Trump tariffs come back to haunt GOP as elections near

President Trump’s newly announced tariffs could put Republican candidates at risk going into the midterms as Democrats seek to go on the offensive over the economic impact of Trump’s trade agenda.  The Trump administration announced Thursday it will impose double-digit tariffs on imports from 60 trading partners over forced labor violations. Those duties went into…

‘Trump was entranced’: Staggering security lapses traced back to Trump’s vanity deadline

President Donald Trump's insistence that a Qatari-donated jumbo jet be ready to serve as a temporary Air Force One in time for the nation's 250th birthday led to the omission of several key security features found on the current presidential fleet, a New York Times investigation revealed Friday.Trump demanded the retrofitted 747-8 be ready by July 4, compressing what would normally be a multi-year security overhaul into just eight months, according to the Times. Trump personally signed off on the plane's features and security measures, according to people familiar with his role who spoke to the Times on condition of anonymity.“President Trump was entranced,” the Times’ report reads, referencing the president’s deep and personal involvement in the project, which the outlet found he gave “final approval on features and security measures that would be included.”Missing from the retrofitted jet: a lower-level exit door used for high-risk situations, a second auxiliary power unit and the infrared countermeasure system designed to detect and jam incoming missiles, according to public Air Force records and photographs reviewed by the Times.Frank Kendall, who oversaw the Air Force One modernization program as both Pentagon acquisition chief and Air Force secretary under President Joe Biden, said the omissions carry real risk."People need to be aware it has a lot of shortfalls compared to Air Force One; they do add a measure of risk," Kendall said.The Pentagon has also worked to obscure the project's true cost – including from Congress – by drawing funds from a classified nuclear modernization budget known as Sentinel, the Times found. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) accused the administration of using the maneuver to dodge oversight."They have declared this work to be a national security secret that cannot be divulged even to appropriators," Murphy said. "That is absolutely unacceptable."White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the aircraft, calling it "fully mission-ready and safe for presidential travel today."

Court: AG Paxton didn’t prove abortion claims

A Texas appeals court said the attorney general relied on insufficient evidence to win a clinic shutdown order

Troy Jackson secures Democratic nomination for Maine Senate seat after chaotic primary race

Progressive former state senate president gains nomination after Graham Platner dropped out over sexual assault allegationsIn a race defined by scandal, withdrawals and a frantic hunt for a replacement candidate, Maine Democrats hit reset on their chaotic Senate primary on Saturday as Troy Jackson officially secured the party’s nomination.He took the stage at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor to rapturous applause, a standing ovation and Noah Kahan’s Northern Attitude blaring over the speakers. “This is the absolute honor of my life,” Jackson said. Continue reading...

Kaitlan Collins fires back at Trump after being singled out at WHCD

CNN chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins responded Saturday after President Donald Trump mocked her looks and demeanor during his White House Correspondents Dinner speech, posting a pointed message paired with an Eleanor Roosevelt quote on social media.Trump told the crowd, "I wanna personally congratulate CNN's Kaitlan Collins on receiving her award; was all about me, it's a fake, she shouldn't get the award." He then added that Collins is "a young, attractive woman" who "never smiles," telling the audience, "I said, 'Kaitlan, do you ever smile? Smile. You have a nice position. You're at CNN fake news. You should be a happy person. Just smile, Kaitlan.'" Trump then compared Collins to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, joking that he'd mistakenly thought she'd landed "a major new sponsorship" before realizing "it wasn't her on the Bud Light can."It wasn't the first time Trump has told Collins she doesn't smile enough, having made a similar remark earlier this year after she pressed him on what he would say to Jeffrey Epstein survivors. Collins won her WHCA award for her coverage of the 2025 Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.In response, Collins shared an image on Instagram Saturday featuring an Eleanor Roosevelt quote: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."Alongside the image, Collins wrote that the second-best part of the night was receiving her award from "my friend and mentor," CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer. The first, she said, was "reminding everyone why the First Amendment – and asking uncomfortable questions that people in power don't like – matters." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins)

Whitmer Endorses Stevens Over Socialist El-Sayed in Michigan Senate Primary

Iran-backed Houthis launch retaliatory strikes on Saudi Arabia

Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced Saturday they fired missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia, claiming retaliation for Saudi attacks on Yemen’s coastal city of Hodeida.  Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the militant group’s spokesperson, said in a social media post that the Houthis executed two military operations “in response to this blatant and criminal aggression” from Saudi…

Gretchen Whitmer endorses moderate Haley Stevens in tight upcoming Senate primary

Gretchen Whitmer backed Haley Stevens over Abdul El-Sayed in the Michigan Senate primary as early voting begins, setting up a key Democratic clash.