The Congressional Budget Office estimates an increase of 10.9 million people without health insurance under President Donald Trump鈥檚 big bill, including 1.4 million who are in the country without legal status in state-funded programs. The package would reduce federal outlays, or spending, by $1.3 trillion over that period, the budget office said.
Meanwhile, Trump has promised to to a punishing 50% on Wednesday, a move that would hammer businesses from automakers to home builders, and likely for consumers.
Here's the latest:
Judge tosses Democratic committees鈥� lawsuit over the Federal Election Commission鈥檚 independence
A federal judge has that sought to block President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration from implementing an executive order that Democratic Party officials claim could undermine the independence of the Federal Election Commission.
U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali in Washington ruled late Tuesday that there鈥檚 insufficient evidence that the Republican administration intends to apply a key portion of Trump鈥檚 executive order to the FEC or its commissioners.
鈥淭his Court鈥檚 doors are open to the parties if changed circumstances show concrete action or impact on the FEC鈥檚 or its Commissioners鈥� independence,鈥� the judge wrote.
The Democratic Party鈥檚 three national political committees sued after Trump signed in February. The order was intended to increase his control of the entire executive branch, including over agencies such as the FEC, a six-person bipartisan board created by Congress to independently enforce campaign finance law.
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Trump renegotiating CHIPS Act awards
The Trump administration is renegotiating some grants previously awarded to companies under a law design to reinvigorate semiconductor manufacturing in the United States, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed in a hearing on Wednesday.
When asked at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing about delays in doling out CHIPS Act funding awarded to some companies, Lutnick said they have been reworking some agreements to try and generate additional domestic investment.
鈥淎re we renegotiating? Absolutely, for the benefit of the American taxpayer, for sure,鈥� Lutnick said. 鈥淎ll the deals are getting better. And the only deals that are not getting done are deals that should have never been done in the first place.鈥�
The CHIPS Act, a law passed in 2022 with bipartisan support, was designed to revive U.S. semiconductor manufacturing while sharpening the U.S. edge in military technology and minimizing future supply chain disruptions.
But recent tariffs and export limitations paired with the administration鈥檚 threats against the CHIPS Act, could of ensuring the U.S. maintains a competitive edge in artificial intelligence development.
Homeland Security says its cracking down on visa overstays after attack left several injured in Boulder, Colorado
The Department of Homeland Security says it will be going after people who stay in the U.S. once their visas expire after an Egyptian man who overstayed his visa was charged with in Boulder, Colorado.
, 45, is among hundreds of thousands of people known to overstay their visas each year in the United States.
In a news release Wednesday, Homeland Security said that U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are ramping up their reviews of immigration records.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned that anyone aiming to come to America and 鈥渁dvocate for antisemitic violence and terrorism鈥� was not welcome and would be prosecuted.
Homeland Security has said that Soliman entered the country in August 2022 on a tourist visa that expired in February 2023. Soliman filed for asylum in September 2022 and was granted a work authorization in March 2023, but that also expired.
Trump says he spoke about Iran with Putin and they agreed that country 鈥榗annot have a nuclear weapon鈥�
Trump says part of his call with Putin was focused on Iran and 鈥渢he fact that time is running out on Iran鈥檚 decision pertaining to nuclear weapons, which must be made quickly!鈥�
Trump said in a post on his social media site that he told Russia鈥檚 president 鈥渢hat Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and, on this, I believe that we were in agreement.鈥�
He said Putin suggested 鈥渢hat he will participate in the discussions with Iran鈥� and could perhaps 鈥渂e helpful in getting this brought to a rapid conclusion.鈥�
Trump previously boasted that a major announcement on Iran was coming -- but none has materialized.
He suggested in his latest post that Iran has been slow-walking their decision 鈥渁nd we will need a definitive answer in a very short period of time!鈥�
British Prime Minister says deal exempting UK from US metals tariffs will be in place before deadline
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he is confident a trade deal exempting the U.K. from U.S. metals tariffs will be in force before a July 9 deadline set by President Donald Trump.
Starmer and Trump announced a trade agreement on May 8 that will eliminate import taxes on U.K. steel and aluminum, but it has yet to come into force. Trump raised the tax on imported steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% starting Wednesday, but said it would stay at 25% for the U.K.
He reserved the right to hike the rate if the deal isn鈥檛 in force by July 9.
Starmer told lawmakers in the House of Commons that the agreement would be implemented 鈥渋n just a couple of weeks.鈥�
鈥淲e are the only country in the world that isn鈥檛 paying the 50% tax on steel and that will be coming down,鈥� Starmer said. 鈥淲e are working on it to bring it down to zero, that is going to happen.鈥�
Gareth Stace, head of the industry body U.K. Steel, said Trump鈥檚 decision to keep tariffs on British steel at 25% was a 鈥渨elcome pause鈥� but warned that continuing uncertainty was making American customers 鈥渄ubious over whether they should even risk making U.K. orders.鈥�
Trump says Putin told him Russia will respond to Ukrainian attack on airfields
President Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin told him 鈥渧ery strongly鈥� in a phone call Wednesday that he will respond to Ukraine鈥檚 weekend drone attack on Russian airfields.
