Tulsi Gabbard confirmed as director of national intelligence, overcoming skepticism  —  The U.S. Senate has confirmed former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to lead the intelligence community as director of national intelligence, despite initial skepticism.  —  Gabbard was confirmed 52-48 …

Trump Softens Tone on Inflation After Pledging to Lower Prices  —  President Trump pledged to lower costs on “Day 1” as a candidate.  His administration now acknowledges it will take more time.  —  President Trump promised voters that, if elected, he would enact policies that would bring prices down on “Day 1” in office.

Trump Humiliated in the ‘Most Powerless Image Ever’ of a U.S. President: O'Donnell  —  Trump has always craved is the attention of the “truly rich,” and how he finally has it, MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell said.

Defying Johnson, Graham and Senate G.O.P. Push Their Own Budget Plan  —  Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who relishes being in the middle of the action, is leapfrogging the House G.O.P., which is still tied in knots over how to pass its budget.

Hegseth Says Return to Ukraine's Pre-2014 Borders Is ‘Unrealistic’  —  In his first trip abroad, the new U.S. defense secretary told Ukrainian and NATO officials that a durable peace could only come ‘with a realistic assessment of the battlefield.’  —  A return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is …

It's a Good Thing Democrats Didn't Pack the Courts  —  Without an independent judiciary, the Constitution would be no match for Donald Trump's authoritarian impulses.  —  As disturbing as the first three weeks of the second Donald Trump administration have been, we can take solace …

Family of Venezuelan Migrant Sent to Guantánamo: ‘My Brother Is Not a Criminal.’ … Luis Alberto Castillo, a father of one from Venezuela, entered the United States on Jan. 19, one day before Donald Trump became president for a second term — swept into office on a promise to treat undocumented migrants with a heavy hand.

This obscure law is one reason Trump's agenda keeps losing in court  —  Lawsuits challenging Trump policies raise big constitutional questions, but they also rely on a law that requires the government to follow the correct procedures when changing course.  —  WASHINGTON — Lawyers challenging …

Americans Are Actually in a Position to Make Elon Musk Feel Our Rage  —  The company is in a precarious position.  This is a case where buying choices can effectively communicate rage.  —  There are myriad reasons to loathe Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, who has become a top ally of Donald Trump.

Government watchdogs fired by Trump sue to get their jobs back  —  Eight inspectors general whom Donald Trump fired from their federal agency watchdog posts are suing for their jobs back, adding to the legal scrutiny over Trump's first weeks of decisions in the White House and raising questions about his political intentions.

New Kennedy Center board elects Trump as chair.  Rutter departs as president.  —  President Trump's refashioned board of trustees voted him chairman in a meeting Wednesday afternoon.  President Deborah Rutter told staff she was leaving the institution.  —  The Kennedy Center board …

BREAKING: NIH admits funding freeze is illegal, will resume issuing grants  —  On Monday afternoon, Popular Information broke the news that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) had frozen virtually all grant funding in violation of two federal court orders.

Trump revokes $80 million from NYC after threat to claw back FEMA cash used to care for migrants  —  The Trump administration has revoked more than $80 million in funds from New York City bank accounts after Elon Musk earlier this week threatened to claw back FEMA money used to house migrants in …

Top Dem on DOGE subcommittee calls on Elon Musk to testify … - “While we're sitting here, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are recklessly and illegally dismantling the federal government,” Stansbury said.  — She went on to accuse Republicans of shielding Musk and Trump as they break the law …

McConnell only Republican to vote against Gabbard  —  Former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) on Wednesday voted against confirming former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) to serve as the nation's top intelligence official, sending a strong message to fellow GOP senators …

Pope Francis's Stunning Rebuke of JD Vance Exposes MAGA's Dark Soul  —  The other day, JD Vance sought to reconcile President Donald Trump's “America First” vision with the tenets of Christianity.  Vance argued for a “Christian concept” that orders our ethical obligations in a series of concentric circles …

Elon Musk's DOGE takes aim at agency that had plans of regulating X  —  Elon Musk made a big leap late last month toward his long-shot goal of turning X into an “everything app,” a service that could encompass a broad range of services, including the ability to transfer money, similar to Venmo or PayPal.

Cutting Cancer Research  —  Sometimes, it gets personal.  —  My daughter is finishing up a master's degree.  Her work is completely over my head, but it involves the intersection of nutrition, agriculture, and climate change. … In other words, she's doing important work, real work that could help make many lives better.

Wall Street Loves Trump Because LOL Nothing Matters  —  The S&P 500 will turn you into the Joker.  —  ∙ Paid  —  1. DGAF  —  One thesis is: If the economy sours, then voters will hold Trump/Republicans accountable for it.  —  Maybe this is correct, maybe it's not.  It's at least plausible.

New Hampshire High School Trans Athletes Take Their Fight to Trump  —  A lawsuit appears to be the first challenge to the constitutionality of an executive order barring trans athletes from girls' and women's sports teams.  —  Two transgender public high school students in New Hampshire …

Military fighter jet crashes into San Diego Bay off Point Loma coast  —  SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Two pilots were rescued after a fighter jet crashed into the San Diego Bay in the area of 1401 Shelter Island Drive Wednesday morning, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

Musk calls for ‘wave of judicial impeachments’  —  Tech billionaire Elon Musk on Wednesday called for judges to be impeached for checking the power of the Trump administration, as some of its efforts to overhaul the government get bogged down in legal fights.

“The Fraudsters Complain the Loudest and the Fastest:” Legacy Media Ignores Import of Gaza Condom Fact Check  —  At a weird appearance in the Oval Office rife with awkward projections that Elon Musk believes he is more powerful than Trump (here's the full CSPAN video), a journalist asked Elon how …

‘The case is over’: Adams' lawyer declares victory  —  Attorney Alex Spiro responded to critics who said the New York City mayor is beholden to Trump.  —  NEW YORK — Mayor Eric Adams' lawyer claimed Wednesday that the criminal case against the mayor “is over” and won't be picked up again …

Scoop: Dems “pissed” at liberal groups MoveOn, Indivisible … - “People are pissed,” a senior House Democrat who was at the meeting said of lawmakers' reaction to the calls.  — The Democrat said Jeffries himself is “very frustrated” at the groups, who are trying to stir up a more confrontational opposition to Trump.

First DOGE committee hearing becomes referendum on Elon Musk  —  The star of the first Delivering on Government Efficiency subcommittee hearing in the House Wednesday was an individual not in attendance: Elon Musk.  —  Democrats on the panel took intense aim at Musk, who is heading …

Dozens of CFPB Workers Fired in After-Hours Blitz  —  Some affected employees of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau were notified with an email that addressed them as [EmployeeFirstName][EmployeeLastName], [Job Title], [Division].  —  Dozens of Consumer Finance Protection Bureau employees …