The United States national debt surpassed $40 trillion for the first time on Tuesday, reaching another historic milestone as the federal government continues to run massive deficits. 
The debt topped $30 trillion for the first time just four years ago. When the country crossed the $1 trillion mark more than four decades ago, President Ronald Reagan pointed to the milestone as a warning about federal spending.
“If we as a nation needed a warning, let that be it,” President Reagan said in a televised address.
The national debt has continued to climb as federal spending has outpaced revenue under successive presidential administrations.
Financial firm River published a chart citing U.S. Treasury data that depicts federal spending across presidential administrations. Since the Nixon administration, federal spending and the national debt have virtually increased under each administration.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1161717" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-5.59.53-PM.png" alt="" width="1456" height="1012" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-5.59.53-PM.png 1456w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-5.59.53-PM-300x209.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-5.59.53-PM-829x576.png 829w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-5.59.53-PM-768x534.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1456px) 100vw, 1456px" /></div>
President Trump made reducing the national debt part of his 2024 campaign. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick later said his job was to raise $1 trillion in revenue, while Elon Musk, who spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, was tasked with cutting $1 trillion in spending.
Trump himself sounded the alarm about federal borrowing more than a decade ago. In 2012, he described a $17 trillion national debt and a $1 trillion budget deficit as a “national security risk of the highest order.”
The federal government continues to spend substantially more than it collects, adding to the national debt. The Treasury Department <a class="decorated-link" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/19/us-government-debt-passes-40-trillion-mark-for-the-first-time.html" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="639" data-end="749">reported</a> a $432.3 billion deficit in July, the largest monthly deficit since March 2021, when President Joe Biden signed his COVID-19 stimulus package.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), a longtime advocate of reducing federal spending, has repeatedly called for the government to return to pre-pandemic spending levels.
“What we are doing to our children, how we are robbing them of the opportunities and diminishing their prospects, that&#8217;s truly immoral,&#8221; Johnson <a class="decorated-link" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/gop-sen-ron-johnson-explains-why-he-opposes-trumps-budget-in-its-current-form" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="1379" data-end="1498">said</a> during an interview discussing funding for Trump&#8217;s Big Beautiful Bill. &#8220;And we need to recognize that fact and we need to stop it.”
The $40 trillion milestone comes as Congress faces another government funding deadline. Lawmakers must fund the federal government for fiscal year 2027, or pass a continuing resolution, by September 30 to avoid a funding lapse.

US-ECONOMY-DEBT

Reagan Sounded The Alarm At $1 Trillion. America’s National Debt Just Hit $40 Trillion.

$40 Trillion

Congress

Deficit

National Debt

National Security

President Trump

A Florida businessman won a chaotic Republican House primary that featured a former Trump adviser, two former congressmen from different states, and a January 6 defendant. 
Media mogul Jim Schwartzel defeated nine other candidates to win the GOP nomination to replace Rep. Byron Donalds in Florida’s 19th Congressional District on Tuesday. Schwartzel defeated the Trump-endorsed Catalina Lauf, earning 29% of the vote to the former Commerce Department adviser’s 22%. 
Other candidates in the race included former Illinois state Senator Jim Oberweis, former North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn, former New York Rep. Chris Collins, and January 6 defendant John Strand. The seat opened up after Donalds decided to run for governor. 
President Donald Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117090504981894603">endorsed</a> Lauf last week, saying she “has proven she has the Courage and Wisdom to deliver strong results for the incredible people of her State and Nation.” Before her run for Donald&#8217;s seat, Lauf ran for Congress in Illinois twice, including once in the Republican primary against Oberweis.
Cawthorn represented North Carolina&#8217;s 11th district in Congress from 2021 to 2023, and he made national headlines for saying he was invited to cocaine-fueled orgies by fellow lawmakers. He lost in the GOP primary to Rep. Chuck Edwards, who recently announced he would not be running for re-election after the House Ethics Committee found evidence he treated female staffers inappropriately. 
Two of the other candidates in the Florida race previously received pardons from Trump. 
Collins, who represented New York in Congress from 2013 to 2019, was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/former-congressman-christopher-collins-sentenced-insider-trading-scheme-and-lying">convicted</a> of insider trading and lying to the FBI. He was sentenced to 26 months in prison, but was pardoned by Trump about two months into his prison sentence. 
Strand, who was sentenced to over two years in prison for protesting inside the Capitol on January 6, was pardoned shortly after Trump’s second term began. 
Many of Schwartzel&#8217;s campaign ads in the days leading up to the race focused on how the other candidates were recent transplants to Florida.
Schwartzel, who owns and operates a large conservative radio channel in Florida and runs publishing company Gulfshore Life Media, ran a pro-Trump campaign on a platform of fighting for term limits, protecting Florida&#8217;s water supply, and opposing DEI and transgender ideology. 
“Southwest Florida sent a clear message: this congressional seat belongs to Southwest Florida. We had a hard-fought, spirited primary but now it is time to unite our party and turn our focus to November and beyond. I am ready to get to work supporting President Trump and his America First agenda and delivering results for Southwest Florida,” Schwartzel said after his win. “This is my home. It always has been and it always will be. I will never forget who I represent or why I ran.”
He is expected to easily win the heavily Republican favorable seat.

