New Jersey special primary too close to call; White House defends Tulsi Gabbard's presence at elections hub raid
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New Jersey is holding a special primary election today for Mikie Sherrill's former congressional seat.
Highlights from Feb. 5, 2026 ...
- N.J. PRIMARY ELECTION: Special election results are too close to call in New Jersey's 11th Congressional District, where candidates from across the ideological spectrum and various levels of politics are facing off in the Democratic primary to succeed Gov. Mikie Sherrill in Congress. Activist Analilia Mejia is narrowly ahead of former Rep. Tom Malinowski late tonight.
- TRUMP'S DISCOUNT DRUG PLATFORM: President Donald Trump tonight announced a new discount drug website, TrumpRx, as part of his broader push to lower the price of prescription medicines.
- PRAYER BREAKFAST REMARKS: Trump spoke this morning at the 74th National Prayer Breakfast, where he criticized Democrats and some of his GOP detractors. It was his sixth time speaking at the annual event, which presidents customarily attend.
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U.S. strikes another alleged drug boat, killing 2 ‘narco-terrorists’
The U.S. struck another alleged drug boat in the eastern Pacific today, killing two people, U.S. Southern Command announced on social media.
“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the post on X said. “Two narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed.”
The strike is at least the 35th since September but only the second since the U.S. captured Nicolás Maduro, then the president of Venezuela, in a military operation on Jan. 3 and brought him to the U.S. on charges that include narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy. Maduro, who is being held in a New York jail, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
FBI invites state election officials to an ‘unusual’ briefing on the midterms
Days after a tense gathering in Washington, D.C., laid bare growing acrimony between Trump’s administration and state election officials, the FBI invited those same officials to discuss “preparations” for the midterm elections.
The invitation, which was first reported by Crooked Media and confirmed to NBC News by an election official who received it, is scheduled for Feb. 25. It will include the FBI, the departments of Justice and Homeland Security, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Election Assistance Commission.
The invitation, which was sent this week, according to the election official, was signed by Kellie M. Hardiman, who identified herself as an “FBI Election Executive.” A LinkedIn page for Hardiman says she was appointed seven months ago.
The official who was invited and requested anonymity to speak candidly called it “unusual and unexpected,” adding that they planned to attend.
Democrats involved in ‘illegal orders’ video say they won’t cooperate with DOJ probe
Two Democrats who participated in a video that urged members of the military and the intelligence community not to follow illegal orders are refusing to comply with an investigation by the Justice Department.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said in a post today that she sent a letter informing Attorney General Pam Bondi and the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro, that she would not comply with the Justice Department’s inquiries or their request that she sit for an interview about the video.
Slotkin said the Trump administration is “purposely using physical and legal intimidation to get me to shut up.”
New Jersey special primary too close to call, NBC News projects
NBC News' Decision Desk says the Democratic primary in New Jersey's 11th District is too close to call, with progressive activist Analilia Mejia narrowly ahead of former Rep. Tom Malinowski.
Analilia Mejia pulls ahead in tight New Jersey primary
Former Bernie Sanders staffer and progressive activist Analilia Mejia has taken a narrow lead in New Jersey's special Democratic House primary, continuing to perform well in votes cast on Election Day. Former Rep. Tom Malinowski is close behind.
Trump wanted Dulles Airport, Penn Station named after him — in exchange for releasing federal funds
The Trump administration asked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for the Washington region’s Dulles International Airport and New York’s Penn Station to be named after Trump in exchange for releasing the federal funds required to build a long-delayed tunnel between New York and New Jersey, multiple sources told NBC News.
The administration halted funding for the $16 billion Gateway project at the start of the federal government shutdown last fall. But even though the shutdown ended in November and the full appropriations packages passed this week, the administration has yet to release the money.
Analilia Mejia closes the gap, Tom Malinowski still leads in special primary
Progressive activist Analilia Mejia has closed the gap on former Rep. Tom Malinowski in the Democratic special primary in New Jersey's 11th Congressional District, though Malinowski still holds a lead with two-thirds of the expected vote counted.
Malinowski has 32% of the vote to 26% for Mejia at the moment, with Mejia having made up some ground as Election Day votes are counted. A significant proportion of votes from Morris County, where Malinowski won the county party endorsement, still remain to be counted. But Mejia has been gaining there, as well, in small updates.
Mejia was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.; and other progressive figures and groups.
Virginia Democrats propose congressional map that could boost their party in the midterms
Virginia Democrats released a congressional map proposal this evening that could allow the party to win all but one of state’s districts in this year’s midterm elections.
Under the proposed map, former Vice President Kamala Harris would have carried 10 of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts in the 2024 election rather than six. Two of them she would have won only narrowly, but Gov. Abigail Spanberger carried them by slightly greater margins in last November’s elections, according to data provided by the Legislature.
Since Democrats control six of Virginia’s districts, the redrawn map could allow them to pick up four seats as they vie for control of the narrowly divided House.
