Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told the Senate Judiciary Committee that he gives President Trump honest advice and is not just someone who agrees with him. During his confirmation hearing, senators asked Blanche about his ties to President Trump, the Justice Department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, and Trump’s IRS lawsuit settlement.
Key Facts
Todd Blanche is the acting attorney general and was previously President Trump’s defense lawyer.
Blanche said he offers honest counsel to President Trump, not just agreement.
He asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to trust him again and welcomed tough questions.
Senators questioned Blanche about his relationship with President Trump.
They also asked about how the Justice Department handled files connected to Jeffrey Epstein.
Blanche faced questions concerning President Trump’s lawsuit settlement with the IRS.
Blanche became acting attorney general after Pam Bondi was fired in April.
The Senate approved Blanche as deputy attorney general in March 2025.
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Nolan Wells’ family met with the Mississippi district attorney to discuss the investigation into his death. The district attorney promised the family that the investigation would be thorough.
Key Facts
Nolan Wells was a teenager who passed away.
His family and their lawyers met with the Mississippi district attorney.
The meeting took place on Wednesday.
The district attorney assured the family of a careful and complete investigation.
Details about the cause or circumstances of Nolan Wells’ death have not been provided in the article.
The information was reported by Skyler Henry for CBS News.
The family is actively seeking answers about the situation.
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The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was recently drained and shows signs of wear, including a gray liner that was once blue and peeling paint. The renovation, led by President Donald Trump, cost more than expected and has faced problems like algae growth and alleged vandalism.
Key Facts
The reflecting pool was lined with a blue coating called “American flag blue” by President Trump in spring 2024.
After being drained, the liner looks grayer and parts of the paint are peeling.
The pool renovation cost over $16 million, much higher than the initial estimate of $1.5 million.
The pool had an algae bloom shortly after reopening in early June 2024.
Contracts were given to Ohio-based Green Water Solutions and Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings for water purification and repainting.
President Trump claims vandals caused damage, including a “350-foot gash,” though no obvious large slashes have been seen.
A man named David Hearn was charged with damaging the pool but denies intentional harm.
Other people have been charged with taking paint pieces and also pleaded not guilty.
This reflecting pool work is part of larger projects initiated by President Trump in Washington, DC, including changes to the White House and plans for new memorials.
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Vice President Vance met with House Republicans to promote Speaker Johnson's $95 billion reconciliation bill, but many GOP members remain worried about the lack of spending offsets and details in the election bill. House Republicans have a slim majority, and some members say the bill will likely fail without changes.
Key Facts
Speaker Mike Johnson proposed a $95 billion reconciliation package to House Republicans.
Vice President Vance spent about an hour pitching the bill and answering questions to GOP members.
Some Republicans oppose the bill because it does not include spending offsets, meaning it may increase the national debt.
The bill includes election law changes, but some conservatives think the provisions do not go far enough.
Senate Republicans have concerns about the bill and want some spending offsets.
Some House Republicans feel left out of recent negotiations and remain uncertain about supporting the bill.
The narrow Republican majority in the House means a few opposing votes could stop the bill.
Senate leaders are still deciding their position and may demand changes before passing the bill.
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On Wednesday, 103 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives voted to stop aid to Israel. This vote is part of ongoing disagreements about how much support the U.S. should give to Israel.
Key Facts
103 House Democrats voted to cut off aid to Israel.
The vote took place on Wednesday.
This action reflects a debate within the Democratic Party about U.S. support for Israel.
The U.S. has been a longtime ally of Israel.
This vote is a recent event in the broader discussion about foreign aid and U.S. foreign policy.
The news was reported by CBS News.
Former officials from both the Biden and Pence administrations discussed the issue on "The Takeout" show.
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Senator Chris Van Hollen from Maryland is thinking about running for president in 2028. He said Democratic leaders have not clearly explained their goals to voters and have focused too much on opposing President Trump instead of promoting their own ideas.
Key Facts
Senator Chris Van Hollen is considering a 2028 presidential run.
He believes Democratic leaders are not clearly sharing their message with voters.
Van Hollen feels the party focuses more on opposing President Donald Trump than on explaining its own plans.
He has experience leading important Democratic campaign groups (DSCC and DCCC).
His comments highlight challenges the Democratic Party faces in connecting with voters.
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Maine Democratic candidate Matt Dunlap talks about his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives. He also discusses the Senate campaign of Graham Platner, which has attracted controversy.
Key Facts
Matt Dunlap is running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine.
He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Dunlap appeared on the CBS News show "The Takeout" to talk about his campaign.
He addressed issues related to Graham Platner’s Senate campaign.
Graham Platner’s campaign has caused some controversy.
The discussion was broadcast on CBS News and available on the CBS News app.
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A recent Quinnipiac University poll shows Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s lead over Republican Stacy Garrity has decreased, though he still leads by 13 points. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman’s approval rating among Democrats has fallen to a new low, with most Democrats disapproving of his job performance.
