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Supreme Court Greenlights Trump NIH Cuts Targeting DEI, COVID Research

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the Trump administration to move forward with nearly $800 million in cuts to National Institutes of Health grants.

The decision allows the administration to withhold funds that had been frozen by a lower court — grants largely tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, as well as studies focused on minority health, LGBTQ+ issues, vaccine hesitancy, COVID-19, and similar public health topics.

A federal trial court in Massachusetts had previously ruled in June that many of the cuts were “arbitrary and discriminatory,” ordering the temporary restoration of those grants.

But the Supreme Court, acting through its emergency — or so-called “shadow” — docket, overrode that ruling in a narrow 5–4 decision.

Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the liberal bloc in dissent. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a sharply worded dissent of her own, criticizing the court’s reliance on the emergency process and the brevity of the majority’s explanation.

As SCOTUSBlog reports, the court — also by a 5–4 margin — left in place another part of the lower court’s ruling affecting internal NIH guidance documents outlining the agency’s policy priorities:

Justice Amy Coney Barrett provided the key vote on each issue. She joined Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh in voting to allow NIH to terminate the grants, but she joined Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson in voting to leave the lower court’s ruling on the guidance documents in place.

Jackson had sharp words for her colleagues, describing the ruling as “Calvinball jurisprudence” – a reference to the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon – “with a twist. Calvinball has only one rule: There are no fixed rules. We seem to have two: that one, and this Administration always wins.”

NIH ended hundreds of grants it linked to DEI-related studies in response to a series of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump after his inauguration in January. The first order, titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” instructed the director of the Office of Management and Budget, assisted by the attorney general and the director of the Office of Personnel Management, to work to end “discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI” programs in the federal government. It was followed by two other executive orders, titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” and “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.”

Two separate groups of plaintiffs went to federal court in Massachusetts to challenge the termination of the grants. One group is made up of 16 states whose public universities receive funding from NIH, while the other consists of the American Public Health Association, individual researchers, a union, and a reproductive health advocacy group. They contended that the termination of the grants violated both the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act, the federal law governing administrative agencies.

The administration argues the research in question lacks scientific rigor and was driven more by ideology than merit. Officials also say the cuts are consistent with their broader push to eliminate DEI-related spending across federal agencies.

Democrat-led states and advocacy groups claim the funding loss could have “incalculable” consequences for underserved communities.

This case fits a broader pattern: The court has recently upheld rollbacks on DEI-based spending in areas like teacher training. Critics say the use of the emergency docket limits public transparency and bypasses full hearings. Supporters say it’s a legitimate tool to keep activist courts in check.

Legal challenges are still moving through the lower courts.

In the meantime, universities, NIH personnel, and left-leaning advocacy groups are mobilizing in protest, warning of long-term damage to public health research and institutional equity efforts.

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House GOP Moves To Censure Congressman After Interrupting Trump Speech – Again

Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

A new effort is underway among House Republicans to censure Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) after he was removed from President Donald Trump’s primetime address for the second consecutive year.

Green was ejected from Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night just minutes after the president entered the House chamber. As Trump approached the podium, Green stood holding a sign that read, in all capital letters, “Black people are not apes.” He remained standing with the sign visible as the president began speaking, prompting intervention by the Sergeant at Arms.

Rep. Mike Rulli (R-Ohio) told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that he is seeking support for a formal censure resolution against Green.

“His shenanigans at the State of the Union were uncalled for,” Rulli said. “We can’t really put up with that kind of conduct in Congress. Something had to be done.”

Rulli added, “I’m looking for as many co-sponsors from our conference as possible. And I’m reaching across the aisle for anyone over there that was embarrassed by their own guy.”

According to the text of Rulli’s resolution, first obtained by Fox News Digital, Green’s actions constituted a “breach of conduct.” The resolution further notes that it “was the second time in less than a year that the Representative from Texas had to be removed from the chamber by the Sergeant at Arms due to unpatriotic disruptions that violated numerous House rules related to decorum.”

This is not the first time Green has faced formal rebuke from the House. In March 2025, the House of Representatives voted to censure him after he disrupted a previous presidential address by waving his cane and shouting over Trump as the president attempted to deliver his remarks. Ten Democrats joined Republicans in passing that resolution.