But Virginia Democrats still face several hurdles in enacting the map for the 2026 elections. A state court blocked the redistricting effort last month, saying lawmakers did not follow the proper steps in passing a constitutional amendment to pave the way for it. The state Supreme Court is now set to hear the appeal.
Malinowski leads New Jersey Democratic primary in early returns
There's still plenty of votes left to count in New Jersey's 11th District Democratic primary. Former Rep. Tom Malinowski has an early lead, 32%-22%, over activist Analilia Mejia, with Essex County Commission member Brendan Gill narrowly behind at 21%.
The votes counted so far are early and mail ballots from Essex and Passaic counties — nothing has come in yet from Morris County, where the local Democratic Party endorsed Malinowski.
‘An impossibility’: Negotiations to reform ICE sputter as shutdown looms for DHS
Congress is struggling to make progress in negotiations to avoid a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security next week, leaving the two parties squabbling as the House and the Senate left town for a long weekend.
DHS funding expires Feb. 13, and the talks are stuck in neutral.
Democrats insisted on a short leash for the department in the recent government funding package as they make demands to rein in ICE and U.S. Border Patrol after federal agents killed two American citizens in Minneapolis.
Trump administration takes big step toward making it easier to fire 50,000 federal workers
The Trump administration today moved to eliminate job protections for up to 50,000 government employees.
The Office of Personnel Management issued a final rule allowing the administration to expand a designation for high-ranking employees whose work focuses on implementing the president’s policies. They would no longer be subject to long-standing rules for firing federal employees.
The move would recategorize career employees, who for decades have enjoyed strong job protections, such as the ability to appeal firings to an independent board. Under their new status, they would be stripped of those rights and treated similarly to political appointees, who can more easily be dismissed.
Polls close in New Jersey special primary
Polls are closing in New Jersey's 11th Congressional District, where Democrats are competing for their party's nomination to succeed Gov. Mikie Sherrill in Congress. Sherrill resigned late last year after she won the governorship.
Maryland man faces attempted murder charges after allegedly showing up at OMB Director Russell Vought’s home last year
A Maryland man is charged with attempted murder after he was alleged to have shown up at the home of Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, in northern Virginia.
Colin Demarco, 26, whom Arlington County police arrested Jan. 22, is charged with attempted murder and carrying a firearm without a permit, along with the unlawful wearing of a mask
Demarco is accused of plotting to murder Vought, a source told NBC News. He claimed to be writing a manifesto and had notes that talked about weapons and a “body disposal guide,” deputies with the U.S. Marshals Service found. According to the complaint, Demarco told agents that the November 2024 election was the lowest point of his life.
Asked for comment or confirmation that Vought was the alleged target, a spokesperson for OMB said in an email, “We are grateful for the work of law enforcement in keeping Director Vought and his family safe.”
Senate leaves for the week with no progress on DHS funding bill
Senators left for the week no closer to an agreement to overhaul Immigration and Customs Enforcement and seemingly incapable of communicating with one another to avoid Department of Homeland Security funding from lapsing when it’s set to expire at the end of the day on Feb. 13.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., had designated Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to run point on negotiations for Republicans, but Britt told reporters, "They’re not talking to anybody."
Thune said, "Senator Britt made repeated efforts yesterday to engage with the Democrats, and so far, like I said, it’s been crickets on their side."
Asked whether Democrats have reached out to Republicans to discuss the path forward, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said, “Ask the Republicans."
"The Republicans don’t have their act together," he said. "No. 1, it’s on them. And second, our appropriations committees are talking.”
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told reporters, “I mean, obviously we’re having trouble figuring out the path forward.”
The consensus appears to be that Trump needs to get involved, particularly since DHS funding is set to expire in eight days.
"With a week gone by, it looks like that it needs to go ahead and head to the White House now," Britt said.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said: “I am very grateful to the president for his engagement and in making sure that we were able to complete our work with those appropriations bills. I think he needs to demonstrate that same level of commitment to the cause here, he and his team, and I think that that’s going to help us get this resolved.”
Murphy said: "This does seem to be a negotiation that’s better at the leadership level. I think it’s a little strange that Thune does not want to negotiate. He’s probably right that the White House needs to be involved."
Senators' responses have resembled the Spider-Man meme in which everyone is pointing at someone else trying to figure out who’s responsibility it is to act next.
"We made more overtures, just like, hey, can we sit down? Then we all saw what happened last night with the three expanding to 10 demands," Britt said. "And so it just seems like, if you actually want an outcome here, that you would begin dialog with Republicans."
But even Schumer can't agree that Democrats are now asking for 10 things (as they did last night) instead of the three things they originally requested.
“We had three basic objectives, and from the beginning we listed three or four things to accomplish those objectives. In each one, we have not expanded it,” Schumer said.
"Nothing will get done until we know what the Republicans are for, OK?" he said. "They have to get their act together."
Florida voters file petition against DeSantis over redistricting efforts
Two Florida voters have sued Gov. Ron DeSantis over his proclamation calling for a special session of the Legislature about congressional redistricting to begin in April.