MixCollage-19-Aug-2026-08-53-AM-93

Businessman Defeats 2 Felons, A Trump Endorsee, And Madison Cawthorn For GOP House Nomination

2026 Midterms

Byron Donalds

Donald Trump

Florida

Illinois

Madison Cawthorn

New York

Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) is officially under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations of sexual misconduct, making him the latest California Democrat to face scrutiny as a series of scandals continues to roil Congress.
The bipartisan Ethics Committee announced Monday that it is reviewing allegations that Gomez “may have engaged in sexual misconduct” in violation of the House Code of Official Conduct, including “inappropriate sexual contact with a House staffer.” The committee cautioned that an investigation does not itself establish that Gomez violated any law or House rule. “No other public comment will be made on this matter except in accordance with Committee rules,” the committee said.
The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/18/us-news/rep-jimmy-gomez-friend-of-of-eric-swalwell-accused-of-kissing-staffer/">reported in April</a> that Gomez had been seen kissing a much younger congressional aide in the backyard of then-Rep. Eric Swalwell’s Washington residence in August 2023. Gomez, 51, acknowledged in June that he had engaged in extramarital conduct but insisted that his actions were consensual and did not violate the law or House ethics rules.
“Years ago, I made personal mistakes outside my marriage that have caused real pain to my wife and family,” Gomez wrote in a statement to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/02/politics/jimmy-gomez-house-ethics-investigation">CNN</a>. “Although my actions were consensual in nature and haven’t violated the law or House ethics rules, that doesn’t diminish the impact that these mistakes have made on those I care about the most.”
“I take full responsibility and have committed myself to working through the pain privately with my wife and family,” Gomez added. “I sought professional assistance to help re-center and heal my relationships and move forward with honesty, transparency and respect.”
Gomez said Monday that he would cooperate with the Ethics Committee investigation. The panel specifically cited an allegation involving “inappropriate sexual contact with a House staffer,” though it did not provide further details.
Gomez remains on the ballot for reelection in California&#8217;s 34th Congressional District. He advanced through the state&#8217;s top-two primary earlier this year and will face far-left Democrat Angela Gonzales-Torres in November.
The investigation comes during an unusually turbulent year for congressional ethics and sexual misconduct allegations. Two lawmakers, including California Democrat Eric Swalwell, have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/eric-swalwell-to-resign-from-congress-over-sexual-misconduct-scandal">resigned</a> from Congress this year amid sexual misconduct allegations. Swalwell has denied wrongdoing. Swalwell&#8217;s departure is particularly notable in the context of Gomez&#8217;s case because the alleged 2023 encounter involving Gomez occurred at Swalwell&#8217;s Washington residence.
The Ethics Committee has also recommended that Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-congressman-faces-censure-over-beyond-inappropriate-treatment-of-staffers">be censured</a> after finding that he violated House rules involving sexual harassment and created a hostile work environment. Edwards subsequently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-ends-re-election-bid-after-report-on-beyond-inappropriate-behavior">abandoned his reelection</a> campaign and has denied wrongdoing.
The House has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/as-congress-returns-one-question-looms-which-house-members-could-face-expulsion">considering broader changes</a> to its rules governing relationships between lawmakers and congressional staff. Current House rules do not categorically prohibit members from engaging in romantic or sexual relationships with staffers who work for other members, although a bipartisan congressional task force is considering whether such relationships should be prohibited.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/07/21/congress/speaker-backs-ban-on-members-dating-staff-01006175">endorsed a broader ban</a>, saying that sexual relationships between lawmakers and congressional staffers are inappropriate in a workplace.
For now, the committee has not determined that Gomez violated House rules, and Gomez maintains that his conduct did not constitute an ethics violation.

