6 h. ago Kennedy remains quiet on 10,000 jobs lost at the nation's top health department

Health secretary Robert F

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7 h. ago After months of surrender, the Democrats have finally stood up to Trump – thank you, Cory Booker | Emma Brockes

Watching the New Jersey senator hold court for 25 hours felt radical and catharticOne of the problems beleaguering political opponents of Donald Trump has been finding a form of protest that, given the scale of his outrages, doesn’t seem entirely futile. You can parade outside a Tesla showroom. You can hold up dumb little signs during Trump’s address to Congress inscribed with slogans such as “This is not normal” and “Musk steals”. You can, as Democrats appear to have been doing since the election, play dead.Alternatively, you can go for the ostentatious, performative gesture. On Monday evening, Cory Booker, the Democratic senator for New Jersey who carries himself like someone who’d have been happier in an era when men wore capes, started speaking on the floor of the Senate and carried on for 25 hours and five minutes, breaking the chamber’s record by almost 50 minutes and delivering – finally – a solid, usable symbol of rebellion.Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist Continue readi...

Politics

8 h. ago Who is Cory Booker as he breaks record for longest Senate speech with fiery Trump condemnation?

US Senator Cory Booker delivers a record-breaking 25-hour speech in the Senate, criticising Donald Trump's agenda and highlighting Democratic efforts to challenge the president

Politics

8 h. ago US justice department drops corruption case against New York mayor Eric Adams

Trump administration had been pressing Adams to crack down on immigration but both parties denied quid pro quo A US federal judge on Wednesday dismissed the Department of Justice’s corruption case against New York City’s embattled mayor, Eric Adams, after weeks of scandal about the Democratic mayor bowing to pressure from the Trump administration to cooperate on immigration crackdowns while trying to get out from under the criminal charges.Despite the judge’s decision, he said the Trump administration’s grounds for having the case dropped “smacks of a bargain”. Continue reading...

Politics

10 h. ago Democrats hail major win as Susan Crawford delivers blow to Trump and Musk in Wisconsin – US politics live

Liberal judge Susan Crawford wins race for seat on Wisconsin supreme court in litmus test for Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s popularityLiberal Susan Crawford beats Musk-backed candidateDonald Trump’s planned tariffs will be negative across the world, with the damage depending on how far they go, how long they last and whether they lead to successful negotiations, the European Central Bank head, Christine Lagarde, said on Wednesday.The Trump administration on Wednesday is set to announce “reciprocal tariffs” targeting nations that have duties on US goods. That move would come after it slapped new import levies on products from Mexico, China and Canada – the top US trading partners – as well as on goods including steel and autos.Wisconsin beat the billionaire.Wisconsin cannot be bought. Our democracy is not for sale. And when we fight, we win. Congratulations, @CrawfordForWI Continue reading...

Politics

13 h. ago Trump and Musk have ushered in a terrible era of cataclysm capitalism. But I have a plan to counter it | Julia Steinberger

The speed with which US democracy is being dismantled is dizzying, but if we organise resistance now we can stop thisEverything is moving too fast. The Trump-Musk administration is tearing through US government, universities and health organisations, firing tens of thousands of employees, eliminating billons in funding. The scope and speed of the attack is dizzying. It is almost impossible to keep up with the ongoing destruction, let alone to organise the resistance. None of this is accidental.We need to understand the origins of the Trump blitzkrieg to counter it in the US and prevent it from spreading abroad. The speed of the attack can be traced to Trump strategist and “accelerationist” Steve Bannon, and aligns with his information warfare tactic to “flood the zone” to confuse, disengage and disorient. Whether on climate or Covid, rumours, lies and conspiracy theories create a chaotic cacophony, leaving the public disoriented, fearful and prey to oversimple Trumpist messages: bla...

Politics

19 h. ago US senator Cory Booker delivers longest speech in Senate history

Cory Booker, the Democratic senator from New Jersey, spoke on the Senate floor for more than 25 hours, the longest speech ever given in Senate history. Starting his speech on Monday evening in Washington, vowing to remain on the Senate floor as long as he was 'physically able', Booker spoke in protest at what he called the 'grave and urgent' danger that Donald Trump's presidential administration poses to democracy and the American people. In 1957, Strom Thurmond, a Republican from South Carolina, gave an anti-civil rights speech that lasted 24 hours and 18 minutesSenate Republicans consider joining Democrats to oppose Trump over tariffs Continue reading...