The petition, filed in state Supreme Court, names DeSantis and state Secretary of State Cord Byrd as respondents. NBC News has reached out to DeSantis and Byrd for comment.
It argues that the proclamation — and Byrd’s following directive to move candidate filing deadlines for the 2026 election cycle — violate the separation of powers outlined in the state's constitution.
“The Governor’s and Secretary’s unilateral attempt to bind the Legislature into undergoing legally unnecessary redistricting violates Florida’s separation of powers,” the petition reads.
The voters asked the court to issue an order that the proclamation and directive are “not binding and enforceable unless and until the Legislature passes a reapportionment plan.”
They are supported by the National Redistricting Foundation, an organization that works to "advance fair electoral maps" and ensure state legislatures adhere to "essential state and federal protections."
“In order to protect the rights of Florida voters, the court must strike down this woeful and blatant disregard for the state’s constitutional guardrails," NRF Executive Director Marina Jenkins said in a statement. "This is a straightforward case, and we are confident that justice will prevail.”
The Supreme Court allowed California yesterday to use a new congressional map that voters approved. Six states enacted new congressional maps last year.
Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist denies speaking to Jeffrey Epstein about a pardon
Jeffrey Epstein sought a pardon in 2010 from Charlie Crist, who was then finishing out his time as governor of Florida, according to Justice Department documents. The new files threaten to complicate things for Crist, who is considering a return to public office with a campaign for mayor of St. Petersburg.
Epstein had just completed a 13-month sentence after he pleaded guilty to a state charge in connection with sexual misconduct toward a minor.
In an undated transcript in the millions of files released last week, Epstein said he spoke with Crist about a pardon. Additional emails in the files, also from 2010, show the lengths Epstein went to to lobby Crist for a pardon, efforts that included using Bill Richardson, who was then governor of New Mexico, to get his request to Crist. Richardson died in 2023.
Crist told NBC News today: “I never talked to him. Why would I?”
DNI's office examined Puerto Rican voting machines last year
The National Intelligence Director's Office says it obtained and examined electronic voting machines in Puerto Rico last year to look for possible security vulnerabilities.
Voters fill out their ballots at a polling place in San Juan, P.R., on Election Day in 2024. Jaydee Lee Serrano / AFP via Getty Images
Authorities in Puerto Rico voluntarily handed the equipment over to the ODNI, which wanted to evaluate the risk to the machinery given that “similar infrastructure is used throughout the United States,” an ODNI spokesperson said in an email.
Trump has called to “nationalize” future elections and have the federal government “get involved” in some states where he says there is a risk of fraud.
Reuters first reported on the ODNI’s action in Puerto Rico.
National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard says Trump instructed her to be present last week at an FBI search of an election center in Fulton County, Georgia, where agents seized ballots from the 2020 election.
Trump, who lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden, has falsely claimed the election was “rigged” against him and has said investigations will verify his claims.
Under the Constitution, state governments oversee elections, and in the past, federal agencies have offered advice to state officials about how best to secure voting machines.
Democrats in Congress have accused Trump of planning to use the federal government to interfere with vote counting in key states in the midterm elections in the fall.
Gabbard’s office sought to test the voting equipment in Puerto Rico because of “publicly reported claims relating to elections in Puerto Rico alleging discrepancies and systemic anomalies in their electronic voting systems,” the ODNI spokesperson said.
The ODNI did not specify what possible anomalies had previously been found in Puerto Rico.
Local election officials and the governor’s office in Puerto Rico did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In its examination of the voting systems, the ODNI “found extremely concerning cyber security and operational deployment practices that pose a significant risk to U.S. elections,” the spokesperson said.
The ODNI identified cybersecurity problems, including using cellular modems that connected to networks outside the U.S., the spokesperson said.
Some of the vulnerabilities have been highlighted more broadly by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and by security experts, including how voting machines can be attacked through insecure hardware, exposed ports, weak protections or unauthorized code, the spokesperson said.
White House press secretary reiterates Trump has 'many options at his disposal' to deal with Iran ahead of talks
Leavitt was asked at the briefing what's on the agenda for talks with the Iranians tomorrow in Oman.
"The president has obviously been quite clear in his demands of the Iranian regime," she said. "Zero nuclear capability is something he's been very explicit about, and he wants to see if a deal can be struck. And while these negotiations are taking place, I would remind the Iranian regime that the president has many options at his disposal aside from diplomacy."
White House says Gabbard was at Fulton County election hub raid to make sure elections 'are free of foreign interference'
Asked why National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard was at an FBI raid of an election facility in Georgia last week, Leavitt said it was part of her role.
National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard outside the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center in Union City, Ga., on Jan. 28. Elijah Nouvelage / Reuters
"Election security is essential to national security, and as the director of national intelligence, it is a part of Ms. Gabbard's role to make sure that American elections are free of foreign interference and that American elections are safe and secure," Leavitt told reporters at the White House.
Gabbard "is working with the FBI on this effort, and the president wholeheartedly supports both [FBI Director] Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard in ensuring that American elections are safe, are secure and are free of foreign intervention," Leavitt added.
