Supreme Court pauses lower court's decision to limit abortion pill access
Catch up with NBC News Clone on today's hot topic: Trump Iran Hormuz Giuliani Congress Doj Immigration Live Updates Rcna343388 - Politics and Government | NBC News Clone. Our editorial team reformatted this story for clarity and speed.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been hospitalized and is in critical condition, his spokesperson said.
What to know today
- ABORTION PILL: The Supreme Court temporarily restored full access to the abortion pill mifepristone nationwide after an appeals court ruled the drug must be provided through in-person meetings, which would have prevented people from accessing it by mail.
- GIULIANI HOSPITALIZED: Rudy Giuliani was hospitalized with pneumonia and remains in critical but stable condition, his spokesperson, Ted Goodman, said today in an update on the condition of the 81-year-old former New York mayor and ex-Trump lawyer.
- IRAN WAR: President Donald Trump said the military will guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz starting today, prompting Iran to issue a warning to the U.S. to stay away. Trump has offered little optimism that he will accept a recent proposal from Tehran to end the war.
Senate Republicans release long-term ICE, CBP funding bill that includes $1B for White House ballroom
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, tonight released his committee’s part of the long-term Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol funding bill, which includes $1 billion for security features related to the White House ballroom.
The funding could not be used for non-security elements, according to the legislative text.
Senate Republicans intend to pass the bill using the reconciliation process, meaning they would need only a simple majority, allowing them to sidestep the need for any support from Senate Democrats.
The bill would fund ICE and the Border Patrol through the end of Trump’s term. It includes more than $30 billion for ICE, $3.47 billion for Customs and Border Protection, $2.5 billion for DHS and $1.457 billion for the Justice Department.
Supreme Court says Louisiana redistricting ruling can go into effect immediately
The Supreme Court tonight, granting an unusual request made by Louisiana Republicans, allowed last week’s major voting rights ruling to go into effect immediately.
The decision, which prompted an angry written exchange between liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and conservative Justice Samuel Alito, means the state doesn’t have to wait the usual 32 days before a Supreme Court ruling is certified and sent back to a lower court.
Louisiana has sought to suspend its ongoing primary election so it can redraw congressional districts to take advantage of the ruling, which effectively greenlit states’ removing majority-Black districts that were drawn to comply with the Voting Rights Act. The state aims to draw a new map that can be used for this year’s midterm election. The current map includes two majority-Black congressional districts held by Democrats. The four other seats are held by Republicans.
In last week’s ruling, the conservative majority gutted a key provision of the landmark 1965 voting law, saying states, including those with histories of discrimination against Black voters, can use their interest in entrenching partisan advantage as a defense when they are accused of diluting minority votes.
Secret Service says it shot a man near the White House who allegedly fired toward officers
The Secret Service said agents shot a man today near the White House who is alleged to have opened fire after he was confronted by authorities.
Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn told reporters that the man, described as a “suspicious individual that appeared to have a firearm,” was spotted around 3:30 p.m. ET by plainclothes officers who then alerted uniformed officers to apprehend him.
Police tape remains around the scene after a person was shot by law enforcement near the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., on Monday. Rod Lamkey / AP
The man is alleged to have run away and brandished a firearm, which Quinn said he fired in the direction of Secret Service agents who returned fire. The man was taken to a hospital. Quinn said he did not know his condition.
Quinn added that a bystander, who he said is a minor, was hit by gunfire from the gunman and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Bob Casey weighs in on the midterms and whether he'd run for president or seek his old Senate seat
Former Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., said in a recent interview with NBC Philadelphia that he has no plans to run for the Senate or the White House in 2028.
Casey, who lost his 2024 re-election bid to Republican Sen. Dave McCormick, was asked whether he would throw his hat in the ring for 2028.
“No, simple as that,” he said last week.
“I had 28 consecutive years in state office, statewide public office, both as auditor general, state treasurer and then senator. So I was pretty damn lucky,” Casey added.
He added that Democrats have a “great chance” of winning the House in November and said that whether Democrats win the midterms could come down to Pennsylvania.
He also pushed for the Democratic National Committee to pick his home state for its convention in 2028.
Trump says the U.S. is in a 'mini-war' with Iran
Trump called the conflict in Iran a “war” during remarks at a small-business event at the White House.
“They did a poll on the war with Iran, and they said only 32% of the people like it,” Trump said, without specifying who conducted the poll. “Well, I don’t like it, I don’t like war at all.”
“We’re in I call it a mini-war,” Trump added a few moments later.
Trump has previously said he has been advised to not call it a war. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said last week that the U.S. is “not at war.”
