that a central to President Donald Trump鈥檚 does not adhere to the chamber鈥檚 procedural rules, delivering a crucial blow as Republicans rush to finish the package this week.
Guidance from is rarely ignored and Republican leaders are now forced to consider difficult options. Republicans were counting on big to offset trillions of dollars in , their top priority. Additionally, the Senate鈥檚 chief arbiter of its often complicated rules had advised against various GOP provisions barring certain immigrants from health care programs.
Trump wants the legislation, which includes tax reductions, Medicaid cuts, and border enforcement, passed by July 4.
Here's the latest:
Former top aide to Jill Biden is subpoenaed by House Oversight panel
Republicans issued the subpoena to Anthony Bernal, a senior aide to the former first lady, as part of their rapidly expanding investigation into President Joe Biden鈥檚 mental fitness while in office.
The subpoena, which requires Bernal to appear for a deposition July 16, came after weeks of back-and-forth with his lawyer over the timing of a voluntary interview.
Bernal is the second former staffer to be subpoenaed and unlikely to be the last. The committee heard voluntary testimony this week from Neera Tanden, a former director of Biden鈥檚 domestic policy counsel, and is intent on securing interviews with several other members of his inner circle.
Biden鈥檚 White House physician has also been subpoenaed and will testify July 9.
It鈥檚 all part of a remarkable, Trump-supported Republican effort to investigate his predecessor six months after he left office.
Democrats have dismissed it as a partisan exercise that distracts from pressing issues.
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Guatemala and Honduras deny signing safe third country agreements with the US
The denials from the two Central American nations came after .
Guatemala鈥檚 presidential communications office said the government did not sign any immigration-related agreement during Noem鈥檚 visit.
It reaffirmed that Guatemala would receive Central Americans sent by the United States as a temporary stop on the return to their countries.
Honduras鈥� immigration director, Wilson Paz, also denied that a safe third country agreement was signed. The Foreign Affairs Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Noem said earlier Thursday that Guatemala and Honduras signed agreements to potentially offer refuge to people from other countries who otherwise would seek asylum in the United States.
Such agreements would expand the Trump administration鈥檚 efforts to provide the U.S. government flexibility in returning migrants not only to their own countries, but also to third countries as it attempts to ramp up deportations.
What we know about the damage done to Iran鈥檚 nuclear program
The big question following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran鈥檚 is: What remains of it?
Trump has said three targets hit by American strikes were 鈥渙bliterated.鈥� His defense secretary said they were 鈥渄estroyed.鈥�
A preliminary report issued by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, meanwhile, said the strikes to the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan sites but did not totally destroy the facilities.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said it has 鈥渟een extensive damage at several nuclear sites in Iran,鈥� including those three. Israel claims it has set back Iran鈥檚 nuclear program by 鈥渕any years.鈥�
Officials and experts are still assessing the damage, and their evaluation could change.
Two major questions they are trying to address are where Iran鈥檚 stockpile of enriched uranium is and what is the state of the centrifuges that enrich the fuel.
鈻� Read more about regarding the state of Iran鈥檚 nuclear program
Meet the Senate parliamentarian, the official tying Republicans in knots over their tax bill
A few Republicans reacted with indignation Thursday after Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough that some of the measures in their tax and immigration bill could not be included in the legislation.
It鈥檚 hardly the first time the parliamentarian鈥檚 normally low-key and lawyerly role has drawn a blast of public criticism 鈥� MacDonough also Democratic plans in the past.
But the attention falling on MacDonough鈥檚 rulings in recent years also reflects a broader change in Congress, with lawmakers increasingly trying to wedge their top policy priorities into bills that can鈥檛 be filibustered in the Senate. The process comes with special rules designed to deter provisions unrelated to spending or taxes 鈥� and that鈥檚 where the parliamentarian comes in, offering analysis of what does and doesn鈥檛 qualify.
鈻� Read more about what does and why lawmakers are so focused on her recommendations right now
Macron says Trump is 鈥榲ery determined鈥� to broker a new ceasefire in Gaza
Speaking at a news conference in Brussels after a meeting of EU leaders, French President Emmanuel Macron made his remarks following a phone call with the U.S. president.
Macron said Trump was 鈥渧ery much aware of the importance of a ceasefire鈥� for Gaza following the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that halted 12 days of fighting between Israel and Iran.
鈥淚 think his commitment is crucial on this issue,鈥� Macron said.
The two leaders discussed the Middle East and Ukraine, according to Macron鈥檚 office.