House Lawmakers Work On Final Passage Of Signature Budget Bill

Another California Democrat Hit With Sexual Assault Claims

California

California Elections

Democrats

Eric Swalwell

Ethics

ethics committee

Ethics Complaint

Ethics investigation

House Democrats

House of Representatives

Mike Johnson

Sex Scandal

U.S. House of Representatives

As Republicans look to defy history in the upcoming midterm elections, they hope to pick up seats in an unexpected place: New York. 
One of the top New York House seats being targeted by the GOP is that of Rep. Laura Gillen, who represents large swaths of Long Island. The GOP is banking on Gillen’s leftist voting record and the unpopularity of Governor Kathy Hochul to open the door for them to get a win in the swing district. 
Gillen, who won New York’s 4th Congressional District by ousting incumbent Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito by about 8,000 votes in 2024, has <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/roll246.xml">voted</a> with her party to <a href="https://amendments-rules.house.gov/amendments/MACE_113_xml%20(2)250905102500556.pdf">force</a> the Department of War to use taxpayer dollars for transgender surgeries and wants to keep Haitian nationals from being deported. 
“Out-of-touch radical Laura Gillen has repeatedly fought to send Long Islanders’ tax dollars down the drain,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Maureen O&#8217;Toole told The Daily Wire. “Her record of pushing woke pet projects won’t fly in this district, and voters will send her packing in November because of it.”
Midterm elections historically favor the party out of the White House, and President Donald Trump is broadly unpopular in New York, but Republicans believe local trends may favor them in Gillen’s district. The district favored President Joe Biden by 15 points in 2020 but only went for Vice President Kamala Harris by one point in 2024. Last year, Republicans won all the top positions in Nassau County, where Gillen’s district is centered.
One of Gillen’s top priorities since entering Congress has been prohibiting the deportation of Haitian nationals living in the United States. She <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1689?s=1&amp;r=19">sponsored</a> legislation opposed by the Trump administration that would expand Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians until 2029. 
“The president has made it clear that this administration’s priority is protecting the American people and addressing the criminal threat posed by those who enter this nation with little to no vetting or overstay the visa granted them,” the White House <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-trump-admin-comes-out-swinging-on-haitian-immigration-bill-backed-by-some-republicans">said</a> in a policy statement explaining its opposition. “Numerous Haitian nationals previously granted TPS have been the subject of administrative investigations for fraud, public safety, and national security.”
In one recent social media post, Gillen <a href="https://x.com/LauraAGillen/status/2087593342926254146?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">claimed</a> that ending TPS for Haitians would burden the “healthcare system by forcing them to fire caregivers.”
Gillen voted against an amendment to keep the military’s TRICARE health coverage from being used to fund transgender procedures on gender-confused members. Additionally, she <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025203">opposed</a> $9 billion in foreign aid cuts to programs pushing LGBT and climate activism around the globe. 
The New York Democrat is a member of the Congressional Equality Caucus, which <a href="https://equality.house.gov/about-cec/mission">backs</a> a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2487/text">bill</a> pushing federal funding for transgender procedures and <a href="https://x.com/EqualityCaucus/status/1933166704680472794">opposes</a> efforts to keep drag shows off of military facilities. 
Running against Gillen is Republican Jeanine Driscoll, who is <a href="https://driscoll4congress.com/">focusing</a> on a platform of cutting taxes, backing law enforcement, and securing the southern border. Driscoll was an official in Hempstead Town, where she oversaw local taxes. 
In recent years, Republicans have performed well in the district. Long Beach, a city of about 35,000, elected all Republicans to the city council in November 2025 for the <a href="https://www.liherald.com/merrick/stories/gop-sweeps-long-beach,218435">first time</a> in over half a century. Republican Bruce Blakeman coasted to re-election as Nassau County Executive in 2025 by over 10 points. Now running for governor, one <a href="https://sri.siena.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/SNY0826-Release-Crosstabs_Corrected.pdf">recent poll</a> showed Blakeman down just 10 points to Hochul, who once led by 20 points. 
The same poll showed Republicans with a 49% to 44% lead over Democrats on the generic Congressional ballot in the suburbs. 
“In New York, Republicans are in the strongest electoral position possible, because while Kathy Hochul and Zohran Mamdani run the Empire State into the ground, Republicans are delivering,” O’Toole said. “Taxes are down, communities are safer, and New Yorkers have President Trump and Republicans to thank for it.”

New York Governor Hochul, Mayor Mamdani, And AG James Make Announcement On ICE Actions

