{"id":8217,"date":"2025-12-11T19:42:51","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T19:42:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2025\/12\/11\/live-updates-health-care-costs-set-to-rise-after-senate-rejects-extension-of-aca-subsidies-ap-news\/"},"modified":"2025-12-11T19:42:51","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T19:42:51","slug":"live-updates-health-care-costs-set-to-rise-after-senate-rejects-extension-of-aca-subsidies-ap-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2025\/12\/11\/live-updates-health-care-costs-set-to-rise-after-senate-rejects-extension-of-aca-subsidies-ap-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Live updates: Health care costs set to rise after Senate rejects extension of ACA subsidies &#8211; AP News"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"blogBody\">\n<p>The Senate on Thursday <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/health-care-vote-affordable-care-act-obamacare-6ffc1ea9f878c6b3da995589ef8a012c\">rejected two partisan health bills<\/a><\/span> on expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, essentially guaranteeing that <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/affordable-care-act-enrollment-subsidies-health-90ad8b27a6693c5aa03a9ca841048479\">millions of Americans<\/a><\/span> will see <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/health-care-affordable-care-act-senate-vote-e143b36cc01b4d7f27a1c07e17d1583c\">a steep rise in costs<\/a><\/span> when the subsidies run dry on Jan. 1.<\/p>\n<p>The Democratic bill would\u2019ve extended the COVID-era tax credits for three years, while the GOP alternative would\u2019ve replaced them with new health savings accounts.<\/p>\n<p>Less than an hour after the legislation failed, White House Press Secretary Karoline Levitt said <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/donald-trump\">President Donald Trump<\/a><\/span> is \u201c<span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/live\/donald-trump-news-updates-12-11-2025#0000019b-0ea4-d69d-affb-dea71ada0000\">prepared to take action on health care<\/a><\/span>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite the potential for bipartisan agreement, the parties never engaged in serious negotiations on the issue \u2014 even after a small group of centrist Democrats <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/government-shutdown-update-80ef7cada7b3c0559aca38886efd8f90\">struck a deal with Republicans<\/a><\/span> last month to end the 43-day <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/government-shutdown\">government shutdown<\/a><\/span> in exchange for a vote on extending the subsidies.<\/p>\n<div data-module data-gtm-region=\"Other news we're following: Senators clash over Trump\u2019s National Guard deployment: The Thursday hearing brought the highest level of scrutiny, outside a courtroom, of Trump\u2019s use of Guard members in U.S. cities so far. Republicans defended the deployments as necessary to fight lawlessness, while Democrats called it an extraordinary abuse of military power that violates states\u2019 rights. Noem defends Trump\u2019s immigration policies before Congress: During a House committee hearing Thursday, the Homeland Security secretary portrayed migrants as a major threat faced by the nation that justifies a crackdown that has seen widespread arrests, deportations and a dizzying pace of restrictions on foreigners. The hearing\u2019s focus on immigration policies diverged from years past, when it centered on issues like cybersecurity, terrorism and China. Judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia\u2019s release from ICE custody: A federal judge ordered Thursday that the Salvadoran national be immediately freed from immigration detention while his legal challenge against his deportation moves forward. Abrego Garcia\u2019s lawsuit claims the Trump administration is illegally using the deportation process to punish him for the embarrassment of his mistaken deportation to El Salvador.\" data-align-center>\n<p><b>Other news we\u2019re following:<\/b> <\/p>\n<ul id=\"rte-1bbfdb22-d688-11f0-955b-1f05c40efe8b\">\n<li><b>Senators clash over Trump\u2019s National Guard deployment: <\/b>The Thursday hearing <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/national-guard-deployments-trump-senate-hearing-d860259d291af4bcf49569d384421cf9\">brought the highest level of scrutiny<\/a><\/span>, outside a courtroom, of Trump\u2019s use of Guard members in U.S. cities so far. Republicans defended the deployments as necessary to fight lawlessness, while Democrats called it an extraordinary abuse of military power that<span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-national-guard-legal-clash-presidential-power-1ed22e89bcdebc8d3e5bd9238373dc45\"> <u>violates states\u2019 rights<\/u><\/a><\/span>.<\/li>\n<li><b>Noem defends Trump\u2019s immigration policies before Congress:<\/b> During a House committee hearing Thursday, the Homeland Security secretary <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/noem-house-hearing-immigration-threats-trump-3291f73f80c5619f70d439094393a3af\">portrayed migrants as a major threat<\/a><\/span> faced by the nation that justifies a crackdown that has seen widespread arrests, deportations and a dizzying pace of restrictions on foreigners. The hearing\u2019s focus on immigration policies diverged from years past, when it centered on issues like cybersecurity, terrorism and China.<\/li>\n<li><b>Judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia\u2019s release from ICE custody: <\/b>A federal judge ordered Thursday that the <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/who-is-abrego-garcia-e1b2af6528f915a1f0ec60f9a1c73cdd\"><u>Salvadoran national<\/u><\/a><\/span> be <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/abrego-garcia-el-salvador-deportation-31160936c51932f74b717eb1143edd55\"><u>immediately freed from immigration detention<\/u><\/a><\/span> while his legal challenge against his deportation moves forward. Abrego Garcia\u2019s lawsuit claims the Trump administration is illegally using the deportation process to punish him for the embarrassment of <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/el-salvador-deportation-maryland-man-trump-error-818a0fa1218de714448edcb5be1f7347\"><u>his mistaken deportation to El Salvador<\/u><\/a><\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">                      <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"North Carolina sheriff keeps challenging top lawmaker who got Trump\u2019s backing\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0ed9-dfb0-a7ff-7fdb2e690000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765481039892\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0ed9-dfb0-a7ff-7fdb2e690000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             North Carolina sheriff keeps challenging top lawmaker who got Trump\u2019s backing         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>President Trump has endorsed North Carolina\u2019s longtime state Senate leader for reelection. But the announcement hasn\u2019t been enough to get a sheriff challenging Phil Berger to abandon a March GOP primary for Berger\u2019s Senate seat.<\/p>\n<p>Trump praised both Berger and Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page on Truth Social late Wednesday but gave his backing to Berger, who\u2019s the most powerful Republican in state government.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSam Page is GREAT, he has been a longtime supporter, but I really want him to come work for us in Washington, D.C., rather than further considering a run against Phil,\u201d Trump wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Page said on X that while he appreciates Trump\u2019s kind words, he\u2019ll keep running. Page says he\u2019s \u201ccommitted to upholding conservative values\u201d and in part ending \u201cliberal policies\u201d Berger has pushed.<\/p>\n<p>Berger\u2019s hands have been on scores of right-leaning policies in state government since 2011. But he\u2019s received some opposition, in part, for backing a potential casino. The bill permitting the casino fizzled.<\/p>\n<p>Berger said he\u2019s very grateful to have Trump\u2019s support \u201cas we pursue more conservative victories.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"White House won\u2019t rule out future seizures of oil tankers\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0ecb-dfb0-a7ff-7fdb3c430000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765479949185\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0ecb-dfb0-a7ff-7fdb3c430000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             White House won\u2019t rule out future seizures of oil tankers         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Asked if the seizure of a Venezuelan tanker was a one-off or if the U.S. might take similar actions in the future, Leavitt said she wouldn\u2019t broadcast future military plans.<\/p>\n<p>But she added, \u201cWe\u2019re not going to stand by and watch sanctioned vessels sail the seas with black market oil, the proceeds of which will fuel narcoterrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The White House has maintained that the tanker seized was carrying oil set to be sold in violation of international sanctions.<\/p>\n<p>Leavitt added that the Trump administration is \u201cexecuting on the president\u2019s sanctions policies\u201d and defending the sanctions policies of the U.S.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"White House says tariffs means children\u2019s dolls might cost \u2018a dollar or two more\u2019\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0ec0-deff-adbb-cfe78cb20000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765479756092\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0ec0-deff-adbb-cfe78cb20000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             White House says tariffs means children\u2019s dolls might cost \u2018a dollar or two more\u2019         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Leavitt said the president was trying to defend his tariffs when he said at a rally Tuesday that Americans should buy fewer dolls and pencils for their children.