Lindsey McPherson

Speaker Johnson backs Trump’s early moves from firing IGs to tariff threats to scrutinizing FEMA

House Speaker Mike Johnson is backing a variety of play calls President Trump made in his first week in office, including a decision to fire government watchdogs across most Cabinet-level departments.

January 27, 2025

Out of leadership, Mitch McConnell bucks Trump’s GOP on national defense

Sen. Mitch McConnell, freshly removed from an 18-year stint as GOP leader where his primary objective was to protect his party's interests, cast a vote Friday night showing he is willing to go against the grain as a rank-and-file senator.

January 25, 2025

Pete Hegseth overcomes attacks to narrowly win Senate confirmation as defense secretary

Vice President J.D. Vance cast his first tiebreaking vote on Friday night to help the Senate confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary, as the nominee convinced just enough Republicans that attacks on his character and qualifications were unfounded.

January 24, 2025

Lawmakers wanted an outsider to lead Secret Service but accept Trump’s inside pick

Key lawmakers who previously told The Washington Times that President Trump should pick an outsider to lead the embattled Secret Service after two attempts on his life are accepting his decision to tap a 23-year insider as the agency's next director.

January 24, 2025

Trump says he’s open to recess appointments but defers to Thune

President Trump said he is open to using recess appointments to get his Cabinet appointees confirmed if delays keep emerging in the Senate.

January 23, 2025

Pete Hegseth narrowly clears Senate test vote, poised for final confirmation on Friday

Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth narrowly earned enough Republican support to clear a key Senate hurdle and is now all but assured confirmation.

January 23, 2025

Lisa Murkowski is first Republican to announce opposition to Hegseth ahead of key vote

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Republican, on Thursday announced plans to vote against Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth ahead of a key Senate test vote on his nomination.

January 23, 2025

John Ratcliffe confirmed as CIA director; second Trump nominee to earn Senate approval

The Senate on Thursday confirmed John Ratcliffe as director of the CIA, the second of President Trump's nominees to earn the chamber's approval.

January 23, 2025

CIA Director nominee John Ratcliffe clears Senate hurdle, set for confirmation later Thursday

The Senate advanced John Ratcliffe's nomination for Central Intelligence Agency director in a key test vote, effectively guaranteeing he will be confirmed in a final vote later Thursday.

January 23, 2025

Senate Finance Committee schedules Kennedy’s confirmation hearing for health secretary

The Senate Finance Committee will hold a confirmation hearing next Wednesday on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to serve as Health and Human Services secretary.

January 22, 2025

Democrats kill Born-Alive legislation as senators spar over abortion policy

Senate Democrats derailed a bill Wednesday that would have required medical providers to perform life-saving care for babies born alive after a failed abortion.

January 22, 2025

Tax hearing highlights GOP divisions over SALT deduction, child tax credit

House lawmakers testified Wednesday before the Ways and Means Committee on their tax priorities, highlighting a shared goal to prevent massive tax increases set to hit at the end of the year but exposing divisions on the more nuanced details.

January 22, 2025

Hegseth’s former sister-in-law goes public with allegations of alcohol, spousal abuse

Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth's former sister-in-law submitted an affidavit to the Senate Armed Services Committee saying she believes he "has an alcohol abuse problem and was abusive to his ex-wife Samantha."

January 21, 2025

House GOP eyes birthright citizenship bill to back Trump’s executive order

Rep. Brian Babin announced a bill Tuesday to deny birthright citizenship to children of illegal immigrants, moving to add some legislative heft to President Trump's new crusade.

January 21, 2025

Senate confirms Rubio as secretary of state; committees approve other national security nominees

The Senate on Monday evening unanimously confirmed Marco Rubio as secretary of state, providing President Trump the first member of his Cabinet on Inauguration Day.

January 20, 2025

Senate Foreign Relations Committee approves Rubio nomination for secretary of state

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee late Monday afternoon approved Marco Rubio's nomination to serve as secretary of state, and a floor vote on his confirmation is expected later in the night.

January 20, 2025

Trump attends traditional Capitol Hill luncheon after swearing-in

President Trump attended his inaugural luncheon in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol after taking the official oath of office, continuing an afternoon of celebrations.

January 20, 2025

Rubio likely to be confirmed on Inauguration Day when Senate begins voting on Trump picks

The Senate will begin voting on President-elect Donald Trump's top nominees in the coming week, with Republicans hoping Democrats will cooperate to confirm at least one on Inauguration Day.

January 17, 2025

Republicans eye big defense spending boost in party-line bill

Congressional Republicans, sick of the annual push-pull with Democrats over defense and domestic spending priorities, are planning to include a significant defense spending boost in their party-line budget reconciliation bill.

January 16, 2025

Trump budget nominee, lawmakers spar over spending powers

Congress is gearing up for a potential separation of powers fight with the incoming Trump administration over who has the final pull of the purse strings.

January 15, 2025