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House Democrat Moves To Force Trump Impeachment Vote

By
Madeleine Jackson
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2

A House Democrat is attempting to force a vote to impeach President Donald Trump.

Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) introduced his impeachment resolution as privileged on Tuesday afternoon, meaning leaders have two days of the House in session to take up the legislation.

House GOP leaders could move to table the motion, a procedural vote aimed to scuttle a piece of legislation without having lawmakers vote on the legislation itself.

No Republicans are likely to support impeaching Trump, however, meaning Thanedar’s measure will likely fail.

“Donald Trump has unlawfully conducted himself, bringing shame to the presidency and the people of the United States,” Thanedar said when deeming his resolution privileged.

Thanedar also took a swing at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), calling it a “flagrantly unconstitutional creation.”

The India-born Michigan Democrat first introduced seven articles of impeachment against Trump in late April.

They include charges of obstruction of justice, tyranny, bribery and corruption, and abuse of trade powers, among others. 

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Trump Announces Plan To Drop Sanctions On Syria

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
By The White House from Washington, DC - President Trump and The First Lady Participate in an Abraham Accords Signing Ceremony, Public Domain,

President Donald Trump announced the United States will soon drop sanctions against Syria.

During lengthy remarks on Tuesday, Trump laid out his vision for the Middle East, sharing a major announcement: He intends to drop sanctions against Syria.

“I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” Trump said in a speech in Saudi Arabia, his first stop on the first international tour of his second term in office. 

“In Syria, which has seen so much misery and death, there is a new government that we must all hope will succeed in stabilizing the country and keeping peace,” he said. “So I say good luck, Syria.”

The nation was cut off from the global financial system under ousted President Bashar al-Assad’s government, imposed during 14 years of civil war. 

Trump called the sanctions “brutal and crippling” but “important” at the time.

Trump said both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Erdoğan had encouraged him to lift the sanctions. 

“Oh, what I do for the crown prince,” Trump quipped. 

U.S. sanctions had slapped financial penalties on any foreign individual or company that provided material support to the Syrian government and prohibited anyone in the U.S. from dealing in any Syrian entity, including oil and gas, and Syrian banks were effectively cut off from global financial systems. 

Trump also revealed he has invited Saudi Arabia to join his historic Abraham Accords.

“It has been an amazing thing, the Abraham Accords,” Trump said at a Saudi Arabia investment conference. “And it’s my fervent hope, wish, and even my dream that Saudi Arabia, a place I have so much respect for … will soon be joining the Abraham Accords. I think it will be a tremendous tribute to your country.”

Trump negotiated the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, at the end of his first term in office. Now, he is hoping to see Saudi Arabia join it as well.

During lengthy remarks, Trump laid out his vision for the Middle East. Minutes later, he made a second major announcement: He intends to drop sanctions against Syria.

Zelensky Asks Trump To Join Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Middle East Visit

By
Madeleine Jackson
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1
By President Of Ukraine - https://www.flickr.com/photos/165930373@N06/54169325552/, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=156221279

A big step forward…

Officials from Ukraine and Russia are expected to meet in Turkey on Thursday to begin peace talks to end the war in Ukraine. Ahead of the summit, Zelensky posted on social media that Russian President Vladimir Putin had rejected offers of a ceasefire.

“Ukraine has always supported diplomacy. I am ready to come to Türkiye. Unfortunately, the world still has not received a clear response from Russia to the numerous proposals for a ceasefire,” Zelensky wrote in a post on X. “[Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan] has expressed full readiness to host the meeting. It is important that President Trump fully supports the meeting, and we would like him to find an opportunity to come to Türkiye.”

Asked earlier on Monday about whether he would attend the peace talks, Trump said he might attend if his presence is needed to move the negotiations forward.

“I think you may have a good result out of the Thursday meeting in Turkey between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said. “I was thinking about flying over. I don’t know where I’m going to be on Thursday – I’ve got so many meetings. But I was actually thinking about flying over there. There’s a possibility if I think things can happen. But we got to get it done.”

Putin and Zelensky agreed to meet in Turkey for peace talks after Putin rejected another offer from Ukraine for a 30-day ceasefire over the weekend. Putin countered the offer with a restart to peace talks, with Turkey’s Erdoğan as host. 

Trump took to Truth Social to push Zelensky to accept the offer.

“Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump posted. “At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!”

Trump appeared to warn Putin in the message, as well.

“I’m starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who’s too busy celebrating the Victory of World War II, which could not have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America,” Trump said. The president has previously expressed frustration at Moscow for appearing recalcitrant in making progress toward peace.

New Poll Shows MAGA Candidate Overtaking Incumbent By Double Digits

By
Madeleine Jackson
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1

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) is trailing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) by a whopping 16 points in the 2026 Republican Senate primary, according to an internal poll reported by Punchbowl News on Monday.

The poll from the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) found Paxton leading with 50% support to Cornyn’s 34%, with 17% undecided.

Paxton, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, officially announced his candidacy last month. He is positioning himself as a more pro-MAGA alternative to Cornyn, who hardline Texas conservatives have painted as a moderate. Cornyn, Texas’s senior senator, has held his seat since 2002 and served in Senate leadership. He was a leading contender to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) as GOP leader, but eventually lost the race to Sen. John Thune (R-SD).

Cornyn faced backlash over his work in crafting the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a gun safety law passed in 2022 after a massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

The legislation included enhanced background checks for gun buyers under 21 and was the first major federal gun control measure in decades.

Punchbowl News reported in a hypothetical three-way GOP primary, Paxton leads with 44%, followed by Sen. John Cornyn at 34% and Rep. Wesley Hunt at 19%, according to an internal Tarrance Group poll conducted April 27 to May 1.

In general election matchups against potential Democratic challenger Colin Allred, Cornyn leads by six points.

Trump Signs Executive Order To Tie US Drug Prices To Global Lows

By
Patrick Houck
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0

On Monday morning, President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order aimed at dramatically lowering prescription drug prices in the United States. At the center of the order is a “most favored nation” (MFN) pricing policy, which mandates that the U.S. pay no more for medications than the lowest price paid by any other country. Trump claims the initiative could cut drug prices by 30% to 80%, potentially saving American taxpayers trillions of dollars.

The MFN policy revives a proposal from Trump’s first term and targets the longstanding disparity in drug costs between the U.S. and other nations. The order also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to begin broad drug price negotiations, while introducing measures to combat anti-competitive practices, expand drug imports, and scrutinize the role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

The New York Post reports:

“What’s been happening is, we’ve been subsidizing other countries throughout the world,” Trump explained at a White House signing ceremony, calling Monday’s action one of his “most important orders.”

“Some prescription drug and pharmaceutical prices will be reduced almost immediately by 50 to 80 to 90%, he added. “Big Pharma will either abide by this principle voluntarily or we’ll use the power of the federal government to ensure that we are paying the same price.”

The policy is a revival of Trump’s signature “most favored nation” drive from his first term, with a new push to get foreign countries to take on more of the research and development (R&D) costs that experts say America has disproportionately shouldered.

“Our Country will finally be treated fairly, and our citizens Healthcare Costs will be reduced by numbers never even thought of before,” the president previously promised on Truth Social Sunday. “The United States will save TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS.”

The announcement triggered immediate market reaction, with shares of pharmaceutical giants like AstraZeneca and GSK seeing declines. Industry leaders have warned the policy could stifle innovation and competition, arguing it may disincentivize research and development.

Although the Biden administration previously took steps to lower drug prices through the Inflation Reduction Act, Trump’s executive order takes a more aggressive approach by linking U.S. prices directly to global lows.

However, the new policy is expected to face significant legal and logistical hurdles, particularly due to the complexity of the U.S. drug pricing system and the opaque nature of international pricing mechanisms.

Trump Peels Back China Tariffs In Trade War Truce

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0
By The White House from Washington, DC - President Trump at the G20, Public Domain,

The Trump administration has reached a key deal in its ongoing trade war against China.

Early Monday morning, the U.S. and China released a joint statement revealing that “the United States and China will each lower tariffs by 115% while retaining an additional 10% tariff,” according to the White House. 

The U.S. imposed tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese goods earlier this year as the president looks to bring parity to the nation’s chronic trade deficit with foreign countries.

The move was confirmed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told reporters: “The consensus from both delegations this weekend was neither side wants a decoupling.”

Bessent also praised Chinese officials for engaging seriously on fentanyl, saying it was “the first time the Chinese side understood the magnitude of what is happening in the US.”

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent: “I’m happy to report that we made substantial progress between the United States and China in the very important trade talks. First, I want to thank our Swiss host. The Swiss government has been very kind in providing us this wonderful venue, and I think that led to a great deal of productivity we’ve seen. We will be giving details tomorrow, but I can tell you that the talks were productive. We had the vice premier, two vice ministers, who were integrally involved, Ambassador Jamieson, and myself. And I spoke to President Trump, as did Ambassador Jamieson, last night, and he is fully informed of what is going on. So, there will be a complete briefing tomorrow morning.”

The truce peels back some of the harshest duties imposed under President Donald Trump’s April tariff hike, which sent U.S. levies on Chinese goods to 125%. China hit back with countermeasures and restricted key mineral exports, rattling global supply chains. Under the new agreement, Chinese tariffs drop to 10%, while U.S. tariffs fall to 30% — though the 20% fentanyl-related tariff remains untouched.

China’s commerce ministry called the move a win for “producers and consumers in both countries,” urging Washington to “completely correct” its unilateral trade posture.

The trade negotiations come as President Trump is slated to depart Washington, D.C., on Monday for visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The president disclosed last week, when Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited the White House, that he would be making “a very, very big announcement” ahead of his departure for the Middle East, but has not shared additional details. 

Santos Begs Trump For ‘Pardon, Commutation, Clemency, Whatever’

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0

A desperate plea…

Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who faces more than seven years behind bars after pleading guilty to wire fraud and identity theft, is seeking clemency from President Trump.

“I’ll take a commutation, clemency, whatever the president is willing to give me,” Santos told British media personality Piers Morgan in an episode of Morgan’s YouTube show “Uncensored” on Thursday.

“Seven years and three months in prison for a first-time offender over campaign matters just screams ‘over the top,’ and I would appreciate if the president would consider,” he added.

The disgraced former lawmaker also noted he is filling out paperwork to formally seek intervention from the White House before he reports to prison in July.

By U.S. House Office of Photography – https://santos.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/santos.house.gov/files/evo-media-image/rep_santos_george_official.jpg, Public Domain,

In his interview with Morgan, Santos blasted former Biden administration Attorney General Merrick Garland, whom Trump and other conservative allies have criticized and accused of weaponizing the Department of Justice against the president and his allies.

“I do believe this is an unfair judgment handed down to me,” he said Thursday. “I think there was a lot of politicization over the process.”

“Merrick Garland was by far the most disgraceful and disgraced political [attorney general] to ever serve in that capacity of the United States,” Santos said.

Santos was elected to represent New York’s affluent Long Island-centered 3rd District in 2022, becoming the first openly gay Republican to win a House seat as a nonincumbent before his fall from grace. The House expelled Santos from the chamber in a 311–114 vote in 2023, as ethics charges mounted against him.

Trump Taps Jeanine Pirro For Top DC Attorney Role

By
Madeleine Jackson
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1
By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Jeanine Pirro, CC BY-SA 2.0,

President Trump has appointed Jeanine Pirro, a Fox News host and former judge, to serve as the top prosecutor in the District of Columbia.

Trump announced on Truth Social that he was appointing Pirro to the role of U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., on an interim basis.

“In addition to her Legal career, Jeanine previously hosted her own Fox News Show, Justice with Judge Jeanine, for ten years, and is currently Co-Host of The Five, one of the Highest Rated Shows on Television,” Trump posted. 

“Jeanine is incredibly well qualified for this position, and is considered one of the Top District Attorneys in the History of the State of New York,” he continued. “She is in a class by herself. Congratulations Jeanine!”

In a statement to The Hill late Thursday, a Fox News spokesperson said “Jeanine Pirro has been a wonderful addition to The Five over the last three years and a longtime beloved host across FOX News Media who contributed greatly to our success throughout her 14-year tenure. We wish her all the best in her new role in Washington.”

Pirro is just the latest in a slew of Fox hosts, including Pete Hegseth and Sean Duffy, to be plucked from the cable channel to serve in the president’s Cabinet. 

Trump previously nominated Ed Martin, a former defense attorney who represented Americans charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, for the role. Martin has taken on the responsibilities of the interim U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., since January. 

On Thursday, Trump suggested he would put forward another candidate who would receive broader backing than Martin. 

“He wasn’t getting the support from people that I thought,” Trump told reporters at the White House Thursday. “You know, he’s done a very good job. Crime is down 25% in DC during this period of time … I can only lift that little phone so many times of the day. But we have somebody else.”

“I have to be straight. I was disappointed,” Trump said. “A lot of people were disappointed. But that’s the way it works. Sometimes, you know, that’s the way it works. And he wasn’t rejected, but we felt it would be very — it would be hard. And we have somebody else that will be announcing over the next two days who’s going to be great.” 

The Senate has held up confirming Martin amid concerns from lawmakers.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced Tuesday he wouldn’t endorse Martin. 

FBI Opens Formal Investigation Into NY AG Letitia James

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Alec Perkins from Hoboken, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    The FBI and the US Attorneys Office for the Northern District of New York have launched a formal criminal investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James for alleged mortgage fraud.

    The case stems from a criminal referral issued last month by Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte. The referral alleges that James may have falsified property records and misled lenders to receive government-backed loans and other favorable mortgage terms.

    James has denied wrongdoing and called the investigation politically motivated, pointing to her office’s civil fraud case against Trump. That case ultimately resulted in a $354 million judgment against the president, which also bars his

    During her 2018 campaign for attorney general, James publicly stated she intended to pursue legal action against Trump and investigate his business dealings in New York.

    While campaigning, James vowed to shine a “bright light into every corner” of Trump’s “real estate dealings.” Her critics — including Trump himself — would later argue that her civil lawsuit against him was a political witch hunt.

    In announcing the probe, US Attorney John A. Sarcone III took a swipe at James’s 2018 campaign rhetoric about investigating President Donald Trump.

    The US attorney said James “unethically ran around the state campaigning on getting Donald Trump,” and essentially accused her of finding a criminal target without an alleged crime.

    He added:

    We stand prepared to act in the capacity that we need to when and if we are informed there’s a charge to be made. Unlike Letitia James, who unethically ran around the state campaigning on getting Donald Trump… my office conducts itself in a manner that is proper and professional.

    Two weeks ago, James’ attorney, Abbe Lowell, wrote a letter to Bondi, stating, “I write to address the latest act of improper political retribution—this time directed at Ms. James—publicly instigated and endorsed by President Trump…. This so-called ‘Criminal Referral,’ which recycles long-disproven allegations and is ‘[b]ased on media reports’ lacks any credible foundation.”

    “Mr. Trump has singled out Attorney General James dating back to her campaign in 2018, and ever more so during and after the trial and verdict in New York in which Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization were found liable for financial fraud and assessed a $454 million judgment,” Lowell claimed.

    Lowell referred to what he called “baseless allegations,” saying:

    Director Pulte cherry-picked an August 17, 2023 power of attorney that mistakenly stated the property to be Ms. James’ principal residence and at the same time absolutely ignored her very clear and all caps statement two weeks earlier to the mortgage loan broker that “[t]his property WILL NOT be my primary residence[.] It will be Shamice’s primary residence.”  

    In 1983, James, then a recent college graduate, bought a Queens residence with her father, with some documents listing her as his “wife.’

    “He asked his daughter (then a few years out of school) to help by allowing him to add her name to the mortgage application,” Lowell argued. “Mr. James filled out the mortgage material (wherein he described their relationship as being ‘spouses’) and purchased the home without his daughter’s involvement.”

    “However, James, then 24 and a college graduate, signed the notarized mortgage, along with her father, on one of the document’s three pages that listed her as his ‘wife,’” the Times-Union reported. “One of those references to her being her father’s ‘wife’ was just below her signature. Lending experts consulted by the Times Union said that by listing themselves as husband and wife, the pair may have qualified for a loan — or received better borrowing terms — than had they not been considered a couple due to income requirements.”

    Dan Abrams, who founded Mediaite, said after Pulte’

    Taxpayers May Be Forced To Cover Legal Fees For NY AG Letitia James Amid Fraud Probe

    By
    Seijah Drake
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    2
    Alec Perkins from Hoboken, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    New York taxpayers could soon find themselves footing the legal bill for Attorney General Letitia James as she prepares to defend herself against a federal investigation into alleged mortgage and real estate fraud. Buried in New York’s newly approved operations budget is language that opens a $10 million fund to reimburse state officials — including James — for “reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses” tied to investigations launched by the federal government after January 1, 2025.

    Though the budget provision does not mention James by name, sources familiar with the matter confirmed to The New York Post that the fund was included with her case in mind. The fund could also apply to other state officials targeted by a Trump administration-led Department of Justice as it reopens investigations into political and institutional corruption.

    The controversy stems from a criminal referral issued last month by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), whose director, William Pulte, accused James of falsifying mortgage documents and misrepresenting her residency status. According to the referral sent to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, James claimed a Virginia home — allegedly purchased on behalf of her niece — as her primary residence, a move that could constitute mortgage fraud.

    James, who gained national prominence for her high-profile civil fraud case against Donald Trump, has come under scrutiny for what critics now call a double standard. Once the face of the “no one is above the law” mantra, she now finds herself leaning on state funds and a private legal defense to fight the allegations. A spokesperson for her office called the probe “political retribution” and vowed to fight what they characterized as a “revenge tour” orchestrated by Trump.

    But Republicans are not buying the victim narrative.

    “This is what corruption looks like in plain sight: political insiders rigging the system to protect their own, while hardworking families get shortchanged,” said New York GOP Chair Ed Cox. “Tish James used her office to wage partisan lawfare against her political opponents, and now New Yorkers are footing the bill for the consequences.”

    Critics also slammed what they describe as a legal “bailout” hidden in plain sight. The language in the budget states that any state employee facing a federal investigation related to their duties may seek reimbursement — a clause that could be used broadly and, according to opponents, easily abused.

    The legal support fund is likely to inflame already tense debates over partisanship, misuse of public resources, and institutional trust. With New York’s top law enforcement officer now potentially under federal investigation, questions will continue to mount over the ethical boundaries between public office and political warfare — and who ends up paying the price.

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