Republicans Make Play For House Seat Democrats Can’t Afford To Lose

Kathy Hochul

Long Island

Zohran Mamdani

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) plans to freeze her eggs reignited questions over the weekend as to why she has yet to tie the knot with her longtime boyfriend despite being engaged since 2022.
The New York socialist and potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate previously <a href="https://www.congress.gov/119/crpt/hrpt219/CRPT-119hrpt219.pdf">faced criticism</a> from the House Ethics Committee for describing partner Riley Roberts as her “spouse” while not being married. As Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter Andrew Kerr <a href="https://x.com/AndrewKerrNC/status/2086616392715964815?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q">noted</a> Sunday, Ocasio-Cortez does not have to disclose Roberts&#8217; financial interests as long as they are not legally married.
“Roberts is immune from AOC’s own bills that would ban the spouses of members of Congress from trading stocks … so long as they remain unmarried,” Kerr wrote on X. “No mystery why she’ll never tie the knot with this guy while she serves in Congress.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“Why isnt AOC married after being engaged to Riley Roberts after 4+ years?”
She’s hiding his finances from the public. That’s why.
So long as they remain legally unmarried, Roberts’ stock trades remain secret.<a href="https://t.co/msI60HK7XT">https://t.co/msI60HK7XT</a>
— Andrew Kerr (@AndrewKerrNC) <a href="https://x.com/AndrewKerrNC/status/2086616392715964815?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
AOC, who has positioned herself as an ethics-minded congressional crusader, introduced a bill in January 2025 that would ban individual stock trading for members of Congress and their spouses or dependents. The proposal does not mention partners or longtime romantic interests.
Still, the Bronx-based socialist has faced her own ethics problems in recent years. The House Ethics Committee found that she improperly accepted a free ticket for Roberts to the 2021 Met Gala, and that she did not pay fair market value to rent the “Tax the Rich” dress she wore to the event.
The committee “found that she failed to fully comply with the Gift Rule by impermissibly accepting a gift of free admission to the 2021 Met Gala for her partner and by failing to pay full fair market value for some of the items worn to the event.”
At the same time, investigators noted that she inconsistently referred to Roberts as her spouse depending on the situation, a footnote <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/house-ethics-committee-aoc-is-manipulating-rules-to-shield-her-spouses-financial-affairs-from-the-public/">first flagged</a> by the Washington Free Beacon. AOC listed Roberts as her spouse for multiple overseas trips — despite the fact that they have not yet married — but did not list him as her spouse when disclosing her financial information.
“The committee also found evidence that Representative Ocasio-Cortez listed Mr. Roberts as her ‘spouse’ on paperwork filed with the House relating to privately sponsored travel, although the two were not legally married at the time of the gifted travel,” lawmakers found.
“The committee further notes that at the same time Representative Ocasio-Cortez was seeking to take advantage of exceptions to the Gift Rule only applicable to spouses and/or certain relatives, she was not disclosing Mr. Roberts’ financial interests as is required of Members who are legally married,” they added.
These questions about her personal life again swirled over the weekend after she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/aoc-freezes-her-eggs-after-telling-others-to-question-having-kids?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=AOC+Freezes+Her+Eggs+After+Telling+Others+To+Question+Having+Kids">released</a> a series of Instagram videos on Sunday showing her taking the first steps to freeze her eggs.
“Normally, I keep my private life quite private. But I have made the decision to freeze my eggs. And I want to share this because I was weighing it for a very long time, and there isn’t a ton out there, and it can feel very daunting,” she said. “I am aware there is, very strangely, a political ‘risk’ or ‘tax’ that could come with sharing this information.”
AOC’s office did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Holds Rally In Detroit With Sen. Bernie Sanders And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Is AOC Skipping Marriage To Hide Cash While She’s In Congress?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Fertility

Met Gala

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced Friday that he will vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, likely securing President Donald Trump’s nominee enough Republican support to take over the Justice Department permanently.
Cassidy’s decision came after Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/second-gop-senator-comes-out-against-blanche-confirmation">announced</a> they would oppose Blanche’s nomination, raising questions about whether the former Trump defense attorney could secure enough votes in the narrowly divided Senate.
In a speech on the Senate floor, Cassidy said he had spent days reviewing Blanche’s record, speaking with the nominee, fellow senators, current and former Justice Department officials, and former Attorney General William Barr before reaching his conclusion.
“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this,” Cassidy said. “But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche.”
Cassidy said his decision was not an endorsement of Trump’s broader approach to the Justice Department, but rather a judgment about whether Blanche would be able to effectively lead the agency and provide legal counsel to the president. “This is not a referendum on President Trump,” Cassidy said. “It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances.”
The Louisiana senator acknowledged several concerns surrounding Blanche’s nomination, including his involvement in a proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund created as part of a settlement involving President Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS, as well as an agreement that initially provided broad protections from tax audits for Trump and his businesses.
Cassidy said Blanche’s role in approving those measures reflected “poor judgment,” but argued the nominee had taken steps to address the concerns, including rescinding the proposed fund and clarifying the scope of the tax agreement. “No American should be unfairly targeted by the law, but no American should be above the law,” Cassidy said.
The senator also raised broader concerns about what he described as “apparent lawfare,” warning that the Justice Department’s use of prosecutions against political opponents has damaged public trust. “Both parties, presidents of both parties, have been guilty of this,” Cassidy said. “It must stop. It should stop now.”
However, Cassidy said he ultimately concluded that a confirmed attorney general would have more authority to resist inappropriate political pressure than an acting official. 
“I am told that Senate confirmation is important in interactions with the President, with others in the Cabinet, and is important to DOJ employees in general,” Cassidy said. “Being Senate confirmed gives them greater leverage to push for things that should be pushed forward.”
Cassidy pointed to Blanche’s previous work as a federal prosecutor, his management of Justice Department priorities, and his support among U.S. attorneys as evidence that he could lead the agency effectively.
He specifically cited conversations with two Louisiana U.S. attorneys, who Cassidy said praised Blanche’s focus on violent crime, drug trafficking, fraud enforcement, and providing resources to federal prosecutors.
The announcement came after Murkowski and Collins broke with the Republican majority to oppose Blanche’s confirmation. 
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” Murkowski said. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”
Collins expressed similar concerns, citing Blanche’s involvement in the IRS settlement, the proposed anti-weaponization fund, and what she viewed as threats to Justice Department independence. With Cassidy’s support, Blanche appears positioned to overcome the opposition from Murkowski and Collins and become the second confirmed attorney general of Trump’s second administration.
Cassidy, who lost his 2026 Republican primary after Trump endorsed his challenger, acknowledged that his vote would draw criticism. “I’ll be criticized for this vote,” Cassidy said, briefly becoming emotional during his remarks. “What’s new?”
“I have a history with Mr. Trump,” Cassidy said. “But that history does not matter one bit.”

