Detroit/Canada Bridge Delays in Opening

The opening of a Canadian-U.S. bridge across the Detroit River that President Donald Trump previously threatened to block has been delayed due to “outstanding issues.”

POSSIBLE TAG:
The construction project was negotiated by Rick Snyder, the former Republican governor of Michigan, and paid for by Canada to help ease congestion at the existing Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor tunnel. Work has been underway since 2018.

VERBATIM:
In a statement released Thursday ahead of a Friday ribbon-cutting ceremony at the bridge, the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority says “Canada and the United States have agreed to delay the opening of the bridge, taking the necessary time to resolve any outstanding issues.”

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is jointly owned by Canada and Michigan and was expected to open to traffic later this month.

The Republican U.S. president in February demanded Canada turn over at least half the ownership of the bridge to the U.S. federal government.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

America’s 250th Birthday Celebration

The countdown to the nation’s 250th birthday is on. Celebrations will include dazzling pyrotechnics and an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight on the White House lawn. Reporter Bernie Bennett has more.

POSSIBLE TAG: Two different groups are planning separate celebrations.America250 is a bipartisan commission run by Congress, while Freedom 250 is a quasi-government group formed by President Trump.

VERBATIM:
Officials are also planning a massive 16-day Great American State Fair and a ball drop in Times Square, while President Trump teased that the UFC arena under construction could be permanent. He said, “Maybe we’ll never, ever take it down.”

The President suggested canceling the State Fair concert after many artists pulled out, including Milli Vanilli, The Commodores and Bret Michaels of Poison. Vanilla Ice, however, said he is “super honored” to perform.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

House Passes Bill to End the War

se passes a resolution to end the War with Iran. Correspondent Bernie Bennett has the story.

VERBATIM:
House lawmakers on Wednesday passed legislation designed to force President Trump to end the Iran War, marking a victory for Democrats and the constitutional purists who say the conflict is illegal without explicit congressional approval.

The tally was 215-208, with four Republicans – Reps. Thomas Massie (Ky.), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Tom Barrett (Mich.) and Warren Davidson (Ohio) – joining every Democrat in supporting the measure.

Democrats in the House and Senate have yet to get behind a bicameral measure that could be sent to Mr. Trump’s desk.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Alaska Sen. Sullivan Faces Challenges

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan is running for reelection in Alaska and faces a field of 15 competitors. One of them is Dan Sullivan.

VERBATIM:
The senator told reporters in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday that he thinks the appearance ON the state’s primary ballot of another Republican with the same name is a dirty political trick coordinated by Democrats and the campaign of his chief rival for the seat, former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola. He threatened a lawsuit to get to the bottom of it.

Harry Child, a spokesman for the Peltola campaign, said it “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.” Jenny-Marie Stryker, executive director of the Alaska Democratic Party, said her organization “is in no way affiliated with either Dan Sullivan.”

Bernie Bennett

Many Candidates for Governor Running in Tuesday’s California Primary

One of the country’s messiest and most consequential governor’s races is hurtling toward an inflection point on Tuesday in California.

—————————————–

VERBATIM:

California voters face a crowded ballot with 61 names during Tuesday’s primary to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. The race has no clear front-runner and includes a mix of Democrats and Republicans. The primary operates under a “jungle” system, meaning the top two finishers, regardless of party, will advance to the general election.

Key contenders include former Democrat House member and Biden cabinet member Xavier Becerra. Republican Steve Hilton, endorsed by President Donald Trump, is emphasizing lower taxes and smaller government.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

President Trump Will Headline America’s State Fair

An upcoming celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, called “The Great American State Fair,” has faced challenges as several musical guests backed out due in part to its connections to President Donald Trump.

—————————-

VERBATIM:

Organizers announced Saturday that President Trump himself will now headline the event, set to start June 25 on Washington’s National Mall. Some artists, like Bret Michaels, the Commodores and Martina McBride, withdrew over concerns about the event’s political ties. Others, including rappers Flo Rida and Vanilla Ice, still plan to perform.

Freedom 250 spokesperson Danielle Alvarez emphasized the broader fair that is scheduled from June 25 through July 10… includes an array of exhibits, family friendly attractions, musical performances, flyovers and more.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

DHS May Remove Customs Agents from Newark Airport

Fears of travel chaos flare as DHS Secretary Mullin weighs pulling customs officers from Newark’s airport. Reporter Bernie Bennett explains.

VERBATIM:
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is considering pulling some customs staff from Newark’s airport to help federal officials respond to protests at a nearby immigration detention facility, a move that the airline industry and some federal personnel warn would create havoc for international flights entering the country.

One official said Mullin’s call will depend in part on whether protests escalate over the weekend, as well as whether border czar Tom Homan, who visits New Jersey this weekend, can defuse tensions on the ground. And President Donald Trump would have the final say if Mullin decided to make good on his threats.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Trump Endorses South Carolina Governor Candidate

President Donald Trump endorsed a GOP challenger to Rep. Nancy Mace’s campaign for South Carolina governor on Friday, backing Lt. Gov. Pam Evette in the contest. More from Correspondent Bernie Bennett.