The U.S. president said in a social media post that 鈥淚t was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.鈥�
The call that lasted for an hour and 15 minutes was Trump鈥檚 first known with Putin since May 19.
Trump said he and Putin also discussed Iran鈥檚 nuclear program.
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African history classes are safe if they teach 鈥榖oth sides,鈥� McMahon says
Education Secretary Linda McMahon made the comment Wednesday while facing questions by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Asking about the Trump administration鈥檚 diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Democratic Rep. Summer Lee asked if courses on African American history should be permitted.
鈥淚 do not think that African studies or Middle East studies or Chinese studies are part of DEI if they are taught as part of the total history package,鈥� McMahon said. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e giving the facts on both sides, of course they鈥檙e not DEI.鈥�
Lee responded that 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what both sides of African American history would be.鈥�
Lee posed the same question about lessons on the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. 鈥淚鈥檇 have to get back to you on that,鈥� McMahon said.
Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has a book coming out this fall
The book promises a close look at decision not to run for reelection and calls for thinking beyond the two-party system.
Jean-Pierre herself has switched her affiliation to independent after working in two Democratic administrations, according to Legacy Lit, a Hachette Book Group imprint that will publish 鈥淚ndependent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines鈥� on Oct. 21.
Jean-Pierre was criticized at times for being evasive about Biden鈥檚 physical condition. Wednesday鈥檚 announcement from Legacy Lit says she鈥檒l take readers 鈥渢hrough the three weeks that led to Biden鈥檚 abandoning his bid for a second term and the betrayal by the Democratic Party that led to his decision.鈥�
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House Speaker Mike Johnson says he called Elon Musk to discuss Musk鈥檚 posts criticizing tax bill
鈥淚 called Elon last night and he didn鈥檛 answer, but I hope to talk to him today,鈥� Johnson told reporters Wednesday. He added, 鈥淚 hope he comes around. I鈥檇 love to talk to him this week and I hope he calls me back today.鈥�
Johnson said he and Musk spoke at length Monday about the bill.
鈥淓lon was encouraged by that conversation. We had a great, it was a very friendly, very fruitful conversation together, and he and I talked about the midterm elections, and he said, 鈥業鈥檓 going to help,鈥欌�� Johnson said.
鈥淭hen yesterday, you know, 24 hours later, he does a 180 and he comes out and opposed the bill and it surprised me, frankly,鈥� he added.
A Democrat responds to the Congressional Budget Office鈥檚 forecast on Trump鈥檚 tax bill
鈥淩epublicans cry crocodile tears over the debt when Democrats are in charge 鈥� but explode it when they鈥檙e in power,鈥� said Rep. Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee.
鈥淚n the words of Elon Musk,鈥� Boyle said, reviving the billionaire and former Trump aide鈥檚 criticism of the package, 鈥渢his bill is a 鈥榙isgusting abomination.鈥欌��
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise criticizes the Congressional Budget Office
At a news conference Wednesday with House leadership, Scalise said the office has continuously failed to take economic growth into account.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need to go back that far to see how wrong the CBO has been,鈥� Scalise said. 鈥淲hen it comes time to make prognostications on economic growth, they鈥檝e always been wrong.鈥�
Asked later if the budget office should be done away with, Scalise did not shoot down the idea.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 very valid to raise these concerns that CBO has missed the problems that come with making false estimates,鈥� he said. 鈥淓conomic growth has been their Achilles heel.鈥�
Pennsylvania sues the USDA over cutting funding to $1 billion food aid program
The state says the agency under Trump illegally cut off funding to it through a program designed to distribute more than $1 billion in aid to states to buy food from farms for schools, child care centers and food banks.
The lawsuit in federal court was announced by Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, and comes three months after states received notices of termination from the Department of Agriculture saying the pandemic-era assistance program no longer reflects agency priorities.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 get what the hell their priorities are if not feeding people and taking care of our farmers,鈥� Shapiro said at a news conference at a food bank warehouse in Philadelphia.
The loss to Pennsylvania is $13 million under a three-year contract, money the state planned to use to buy food from farms to stock food banks. States also use the money to buy food from farms for school nutrition programs and child care centers.
World Pride opening speaker says she was denied entry to US ahead of human rights conference
Just days before she was set to give opening remarks at World Pride鈥檚 human rights conference in Washington, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, the co-founder of UK Black Pride widely known as Lady Phyll, said she was denied entry to the U.S. after her visa was revoked due to her travels to Cuba earlier this year.