Bill Cassidy

Todd Blanche Gets Guarantee From Key Senator On Confirmation Vote

Attorney General

bill Cassidy

Department of Justice

justice department

Politics

Republican Party

Republicans

Senate

Senate GOP

Senate Republicans

Todd Blanche

Trump Administration

U.S.

A federal appeals court on Friday blocked further above-ground construction of President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom, ruling that the administration cannot move forward with the project without congressional authorization.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit <a href="https://media.cadc.uscourts.gov/opinions/docs/2026/08/26-5123-2187096.pdf">ruled 2-1</a> that Congress, not the president alone, has authority to approve the ballroom project, siding with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which challenged the construction. The court paused its ruling for two weeks to give the Trump administration time to seek emergency relief from the Supreme Court.
“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for executive self-help,” the court wrote. 
The ruling, however, does not completely halt all work at the site. The panel allowed below-ground construction to continue, including work related to security infrastructure, while permitting above-ground construction only when strictly necessary to protect those facilities or ensure the safety and structural integrity of the White House complex.
The decision came from a three-judge panel consisting of U.S. Circuit Judges Patricia Millett, Neomi Rao, and Bradley Garcia. Millett, appointed by former President Barack Obama, and Garcia, appointed by former President Joe Biden, formed the majority. Rao, a Trump appointee, dissented.
“Each president is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its executive residence,” Millett and Garcia wrote in their opinion. 
The judges argued that the White House belongs to the American people and that major structural changes require congressional approval. 
“We are aware of no instance in American history in which a President unilaterally and using privately collected funds demolished substantial portions of the White House that Congress authorized to be built and American taxpayers paid for,” the majority wrote.
Rao argued that the courts had overstepped their authority by intervening in a presidential construction project and said Trump had sufficient authority to proceed. 
“The district court seized supervision of construction at the White House, and my colleagues affirm this judicial overreach,” Rao wrote. “Because the injunction is beyond the proper province of the federal courts, construction should be allowed to continue.”
Trump announced plans for the 90,000-square-foot ballroom as part of a broader effort to expand event space at the White House. Trump has said the ballroom would cost roughly $400 million and would be funded through private donations rather than taxpayer money, though subsequent reporting has raised questions about the extent of public funding for security work associated with the broader project. 
The administration has argued that the ballroom is necessary for both practical and national security reasons, citing the difficulty of hosting large events in temporary structures and the need for additional security capabilities.
Government attorneys have argued that the project includes protections against threats including drones, ballistic missiles, and other attacks targeting the president and White House personnel.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation argued that the administration lacked authority to demolish the East Wing and begin construction without additional approvals.
The White House demolished the East Wing last fall to make way for the new structure, sparking criticism from preservation groups that said the project represented an unprecedented alteration of the historic complex.
The appeals court’s decision leaves the future of the ballroom uncertain as the administration continues to weigh whether to seek intervention from the Supreme Court.

White House East Wing

Trump’s White House Ballroom Plans Just Hit A Major Legal Roadblock

Courts

Executive

federal judge

Judge

Judges

Judicial Branch

Judiciary

White House

White House Ballroom

Maryland Democrats voted this week to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would pave the way for eliminating the state&#8217;s lone Republican-held congressional district before the 2028 election.
The measure passed largely along party lines, clearing the House of Delegates 96-38 and the Senate 32-13 before being signed by Democratic Governor Wes Moore.
If voters approve the amendment this November, lawmakers would gain significantly broader authority to redraw Maryland&#8217;s congressional map ahead of the 2028 elections, allowing Democrats to target the state&#8217;s only Republican-held House seat, represented by Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus. Maryland Democrats currently hold seven of the state&#8217;s eight congressional seats.
The proposal would not immediately redraw district lines and would not affect the 2026 elections. Instead, it would remove state constitutional requirements that congressional districts be compact and respect natural boundaries and political subdivisions, leaving future maps subject primarily to federal legal standards.
Democrats argue the amendment is necessary to respond to Republican redistricting efforts across the country. 
&#8220;I continue to believe that our country needs national redistricting reform. But until that happens, inaction is not an option,&#8221; Moore said in a <a href="https://southernmarylandchronicle.com/2026/08/06/redistricting-question-heads-to-maryland-voters/">statement</a>. &#8220;Maryland will not be caught flat-footed while Republicans engage in political redlining that guts decades of progress that the generations before us fought for.&#8221;
Maryland House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/democrats-put-redistricting-amendment-marylands-midterm-ballot-rcna590550">added</a>, &#8220;Maryland cannot remain on the sidelines because of uncertainty in our own constitutional language.”
The amendment marks a significant shift for Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, who earlier this year resisted calls from fellow Democrats to redraw congressional districts before the 2026 midterms. Ferguson had warned that aggressively redrawing the map could backfire in court after a Maryland judge rejected Democrats&#8217; 2021 congressional map, finding it violated the state constitution by excessively favoring one political party.
His position changed after the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year struck portions of the Voting Rights Act, a decision Ferguson said opened the door for additional Republican redistricting efforts in Southern states and changed the legal landscape surrounding congressional maps.
If approved, the amendment would remove the constitutional provisions that complicated Democrats&#8217; earlier map, making it substantially more difficult to challenge future congressional districts under Maryland law.
Republicans blasted the proposal as an openly partisan attempt to eliminate the state&#8217;s lone GOP congressional district. &#8220;Just because we can go ultra-partisan doesn&#8217;t mean we should go ultra-partisan,&#8221; Republican Delegate Kevin Hornberger said during floor debate.
Rep. Harris, whose Eastern Shore-based district is widely expected to become the primary target of any future redraw, said the amendment would fracture rural communities by combining them with heavily Democratic suburban and urban areas. He also predicted any new congressional map would face another court challenge if voters approve the amendment.
The constitutional amendment will appear on Maryland ballots during the November midterm election, with voters ultimately deciding whether the legislature should receive expanded authority to redraw the state&#8217;s congressional districts before the 2030 census.