Later in the briefing, she added that "it is more than appropriate" for Gabbard to attend FBI raids of election facilities.
"In fact, it is Tulsi Gabbard's job to ensure that our elections are safe and secure, and that's exactly what she's been doing on the ground in Georgia," she said.
White House press secretary warns Cuba should be 'wise' in its statements directed at Trump
Leavitt was asked at the briefing how she would respond to Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel's saying he's willing to engage with the U.S. but without pressure and without preconditions.
"I think the fact that the Cuban government is on its last leg and its country is about to collapse, they should be wise in their statements directed towards the president of the United States," she said.
"But as I just reiterated, the president is always willing to engage in diplomacy, and I believe that's something that is taking place, in fact, with the Cuban government," she added.
Sen. Slotkin says she won't comply with Justice Department inquiry into video she filmed last year
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., announced that she sent a letter informing Attorney General Pam Bondi and the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro, that she will not comply with the Justice Department's inquiry into the 90-second video she made with other members of Congress encouraging military members to refuse illegal orders.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich. Emily Elconin / Bloomberg via Getty Images file
In a video attached to her post on X, Slotkin said she urged Bondi and Pirro “to retain their records on this case, in case I decide to sue for infringement of my constitutional rights.”
She added, "The intimidation is the point," pointing to Trump's repeated attacks on her and others who appeared in the video.
"I'm not going to go along with that," Slotkin added. "That's why I've asked Pirro and Bondi to retain all records on this case, in line with the law. Because the Supreme Court may have given the president near immunity on most matters, but they've given no such immunity to those doing his bidding."
Republicans clash over the Senate filibuster and Trump-backed voter ID bill
Republicans are on the brink of an internal clash over the SAVE Act, a high priority for Trump that would overhaul election laws nationwide and require proof of citizenship to vote.
The legislation has passed the House but faces a 60-vote threshold in the Senate, which the 53-seat Republican majority has no hope of achieving because of fierce Democratic opposition.
So some Republicans are pushing Senate leadership to find a way to sidestep the filibuster. They recognize they don’t have the votes to abolish it, despite Trump’s wishes. But they believe they have another path: using existing rules to force Senate Democrats to engage in a “talking filibuster” on the floor, tire them out until they submit and proceed to a vote on the bill at a simple-majority threshold.
Local officials push back on Trump’s threats to ‘nationalize’ elections in targeted cities
Officials in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Detroit this week vowed to defend local control of elections after Trump floated the idea that Republicans should “nationalize” elections.
“The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over. We should take over the voting in at least — many, 15 places.’ The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting,” the president said in a podcast appearance on Monday, raising alarm and prompting pushback from officials across the country.
According to Article 1 of the Constitution, “the times, places, and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof,” though the federal government can pass broad regulations for states to follow.
In Fulton County, Georgia, local officials were particularly incensed, as the president’s comments came just days after the FBI searched a Fulton County election hub, seeking records related to the 2020 presidential election. Trump has falsely claimed for years that the 2020 election in Georgia was “stolen” from him, despite the fact that former President Joe Biden won.
Trump administration to withdraw 700 federal immigration agents from Minnesota
Border czar Tom Homan announced that the Trump administration will withdraw 700 federal immigration agents from Minnesota, weeks after agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis, sparking protests across the country. Trump told NBC News’ Tom Llamas in an exclusive interview that he learned his administration could use a “softer touch” on its immigration operation.
Trump endorses Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of weekend election
Trump announced his support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi this afternoon on Truth Social, days before Japan's general elections Sunday.
Takaichi, who has been prime minister since October, is the first woman to hold the position. She dissolved the lower house of Parliament last month and called for an election to be held in February to try to capitalize on her popularity and make up for her party's previous losses, The Associated Press reported.
In his post, Trump called Takaichi a "strong, powerful, and wise" leader who "deserves powerful recognition for the job she and her Coalition are doing." He also said he is looking forward to meeting with Takaichi at the White House in March.
Ukraine’s president says 55,000 troops killed so far as negotiators talk peace
More than 50,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed fighting Russian troops, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, acknowledging the conflict’s devastating toll as negotiators gathered in Abu Dhabi for a second day of peace talks.
Artillerymen fire toward Russian positions in the Pokrovsk District of Donetsk Oblast in Ukraine on Jan. 1. Marharyta Fal / Frontliner via Getty Images
In addition to 55,000 troops who have died in the four-year-old war, a “large number of people” are considered officially missing, Zelenskyy told France 2 TV yesterday. In February 2025, he said more than 46,000 Ukrainian servicemen had been killed on the battlefield.
Russia and Ukraine usually don’t regularly report the numbers of their war dead, wounded or missing. A recent analysis revealed a staggering battlefield toll since 2022: nearly 500,000 dead and 1.5 million wounded or missing on both sides. The report by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank put the number of Russian soldiers killed at 325,000, with up to 140,000 on the Ukrainian side.
Russian, Ukrainian and American negotiating teams concluded a second day of talks in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, today. Yesterday, Ukraine’s top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, said the talks have been “substantive and productive.”
