Biden calls Israel’s military response in Gaza “over the top”

President Biden is growing unhappy with the Israeli military’s response in Gaza. Since the October 7th Hamas attack against Israel, the president has supported the Jewish state’s right to retaliate. Here at home, he’s requested additional U-S aid for Israel. But the White House also has decried the number of civilian casualties in Gaza as Israeli forces target Hamas. And this week, Mr. Biden went a step further, calling the response in Gaza “over the top.” The president is facing a political backlash from Arab Americans, who are demanding he support a permanent ceasefire.

Special Counsel’s report includes embarrassing Biden details

President Biden won’t be charged in the classified documents case, but the special counsel’s report didn’t do him any favors. The good news for the president is that the special counsel did not recommend criminal charges. The bad news for him is all the details. Mr. Biden was described as an “elderly man with a poor memory.” And photographs show the top secret documents were kept in a cardboard box in the president’s garage surrounded by household items. The report may prove to be politically damaging to the president as he tries to differentiate himself from Donald Trump’s classified documents case.

Supreme Court skeptical about Colorado’s Trump ballot ruling

It appears the Supreme Court is inclined to reject Colorado’s attempt to kick Donald Trump off the 2024 ballot. During Thursday’s landmark oral arguments, conservative and liberal justices alike questioned whether Trump can be disqualified because of his efforts to undo his loss in the 2020 election. Their main concern was whether Congress must act before states can invoke the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection clause.” At one point, Justice Elena Kagan asked “why a single state should decide who gets to be president of the United States.”

Angry Biden lashes out at questions about memory, age

President Biden is pushing back at the special counsel’s report that questioned his memory. In the special counsel’s report, Mr. Biden was described as an “elderly man with poor memory.” At an evening press conference, he responded angrily to questions about his mental fitness. Reporters then peppered him with questions about his age and fitness for office, and he dismissed those concerns as reporters’ opinions. The president also denied sharing classified information.

Trump campaign blasts Biden classified documents report

The special counsel says President Biden “willfully” retained and disclosed classified documents, but will not face criminal charges. The president will not be prosecuted even though sensitive files were found at his Delaware home and personal office. However, the report includes embarrassing information about the 81-year-old Biden. The special counsel wrote that the president portrayed himself as an “elderly man with a poor memory” who would be sympathetic to a jury. The Trump campaign seized on that, saying in a statement: “If you’re too senile to stand trial, then you’re too senile to be president.” GC, the WH.

Special Counsel: Biden “willfully” retained classified docs, but no charges

President Biden will not face criminal charges for possessing classified materials. A special counsel’s investigation concludes that Joe Biden “willfully” retained and disclosed highly classified materials when he was a private citizen, but says no criminal charges are warranted. Interestingly, the report points to the president’s “poor memory” during an interview with investigators last year. The White House counsel’s office said it disagreed with “a number of inaccurate and inappropriate comments in the special counsel’s report,” but is pleased that the president will not face criminal charges.

Biden refers to a 2021 conversation with leaders who died years earlier

Biden seeks no redactions in special counsel report on classified docs

President Biden won’t seek any redactions in the classified documents report by the special counsel. The White House counsel’s office says the White House notified the Justice Department that it has completed a review of the report and that the president “declined to assert privilege over any portion of the report.” The report was then sent to Congress and its public release could come soon. The investigation was launched after sensitive documents were found at Joe Biden’s Delaware home and a think tank office in Washington.

Supreme Court hears arguments in Trump ballot eligibility case

The Supreme Court took up the Colorado case that Donald Trump is ineligible to appear on the state’s ballot because of the January 6th Capitol riot. Trump attorney Jonathan Mitchell argued that the 14th Amendment does not apply in this case. Section 3 is referred to as the insurrection clause and attorney Jason Murray, representing Colorado voters, focused on the former president’s actions. With Colorado’s primary scheduled for March 5th, the high court has signaled it will try to act quickly.

Biden “heartbroken” over deaths of 5 Marines in chopper crash

President Biden is mourning the loss of five Marines in a helicopter crash in California. The five were killed when their helicopter went down late Tuesday night during stormy weather in the mountains outside of San Diego. They were on a routine training mission. In a White House statement, the president extended his condolences, saying “as we mourn this profound loss, we honor their selfless service and ultimate sacrifice.”

Supreme Court to hear Trump ballot eligibility case

The Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether Donald Trump can be kept off the 2024 presidential ballot. Trump is appealing a Colorado Supreme Court ruling that he should not be on the Republican primary ballot. The state court declared him ineligible because he violated a provision in the 14th Amendment preventing those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office. The arguments will be historic as the nation’s highest court will consider for the first time the meaning and reach of the Constitution’s “insurrection” clause.

U.S. drone strike kills high-ranking militia commander

A U-S drone strike has killed a high-ranking commander in an Iranian-backed militia group. Officials say the drone strike hit a car in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, killing three members of the powerful Kataib Hezbollah militia, including a senior commander. The strike came days after the U-S military launched an air assault on dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iranian-backed militias and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for a deadly attack on American troops.