Culture

19 h. ago Republicans win special elections for two key House seats in Florida

Randy Fine beats Josh Weil in Mike Waltz’s former district, and Jimmy Patronis wins seat vacated by Matt GaetzRepublicans on Tuesday won special elections for two US House of Representatives seats in Florida vacated by Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees, dashing Democratic hopes for an upset victory in the first federal special elections held since the president began his second term.But Democratic candidates Josh Weil and Gay Valimont are on track to lose the solidly red districts by much smaller margins than the more than 30 points that Democrats lost them by in November. Continue reading...

Politics

23 h. ago Florida special election: Republican Randy Fine wins Waltz’s former House seat

Fine takes Trump adviser’s seat despite Democrat Josh Weil putting up stiff challenge in Trump-dominated districtRepublican Randy Fine won a special election Tuesday for a House seat in Florida vacated by Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, although Democrats are likely to perform better in the Republican district than they did in November.Democratic candidate Josh Weil put up a stiff challenge in the eastern coastal district that Trump carried by 30 percentage points in the November elections, but the AP called the race for Fine early on Tuesday evening. Continue reading...

Politics

24 h. ago Cory Booker breaks record for longest speech by US senator as he condemns Trump policies for more than 24 hours – live

Democratic senator slams Trump administration’s various policies and beats the all-time US record held by Strom Thurmond (24 hours and 18 minutes)Cory Booker holds marathon Senate speech to warn of Trump’s ‘harmful’ policiesUS voters are headed to the polls on Tuesday in Wisconsin and Florida in elections that some see as a test of Donald Trump’s popularity and the political clout of his billionaire ally Elon Musk.The most closely watched contest is a battle for a seat on Wisconsin’s seven-member supreme court. Conservatives are trying to flip ideological control of the court, which currently has a 4-3 liberal majority. The contest, which features liberal judge Susan Crawford facing off against conservative Brad Schimel, will have huge consequences in the state. Continue reading...

Politics

24 h. ago Cory Booker breaks record for longest Senate speech with Trump condemnation

In speech that began Monday night, Democratic senator warns of ‘grave and urgent’ danger of Trump administrationUS politics – latest updatesCory Booker, the Democratic US senator from New Jersey, has broken the record for longest speech ever by a lone senator – beating the record first established by Strom Thurmond, who filibustered for 24 hours and 18 minutes in opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957.Booker’s speech, which began at 7pm on Monday night, was not a filibuster but instead an effort to warn of what he called the “grave and urgent” danger that Donald Trump’s presidential administration poses to democracy and the American people. Continue reading...

Politics

25 h. ago Cory Booker has criticized Trump on Senate floor for more than 23 hours, nearing record – live

Democratic senator slams Trump administration’s various policies and is close to the all-time US record held by Strom Thurmond (24 hours and 18 minutes)Cory Booker holds marathon Senate speech to warn of Trump’s ‘harmful’ policiesUS voters are headed to the polls on Tuesday in Wisconsin and Florida in elections that some see as a test of Donald Trump’s popularity and the political clout of his billionaire ally Elon Musk.The most closely watched contest is a battle for a seat on Wisconsin’s seven-member supreme court. Conservatives are trying to flip ideological control of the court, which currently has a 4-3 liberal majority. The contest, which features liberal judge Susan Crawford facing off against conservative Brad Schimel, will have huge consequences in the state. Continue reading...

Politics

28 h. ago Senate Republicans consider joining Democrats to oppose Trump over tariffs

Republican defections would amount to rare public rebuke as concerns mount over impact of president’s plansUS politics live – latest updatesOn the eve of Donald Trump’s so-called “liberation day” for tariffs, a handful of Senate Republicans are debating whether to defy the president and join Democrats to stop the US from imposing levies on Canadian imports.The resolution, offered by the Democratic senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, would terminate the emergency order that Trump is using to justify tariffs against Canada, citing the flow of fentanyl across the US’s northern border. The vote is largely symbolic – the House is not expected to take up the measure – but several defections would amount to a rare and notable rebuke of the president by his own party. Continue reading...

