Republican

Fires are also blazing across the US and the Trump administration has repealed several climate protectionsUS Republicans are threatening to sanction Canada and Canadian government officials after smoke from devastating wildfires has drifted across huge swathes of the US, creating hazy conditions and dangerous air quality for tens of millions of Americans.Donald Trump on ⁠Friday blamed ⁠his country’s northern neighbor for ​the smoke spreading from ⁠wildfires and said he planned to call ​Mark Carney, the Canadian prime ‌minister, ‌ to ‌ask about Ottawa’s plans for dealing with the blazes. Continue reading...

• Vice President JD Vance has urged Republicans to attach White House-backed voter identification legislation to a partisan funding bill for the Iran war. • The move aims to advance the administration's election priorities and appease President Donald Trump, who is expected to further challenge the 2020 election results. • This strategy creates a potential conflict with Senate Republicans, who have resisted Trump's efforts to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster threshold.

Effort is latest attempt to pass bill that seeks to ban mail-in ballots and imposes voter identification requirementsHouse Republicans on Wednesday made another attempt to answer Donald Trump’s demand for new restrictions on voting nationwide by linking the measure to an unrelated spending bill and passing both largely along party lines.The effort was the latest attempt by congressional Republicans to pass the Save America Act, which would ban mail-in ballots and impose new identification requirements on voters when they register and cast ballots. While the Trump administration has cast the bill as necessary to prevent non-citizens from voting and combat election fraud, voting rights advocates say there’s no evidence of widespread election tampering and warn the bill could disenfranchise swaths of eligible voters ahead of November’s midterm elections. Continue reading...

Younger sister Graham was appointed by Henry McMaster, South Carolina’s governorDarline Graham Nordone: Lindsey Graham’s sister and interim US senatorDarline Graham, the sister of the late Republican senator Lindsey Graham, will be sworn in as his replacement on Tuesday to finish out the remainder of his term.Graham was appointed by Henry McMaster, South Carolina’s governor. Continue reading...

President says appointing Darline Graham Nordone would be ‘fabulous tribute’ to Republican who died on SaturdayGraham’s death triggers a scramble to replace him – what happens next?Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailDonald Trump recommended that Lindsey Graham’s sister be named as the senator’s temporary replacement after his death on Saturday.Trump posted on social media that the South Carolina governor, Henry McMaster, should appoint Darline Graham Nordone to fulfill the rest of Graham’s term, which expires in January. Continue reading...

• Republicans have returned to Capitol Hill to begin their legislative agenda, though they face immediate complications including demands from Donald Trump and the absence of Mitch McConnell. • The sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has created further uncertainty for the GOP's leadership and scheduling. • Despite these setbacks, the Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled two days of confirmation hearings for Todd Blanche, Trump's nominee for acting attorney general.

• Longtime Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died on Saturday night at age 71 following a "brief and sudden illness." • A former Air Force lawyer, Graham served in Congress for three decades and previously led the Senate Judiciary Committee during the 2020 confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett. • His passing is a significant loss for the GOP, as he was positioned to regain the Judiciary Committee gavel and had pledged to prioritize the confirmation of conservative judges.

• US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has died at age 71 following a "brief and sudden" illness. • A prominent figure in US politics, Graham was known for his hawkish foreign policy views and his evolution from a critic to a close ally of Donald Trump. • His passing occurs at a critical political juncture, as the senator was scheduled to stand for re-election in the upcoming November midterm elections.

Lawmakers face obstacles, including demands from Trump, Mitch McConnell’s absence and Graham’s sudden deathRepublican lawmakers return to the Capitol this week facing a lengthy to-do list and Donald Trump’s demands for new voting restrictions, as Democrats jockey for an advantage ahead of the November midterm elections.Lawmakers from both parties are eager to highlight before voters legislative victories ahead of the midterms, where control of Congress is at stake. But for Senate Republicans, who are already navigating an array of demands from Trump, their agenda grew further complicated over the weekend with the death of Lindsey Graham, the budget committee chair who is a key player in negotiating a party line bill to fund additional defense spending and other priorities outlined by the president. Continue reading...