<\/p>\n<p>Trump was saying his tariffs are bringing back factory jobs and products made domestically might cost more, Leavitt said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaybe you\u2019ll pay a dollar or two more, but you will get better quality and you\u2019ll be supporting your fellow Americans by buying American,\u201d Leavitt said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what the president was saying.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The answer reflected some of the challenges that the administration faces on the import taxes imposed by Trump, which most economists say have added to inflationary pressures.<\/p>\n<p>The White House has previously maintained that foreign countries would pay the taxes and that there would be little to no inflation domestically.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"White House: Trump \u2018extremely frustrated\u2019 with lack of Ukraine peace progress\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0eb8-dce3-a59b-2efb67910000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765479056066\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0eb8-dce3-a59b-2efb67910000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             White House: Trump \u2018extremely frustrated\u2019 with lack of Ukraine peace progress         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Leavitt said discussions continue and the U.S. could send a representative to those discussions as soon as this weekend \u201cif there is a real chance of signing a peace agreement.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>But she added that it\u2019s \u201cstill up in the air whether real peace can be achieved.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trump took office in January suggesting he could solve Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine quickly but has spent months complaining bitterly about a lack of progress. Leavitt said the president is \u201cextremely frustrated with both sides of this war.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd he\u2019s sick of meetings just for the sake of meeting,\u201d Leavitt said. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t want any more talk. He wants action.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Trump administration plans to seize oil from tanker taken off Venezuelan coast\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0eb6-d5f3-af9f-3fbf045a0000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765478523070\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0eb6-d5f3-af9f-3fbf045a0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Trump administration plans to seize oil from tanker taken off Venezuelan coast         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Leavitt says the U.S. government \u201cdoes intend to seize the oil\u201d from a tanker that U.S. forces took Wednesday off the coast of Venezuela.<\/p>\n<p>Leavitt said the Justice Department had received a warrant to take the tanker because it\u2019s a sanctioned vessel used to carry \u201cblack market\u201d oil.<\/p>\n<p>She said the U.S. has an investigative team on the tanker. The team is interviewing the people aboard the ship and collecting any relevant evidence.<\/p>\n<p>Leavitt said the U.S. government will follow the legal process required to seize the available oil.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"White House press secretary says Trump \u2018prepared to take action on health care\u2019\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0ea4-d69d-affb-dea71ada0000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765478366086\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0ea4-d69d-affb-dea71ada0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             White House press secretary says Trump \u2018prepared to take action on health care\u2019         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Karoline Leavitt was asked about the looming expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies after the Senate\u2019s rejection of legislation that would have extended the tax credits.<\/p>\n<p>The briefing came just after the chamber rejected a Democratic bill to extend the subsidies for three years and <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/senate-health-care-insurance-premiums-ee6ccda9ea9df4a8e5a0af351e65afd4\">a Republican alternative<\/a><\/span> that would have created new health savings accounts.<\/p>\n<p>Also blaming Democrats for the Obama-era health care bill, which she noted was passed \u201cwithout a single Republican vote,\u201d Leavitt argued that Democrats had \u201cballooned\u201d the program \u201cwith these expensive COVID subsidies that completely distorted the health insurance market.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Senate rejects legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e9f-d5f3-af9f-3fbf46320000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765477191895\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e9f-d5f3-af9f-3fbf46320000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Senate rejects legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The rejection essentially guarantees that millions of Americans will see a steep rise in costs at the beginning of the year. <\/p>\n<p>Senators rejected a Democratic bill to extend the subsidies for three years and a Republican alternative that would have created new health savings accounts Thursday. <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s an unceremonious end to a monthslong effort by Democrats to prevent the COVID-19-era subsidies from expiring on Jan. 1. <\/p>\n<p>Ahead of the votes, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer warned Republicans that if they did not vote to extend the tax credits, \u201cthere won\u2019t be another chance to act,\u201d before premiums rise for many people.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans have argued that Affordable Care Act plans are too expensive and need to be overhauled.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"FEMA Review Council meeting abruptly canceled, AP source says\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e9a-d687-afbf-4ebb51880000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765476875178\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e9a-d687-afbf-4ebb51880000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             FEMA Review Council meeting abruptly canceled, AP source says         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>A presidentially appointed council\u2019s long-awaited public meeting to announce recommended reforms to the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been canceled at the last minute, according to a source familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss the change publicly.<\/p>\n<p>The FEMA Review Council was scheduled to meet Thursday afternoon<b>.<\/b> Noem, the council\u2019s co-chair, abruptly left a congressional hearing early because she said she needed to go the meeting.<\/p>\n<p>Trump created the<span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/fema-review-council-kristi-noem-dhs-oklahoma-edb86f4b7763ebe13fdcd87286c1d30b\"> FEMA Review Council<\/a><\/span> by <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/01\/council-to-assess-the-federal-emergency-management-agency\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">executive order<\/a><\/span> in late January, the same day he <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-first-trip-california-north-carolina-nevada-b906880254ce7bf249c3dcefa45bf846\">proposed eliminating FEMA<\/a><\/span>. He has repeatedly said he wants to push more responsibility for disaster recovery to states.<\/p>\n<p>The White House, Department of Homeland Security and FEMA did not respond to questions about the meeting\u2019s cancelation.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"JUST IN: Senate rejects extension of health care subsidies, all but guaranteeing higher costs in 2026 for millions on ACA plans.\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e8a-d5f3-af9f-3fbbfe670000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765476408396\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e8a-d5f3-af9f-3fbbfe670000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             JUST IN: Senate rejects extension of health care subsidies, all but guaranteeing higher costs in 2026 for millions on ACA plans.         <\/h2>\n<p>                                        <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Democrats accuse Noem of lying\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e85-dfb0-a7ff-7fdf0bf20000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765475547231\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e85-dfb0-a7ff-7fdf0bf20000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Democrats accuse Noem of lying         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Delia Ramirez, a Democrat from Illinois, accused Noem\u2019s department of waging an \u201cunaccountable, unlawful, unconstitutional\u201d war against communities across the country.<\/p>\n<p>Ramirez showed a number of videos of Noem talking and then repeatedly accused her of lying.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSecretary Noem, you lie and you lie to the American people,\u201d Ramirez said.<\/p>\n<p>In one video, Noem said the agency focused on people in the country illegally, not American citizens while in another Noem said they were focusing on the \u201cworst of the worst.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ramirez disputed those characterizations and said Noem lied with \u201cimpunity.