Secretary of State faces off with lawmakers over Trump's budget request
Sen. Adam Schiff says he'll wait to learn more about allegations against Maine Democrat Graham Platner as party divisions grow over his Senate bid.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was pressed Tuesday over the Trump administration’s refusal to grant lawmakers access to an official government memo on the U.S. war against Iran, one that Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) suspected may have “something in there you don’t want us to see.”Rubio testified Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, his first appearance before the body since the war against Iran was launched in late February. Kaine, a member of the committee, asked Rubio why the Trump administration has, to date, refused to share with lawmakers the written opinion from the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) on the war against Iran, despite having done so for other recent conflicts.“We can agree with it or not, but the administration presented a legal opinion from the [Justice Department on Operation Southern Spear] that we could review. Absolute Resolve, the effort against [Venezuelan President Nicolás] Maduro, the administration presented a legal rationale that we could review,” Kaine said. “Now, we could review both in classified, they've not been made public. We're 92 days into a war against Iran and the administration will not let Congress look at the OLC legal opinion justifying the war.”Kaine pressed Rubio for answers given the $1.5 trillion defense spending request Congress is being asked to approve, a request that represents an approximate 40% increase of the previous year’s defense spending. He also argued that the Trump administration’s hesitancy to share the OLC opinion on the war against Iran gave lawmakers cause for concern.“Mr. Secretary, you know what kind of thinking we do. If you showed us the legal rationale for two wars and you won't show us the legal rationale for the third... is there something in the rationale they don't want us to see?” Kaine said. “Is there a dissenting opinion that says it's not legal? Are there conditions like you can't strike civilian infrastructure like schools and bridges? Are there factual assertions like the war will be over in two days, or Iran will never close the Strait of Hormuz? By not sharing the legal opinion, you give us the opinion that there's something in there that you don't want us to see.”Kaine then asked Rubio if he would use his “influence” in the administration to press for the OLC legal opinion to be shared with lawmakers.“I can certainly inquire as to why it has not been available,” Rubio said before stumbling his words. “I don't think there's a reason why... I... I am not aware that... I'm – in fact, my understanding is that they have provided documentation to the committee.”Kaine interjected, clarifying that the Trump administration had provided “documentation” to lawmakers but not the OLC legal opinion. Kaine also asserted that Rubio, as a former U.S. senator himself, would “not accept” being denied access to a critical government memo.“Alright, well let me take that back and ask the Office of Legal Counsel,” Rubio conceded. “I'll take that back.”"You give us the opinion that there's something in there that you don't want us to see."Sen. @timkaine presses SOS @marcorubio on why the OLC legal opinion on the Iran war has not been shared with lawmakers."Is there a dissenting opinion that says it's not legal?" pic.twitter.com/vPnGdRufdL— Alexander Willis (@ReporterWillis) June 2, 2026
Scott Bessent may well be the most consequential secretary of the Treasury since Alexander Hamilton - not simply because of the policies he advances, but because of the conditions he confronts and the clarity with which he is executing President Trump's broader economic vision.
