Top United States government News
Republican Mike Johnson reelected House speaker in dramatic floor vote
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Mike Johnson narrowly won reelection Friday as House speaker on a first ballot, overcoming hard-right GOP holdouts in a tense standoff and buoyed by a nod of support from President-elect Donald Trump. The uneasy scene brought an ominous start to the...
Judge sets Trump's sentencing in hush money case for Jan. 10, but signals no jail time
NEW YORK (AP) — In an extraordinary turn, a judge Friday set President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing in his hush money criminal case for Jan. 10 — little over a week before he's due to return to the White House — but indicated he wouldn't be jailed. The development...
New Majority Leader Thune kicks off Senate session with pledge to preserve filibuster
WASHINGTON (AP) — New Senate Majority Leader John Thune is kicking off the new session with a promise to preserve the filibuster, saying in his first floor speech as leader that his priority will be to “ensure the Senate stays the Senate.” Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Republicans...
Why are US flags being flown at half-staff on Inauguration Day?
President-elect Donald Trump has expressed frustration that flags will be flying at half-staff when he takes office later this month. It's an action put in place by President Joe Biden to honor the late President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100. And while Trump will be the first...
Surgeon General calls for new label on drinks to warn Americans of alcohol's cancer risk
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alcohol is a leading cause of cancer, a risk that should be clearly labeled on drinks Americans consume, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed on Friday. Murthy's advisory comes as research and evidence mounts about the bad effects that alcohol has on human...
Republicans' trust in accuracy of US elections jumps after Trump's win, AP-NORC poll finds
WASHINGTON (AP) — A majority of Republicans say they are confident in the 2024 vote count after Donald Trump’s win, according to a new poll that finds a sharp turnaround from GOP voters’ skepticism about U.S. elections after the president-elect spent four years lying about his loss to...
Biden blocks $14 billion acquisition of US Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has blocked the nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Nippon Steel of Japan to purchase Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel — affirming his earlier vow on the presidential campaign trail to prevent the acquisition of Steeltown USA’s most storied steel company. ...
Biden awards the Medal of Honor and Medal of Valor to military heroes and first responders
WASHINGTON (AP) — On Feb. 15, 1951, Army Pvt. Bruno R. Orig was returning from a mission when he found his fellow soldiers under attack in what's now known as the Battle of Chipyong-ni. The infantryman provided first aid to his comrades wounded in the Korean War attack and began...
Excerpts from the judge's ruling to go ahead with Trump sentencing
NEW YORK (AP) — The judge overseeing Donald Trump's hush money case in New York dealt with a host of weighty, unprecedented questions before deciding Friday that the president-elect should be sentenced later this month for the crime of falsifying business records. In an 18-page...
US sanctions Beijing-based cyber group for its alleged role in hacking incidents
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Treasury on Friday sanctioned a Beijing-based cybersecurity company for its alleged role in multiple hacking incidents targeting critical U.S. infrastructure. The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control hit Integrity Technology Group, Inc. with...
Latest United States government News
Blinken heads to Asia, Europe on last expected trip as top US diplomat
WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken will embark on what is expected to be his final overseas trip in office this weekend, traveling to South Korea, Japan and France. The State Department announced Friday that Blinken would visit Seoul, Tokyo and Paris beginning...
Republican Mike Johnson reelected House speaker in dramatic floor vote
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Mike Johnson narrowly won reelection Friday as House speaker on a first ballot, overcoming hard-right GOP holdouts in a tense standoff and buoyed by a nod of support from President-elect Donald Trump. The uneasy scene brought an ominous start to the...
New Orleans attack and Vegas explosion highlight extremist violence by active military and veterans
While much remains unknown about the man who carried out an attack in New Orleans on New Year’s and another who died in an explosion in Las Vegas the same day, the violence highlights the increased role of people with military experience in ideologically driven attacks, especially those that seek...
The last high-profile trip to India by the Biden administration will focus on technology
WASHINGTON (AP) — National security adviser Jake Sullivan will travel to India for a visit focusing on cooperation on strategic technology, including in defense, space and artificial intelligence. The Biden administration said Sullivan's visit on Sunday and Monday will include a...
Why are US flags being flown at half-staff on Inauguration Day?
President-elect Donald Trump has expressed frustration that flags will be flying at half-staff when he takes office later this month. It's an action put in place by President Joe Biden to honor the late President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100. And while Trump will be the first...
Honduras suggests ending US military cooperation over Trump mass deportation threat
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — Honduras President Xiomara Castro ’s comments earlier this week threatening to stop her country’s cooperation with the U.S. military if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on promised mass deportations have generated political heat at home, even as the...
Biden blocks $14 billion acquisition of US Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has blocked the nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Nippon Steel of Japan to purchase Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel — affirming his earlier vow on the presidential campaign trail to prevent the acquisition of Steeltown USA’s most storied steel company. ...
Mexico opens possibility of receiving non-Mexican deportees from Trump
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico opened the possibility Friday of receiving non-Mexican migrants deported by the United States after initially saying they would push President-elect Donald Trump to return other nationalities directly to their countries of origin. President Claudia...
119th Congress Latest: Mike Johnson narrowly reelected House speaker
WASHINGTON (AP) — The 119th Congress is convening for the first time and House Speaker Mike Johnson has narrowly been reelected to his post. The Louisiana Republican has the support of President-elect Donald Trump and House Republicans decided on Friday to reelect him to his post with just one...
House Speaker Mike Johnson vows to 'drastically' slash the size of government as Republicans take power in Congress
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson vows to 'drastically' slash the size of government as Republicans take power in Congress.