Green has long been one of Trump’s most vocal critics in Congress. During Trump’s first term, Green repeatedly introduced articles of impeachment against the president, beginning as early as 2017. His efforts, which cited allegations ranging from obstruction of justice to rhetoric he characterized as discriminatory or inflammatory, were unsuccessful and did not advance out of the House. While Democrats later pursued separate impeachment proceedings that led to two Senate trials, Green’s early impeachment resolutions did not gain sufficient support within his own party to move forward.

Following his removal Tuesday night, Green defended his actions.

“I refuse to tolerate this level of hate that the president is in fact putting into policy. We must take a stand against this level of invidious discrimination,” Green told reporters.

“I wanted him to know, and I wanted them to see it and hear it. Up close. But judging from the expression on his face, he got the message. He saw it,” Green said.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) stopped short of committing to a vote on Rulli’s latest censure resolution but indicated he would allow members to decide.

“Al Green was removed pretty quickly. I don’t know if censure is going to be appropriate. I’ll let our colleagues decide that,” Johnson said. “The point of a censure, is to bring someone to the House floor and bring shame upon them for their actions. I think they showed the American people shame already.”

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Weighs In On Mail-In Voter Debate

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In a pivotal decision on Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that voters whose mail-in ballots were rejected due to errors—including missing signatures, incorrect dates or absence of a required secrecy envelope—can still cast their vote on Election Day. The 4-3 decision ensures that these individuals are allowed to submit provisional ballots at their local polling places, provided no additional disqualifying issues arise.

The ruling originated from a case in Butler County, where two voters were denied the opportunity to vote provisionally after their mail-in ballots were rejected during the April primary for missing secrecy envelopes. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Pennsylvania and the Public Interest Law Center represented the voters, arguing that the county had misinterpreted the state’s Election Code.

Per Spotlight PA:

Justice Christine Donohue, writing for the majority, noted that the Republican litigants argued that in order to maintain election integrity, provisional ballots should not be counted, but said the majority was “at a loss to identify what honest voting principle is violated by recognizing the validity of one ballot cast by one voter.”

“If appellants presume that the general assembly intended to disqualify the provisional ballot of a voter who failed to effectively vote by mail in order to punish that voter, we caution that such a construction is not reconcilable with the right of franchise,” she wrote.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and the Public Interest Law Center, which brought the case on behalf of two voters, celebrated the ruling as a victory.

“Today’s decision affirms that if you make a paperwork mistake that will keep your mail ballot from counting, you have the right to vote by provisional ballot at your polling place on Election Day,” said Ben Geffen, senior attorney at the Public Interest Law Center. “This reinforces the right to vote in Pennsylvania.”

This decision holds broad implications for voters across Pennsylvania, offering a contentious solution for those facing similar issues in future elections. However, there was notable dissent, including from Justice P. Kevin Brobson, who contended that the state’s Election Code explicitly prohibits counting such provisional ballots.

The ruling comes as Pennsylvania takes center stage in the 2024 election. Polls suggest a highly competitive race, with the latest RealClearPolitics average showing former President Donald Trump holding a slight 0.6-point lead over Vice President Kamala Harris.

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Greene Questions Details Of Trump Assassination Attempt

Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the 2024 assassination attempt against President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, adding to growing debate within fringe circles over the incident.

Greene suggested in comments and social media posts that aspects of the shooting remain unclear, pointing to what she described as unanswered questions about how the attack unfolded and how security failures occurred.

Her remarks come despite official investigations concluding that the incident involved a lone gunman who opened fire at a campaign rally, grazing Trump’s ear before being killed by law enforcement.

As Mediaite reports:

Authorities identified 20-year-old Thomas Crooks as the sole shooter in the incident that injured Trump and two others. 50-year-old rally-goer Corey Comperatore, who was seated behind Trump, was killed, and Crooks was killed by authorities.

Since then, some MAGA stalwarts have joined other critics in calling for detailed information on the investigation into the shooting.

Greene retweeted a lengthy post by Trisha Hope, a self-described “J6 Activist,” in which she questioned the shooting and the legitimacy of the famous photo of a bloodied Trump with his fist in the air yelling, “Fight, fight, fight!”

Greene called Hope’s post an “Extremely important post worth the read and consideration.”