Clark has been on the end of hard fouls during careerBlack players routinely receive racist abuse in WNBAEleven Republican politicians have written to the WNBA asking the league to protect Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark from “multiple attacks” on court.Clark has been on the receiving end of hard fouls since she entered the league in 2024 after a stellar college career with Iowa. Recently, the Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas hit Clark in the throat during a game. Thomas was not called for a foul at the time but the WNBA later suspended her for one game. Thomas and her family received racist abuse and death threats after the incident. Continue reading...

John Thune says he spoke to McConnell on phone as secrecy over 84-year-old’s health prompts Maga backlashRepublican leaders have moved to quash speculation about Mitch McConnell, the former Republican leader in the US Senate, amid a growing revolt over the lack of transparency around his health.The 84-year-old Kentucky politician, who led Senate Republicans for longer than anyone in history before stepping down last year, was admitted to hospital on 14 June but his office declined to say what he was being treated for. Continue reading...

• House Republicans are facing a severely constrained legislative calendar after an internal party revolt forced Speaker Mike Johnson to implement an early recess for the second consecutive week. • The disruption has significantly reduced the available time for the GOP majority to advance its ambitious policy agenda during a critical election year. • This legislative gridlock highlights ongoing instability and division within the House Republican conference, hindering their ability to pass key priorities.

‘Haiti is a failed state’, says Carlos Giménez, congressman and Miami Cuban exile, after controversial court rulingCarlos Giménez, a Republican congressman from Florida, broke with the Trump administration on Sunday, calling on the White House to reconsider its push to eliminate temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitian migrants.Returning some 350,000 Haitians to their chaotic, dangerous homeland following the US supreme court’s ruling that the Trump administration can cut off temporary legal protections, would be a grave error, Giménez said. Continue reading...

• In a 5-4 ruling issued during the final week of its 2026 term, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Mississippi law allowing mail-in ballots to be counted if they arrive up to five days after Election Day. • The decision in Watson v. Republican National Committee validates the state's extended deadline for ballot receipt, a move challenged by the RNC. • This ruling is significant as it provides legal coverage for Mississippi and 13 other states that employ similar post-election arrival windows.

Liz Murrill accused of trying to intimidate officials who opposed GOP-enacted law to overhaul local courtsLouisiana’s Republican attorney general was indicted on Thursday on criminal charges by a grand jury in New Orleans, accused of trying to intimidate local officials who fought a law enacted by GOP legislators to overhaul the local courts.Liz Murrill, the attorney general, told eight New Orleans officials, including Helena Moreno, the mayor, and Jason Williams, the district attorney, that they could face removal from their jobs because of their opposition to the law. Continue reading...

President unveils plans for Dallas summit, in break with tradition of conventions only in presidential election yearsDonald Trump has announced that Republicans will stage their first ever national convention ahead of the midterm elections, a move aimed at energizing voters as the party fights to hold its narrow congressional majorities in November.The two-day gathering will take place in Dallas on 9 and 10 September, marking a break from the longstanding tradition of holding national conventions only during presidential election years. Trump confirmed the plans on Tuesday in a Truth Social post, describing Dallas as “One of my favorite places in the World”. 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...

Challenger Dan Sullivan had been booted from ballot, but supreme court ruled he can compete against senator of same nameA man with the same name and party affiliation as Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican, is qualified to run for the seat and ordered election officials to place him on Alaska’s primary ballot in August, the state supreme court ruled Monday.The ruling came hours after arguments on Monday and just days after state court Judge Thomas Matthews found the division of elections had “abused its discretion” in booting the challenger Sullivan from the ballot. The supreme court, in a brief ruling, affirmed Matthews’ decision but sent back to the division the issue of how the challenger should be listed on the ballot, “within the confines of existing Alaska ballot design law”. Continue reading...

• The Supreme Court ruled against Republicans in Watson v. RNC, upholding the legality of grace periods for the receipt of mail-in ballots. • During hearings, Mississippi lawyers noted that the federal government failed to provide a single example of fraud resulting from post-Election Day ballot receipts in this century. • This decision arrives as a critical election-related ruling ahead of the November midterm elections, impacting how states manage ballot deadlines.