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Senate rejects GOP bill to create health savings accounts\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e79-d687-afbf-4efb40f20000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765475157145\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e79-d687-afbf-4efb40f20000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Senate rejects GOP bill to create health savings accounts         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The Senate has rejected a Republican bill to replace expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies with new health savings accounts. The legislation was a Republican alternative to Democratic legislation to extend the subsidies for three years.<\/p>\n<p>Senators are now voting on the Democratic bill and are expected to reject it \u2014 meaning that the subsidies are likely to expire.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"<b>Noem defends FEMA cuts to mitigation funding<\/b>&#8221; data-post-id=&#8221;0000019b-0e70-d69d-affb-def789d90000&#8243; data-posted-date-timestamp=&#8221;1765474472260&#8243; data-seconds-delta-text=&#8221;sec ago&#8221; data-minutes-delta-text=&#8221;min ago&#8221; data-hours-delta-text=&#8221;h ago&#8221;>              <a id=\"0000019b-0e70-d69d-affb-def789d90000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             <b>Noem defends FEMA cuts to mitigation funding<\/b>         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Noem defended the cancelation of billions of dollars in mitigation grants administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, saying the grants had been \u201cweaponized to fund the Green New Deal and for climate change.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration in April <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/fema-bric-grants-climate-resilience-cbbead8d418e1ff4e53d95f482de3522\">canceled $3.6 billion in grants<\/a><\/span> under the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, created under the first Trump administration to help communities harden infrastructure to mitigate damage from climate disasters. <\/p>\n<p>Noem said FEMA is \u201cdeploying resources two times faster on average, than in history,\u201d though a policy that she personally approve DHS expenditures of $100,000 or more has been widely criticized for slowing deployment of FEMA services and dollars.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Noem leaves hearing early to go to FEMA review council\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e67-dce3-a59b-2eef64400000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765473811792\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e67-dce3-a59b-2eef64400000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Noem leaves hearing early to go to FEMA review council         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Secretary Noem has left the hearing early.<\/p>\n<p>Noem said she had to go to another meeting of a council that is offering suggestions on how to reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency.<\/p>\n<p>As she walked out, Julie Johnson, a Democrat from Texas who was slated to question the secretary next, joked: \u201cI\u2019m just going to take the position that she was scared of my questions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As Noem walked out of the room, protesters trailed her down the hallway yelling \u201cShame on you!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"<b>Senate National Guard hearing concludes with Democrat pressing for commitments on troop deployments<\/b>&#8221; data-post-id=&#8221;0000019b-0e65-deff-adbb-cfe7889f0000&#8243; data-posted-date-timestamp=&#8221;1765473210790&#8243; data-seconds-delta-text=&#8221;sec ago&#8221; data-minutes-delta-text=&#8221;min ago&#8221; data-hours-delta-text=&#8221;h ago&#8221;>              <a id=\"0000019b-0e65-deff-adbb-cfe7889f0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             <b>Senate National Guard hearing concludes with Democrat pressing for commitments on troop deployments<\/b>         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>But Trump administration officials declined to make commitments on what authorities the president may use in the future to send National Guard troops from one state to another.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, used the closing moments of the hearing to press the officials on whether National Guard troops will be deployed from other states beyond their current authority to protect federal facilities and officials, such as to conduct law enforcement activity. <\/p>\n<p>Federal judges have blocked or limited troop deployments in Oregon, Illinois and California as the Trump administration has attempted to use troops to assist in its mass deportation goals.<\/p>\n<p>Mark Ditlevson, a Trump administration official who oversees homeland defense, only said that any orders would be evaluated to make sure they are \u201c100% legal.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Putin and Maduro speak by phone amid US pressure\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e57-d69d-affb-def7498b0000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765473091595\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e57-d69d-affb-def7498b0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Putin and Maduro speak by phone amid US pressure         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed solidarity with Maduro and told him \u201cdirect communication channels\u201d between the countries \u201cremain permanently open,\u201d a Venezuelan government statement said.<\/p>\n<p>Talking a day after the U.S. military seized an oil tanker off the Venezuela\u2019s coast, Putin told Maduro that \u201cRussia will continue to support Venezuela in its struggle to assert its sovereignty, international law, and peace throughout Latin America, making its diplomatic capabilities available to strengthen cooperation in these essential areas,\u201d the Venezuelan government said.<\/p>\n<p>The Kremlin said both leaders also discussed developing friendly bilateral ties and their commitment to joint projects in trade, economic, energy, financial, cultural, humanitarian, and other areas.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Senate voting on first of two partisan health care bills\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e55-d5f3-af9f-3f7fbb700000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765472156977\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e55-d5f3-af9f-3f7fbb700000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Senate voting on first of two partisan health care bills         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The Senate is voting on Republican legislation that would create new health savings accounts as health care subsidies for millions of Americans are set to expire Jan. 1.<\/p>\n<p>The Senate is expected to reject the legislation, along with a second Democratic bill that would extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. <\/p>\n<p>Republicans say the savings accounts would replace the subsidies by giving money directly to consumers, instead of to insurance companies. Democrats say the GOP plan would lead to higher costs for consumers. <\/p>\n<p>Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer warned that premiums will skyrocket unless Congress passes an extension of the subsidies. \u201cIf Republicans don\u2019t climb aboard, there won\u2019t be another chance to act,\u201d Schumer said ahead of the votes.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Noem says Venezuela tanker seizure part of administration\u2019s anti-drug campaign\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e45-db8e-a59b-3e6da9600000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765472056013\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e45-db8e-a59b-3e6da9600000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Noem says Venezuela tanker seizure part of administration\u2019s anti-drug campaign         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Noem linked the seizure of an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast to the Trump administration\u2019s efforts to push back on \u201ca regime that is systematically &#8230; flooding our country with deadly drugs.\u201d She said Trump administration officials had seized \u201cenough lethal doses of cocaine to kill 177 million Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, Trump said the United States had seized the tanker as <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d\">tensions mount<\/a><\/span> with the government of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro. <\/p>\n<p>Trump has broadly justified a regional military buildup and a series of deadly strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean as necessary to stem the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs into the U.S.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Democrats question Noem about deportations\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e44-deff-adbb-cfe703750000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765471001885\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e44-deff-adbb-cfe703750000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Democrats question Noem about deportations         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>House Democratic identified members of the audience they said had family members who had been improperly treated by the immigration system.<\/p>\n<p>Noem said she would review the cases of several called out by Rep. Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island. One, a combat veteran, appeared on a screen via a video call. Magaziner said the Purple Heart recipient had been deported earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou don\u2019t seem to know how to tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys,\u201d Magaziner said to Noem.