Nate Morris enters race to succeed Sen. McConnell, pledging loyalty to Trump
The businessman joins a competitive campaign in Kentucky to succeed longtime power broker , branding himself as a political outsider and loyal supporter of the president鈥檚 鈥淢ake America Great Again鈥� movement.
Morris said his campaign would be a referendum on McConnell鈥檚 record, and he sought to link his GOP rivals U.S. Rep. Andy Barr and ex-state Attorney General to the senator, though Morris has his own past ties to McConnell.
鈥淵ou have two McConnellites who owe everything to Mitch McConnell versus the outside business guy that鈥檚 running as the MAGA candidate,鈥� Morris said in a statement. 鈥淚 think that contrast is gonna be very, very striking to Kentuckians all over the state because they鈥檝e had enough of Mitch.鈥�
Morris has far less name recognition but can tap into wealth accumulated as a tech entrepreneur to unleash an advertising blitz.
He said he supports a moratorium on immigration until every immigrant currently in the country illegally is deported.
Spain鈥檚 PM sticks by decision to break with NATO spending goal despite Trump tariff threats
Pedro S谩nchez walked away from this week鈥檚 NATO summit with an more on defense. He also left with fresh threats of tariffs from Trump.
On Thursday the progressive prime minister stuck by his decision and responded to Trump鈥檚 comments by pointing out that it was the European Commission 鈥� not Spain 鈥� that decided the bloc鈥檚 trade policy.
鈥淲hat is clear is that trade policy is a policy directed from here, from Brussels,鈥� S谩nchez said. 鈥淪pain is an open country. It is a country that is friendly to its friends, and we consider the United States a friend of Spain.鈥�
At the summit Wednesday, NATO members agreed to raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP. But S谩nchez secured the last-minute exemption, saying Spain will only spend up to 2.1%, which he called 鈥渟ufficient and realistic.鈥�
Supreme Court has 6 cases to decide, including birthright citizenship
The is in the final days of a term that has lately been dominated by the Trump administration鈥檚 of lower court orders seeking to slow the president鈥檚 efforts to remake the federal government.
But the justices also have six cases to resolve that were argued between January and mid-May. One of the cases was an emergency appeal, the administration鈥檚 bid to be allowed to enforce Trump鈥檚 executive order denying to U.S.-born children of parents who are in the country illegally.
The remaining opinions will be delivered Friday, Chief Justice John Roberts said.
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US signs agreements with Guatemala and Honduras to take asylum seekers
The two nations signed the agreements to potentially offer refuge to people from other countries who otherwise would seek asylum in the U.S., Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said at the conclusion of her .
The agreements expand the Trump administration鈥檚 efforts to provide flexibility in sending migrants not only to their own countries but also to third countries as it attempts to ramp up deportations.
Noem said the agreements were in the works for months, with the U.S. government applying pressure on Honduras and Guatemala to get them done.
鈥淗onduras and now Guatemala after today will be countries that will take those individuals and give them refugee status as well,鈥� Noem said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e never believed that the United States should be the only option, that the guarantee for a refugee is that they go somewhere to be safe and to be protected from whatever threat they face in their country. It doesn鈥檛 necessarily have to be the United States.鈥�
Lawmakers remove 鈥榬evenge鈥� tax provision from Trump鈥檚 big bill after Treasury requests its removal
After Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent made the request, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Missouri, said, 鈥渨e will remove proposed tax code Section 899.鈥�
鈥淐ongressional Republicans stand ready to take immediate action if the other parties walk away from this deal or slow walk its implementation,鈥� they said.
would let the federal government impose taxes on companies with foreign owners, as well as investors from countries judged as charging 鈥渦nfair foreign taxes鈥� on U.S. companies.
The measure was expected to lead many companies to avoid investing in the U.S. out of concern that they could face steep taxes.
Bessent said via the social platform X that he made his request after reaching an agreement with other countries on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Global Tax Deal.
He said that after 鈥渕onths of productive dialogue,鈥� they would 鈥渁nnounce a joint understanding among G7 countries that defends American interests.鈥�
Justice Department says it intends to try Kilmar Abrego Garcia on federal smuggling charges
The department said Thursday that it intends to try him before it moves to deport him.
鈥淭his defendant has been charged with horrific crimes, including trafficking children, and will not walk free in our country again,鈥� DOJ spokesperson Chad Gilmartin told The Associated Press.
Gilmartin made the statement after a federal prosecutor told a federal judge in Maryland that the Trump administration plans to deport to a country that is not his native El Salvador after he鈥檚 released from jail in Tennessee.
Justice Department attorney Jonathan Guynn said removal proceedings would be to a 鈥渢hird country.鈥� But the prosecutor also said there were 鈥渘o imminent plans鈥� to deport Abrego Garcia and the U.S. government would comply with all court orders.