Wes Moore

Dems Put State’s Lone GOP House Seat In Crosshairs With Redistricting Ballot Measure

2028 Elections

Democratic Party

Freedom Caucus

gerrymandering

Maryland

Redistricting

A Democratic congressional candidate competing Tuesday in a closely watched Michigan primary has repeatedly criticized what he calls America&#8217;s &#8220;cult of hard work,&#8221; urged the election of more socialist members to Congress, and accused Republicans of being an alliance between &#8220;fossil fuel billionaires&#8221; and &#8220;white supremacists.&#8221;
William Lawrence, a Democratic Socialists of America member, co-founder of the <a href="https://x.com/sunrisemvmt/status/2084685088919335135">Sunrise Movement</a>, and Democratic candidate in Michigan&#8217;s 7th Congressional District, made the remarks across multiple appearances on left-wing podcasts and radio programs uncovered by The Daily Wire.
Lawrence is competing in Tuesday&#8217;s Democratic primary against former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink and former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam for the chance to challenge Rep. Tom Barrett (R-MI) in November. The district is rated a &#8220;Toss-Up&#8221; by the <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/house/race/483311">Cook Political Report</a> and is expected to be one of the country&#8217;s most competitive House races.
In one episode of his podcast “Hegemonicon,” Lawrence described what he sees as uniquely American problems facing the political Left. &#8220;You mentioned U.S. exceptionalism, the cult of hard work,&#8221; Lawrence said of American politics and culture.
In the same discussion, Lawrence argued that the Left needs to elect more openly socialist lawmakers and specifically called for additional Democratic Socialists of America members in Congress. &#8220;I think sometimes we want to talk about accountability, as if it&#8217;s simply a moral calculation, where we need more accountable working class and progressive or Left legislator[s] — we need more accountable DSA members in Congress,&#8221; Lawrence said.
Lawrence argued that socialist lawmakers should be supported by an organized political movement capable of protecting them after taking controversial votes against the political establishment. &#8220;But to become an outsider to that is, you know, we need a lot of reinforcements,&#8221; he said.
In a separate 2018 appearance on the left-wing radio program Rising Up With Sonali, Lawrence attacked the Republican Party in sweeping terms. &#8220;I said it before. The Republican Party is an organized alliance between fossil fuel billionaires like the Koch brothers and white supremacists like Steve Bannon and Ron DeSantis,&#8221; Lawrence said. &#8220;They do not care one bit for the idea of democracy, and they are actively dismantling every piece of our civil liberties and our freedoms that we have fought and people have died for over the course of this country&#8217;s history.&#8221;
Lawrence has built his political career through left-wing activist organizations. He helped found the Sunrise Movement, the youth climate organization that became one of the driving forces behind the Green New Deal, and has campaigned unapologetically on the far-left despite running in one of the nation&#8217;s most competitive congressional districts.
His candidacy has highlighted an ongoing divide within the Democratic Party between its far-left and establishment wings. Lawrence has received the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and has both <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/progressives-michigan-join-forces-key-house-battleground-crucial-senat-rcna353212">endorsed and been endorsed</a> by Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, another left-wing darling in Michigan. More moderate Democrats have lined up behind his primary opponents, with Brink endorsed by former Governor Jennifer Granholm and Maasdam backed by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
Some Democratic strategists <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/6002980-michigan-democrats-senate-house-el-sayed-lawrence/">have warned</a> that nominating Lawrence could make it harder for the party to flip the district in November, arguing his far-left positions may be a difficult fit in a swing seat that President Donald Trump carried by just over one percentage point in 2024. Lawrence has dismissed those concerns, arguing voters are &#8220;tired of the status quo&#8221; and &#8220;tired of corporate-funded&#8221; candidates.
The winner of Tuesday&#8217;s Democratic primary will face Barrett in one of the House races expected to play a key role in determining control of Congress.
Republicans have already begun highlighting Lawrence&#8217;s comments. &#8220;William Lawrence is a Champagne Socialist who attacks American competition and demonizes hard work,&#8221; Republican National Committee spokesman Hunter Lovell said in a statement provided to The Daily Wire. &#8220;Lawrence hates the American way of life, and he is on a terror path to destroy our country as we know it.&#8221;