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Trump is separating migrant families in a new way\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e3d-d687-afbf-4ebfdeeb0000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765470831576\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e3d-d687-afbf-4ebfdeeb0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Trump is separating migrant families in a new way         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Trump\u2019s <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/election-family-separation-trump-immigration-zero-tolerance-ef77a181712149bb5edbd8dae4df4604\">zero-tolerance<\/a><\/span> immigration policy <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/immigration-north-america-laws-george-w-bush-politics-26b88518310f47018b724e200b28e88f\">split more than 5,000 children<\/a><\/span> from their families at the Mexico border during his first term, when images of babies and toddlers taken from the arms of mothers sparked global condemnation. Seven years later, families are being separated but in a much different way. <\/p>\n<p>With <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ap.org\/news-highlights\/spotlights\/2024\/one-day-along-the-texas-mexico-border-shows-that-realities-shift-more-rapidly-than-rhetoric\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">illegal border crossings at their lowest levels in seven decades, <\/a><\/span>a push for mass deportations is dividing families of mixed legal status <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/immigration-enforcement-crackdown-arkansas-trump-administration-ice-07a2ddc06e61380bf326292346ba1fdc\">inside the U.S<\/a><\/span>. Federal officials and their <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/immigration-enforcement-crackdown-arkansas-trump-administration-ice-07a2ddc06e61380bf326292346ba1fdc\">local law enforcement partners<\/a><\/span> are <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ap.org\/news-highlights\/spotlights\/2025\/immigrant-detention-beds-may-be-maxed-out-as-trump-moves-to-deport-millions-and-millions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">detaining tens of thousands of asylum-seekers and migrants<\/a><\/span>. Detainees are moved repeatedly, then deported, or held in <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/alligator-alcatraz-immigration-detainees-florida-cc2fb9e34e760a50e97f13fe59cbf075\">poor conditions<\/a><\/span> for weeks or months before asking to go home.<\/p>\n<p>The federal government was holding an average of more than 66,000 people in November, the highest on record.<\/p>\n<p>\u25b6 <i>Read more about <\/i><span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\" https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/immigration-trump-family-separation-law-enforcement-detention-deportation-76e1c6239c1522aae010590195f97db3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>how immigrant families are being separated now<\/i><\/a><\/span><i>.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"<b>Venezuelan Nobel laureate credits Trump for pressuring Maduro with \u2018decisive\u2019 actions<\/b>&#8221; data-post-id=&#8221;0000019b-0e36-d69d-affb-deb7b7380000&#8243; data-posted-date-timestamp=&#8221;1765470491913&#8243; data-seconds-delta-text=&#8221;sec ago&#8221; data-minutes-delta-text=&#8221;min ago&#8221; data-hours-delta-text=&#8221;h ago&#8221;>              <a id=\"0000019b-0e36-d69d-affb-deb7b7380000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             <b>Venezuelan Nobel laureate credits Trump for pressuring Maduro with \u2018decisive\u2019 actions<\/b>         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Venezuelan opposition leader <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/nobel-peace-prize-oslo-41b6bff88e2d57af0917bcf778e132ad\">Mar\u00eda Corina Machado<\/a><\/span> said Thursday that \u201cdecisive\u201d actions by the United States, including the seizure of an oil tanker, have left the repressive government of <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/venezuela-maduro-chavismo-trump-military-strikes-drugs-5dbe9ba75f2fc89078772dced0b403d5\">President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a><\/span> at its weakest point, and she vowed to return to the country to keep fighting for democracy.<\/p>\n<p>Machado\u2019s statements to reporters came hours after she appeared in public for the first time in 11 months, following her arrival in Norway\u2019s capital, Oslo, where her daughter received the Nobel Peace Prize award on her behalf on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s actions \u201chave been decisive to reach where we are now, where the regime is significantly weaker,\u201d she said. \u201cBecause before, the regime thought it had impunity \u2026. Now they start to understand that this is serious, and that the world is watching.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Machado sidestepped questions on whether a U.S. military intervention is necessary to remove Maduro from power<\/p>\n<p>\u25b6 <i>Read more about <\/i><span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/nobel-peace-prize-maria-corina-machado-venezuela-afb5af1ac2c3c14e9bf53626f11f8279\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>what the Nobel winner said in Oslo<\/i> <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Top House Democrat questions FBI officials over antifa\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e31-dfb0-a7ff-7ffb28c50000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765470022976\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e31-dfb0-a7ff-7ffb28c50000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Top House Democrat questions FBI officials over antifa         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Thompson repeatedly asked Michael Glasheen, operations director of the national security branch of the FBI, about how the Trump administration came to classify the decentralized antifa movement as a <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-antifa-terrorist-protests-0c6353e2c3da13da1596b3857cb59922\">domestic terrorist organization<\/a><\/span>. He asked for details on where the group is headquartered, and how many people are involved.<\/p>\n<p>Trump announced he had <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-antifa-executive-order-domestic-terrorist-organization-6ea07143e10bb811aa88b9da5aa26765\">made that designation<\/a><\/span> earlier this year, in a <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-charlie-kirk-radical-left-political-opposition-3875efd0674ed2a22a719dfb42ace6ab\">crackdown on leftists<\/a><\/span> after <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-shot-546165a8151104e0938a5e085be1e8bd\">the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Glasheen said officials were \u201cbuilding out the infrastructure\u201d to investigate the group but offered no details as Thompson doubled down.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Trump supporter Mike Lindell says he\u2019s running for Minnesota governor\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e2b-dce3-a59b-2eeb42b10000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765469658436\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e2b-dce3-a59b-2eeb42b10000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Trump supporter Mike Lindell says he\u2019s running for Minnesota governor         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<div data-align-center>                      <bsp-figure>     <\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>              <a id=\"image-d10000\"><\/a>                                      <picture data-crop=\"imgEn-medium-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"559\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"800\" height=\"559\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"536\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"536\"  ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"419\"  ><source width=\"599\" height=\"419\"  ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"FILE - Mike Lindell walks into federal district court for a defamation trial, June 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo\/Jack Dempsey, File)\"   fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"419\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/b0c52d7\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6568x4589+0+0\/resize\/599x419!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F33%2Fcd%2F44d83c2048cfb5522ee7ce7ff0b5%2Fap25345484933532.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>FILE &#8211; Mike Lindell walks into federal district court for a defamation trial, June 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo\/Jack Dempsey, File)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>          <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template>                  <\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">                         <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id>                             <\/p>\n<p>FILE &#8211; Mike Lindell walks into federal district court for a defamation trial, June 5, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo\/Jack Dempsey, File)<\/p>\n<p>                         <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>                     <\/div>\n<p>     <\/template>      <\/bsp-figure>                  <\/div>\n<p>Mike Lindell, the fervent supporter of President Donald Trump known to TV viewers as the \u201cMyPillow Guy,\u201d officially entered the race for Minnesota governor Thursday in hopes of winning the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/tim-walz\">Gov. Tim Walz<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ll leave no town unturned in Minnesota,\u201d Lindell told The Associated Press in an interview ahead of a news conference set for Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>He said he has a record of solving problems and personal experiences that will help businesses and fight addiction and homelessness as well as fraud in government programs.