Trump to launch discount drug platform this evening: What to know
Americans will soon be able buy some prescription drugs at discounted cash prices through TrumpRx, a new self-pay website launching today as part of Trump’s broader push to lower drug prices.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X that the president will unveil the new website this evening. The site will not sell drugs directly, but is expected to point buyers to drugmakers’ own direct-to-consumer sites.
The administration has promoted the platform as a way to cut costs for patients — but experts say the biggest savings are likely to be limited to people who are uninsured or paying entirely out of pocket.
Vance’s TikTok fixer to depart Trump administration for the private sector
The top lawyer in Vice President JD Vance’s office is departing for the private sector after a year when he was a key player in the White House deal to save TikTok and other initiatives.
Sean Cooksey will leave his post as counsel to the vice president to join BGR Group, a lobbying and public affairs firm, a person familiar with the move told NBC News.
Cooksey, a longtime GOP lawyer and former Federal Election Commission chair, was an original hire for Vance’s office and had planned to stay in the job for only about a year. He also has held senior roles with Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Josh Hawley, R-Mo.
Cooksey was Vance’s behind-the-scenes point person after Trump put Vance in charge of finding an agreement to keep TikTok online in the U.S. Cooksey’s efforts helped land a deal that placed the popular short-form video platform under the control of a joint venture backed by American investors and aimed at ending years of scrutiny over TikTok’s Chinese ownership.
Senate Republicans block Schumer from passing bill to direct lawsuit against DOJ over Epstein files
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tried to unanimously pass legislation to direct the Senate to file suit against the Justice Department for failing to comply with the requirements of the Epstein Files Transparency Act and force a release of the files, an attempt that Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., blocked.
On the Senate floor, Schumer referred to the hundreds of pages released by DOJ that are blacked out and redacted.
"This is not transparency. This is not what the law requires. This is a mockery of the truth and an insult to the survivors. What makes this all the more sickening is that in over 1,000 instances, the Justice Department failed to follow the law and leaked the identities of over 100 victims," Schumer said.
He continued: "Enough is enough. Congress spoke with one voice when it passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The deadline has long passed, and the Trump Justice Department is still breaking the law. Senate Democrats are exhausting every possible avenue to force the administration to do what it’s already legally required to do."
It was largely expected to be blocked. "This is another reckless political stunt designed to distract Americans from Democrats' dangerous plan to shut down the Department of Homeland Security," Barrasso said.
Reached for comment about Schumer's remarks, a DOJ official said, “This is a tired narrative. Just because you wish something to be true, doesn’t mean it is. This Department produced more than 3.5 million pages in compliance with the law and, in full transparency, has disclosed to the public and to Congress what items were not responsive. I assume all members of Congress read the actual language before voting on it, but if not, our press release and letter to Congress clearly spells this out.”
Democratic governors slam Trump's call to 'nationalize' elections as 'undemocratic'
The nation's 24 Democratic governors today issued a statement opposing Trump's call earlier this week to "nationalize" elections, with the governors saying the president's remarks are an "undemocratic attempt to silence the American people."
“Voting in free and fair elections is the foundation of our democracy. All Americans deserve to have their voices heard as they exercise their right to vote, without interference from the federal government," the governors said in the statement, shared first with NBC News.
“President Trump’s threats to remove the ability of states to run their own elections is an undemocratic attempt to silence the American people who are rejecting his costly and divisive agenda," they added. "While Trump whines about losing a free and fair election, he’s now openly talking about rigging one in the future. Democratic governors won’t let that happen.”
On Monday, during an appearance on former Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino’s podcast, the president said, “The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over. We should take over the voting in at least — many, 15 places.’ The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting."
The comments sparked pushback even from some of Trump's closest allies, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Tuesday saying he was "not in favor" of federalizing elections, a move that would run afoul of Article I of the U.S. Constitution.
On Wednesday, in an interview with NBC News, the president walked back his comments, saying, "I didn’t say ‘national,’ I said there are some areas in our country that are extremely corrupt," pointing to Atlanta, Philadelphia and Detroit.
Trump has often derided Georgia, Pennsylvania and Michigan in his ongoing false claims that the 2020 presidential election, which former President Joe Biden won, was "stolen" from him. Biden carried all three of those states and several other swing states in 2020. Last month, the FBI raided an elections hub in Georgia to gather records from the 2020 election.
Thursday's statement was signed by Govs. Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Tony Evers of Wisconsin, Bob Ferguson of Washington, Josh Green of Hawaii, Maura Healey of Massachusetts, Katie Hobbs of Arizona, Kathy Hochul of New York, Laura Kelly of Kansas, Tina Kotek of Oregon, Ned Lamont of Connecticut, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Dan McKee of Rhode Island, Matt Meyer of Delaware, Janet Mills of Maine, Wes Moore of Maryland, Gavin Newsom of California, Jared Polis of Colorado, JB Pritzker of Illinois, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, Josh Stein of North Carolina, and Tim Walz of Minnesota.
