Political developments with market and economic implications.
Coverage of political events, elections, legislation, and regulatory changes that influence markets and economic policy. Focuses on political risk, fiscal decisions, and policy uncertainty relevant to investors.
625 total articles
A U.S. military strike on Iran has drawn public criticism from several influential figures within the MAGA movement who warn it may damage Republican prospects in November’s midterm elections. While some conservative commentators and candidates condemned the action as inconsistent with Trump’s 2024 pledge to prioritize domestic issues, other high-p…
President Trump’s decision to launch wide-ranging strikes on Iran, coordinated with Israel, represents a major escalation in U.S. foreign policy and a clear demonstration of willingness to deploy large-scale military power. The operation, announced briefly on the president’s social platform and described by the Pentagon as "Operation Epic Fury," ab…
Scouting America and the U.S. Department of Defense have reached an agreement intended to preserve the long-standing relationship between the youth organization and the military. The deal, announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, calls for the organization to eliminate policies characterized as "DEI" preferences and to base membership on biolog…
Two transgender men in Kansas have filed a state-court lawsuit seeking to overturn a recently enacted law that invalidated previously approved changes to gender markers on driver’s licenses and birth certificates for more than 1,000 residents. The plaintiffs, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, argue the statute violates their state …
Airport security screeners received only a portion of their normal pay on Friday as a partial federal government shutdown continues. Funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed on Feb. 13 after lawmakers failed to reach agreement on immigration enforcement reforms demanded by Democrats, suspending operations funding for agencies includin…
Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to provide private testimony to a House oversight panel concerning his past association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The session follows testimony from Hillary Clinton and takes place amid partisan disputes over the scope and motives of the inquiry, calls to subpoena former Preside…
President Donald Trump will visit Corpus Christi, Texas, to highlight his economic record and fossil fuel policies days before contested Republican primaries in the state. The trip places him near several competitive U.S. House districts with significant Hispanic populations, underscores southern Texas’ role as the top U.S. liquefied natural gas ex…
As Texas holds a closely watched primary, the Republican contest between incumbent Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton has shifted what was viewed as a secure GOP Senate seat into a potentially competitive race. With public polls showing Paxton ahead and Cornyn warning that a Paxton nomination would imperil Republican prospects nati…
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is scheduled to provide a closed-door deposition to a congressional committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein. The move follows initial refusals by her and former President Bill Clinton to cooperate, and comes amid wider document releases and revelations tying Epstein to numerous public figures.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set to provide a closed-door deposition to a House committee probing the late Jeffrey Epstein. Clinton has said she has little to add and accused the Republican-led panel of diverting attention from President Trump’s connections to Epstein. The committee has already produced millions of pages of document…
Memorial events in Chicago this week will honor Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Public and private commemorations, including a musical tribute and a homegoing service, will draw elected officials, clergy, longtime allies and community members to reflect on Jackson's decades of activism on votin…
On Feb 26, U.S. Vice President JD Vance will visit Plover in Wisconsin’s third congressional district to highlight President Donald Trump’s economic message. The trip aims to reinforce the administration’s focus on household economic issues ahead of November’s midterm elections and comes as Democrats increase spending in the narrowly held Republica…
The Department of Homeland Security told state election officials it is not planning immigration operations aimed at polling sites during this year’s midterm elections. A DHS deputy assistant secretary reassured officials that Immigration and Customs Enforcement would not be present at polling locations, though a department official later noted ICE…
A senior House Democrat has accused the U.S. Justice Department of suppressing FBI interview records with a woman who has alleged sexual abuse by President Donald Trump when she was a minor. Representative Robert Garcia says the withheld files, drawn from a multi-million document release tied to Jeffrey Epstein, show the FBI conducted multiple inte…
The federal government has paused $259 million in deferred Medicaid payments to Minnesota after an audit raised concerns about theft of federal funds intended for social-welfare programs, U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said. The money will be withheld until Minnesota submits a c…
Kash Patel said the FBI subpoenaed toll records for phone calls he and Susie Wiles made as private citizens in 2022 and 2023 while Special Counsel Jack Smith was investigating former President Donald Trump. Patel says the records were filed in a manner that concealed them within the FBI’s systems; some procedural elements of the seizure and the age…
In his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump outlined arguments supporting potential action against Iran, highlighting Tehran’s backing of militant groups, alleged resumption of its nuclear program, missile development and responsibility for deaths of protesters and U.S. personnel. The speech came amid a notable U.S. military buildup i…
In a near two-hour State of the Union address, President Donald Trump framed his term as a period of national renewal, touting low inflation, record stock markets, sweeping tax cuts and lower drug prices. The speech, delivered amid sagging approval ratings and anti-Trump demonstrations outside the Capitol, sought to reassure Republican lawmakers wo…
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger delivered the Democratic rebuttal to the president's State of the Union address, focusing on rising consumer costs, the economic effects of tariff policy on farmers, and aggressive federal deportation operations. Speaking from Williamsburg's historic House of Burgesses, Spanberger criticized the administration's…
President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address to emphasize economic indicators he says are improving - including lower inflation, mortgage and gas costs, rising stock prices, increased oil output, foreign investment and gains in construction and factory employment. His portrayal contrasts with data and public sentiment indicating infla…
At the opening of President Trump's State of the Union address, Democratic Representative Al Green was led out of the House chamber after raising a protest sign that referenced a social media video featuring former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. The White House later removed the video and said a staffer had posted it. Green previously i…
Senator Dick Durbin has accused FBI Director Kash Patel of allowing personal travel and decision-making to interfere with important investigations, citing a whistleblower report. The whistleblower told Durbin’s staff that scheduling tied to Patel’s use of DOJ and FBI aircraft caused delays for specialized response teams in at least two mass shootin…
The Department of Homeland Security has decided not to proceed with a planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Merrimack, New Hampshire, Governor Kelly Ayotte said following a meeting with DHS leadership. The withdrawal occurs amid a broader federal push to expand detention capacity and intensifying political, legal and pub…
President Donald Trump is expected to face at least some Supreme Court justices when he gives his State of the Union address, after a 6-3 ruling struck down his tariffs and drew sharp criticism from him. The decision, which concluded that the president exceeded statutory authority by imposing tariffs under a national emergencies law, has heightened…
President Donald Trump will use Tuesday night’s State of the Union address to present his case to a national audience that includes skeptical lawmakers and voters about threatened military action against Iran over its nuclear program. Advisers have recommended focusing on domestic issues such as the economy and immigration, but the lead-up to the s…