NYC-DSA holds a rally to tax the rich

Dem Socialist Candidate Rails Against American ‘Cult Of Hard Work’

2026 election

2026 elections

2026 midterm

Democrat

Democratic Socialism

Democratic Socialists Of America

Elections

Leftism

Leftist Ideology

Leftists

Michigan

Michigan Primary

A Republican senator introduced a bill on Monday that would allow states to run visa programs to fill labor shortages.
Senator John Curtis (R-UT) announced the State Sponsored Visa Pilot Program Act of 2026 to empower states to expand the number of foreign workers given visas, <a href="https://www.deseret.com/politics/2026/08/03/senators-introduce-bipartisan-state-sponsored-migrant-worker-visa-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Deseret News. The proposed program would allow states to bring in up to 5,000 migrant workers per fiscal year, plus a proportional cut of a separate 245,000-visa pool based on population.
The bill also caps state-sponsored visas at three years.
Under the bill, visa holders who have been in the United States illegally since December 31, 2016, would have a path to legal residency. The illegal immigrants seeking residency would be required to pay a $1,000 &#8220;penalty,&#8221; according to the bill&#8217;s text.
Curtis, who introduced the proposal alongside Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), said his state is in desperate need of workers.
“I’ve heard time and again from small business owners, farmers, and ranchers across Utah how difficult it has become to hire enough workers to meet growing market demands,” Curtis said in a statement.
“Our legislation would help fill the gap by creating a pilot program allowing states to sponsor visas tailored to their unique economies, without sacrificing rigorous federal vetting or accountability,&#8221; he added.
The proposal comes after House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-republican-amnesty-bill-ignites-ire-of-immigration-hardliners?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=19&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=New+Republican+Amnesty+Bill+Ignites+Ire+Of+Immigration+Hardliners">introduced</a> a separate bill to provide illegal immigrant farmworkers with a path to temporary legal status. Thompson&#8217;s bill quickly faced an onslaught of criticism from immigration hawks.
Gregory Bovino, the former Border Patrol official who led the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration raids in Minneapolis and other major cities, <a href="https://x.com/GregoryKBovino/status/2079545595359092890" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the bill&#8217;s Republican backers “just stabbed Trump’s deportation promise in the back.”
“They’re only gonna get the message one way. Vote every single one of them out in a massive wave, and replace them with real immigration hawks. Anything less, and they’ll never take us seriously,” Bovino wrote in a recent X post.
For supporters of the bill like John Hollay, president and CEO of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, the Visa plan is viewed as a necessary tool to address a yearslong farming “labor crisis.”
“They can’t get the help they need to harvest their crops and astronomical labor costs have pushed many lifelong farmers to the brink of bankruptcy,” Thompson <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/872828202078448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
“This is happening because the very program that once kept farmers in business is sinking under the weight of bureaucratic costs. Without reform, the H-2A visa program may now be the reason these same farms cannot be passed on to the next generation,” he said.

