National Politics

President Donald Trump is expected to return to Washington earlier than anticipated ahead of a planned disruption by Republicans when Congress meets next week to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s win. Trump is now slated to leave Palm Beach before his annual New Year’s Eve party, even though guests had already gathered at his south Florida

The Census Bureau announced it will miss Thursday’s deadline to produce the population count used to divide seats in Congress between the states. The Wednesday announcement was expected, and the key question remains whether the Census Bureau and Commerce Department will present the tally to President Donald Trump prior to his departure from office on

Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley said Wednesday he will object when Congress counts the Electoral College votes next week, which will force lawmakers in both the House and Senate to vote on whether to accept the results of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Hawley is the first senator to announce plans to object to the results,

Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue are on defense just under one week from a crucial Senate runoff election that will determine who holds Senate power, as the President’s public statements and actions in the final days of his administration are looming over close runoff elections in Georgia. Among several false claims about election

A total of 2,570,593 votes have been cast in Georgia’s runoff elections, the Georgia secretary of state’s office told CNN Wednesday, with Georgia’s two US Senate seats and control of the chamber in the balance. Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue both face runoffs after failing to garner more than 50% of the vote

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rejected a bill to increase direct payments to $2,000, likely closing the door on any pathway to passage before the end of the Congress this weekend. McConnell took to the Senate floor to attack the House-passed bill, specifically on the issue of higher-income individuals and couples that would be eligible

On Joe Biden’s first day as President, his White House will issue a memo to halt or delay midnight regulations and actions taken by the Trump administration that will not have taken effect by Inauguration Day, Biden transition spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters on Wednesday. Psaki noted that issuing a regulatory freeze is standard practice

The Trump administration will halt imports of palm oil from Malaysia over findings of forced labor abuses at the plantations of one of the country’s top producers of the product, which is found in many everyday items. It is the latest in a string of Customs and Border Protection restrictions aimed at stopping goods made

The Trump administration will soon take steps toward designating Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism as an 11th hour effort to create hurdles for the incoming Biden administration, which is likely to pursue warmer ties with Havana. A senior administration official told CNN that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to make the

The biggest obstacle to retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin’s nomination for secretary of defense is his retirement date from the military just four years ago — too recent under American law and for the tastes of several members of Congress. Multiple Democratic aides tell CNN they don’t think Austin’s nomination is in serious jeopardy right

Things are going to drag on in the Senate for a few days. Bottom line: There is absolutely no sign right now that a standalone bill on $2,000 checks is going to get a vote on the Senate floor. It looks like McConnell is simply going to run out the clock. There were several opportunities

The Trump administration on Wednesday unveiled sanctions on a Venezuelan judge and prosecutor for their roles in the prosecution and sentencing of six US oil executives, collectively known as the “CITGO 6.” Judge Lorena Carolina Cornielles Ruiz presided over the trial and “ultimately sentenced each of the six US persons on charges of corruption with

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced legislation Tuesday to combine two additional demands from President Donald Trump to an expansion of direct stimulus payments as part of the Covid-19 relief package, raising Democratic concern the pathway for expanded stimulus payments would soon be short-circuited. The Kentucky Republican, shortly before adjourning the Senate on Tuesday afternoon,

In the weirdest of twists at the end of his presidency, President Donald Trump is now in league with Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders over $2,000 Covid-19 relief checks, doing battle with Republican leaders over Pentagon policy and warning the political party he overtook and remade in his own image could soon be