[CutID: <Cuts> TRUMP-SC GOV-bennett-v-SATam .mp3
Time: 26s
Title: TRUMP-SC GOV-bennett-v-SATam
Out-cue: “soc”]

VERBATIM: The president lauded Evette as an “America First Patriot” who “never wavered” in a Truth Social post on Friday evening.

Also in a social media post on Friday, Mace responded, suggesting that her advocacy for the release of the Justice Department’s files related to its probe into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein contributed to the president’s decision not to back her.

Trump’s Friday endorsement also snubbed Republican Congressman Ralph Norman, who had taken a slight lead on Mace in recent polling.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Louisiana Redistricting

Louisiana lawmakers have passed a new congressional map to pick up a Republican seat while leaving the state with one of its two majority-Black House districts. Details from reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
The map approved Friday is designed to give Louisiana a 5-1 split in Republicans’ favor.

The U.S. Supreme Court last month struck down one of the state’s majority-Black districts as an illegal racial gerrymander, weakening the landmark 1965 federal Voting Rights Act.

That decision intensified a national battle over partisan redistricting fueled by President Donald Trump’s efforts to protect the GOP’s slim House majority in this year’s midterm elections.

Republican Gov. Jeff Landry is expected to sign the measure.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Bondi Testifies on Espstein Files

WASHINGTON (AP) – Pam Bondi defends the Trump administration’s release of Epstein case files as she testifies before lawmakers Friday. Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi stood behind the Trump administration’s release of the case files on Jeffrey Epstein as she testified Friday before House lawmakers scrutinizing a process that was delayed and included personal information of potential victims.

Bondi, who arrived Friday morning on Capitol Hill for her closed-door interview, was defiant in previous public testimony when she was confronted by lawmakers about the Epstein investigation. In her opening statement, she kept to the same tact.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

U.S. and Iran Reach a 60-day Agreement

U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached a tentative agreement to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and launch talks on Iran’s nuclear program.

TAG: That’s correspondent Bernie Bennett in Washington.

VERBATIM:
That’s according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter, who said President Donald Trump still needs to sign off on the emerging memorandum of understanding. Iran did not immediately confirm any deal with the United States.

The tentative agreement worked out by the two sides comes at a moment when the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appeared to be wavering.

Retail Sales Slow in April

NEW YORK (AP) — Retail sales slowed in April do in part to high gas prices.
Bernie Bennett reports from Washington.

VERBATIM:
Shoppers tempered their spending in April as higher gas prices fueled by the Iran war meant less money left over for some nonessentials like clothing and furniture. But they’re still buying, thanks to more generous tax refunds.

Retail sales rose 0.5% in April, a slowdown from the revised growth level of 1.6% in March, according to Commerce Department data released Thursday. March marked the largest one-month increase in retail spending in more than three years, largely because gas prices spiked higher rapidly.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

White House Policy on AI

A new directive would ask tech companies to submit their advanced AI models to a review by federal agencies.

VERBATIM: The White House’s highly anticipated artificial intelligence and cybersecurity executive order will designate a coalition of national security and civilian agencies to ramp up scrutiny of cutting-edge AI models.

Industry officials began receiving details on the directive from the White House on Tuesday night. It could come as early as Thursday.

One key question is whether the order will require a federal review of advanced AI models before they can be released, an idea the Trump administration had distanced itself from earlier this month after initially floating the proposal. The latest draft would ask developers of the systems to submit certain models to a voluntary review by a phalanx of federal agencies as far as 90 days before they’re made public.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Trump Cabinet Meeting

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump meets with his Cabinet at a precarious moment for talks aimed at ending the war with Iran. Bernie Bennett has details. ((THE CABINET MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR 11AM ET))

VERBATIM:
The Republican president has projected confidence that he’s closing in on a deal that will reopen the Strait of Hormuz and give him a credible argument that Iran’s nuclear capability has been diminished enough to declare victory.

As he prepares to huddle with his top aides this morning, President Trump is hoping to wind down a conflict that’s been politically unpopular for Republicans as the midterms are approaching. Under the potential deal, Tehran would agree to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium in return for sanctions relief.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

House – DOJ

House Judiciary Committee Republicans reject a subpoenas for architects of a new ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ at the Department of Justice. Bernie Bennett reports.

VERBATIM: House Republicans rejected a bid from Judiciary Committee Democrats to subpoena several Trump administration officials involved in the establishment of a new, $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” that’s been cast in a negative light.

Ultimately, 18 House Republicans voted Wednesday to dismiss the motion to compel testimony from “those involved in the creation or execution” of the account.

That includes Attorney General Todd Blanche, associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, IRS CEO Frank Bisignano and Brian Morrissey, who recently resigned as general counsel at the Treasury Department.

The new fund was announced Monday as part of a settlement deal with President Trump, where he agreed to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the government over the leak of his tax returns, in part, in exchange for the creation of the account.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Natural Born Members and Judges

A House Republican introcuces an amendment that judges and members of congress can only be natural-born U.S. citizens.
This report from Correspondent Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting naturalized citizens from serving in Congress, becoming federal judges or holding Senate-confirmed positions.

