House Republicans decided to publicly release the transcript of special counsel Jack Smith’s Dec. 17 closed-door deposition on New Year’s Eve — while most of Washington was tuned out for the holiday. Smith used the day-long grilling before the House Judiciary Committee to mount a robust defense of his investigation into Donald Trump for seeking […]
Privacy advocates have tried again and again over the past decade to rein in a major U.S. spy program that targets foreigners but also sweeps up data on Americans — and each time, they have fallen short. They believe 2026 might be different. The surveillance program in question, known as Section 702, expires in mid-April. […]
In the spirit of the late William Safire’s long-running “Office Pool,” I bring you this column’s predictions for 2026 — from Senate races to unexpected congressional resignations, and even the future of a certain controversial new college football hire. To make it easier, and have some fun, the soothsaying is multiple choice. Feel free to […]
For the first time in nearly two decades, Congress is on the hunt for a new boss at the federal government’s top watchdog agency. With the retirement of comptroller general Gene Dodaro, longtime Government Accountability Office employee Orice Williams Brown is stepping in to lead the more-than-3,000-person agency in an acting capacity. Congressional leaders are […]
A conservative activist who had caught Donald Trump’s attention with flattery via Substack ahead of the 2024 presidential election imagined a prominent role for himself in a future administration. In a group chat with half a dozen Republican operatives and influencers, Paul Ingrassia in October 2023 texted: “Trump needs me as his chief of staff,” according […]
The message from Capitol Hill on both sides of the aisle is clear: Get ready for U.S. relations with China to spiral all over again in the new year. The one-year trade truce brokered in October between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping is already looking shaky. And lawmakers are preparing to reup […]
With the midterms bearing down on them, Republicans are facing a nasty intraparty fight early next year over their legislative agenda: Should they attempt to pass a party-line bill focused on health care after failing to address expiring insurance subsidies? GOP factions have been divided for months about the prospect of a second reconciliation bill. […]
Members of both parties have yet to reckon with one inevitable consequence of the redistricting fight that’s rippling across the country — the loss of years of policy expertise on Capitol Hill. While many of the lawmakers at risk of losing their seats in the redistricting wars have only a few years under their belt, […]
As Senate Majority Leader John Thune rushed to advance a new funding package this month, he faced a familiar roadblock: a trio of conservatives from his conference’s right flank. Republican Sens. Rick Scott of Florida, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Mike Lee of Utah banded together as they sought to advance key conservative priorities, including […]
ALBANY, New York — Empire State Republicans expect Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman to turbo charge down-ballot turnout as their party’s gubernatorial nominee — boosting GOP candidates in crucial suburban swing races as he mounts an otherwise uphill battle to unseat Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. If Blakeman falls short in an underdog bid, New York […]