Key Facts
Josh Shapiro leads Stacy Garrity 53% to 40% in the Pennsylvania governor’s race, down from an 18-point lead earlier in the year.
Shapiro’s approval rating is steady at 56%, but the disapproval rate has risen from 29% to 34%.
Stacy Garrity, Pennsylvania treasurer, is less known; 58% of voters said they didn’t know enough about her to have an opinion.
Fetterman’s approval among Democrats is low, with only 19% approving and 69% disapproving of his performance.
Overall, Fetterman has a 48% approval rating and 41% disapproval, helped by strong support from Republicans.
Pennsylvania is a key swing state in national elections, voting for President Trump in 2024 after supporting President Biden in 2020.
The poll surveyed 895 registered voters with a margin of error of ±4.3 percentage points.
Other polls and political forecasts still favor Shapiro to win reelection in November.
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The U.S. Justice Department has refused New Mexico’s request to release unredacted files about Jeffrey Epstein, citing federal laws and court orders that protect victims' privacy. New Mexico’s Attorney General Raul Torrez says the withheld documents are needed for a state investigation into Epstein’s alleged crimes at his New Mexico property.
Key Facts
The U.S. Justice Department says releasing unredacted Epstein files would break federal laws and court orders.
New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez accuses the Justice Department of blocking his state’s investigation by withholding documents.
Epstein was a convicted sex offender accused of running a sex-trafficking ring with hundreds of victims.
Epstein owned the Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe, New Mexico, where trafficking allegedly took place.
The New Mexico investigation restarted in February after millions of Epstein-related records were released under new transparency laws.
Torrez says the delay in receiving full documents harms the investigation because witnesses and evidence become harder to find over time.
President Donald Trump’s administration has faced criticism over handling Epstein files and transparency.
Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 during Trump’s first term; Trump denies knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
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The Pentagon has asked Congress to give it new power to keep certain unclassified military records secret from the public under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This proposal would allow the Defense Department to withhold records labeled as "controlled unclassified information" if releasing them could harm national defense, changing how public access to government information is currently handled.
Key Facts
The Pentagon wants a new law to let it withhold some unclassified records from FOIA requests.
The records involved are called "controlled unclassified information" (CUI), which are sensitive but not officially classified.
Currently, CUI does not automatically allow the government to block records from the public; agencies must use one of FOIA’s nine exemptions.
The proposal would let the Defense Department withhold CUI records based on military judgment of harm and outweighing public interest.
The CUI system was created to standardize labels for sensitive but unclassified info across agencies.
Critics say the new power could reduce government transparency and make it harder to get information through FOIA.
The Pentagon has recently restricted journalists’ access inside its buildings and required official escorts.
Federal judges ruled against the Pentagon’s restrictions on reporters, but the Pentagon is appealing those decisions.
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JD Vance, the U.S. vice-president, admitted that the Trump administration made mistakes in handling the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. He said the government should have been more open from the start and that problems in communication caused public distrust, but he denied that they tried to hide anything on purpose.
Key Facts
JD Vance admitted the administration "screwed up" communication about the Epstein files.
The Department of Justice delayed releasing documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.
These delays caused criticism from both parties in Congress.
Pam Bondi, former attorney general, said Epstein’s "client list" was available, but this claim was later viewed as an overstatement.
Bondi gave binders of documents that mostly contained already public information.
The delays and redacted documents led to distrust and criticism from lawmakers and the public.
Eventually, a law forced the government to release many federal investigation files about Epstein.
The files released included photos, call logs, grand jury testimony, and interview transcripts, but many parts were heavily redacted.
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President Donald Trump will give a primetime speech on Thursday at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, focusing on elections and related topics. The speech will address issues connected to the 2020 presidential election and alleged problems with voting machines, but details have not been fully revealed.
Key Facts
The speech will air from the White House on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on major TV networks and online.
President Trump said the address will cover elections and “a couple of other things,” without providing specific details.
The White House confirmed the speech will include information about the 2020 election and potential vulnerabilities in US voting machines.
The speech comes about three and a half months before the November midterm elections for control of Congress.
Republicans currently hold small majorities in both the House and Senate; Democrats aim to gain seats.
Critics worry the speech might reduce public trust in upcoming elections or push federal involvement in state-run election processes.
President Trump has repeatedly claimed he won the 2020 election, despite official results showing Joe Biden as the winner.
The 2020 election saw Biden win 306 electoral votes and over 81 million votes, compared to Trump’s 232 electoral votes and about 74 million votes.
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A lawsuit has been filed against President Donald Trump’s executive order that imposes sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Palestinian human rights groups. The lawsuit claims these sanctions violate free speech by limiting advocacy related to investigations of human rights violations involving Israel.
Key Facts
President Trump signed an executive order in February 2025 placing sanctions on ICC judges, prosecutors, and groups linked to investigations of Israel.
