Stories

Browse major news stories and see what officials have said.

Jun 2, 2026

Trump Names Housing Official Bill Pulte as Acting DNI, Replacing Tulsi Gabbard

President Trump on June 2, 2026 appointed Bill Pulte — head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and known for using his government access to refer Trump opponents for prosecution — as acting Director of National Intelligence, replacing Tulsi Gabbard who resigned citing her husband's cancer diagnosis. Pulte has no intelligence or military background and will simultaneously hold his FHFA post overseeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The appointment drew rare bipartisan criticism: Senate Majority Leader Thune warned against a "weaponized DNI," Mitch McConnell cited the statutory requirement for "extensive national security experience," and Democrats called it a dangerous politicization of the intelligence community ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Ken Paxton Defeats Sen. John Cornyn in Texas GOP Primary Runoff

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton crushed four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn 64%-36% in the May 26, 2026 Republican primary runoff — the widest primary defeat of a sitting U.S. senator in nearly five decades. Trump had endorsed Paxton one week before the vote, overriding his own Senate leadership's backing of Cornyn. Senate Majority Leader Thune immediately called on Republicans to "pivot" to supporting Paxton, while Democrat James Talarico, who will face Paxton in November, declared him "the most corrupt politician in America."

Republicans Push Second Reconciliation Bill; Medicaid Cuts Spark GOP Revolt

With the 2025 "One Big Beautiful Bill" already cutting ~$1 trillion from Medicaid, House Republicans and Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham pushed in early 2026 for a second reconciliation package focused on immigration enforcement funding. But a bloc of GOP senators — Collins, Murkowski, Moran, Hawley — warned against further Medicaid cuts, especially to rural hospitals. The bill stalled in May 2026 amid Republican infighting.

Senate Republicans Advance $72 Billion ICE and CBP Reconciliation Bill

Senate Republicans advanced a nearly $72 billion budget reconciliation package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement ($38.2B) and Customs and Border Protection ($26B) through FY2029, plus $1 billion for White House security upgrades. The Senate Homeland Security Committee approved its portion 8-7 on May 19, 2026, followed by the Budget Committee advancing the bill 11-10 on May 20, clearing it for a Senate floor vote before the planned June 2 recess. The package — the largest immigration enforcement funding proposal in U.S. history — advances via reconciliation, requiring only 51 votes and bypassing a Democratic filibuster.