Latest Epstein files release rattles Silicon Valley
The latest release of Jeffrey Epstein files from the Justice Department indicates that the late sex offender maintained wider and deeper connections in the tech industry than was previously known. The revelations are now causing fractures in the usually clubby world of Silicon Valley.
Emails and other documents show that Epstein was in contact with at least 20 prominent tech executives, investors and researchers, including some current CEOs, according to an NBC News review of a portion of the documents. In emails, they discussed a wide array of subjects, such as startup investments, the prospects of bitcoin, social gatherings, helicopter rentals and, in one case, negotiations over a corporate exit package.
Two tech billionaires, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, have been locked in a social media struggle for days since the documents were released, trading public insults on X as they have accused each other of having exercised poor judgment in connection with Epstein. Both men were already known associates of Epstein, and the documents released Friday included further details about their connections. Authorities have not accused either of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
Former Rep. Lee Hamilton of Indiana, congressional overseer of U.S. foreign affairs, has died
Former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton, a crewcut-wearing Indiana Democrat from southern Indiana who was a leading foreign affairs voice during three decades in Congress and helped oversee investigations of the Sept. 11 attacks, died Tuesday. He was 94.
Hamilton, a moderate lawmaker respected by Democrats and Republicans alike who also led a congressional probe of the Reagan administration’s Iran-Contra affair, died Tuesday peacefully in his Bloomington, Indiana, home, said his son Doug Hamilton, who did not cite a cause.
The elder Hamilton was at the forefront of congressional opposition to the 1991 Persian Gulf War waged by President George H.W. Bush and advocated continued economic sanctions against Iraq before military action over its invasion of Kuwait.
He decided against seeking reelection in 1998 and said after leaving Congress that he believed the U.S. needed to be regarded around the world as more than a leader of military coalitions.
“The United States must be — and must be seen as — an optimistic and benign power,” Hamilton said in 2003. “We must speak and act as a source of optimism, a beacon of freedom, a benign power forging a consensus approach toward a world of peace and growth and freedom. And American power must be accompanied by American generosity.”
Democratic congressman prays Trump be granted greater capacity 'to do what is right'
Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill., offered a prayer this morning at the National Prayer Breakfast after Trump’s speech. In his prayer, Jackson implored that Trump be given "greater clarity, grater courage and greater capacity to do what is right.”
As the president stood behind Jackson with his head bowed, the congressman noted the pain felt by the families of the U.S. citizens killed in the Trump administration's surge of immigration enforcement agents in Minnesota.
"We pray that he would be mindful of the poor, and that he would be invested in the elevation, the alleviation of suffering happening on farms in the Midwest, in the families preparing to bury their loved ones in Minneapolis," Jackson said. "Remind him that we are all Americans, all made in the image of God, and that none of us are free unless all of us have our freedoms protected."
"Many people aren note lazy, many people are simply tired," Jackson continued. "Many people are simply not ok."
When Jackson concluded, Trump thanked him for his prayer.
Trump finishes speech at National Prayer Breakfast
Trump finished his remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast after speaking for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Trump denies using the Justice Department for getting even with political enemies
Trump denied that he uses the Justice Department to "get even."
"I don't, but wouldn't I have a right to?" Trump said.
He also criticized being asked about whether he's used the Justice Department for personal gain. He added, "We don't do that, Pam, do we? We do what's right," referring to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The Justice Department has brought multiple cases against Trump's political opponents, though some of the cases have been thrown out.
Trump falsely claims that he got rid of the Johnson Amendment
Trump falsely claimed in his remarks that he got rid of the Johnson Amendment, a tax code provision from 1954 that bans all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations — including churches — from formally endorsing or opposing political candidates.
"People like me and people, like a lot of people, they want to hear from ministers, they want to hear from priests, they want to hear from them. And you were restricted from talking about very important things like who to elect if you said that you were gone, you couldn’t do it, even if you said it in a very nice way, because they were going to be better for the church," Trump said.
Trump said he worked hard to get rid of it and said the administration will "make that permanent pretty soon, I think, Mike," he said to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
"We worked hard at getting rid of the Johnson Amendment. It’s gone as far as you can say anything you want. Now, if you do say something bad about Trump, I will change my mind, and I will have, I will have your tax exempt status immediately revoked," he joked.
The president has only limited it. The IRS said last year that churches can endorse political candidates without fearing they would lose their tax-exempt status.
Trump praises lower crime in D.C., National Guard troops
In his remarks, Trump highlighted his efforts to lower the crime rate in Washington, D.C., arguing that the National Guard troop presence led to the city being safer.
"I think to me, it looks much more beautiful," Trump said. "You walk down the street, you have three guys that are 6-foot-6 and angry-looking people, but they actually are very nice. They're angry when they see criminals."
National Guard troops have been in the city for months, and a new Democrat-led report found that their deployment has cost more than $330 million in taxpayer dollars, but said it has not delivered measurable results.
Trump thanks El Salvador's president for cooperating on deportations
Trump thanked El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, during his remarks for cooperating with U.S. deportations to his country.