Trumps drop 鈥楳ade in the USA鈥� label for new phone and a debate ensues: How to define 鈥榤ade鈥�?
The four words that just a few days ago appeared on a website where customers can pre-order the new, Trump-branded $499 phones with an American flag etched on the back have disappeared.
In their place are much vaguer words, such as 鈥減roudly American鈥� and 鈥渂rought to life right here in the U.S.A.鈥�
It鈥檚 not clear why the Trump family is changing the language, but the Federal Trade Commission requires that items labeled 鈥淢ade in USA,鈥� be 鈥渁ll or virtually all鈥� produced domestically. Several companies have been sued over misusing the term.
The Trump Organization has not explained the change and has not responded to a request for comment. Neither did an outside public relations firm handling the Trumps鈥� mobile phone business, including a request to confirm a statement made to another media outlet.
鈥淭1 phones are proudly being made in America,鈥� Trump Mobile spokesman Chris Walker said, according to USA Today. 鈥淪peculation to the contrary is simply inaccurate.鈥�
Trump says he hopes bill can be passed by July 4 as celebration event ends
The president shook hands with the people who stood on stage behind him before he left the East Room.
Asked on the way out if the bill will be finished by Congress鈥� self-imposed July 4 deadline, he said, 鈥渨e hope so.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 border czar says it will be 鈥榟ard road鈥� to make US safer without the tax cut and spending bill
The president asked Tom Homan to say a few words, and Homan said he didn鈥檛 understand what the holdup is in Congress.
He said it鈥檚 a 鈥渘o-brainer鈥� that national security and public safety should be a nonpartisan issue.
Homan said the bill has money for more agents, beds and deportation flights to detain and get bad people out of the country.
鈥淚 get irritated. I get pissed off, because I鈥檓 sick of meeting angel moms and dads,鈥� Homan said, using a description that refers to parents of children killed by immigrants in the country illegally.
鈥淵ou want to talk about family separation. They bury their children.鈥�
Homan said making the country safer without the bill will be a 鈥渉ard road.鈥�
Senators diverge sharply on damage done by Iran strikes after classified briefing
Senators emerged with sharply different assessments of the U.S. , with Republicans calling the mission a clear success and Democrats expressing deep skepticism.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, came to Capitol Hill to give the classified briefings, originally scheduled for Tuesday.
Many Republicans left satisfied, though their assessments of how much Iran鈥檚 nuclear program was set back by the bombing varied. Sen. Tom Cotton said a 鈥渕ajor blow鈥� and 鈥渃atastrophic damage鈥� had been dealt.
鈥淭heir operational capability was obliterated. There is nobody working there tonight. It was highly effective. There鈥檚 no reason to hit those sites anytime soon,鈥� Sen. Lindsey Graham said.
Democrats remained doubtful and criticized Trump for not giving Congress more information. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the briefing 鈥渞aised more questions than it answered.鈥�
Trump says his 鈥榥o taxes on tips鈥� campaign pledge originated with a waitress in Las Vegas
The president says she came over when he was at a dinner at his hotel in the city. He asked how she was doing, and she told him the government was 鈥渒illing me on tips.鈥�
鈥淪he said, 鈥榮ir, there should be no tax on tips,鈥欌�� Trump said at a White House event organized to promote the sweeping bill that would end taxes on tips.
Trump said he said, 鈥渢hat鈥檚 the coolest thing I鈥檝e ever heard.鈥�
He said he later walked outside to hundreds of waiting journalists and said, 鈥淟adies and gentlemen, please announce tonight, there will be no tax on tips. And a legend was made.鈥�
Mexico鈥檚 president criticizes sanctions on Mexican banks by Trump administration
Claudia Sheinbaum responded sharply Thursday to the U.S. government sanctions to block transfers from three Mexican financial institutions, saying Washington has not shown evidence of its allegations of money laundering.
鈥淭he Treasury Department hasn鈥檛 provided a single piece of evidence to show that any money laundering was taking place,鈥� Sheinbaum said. 鈥淲e aren鈥檛 going to cover for anyone, there isn鈥檛 impunity here. They have to be able to demonstrate that there was actually money laundering, not with words, but with strong evidence.鈥�
Shortly after ward Mexico鈥檚 banking authority announced that it was temporarily taking over management of two of the institutions, CIBanco and Intercam Banco, to protect creditors.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced the sanctions Wednesday on those two banks and brokerage Vector Casa de Bolsa, alleging that they facilitated millions of dollars in money transfers for drug cartels.
