Confirmation

Letters obtained by Guardian and AP contradict testimony that 2019 visit to Samoa had ‘nothing to do with vaccines’Newly obtained documents indicate that the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, lied during two congressional hearings last year, telling lawmakers who held the key to his confirmation that a 2019 visit to Samoa had “nothing to do with vaccines”.Letters obtained by the Guardian and the Associated Press contradict that testimony. In one he wrote to the Samoan prime minister before the trip, Kennedy explicitly said he wanted to study the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in the Pacific island nation. In it, he used the words vaccine or vaccination eight times. Continue reading...

President calls for former personal defense lawyer to be ‘immediately approved’ as attorney generalDonald Trump has defended controversial plans for a $1.8bn slush fund even as they threaten to derail the nomination of his former personal lawyer Todd Blanche for US attorney general.Blanche “should be immediately approved” by the US Senate, the president declared in a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday morning, defending the payout scheme proposed by his officials in the Department of Justice as it holds up Blanche’s confirmation. Continue reading...

• Jay Clayton testified before the Senate on Wednesday following President Donald Trump's nomination of him to serve as the Director of National Intelligence. • During the confirmation hearing, Clayton highlighted his extensive professional background in government and national security to establish his qualifications for the role. • The testimony served as a strategic effort to distinguish Clayton from the current interim director, who has faced significant criticism from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.

• Jay Clayton appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday for a confirmation hearing to become the director of national intelligence. • The hearing follows a 28-day delay after President Donald Trump abruptly ordered Clayton not to appear during his originally scheduled June hearing. • During the tense proceedings, Clayton defended the government's use of subpoenas against journalists to obtain information.

Clayton, if confirmed, would replace Bill Pulte, whose position as acting intelligence chief has prompted outcryJay Clayton, the US attorney for the southern district of New York, will face senators on the intelligence committee Wednesday morning in a confirmation hearing to become the nation’s next intelligence chief.Clayton, if confirmed, would replace Bill Pulte, whom Donald Trump installed as acting director of national intelligence last month. Pulte’s position atop the American intelligence agencies has been deeply divisive on Capitol Hill, with members of both parties saying his background as the chair of a federal mortgage regulation agency is not enough experience for the job, and that Pulte’s unwavering loyalty to Trump and willingness to punish the president’s political enemies makes him a dangerous spy chief. Continue reading...

Trump’s nominee will face tough questions over purging of career prosecutors, Epstein files and moreTodd Blanche will appear in front of the Senate judiciary committee on Wednesday, as one of Donald Trump’s most loyal and powerful enforcers in government aims to be confirmed as the nation’s top law enforcement officer.Few officials have been more instrumental in Trump’s crusade to transform the federal government in his second term than Blanche. Trump tapped Blanche, his former personal attorney, to serve as the deputy attorney general, the justice department’s No 2 position, at the start of his term, where he steered the department’s day-to-day work as career employees were purged over their connection to Trump investigations and the president oriented the department towards punishing political rivals and investigating debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. Continue reading...

Move will allow Trump’s controversial pick, Bill Pulte, to assume role and remain in place for at least several weeksSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailDonald Trump abruptly halted the confirmation process for Jay Clayton as the US’s top intelligence chief early Wednesday, in a move that will allow Trump’s controversial selection for acting director of national security, Bill Pulte, to assume the role and remain in place for at least several weeks until Clayton is confirmed.Trump pushed the Senate to confirm Clayton after his appointment of Pulte as acting director sparked bipartisan pushback and stalled his administration’s push for renewal of the controversial Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa). Continue reading...

• The EuroLeague is approaching a critical deadline to finalize the official team lineup for the 2026–27 season. • The league is currently evaluating which clubs will participate, making the selection process a primary focus for stakeholders and teams. • This confirmation is vital as it determines the competitive landscape and financial planning for the upcoming cycle.

• E.J. Antoni, nominated for a senior position, faces potential confirmation complications due to extensive commentary on conservative talk radio and podcasts, including Steve Bannon's "War Room." • Antoni has built a public profile as a frequent pro-Trump media commentator, raising concerns among senators about potential conflicts of interest and partisanship. • Democratic senators are likely to question whether his media activities demonstrate sufficient independence for the government role he seeks.

