Deleted tweets show top State Department official spread false rumor about Rubio's sexuality, called him ‘low IQ’  —  A top acting State Department official deleted at least half a dozen tweets that ridiculed his now boss, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, including ones calling him “low IQ” …

Immigration agents arrest Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University protests  —  Federal immigration authorities arrested a Palestinian activist Saturday who played a prominent role in Columbia University's protests against Israel, a significant escalation in the Trump administration's pledge …

Utah is poised to be the first state to ban fluoride in public water systems  — Utah has passed a law banning fluoridated water.  The state's governor says he will sign the bill, despite objections from the health care community.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called …

DOGE hunts for ‘wins’ amid tensions with Trump administration, backlash  —  As turmoil spills into public view, Elon Musk's DOGE is racing to finish slashing federal bureaucracy and move on to the more constructive work of building digital tools for the government.

Former Social Security official describes hostile takeover by Musk team  —  DOGE officials also put millions of taxpayers' private data at risk and refused to say why they needed access to it, the official says.  —  Just now  —  They came in aggressively, a former official …

This Isn't Four-Dimensional Chess.  Trump's Helping Russia.  —  Great things are ahead, Donald Trump is pretty sure!  Although, look, he's not going to promise us the moon, by—for example—guaranteeing there won't be a recession this year.  —  “I hate to predict things like that,” …

US added to international watchlist for rapid decline in civic freedoms  —  Civicus, an international non-profit, puts country alongside Democratic Republic of Congo, Italy, Pakistan and Serbia  —  The United States has been added to the Civicus Monitor Watchlist, which identifies countries …

Ontario slaps 25% increase on electricity exports to US in response to Trump's trade war  —  Ontario's premier, the leader of Canada's most populous province, announced that effective Monday it is charging 25% more for electricity to 1.5 million Americans in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war.

Be Prepared  —  Trump is sabotaging the economy, but we shouldn't assume public opinion will follow automatically.  —  ∙ Paid  —  Donald Trump has done rapid, serious damage to the U.S. economy, and the MAGA elite knows it.  —  Saturated as the Trump movement is in fantasies …

Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Law Banning Conversion Therapy  —  Colorado, like more than 20 other states, bars licensed therapists from trying to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of minors in their care.  —  The Supreme Court said on Monday that it will hear …

Musk Humiliated as Trump's Own Advisers Brutally Expose DOGE Fiasco  —  The rift between Elon Musk and Republicans is about to get worse.  The New York Times reports that in an extraordinary Oval Office meeting, President Trump's senior agency heads fought bitterly with Musk.

The Road from ‘Citizens United’ to Trump, Musk, and Corruption  —  WHAT HAPPENS WHEN a greedy geezer with the most powerful job in the world cements himself to a greedy grabber who is the richest man in the world?  You get Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and a superpower emeritus about ready to be stripped for parts.

‘Shut Up About Egg Prices’: Trump Shares Brazen Message About High Costs  —  The president posted a column from conservative activist Charlie Kirk telling people to stop complaining about egg prices.  —  President Donald Trump, who promised to cut the cost of groceries on his first day in office …

MAGA's Big Lie budget  —  🗣️ 🔥 🤯 With corporate outlets obeying in advance, supporting independent political media is more important right now than ever.  Public Notice is possible thanks to paid subscribers.  If you aren't one already, please click the button below and become one to support our work.

Trump-appointed judge quits judicial group over warning about threats  —  A prominent conservative U.S. appeals court judge resigned from the largest association of federal judges over its decision to speak out against a rise in criticism, threats and violence directed at the judiciary …

Elon Musk seeks Italian presidential meeting to salvage Starlink deal  —  Domestic political opposition to $1.5bn deal for secure communications has mounted amid transatlantic diplomatic tensions  —  Elon Musk has asked to meet Italy's President Sergio Mattarella, amid growing doubts in Rome …

Some Democrats Endorse Bill Allowing Elon Musk to Create His Own Currency  —  The GENIUS Act is the first pro-crypto bill Republicans want to rush through this Congress.  Thanks to industry money, several Democrats are ignoring the bill's major problems.  —  Elon Musk, who is a trader …

US Said to Drop Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Migrant Child Shelter  —  The Justice Department plans to drop a Biden-era lawsuit alleging sexual abuse by employees of a company that houses thousands of unaccompanied migrant children and has received billions of dollars in federal grants to operate the facilities.