"We’re also delighted to welcome visiting leaders and dignitaries for more than 110 countries. They’re here, including one of my favorite people, President Bukele of El Salvador. He has been so incredible. He has been such a great ally of this country. Thank you very much."
"Some of you have seen, he operates rather large prisons," he said. "They do a very humane job, but they’re very strong prisons, and we present a lot of the people that we capture — the murderers, the drug dealers, the people that came into our country illegally and have already committed massive crimes."
"We had 11,888 murders, and many of them are in your prisons right now," he continued.
Trump says Tulsi Gabbard was at FBI's search of election center because of Pam Bondi's 'insistence'
Trump said it was Attorney General Pam Bondi who wanted Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, to show up at the FBI's search of a Fulton County, Georgia, election center last week.
"She took a lot of heat two days ago because she went in, at Pam's insistence, she went in, and she looked at votes that want to be checked out from Georgia," Trump said. "They say, 'Why is she doing it?' Right, Pam? 'Why is she doing it?' Because Pam wanted her to do it. And you know why? Because she's smart."
Gabbard told Democratic lawmakers this week that she was at the center as part of her role as the country’s top intelligence official, adding that she would share her intelligence assessments with Congress once those were complete.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, meanwhile, said that Gabbard “doesn’t work for the Department of Justice or the FBI” and that she was “not part of this investigation.”
The FBI searched the Georgia elections hub and seized records from the 2020 presidential election. Fulton County officials are suing the Trump administration to have the records returned.
Trump falsely claims he won the popular vote
In his prayer breakfast remarks, Trump appeared once again to falsely suggest he won the popular vote in his first presidential election.
"We won the popular vote by a lot," Trump baselessly said.
Trump won the Electoral College in 2016, winning him the presidency. However, he lost the popular vote to then-candidate Hillary Clinton.
Clinton secured more than 62.5 million votes, while Trump secured more than 61.2 million votes.
Later in the speech he falsely referred to the 2020 election as being "rigged," a claim that has been repeatedly debunked.
Trump again defends Kristi Noem's leadership as DHS secretary
Trump again defended Kristi Noem's job leading the Department of Homeland Security despite the recent fatal killings by federal agents in Minnesota.
"Yesterday, I did the Super Bowl interview," he said, referring to Tom Llamas' interview with Trump for "NBC Nightly News." "'Sir, are you going to relieve Kristi Noem of her duties?' No," he said.
"I said, 'What would I do?' We have the strongest border in the history of our country," he added.
Trump calls GOP Rep. Thomas Massie 'Rand Paul Jr.'
Trump also started off by mocking Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., in his National Prayer Breakfast remarks.
"We have one guy is an automatic 'no,' no matter what," Trump said. "We just did the greatest tax cuts in history. He voted against."
Trump named Massie and said, "There’s something wrong with him. We call him Rand Paul Jr."
Massie and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., have opposed a number of Trump's policies and GOP agenda items. Massie also co-authored the bill that required the Justice Department to release all of its Jeffrey Epstein-related records, which Trump signed in November.
Trump criticizes Democrats at the National Prayer Breakfast
Trump hit out at Democrats shortly after starting his National Prayer Breakfast remarks, saying, "I don't know how a person of faith can vote for a Democrat. I really don't."
Lawmakers from both parties attend the annual faith-based breakfast. The program's honorary co-chairs are a Democratic senator and and a Republican senator.
Trump says he thinks he 'probably should make it' into heaven
At the top of his remarks, Trump referred to his jokes about not getting into heaven, criticizing journalists who he said covered those remarks seriously.
"I was just having fun," Trump said.
"I really think I probably should make it" into heaven, he said. "I mean, I'm not a perfect candidate, but I did a hell of a lot of good for perfect people, that's for sure."
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele touts crime efforts in National Prayer Breakfast remarks
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele gave remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, where he touted lower crime rates in his country and argued that it was a reflection of winning a spiritual war in his country.
"We won the spiritual war first, and that reflected in our physical world," Bukele said.
Bukele is a controversial figure in Washington where, months ago, he initially rejected Democrats' push for Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be returned to the U.S.
The breakfast typically brings together top lawmakers and power brokers in D.C. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is among those seated on stage.
Viral dispute over ‘mediocre’ comment exposes racial divides in Democrats’ Texas Senate primary
The controversy over Texas state Rep. James Talarico’s alleged comment about one of his former Democratic opponents has exposed some of the racial divides unfolding in the party’s Senate primary, with just a few weeks until voters pick a nominee.
A TikTok influencer went viral this week with an allegation that Talarico described former Rep. Colin Allred as a “mediocre Black man,” which Talarico said was a “mischaracterization” as Allred slammed the comment as disqualifying.
“Go vote for Jasmine Crockett,” Allred said in a video response, endorsing Talarico’s opponent in the Democratic primary. “This man should not be our nominee for United States Senate.”
Allred had been running for the Democratic Senate nomination against Talarico, but he switched to a House campaign after Crockett jumped into the race. He told NBC News yesterday that he was moved to speak out in part because Black voters are so crucial to the state. And he suggested Talarico would not be able to win their support.
