North Carolina Governor Releases New Budget

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — New North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein wants Republicans in charge of the legislature to roll back upcoming income tax cuts and scale back private school vouchers that expanded dramatically recently. Details on this from Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM: The Democrat made the comments while releasing his first two-year state government budget proposal Wednesday.
Stein wants to freeze the current individual and income tax rates. He says not doing so will lead to large revenue shortfalls soon. GOP legislators have embraced recurring tax cuts for all wage earners and taxpayer-funded scholarships for K-12 students.
Republicans may have to consider Stein’s views more because they are one seat shy of a veto-proof majority.
Bernie Bennett reporting.

Failed Candidate Convicted of Gun Charges

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – A jury has convicted a failed political candidate of federal charges in connection with a series of drive-by shootings. Correspondent Bernie Bennett has the details.

VERBATIM:
The shootings took place at the homes of four Democratic state and local lawmakers in Albuquerque in 2022 and 2023. The verdict was delivered Wednesday. Former Republican candidate Solomon Peña had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, weapons-related charges and interference with federally protected activities. His attorneys say they will appeal. They say he was prosecuted because of his political beliefs. The attacks took place as threats against public officials surged after President Donald Trump and his allies questioned the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

DOJ Launches Election Investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) – The top federal prosecutor for the nation’s capital has formed a “special unit” to investigate election offenses, according to an email sent to lawyers in his office on Monday.

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VERBATIM: Interim District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Ed Martin said the “Special Unit: Election Accountability” has already opened one investigation and that it “will continue to make sure that all the election laws of our nation are obeyed,” according to the email reviewed by media. Martin was involved in the “Stop the Steal” movement after President Trump lost the 2020 election to former President Joe Biden.
The Trump administration had been expected to shift the Justice Department’s priorities around investigating voting and elections. The agency has historically targeted voter suppression efforts and state laws that could disenfranchise certain groups, but conservatives have called for an increased focus on voter fraud.
Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Sen. Schumer Postpones Book Tour

WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is postponing several scheduled events this week to promote his new book after some liberal groups had planned to stage protests. Details from reporter Bernie Bennett.

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VERBATIM: The cancellations of events in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and other cities came amid widespread criticism from the party’s liberal base over Schumer’s vote to move forward with Republican spending legislation last week. A representative for Schumer’s book said the tour would be rescheduled “due to security concerns.” Schumer said the spending bill was “terrible” but that a shutdown would have been far worse and difficult to end.

At a news conference on Friday, House Democratic Leader Hakim Jeffries repeatedly refused to say whether he has confidence in Schumer – a rare break for the two longtime New York colleagues.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Trump Ends Secret Service Protection for Biden’s Adult Kids

President Donald Trump said Monday he was ending “immediately” the Secret Service protection details assigned to Joe Biden’s adult children, which the former president had extended for six months shortly before leaving office in January. Bernie Bennett has details.

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VERBATIM: President Trump on a social media objected to what he said were 18 agents assigned to Hunter Biden’s protective detail while he is in South Africa this week. He said Ashley Biden has 13 agents assigned to her detail and that she too “will be taken off the list.” Former presidents and their spouses receive life-long Secret Service protection under federal law, but the protection afforded to their immediate families over the age of 16 ends when they leave office.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

House Republicans work to pass spending bill and avert government shutdown

The 99-page bill is certain to spark confrontation on Capitol Hill. It would provide a slight boost to defense programs while trimming nondefense programs below 2024 budget year levels. That approach is likely to be a nonstarter for most Democrats who have long insisted that defense and nondefense spending move in the same direction. Congress must act by midnight Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown. Speaker Mike Johnson is teeing up the bill for a vote on Tuesday despite the lack of buy-in from Democrats, essentially daring them to vote against it and risk a shutdown. He also is betting that Republicans can muscle the legislation through the House largely by themselves.

Will Trump’s Face Appear on the $100 Bill?

A Republican lawmaker is introducing legislation to immortalize President Donald Trump on 100 dollar bills. Correspondent Bernie Bennett has more on the story.

VERBATIM:
Congressman Brandon Gill of Texas said that he plans to introduce a bill to feature President Trump’s likeness on the $100 note once his current term concludes.

Gill sait in an interview, “President Trump could be enjoying his golden years golfing and spending time with his family. Instead, he took a bullet for this country and is now working overtime to secure our border, fix our uneven trade relationship with the rest of the world, make America energy independent again, and put America first by ending useless foreign aid.”

Gill says replacing Benjamin Franklin with Trump on the $100 bill “is a small way to honor all he will accomplish these next four years.”

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Senate Confirms Linda McMahon as Education Secretary

The Senate voted Monday to confirm former wrestling executive Linda McMahon as the nation’s education chief, a role that places her atop a department that President Trump has vowed to dismantle. Correspondent Bernie Bennett has this report.