In a Wednesday statement shared on X, Mace says she introduced a “long overdue joint resolution” for the constitutional amendment, noting, “This is the very same standard the President and Vice President are already required to meet.”

Mace, who’s running for governor, suggests that U.S. officials born in other countries could have split loyalties.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Affordable Housing

HOUSE-AFFORDABLE HOUSING

( ) HOUSE-AFFORDABLE HOUSING-bennett-v-WEDpM (:25) “soc”

The House overwhelmingly passed a housing affordability bill Wednesday after winning the backing of President Donald Trump on some key provisions less than 24 hours before the vote. Bernie Bennett has this update.

VERBATIM:
The House-amended 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act passed the chamber by a vote of 396-13 and will be sent back to the Senate. The passage of the bipartisan, White House-endorsed bill marks a win for the House, which had been pressed for weeks to accept a Senate-passed version of the legislation.

Speaker Mike Johnson wrote in a statement, “We are grateful that a strong, bipartisan majority of the House voted to pass this bill today. We urge the Senate to swiftly do the same.”

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Alabama Senate Race

ALABAMA-SENATE

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Congressman Barry Moore and former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson advanced to a runoff Wednesday for the Republican nomination for Alabama’s open Senate.

VERBATIM:
Moore is a three-term congressman endorsed by President Donald Trump and Hudson is a political newcomer. Moore said the state deserves a “Trump conservative” in the Senate, while Hudson has promised to be “a warrior for President Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda” if he is elected.

On the Democratic side, business owner Dakarai Larriett and lawyer Everett Wess are heading to a runoff, but either of them would face an uphill climb in deep-red Alabama.

The Republican and Democratic runoffs will be held June 16.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Senate-War Powers

A Senate Republican spurned by President Donald Trump joined Senate Democrats and provided the key vote to advance a war powers resolution through a key hurdle. Bernie Bennett has the story.

VERBATIM:
Lousiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who lost his primary bid over the weekend, sided with Senate Democrats in their war of attrition to curtail President Trump’s policing powers in the Middle East. It comes after Democrats successfully gained another defector, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, last week.

The Democrats’ gambit finally worked after seven failed tries, with four Senate Republicans joining them to move the measure forward. But there is still a long way to go before the resolution becomes official. And even if it were to succeed, Democrats likely do not have a veto-proof coalition to counter President Trump.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Texas Democrats

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – The Texas Supreme Court refuses to declare Democrat lawmakers who fled the state in 2025 to block a vote on new congressional maps pushed by President Donald Trump had vacated their office.

VERBATIM:
The all-Republican court dealt a blow to Gov. Greg Abbott and state Republicans in their efforts to severely punish the more than 50 Democrats who bolted for New York, Illinois and Massachusetts in a bid to stop a vote on the maps during a special session.

The Texas redistricting effort kick-started cascading efforts by both parties across the country to redraw voting maps ahead of this year’s midterm elections: Republicans seek to hold their slim majority in Congress as Democrats try to counter them.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

FDA Official Fired

WASHINGTON (AP) – A Food and Drug Administration official involved in scrutinizing the safety of antidepressants, COVID-19 vaccines and other widely used therapies has been removed from her role leading the agency’s drug program.

VERBATIM:
Dr. Tracy Beth Hoeg will be replaced as FDA’s acting drug center director by Dr. Mike Davis, who has been serving as deputy director.

Hoeg said in a social media post late Friday that she was “fired,” from the agency, adding: “I learned so much and leave with no regrets.”

Hoeg’s departure is the latest in an ongoing shake-up at the regulatory agency. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned earlier in the week, and Dr. Vinay Prasad, the agency’s vaccine and biotech chief, stepped down last month following intense criticism from drugmakers, patients and investors.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

ISIS Leader Dead

President Trump says the U.S. Military has killed an Islamic State leader in Nigeria.
Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
The President announced Friday evening that U.S. and Nigerian military forces had killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a leader of the Islamic State group, in a “meticulously planned and very complex mission.”

Mr. Trump described al-Minuki as the Islamic State’s second-in-command globally and “the most active terrorist in the world.”

Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social, “With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished. He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans.”

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Border Patrol Chief Resigns

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks says he is resigning, effective immediately.

VERTATIM:
The Director of the Border Patrol says, “It’s just time.”

In a televised interview, Banks says, “I feel like I got the ship back on course from the least secure disastrous chaotic border to the most secure border this country has ever seen. Time to pass the reigns, 37 years, it’s time to enjoy the family and life.”

Banks faces unconfirmed reports of misconduct while in office.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Senate Confirms Warsh for Fed Chair

The Senate confirms President Trump’s nominee for to chair the Federal Reserve. Bernie Bennett has more.

VERBATIM:
The Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh’s nomination to a 14-year term on the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors on Tuesday, teeing up a final vote to make the ally of President Donald Trump the central bank’s next chair.

The 51-45 vote was largely along party lines, with Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania the only Democrat to vote in favor of Warsh, a former Fed governor and Wall Street banker. Warsh’s nomination to be the central bank’s chair for a four-year term requires a separate Senate vote, which is expected as soon as Wednesday.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.