Stories

Browse major news stories and see what officials have said.

Apr 23, 2026

DOJ Inspector General Launches Audit of Epstein Files Release Compliance

On April 23, 2026, the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General announced it is launching an audit to evaluate the DOJ's compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law passed in November 2025 that requires full disclosure of department files related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Deputy Inspector General William Blier said the preliminary objective is to "evaluate the DOJ's processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records in its possession as required by the Act." The audit follows months of complaints from lawmakers — including Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who co-led the transparency act — that the DOJ has over-redacted and withheld material. Victims have also said sloppy redactions exposed their identities, while critics allege information damaging to President Trump has been withheld. The audit launches under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, following the earlier ouster of AG Pam Bondi. Senators Richard Blumenthal, Jeff Merkley, and Dick Durbin, among others, had written in December 2025 urging the OIG to conduct an independent review.

“Many of the documents DOJ allows Members of Congress to view remain redacted because they were received with redactions imposed by the FBI and US Attorneys, and Blanche has, as far as we can tell, neither requested nor obtained the original versions as required by EFTA.”
Thomas Massie (R-KY) · Apr 23, 2026

DOJ Indicts Southern Poverty Law Center on Federal Fraud Charges

A federal grand jury on April 21, 2026 returned an 11-count indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center, charging the civil rights nonprofit with six counts of wire fraud, four counts of false statements to a federally insured bank, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The Justice Department alleges that between 2014 and 2023, the SPLC secretly funneled more than $3 million in donor funds to confidential informants associated with violent extremist groups including the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, and the National Socialist Movement. Prosecutors say the organization used shell bank accounts under names like "Fox Photography" and "Rare Books Warehouse" to conceal the payments. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the SPLC was "manufacturing the extremism it purports to oppose." The SPLC denied the allegations and vowed to defend itself, saying its informant program saved lives. Democrats characterized the indictment as politically motivated, while congressional Republicans backed the prosecution.

“The SPLC was not dismantling these groups, it was instead manufacturing the extremism it purports to oppose by paying sources to stoke racial hatred.”
Todd Blanche (R) · Apr 21, 2026

Bulgaria's Eighth Election in Five Years: Radev Wins Landslide

Former president Rumen Radev's Progressive Bulgaria party won a decisive victory in Bulgaria's April 19, 2026 parliamentary election — the country's eighth in five years. Exit polls showed Progressive Bulgaria winning 37–39% of the vote, far ahead of former PM Boyko Borissov's GERB-UDF coalition at 15–16%. Radev, a former fighter pilot who resigned the presidency in January to launch his political movement, campaigned as an "oligarchy breaker." He declared the result "a victory of hope over distrust, a victory of freedom over fear" and pledged to form a stable government. Radev struck a notably eurosceptic tone, saying Europe "has become a victim of its ambition to act as a moral leader" and called for "pragmatic action." The election came one week after Hungary's voters ousted Viktor Orbán, raising questions about whether a broader anti-establishment wave is reshaping Central and Eastern European politics.

“Progressive Bulgaria has won decisively. This is a victory of hope over distrust, a victory of freedom over fear. It is also a victory of morality. People have rejected the complacency and arrogance of the old parties and did not succumb to lies and manipulation.”
Rumen Radev (O) · Apr 19, 2026

US Navy Fires On and Seizes Iranian Cargo Ship Touska

The US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance intercepted the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska in the Gulf of Oman on April 19, 2026 — the first forcible seizure since the US naval blockade of Iranian ports began. After six hours of warnings, Spruance fired on the Touska's engine room to disable it; US Marines then boarded and took custody. Trump announced on Truth Social that "it did not go well for them" and threatened to "take out their bridges and their power plants" if Iran doesn't sign a deal before the ceasefire expires Wednesday. Iran's joint military command accused the US of "armed piracy" and "violating the ceasefire," vowing the armed forces "will soon respond and retaliate." The seizure threw planned Islamabad peace talks into doubt, with Iran declining to confirm its participation. Iran's parliament speaker Ghalibaf declared it "impossible for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot."

“Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our naval blockade, and it did not go well for them. The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room. Right now, US Marines have custody of the vessel.”
Donald Trump (R-FL) · Apr 19, 2026

Iran Re-Closes Strait of Hormuz and Fires on Indian Ships

One day after briefly reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Revolutionary Guard reversed course on April 18, 2026, re-closing the waterway and firing on two Indian-flagged merchant ships — the tanker Sanmar Herald and cargo vessel Jag Arnav — forcing them to turn back. The IRGC warned that "no vessel should make any movement" toward the strait and declared it would remain shut "until the US restores full freedom of navigation for vessels travelling from Iran." The re-closure came after President Trump declared the strait "COMPLETELY OPEN" on Truth Social while simultaneously insisting the US naval blockade on Iran would remain "in full force." Iran accused the US of violating the ceasefire deal by maintaining the blockade. India summoned Iran's ambassador, calling the attack on its ships "completely unacceptable." European allies demanded unconditional reopening of the strait.

“We're talking to them. They wanted to close up the strait again, as they've been doing for years, and they can't blackmail us.”
Donald Trump (R-FL) · Apr 18, 2026

Democrats Introduce Bill to Block Trump From Collecting Federal Settlements

On April 15, 2026, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Jamie Raskin, and Rep. Dave Min introduced the Ban Presidential Plunder of Taxpayer Funds Act (S.4299), a bill to bar the President, Vice President, and their immediate family members from collecting settlement payments from the federal government while in office. The bill was a direct response to Trump's $10 billion IRS lawsuit and a prior $230 million DOJ settlement demand — and anticipated the deal that would produce the $1.7B Anti-Weaponization Fund a month later. The bill has no path forward with Republicans controlling both chambers.