While Greene has amplified claims circulating online that question whether the full details of the incident have been disclosed, no evidence has been presented to support those theories.

Her remarks reflect a broader pattern among some political figures and commentators, including Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens, who have expressed skepticism about the investigation’s findings.

Authorities have described the Butler shooting as a targeted assassination attempt carried out by a single attacker. The incident resulted in Trump being injured and at least one rally attendee killed, prompting a large-scale federal investigation involving the FBI and other agencies.

Subsequent congressional hearings also examined security lapses that allowed the shooter to access the rally site, with bipartisan calls for greater transparency and accountability from the Secret Service.

There is no indication from federal authorities that the official conclusions of the investigation are being reconsidered.

However, the renewed attention on the Butler incident suggests it will remain a subject of political debate as the 2026 election cycle continues.

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Supreme Court Rejects Challenge To Special Counsel’s Access To Trump Twitter Data

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Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to take up a challenge by social platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to court rulings that forced the platform to turn over data on former President Trump’s account to special counsel Jack Smith. 

Early last year, Smith obtained a secret warrant for Trump’s account on X, where Trump posted constantly during his White House term, as part of prosecutors’ federal election interference investigation.

X was prohibited from informing the former president about the warrant. It only became public last summer, after Trump was charged with four felonies in the case. He pleaded not guilty. 

The company challenged the order, arguing the records were potentially covered by executive privilege and not being able to tell Trump violated the First Amendment. Court filings show X at one point was fined $350,000 for not timely turning over Trump’s data.

X brought its fight to the Supreme Court, hoping to prevent the process from happening again, insisting most similar challenges never reach the high court and the case was a “rare opportunity” to review the issue. 

“If the Court does not grant this petition, it could be decades (if ever) before it gets another clean vehicle to resolve the important and recurring questions presented,” X wrote in its petition. 

The Supreme Court declined to take up X’s appeal in a brief, unsigned order.

“If review of the underlying legal issues were ever warranted, the Court should await a live case in which the issues are concretely presented,” prosecutors wrote in court filings. 

Trump Admin Moves To Revoke Citizenship Of 17 Criminals

President Donald J. Trump hosts a Rose Garden Club dinner in honor of Police Week in the White House Rose Garden, Monday, May 11, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

The Trump administration is launching a new crackdown on naturalized citizens accused of gaming America’s immigration system, moving to strip citizenship from 17 foreign-born criminals ranging from child sex offenders to multimillion-dollar fraudsters.

The Justice Department is expected to announce Monday that it has filed denaturalization actions against a group of naturalized citizens who allegedly lied, concealed serious crimes, or committed fraud while obtaining U.S. citizenship.

“U.S. citizenship is a privilege, not a right for people who obtained it through deception,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said as the administration unveiled its latest effort to purge what officials describe as bad actors who abused the naturalization process.

Among the most shocking cases is Haitian-born Jean Claude Alfred, 68, who federal officials say was sexually abusing his minor daughter while applying to become an American citizen.

According to the Justice Department, Alfred denied committing any crimes during his citizenship application process despite allegedly abusing his daughter during that same period. He was later convicted by a Florida jury on charges including attempted sexual battery of a child in a familial relationship and lewd assault on a minor.

The Daily Wire reported that another target is Colombian-born Fernando Cristancho, a Roman Catholic priest sentenced to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually grooming and abusing a young parishioner between the ages of 11 and 13. Federal officials allege Cristancho concealed his criminal conduct from immigration authorities while seeking naturalization.

The administration is also seeking to denaturalize Delmas Garcia, a Cuban-born woman convicted in a massive healthcare fraud scheme that prosecutors say generated more than $36 million in false insurance claims.

Garcia admitted operating dozens of physical therapy clinics in Florida that billed insurers for treatments that were either medically unnecessary or never provided at all.

Also on the list is Andrea Marroquin, the daughter of a notorious Colombian drug trafficker. Prosecutors allege Marroquin concealed a fraudulent marriage and used drug money inherited from her father to carry out a series of illicit real estate transactions in Miami before becoming a U.S. citizen.

The latest actions are part of a broader Trump administration push to dramatically expand denaturalization efforts nationwide.