The ICC is an international court that can prosecute genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
The sanctions include financial and visa restrictions on people helping ICC investigations of U.S. citizens or allies.
Two U.S.-based advocacy groups, Democracy in the Arab World Now (Dawn) and Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide (Taag), filed the lawsuit in New York federal court.
The lawsuit argues the sanctions stop their political speech and advocacy, violating the U.S. Constitution.
The U.S. and Israel are not members of the ICC.
The executive order followed an ICC arrest warrant for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have expressed intent to expand sanctions and oppose the ICC, claiming it threatens U.S. sovereignty.
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A new bill called the Radiation Exposure Reauthorization Act of 2026 would allow veterans involved in Cold War nuclear cleanup missions to get a one-time payment up to $150,000. It would expand the current Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include veterans from specific nuclear sites and increase the types of illnesses covered.
Key Facts
The bill targets veterans who took part in cleanup work at Enewetak Atoll (Marshall Islands), Palomares (Spain), and Thule (Greenland).
These sites were locations of nuclear accidents or testing that left behind radioactive contamination.
Veterans exposed to radiation during cleanup missions often face cancers, heart disease, and other health problems.
The bill would increase the maximum compensation payment from $75,000 to $150,000.
It would also extend the deadline for filing claims until December 31, 2042.
The legislation is expected to be introduced by Representative James Moylan and a bipartisan group soon.
Fewer than 6,000 veterans served at these sites, with only several hundred still living.
Previously, these veterans were excluded from federal compensation programs even though some illnesses are now presumed to be connected to radiation exposure.
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of his nomination process to become permanent Attorney General. Senators asked him about his work as President Trump’s personal lawyer, the proposed settlement fund for people affected by the Department of Justice, and how he dealt with files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Key Facts
Todd Blanche is the current Acting Attorney General.
He appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee for confirmation hearings.
Senators questioned him about his past role as President Trump’s personal lawyer.
He was asked about a proposed settlement fund linked to Department of Justice cases.
Blanche faced questions regarding his handling of files connected to Jeffrey Epstein.
The hearing is part of the process to decide if Blanche will become the permanent Attorney General.
Justice correspondent Ali Rogan reported on the hearing.
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Jay Clayton attended a Senate hearing to be confirmed as the director of national intelligence. Although the job deals mostly with foreign threats and security, the hearing focused mainly on the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Key Facts
Jay Clayton is nominated to be the director of national intelligence.
The director of national intelligence's role centers on threats from other countries and national safety.
The Senate Intelligence Committee held a confirmation hearing for Clayton.
Much of the hearing concentrated on the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Clayton declined to state who won the 2020 election during the hearing.
The discussion involved intelligence expert Fred Fleitz, who has 25 years of experience.
The hearing took place under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The director of national intelligence oversees U.S. intelligence agencies to protect the country.
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President Donald Trump plans to talk about new claims that China interfered in U.S. elections. He will allege that China accessed U.S. voter information and that the CIA knew about it but did not tell him during his first term.
Key Facts
President Trump will give a primetime speech on Thursday night.
The speech will include allegations of Chinese interference in U.S. elections.
He claims China obtained U.S. voter data.
President Trump says the CIA was aware of this but did not inform him.
Cabinet members, including leaders of the CIA, FBI, and other agencies, are invited to the speech.
Some cabinet members may not attend due to scheduling conflicts.
The White House press secretary said no one knows exactly what the president will say yet.
This story is developing and more information may come.
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The US military will begin testing testosterone levels in service members as part of a new health program. Troops aged 30 and older will be tested every year, and those with low levels can choose to receive hormone therapy to help improve their strength and health.
Key Facts
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the military will screen testosterone levels to help troops perform their best.
Service members 30 years and older must have annual testosterone tests; younger troops can ask for testing if they want.
Troops with low testosterone can voluntarily receive testosterone replacement therapy.
The military bans using testosterone for muscle enhancement without a doctor’s approval.
The program aims to support service members’ long-term health and ability to perform both during and after service.
Testosterone therapy can help increase muscle, reduce fat, decrease depression risk, and improve bone strength.
Therapy can cause infertility and may increase heart risks, so it’s recommended only for those with symptoms.
The US Health Secretary and FDA are working to make testosterone therapy more accessible, citing concerns like a national fertility crisis.
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President Donald Trump ended the temporary pause on ICE traffic stops that had been put in place after two deadly shootings. The U.S. also carried out new military strikes against Iran. Meanwhile, smoke from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota is making the air unhealthy for many people in the Midwest and Northeastern United States.
Key Facts
President Trump canceled the pause on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) traffic stops.
The pause was originally issued after two deadly shootings related to traffic stops.
The U.S. launched several new military strikes targeting Iran.
Wildfires in Canada and Minnesota are producing heavy smoke.
The smoke is causing poor air quality for millions in the Midwest and Northeastern U.S.
The unhealthy air affects a large region across multiple states.
The news was reported on a Wednesday.
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