<\/p>\n<p>\u25b6 <i>Read more about <\/i><span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/election-2026-minnesota-governor-lindell-walz-b25e84e72bee54fbf14e1b516bd6fb9a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Lindell\u2019s campaign announcement<\/i><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Noem interrupts lawmaker during questions over National Guard shooting\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e28-dd5c-a79f-6fedac340000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765469272100\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e28-dd5c-a79f-6fedac340000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Noem interrupts lawmaker during questions over National Guard shooting         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The hearing quickly became heated over the tragic shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n<p>Thompson had begun questioning Noem over what he called the \u201cunfortunate accident\u201d when the secretary interrupted the ranking Democrat.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnfortunate accident?\u201d Noem retorted. She called it a \u201cterrorist attack.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The interaction devolved from there as Thompson questioned her department\u2019s approval of asylum claim that allowed the suspect to stay in the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>Noem insisted it was the Biden administration\u2019s vetting process that failed to properly screen the man who had worked alongside the U.S. military in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"<b>Democrats press military on Trump\u2019s \u2018enemy within\u2019 claims<\/b>&#8221; data-post-id=&#8221;0000019b-0e27-dd5c-a79f-6fe72b2f0000&#8243; data-posted-date-timestamp=&#8221;1765469103015&#8243; data-seconds-delta-text=&#8221;sec ago&#8221; data-minutes-delta-text=&#8221;min ago&#8221; data-hours-delta-text=&#8221;h ago&#8221;>              <a id=\"0000019b-0e27-dd5c-a79f-6fe72b2f0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             <b>Democrats press military on Trump\u2019s \u2018enemy within\u2019 claims<\/b>         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee zeroed in Thursday on Trump\u2019s statements that an \u201cinvasion within\u201d or an \u201cenemy within\u201d justifies his guard deployments.<\/p>\n<p>Gen. Gregory Guillot, who leads the military\u2019s Northern Command, said \u201cI do not have any indications of an enemy within.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Charles Young, principal deputy general counsel for the Defense Department, said the Supreme Court has ruled that the president has the exclusive authority to decide whether an emergency exists.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"<b>GOP senator argues that transnational criminals are a national security emergency<\/b>&#8221; data-post-id=&#8221;0000019b-0e1e-db8e-a59b-3e3fee270000&#8243; data-posted-date-timestamp=&#8221;1765469003797&#8243; data-seconds-delta-text=&#8221;sec ago&#8221; data-minutes-delta-text=&#8221;min ago&#8221; data-hours-delta-text=&#8221;h ago&#8221;>              <a id=\"0000019b-0e1e-db8e-a59b-3e3fee270000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             <b>GOP senator argues that transnational criminals are a national security emergency<\/b>         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL officer, argued during a Senate hearing that transnational crimes present enough of a risk to national security to justify military action, including on U.S. soil.<\/p>\n<p>Sheehy claimed that there are foreign powers \u201cactively attacking this country, using illegal immigration, using transnational crime, using drugs to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot agreed with Sheehy\u2019s assessment.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"<b>Pentagon attorney: legality of shooting protesters would \u2018depend on the circumstances\u2019\u2019<\/b>&#8221; data-post-id=&#8221;0000019b-0e18-d687-afbf-4ebbf7410000&#8243; data-posted-date-timestamp=&#8221;1765468464174&#8243; data-seconds-delta-text=&#8221;sec ago&#8221; data-minutes-delta-text=&#8221;min ago&#8221; data-hours-delta-text=&#8221;h ago&#8221;>              <a id=\"0000019b-0e18-d687-afbf-4ebbf7410000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             <b>Pentagon attorney: legality of shooting protesters would \u2018depend on the circumstances\u2019\u2019<\/b>         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>An attorney for the Pentagon declined to offer a clear answer when asked if a president could lawfully order the military to shoot protesters.<\/p>\n<p>During a hearing Thursday on National Guard deployments in U.S. cities, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, noted that former Defense Secretary Mark Esper <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/donald-trump-california-republicans-desantis-e2f59e579f106c03aaf6189ea1079f11\">alleged that Trump inquired about shooting protesters<\/a><\/span> during the George Floyd demonstrations.<\/p>\n<p>Hirono asked Charles L. Young III, principal deputy general counsel at the defense department, whether a presidential order to shoot protesters would be lawful.<\/p>\n<p>Young said he was unaware of Trump\u2019s comments and responded that the answer \u201cwould depend on the circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have a president who doesn\u2019t think the rule of law applies to him,\u201d Hirono said in response.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be immediately released from immigration detention\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e19-d009-a79b-3effe7950000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765468349270\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e19-d009-a79b-3effe7950000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be immediately released from immigration detention         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland ruled that Immigration and Customs Enforcement must release <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/photo-gallery\/abrego-garcia-ice-deportation-uganda-064b072c25da535a4031869f7fe959cc\">Abrego Garcia<\/a><\/span> from custody immediately.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince Abrego Garcia\u2019s return from wrongful detention in El Salvador, he has been re-detained, again without lawful authority,\u201d the judge wrote. \u201cFor this reason, the Court will GRANT Abrego Garcia\u2019s Petition for immediate release from ICE custody.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/who-is-abrego-garcia-e1b2af6528f915a1f0ec60f9a1c73cdd\">Salvadoran national<\/a><\/span> has an American wife and child and has lived in Maryland for years, but he originally immigrated to the U.S. illegally as a teenager. An immigration judge in 2019 ruled Abrego Garcia <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-deportation-settlement-el-salvador-d0cf8dbc3c4a5c8dae70b47154e6a1ab\">could not be deported to El Salvador<\/a><\/span> because he faced danger from a gang that targeted his family. When Abrego Garcia was <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/el-salvador-deportation-maryland-man-trump-error-818a0fa1218de714448edcb5be1f7347\">mistakenly deported<\/a><\/span> there in March, his case became a rallying point for those who oppose Trump\u2019s immigration crackdown.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"JUST IN: Judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be immediately released from immigration detention\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e19-d69d-affb-debf6b5a0000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765468135648\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e19-d69d-affb-debf6b5a0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             JUST IN: Judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be immediately released from immigration detention         <\/h2>\n<p>                                        <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"<b>General says National Guard troops don\u2019t receive training on mental health episodes<\/b>&#8221; data-post-id=&#8221;0000019b-0e17-d5f3-af9f-3f3f82e80000&#8243; data-posted-date-timestamp=&#8221;1765468073163&#8243; data-seconds-delta-text=&#8221;sec ago&#8221; data-minutes-delta-text=&#8221;min ago&#8221; data-hours-delta-text=&#8221;h ago&#8221;>              <a id=\"0000019b-0e17-d5f3-af9f-3f3f82e80000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             <b>General says National Guard troops don\u2019t receive training on mental health episodes<\/b>         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, raised concerns that National Guard troops deployed to U.S. cities don\u2019t receive training on how to handle situations where someone is having a mental health episode, saying that many police officers frequently encounter such situations and receive extensive training on how to handle them.<\/p>\n<p>Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, the commander of U.S. troops in North America, said that National Guard troops are trained to de-escalate tense interactions with people, but don\u2019t receive any specific training on mental health episodes.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Noem calls National Guard shooting suspect a \u2018terrorist\u2019\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e11-d5f3-af9f-3f3ba0000000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765467978546\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e11-d5f3-af9f-3f3ba0000000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Noem calls National Guard shooting suspect a \u2018terrorist\u2019         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The secretary also levied broad criticism of the program that brought the man to the United States years before he allegedly <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/national-guard-shooting-white-house-afghan-national-138fbe6872d7ac30b20973783b39002c\">shot two National Guard members<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/immigration-new-jersey-united-states-kabul-taliban-273f9ebedfdd94739d6dbe77d7cbc3db\">Operation Allies Welcome<\/a><\/span> was created by the Biden administration to save Afghan supporters from Taliban retribution after the U.S. military pullout from Afghanistan following 20 years of American intervention and billions of dollars of aid.