Lindsey McPherson

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

Trump administration will get federal workers back in offices, budget director nominee says

The incoming Trump administration will try to get federal workers back into offices and reduce telework, the nominee to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget said Wednesday.

January 15, 2025

Trump budget director nominee says he wants to avoid government shutdowns

Russell Vought, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to run the White House Office of Management and Budget, said at his confirmation hearing Wednesday that he would not push to shut down the government over funding fights.

January 15, 2025

Joni Ernst announces support for Pete Hegseth after Defense Dept. nominee’s confirmation hearing

Pete Hegseth's nomination for secretary of the Defense Department has enough Republican support needed to clear the Senate Armed Services Committee after he picked up a key endorsement after his confirmation hearing.

January 14, 2025

Pete Hegseth still on track to lead Defense Department after confirmation hearing

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Defense Department, survived his confirmation hearing Tuesday without drawing any GOP opposition or new lines of attack from Democrats.

January 14, 2025

Sen. Markwayne Mullin accuses senators of hypocrisy during Hegseth hearing

Sen. Markwayne Mullin electrified a Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday by accusing fellow senators of carousing and voting while drunk even as they accused defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth of unseemly behavior.

January 14, 2025

Democrats prod Hegseth over expertise to lead Pentagon

Senate Armed Services Democrats questioned Pete Hegseth about his qualifications to lead the Defense Department, given his limited management experience.

January 14, 2025

Ernst secures pledges from Hegseth on DOD audit, combating sexual assault in military

Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, one of the Republican senators who has yet to say whether she will vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary, secured key commitments from the nominee during his confirmation hearing Tuesday.

January 14, 2025

Hegseth questioned on past comments that women should not serve in combat roles

Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth defended his past comments about women serving in combat, saying he is focused on standards that have eroded for such roles, not the gender of the service member.

January 14, 2025

Top Senate Armed Services Democrat tells Pete Hegseth he’s unqualified for Pentagon chief

The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee told Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth he's unsuitable to lead a department with 3.5 million service members and civilian employees and an annual budget of nearly $900 billion.

January 14, 2025

Senate postpones confirmation hearings for two Trump Cabinet nominees

Two Senate committees had to postpone hearings they had scheduled for Tuesday with nominees for President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet because of delays in receiving required background checks and ethics paperwork.

January 13, 2025

Burgum confirmation hearing postponed from Tuesday to Thursday amid paperwork delays

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee pushed the confirmation hearing scheduled for Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum from Tuesday to Thursday because the chamber has yet to receive required ethics paperwork.

January 13, 2025

Senate shifts into high gear for hearings with Trump’s nominees despite background check delays

The Senate on Tuesday will begin confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump's top nominees, with 10 of the 15 Cabinet nominees set to testify across three consecutive days.

January 11, 2025

House, Senate lawmakers unveil bipartisan bill to punish ‘swatting’

A bipartisan and bicameral group of lawmakers unveiled legislation Thursday that would punish swatting with criminal penalties of up to 20 years in prison in the worst cases.

January 9, 2025

Republican lawmakers’ demands threaten to trip up Trump’s agenda

Enough House Republicans are drawing red lines in pursuit of steeper state and local tax deductions and deep spending cuts to throw a wrench in passing President-elect Donald Trump's agenda.

January 9, 2025

House votes to punish ICC over Israel arrest warrants

The House passed a bill Thursday to sanction the International Criminal Court for issuing an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister.

January 9, 2025

Man arrested for trying to set car on fire on Capitol Hill while Trump was there

A Virginia man was arrested Wednesday on Capitol Hill after trying to set his car afire while President-elect Donald Trump was there, authorities said.

January 8, 2025

Trump huddles with Senate Republicans at Capitol to map out legislative agenda

President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday made his first visit to the Capitol of the new year and new Congress, meeting with Senate Republicans to discuss the party's legislative agenda.

January 8, 2025

Man with machete arrested at U.S. Capitol

A man carrying a bag with a machete and three knives was arrested at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

January 8, 2025

Senate’s new GOP majority lines up first votes on immigration, Israel and abortion

Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Wednesday announced that the first three bills up for consideration will focus on enforcing immigration laws, standing with Israel and protecting babies that survive an attempted abortion.

January 8, 2025