Many LGBTQ+ travelers have expressed concerns or decided to skip the gathering due to anxieties about safety, border policies and a hostile political environment. Several countries, including Denmark, Finland and Germany, issued cautions for LGBTQ+ travelers visiting the U.S. for World Pride.
Speaking over a livestream, Opoku-Gyimah said she applied immediately for a non-immigrant visa, but the earliest date she was given was in September.
鈥淚鈥檝e called. I鈥檝e written. I鈥檝e pleaded,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd the answer was a cold, bureaucratic 鈥楴o.鈥欌��
Budget office estimates increase of 10.9 million people without health insurance under Trump鈥檚 bill
That would include 1.4 million who are in the country without legal status in state-funded programs. The package would reduce federal outlays, or spending, by $1.3 trillion over that period, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said.
The analysis comes at a crucial moment in the legislative process as to have the final product on his desk to sign into law by Fourth of July.
Trump鈥檚 big bill will cut taxes by $3.7T and add $2.4T to deficit, nonpartisan budget office says
The analysis comes at a crucial moment as President Trump is pushing to have the final product on his desk by Fourth of July.
The White House and GOP leaders have been sowing doubt on the Congressional Budget Office鈥檚 work. But its findings as the official scorekeeper of legislation will be weighed by lawmakers and others seeking to understand the budgetary effects of the sprawling 1,000-page plus package.
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Voters in northern Virginia will pick successor to Rep. Gerry Connolly, who died last month
Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced the special election to fill the Congressional seat representing the state鈥檚 most populous county would be set for Sept. 9. Both parties must choose their nominees by July 11.
Connolly, a fixture of Democratic politics in a deep blue district, died weeks after announcing he wouldn鈥檛 seek reelection. Before his death, he endorsed his former chief of staff and Fairfax County Board Supervisor James Walkinshaw, largely seen as a frontrunner among a crowded field of Democrats vying for the party鈥檚 nomination.
State Sen. Stella Pekarsky, state Del. Irene Shin and six other local Democrats have also filed to run. Three local Republicans and an independent have additionally launched their campaigns.
The special election takes place amid a busy year for Virginia voters in which candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and all 100 House of Delegates seats will be up for election in November.
Wall Street stalls following a potentially discouraging report on the US job market
U.S. stocks are drifting in tentative trading following a potentially discouraging signal on the job market and economy.
The S&P 500 edged up 0.2% Wednesday and lost some some momentum after a big rally drove it back within 3% of its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 53 points, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.3%.
The action was stronger in the bond market, where Treasury yields fell after a report suggested employers outside the government hired far fewer workers than expected last month. That could bode ill for Friday鈥檚 more comprehensive jobs report coming from the Labor Department.
Trump to participate in a 鈥榮ummer soir茅e鈥� at the White House
Scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on the South Lawn, the event is billed as a way for Trump to thank and celebrate the work of hundreds of political appointees in his administration.
People in those jobs are chosen by the president and range from his staff at the White House to Cabinet secretaries and agency heads.
Trump鈥檚 Wednesday schedule, according to the White House
2 p.m. 鈥� Trump will receive his intelligence briefing
3 p.m. 鈥� Trump will sign proclamations
7 p.m. 鈥� Trump will participate in the 鈥淪ummer Soir茅e鈥� at the White House
Trump and Thune are meeting Wednesday to discuss budget bill
The president, Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee that oversees tax policy are meeting at the White House this afternoon to discuss Trump鈥檚 鈥渙ne big beautiful鈥� tax cut and spending bill.
That鈥檚 according to a person familiar with the schedule who was granted anonymity to confirm a private meeting.
The Republican-controlled House recently passed the bill by one vote, but it鈥檚 now facing resistance from a handful of Senate Republicans who want even deeper spending cuts.
Trump adviser Elon Musk has also blasted the bill as a 鈥渄isgusting abomination.鈥�
The centerpiece of Trump鈥檚 legislative agenda, the bill would extend $4.5 trillion in expiring tax cuts, spend more money on immigration and border enforcement and find savings by cutting Medicaid, food stamps and green energy investments.
鈥� Seung Min Kim and Darlene Superville
Wall Street ticks quietly higher in premarket as Trump鈥檚 steel and aluminum tariffs due to kick in
Futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq all rose 0.2% in light trading before the bell Wednesday morning.
The European Union鈥檚 top trade negotiator, Maro拧 艩ef膷ovi膷, , U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, on the sidelines of a meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
艩ef膷ovi膷 said talks were 鈥渁dvancing in the right direction at pace.鈥�
There鈥檚 been no official update on the status of the steel and aluminum tariffs as of early Wednesday morning. Those tariffs are expected to hit a and likely for consumers.