The Democratic Party won't save us.  We must save democracy.  Here's the plan.  —  How to support democracy's comeback without just giving to Democratic candidates. … It's 2015.  Donald Trump is on stage, braying and whining and being as terrible as he can be.

Wall Street stocks drop as investors fret over US economic slowdown  —  Tech shares hit as Tesla gives up all its post-election gains  —  Wall Street stocks fell on Monday, deepening the recent sell-off triggered by investor concerns over the impact of President Donald Trump's policies on the US economy.

Witty hired as White House photographer  —  The White House has hired Patrick Witty, an accomplished Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer who left his role at National Geographic in 2017 after allegations of misconduct, Semafor has learned.  Witty, who had also worked with The New York Times …

IBM Spared $1.6 Billion Award as Supreme Court Rejects BMC  —  The US Supreme Court refused to revive a $1.6 billion award against International Business Machines Corp., which was accused by KKR & Co.'s BMC Software of poaching a client in violation of a licensing agreement.

Under Pressure From Republicans, D.C. Begins Removal of Black Lives Matter Mural  —  The mural, which covers two city blocks, was painted in 2020.  —  Local government crews in Washington began on Monday morning to remove the Black Lives Matter mural that was painted near the White House nearly five years ago.

Exclusive: Man accused as ‘predator’ by Rep. Nancy Mace breaks his silence  —  Brian Musgrave was out buying bird seed when he got the first hint that his life was about to be turned upside down.  The text from someone he didn't know just said he was going to be mentioned by South Carolina Rep …

Massive turnout at Democratic lawmakers' town halls as Republicans hide from voters  —  As Republican lawmakers dodge in-person town halls, avoiding direct engagement with voters furious over the Trump administration's devastating policies, LGBTQ+ Democrats like Washington Rep. Emily Randall …

Capitol agenda: Johnson's shutdown dare for Schumer  —  Mike Johnson to Chuck Schumer on government funding: Your move.  House Republicans are pushing a not-so-clean spending patch through September that would add billions of dollars for deportations, veterans' health care and the military …

32 people brought ashore after oil tanker and cargo ship collide in North Sea  —  Summary  — Thirty-two people have been brought ashore after a cargo vessel collided with an oil tanker in the North Sea, a port boss says  — All crew on the tanker Stena Immaculate are safe and accounted for, the shipping company tells the BBC

Democratic media leader dating US senator  —  The News  —  One of the Democratic Party's most notable digital media leaders is dating one of the party's most media-friendly lawmakers, according to a Washington Democrat and a pointed Instagram post.  —  Tara McGowan, the CEO of the network …

Veterans Administration therapists forced to provide mental health counseling in open cubicles  —  As part of the Trump administration's frenzied push to end remote work arrangements for federal government workers, the Veterans Administration (VA) is forcing therapists to provide mental health counseling in open cubicles.

Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna died after savage torture and extreme emaciation in Russian captivity  —  The 27-year-old journalist, who lived for her work, had travelled to occupied Zaporizhzhia oblast in order to find out about Russia's torture prisons on occupied territory

The Fascist Tech Bro Takeover Is Here  —  The future of the United States is no longer decided in Washington.  That ship has sailed.  It's now dictated in the bunkers, private jets, and compounds of an ideological Silicon Valley, by billionaires and wealth extremists intent on treating democracy …

GOP spending bill would lead to $1 billion in D.C. cuts, city officials say  —  The bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown would make D.C. revert to its 2024 spending.  City officials fear cuts to police, schools and other services.  —  A federal spending bill introduced Saturday …

Is there a floor to Donald Trump's support?  —  Some past presidencies were hobbled when popular support collapsed.  Trump might avoid that fate.  —  Many Americans — perhaps 75 million of them? — view the initial, conflagratory weeks of President Donald Trump's second term in office with astonishment and anger.

Elon Musk's DOGE staffers sleep in IKEA beds in federal offices  —  Elon Musk's DOGE crew is camping out in federal office buildings.  —  The big picture: Musk likes to live at work — he has slept at Tesla factories.  — WIRED reports Musk sleeps at DOGE HQ at the White House-adjacent Eisenhower Executive Office Building.