The U.S. and Israel initiated strikes against in Iran on Feb. 28. The Trump administration last week sought to sidestep congressional approval by arguing that the temporary ceasefire between Tehran and Washington means the “hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated” and that therefore approval from Congress is not needed. Numerous legal experts have disputed that interpretation of a decades-old statute that requires congressional approval after military conflicts hit the 60-day mark.
Secret Service involved in shooting near Washington Monument
The Secret Service said there was a shooting this afternoon involving uniformed Secret Service police.
It happened around the time that members of the media were evacuated from the White House North Lawn.
Police respond after a person was shot by law enforcement near the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., on Monday. Rod Lamkey / AP
“U.S. Secret Service personnel are on the scene of an officer-involved shooting at 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C. One individual was shot by law enforcement; their condition is currently unknown," the Secret Service said on X. "Please avoid the area as emergency crews are responding.”
The person who was shot was taken to a hospital, the Secret Service said, and a weapon was recovered at the scene. It was not immediately clear whether the incident was tied to the White House. It did not take place on White House grounds.
Trump's event at the White House continued uninterrupted during the incident.
Trump says he feels ‘sorry’ for federal workers whose positions he eliminated but claims they have better jobs now
Trump said he feels bad for the federal workers whose jobs he cut, but he insisted he ultimately helped them, arguing they have better jobs now.
“We cut tremendous numbers of governmental jobs, and I feel sorry for everyone,” Trump said during a small-business event at the White House.
He added that "now they like me because they went out, they got private-sector jobs that they like better and are paying them sometimes two or three times more money.”
Trump slashed more than 300,000 government jobs through the now-disbanded Department of Government Efficiency. NBC News reported last month that federal workers are struggling to find work after they were laid off in connection with DOGE.
White House North Lawn evacuated
At roughly 3:41 p.m. ET, journalists on the White House North Lawn were evacuated. Secret Service officers ran out with long guns drawn and urged members of the media to run inside the White House briefing room.
Just five minutes later, Trump walked into the East Room of the White House to start his event for a small-business summit. People in the East Room appeared unaware of the situation outside.
The media was allowed back outside roughly seven minutes after the initial evacuation.
Lawsuit challenges Florida Republicans' new congressional map
Plaintiffs represented by prominent Democratic election lawyers sued in Florida today challenging the state's newly enacted congressional map.
Equal Ground Education Fund and a group of voters represented by Elias Law Group challenged the map in state court in Tallahassee, arguing that it violates the Fair Districts amendment on partisan map-drawing in the Florida Constitution.
That provision, which voters approved in 2010, was expected to be at the center of legal arguments against Gov. Ron DeSantis' new map, which creates four new GOP-leaning seats. The DeSantis administration has signaled it planned to use the redistricting fight to force reconsideration of the Fair Districts amendment in the courts.
U.S. says Iran fired missiles and drones to target American ships, no vessels struck
Iran has fired cruise missiles and drones and launched small boats to target U.S.-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the commander of U.S. Central Command. But no vessels have been hit, and no one was injured.
The U.S. used attack helicopters to blow up the small boats and intercepted the drones, according to Adm. Brad Cooper. He said in a call today that U.S. Navy ships were protecting U.S. commercial vessels transiting the strait. It was a part of Trump's new mission to guide stranded vessels through the critical waterway.
Judge warns Trump administration not to close D.C. golf course without alerting preservation group
A federal judge told the parties in a lawsuit over the potential closure and renovation of Washington, D.C.’s popular East Potomac Golf Links course that she doesn’t want to be the “overseer of parks and rec.”
“I am no Amy Poehler,” U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said, referring to the comedic actor who plays the lead role in the popular NBC sitcom.
The D.C. Preservation League filed an emergency motion overnight to try to prevent what it thought was an imminent closure of the popular public course for renovations to create “Washington National,” a championship-level golf course.
While Kevin Griess, the superintendent of the National Mall and memorial parks at the National Park Service, made it clear at the hearing that an effort to clean up the course and do maintenance on the facility is underway, the Trump administration also gave Reyes assurances that the course is not closed and is not expected to be closed imminently. A review by NBC News indicated plenty of tee times available all day.
“I don’t want to be in a situation where bulldozers are bulldozing trees and nobody has come to me first,” Reyes told the parties.
She agreed that disposing of dead and dying trees is an important part of the regular maintenance of the course but said the administration shouldn’t move to wipe out every tree across the course.
“If the plan is to cut down tens of trees, let’s get together,” she said.
If actions are taken on the course that lead to its closure without the D.C. Preservation League’s being alerted, “there are going to be serious consequences,” Reyes said.
