House Press

Karoline Leavitt’s abrupt departure has sparked a tough race inside Trump’s circle for the prominent positionKaroline Leavitt’s surprise resignation as the White House press secretary is set to trigger a sharp-elbowed race inside Donald Trump’s world for one of the most prominent positions in the Trump administration.Several names have circulated since the US president announced that Leavitt would step down at the end of the month to spend more time with her family. Continue reading...

Leavitt’s departure three months before midterms raises questions over who will communicate Trump’s messages as his approval rating falls to record low, says YouGov pollingHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s decision to step down from the role comes less than three months before the midterm elections.The two most senior members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, secretary of state Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, flew out of last month’s Nato summit in Turkey on what was effectively a decoy plane after an Iranian threat, while Trump was secretly moved to a smaller military jet, a senior US official said Wednesday. Continue reading...

Youngest White House press secretary in history says she wants more time to ‘be the best mom’. Plus are we losing the battle against AI slop in the music charts?Good morning. A familiar face in Donald Trump’s administration is departing, as the US president announced that Karoline Leavitt was stepping down to spend more time with her family. The president said Leavitt, who became the youngest person to serve as White House press secretary on his return to office in January 2025, “will now be one of my top outside advisers” in a post on his Truth Social platform.Trump’s most prominent spokesperson is departing while his approval rating is at a historic low, as voters express discontent over rising prices and a war in Iran that has no end in sight.Why did Leavitt say she was stepping away? Leavitt wrote: “The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House press secretary – and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life.”How will Leavitt’s time in the role be remembered? At 27 when she was appointed, Leavitt was the youngest White House press secretary in history. And when she announced she was pregnant in December last year, she became the first ever expectant press secretary. She has faced criticism for saying that “Gen Z and those younger than me have been raised with just silver spoons in their mouths” and for attacking reporters trying to hold the White House to account.What are conditions said to be like on board? In April, there was a flurry of public criticism about dire conditions onboard the carrier. Photos emerged of poor-quality and rationed food, and there were reports of water shortages, moldy showers and broken laundry machines. Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, dismissed the accounts as “more fake news”.How long has the ship been at sea? The warship left San Diego on 21 November and was originally intended for the Pacific but was redirected to the Middle East once the US-Israel war with Iran began. Since then the 5,000-plus crew has had only two days on land. The deployment was scheduled to end in May but has been extended a couple of times amid Trump’s ongoing war. Continue reading...

US president announced departure on social media, saying Leavitt was leaving to ‘spend more time’ with familyKaroline Leavitt will step down as White House press secretary at the end of August, Donald Trump announced.The US president announced her departure on social media, saying Leavitt was leaving “so she can spend more time” with her family. She gave birth to a daughter, Viviana, in May, and returned from maternity leave last month. Continue reading...

Average pump price reaches 160p a litre, while diesel is up 14.5p to 179p and forecast to go to 185p soonBusiness live – latest updatesThe price of petrol has hit a new Iran War high at UK forecourts, adding to the financial pressure on millions of households about to embark on their annual holiday.The RAC said that in “very unwelcome news for drivers” the average pump price had reached 160p a litre, reversing the drop down to 151p in early July that followed the announcement of a fragile Middle East ceasefire. Continue reading...

• President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the White House to reaffirm their shared commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. • The meeting occurred amid heightened tensions following drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, which were launched from Iraq and condemned by Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Lebanon. • Despite international pressure, President Trump has signaled a reluctance to escalate the military conflict with Iran.

Correspondents’ dinner begins in Washington, three months after original event was halted by a shootingThe rescheduled White House correspondents’ dinner is under way in Washington, three months after the original event was scrapped in April when a man fired a shotgun at a security checkpoint outside the ballroom.Donald Trump arrived at the Waldorf Astoria for the rescheduled gala, which organizers say will feel smaller and closer than the one that had been evacuated after shots were fired in the hotel in a suspected targeting of the president and his administration. Continue reading...

Journalists urge attenders to confront president over media attacks, while Melanie Trump and JD Vance to be absentDonald Trump will address a rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association (WCHA) dinner on Friday three months after the original event was abruptly halted after an armed assailant tried to storm it, with the alleged aim of assassinating him.The rearranged dinner has been condemned as “hypocritical” by retired journalists and press freedom groups, who are urging the association to use it to confront Trump over his administration’s intensified attacks on the media. Continue reading...

• The Indian government has offered to hold discussions in the House regarding the NEET paper leak controversy, while Opposition parties are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. • Amidst the political tension, Opposition leaders have reached out to activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike since June 28, urging him to end his fast. • The situation highlights a deepening conflict between the ruling party and the Opposition over educational integrity and government accountability.

• President Donald J. Trump delivered a primetime address to release newly declassified documents regarding foreign election interference and alleged "Deep State" suppression. • The released intelligence reports specifically highlight that the Venezuelan government developed capabilities to manipulate electronic voting systems. • This disclosure is framed as a critical step in protecting U.S. democratic integrity and exposing foreign influence operations targeting American elections.

• White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt provided a preview of President Trump's upcoming speech on election security scheduled for Thursday night. • Leavitt stated that the President intends to demonstrate that current election processes are not as secure as the public believes. • The White House is urging news networks to broadcast the address, signaling a high-priority effort to challenge existing election security narratives.

• Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and nine colleagues sent a formal letter to OMB Director Russ Vought demanding the reversal of a proposed federal regulation. • The lawmakers argue that the proposed rule change would negatively impact American science, research, and innovation by creating restrictive political barriers. • This action matters because the senators believe the rule could lead to the loss of American jobs and the exportation of domestic innovation due to "partisan games."

Hispanic communities have taken economic hit over anti-immigration raids, prompting people to shop online and reuse oilUK politics live – latest updatesThe US cooking oil market is shrinking and unlikely to improve soon because of economic and immigration enforcement pressures on Latino households, the owner of the Mazola brand has said.George Weston, the chief executive of Associated British Foods (ABF), told City analysts that cooking oil sales had suffered as “our heavy use consumer is that Hispanic population who are under financial pressure, who are under pressure from Ice [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and are feeling a bit miserable”. Continue reading...

New Jersey’s Tom Kean Jr, who last voted in March, says he was diagnosed with depression after entering hospitalTom Kean Jr, a Republican congressman who disappeared from the Capitol for nearly four months with little explanation, re-emerged on Tuesday and said that he was absent while dealing with depression.“Several months ago, due to health concerns, I entered the hospital for some testing. I did not believe that this would result in a long-term stay. I was given the diagnosis of depression,” Kean said in a speech on the floor of the House Tuesday morning. Continue reading...

Section 702 renewal stalls amid dispute over Bill Pulte’s role as acting intelligence chief and leadership vacuumUS politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump is reportedly set to meet with the House speaker, Mike Johnson, at the White House on Tuesday as pressure mounts on the president to nominate a permanent director of national intelligence, the step some Republicans now believe is the only way to save a controversial and powerful surveillance law before it expires by the end of the week.At stake is section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a post-9/11 authority that allows US intelligence agencies to collect the communications of foreign targets overseas without a court warrant. While the program is intended to target non-Americans abroad, it can also sweep up communications involving Americans. This powerful and contentious spy tool is set to expire at midnight on Thursday. Continue reading...

Cole Tomas Allen, accused of attempting to assassinate Trump last month, did not speak as plea was enteredThe suspect accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump last month at a gala in Washington has pleaded not guilty to all charges.Cole Tomas Allen did not speak in court on Monday as his attorney entered the plea on his behalf. Continue reading...

US attorney says ‘we can establish’ pellet from defendant’s gunshot was ‘intertwined with fiber of vest’ of federal agentThe US government has evidence that a federal agent was shot by the suspect during an alleged recent attempt to assassinate Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, the US attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said on Sunday.“We now can establish that a pellet that came from the buckshot from the defendant’s Mossberg pump-action shotgun was intertwined with the fiber of the vest of the Secret Service officer,” Pirro said on CNN. Continue reading...

• White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took questions from reporters as Cole Allen, the suspect accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, prepared for his first court appearance on Monday. • Allen is accused of opening fire at the annual dinner while politicians, journalists, and celebrities were in attendance, with Leavitt and other Trump Cabinet members present in the room. • The incident represents a serious security breach at a high-profile event attended by senior government officials and media figures.

Details about the shooting at the White House correspondents gala have started to surface as the alleged shooter is set to be charged.The suspect was able to get close to where Donald Trump and many other senior officials were gathered, before law enforcement stopped him. It happened less than two years since Trump was the target of an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, and a subsequent attempt at a golf course in Florida.Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s Washington bureau chief David Smith, who was in attendance. Continue reading...

Secret Service director says security succeeded in stopping shooter before he could do further harm but others disagreeThe shooting in the White House correspondents’ gala has prompted questions over security with some asking how a shooter was able to get close to where Donald Trump and many other senior administration officials were gathered and many others praising the actions of law enforcement that swiftly stopped the attack.As details about the shooting at the Washington Hilton continued to surface, the alleged shooter Cole Tomas Allen, 31, mocked an “insane” lack of security at the Washington dinner in a manifesto reportedly send to his family 10 minutes before his assault started. Continue reading...

Alleged shooter expected to appear in federal court and could be charged with trying to assassinate TrumpThe suspected gunman who tried to storm the White House correspondents’ dinner was expected to appear in federal court to face criminal charges on Monday.The alleged shooter, identified by law enforcement agencies as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Torrance in southern California, faces charges including assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer. Continue reading...

Alleged manifesto reportedly written by the suspect had Trump administration officials at top of listWhite House press dinner shooting aftermath – latest updatesInvestigators were looking into anti-Trump sentiment as being a motive for the attacker who sought to breach the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington DC where the US president and top members of his administration were present.Officials have said that the shooter likely was targeting Donald Trump and other senior administration officials. “We do believe, based upon just a very preliminary start to understanding what happened, that he was targeting members of the administration,” Blanche said in a TV interview. Continue reading...

Questions raised about political violence, security and gun control after brazen attack at event attended by top officialsWhite House press dinner shooting aftermath – latest updatesA stunned Washington faced searching questions about political violence and gun control on Sunday after shots were fired at a prestigious media gala attended by Donald Trump and senior White House officials.A man targeted a Secret Service agent at a security checkpoint in the Washington Hilton hotel the previous night before being tackled and arrested. Trump and Melania Trump were rushed out of the annual White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner as guests dived for cover under tables. Continue reading...

Trump and first lady were safely evacuated and police arrested Cole Tomas Allen of southern California at eventThe gunman who tried to breach the ballroom at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington DC on Saturday night is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, the acting US attorney general, Todd Blanche, said on Sunday morning.Blanche also said officials believe that the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where he checked in as a guest at the hotel where one of the capital’s glitziest annual events was being held, the Washington Hilton. Continue reading...

Law enforcement agencies name Cole Tomas Allen as Trump posts video of man sprinting through checkpoint at hotelUS politics live – latest updatesLaw enforcement agencies have identified Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, southern California, a suburb of Los Angeles, as the suspected gunman arrested at the White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington DC on Saturday night.Allen, 31, has no record of criminal charges or a civil court history in Los Angeles county, according to a records search. Continue reading...