<\/p>\n<div data-align-center>                      <bsp-figure>     <\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>              <a id=\"image-0e0000\"><\/a>                                      <picture data-crop=\"imgEn-medium-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Flowers, challenge coins and other items lay near a photograph of U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom at a makeshift memorial outside of Farragut West Station, near the site where two National Guard members were shot, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)\"   fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/a587899\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4158x2772+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F63%2Fbd%2F66f0a7c84bf599c0470f8eec827d%2Fap25335502331911-1.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>Flowers, challenge coins and other items lay near a photograph of U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom at a makeshift memorial outside of Farragut West Station, near the site where two National Guard members were shot, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>          <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template>                  <\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">                         <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id>                             <\/p>\n<p>Flowers, challenge coins and other items lay near a photograph of U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom at a makeshift memorial outside of Farragut West Station, near the site where two National Guard members were shot, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)<\/p>\n<p>                         <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>                     <\/div>\n<p>     <\/template>      <\/bsp-figure>                  <\/div>\n<p>Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, was killed in the Washington shooting. Noem said Thursday that U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, has been showing improvement.<\/p>\n<p>Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/lakanwal-national-guard-shooting-suspect-afghan-5e5e9567d95a5d0ef806b714bb3ee3b7\">29-year-old Afghan national<\/a><\/span> who was also shot during the confrontation, has been charged with murder. He pleaded not guilty.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"<b>Senators question military leaders on evaluating the lawfulness of orders<\/b>&#8221; data-post-id=&#8221;0000019b-0e07-d687-afbf-4eb781d60000&#8243; data-posted-date-timestamp=&#8221;1765467632564&#8243; data-seconds-delta-text=&#8221;sec ago&#8221; data-minutes-delta-text=&#8221;min ago&#8221; data-hours-delta-text=&#8221;h ago&#8221;>              <a id=\"0000019b-0e07-d687-afbf-4eb781d60000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             <b>Senators question military leaders on evaluating the lawfulness of orders<\/b>         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Jack Reed, questioned Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, the commander of U.S. troops in North America, on how he evaluates the lawfulness of orders.<\/p>\n<p>Guillot said that he consults with military attorneys, raises any questions with the defense secretary and commanding military officers, and executes the order once he\u2019s confident in its lawfulness.<\/p>\n<p>This has become a pressing question under the Trump administration amid <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/national-guard-deployments-trump-senate-hearing-d860259d291af4bcf49569d384421cf9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Guard deployments to U.S. cities<\/a><\/span> and <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-tanker-seized-venezuela-maduro-0a148ba01684fc6ce1a228dd276732c0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a campaign to strike boats<\/a><\/span> allegedly carrying drugs near Venezuela. The<span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-military-traitors-sedition-illegal-orders-c5fc3c5bd2fbc6b1204550e4203c24b2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> president has targeted Democratic lawmakers<\/a><\/span> who released<span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SenatorSlotkin\/status\/1990774492356902948\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> a video urging military and intelligence officers<\/a><\/span> to refuse illegal orders.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Protesters interrupt Noem\u2019s remarks at House hearing\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e05-db8e-a59b-3e2da1930000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765466928937\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e05-db8e-a59b-3e2da1930000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Protesters interrupt Noem\u2019s remarks at House hearing         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<div data-align-center>                      <bsp-figure>     <\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>              <a id=\"image-e30000\"><\/a>                                      <picture data-crop=\"imgEn-medium-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A protester interrupts as, from left, Joseph Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Michael Glasheen, operations director of the National Security Branch of the FBI, appear before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)\"   fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/e4d202e\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4364x2909+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F61%2F3b%2Ff1e81a3d498aaaa5756e5f63bf0e%2Fap25345564349744.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>A protester interrupts as, from left, Joseph Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Michael Glasheen, operations director of the National Security Branch of the FBI, appear before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>          <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template>                  <\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">                         <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id>                             <\/p>\n<p>A protester interrupts as, from left, Joseph Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Michael Glasheen, operations director of the National Security Branch of the FBI, appear before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)<\/p>\n<p>                         <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>                     <\/div>\n<p>     <\/template>      <\/bsp-figure>                  <\/div>\n<p>\u201cEnd deportations!\u201d shouts one. \u201cStop ICE raids!\u201d yells another.<\/p>\n<p>The two people were escorted by Capitol Police out of the Homeland Security Committee hearing room.<\/p>\n<p>Chairman Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., gaveled the panel back to order as Noem resumed her opening remarks.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Top Democrat calls on Noem to resign\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0e02-db8e-a59b-3e2f3b100000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765466806260\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0e02-db8e-a59b-3e2f3b100000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Top Democrat calls on Noem to resign         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Rep. Bennie Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee, told the secretary she has diverted vast resources to carry out Trump\u2019s \u201cextreme\u201d immigration agenda, and failed to provide basic responses to oversight questions from Congress.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI call on you to resign,\u201d the Mississippi congressman said. \u201cDo a real service to the country.\u201d<\/p>\n<div data-align-center>                      <bsp-figure>     <\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>              <a id=\"image-780000\"><\/a>                                      <picture data-crop=\"imgEn-medium-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appears before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)\"   fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/6be0bed\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5616x3744+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F5c%2Fb6%2F25ac94294c68a978894e51048462%2Fap25345555464019.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appears before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>          <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template>                  <\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">                         <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id>                             <\/p>\n<p>Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appears before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)<\/p>\n<p>                         <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>                     <\/div>\n<p>     <\/template>      <\/bsp-figure>                  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Ranking Democrat says FBI\u2019s Patel should be at House worldwide threats hearing\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0df8-db8e-a59b-3dfd84ac0000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765466583659\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0df8-db8e-a59b-3dfd84ac0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Ranking Democrat says FBI\u2019s Patel should be at House worldwide threats hearing         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi said in an opening statement that FBI Director Kash Patel should also be appearing at the hearing alongside Noem, saying he \u201ccan\u2019t help but notice\u201d Patel\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n<p>Patel appeared to be out of the country on official FBI business. Late Wednesday on X, Patel posted that he was in Brussels for a \u201cgreat\u201d meeting with Matt Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"General says troops in U.S. cities are prohibited from making arrests, but can detain people\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0df3-d009-a79b-3df75c3a0000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765465946838\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0df3-d009-a79b-3df75c3a0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             General says troops in U.S. cities are prohibited from making arrests, but can detain people         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, the commander of U.S. troops in North America, told senators that National Guard troops are instructed not to perform many law enforcement activities like making arrests or searching for evidence of a crime. However, the troops are allowed to detain people if they deem the person to be putting others at risk.