The hearing marks a key hurdle Kevin Warsh must overcome in order to succeed Jerome Powell when his term ends on 15 MayHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Federal Reserve will commit to protecting central bank independence on interest rates at a crucial confirmation hearing later today.Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Donald Trump’s labor secretary, resigned from her role with the administration. She said it was “an honor and a privilege to serve” to serve and that she would take on a job in the private sector. The departure came after she became entangled in a string of political and personal controversies. Democrats celebrated, writing “this administration is imploding”.Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, called for Kash Patel’s immediate resignation following a report from the Atlantic detailing the FBI director’s alleged excessive drinking and absences. Patel has sued the magazine for defamation with his attorneys calling the article a “sweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit piece”.Donald Trump signed memorandums related to coal supply chains, natural gas and grid infrastructure on Monday. The president invoked the Defense Production Act in the energy-related memos, writing that increasing energy production is “essential to United States national defense”.The crowded field of Democratic candidates in the California’s governor’s race appears to be narrowing as Betty Yee — a former state controller— announced Monday she planned to end her campaign. Meanwhile, the California Democratic party chair Rusty Hicks continued to urge candidates trailing in the polls to exit the race. Continue reading...

• President Trump expressed optimism that an Iran peace deal is 'looking very good,' signaling potential near-term resolution to the US-Iran conflict that has destabilized financial markets. • Investors are actively weighing the likelihood and terms of a potential Iran truce as a key variable influencing near-term market direction and energy price trajectories. • Geopolitical risk premiums embedded in oil prices and equity valuations could face significant repricing if a comprehensive ceasefire agreement is formally announced.

• E.J. Antoni, a fixture on conservative talk radio and podcasts including Steve Bannon's "War Room," faces potential complications in his Senate confirmation process due to extensive pro-Trump commentary. • Antoni has authored numerous opinion pieces supporting Trump administration policies while building a media presence across conservative outlets. • His media activities and political advocacy could create obstacles during Senate vetting, as lawmakers scrutinize potential conflicts of interest or partisan commitments.

If approved on Monday, as expected, Mullin would replace Kristi Noem, whom Trump fired in early MarchDonald Trump’s nomination of Republican senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma to be the president’s next head of homeland security on Sunday advanced toward final confirmation after the US Senate voted 54-37 to limit debate on the appointment.The confirmation vote could come sometime on Monday. If approved, as expected, Mullin would replace Kristi Noem, whom Trump fired from the role of homeland security secretary on 5 March. Continue reading...

• Markwayne Mullin appeared before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on March 18 for his confirmation hearing as Trump's DHS nominee, replacing fired Secretary Kristi Noem, and pledged to secure funding for the department amid a Democratic standoff over immigration enforcement constraints. • Mullin defended Trump's mass deportation agenda against Democratic concerns about aggressive enforcement operations, while Republican Sen. Rand Paul challenged Democrats' criticism and Mullin stated "We just don't get along" with Paul during heated exchanges. • Democrats, led by Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, expressed reservations about Mullin's readiness, citing reports that DHS officers have been accused of smashing car windows, roughing up bystanders recording activities, and detaining immigrants in poor conditions.

Republicans almost certain to push through appointment following the ousting of Noem amid public backlash to her aggressive immigration approachSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.A Senate committee later today is expected to give a quick confirmation to Markwayne Mullin, a first-term Republican senator from Oklahoma, to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).A top counter-terrorism official in the Trump administration resigned over the ongoing war on Iran. Joe Kent, who reported to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, said in his resignation letter that he “cannot in good conscience” support the conflict.Gabbard responded in a statement that did not refer to Kent directly, but argued that Trump “is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat”.The House oversight committee subpoenaed attorney general Pam Bondi to appear for a deposition on the Department of Justice’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.The Senate passed a measure to start debate on the legislation to restrict voting in US elections in a number of ways, by a vote of 51-48, along mainly partisan lines, with only Lisa Murkowski, the Alaska Republican, crossing party lines.During the annual St Patrick’s Day Shamrock ceremony at the White House, Ireland’s prime minister, Micheál Martin, gently made the case for free trade and a rules-based order before presenting Trump with a bowl of shamrocks.While Trump and his aides spent much of Tuesday deriding Kent, critics of the administration pointed out that Kent’s ties to rightwing extremists meant that he was never fit for the role in the first place. Continue reading...