Trump to deliver speech at the National Prayer Breakfast
Trump will deliver remarks this morning at the 74th National Prayer Breakfast, an annual event attended by every president since Dwight D. Eisenhauer.
It will be his sixth time speaking at the program. The annual bipartisan event dates back decades, and it is customary for presidents to attend.
This year's honorary co-chairs are Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan.
Kamala Harris rebrands Kamala HQ accounts as online organizing platform
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is relaunching her Kamala HQ social media accounts in an attempt to reach out to young voters.
Harris' team is partnering with the progressive advocacy group People For the American Way to rebrand the accounts as Headquarters, according to a news release, with plans to expand to other platforms such as YouTube and Substack.
"This combination of these large social media accounts and an organization that has for decades been at the nexus of culture and politics will help power the progressive movement for another generation," the release said.
Harris is also taking on an honorary role with the advocacy group as chair emerita of Headquarters, the release said. Her senior adviser, Kirsten Allen, will also join the group's board of directors.
Democrats criticize cost of National Guard deployment in D.C. and its results in new report
The Trump administration‘s deployment of the National Guard to the nation’s capital has cost taxpayers more than $330 million and delivered little in the way of measurable results, according to a new report from Democrats on the Republican-led Senate Homeland Security Committee.
Sens. Gary Peters of Michigan and Andy Kim of New Jersey released the report today as the National Guard’s presence in Washington could continue through the rest of 2026. The senators said the deployment is on track to exceed $600 million at the one-year mark, in August.
“What’s interesting is that, despite that significant investment of taxpayer dollars now six months into the mission, the National Guard has been unable to identify any specific measurable public safety outcomes directly attributable to their presence,” Peters, the top Democrat on the panel, told reporters on a media call.
The 14-page report characterizes the National Guard’s presence as having a vague crime-fighting directive with an “unrealistic or unachievable outcome that would leave them in D.C. indefinitely.” It says a top National Guard commander told staff members that their mission is to help drive down metrics such as violent crimes and drug overdoses so that they’re nonexistent.
Fears grow of new nuclear arms race as key U.S.-Russia treaty expires
The last major nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia expires today, ushering in an era without constraints set by the world’s largest nuclear powers.
Without the New START treaty, which caps the number of deployed nuclear warheads at 1,550 on each side, there will be no limits on the U.S. and Russian arsenals. Not only are there no discussions between Washington and Moscow on what comes next, but also officials from both countries are left guessing about the other side’s capabilities and intentions, increasing the possibility of misunderstandings and an unrestricted nuclear arms race not seen since the 1960s, experts and officials warn.
“For the first time in more than half a century, we face a world without any binding limits on the strategic nuclear arsenals” of Russia and the U.S., United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement, calling it a “grave moment” for international peace and security.
Hard-fought New Jersey election kicks off a year of Democratic debate over the party’s future
The race to fill a vacant, safely blue House seat in New Jersey has set off an expensive competition between different interest groups, political figures and cash-flush super PACs to shape the future of the Democratic Party this year — one district at a time.
The Democratic primary to succeed Gov. Mikie Sherrill in Congress has attracted 11 candidates from across the ideological spectrum and various levels of politics, including an ex-lieutenant governor, a former congressman, a grassroots activist and a handful of local politicians.
It has also seen nearly $6 million of spending from outside groups and numerous endorsements from prominent figures with an interest in who will next represent this slice of North Jersey. The primary winner could potentially represent this district, which Kamala Harris carried by 9 points in 2024, for as long as they want, giving power to one faction or another of the Democratic caucus in the House. The winner could eventually run for higher office in the future, too, like Sherrill.
Elizabeth Warren endorses Juliana Stratton in Illinois' Democratic Senate primary
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is putting her progressive star power behind Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, endorsing her in the competitive Democratic primary to succeed retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Warren’s endorsement ahead of the March 17 primary was shared first with NBC News.
It comes as the race ramps up and early voting begins today, with ads proliferating across TV and candidates trading jabs at debates.
In choosing Stratton, Warren passed over a fellow congressional Democrat: well-funded Rep. Raja Krishmamoorthi, who has led the race in early polling and fundraising. Gov. JB Pritzker endorsed Stratton last year, and records show that the billionaire has sunk $5 million into a super PAC to boost Stratton. Rep. Robin Kelly is also competing in the contest.
This is the second endorsement that Warren has issued in a competitive Senate primary this election cycle.
“Lieutenant Governor Stratton is a champion for working families with a strong record of delivering results — increasing pay for workers, lowering costs like health care, and expanding educational opportunities. I’m proud to endorse Juliana Stratton as the next U.S. Senator for Illinois,” Warren said in a statement. “She is progressive fighter who is not taking a penny of corporate PAC money. We need real fighters in Washington right now, and I am confident that Juliana Stratton is that fighter for the people of Illinois.”
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Illinois' other senator, and Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin have also both offered Stratton their support.