She appeared to allude to Trump's razing of the East Wing of the White House to make room for a new, 90,000-square-foot ballroom without first having asked for permission from Congress or approval from the planning commissions with authority over such renovations. The administration has claimed it needs approval only for new construction, not demolition. Litigation over the ballroom plans is proceeding through the courts.
“I think you can understand why I, given some issues around the district recently, I would have a particular concern that we not ask first and ask forgiveness later,” Reyes said. “’Cause that’s not going to be acceptable.”
DeSantis says he has signed Florida's new congressional map
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced in a post on X that he signed Florida's new congressional map, making it the latest state to adopt redrawn districts ahead of the midterm elections.
"Signed, Sealed, and Delivered," DeSantis said in the post, which was accompanied by a map of the new districts.
The map that state lawmakers passed last week created four additional districts that lean Republican.
The redistricting fight kicked off last year when Trump encouraged Texas Republicans to redraw their state's map to favor the GOP. Democrats responded with redistricting initiatives of their own, and a tit-for-tat redistricting battle was sparked in states across the country.
Rudy Giuliani is recovering from pneumonia and still ‘critical but stable,’ spokesman says
Rudy Giuliani was hospitalized with pneumonia and remains in critical but stable condition, his spokesperson, Ted Goodman, said today.
“Mayor Rudy Giuliani is recovering from pneumonia and is being monitored as a precautionary measure,” Goodman said in a statement, adding that the former New York City mayor had been diagnosed with restrictive airway disease in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.
That condition adds “complications to any respiratory illness” and caused Giuliani to be quickly overwhelmed by the viral lung infection, requiring “mechanical ventilation to maintain adequate oxygen and stabilize his condition,” Goodman said.
Supreme Court temporarily restores full access to abortion pill
The Supreme Court today provisionally blocked a lower court decision that would have limited availability nationwide of the abortion pill mifepristone.
In two brief orders, Justice Samuel Alito, one of the court’s conservatives, said the decision by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would remain on hold until at least May 11. Alito issued the order because he is the justice who handles emergency issues arising from that appeals court, which covers Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Legal showdown intensifies over abortion pill access
Makers of the abortion pill mifepristone have asked the Supreme Court to step in after a lower court restricted access to the drug, which had been available through the mail or telehealth. NBC News’ Melanie Zanona reports.
European leaders see Trump’s troop drawdown from Germany as new proof they must go it alone
YEREVAN, Armenia — European leaders today said Trump’s snap decision to pull thousands of U.S. troops out of Germany came as a surprise but is a fresh sign that Europe must take care of its own security.
The Pentagon announced last week that it would pull some 5,000 troops out of Germany, but Trump told reporters on Saturday that “we’re going to cut way down. And we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000.”
Who will own the Bernie Sanders lane in 2028?
The massive grassroots movement that twice rallied behind a Bernie Sanders presidential bid is facing its most consequential question yet: Who will emerge as its next leader?
With the race for the White House still two years away, fierce behind-the-scenes competition is already underway for the voters, operatives and organizational muscle that powered Sanders’ insurgent campaigns. The outcome may well determine whether the hard left can mount a serious challenge for the Democratic nomination or whether the progressive lane fractures before the race even begins.
Govs. Whitmer and DeSantis to speak at the Milken Institute today
Govs. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Mich., and Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., will speak today at the Milken Institute.
Whitmer's discussion is set to focus on the economy, and DeSantis' discussion will focus on workforce issues.
Both prominent governors have been raised at times as potential presidential contenders. DeSantis previously ran for president, and Whitmer has been floated as a potential 2028 candidate.
Acting attorney general says indictment against James Comey goes beyond seashell photo
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said yesterday that the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey goes beyond the Instagram post central to his case.
“This is not just about a single Instagram post,” Blanche told NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” “This is about a body of evidence that [prosecutors] collected over the series of about 11 months. That evidence was presented to the grand jury.”
Rudy Giuliani in ‘critical’ condition in hospital, spokesman says
Rudy Giuliani has been hospitalized and is in critical condition, according to his spokesperson, Ted Goodman.
“Mayor Rudy Giuliani is currently in the hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition. Mayor Giuliani is a fighter who has faced every challenge in his life with unwavering strength, and he’s fighting with that same level of strength as we speak,” Goodman wrote on X yesterday.
The spokesman did not specify why the former New York City mayor, who is 81, had been hospitalized, or which hospital admitted him.
Iran threatens U.S. forces in Strait of Hormuz after Trump launches mission to guide ships
Iran warned the United States today not to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz as the American military launches a new effort to “guide” stranded ships through the critical waterway.
Trump announced that starting this morning the U.S. military would help free ships that have been “locked up” and unable to transit the key trade route amid the maritime standoff between Tehran and Washington.