CNN co-host Sara Sidner was bewildered on Tuesday after President Donald Trump announced Bill Pulte would take on the role of Director of National Intelligence while also serving in his current role as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Trump announced on Truth Social that Pulte would take over after Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation. Pulte is known for helping Trump find a way to target New York Attorney General Letitia James, a March report revealed. He sifted through James' mortgage application, searching for errors. He then claimed she "committed insurance fraud" and bank fraud when she listed two residences as her primary residence. The charges were ultimately dismissed without prejudice. He targeted a member of the Board of Governors at the Federal Reserve, Lisa Cook, using the same tactic. Gabbard had been using her office to question the 2020 election and "examine" voting machines in Puerto Rico. Trump argued that because Pulte is an expert at "the safety and soundness of the Markets," he is perfect for the top national security official in the country. He will oversee all of the intelligence community in government, including the FBI, CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA). The post also advises the National Security Council and the Department of Homeland Security on intelligence matters. Still, Trump said Pulte would do the job and "remain" in his current jobs, including as chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Pulte's responsibilities will be key given that the U.S. is at war with Iran. "I just want to confirm that he's going to take this director of national intelligence job and do the other jobs that are full-time work as well. Did I hear you right?" asked Sidner. "That is what the president said. We have to see, though, how this is going to work," said White House correspondent Alayna Treene. - YouTube youtu.be
An elderly grandmother was stabbed to death on an Atlanta train over the weekend in an unprovoked, daytime attack, authorities said.Arrest warrants indicate that the 66-year-old victim was stabbed 18 to 20 times while aboard a MARTA train Saturday, WXIA-TV reported.'There was nothing she wouldn't do for her family because her family is her everything.'John Elijah Matthews, the 25-year-old suspect, first cut the throat of victim Margaret Swan just seconds after he walked next to where she was seated on the train nearing the Oakland City MARTA station, WXIA said, citing arrest warrants. Oakland City is an Atlanta neighborhood.Video from inside the train indicates that the two never communicated, the station said, citing warrants.Video showed Swan sitting alone aboard the train at 11:21 a.m., WXIA said, adding that just before 11:25 a.m. Matthews is seen walking to the side of the train where Swan was sitting.Just 19 seconds later, Matthews "is seen walking up to [Swan] and standing just to her right," the station said, adding that several seconds later he took out a knife, opened it, and cut the victim in the throat.Warrants say Swan was screaming and trying to get up from her seat as Matthews held her and stabbed her, WXIA reported.Matthews was then seen on video "throwing [Swan] to the floor and standing near her until the train arrived at the Oakland City Station" less than two minutes later, WXIA added.Warrants indicate that when the train arrived at Oakland City, Matthews exited the train with the knife still in hand as officers rushed to the scene, the station reported.Warrants add that officers tried unsuccessful lifesaving measures on Swan, WXIA reported.The station noted in a news video that Matthews was arrested "almost immediately" after the attack and that he waived his Monday hearing.RELATED: Karoline Leavitt blasts media for 'shamefully' ignoring horrific stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Matthews does not have an address or phone number, the station said, citing warrants, and he "did not want to continue speaking with detectives" at the College Park MARTA Police Precinct.WXIA said searches of metro Atlanta court and jail records did not immediately indicate clearly whether Matthews has a prior criminal history in the area.The station added that Matthews is charged with murder in Saturday's killing.RELATED: Van Jones claims there's 'NO EVIDENCE' of racial animus in Charlotte stabbing. Audio in murder footage suggests otherwise. "My mom was the rock of her family," Swan's daughter, Shanae Sams, told WXIA. "There was nothing she wouldn't do for her family because her family is her everything."Sams added to the station that her mother's killer "didn't just take away a mom, but my children's grandmother was taken away."Swan had five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, WXIA reported, adding that her daughter said she used the train frequently.A MARTA spokesperson told the station that "this appears to be a senseless act of violence, and our thoughts are with the victim's loved ones and those who witnessed this horrific incident."The agency added to WXIA that "we understand the concern and fear incidents like this can cause for those who ride and work on the MARTA system. MARTA Police are actively investigating and remain committed to the safety and security of our riders and employees."The station's news video added that with the FIFA World Cup soccer matches coming to Atlanta this month, concern for safety aboard MARTA trains has increased.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
The Hill presents two hours of live, real-time primary night coverage on Tuesday, diving deep into the 2026 primaries as the Data Nerds track results in California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota from 10:00 p.m. EDT to 12:00 a.m. EDT. The Hill’s coverage will be anchored by “Sunrise on The Hill’s” Cory Smith, joined…
President Trump on Tuesday morning announced he would appoint Bill Pulte to replace outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Pulte moves from his role as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. On Capitol Hill, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will testify before the House on Tuesday morning…
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday morning on the State Department budget request, as negotiations to end the three-month war in Iran have hit a roadblock. The optimism that President Trump projected last week toward securing a deal with the Iranian regime to end hostilities and…