agency said its only requirement for the arch is to include red obstruction lights at the top of the structure, which the FAA noted is “a common safety tool.”
The massive arch, meant to honor the country’s 250th anniversary, would feature winged eagles, Lady Liberty and a line from the Pledge of Allegiance, according to renderings of the structure.
A rendering for President Donald Trump’s proposed arch across the Potomac. Harrison Design
The project, which would be the tallest triumphal arch in the world, has faced legal challenges and protests from historians, veterans and members of the public. Some argue that the arch is too close to the airport, while others say it would have a negative impact on the sight line between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
The arch is one of several Trump projects in the Washington area, including efforts to renovate the Kennedy Center and build a ballroom at the White House.
Speaker Johnson says it's 'stunning' that Democrats will allow FISA to go dark
The House speaker said it was “stunning” to him that “House Democrat leadership has put out a statement saying that they’re willing to allow the number one national security tool to go dark over some political disagreement over a very short-term temporary appointment.”
“Republicans are doing everything we can this morning to make sure that that statute does not go dark,” Johnson said.
House Democrats are demanding an overhaul “to protect both national security and the constitutional privacy rights of Americans” and also criticized Trump’s selection of top housing official and close ally Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence.
After this vote on a short-term extension of FISA, which is expected to fail, the House will leave town until June 23.
Democrats are expected to block short-term FISA renewal
The House will vote at 10 a.m. on a short-term extension of the FISA Section 702 authority, though with Democratic leaders opposed to the legislation it will not reach the two-thirds support needed for passage.
The bill, which would extend the spy power through July 2, is being brought to the floor by Republican leadership under “suspension of the rules,” a fast-track process that requires a two-thirds vote rather than a simple majority. That means even if all Republicans voted in favor, they would still need dozens of Democrats to join them.
The top Democratic leaders and key committee ranking members said in a statement that FISA Section 702 is “a critical foreign intelligence authority, but we cannot in good conscience vote for reauthorization without significant reforms to protect both national security and the constitutional privacy rights of Americans.”
The statement from Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and his leadership team also criticized Trump’s selection of top housing official Bill Pulte, a close ally, as acting director of national intelligence.
This is the last vote scheduled in the House this week, and the chamber is supposed to be on recess next week.
Trump tells Republicans to pass a $350 billion GOP-only bill to fund military and overhaul elections
Trump demanded last night that congressional Republicans pass a bill that would send $350 billion to the military and push forward legislation to overhaul elections nationwide.
“I am hereby calling on Republicans in Congress to IMMEDIATELY advance and pass the forthcoming $350 Billion Reconciliation Bill (Recon 3.0) — which, at the request of our Great Department of War — will include THE SAVE AMERICA ACT as well,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “No games, no delays, and no weak compromises! Do this ASAP.”
He directed Republicans to pass the measure under budget reconciliation rules, meaning it would require only a simple majority to pass in the Senate instead of the 60 votes needed for most bills. The demand for a new reconciliation package comes the same day he signed a $70 billion reconciliation bill to fund ICE and the Border Patrol through the end of his term.
Alongside the requested military funding, Trump urged Republicans to include the SAVE America Act, legislation that would add significant new restrictions and requirements for elections across the country.
DOJ responds to House Oversight chair’s push for Todd Blanche to testify
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said yesterday that he wanted acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to testify in the committee’s Epstein investigation, but the Justice Department was noncommittal about that possibility.
Comer said he has “always wanted Blanche to come in,” adding, “We have questions.”
A Justice Department spokesperson said in response that Blanche spoke with the committee in March to answer questions.
“Since then the answers have not changed,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“This Department of Justice has produced nearly three million pages in compliance with the [Epstein Files Transparency Act] and has repeatedly and clearly disclosed what items were not responsive, meaning items that are entirely unrelated, privileged, or duplicative,” the spokesperson added.
“The Department has always made itself available to Congress, including allowing members to review unredacted documents, through public hearings, transcribed interviews, and meetings with committee members to answer questions directly. This is the most transparent Department of Justice in American history, and we have nothing to hide from the American people,” the statement said.
After he became acting attorney general, Blanche said in April that Epstein should not be a part of “anything” at the Justice Department going forward.
Medicare Advantage plans denied prior authorization requests at unusually high rates, HHS report finds
Patients enrolled in some of the nation’s largest Medicare Advantage plans were denied requests for rehabilitation and other critical services at unusually high rates, according to a report released today by the Department of Health and Human Services’ inspector general.
It comes amid increased scrutiny of how insurers use prior authorization, a cost-cutting tool that experts say often leads to the delay or denial of necessary care.
“These denial rates are quite staggering,” said Miranda Yaver, an assistant professor of health policy and management at the University of Pittsburgh. “It’s another data point that reinforces what a lot of Americans have already been articulating a lot of frustration about — which is that healthcare decisions are being made with profit rather than medical necessity in mind.”
Judge warns DOJ not to ‘play possum’ with ‘anti-weaponization’ fund it says is dead
A federal judge denied a request to temporarily halt the Trump administration’s proposed “anti-weaponization” fund but warned the Justice Department not to misrepresent the status of the $1.8 billion fund, which acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress is not moving forward.
“Don’t play possum with this court,” U.S. District Judge Richard Leon warned a Justice Department attorney in court yesterday afternoon after he rejected the temporary restraining order request from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, one of several groups seeking to block the fund.
House to vote on short-term FISA extension, Mike Johnson says
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the House will vote this morning on a short-term extension of the reauthorization of FISA Section 702 at Trump’s request.
The measure would push back the expiration of the spying program’s powers to July 2.
Johnson said yesterday that the bill would be brought up under a procedure that requires a two-thirds majority of the House for passage.
“The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is how we surveil terrorists who are trying to hurt Americans. It is a very important, vital national security tool,” he said.
Johnson said that he spoke to Trump about nominating a director of national intelligence, but that Trump said he was not ready to make a pick just yet. Many Democrats have said they will hold up FISA reauthorization until acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte is removed from the post he’s set to take over on June 19.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said he is a “hard no” on the short-term extension bill, pointing to skepticism among national security Democrats about Pulte, who has no experience working in the U.S. intelligence community.