President Trump Signs Two Executive Orders In The Oval Office

Republican Senator Wants New Migrant Worker Program, Citing Labor Shortage

Farmers

Farming

illegal immigrants

Immigration

Migrants

Republican

Visa

The House Ethics Committee on Monday recommended censuring Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC), concluding there is “substantial reason to believe” he repeatedly subjected two female staffers to inappropriate and unprofessional treatment. 
<a href="https://ethics.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Committee-Report-8.3.26.pdf">The bipartisan committee</a> found Edwards violated House Rules related to sexual harassment and hostile workplaces after a months-long investigation, concluding that the two-term North Carolina Republican developed inappropriately close relationships with young female staffers that affected his official duties. 
According to the committee&#8217;s report, Edwards, who is married, showered the women with expensive gifts, repeatedly commented on their appearance, invited them to intimate dinners and vacations, sent notes expressing his affection, and frequently sought to spend time with them alone. 
Investigators said Edwards called the women “pretty” and “breathtaking,” commented on one staffer’s weight, and gave them gifts including jewelry worth more than $1,000, designer handbags, firearms, shoes, flowers, a laptop, a cellphone, a KitchenAid mixer, a robotic vacuum, vacations, and tickets to performances.  
The report also alleges Edwards skipped House votes on one occasion to visit a female staffer&#8217;s home, where he helped with yard work and decorated her Christmas tree. Investigators said he also wrote poems, paid for gambling outings, discussed visiting strip clubs in Washington, D.C., and planned weekend getaways with the women.
The committee said it found no evidence that Edwards engaged in sexual activity with either staffer. 
“A member of Congress should not single out a staffer and isolate them from other staff, make frequent comments regarding that person’s appearance and weight, send messages in the middle of the night, text staff deeply personal and seemingly romantic thoughts, intrude on personal occasions without invitation, pay for personal vacations, and spend thousands of dollars on gifts for staffers,” the report concluded. 
“That Representative Edwards did all these things to two young staffers, repeatedly over a sustained period, was beyond inappropriate,” it added. 
<div class="flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow">
<div class="min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1" dir="auto" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="68e306e1-7c36-411f-be53-fa4b6efa6752" data-message-model-slug="gpt-5-5-mini" data-turn-start-message="true">
<div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden">
<div class="markdown prose dark:prose-invert wrap-break-word w-full light markdown-new-styling">
<div class="flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow">
<div class="min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1" dir="auto" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="68e306e1-7c36-411f-be53-fa4b6efa6752" data-message-model-slug="gpt-5-5-mini" data-turn-start-message="true">
<div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden">
<div class="markdown prose dark:prose-invert wrap-break-word w-full light markdown-new-styling">
<a href="https://ethics.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Appendix-B.pdf">In a 15-page response</a>, an attorney for Edwards said the committee cleared the congressman of sexual misconduct allegations and accused the panel of reaching its conclusions through a short-circuited process. The attorney also claimed the report, which recommended a formal censure vote, did not prove the two female staffers &#8220;expressed discomfort&#8221; and said the congressman was never able to challenge the facts of the allegations. A House censure is a symbolic public rebuke that does not remove a member from office or strip him of committee assignments.
The ethics probe arrives at a politically difficult time for Edwards, whose western North Carolina district has emerged as one of Democrats’ top pickup opportunities in the 2026 midterms.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Democratic challenger Jamie Ager <a href="https://www.carolinajournal.com/ager-tops-edwards-in-2nd-quarter-fundraising/">outraised</a> Edwards by a wide margin during the latest fundraising quarter, bringing in roughly $1.4 million compared to Edwards’ approximately $155,000, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lawmaker-under-fire-for-gifting-handguns-to-staffers">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported. National election forecasters have also <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/house/race/483756">shifted</a> the district from “Likely Republican” to a more competitive “Lean Republican” as Democrats increase their investment in the race.

GettyImages-2206309458

GOP Congressman Faces Censure Over ‘Beyond Inappropriate’ Treatment Of Staffers

Chuck Edwards

News

North Carolina

Sexual Harassment

U.S. House

Washington DC

Senate Republicans unveiled a bipartisan stopgap funding bill Sunday that would prevent a government shutdown weeks before the 2026 midterm elections, though not every GOP lawmaker is on board. 
The continuing resolution, negotiated by Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), would keep most federal agencies funded through December 11 while lawmakers continue negotiating full-year appropriations bills beyond the September 30 funding deadline.
The Senate is expected to hold an initial procedural vote Monday evening, with Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) hoping to pass the measure before lawmakers depart Washington for the August recess.
The agreement represents a different approach from the House, which passed its own stopgap funding measure largely along party lines last month. Senate Republicans instead pursued a bipartisan compromise that can clear the chamber&#8217;s 60-vote threshold, making Democratic support essential.
Collins called the legislation a &#8220;major step toward averting a damaging shutdown that only harms vital programs and federal workers.&#8221;
&#8220;This measure gives Congress the time we need to continue our work on bipartisan appropriations bills, which are always my strong preference for handling annual government funding,&#8221; Collins said in a <a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majority/sen-collins-statement-on-release-of-continuing-resolution">statement</a>.
Not every Republican supports the deal.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) blasted the compromise over the weekend, arguing it gives away too much to Democrats. 
&#8220;Will I vote for it? The short answer is no. The long answer is hell no,&#8221; Kennedy said during an interview on NBC&#8217;s <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/gop-sen-john-kennedy-says-u-s-has-lost-perspective-on-war-with-iran-full-interview-267643461813?utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">Meet the Press</a>.
The Senate proposal includes several funding adjustments, known as anomalies, affecting programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), disaster relief, national security initiatives, and shipbuilding.
The legislation also temporarily blocks implementation of a proposed Office of Management and Budget rule governing federal grant approvals, a provision Democrats argued would give the administration too much authority over distributing federal funds.
Murray <a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/minority/senator-murray-on-release-of-cr-text">called</a> the Senate package &#8220;a much-improved CR to keep the government funded and avert a shutdown that no one wants.&#8221;
Even if the Senate passes the legislation this week, its path through the House remains uncertain. House Republicans approved a different continuing resolution before leaving Washington for the August recess, meaning the two chambers will need to reconcile their competing approaches before the September 30 funding deadline.
Congressional leaders have signaled that avoiding a shutdown has become an increasingly urgent priority as both parties head into a closely contested midterm election season.
If enacted, the continuing resolution would fund the federal government through December 11, giving lawmakers additional time to negotiate a longer-term spending package after the November elections.

Menu