Trump holds celebration to spur action on tax cut and spending bill pending in the GOP-controlled Senate
The White House East Room is packed for the celebration of the president鈥檚 signature domestic policy bill.
Several Cabinet members are there, and on stage are about 35 individuals who Trump and the White House say will benefit from the bill.
Senate Republicans are struggling with how to without harming people or hospitals and others care providers.
Treasury secretary asks lawmakers to remove 鈥榬evenge鈥� tax provision from Trump tax bill
Scott Bessent asked them to scrap Section 899, which would let the federal government impose taxes on foreign-parented companies and investors from countries judged as charging 鈥渦nfair foreign taxes鈥� on U.S. companies.
The measure is anticipated to cause companies to avoid investing in the U.S. out of concern that they could face steep taxes.
Bessent said via the social platform X that its removal will provide 鈥済reater certainty and stability for the global economy and will enhance growth and investment in the United States and beyond.鈥�
Trump invites Republicans to White House
House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP lawmakers are heading to the White House as Trump hosts an event designed to urge Congress to pass his big tax cuts bill.
As Republicans struggle to push the package to passage, one invited GOP holdout, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, said it鈥檚 probably going to be 鈥渁 mass arm-twisting.鈥�
State Department confirms it approved $30M for Israeli-backed group distributing food in Gaza
Deputy department spokesman Tommy Pigott told reporters Thursday that the funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and its work 鈥渟hould be commended and supported鈥� and called on other nations to contribute to it.
The private aid organization providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza that has been criticized by the United Nations and relief organizations for attempting to rebuild a distribution system for aid that has long existed.
The U.S. has said that traditional means of distributing aid to Gaza have been compromised by Hamas.
The Associated Press and other news organizations reported Tuesday that the money had been approved,
Trump and Emmanuel Macron discuss the situation in Ukraine and the Middle-East
Trump called his French counterpart, Macron鈥檚 office said.
The phone call took place as Macron was in Brussels for an EU summit during which European leaders were to discuss the world鈥檚 major crises.
Trump and Macron 鈥渄ecided to maintain close coordination鈥� on these issues, according to Macron鈥檚 office, without providing other details.
Kennedy鈥檚 advisers have endorsed flu vaccines for just about every American
But they threw in a twist: Only use certain shots free of an ingredient antivaccine groups have falsely tied to autism.
What is normally a routine step in preparing for the upcoming flu season drew intense scrutiny after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. the influential 17-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and that include several vaccine skeptics.
That seven-member panel bucked another norm Thursday: It deliberated the safety of a preservative used in less than 5% of U.S. flu vaccinations based on a presentation from an antivaccine group鈥檚 former leader 鈥� without allowing the usual public airing of scientific data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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WTO warns goods trade could slow in the coming months
The World Trade Organization reported Thursday that goods trade rose strongly in the first part of 2025 as importers frontloaded purchases in anticipation of expected higher tariffs. But it also cautioned that export orders have begun to weaken, suggesting that the momentum earlier in the year may not last.
The Geneva-based trade body said its latest goods trade barometer 鈥� which tracks trends in global trade 鈥� rose to 103.5 in April, up 0.7 percentage points from the last reading in March.
A reading of 100 is considered the baseline, so any reading over that is above trend.
However, the tracker on new export orders came in at 97.9.
The report alluded to uncertainty caused by sweeping U.S. tariffs under the Trump administration launched in early April that have since largely been eased.
Prosecutors say the US plans to initiate removal proceedings against Abrego Garcia
Federal prosecutors told a judge Thursday that the government plans to deport Abrego Garcia to a country that is not El Salvador upon his release from a Tennessee jail.
But the prosecutors also said that they would comply with all court orders and that their plans are not imminent.
Trump tries to push his legislative agenda over the finish line
Before wrapping up her briefing, Leavitt expressed confidence that the 鈥渂ig beautiful bill鈥� will be approved by Congress on the president鈥檚 timeline.
鈥淚 know everyone looks forward to being here at the White House for the bill signing next week,鈥� she said.
Trump is holding an event later in the afternoon to press his case. He wants the legislation, which includes tax reductions, Medicaid cuts, and border enforcement, passed by July 4.
鈥榃hen you have a totalitarian regime, you have to save face鈥�
The White House brushed off the ayatollah鈥檚 defiant message.
鈥淎ny commonsense, open-minded person knows the truth about the precision strikes on Saturday night,鈥� Leavitt said. 鈥淭hey were wildly successful.鈥�
Kilmar Abrego Garcia鈥檚 lawyers ask judge to order him returned to Maryland when he鈥檚 released from jail
The lawyers say that would prevent attempts by immigration officials to deport Abrego Garcia when he is released from jail in Tennessee.