Last year, the Justice Department directed federal prosecutors to prioritize cases involving individuals who obtained citizenship through fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment of serious criminal activity. The New York Times reported that USCIS was subsequently instructed to increase referrals of potential denaturalization cases, with reports indicating the agency was expected to identify between 100 and 200 new cases each month.

The administration argues the initiative is aimed at restoring integrity to the naturalization system and ensuring citizenship is reserved for immigrants who follow the law.

“The Trump administration is taking action to correct these egregious violations of our immigration system,” Blanche said in a previous announcement unveiling a separate round of denaturalization cases involving terrorism suspects, war criminals, sex offenders, and fraudsters.

Critics have accused the administration of vastly expanding a legal tool that historically was used only sparingly. For decades, denaturalization cases averaged roughly a dozen filings annually, but federal officials now say hundreds of potential cases are under review.

Under federal law, citizenship can be revoked if prosecutors prove it was obtained illegally or through willful misrepresentation of material facts during the naturalization process. The government carries a high burden of proof and must convince a federal court that citizenship was fraudulently secured.

For the Trump administration, however, the message is straightforward: if someone lied their way into American citizenship, the government intends to take a second look.

And for some of the nation’s worst criminals, that second look could mean losing the very citizenship they worked to obtain.

DOJ Fires 20 Employees Who Worked With Jack Smith On Trump Prosecutions

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Twenty Department of Justice (DOJ) employees who worked with special counsel Jack Smith have been fired.

The terminated staff includes two prosecutors, 12 support staff and six U.S. marshals who assisted with classified documents and the 2020 election investigations against President Donald Trump, an official confirmed to The Daily Caller.

More than a dozen officials who worked with Smith were fired in January, while Smith himself resigned before Trump took office in January. Both of the cases were dismissed after Trump won the election.

Joseph Tirrell, who was director of the Departmental Ethics Office, wrote on LinkedIn Monday that he was terminated by Attorney General Pam Bondi, sharing the letter he received in a post.

“Until Friday evening, I was the senior ethics attorney at the Department of Justice responsible for advising the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General directly on federal employee ethics,” he wrote. “I was also responsible for the day-to-day operations of the ethics program across the Department. I led a small, dedicated team of professionals and coordinated the work of some 30 other full-time ethics officials, attorneys, paralegals and other specialists across the Department of Justice, ensuring that the 117,000 Department employees were properly advised on and supported in how to follow the Federal employee ethics rules.”

In his final report, Smith claimed Trump would have been convicted if he had not won the election. Yet Smith indicated he did not bring insurrection charges because he could not prove Jan. 6 was more than a riot or that Trump incited it.

Smith sought to fast-track the cases ahead of the 2024 election but ultimately failed to bring either one to trial.

Attorney General Pam Bondi fired Maurene Comey, a prosecutor with the Southern District of New York who had prosecuted deceased financier and child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Comey, a senior trial counsel, is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, whom Trump fired in 2017.

“The reason for her firing was not immediately clear. She did not immediately respond to phone calls and an email seeking comment,” Politico said. “Comey, who had worked in the U.S. attorney’s office for nearly a decade, prosecuted both Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.”

Maurene Comey worked at the SDNY for almost a decade.

Karoline Leavitt Prepares For Second Child As White House Weighs Temporary Shift

Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons


White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is expected to welcome her second child this week, adding a personal milestone to a tenure already defined by firsts. At 28, she is the youngest press secretary in U.S. history and the first known to serve in the role while pregnant.

Her upcoming leave raises practical questions for the administration, including how long she plans to step away and how the White House will manage one of its most visible daily responsibilities in her absence.

Unclear timeline for leave

A White House official said it’s not yet clear how much time Leavitt will take off after the birth. Like other federal employees, she is generally entitled to up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave. Whether she uses the full period remains an open question.

That uncertainty leaves the briefing schedule in a flexible position, with no firm timeline for her return to the podium.

No interim press secretary planned

Instead of naming a temporary replacement, the White House plans to rely on a rotating group of officials to handle press briefings. That group could include President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, an approach that would break from the more traditional model of a single, consistent spokesperson.

The decision signals a willingness to experiment, but it also introduces the possibility of mixed messaging. Different officials bring different styles, and consistency has long been a priority in managing daily communication with the press.