“While American families are getting flattened by skyrocketing costs, Donald Trump is trying to snatch up billions of taxpayer dollars to line his own pockets and settle personal scores. My bill will close the loopholes that enable this apparent corruption and ban Trump — and all future Presidents and Vice Presidents — from abusing their power and stealing Americans' hard-earned money.”
Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) · Apr 15, 2026

Apr 15, 2026· Updated

Congressional War Powers Debate Over Iran

As the U.S.-Israel war on Iran approaches its 60-day mark — the limit set by the 1973 War Powers Resolution before continued hostilities require congressional authorization — senators from both parties have pushed war powers resolutions to force a vote. The Senate has defeated three such resolutions in 53-47 votes since the war began on February 28, 2026, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) the lone Republican consistently voting in favor. Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) drew a line in an April 1 op-ed: "60 days must mean 60 days."

“There's the 60-day shot clock, so to speak, that we're currently in the midst of.”
Josh Hawley (R-MO) · Apr 15, 2026

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19 statements

Apr 15, 2026· Updated

Trump Feuds With Pope Leo XIV Over Iran War and Immigration

An escalating clash between President Trump and Pope Leo XIV — the first American-born pope — has emerged as one of the defining conflicts of 2026. The feud spans two fronts: Leo's condemnation of the Iran war (calling Trump's threats "truly unacceptable" and denouncing a "delusion of omnipotence") and his criticism of mass deportation policies as "extremely disrespectful." Trump responded with an extraordinary broadside, calling Leo "very liberal," "weak on crime," and "terrible for foreign policy," and claiming "If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican." The Vatican canceled a planned 250th anniversary visit over foreign policy disagreements.

“I was taken a little bit aback, just honestly, frankly, by something that he said about those who engage in war, that Jesus doesn't hear their prayers. There's something called the just war doctrine. There's a time to every purpose under heaven. I'm not one to criticize clerics — a pontiff or any religious leader can say anything they want. But obviously if you wade into political waters, I think you should expect some political response, and I think the pope's received some of that. These are matters that people of good faith and good sense can debate and think through.”
Mike Johnson (R-LA) · Apr 15, 2026

Apr 14, 2026· Updated

Pam Bondi Refuses Congressional Deposition on Epstein Files

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi failed to appear for her April 14, 2026 deposition before the House Oversight Committee, defying a bipartisan subpoena to testify on the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files. The DOJ argued the subpoena is moot because Bondi was fired on April 2 and no longer holds the office. Lawmakers from both parties disagree — the subpoena named Bondi personally, not by title. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) is pursuing contempt charges, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) pressed Chairman Comer to enforce the subpoena, and Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) moved to hold Bondi in contempt. Comer told reporters "we'll talk about it."

“We'll talk about it.”
James Comer (R-KY) · Apr 14, 2026

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Apr 14, 2026· Updated

US and Israel Launch Joint Military Attack on Iran

On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran — codenamed "Epic Fury" by the Pentagon and "Roaring Lion" by Israel — striking nuclear facilities, missile sites, and government compounds across Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah. By Day 2, CENTCOM confirmed over 1,000 targets had been hit, and Iranian state media acknowledged that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed along with dozens of senior officials. Iran retaliated by launching waves of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, US military bases, and Gulf states including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, killing three US service members and eight people in Israel. Hezbollah broke its November 2024 ceasefire by firing rockets at northern Israel, the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted, and Middle Eastern airspace was largely closed. In Congress, bipartisan war powers resolutions were introduced with votes expected as early as March 4, while Trump said the operation was "ahead of schedule" and could take "four weeks or less." As of March 1, strikes continued with international calls for ceasefire from the UN, China, and others, while Oman offered mediation and Iran signaled openness to de-escalation.

“As I write this, B-2 Spirit stealth bombers and F-35 fighters are flying sorties over Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury. Our brave airmen and women are executing their mission with precision, power and courage that should make every American proud.”
Pete Stauber (R-MN) · Apr 14, 2026

Rep. Tony Gonzales Resigns Amid Affair and Ethics Probe

Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas announced his resignation from Congress on April 13, 2026, hours before a bipartisan expulsion vote was expected. The House Ethics Committee had opened an investigation on March 5 into an affair Gonzales had with a staff member who later died by suicide after setting herself on fire. Gonzales initially denied the affair for months before admitting to it on a podcast, stating both he and the staffer had been married at the time. His resignation came the same day as Rep. Eric Swalwell's (D-CA), as Congress confronted dual sexual misconduct scandals across party lines.

“There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office. It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.”
Tony Gonzales (R-TX) · Apr 13, 2026

Apr 13, 2026· Updated

Orbán Loses Hungarian Election After 16 Years in Power

On April 12, 2026, Hungarian voters ousted Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in a landslide, ending 16 years of increasingly authoritarian rule. Opposition leader Péter Magyar's Tisza party won 138 of 199 parliamentary seats (53.6%) — a two-thirds supermajority — to Fidesz's 55 seats (37.8%), with a record 77% turnout. The defeat came five days after Vice President JD Vance traveled to Budapest to campaign for Orbán, accusing the EU of election interference while openly endorsing the incumbent. European leaders celebrated the result, with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declaring "Hungary has chosen Europe." Orbán conceded, calling the result "painful but clear."

“I'm sad that Viktor Orbán lost. He is a great guy who has done a very good job for the people of Hungary. But the Hungarian people have spoken, and we respect democratic results.”
JD Vance (R-OH) · Apr 13, 2026

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