A federal judge in Tennessee has ruled that Abrego Garcia has a right to be released while he awaits trial on federal human smuggling charges. But she hasn鈥檛 released him over concerns of deportation.
Abrego Garcia lived in Maryland for more than a decade before the Trump administration him to his native El Salvador in March.mistakenly deported him in March to El Salvador.
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White House says Iran didn鈥檛 move uranium
The fate of Iran鈥檚 uranium stockpile is a critical question after U.S. strikes over the weekend.
Leavitt said the White House believes it was not whisked away from nuclear facilities between American missiles and bombs landed.
鈥淲e were watching closely and there was no indication to the United States that any of that enriched uranium was moved,鈥� she said.
White House says Trump ended 鈥榯he immediate threat鈥� of Iranian nuclear program
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt began Thursday鈥檚 briefing by touting a U.S. mission that 鈥渨ill go down in the history books鈥� as an 鈥渙verwhelming success.鈥�
She also said Trump 鈥渨ants peace鈥� and U.S. officials are in communication with Iranian leaders.
鈥淩ight now we鈥檙e on a diplomatic path with Iran,鈥� Leavitt said.
Israelis love Trump. But some are unnerved by vow to 鈥榮ave鈥� Netanyahu from his corruption trial
Trump鈥檚 call for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 corruption trial to be thrown out has plunged the American leader into one of Israel鈥檚 most heated debates, unnerving some in its political class just days after they unanimously praised his strikes on Iran.
Trump鈥檚 social media post condemning the trial as a 鈥淲ITCH HUNT,鈥� and his vow that the United States will be the one who 鈥渟aves鈥� Netanyahu from , came just two days after he in Iran to preserve a ceasefire.
Both were dramatic interventions in the affairs of an ally that previous U.S. administrations had always insisted was a sovereign nation that made its own decisions. Now the one leader nearly all Israelis seem to support has fully embraced the one who most divides them.
鈥淲ith all due respect for Trump, he is not supposed to interfere in a legal process in an independent country,鈥� opposition leader Yair Lapid told Israeli media.
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Gov. Pritzker dodges questions on presidential bid after announcing gubernatorial campaign
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker was at a Thursday morning rally launching his bid for a third term in office next year.
鈥淚鈥檓 running for governor today because I want to be governor of Illinois,鈥� the Democrat told reporters.
Pritzker, a vocal critic of Trump who was a top contender as Kamala Harris鈥� running mate in 2024, has often been mentioned as a potential presidential candidate for his party.
Pritzker also beat back against Trump on Thursday, calling the president 鈥渁 megalomaniac narcissist鈥� and the GOP 鈥渇ascist freak show fanatics鈥� aiming to end democracy.
鈥淥ur story doesn鈥檛 have a king telling us what to do,鈥� he said as hundreds of supporters cheered 鈥淛B鈥� at Chicago鈥檚 Grand Crossing Park Field House, where Pritzker announced his first gubernatorial bid in 2017.
RFK says US is pulling funding from global vaccine group Gavi
U.S. Health Secretary says the country is pulling its support from the vaccines alliance , saying the organization has 鈥渋gnored the science鈥� and 鈥渓ost the public trust.鈥�
A video of Kennedy鈥檚 short speech was shown to a Gavi meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, where the organization that has paid for through routine immunization programs was hoping to raise at least $9 billion for the next five years.
Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, mentioned Gavi鈥檚 partnership with the World Health Organization during COVID-19, accusing them of silencing 鈥渄issenting views鈥� and 鈥渓egitimate questions鈥� about vaccine safety.
that its 鈥渦tmost concern is the health and safety of children,鈥� adding that any decision it makes on vaccines to buy is done in accordance with recommendations issued by WHO鈥檚 expert vaccine group.
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Trump is now fundraising with 鈥楧addy鈥� shirts
The president and his allies are taking a liking to the 鈥淒addy鈥� nickname, inspired by comments made by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and are now selling $35 orange T-shirts with his image and the word.
The new merchandise benefits his fundraising efforts linked to his and Vice President JD Vance鈥檚 leadership political action committees and the Republican National Committee.
In a news conference with Trump, Rutte said 鈥渄addy has to sometimes use strong language鈥� when the two were talking about his dealings with warring Israel and Iran.
The White House shared a mashup video on social media with highlights from the NATO summit in the Netherlands and the soundtrack of Usher鈥檚 song 鈥淗ey Daddy (Daddy鈥檚 Home).鈥�
The Associated Press