Haley vows to stay in presidential race after Nevada showing

Nikki Haley is vowing to stay in the presidential race after her showing in Tuesday’s Nevada primary. Haley was the only candidate listed on the ballot and she finished in second place with 31 percent of the vote. Sixty-three percent of voters selected “none of these candidates.” It was largely a symbolic vote with no delegates at stake. It’s because Nevada’s Republican party is holding its own primary on Thursday in a move that favors Donald Trump. The Haley campaign says it “didn’t bother to play a game rigged for Trump” and is focused on South Carolina instead.

Biden’s EPA sets tighter standards for deadly soot pollution

The Biden administration is setting tougher standards for deadly soot pollution. A new rule from the EPA sets an air quality level that states and counties must achieve in the coming years to reduce pollution from power plants, vehicles, and industrial sites. The government says the move could prevent thousands of premature deaths a year. Environmental and public health groups welcome the tougher standards, while industry groups warn it could lead to the loss of manufacturing jobs and even shut down power plants or refineries.

White House welcomes failed Mayorkas impeachment vote

The White House says the failed Republican effort to impeach the Homeland Security secretary was a “baseless” stunt. After a few GOP House lawmakers joined Democrats to block the impeachment of DHS Secretary Mayorkas, the White House hailed it as a “bipartisan” vote. Spokesman Ian Sams said in a statement that House Republicans ought to realize that extreme political stunts like this are a waste of time.” The GOP wanted to punish Mayorkas for his handling of the border crisis. Hours before the House vote, Republicans in the Senate withdrew their support from a bill designed to strengthen border security.

Biden blames Trump for sinking border bill, Ukraine funding

President Biden is blaming Donald Trump for sinking a bipartisan bill to provide money for Ukraine, Israel, and border security. The president praised the Senate bill for offering tough and fair immigration reforms, but he acknowledged that it’s stalled in Congress. He criticized lawmakers for caving in to Trump’s pressure. And he appealed to Congress not to abandon Ukraine and Israel, saying both countries need more aid from the United States.

Trump loses appeal on presidential immunity in 2020 election case

Donald Trump has lost an appeal in the case charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 election. The former president claimed he’s immune from prosecution for any actions taken while in office. But a federal appeals court panel rejected that argument and ruled that Trump can face trial for actions related to the January 6th Capitol riot. A Trump campaign spokesman said the former president “respectfully disagrees with the DC Circuit’s decision and will appeal it in order to safeguard the presidency and the Constitution. At this point, an appeal could be made to either the U.S. Supreme Court or the entire U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Nevada is holding its Democratic presidential primary

Nevada is holding its Democratic presidential primary. Democrats in Nevada are going to the polls three days after Joe Biden cruised to victory in the South Carolina primary, where he won all 55 of that state’s convention delegates. On Sunday, the president held campaign events in Nevada and yesterday, he met with union workers in Las Vegas ahead of today’s primary.

Speaker Johnson calls Biden Israel aid veto threat a “betrayal”

President Biden and House Speaker Johnson are playing hard ball over aid to Israel. Even though the president supports emergency funding for Israel, he would veto the stand-alone aid package proposed by House Republicans. In a statement, the White House called the bill a “cynical political maneuver” designed to weaken bipartisan Senate talks on funding for Israel, Ukraine, and the border. House Speaker Mike Johnson shot back, calling the president’s veto threat “an act of portrayal” and accusing Mr. Biden of “abandoning our ally in its time of greatest need.”

Nikki Haley requests Secret Service protection

Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley has requested U-S Secret Service protection. Haley’s campaign did not disclose any specific threats that prompted the request, but the former ambassador and governor was targeted in two “swatting” incidents around the first of the year. And in recent days, protesters have regularly disrupted or demonstrated near her events in South Carolina. The Secret Service often provides security to major presidential candidates, both in general and primary elections.

Pentagon unaware of any Iranian deaths after airstrikes

The Pentagon is not aware of any Iranian deaths in the recent U-S military strikes. Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder told reporters that initial indications were that the strikes against dozens of targets linked to Iran-supported militias did not kill any Iranians. But he said other casualties were likely, without giving details. On Friday, the Pentagon carried out a wave of airstrikes in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for the drone attack on American personnel that killed three U-S soldiers.

Report: Biden aides bracing for classified documents report

The Biden campaign reportedly is bracing for the special counsel’s report into the president’s handling of classified documents. News media outlets including Axios say the independent counsel’s final report could be released as soon as this week. Robert Hur has been investigating the improper storage of classified documents at Joe Biden’s Delaware home and a think tank office in Washington. Axios reports that even if there are no criminal charges, Biden aides expect the report’s details to be politically damaging. Details could include photos of how and where the sensitive materials were stored.

U.S. plans more retaliatory strikes against Iran-backed militias

The United States plans to carry out further military strikes against Iranian-backed militias in retaliation for killing three American soldiers. White House officials say Friday’s strikes on more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria were “the beginning, not the end” of the U-S response. Jake Sullivan said President is not seeking a wider war in the Middle East. But Sullivan also told NBC’s Meet the Press that if Iran “chose to respond directly to the United States, they would be met with a swift and forceful response.”

Powell: Fed on track to cut interest rates three times this year

The Federal Reserve chairman says he still expects three interest rate cuts this year. Interviewed on CBS’s 60 Minutes, Jerome Powell said he thinks the economy “is in a good place” and there’s “no sign of a recession on the horizon.” As a result, Powell said the Fed remains on track to cut interest rates three times this year. He suggested March might be too soon for a rate cut, leading economists to think the first cut is likely to come in May or June.