Exclusive new reporting from NBC News reveals Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed new recruits into training before being fully vetted as part of the hiring surge to meet President Trump's mass deportation goals. As a result, ICE officials later discovered that some recruits had criminal backgrounds, failed drug tests, or did not meet physical or academic standards. What's more, some recruits had not submitted fingerprints for background checks, which is a violation of ICE hiring policy.In fact, ...

This morning, the United States is imposing new sanctions targeting Russia's two largest oil companies along with dozens of their subsidiaries. The Treasury Department made the announcement yesterday. The sanctions may extend beyond just the companies named in the announcement. The Wall Street Journal highlights the warning in the sanctions notice that quote, "Foreign financial institutions that conduct or facilitate significant transactions or provide any service involving Russia's militaryindustrial base ...

Meanwhile, some Republican lawmakers are pushing back against Defense Secretary Pete Hegth's crackdown on how the Pentagon communicates with Congress. A new policy uh instructs all Pentagon personnel except for the Inspector General's office to seek approval before they communicate with any lawmakers or congressional staff on Capitol Hill. Some Republicans yesterday voiced concerns about that decision.We have Senate confirmed uh nominees that u I dare say uh would we be reluctant to confirm if uh our access ...

So Joe, uh, a lot to get to this morning. Um, we're watching the White House slowly get chipped away on the East Wing. Or >> you call that chipping away? You call that chipping away? I mean, that is like a wrecking ball. >> Complete demo. >> I mean, I mean, it's like I just it it it raises the question like, is there no oversight? Could a president tear down the entire White House if he wanted to? I think Charlie Sykes was asking that question yesterday. It's kind of surprising like you know there will be p ...

Today is day 23 of the government shutdown. Comes after the Senate failed to advance the House passed funding bill for the 12th time yesterday. It's now the second longest federal funding lapse ever, which means the two longest shutdowns have both happened while President Trump was in office.Republicans are expected to bring the funding bill up for another vote as soon as today. They're also expected to force a vote today on Republican Senator Ron Johnson's bill that would pay some federal workers as well a ...

Within days, the entire east wing of the White House will be completely demolished. That updated timeline comes from two Trump administration officials to NBC News yesterday. And as the president continues to defend the rapidly expanding scale and price of his addition of a massive ballroom to the people's house, >> I think it'll be one of the great ballrooms anywhere in the world. It's about $300 million. had set to do many many things including meetings of foreign leaders, including the honoring of foreig ...

In so many ways, this is the most important story in the country right now. Republicans are trying to essentially steal enough congressional seats to keep their majority in Congress after next year's midterm elections. And Democrats are desperately trying to keep pace and fight back.Today, Republicans in North Carolina voted to gerrymander their state's congressional map to give Republicans yet another House seat. And don't just take my word for it. That was the explicit intention of his This Noon map. Here ...

money, power, politics. And while the shutdown drags on here at home, questions are swirling over the Trump administration's interventions overseas. The FT reporting Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant is facing mounting pressure to justify Washington's multibillion dollar bailout of Argentina, including from some of the president's closest MAGA allies and Republicans in farm states, especially now that President Trump has floated the idea of bringing down meat prices by importing beef from Argentina, which ca ...

Legal & Ethical Concerns - The report highlights concerns about potential conflicts of interest, as individuals who previously served as personal lawyers for the former president are now in positions to decide on matters related to him [2] - The report suggests the former president is seeking \$230 million from taxpayers, which is viewed as an exorbitant amount, especially considering that punitive damages may not be allowed under the relevant statute [3][4][12] - The report raises constitutional questions regarding the president receiving money beyond his official salary, citing Article 2, Section 1, Clause 7 of the Constitution [5] - The report alleges potential violations of the Foreign Emoluments Clause, referencing a \$400 million airplane gift from Qatar [7][15] - The report suggests a lack of transparency, implying that settlements and payments could be kept secret [8][9] Political Implications - The report characterizes the former president's actions as a "bulldozer" against the Constitution and the rule of law [5] - The report criticizes the administration for allegedly prioritizing the interests of billionaires and CEOs while cutting healthcare and nutrition programs for families [11][12] - The report suggests the administration is engaging in business deals with corrupt foreign leaders [17][18] Procedural Irregularities - The report claims that major construction or renovation of the White House is being done without going through the proper congressional process [14] - The report indicates that existing statutes may not adequately address the alleged violations of constitutional principles [15]

Government Shutdown Impact - The government shutdown is now the second longest in American history, impacting SNAP recipients and Head Start programs [1] - Millions of Americans relying on SNAP are at risk of losing food assistance, potentially disrupting or skipping November payments in states like Texas, New York, Missouri, and New Jersey [1] - Head Start locations are warning that their programs could be in danger if the shutdown continues into November [1] - Federal workers are turning to food banks for assistance [1] Healthcare & Obamacare Subsidies - The shutdown is centered around Obamacare subsidies, with many people seeing higher premiums [1] - The public, including a majority of Republicans and even Trump voters, supports extending ACA subsidies [1] - Lack of affordability and transparency in healthcare is moving beyond a crisis into a full-blown catastrophe [3] - A Kaiser survey indicates companies are paying an average of $24,000 per year for premiums, with $1,000 to $6,000 flowing back to employees [4] - Families making $140,000 a year may have to pay $6,000 to $12,000 in income for premiums [5] - Premiums are doubling, and there's a cliff coming, making it difficult to avoid renewing subsidies [11][12] Political Strategy & Messaging - The White House seems comfortable watching the situation unfold, with no immediate plans to offer a solution [8][9] - The Republican party has lost the capacity to articulate policy arguments at the national level [17][18] - The President is seeking $230 million in compensation for federal investigations [19] - The White House operates with a short-term focus, lacking concern for long-term implications [21][22][23]