<\/p>\n<p>Guillot said that one person was detained as part of Trump\u2019s campaign to deploy National Guard troops to U.S. cities. The person was detained in June outside a federal facility in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Noem has arrived to room full of protesters at House hearing\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0df2-d5f3-af9f-3ffb80f90000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765465608655\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0df2-d5f3-af9f-3ffb80f90000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Noem has arrived to room full of protesters at House hearing         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>\u201cStop terrorizing our communities,\u201d one person shouted as the secretary entered.<\/p>\n<p>Noem greeted some others in the audience.<\/p>\n<p>One protester was singing the song from Star Wars that had been used to follow law enforcement officers as the agency conducts mass immigration raids and patrols city streets.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Noem hearing before Homeland Security panel getting underway\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0df1-d813-a99b-4dfda02e0000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765465552844\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0df1-d813-a99b-4dfda02e0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Noem hearing before Homeland Security panel getting underway         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<div data-align-center>                      <bsp-figure>     <\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>              <a id=\"image-4b0000\"><\/a>                                      <picture data-crop=\"imgEn-medium-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"From left, Joseph Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Michael Glasheen, operations director of the National Security Branch of the FBI, appear before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)\"   fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/c4b906e\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F04%2Fdb%2Ffe7ab7df40c19e877e4260f4d6f1%2Fap25345545672277.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>From left, Joseph Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Michael Glasheen, operations director of the National Security Branch of the FBI, appear before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>          <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template>                  <\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">                         <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id>                             <\/p>\n<p>From left, Joseph Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Michael Glasheen, operations director of the National Security Branch of the FBI, appear before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)<\/p>\n<p>                         <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>                     <\/div>\n<p>     <\/template>      <\/bsp-figure>                  <\/div>\n<p>Homeland Security Secretary <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/kristi-noem-immigration-trump-homeland-security-border-60d998d6c973411c020fd5824456c860\">Kristi Noem<\/a><\/span> is expected to <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-congress-deportations-immigration-raids-homeland-security-a2c6a2f726629e62bd0199aee68294f6\">face fierce questioning<\/a><\/span> from Democrats Thursday as the public face of the Republican administration\u2019s hard-line approach to immigration.<\/p>\n<p>Since Noem last appeared in Congress in May, immigration enforcement operations in U.S. cities have become increasingly contentious, with federal agents and activists frequently clashing over her department\u2019s tactics.<\/p>\n<p>Noem is testifying in front of the House Committee on Homeland Security to discuss \u201cWorldwide Threats to the Homeland,\u201d which in years past have focused on issues such as cybersecurity, terrorism, China and border security. Thursday\u2019s appearance is likely to focus heavily on immigration.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Pentagon officials questioned amid civil court setbacks for Trump\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0ded-d5f3-af9f-3fffe4840000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765465495203\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0ded-d5f3-af9f-3fffe4840000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Pentagon officials questioned amid civil court setbacks for Trump         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>This hearing is the highest level of scrutiny to Trump\u2019s use of the National Guard outside of a courtroom <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/donald-trump-gavin-newsom-immigration-protests-a8269425e604f6f03affdc627a2a5721\">since the deployments began<\/a><\/span> and comes a day after the president <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/california-national-guard-trump-los-angeles-a8a201d234d655a7e65fb4c3dd320116\">faced another legal setback<\/a><\/span> over his muscular use of troops in larger federal operations. Trump has justified the use of the military in American cities by saying the National Guard is needed to support federal law enforcement, protect federal facilities and <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-memphis-national-guard-deployment-crime-washington-f678a17a66d3e49b2f67930a6ea70e6b\">combat crime<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>The hearing comes two weeks after two West Virginia National Guard members deployed to Washington <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/national-guard-shooting-dc-c5785dd8920d2d1ac7d71fab769faf5f\">were shot<\/a><\/span> just blocks from the White House in what the city\u2019s mayor described as a targeted attack. Spc. Sarah Beckstrom <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/national-guard-shooting-white-house-afghan-national-138fbe6872d7ac30b20973783b39002c\">died a day after<\/a><\/span> the Nov. 26 shooting, and <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/west-virginia-national-guard-shooting-funeral-1f30c4b99f71f2f5b2c8b2fcd5bf6884\">her funeral<\/a><\/span> took place Tuesday. <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/national-guard-shooting-victims-west-virginia-washington-b070b093743b016ce32005f800087873\">Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe<\/a><\/span> is still hospitalized in Washington.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Democrat says most Americans don\u2019t want Guard members in cities\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0de5-d813-a99b-4ded8eef0000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765464871393\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0de5-d813-a99b-4ded8eef0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Democrat says most Americans don\u2019t want Guard members in cities         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<div data-align-center>                      <bsp-figure>     <\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>              <a id=\"image-910000\"><\/a>                                      <picture data-crop=\"imgEn-medium-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"535\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"800\" height=\"535\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"513\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"513\"  ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"401\"  ><source width=\"599\" height=\"401\"  ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Members of the California National Guard and U.S. Marines guard a federal building on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Damian Dovarganes, File)\"   fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"401\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/13edba9\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3936x2632+0+0\/resize\/599x401!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F8f%2F11%2F95765295ea3e322bfa8bf62f0aba%2F5a53f533e9404ba3b304a7932ca7f526\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>Members of the California National Guard and U.S. Marines guard a federal building on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Damian Dovarganes, File)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>          <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template>                  <\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">                         <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id>                             <\/p>\n<p>Members of the California National Guard and U.S. Marines guard a federal building on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Damian Dovarganes, File)<\/p>\n<p>                         <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>                     <\/div>\n<p>     <\/template>      <\/bsp-figure>                  <\/div>\n<p>Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois said Trump\u2019s deployment of the National Guard into American cities is \u201cdeeply unpopular.