Family life in the public eye

Leavitt first announced her pregnancy in December, sharing that she and her husband, Nicholas Riccio, were expecting a daughter. Their first child, Niko, was born in July 2024 and has already appeared in the briefing room during special events.

In a social media post after Christmas, Leavitt said she was looking forward to becoming a “girl mom” and described the coming year as meaningful for her family. She also pointed to what she called a supportive, pro-family culture within the White House, crediting both President Trump and chief of staff Susie Wiles.

Staying active on the job

Leavitt continued her duties throughout the pregnancy, rarely stepping back from the demands of the role. That includes leading daily briefings and serving as a central voice for the administration during a busy stretch of domestic and international developments.

Her tenure has also brought changes to the structure of the briefing room. Most notably, she introduced a designated space for “new media,” giving podcasters, independent journalists, and digital creators a more visible presence.

She has often called on those voices early in briefings, a shift away from the traditional dominance of legacy outlets.

A test for a changing briefing room

Leavitt’s temporary absence could put that evolving setup to the test. With multiple officials rotating through the podium, the tone and priorities of briefings may shift from day to day.

That variability may not matter much during quieter periods. But in moments that require clear, unified messaging, it could become more noticeable.

Balancing public service and private life

For now, the focus remains on a personal milestone. Even in a role tied closely to national politics and constant scrutiny, family life continues alongside the job.

Leavitt’s situation underscores a familiar challenge in Washington: balancing the demands of public service with life outside the office. It’s not unique, but it’s rarely this visible.

Her return, whenever it comes, will likely bring the operation back to a more familiar rhythm. Until then, the White House is preparing to adjust on the fly.

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House Dems Introduce Multiple Impeachment Articles Against Hegseth

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By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

House Democrats are taking another shot at Secretary of War Pete Hegseth—this time with five new articles of impeachment tied to the Iran war, even as past efforts have gone nowhere.

Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) is leading the charge, accusing Hegseth of war crimes, abuse of power, and mishandling the Pentagon. The resolution, backed by eight other Democrats, is the latest in a growing pile of impeachment attempts targeting the Trump administration.

Ansari, who announced her plan last week, blasted Hegseth as “complicit” in what she called President Donald Trump’s “devastating, illegal war” in Iran.

The articles accuse Hegseth of overseeing an “unauthorized war against Iran,” endangering U.S. troops, targeting civilians, and violating the laws of armed conflict. Other charges claim he mishandled sensitive information and blocked Congress from getting answers about military operations.

One flashpoint: Hegseth’s use of the Signal app on a personal phone to discuss a pending strike in Yemen—an episode that raised eyebrows after a journalist was accidentally added to the chat. A Pentagon watchdog said the incident put troops at risk and broke department policy, though the Department insists it amounted to a “total exoneration.”

The resolution also accuses Hegseth of hiding details about operations in Iran and Venezuela and abusing his power to go after political opponents.

But like earlier efforts, this one is almost certain to stall. Republicans control the House, and previous impeachment attempts against Hegseth have fizzled out.

In December, Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) filed similar articles accusing Hegseth of war crimes tied to U.S. strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats—an effort that never gained traction.

Even so, Democrats are escalating.

The Trump administration isn’t backing down. Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson blasted the move as political theater.

“Secretary Hegseth will continue to protect the homeland and project peace through strength,” Wilson said. “This is just another charade in an attempt to distract the American people from the major successes we have had here at the Department of War.”

Bottom line: another impeachment push, another uphill battle—but the drumbeat against Hegseth is getting louder as the Iran conflict fuels fresh political fights in Washington.

Homeland Security Announces ‘Midway Blitz’ ICE Operation in Chicago

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched its latest immigration crackdown on Monday, targeting Chicago.

“DHS is launching Operation Midway Blitz in honor of Katie Abraham who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run car wreck caused by criminal illegal alien Julio Cucul-Bol in Illinois,” DHS wrote on the social platform X.

“This ICE operation will target the criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois because they knew Governor Pritzker and his sanctuary policies would protect them and allow them to roam free on American streets,” DHS added, referring to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D).

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents already have been deployed to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and also rolled out operations in Boston over the weekend as part of President Trump’s sweeping anti-illegal immigration agenda, prompting protests across the country this summer.

The latest effort marks an anticipated ramp-up of the initiatives.