Muslims say anti-Islamic rhetoric making everyday life difficult – and threats and harassment not uncommon Following a brutal Republican primary runoff in which Islamophobia took center stage, anti-Muslim hatred continues spilling into public life in Texas.Texans say that the hate speech shared by elected officials is increasingly echoed by people in their everyday interactions, including discussions about education or interactions at a store, in a park, at university and at elementary school. In one case, students at the University of Houston were praying when a man approached them and burned a Qur’an. In other cases, people have been verbally attacked for wearing traditional garments. Continue reading...

• House Committee Chairmen Jim Jordan, Bryan Steil, and James Comer sent a formal letter to former Biden White House Counsel Dana Remus demanding documents and communications. • The request focuses on ActBlue's fraud prevention policies following New York Times reporting that Remus possesses direct, firsthand information regarding the matter. • This action is part of a broader oversight effort by House Republicans to investigate potential fraud and misleading statements made to Congress.

• On the fourth anniversary of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) is highlighting the anti-choice records of Republican Senate candidates. • The DSCC specifically targets Senator Susan Collins, noting her refusal to regret confirming Brett Kavanaugh and her 95 percent voting record in favor of President Trump’s judicial nominees. • The critique emphasizes Collins' opposition to the Women’s Health Protection Act, which aims to codify Roe v. Wade's protections into federal law.

• Senate Republicans held a late-night vote on Wednesday to reject a war powers resolution, moving to appease President Donald Trump after he berated them for opposing his war in Iran. • The move follows a face-to-face confrontation where Trump harangued GOP senators for allowing a vote to block his military actions on Tuesday, specifically targeting Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy. • This internal conflict has stalled general Senate business and diverted the GOP's focus away from key election-year issues regarding affordability.

Late-night vote came hours after US president berated GOP senators over opposition to the conflictSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailSenate Republicans rejected a war powers resolution in a late-night vote, hours after they were berated by Donald Trump over opposition to his controversial war on Iran.The US president was said to have harangued GOP senators during a lunch on Capitol Hill earlier on Wednesday. The previous day, they had angered the White House by allowing a vote to block Trump’s war in Iran. Continue reading...

• U.S. District Judge Denise Casper in Boston has issued a ruling that converts a preliminary injunction into a permanent ban on several of Donald Trump's election overhaul efforts. • The decision follows a lawsuit brought by Democratic state attorneys general, rejecting the Republican administration's claim that the legal challenge was premature. • This ruling effectively blocks the implementation of proposed election rule changes that the administration sought to put in place.

Former Georgia congresswoman on social media says she’s ‘fed up’ and done backing a party ‘that betrays its voters’Former US congresswoman and Trump loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene has announced that she is finished backing the Republican party, aligning herself with TV rightwinger Tucker Carlson after his own high-profile rejection of the GOP just months ahead of the midterm elections.During a recent episode of the Can’t Be Censored podcast, Carlson said when he appeared as a guest there was “no chance” he would support the Republican party any more, after years of being a prominent booster for Donald Trump. Continue reading...

• President Donald Trump is increasingly clashing with Senate Republicans, escalating internal party tensions while simultaneously managing conflicts with Iran. • Trump has utilized his political influence to target senators in primary elections and impose demands that lawmakers describe as unachievable. • This friction is creating politically fraught positions for GOP members, with some warning that the infighting is actively harming the President's own legislative agenda.

Senator Bill Cassidy attacks ‘worst foreign policy blunder in decades’ while others in his party skeptical over peace dealA handful of Senate Republicans have sharply criticized the agreement Donald Trump reached with Iran, accusing the administration of committing “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades”.On Wednesday, the Trump administration released the text of an interim deal between Washington and Tehran to end the 110-day conflict, framing it as a “major win” for the US – even as the 14-point accord made significant political and financial concessions to Iran to reopen the strait of Hormuz and prevent a “worldwide depression”. Continue reading...