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost Americans don\u2019t want this,\u201d she said at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, adding that most of the Guard members don\u2019t want these assignments, either.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur heroes did not sign up for this,\u201d said Duckworth, a combat veteran who served in the Illinois National Guard.<\/p>\n<p>She noted that she had threatened to hold up <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/defense-bill-congress-trump-dd67d203accfb65b7604072ebb5da153\">the annual defense bill<\/a><\/span> if Republican leadership continued to block the hearing, which she said is long overdue. She said she has questions for the military about how Trump\u2019s deployments are affecting readiness, training and costs.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Senate hearing on National Guard deployment begins\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0dd2-dce3-a59b-2ddb5f6c0000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765464704947\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0dd2-dce3-a59b-2ddb5f6c0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Senate hearing on National Guard deployment begins         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee is opening a hearing on Trump\u2019s National Guard troop deployment to U.S. cities by asserting that crime is on the rise. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn recent years, violent crime, rioting, drug trafficking and heinous gang activity have steadily escalated,\u201d said Sen. Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican.<\/p>\n<div data-align-center>                      <bsp-figure>     <\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>              <a id=\"image-b90000\"><\/a>                                      <picture data-crop=\"imgEn-medium-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"FILE - Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., leaves after a meeting with U.S. Navy Adm. Frank M. Bradley on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)\"   fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/8fd684b\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/4446x2964+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F65%2F95%2Ffa0f27fe49628605eab8c09f4577%2Fap25338637692997.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>FILE &#8211; Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., leaves after a meeting with U.S. Navy Adm. Frank M. Bradley on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>          <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template>                  <\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">                         <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id>                             <\/p>\n<p>FILE &#8211; Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., leaves after a meeting with U.S. Navy Adm. Frank M. Bradley on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)<\/p>\n<p>                         <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>                     <\/div>\n<p>     <\/template>      <\/bsp-figure>                  <\/div>\n<p>He added that the troop deployments are \u201cnot only appropriate, but essential.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Democrats are expected to use the hearing to criticize the deployments as an inappropriate use of military troops.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"US jobless benefit applications jump to 236,000, but continuing claims are lowest since April\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0dcf-d69d-affb-ddef57f90000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765463446722\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0dcf-d69d-affb-ddef57f90000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             US jobless benefit applications jump to 236,000, but continuing claims are lowest since April         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>U.S. jobless claim applications for the week ending Dec. 6 climbed by 44,000 from the previous week\u2019s 192,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That\u2019s more than analysts\u2019 forecast of 213,000.<\/p>\n<p>The total number of Americans filing for jobless benefits for the previous week ending Nov. 29 fell by 99,000 to 1.84 million, the government said. That\u2019s the lowest level for continuing claims since mid-April.<\/p>\n<p>Applications for unemployment aid are viewed as a proxy for layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market. Overall layoffs have been muted despite recent high-profile job cuts. Hiring is also sluggish, which makes finding a job for those out of work challenging. For now, the U.S. job market appears stuck in a <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/jobs-hiring-economy-c48fd84dfaa71eee962feb3a88fd8575\">\u201clow-hire, low-fire\u201d<\/a><\/span> state.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"US trade deficit keeps falling under tariffs pressure\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0dca-deff-adbb-cfef64e20000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765463245229\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0dca-deff-adbb-cfef64e20000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             US trade deficit keeps falling under tariffs pressure         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The U.S. trade deficit fell for the second straight month in September, dropping to the lowest since June 2020 when global commerce was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>The Commerce Department reported Thursday that the deficit \u2014 the gap between what the United States sells other countries and what it buys from them \u2014 dropped nearly 11% to $52.8 billion in September. It had fallen more than 23% from July to August.<\/p>\n<p>Still, the U.S. trade deficit is up so far in 2025, coming in at $765.1 billion through September, up 17% from $652.6 billion in January-September 2024. Many companies imported foreign goods early in 2025 to get ahead of Trump\u2019s tariffs.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Indiana redistricting is up for a final, deciding vote\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0d9d-deff-adbb-cfbf24560000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765462924460\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0d9d-deff-adbb-cfbf24560000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Indiana redistricting is up for a final, deciding vote         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/video\/two-indiana-gop-senators-defend-opposing-stances-on-redistricting-amid-pressure-from-trump-6d23fe8a8e2a426cb285e13bb23cefca\">outcome of Thursday\u2019s state Senate vote remains uncertain<\/a><\/span> despite months of pressure from Trump to <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/redistricting-congress-trump-gerrymandering-79892dffce5c4f91abcbafd6fbea7bde\">remap Indiana\u2019s House<\/a><\/span> districts in ways that could give the GOP control of all nine seats. Even in the face of one-on-one pressure from the White House and <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-indiana-redistricting-republicans-midterm-elections-senate-564915bd5d58b7cc91b80fd861d356ea\">violent threats<\/a><\/span> against state lawmakers, many Indiana Republicans have been reluctant to back a <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/indiana-redistricting-state-house-special-session-5d6343ba3e9f36251c4a5d08b94afdab\">new congressional map<\/a><\/span> that would split the city of Indianapolis into four districts.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats are increasingly liking their odds at flipping control of the U.S. House after the results of <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/miami-mayor-trump-higgins-gonzalez-f0d8c55a4b97962ac1348c5a93295465\">recent high-profile elections<\/a><\/span>. Trump is threatening to back primary challengers for any GOP state senator who votes against the Republican remap. \u201cIf Republicans will not do what is necessary to save our Country, they will eventually lose everything to the Democrats,\u201d Trump wrote on social media.<\/p>\n<p>\u25b6 <i>Follow developments <\/i><span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/indiana-lawmakers-redistricting-final-vote-80e3e546fc7acec4a7bd7cd110787375\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>on Indiana redistricting<\/i><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"<b>Why Trump gets higher approval on border security than immigration<\/b>&#8221; data-post-id=&#8221;0000019b-0db7-d5f3-af9f-3fbfa96c0000&#8243; data-posted-date-timestamp=&#8221;1765462187807&#8243; data-seconds-delta-text=&#8221;sec ago&#8221; data-minutes-delta-text=&#8221;min ago&#8221; data-hours-delta-text=&#8221;h ago&#8221;>              <a id=\"0000019b-0db7-d5f3-af9f-3fbfa96c0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             <b>Why Trump gets higher approval on border security than immigration<\/b>         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Trump\u2019s approval ratings on immigration have declined since March, but border security remains a relatively strong issue for him.<\/p>\n<p>Half of U.S. adults, 50%, approve of how Trump is handling border security, according to a new AP-NORC poll. Just 38% currently approve of how he\u2019s handling the issue of immigration.<\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s relative strength on border security is partially driven by Democrats and independents, who are less likely to approve of his immigration approach. