Politics news summaries — Page 5
Essential facts and source links for recent politics stories.
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Xi arrives for Trump talks as China’s economic and tech clout grows
Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for an expected three-day visit and talks with Donald Trump, with more leverage than in 2017. China’s $1.2 trillion trade surplus last year and grip on rare-earth supply chains bolster Beijing’s push against new US tech curbs. -
17 transgender troops’ suit over revoked retirements stays in court
Judge Elaine D. Kaplan rejected the Trump administration’s bid to send 17 transgender Air Force and Space Force members’ case over revoked retirement orders to an Air Force records board, keeping it in court. The ruling does not restore their retirements or decide the merits. -
With over $15 billion in Taiwan security aid stalled, four GOP senators seek release
Republican senators Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn, Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis urged the Trump administration on Wednesday to release more than $15 billion in stalled security assistance for Taiwan, ahead of Xi Jinping’s three-day visit to Washington. -
Rodriguez says Venezuela will hold elections but gives no date
Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that the country would hold elections as part of a transition to “full democracy,” but gave no date. She said the government had opened dialogue with the opposition. -
Iowa judge dismisses Trump’s suit over Register poll on free-speech grounds
An Iowa judge dismissed Donald Trump’s suit against the Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer, saying the suit sought to make First Amendment-protected speech liable. It challenged a 2024 poll showing Kamala Harris leading Trump by three points in Iowa. -
White House app briefly tops App Store news chart after Trump TV launch
The White House said its app topped the App Store’s news chart Tuesday, a day after Trump TV debuted on YouTube, then fell to No. 2 Wednesday evening. CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued to regain White House access; a judge heard arguments Wednesday but did not rule. -
U.S. embassy objects to Australia’s proposed social media rules
The U.S. embassy in Canberra objected to Australia’s proposed Digital Duty of Care law, warning that its harmful-content provisions could enable localized censorship and control over U.S.-owned businesses. The proposal remains under discussion, with no final structure set. -
White House streams Trump-Xi greeting as CNN, Fox News and MSNOW skip live airing
Donald and Melania Trump welcomed Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday evening, but CNN, Fox News and MSNOW did not air the greeting live. The White House streamed it as a federal judge ended a hearing over Trump’s media ban without ruling. -
House panel advances nitrous ban; 1972 vehicle-law wording may shield racers
A House committee advanced H.R. 7945 Sept. 16. The bill would bar commerce in consumer products containing nitrous oxide starting 180 days after enactment, exempting medical, research and food uses, including whipped-cream cans; it includes no express motorsports carve-out. -
At least six hospitals’ DOJ deals over trans youth care total $24.3M or more
At least six U.S. hospitals have reached Justice Department deals over gender-affirming care for minors, with reported payments totaling at least $24.3 million this year. The deals are not admissions of wrongdoing, and some payment amounts were not disclosed. -
House report criticizes Arlington County’s immigration-enforcement limits
An interim House Judiciary report faults Arlington County’s sanctuary policies and limits on cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Prosecutor Parisa Dehghani-Tafti called it a “political sham,” saying it misrepresented her policies and testimony. -
Obama faults Republicans for silence on Trump’s White House press ban
Barack Obama criticized Republicans for failing to challenge Donald Trump’s ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, saying that excluding news outlets this way is incompatible with democracy and should not be a partisan issue. -
Report: RFK Jr. received $4m in book advances from a MAHA ally’s publisher
A report says Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received $4m in advances over the past year for upcoming books from Skyhorse Publishing, owned by his friend Tony Lyons. Kennedy pledged in a 2024 ethics filing not to write, edit, market or promote them while in office. -
Hawley leaves subpoena option open for Flock Safety and other surveillance firms
Sen. Josh Hawley said subpoenas remain possible for Flock Safety and other surveillance firms after they skipped a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing. None has been issued; subpoena authority rests with committee chair Chuck Grassley, whom Hawley said he planned to consult. -
Husted wants Iran war to end without letting Tehran set the terms
Ohio Sen. Jon Husted told Newsmax on Wednesday he wants the war with Iran to end, but not on Iran’s terms. He says the U.S. should emerge stronger, avoid tolls in the Strait of Hormuz and prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon; he also wants lower gas prices. -
Status reports JD Vance was anonymous source for Iran report cited in Politico ban defense
Status reported that Vice President JD Vance was the anonymous source for Politico’s June report estimating an 80–85% chance of a preliminary deal with Iran. The Trump administration cited the story in a court letter defending its removal of Politico’s White House access. -
Texas counties scramble to process voter applications after a DPS system error
Texas counties are processing a voter-registration backlog after a state system error; Bexar County received about 45,000 applications. Officials say unprocessed records may have kept some people from voting in March’s primary; counties have until Oct. 19. -
Bipartisan lawmakers criticize China as Trump welcomes Xi to Washington
President Xi Jinping received a lavish state welcome from Trump in Washington on Wednesday, while lawmakers from both parties used his visit to criticize China and press Trump on Iran, Taiwan arms sales and chip controls. U.S. officials accuse China of aiding Iran in the war. -
Bedford says FAA used its standard review for Trump’s proposed arch
Bedford said the FAA gave Trump’s proposed arch a standard safety review, with no political interference or special treatment. The agency requires an eternal flame atop the arch and floodlights aimed at it, but dropped the red obstruction-light requirement. -
Newsom vetoes bill to shift priorities at 14 California demonstration forests
Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed AB 2494, which would have prioritized carbon storage, wildfire resilience and biodiversity over timber production at California’s 14 demonstration forests and directed officials to seek tribal agreements to integrate traditional knowledge. -
WSJ says FDA expected to announce faster review steps for vapes, pouches
The FDA is expected to announce steps to speed approvals for vaping products and nicotine pouches in coming days, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Reuters could not verify the report; the FDA did not immediately respond to a comment џe. -
McConnell returns to Capitol Hill after roughly three months away, leaving questions unanswered
Sen. Mitch McConnell returned to Capitol Hill last week after roughly three months away following a June fall. On Wednesday, he did not answer reporters’ questions about his health and his wife’s response to his hospitalization as security and aides surrounded him. -
Hourly Trump mentions on conservative podcasts fall nearly 70% from 2024 peak
The Wall Street Journal found that hourly Trump mentions on conservative podcasts were down nearly 70 percent from the 2024 campaign peak. Monthly mentions have fallen 30 percent since US-Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February, as prominent MAGA figures criticize the war. -
Christie says November’s GOP results will shape his 2028 decision
Chris Christie is considering a 2028 presidential run but says he will wait to see how Republicans fare in November before deciding. He said heavy losses could prompt the party to change its approach, a factor in his assessment of whether he has a path to win. -
Republicans sue New Jersey officials for voter-roll records
Republican groups and two GOP lawmakers sued New Jersey election officials for records on a voter-roll cleanup after an error improperly registered about 6,600 noncitizens to vote. They allege officials failed to provide records or supplied only partial responses.