VERBATIM:
McMahon will face the competing tasks of winding down the Education Department while also escalating efforts to achieve Trump’s agenda. Already the Republican president has signed sweeping orders to rid America’s schools of diversity programs and accommodations for transgender students while also calling for expanded school choice programs.

At the same time, Trump has promised to shut down the department and said he wants McMahon “to put herself out of a job.”

The Senate voted to confirm McMahon 51-45.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Power Outage at BWI Airport

BALTIMORE (AP) – A power outage at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport caused significant flight delays and other interruptions to air travel Monday morning. More details from Correspondent Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
Airport officials said the outage was impacting areas of the main terminal and an adjacent parking garage. Officials said in a social media post, power was fully restored around noon.

More than 150 flights were delayed and dozens more were canceled earlier in the day, according to a flight tracking website.

Stephanie Weaver, a spokesperson for Baltimore Gas and Electric Company, said the outage was reported around 7:40 a.m. and caused by a downed power line near the airport. Airport officials advised passengers to check with their airlines about flight status. They also said some inbound flights were being diverted.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

President Trump Pauses Military Aid to Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Monday directed a “pause” to U.S. assistance to Ukraine as he seeks to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in negotiations to end the war with Russia. This update from Reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
The move comes just days after a contentious Oval Office meeting in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance confronted Zelenskyy for what they perceived as insufficient gratefulness for the more than $180 billion in military aid the U.S. has sent to Kyiv since Russia invaded three years ago.

A White House official said Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal and wants Zelenskyy “committed” to that goal. The official said the U.S. was “pausing and reviewing” its aid to “ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”

The order will remain in effect until Trump determines that Ukraine has demonstrated a commitment to peace negotiations with Russia.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Pentagon Halts Cyberoperations Against Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has paused offensive cyber-operations against Russia by U.S. Cyber Command, even as national security experts call for the U.S. to expand those capabilities. Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
Hegseth’s decision does not affect cyberoperations conducted by other agencies, including the CIA and the Cyber-security and Infrastructure Security Agency. But the Trump administration also has rolled back other efforts at the FBI and other agencies related to countering digital and cyber threats.

The Pentagon decision comes as many national security and cybersecurity experts have urged greater investments in cyber defense and offense, particularly as China and Russia have sought to interfere with the nation’s economy, elections and security.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Speaker Johnson on Vladmir Putin

House Speaker Mike Johnson says Russian President Vladimir Putin is “dangerous” and “not to be trusted.”

VERBATIM:

In an interview on CNN, Speaker Johnson was asked, “What is your view of Vladimir Putin?”

“I think Vladimir Putin is an old-school communist, a former KGB agent, and he’s not to be trusted and he is dangerous,” Johnson responded.

Johnson’s comments follow a tense Oval Office meeting between President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Vice President Vance on Friday, in which the president and Zelensky argued over U.S. support for Ukraine.

Johnson said that Trump “is trying to be the change agent … to broker a peace and an end to this conflict, and you have to have both parties at the table to do that.”

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Speaker Johnson Pushes for Budget Vote

The Senate’s Plan B is in place. Now it’s up to Speaker Mike Johnson to deliver on Plan A – the “one big, beautiful bill” he’s been promising for weeks. Correspondent Bernie Bennett reports.

VERBATIM:
Speaking at an event held by Americans for Prosperity, Johnson stressed the importance of moving the “one, big beautiful bill” the House is pursuing so that a swath of 2017 tax cuts don’t expire without an extension.

The Rules Committee meets Monday to ready the House GOP budget plan for the floor as a group of holdouts concerned about deep cuts to Medicaid and other safety-net programs raise increasingly sharp concerns.

It amounts to a key inflection point for President Donald Trump’s domestic policy agenda, and GOP senators – who muscled through their own two-bill legislative blueprint early Friday morning – are eagerly watching to see if Johnson can finally unify his conference and move forward with his own plan.

Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham says If Johnson can pull it together, “I will be his biggest fan.”

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Voters Support Trump’s Deportation Plan

Voters strongly favor President Donald Trump’s plan to apprehend and deport illegal aliens. More from reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM: The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 62% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of the Trump administration’s program to find and deport immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, including 41% who Strongly Approve. Thirty-six percent (36%) disapprove, including 22% who Strongly Disapprove.

The survey of 1,188 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on February 16-18, 2025 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Trump Transgender Policies Challenged in Court

Two Trump administration executive orders targeting the rights of transgender and nonbinary people are facing fresh court challenges. Reporter Bernie Bennett has more.

