Daily news coverage of politics, policy, and issues shaping the nation.
When Donald Trump is inaugurated as president in January, he has the authority to dramatically reshape immigration policy by himself. While Trump would need Congress to appropriate money to fund his biggest campaign promise—building a wall across the southern border—he can act alone in other areas, just like President Barack Obama has, in deciding how…
Following one of the biggest upsets in modern political history, The Heritage Foundation convened a panel of experts Thursday to examine what a Donald Trump presidency will mean for the Constitution and conservatism as a whole. “I frankly think that what just happened in this election may have preserved our constitutional republic,” Heritage Foundation President…
As Democrats strategize on how to stop conservative legislation from making its way to Donald Trump’s desk in the White House, Republicans have a little-known rule in their toolbox that would allow them to pass legislation, including a repeal of Obamacare, with a simple majority. Democrats were able to keep 48 seats in the Senate…
Hillary Clinton would have been a bigger target for investigators if the presidential election had gone differently, but that doesn’t mean the Democratic nominee and former secretary of state can put such legal questions behind her. The FBI is conducting an ongoing investigation into potential “pay to play” at the Clinton Foundation, although it appears…
Republicans buoyant about their newfound power in Washington, D.C., still have to contend with a powerful figure in the opposing party. The Senate’s new Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, is well known in Washington political circles as perhaps the dominant player in helping fellow Democrats defeat Republican opponents. Schumer, the 65-year-old New Yorker and former chairman…
Liberals had few victories to celebrate Tuesday night, but in North Carolina, they’re claiming one: The state’s incumbent governor, Republican Pat McCrory, lost his bid for re-election to state Attorney General Roy Cooper, a Democrat. The final numbers aren’t in, but the outcome looks clear. By all accounts, McCrory should have had the election in…
KYIV, Ukraine—In July 2011, I left a decade-long career in the Air Force, which included combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a special operations pilot. I was 29 years old and set to begin studies at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism the following January. Rather than idle away the intervening months, I had…
President-elect Donald Trump called President Barack Obama a “very good man” for whom he had “great respect,” and said he would continue to seek his “counsel” after the two met Thursday for more than an hour at the White House. For his part, Obama wished Trump success. Trump has called Obama the “worst president in…
Hours after Hillary Clinton conceded the presidential election to Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sat down with Washington lobbyists to outline priorities for a lame-duck session of Congress later this month. According to Politico, McConnell, R-Ky., met Wednesday night with Republican lobbyists from corporations and consulting firms. One of the subjects was possibilities…
Naming a new Supreme Court justice, repealing Obamacare, rolling back executive orders, and proposing how to fight illegal immigration and impose tariffs will be key parts of President-elect Donald Trump’s first 100-day agenda. During his campaign, Trump unveiled an ambitious 100-day plan, and with a Republican House and Senate, he’ll be expected to execute much…
KYIV, Ukraine—Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko congratulated Donald Trump on his election win by inviting the newly minted U.S. president-elect to visit the war-torn, Eastern European country. “This is a symbol of true democracy when nobody knew the results of the elections until the very last moment,” Poroshenko told U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch during…
On Wednesday, #Calexit and #Califrexit began trending on Twitter. The hashtags have been used to discuss California’s potential secession from the United States following Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election. The California-themed hashtags are a reference to Brexit, the British public’s recent decision to leave the European Union. Though Donald Trump was within…
The GOP’s long-discussed dreams of repealing Obamacare became closer to reality early Wednesday morning when Donald Trump was elected president. Six years after President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law and after more than 60 attempts to repeal it, Republicans now have a good chance to advance their own agenda. While on…
Republicans largely retained their grip over state legislative chambers and governorships in Tuesday’s elections. The Republican takeover of the presidency may have been the biggest election news, but political experts expect states to continue to take the lead on policymaking in the years ahead. “Despite total Republican control in Washington now, states are where the…
Ballot initiatives on legalizing recreational or medical marijuana in seven states won big Tuesday as voters weighed in on the controversial proposals. Voters in four states—Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and North Dakota—voted to legalize medical marijuana, making medicinal use of the drug legal in more than half of the states. Voters in three states—California, Massachusetts, and…
JANESVILLE, Wis.—House Speaker Paul Ryan affirmed he believes he’ll be able to work with President-elect Donald Trump, saying he believes the party can unify around common goals during his post-election press conference Wednesday. Ryan and Trump had a turbulent relationship throughout the 2016 election cycle, with the billionaire repeatedly accusing the speaker of not being supportive…
Residents in Montgomery County, Maryland, voted to adopt term limits for their elected officials Tuesday. The measure limits county council members and the county executive to three four-year terms or partial terms. >>> Liberal DC Suburb Could Resurrect Term Limits Movement Voters in 2000 and 2004 rejected similar measures, making this a significant victory for those…
As balloons drop and Donald Trump celebrates his hard-fought victory, a select group of political and policy experts will hit the ground running, laying the groundwork for a full-on Trump administration. For the next three months, Trump’s transition team—separate from his campaign team—will guide the president-elect on his future administration. From budgeting decisions to agenda…
Real estate developer and television personality Donald Trump made history Tuesday, winning election as the 45th president of the United States without ever having sought or held public office before. Just after 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Associated Press projected Trump as the winner after he had reached 274 electoral votes in come-from-behind victories in key contested states and Democrat…
White voters powered Donald Trump’s dramatic victory in the race for president, but the Republican nominee also outperformed expectations among voting groups that traditionally support Democrats. Just after 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Associated Press projected Trump as the winner with 274 electoral votes after the billionaire businessman had won come-from-behind victories in key contested states. According to early…