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While you were asleep: Trump鈥檚 overnight posts range from China鈥檚 president to Biden鈥檚 autopen
Trump was active on his social media site in the 2 a.m. ET hour.
鈥淚 like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL,鈥� he said in one post.
The Republican president said last week that he鈥檒l stop being 鈥淢r. NICE GUY鈥� with China on trade after he accused the country of breaking an agreement with the U.S.
Trump and Xi are expected to speak by telephone this week.
In another overnight post, Trump criticized the use of an automatic pen by by his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, calling it a 鈥渟candal.鈥�
Ukraine鈥檚 backers meet to drum up arms and ammo. The Pentagon chief is absent
Senior officials from nearly 50 nations gathered Wednesday, with the since the group organizing the was set up three years ago.
The Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at NATO headquarters is going to be chaired by the United Kingdom and Germany. U.S. would only arrive in Brussels after it鈥檚 over. He鈥檒l participate in a meeting of NATO defense ministers Thursday.
His absence is the latest in a series of steps Washington has taken to distance itself from Ukraine鈥檚 efforts to repel Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion, which began on Feb. 24, 2022.
Before Wednesday鈥檚 meeting, the U.K. said that it plans a tenfold increase in drone production to help Ukraine. Drones have become a in the war, now in its fourth year.
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Europe and the US are meeting in Paris to negotiate a settlement of a tense tariff spat
The European Union鈥檚 top trade negotiator, Maro拧 艩ef膷ovi膷, met Wednesday with his American counterpart, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, on the sidelines of a meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
鈥淲e鈥檙e advancing in the right direction at pace,鈥� 艩ef膷ovi膷 said at a news conference. He said ongoing technical meetings between EU and U.S. negotiators in Washington would be soon followed by a video conference between himself and Greer to then 鈥渁ssess the progress and charter the way forward.鈥�
Brussels and Washington are unlikely to reach a substantive trade agreement in Paris. The issues dividing them are too difficult to resolve quickly.
President Trump regularly fumes about America鈥檚 persistent trade deficit with the European Union, which was a record $161 billion last year, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.
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Environmentalists criticize Trump administration push for new oil and gas drilling in Alaska
Top Trump administration officials 鈥� fresh off touring one of the country鈥檚 in the Alaska Arctic 鈥� headlined an energy conference led by the state鈥檚 Republican governor on Tuesday that environmentalists criticized as promoting new oil and gas drilling and turning away from the climate crisis.
Several dozen protesters were outside Gov. Mike Dunleavy鈥檚 annual Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference in Anchorage, where U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin were featured speakers. were continuing a multiday trip aimed at highlighting Trump鈥檚 to expand oil and gas drilling, mining and logging in the state.
Calls for additional drilling 鈥� including Trump鈥檚 renewed focus on getting a massive built 鈥� are 鈥渇alse solutions鈥� to energy needs and climate concerns, protester Sarah Furman said outside the Anchorage convention hall, as people carried signs with slogans such as 鈥淎laska is Not for Sale鈥� and 鈥淧rotect our Public Lands.鈥�
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Trump administration revokes guidance requiring hospitals to provide emergency abortions
The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it would revoke guidance to the nation鈥檚 hospitals that directed them to provide emergency for women when they are necessary to stabilize their medical condition.
That was issued to hospitals in 2022, weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court upended national abortion rights in the U.S. It was an effort by the Biden administration to preserve abortion access for extreme cases in which women were experiencing medical emergencies and needed an abortion to prevent organ loss or severe hemorrhaging, among other serious complications.
Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, emergency rooms that receive Medicare dollars to provide an exam and stabilizing treatment for all patients. Nearly all emergency rooms in the U.S. rely on Medicare funds.
The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it would no longer enforce that policy.
The move prompted concerns from some doctors and abortion rights advocates that women will not get emergency abortions in states with strict bans.
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Trump formally asks Congress to claw back approved spending targeted by DOGE
The White House on Tuesday officially asked Congress to claw back $9.4 billion in already approved spending, taking funding away from programs targeted by Elon Musk鈥檚
It鈥檚 a process known as 鈥渞escission,鈥� which requires Trump to get approval from Congress to return money that had previously been appropriated. Trump鈥檚 aides say the funding cuts target programs that promote liberal ideologies.
The request, if it passes the House and Senate, would formally enshrine many of the spending cuts and freezes sought by DOGE. It comes at a time when with the tax cut and spending plan making its way through Congress, calling it on Tuesday a 鈥渄isgusting abomination鈥� for increasing the federal deficit.
White House budget director Russ Vought said more rescission packages and other efforts to cut spending could follow if the current effort succeeds.
鈥淲e are certainly willing and able to send up additional packages if the congressional will is there,鈥� Vought told reporters.
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The Associated Press