VERBATIM: Three Democratic states sued Friday over the order to ban federal funding for gender-affirming care for transgender people under 19. It’s at least the second challenge to the policy that was put forth late last month.
Trump signed an executive order last month directing federally run insurance programs, including Medicaid and TRICARE for military families, to exclude coverage for such care. It also calls on the Department of Justice to pursue litigation and legislation to oppose it.
Trump also signed an executive order on Wednesday intended to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports.
Bernie Bennett reporting

President Trump Fires the Board of the Kennedy Center

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump said Friday that he is firing members of the board of trustees for the Kennedy Center and naming himself chairman. Details from Correspondent Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM: The President also indicated that he will use the post to dictate programming at one of the nation’s premier cultural institutions.
Trump wrote on social media Friday that “At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN.” He says the current chairman, philanthropist David Rubenstein, is among those who “do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
He says, “We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!”
Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Hamas Releases Three Hostages

Hamas has freed three hostages as part of the ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip. Bernie Bennett has this report.

VERBATIM: Two released hostages, Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas, arrived in Israel and were on their way to an initial reception point. Along the road leading to the military base, small groups of supporters waited for the convoys waving Israeli flags.
Later Saturday, American-Israeli Keith Siegel was handed over to the Red Cross.
The six-week phase one truce calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, as well as the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.
Bernie Bennett reporting.

Trump Rates High in Presidential Tracking Poll

President Trump’s approval rating i son the rise. Correspondent Bernie Bennett has this report.

VERBATIM:
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows that 52% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President Trump’s job performance. Forty-five percent (45%) disapprove.

The latest figures include 39% who Strongly Approve of the job Trump is doing and 37% who Strongly Disapprove. This gives him a Presidential Approval Index rating of +2.

On January 23rd, he held a total approval rating of 56% and disapproval rating of 40% with an approval index of +6. Forty percent strongly approved and 34% strongly disapproved.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

USAID Pauses Aid to Foreign Countries

WASHINGTON (AP) – Trump administration changes have upended the U.S. agency charged with providing humanitarian aid to countries overseas. Correspondent Bernie Bennett reports.

VERBATIM: Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the pause, saying “the U.S. government is not a charity.”
Current and former officials at the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development say they were invited to submit requests to exempt certain programs from the freeze, which President Donald Trump imposed Jan. 20 and the State Department detailed how to execute on Jan. 24.
Three days later, at least 56 senior career USAID staffers were abruptly placed on administrative leave.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

DEI in Higher Education

Around the United States, colleges and universities are cautiously navigating the Trump administration’s crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

OUT CUE: Correspondent Bernie Bennett reporting.

VERBATIM: Schools are reassessing programs, courses, and job titles that could run afoul of President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders. As they figure out how to adapt, some schools are staying quiet out of uncertainty or fear. Others have vowed to stand firm.
Trump has said DEI amounts to discrimination. To get colleges to shutter diversity programs, he said during the campaign he would “advance a measure to have them fined up to the entire amount of their endowment.”

Ramaswamy eyes run for Ohio Governor

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Fresh off of his unexpected departure from President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, Vivek Ramaswamy has set his sights on becoming governor of Ohio, his home state.

He’s lined up strategists and plans to announce his run as soon as this week. Ramaswamy will try to follow the paths of Vice President JD Vance and Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno. Those political newcomers won Senate seats with the help of Trump’s endorsement. Ramaswamy’s plans have complicated things for a deep bench of veteran Republican politicians who also may aspire to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine.

Trump Reverses Biden’s “Climate Justice” Policies

President Trump is reversing his predecessor’s efforts to clean up areas hardest hit by pollution from heavy industry, ports and roadways.

President Trump eliminated the “Justice 40” initiative the Biden Administration created which required 40% of the benefits from certain environmental programs go to hard-hit communities.

He disbanded a team of White House advisors who focus on the issue. It’s part of a spate of early executive orders that align with Trump’s campaign pledge to slash regulations and eliminate an emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion. The new administration actions end a short-lived federal embrace of environmental justice.

Senate Closing in on Noem Confirmation Vote

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate is heading towards a vote on confirming South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary. Correspondent Bernie Bennett has more on this story.

VERBATIM: It would place her at the head of a sprawling agency that will be essential to both national security and President Donald Trump’s plans to squash illegal immigration.
Republicans were determined to barrel through on Noem’s confirmation, threatening to keep the Senate working through the weekend to install Trump’s national security Cabinet officials.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth won confirmation Friday night, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe were already in place.
Bernie Bennett in Washington.

U.N. Suspends Travel Into Yemen

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – The United Nations on Friday suspended all travel into areas held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels after seven more of their staff were detained by the rebels. More on this from reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM: The statement comes after the Houthis have detained U.N. staffers, as well as individuals associated with the once-open U.S. Embassy in Sanaa and aid groups.
The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the U.N.’s decision. However, it comes as they have tried to deescalate their attacks on shipping and Israel after a ceasefire was reached in the Israel-Hamas war.
Before Friday, the U.N. had a total of 16 Yemeni staff in Houthi detention. Staffers found seven others had been taken and halted their work, which provides food, medicine and other aid to the impoverished nation.
Bernie Bennett reporting.