Politics

36 h. ago Democratic senator Cory Booker holding marathon speech to highlight ‘recklessness’ of Trump policies – US politics live

New Jersey Democrat began talking on Monday night to highlight ‘a nation in crisis’ and was still going at 7.30am eastern time on TuesdayWisconsin and Florida voters head to polls in test of Trump’s popularityUS voters are headed to the polls on Tuesday in Wisconsin and Florida in elections that some see as a test of Donald Trump’s popularity and the political clout of his billionaire ally Elon Musk.The most closely watched contest is a battle for a seat on Wisconsin’s seven-member supreme court. Conservatives are trying to flip ideological control of the court, which currently has a 4-3 liberal majority. The contest, which features liberal judge Susan Crawford facing off against conservative Brad Schimel, will have huge consequences in the state. Continue reading...

Politics

37 h. ago Special elections to give voters’ verdicts on Trump’s chaotic first months – US politics live

Votes in several states on Tuesday could offer a glimmer of hope to DemocratsWisconsin and Florida voters head to polls in test of Trump’s popularityDonald Trump’s executive order seeking to overhaul the nation’s elections faced its first legal challenges Monday as the Democratic National Committee and a pair of nonprofits filed two separate lawsuits calling it unconstitutional.The Campaign Legal Center and the State Democracy Defenders Fund brought the first lawsuit Monday afternoon. The DNC, the Democratic Governors Association, and Senate and House Democratic leaders followed soon after with a complaint of their own. Continue reading...

Politics

42 h. ago Trumpism is sinking democratic values. It’s Starmer’s job to steer the UK back to safety | Polly Toynbee

US tariffs hit this week just as other costs start to bite in Britain. To meet these challenges, Labour will finally have to changeThe prime minister may pretend to “like and respect” Donald Trump, but elsewhere in parliament anti-Americanism is running hot. In a Lords debate on obesity last week, Labour’s Lord Brooke suggested imposing 25% tariffs on “American products which are causing us difficulties – Coca-Cola, Pepsi, KFC, McDonald’s”. The government replied that the US is an “indispensable ally”. That craven attitude may be politic today – right until it fails tomorrow.The outlook for Britain and other countries is bleak. Wednesday is “liberation day”, when Trump’s tariffs will hit a range of goods likely to send global economies tumbling. There is near-zero expectation that Britain’s genuflections will save us from the same punishment as the rest. As for Trump demanding no VAT on US imports to the UK, that’s extorting with menaces a benefit denied to our own producers. Even i...

Politics

52 h. ago Democrats in Pennsylvania are angry. John Fetterman’s old rival is listening

Amid Trump’s unprecedented slash-and-burn of the federal government, many Democratic voters feel their party is not doing enough to fight back. John Bowden reports from State College, Pennsylvania on a former congressman looking to meet the moment

Politics

3 d. ago House Democrat mockingly suggests that Poland will be Trump’s next target for takeover

As the White House continues to make clear Donald Trump’s territorial ambitions over Greenland, one Democrat is wondering just how much of the globe could be on the president’s agenda.

Politics

3 d. ago US House to vote on ‘reckless’ $1bn budget cut to Washington DC

Trump and congressional Republicans attempting to exert control over mostly Democratic capital cityWashington DC has found itself in the crosshairs of Donald Trump and congressional Republicans in recent weeks, with efforts by both to exert more control over the overwhelmingly Democratic capital city.The president on Thursday signed an executive order he said would make Washington DC “safe, beautiful, and prosperous” by stepping up crime fighting, arrests of undocumented immigrants and the processing of permits to carry concealed weapons. Trump separately directed JD Vance to “remove improper ideology” from the Smithsonian Institution, which has many museums in and around the city. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Democrats have never been so angry. Who will step up and lead them?

At rallies, town halls and protests, voters are unleashing their fury with Donald Trump, stoking what some believe is a populist backlashDemocrats are furious. And they want their leaders to get mad, too.“I wish you’d be angry,” a constituent told representative Gil Cisneros, a Democrat of California, at a recent town hall. At an event in Minnesota featuring a panel of Democratic attorneys general, an activist voiced a similar sentiment: “Get angry, man,” punctuating the message with a profanity. Continue reading...

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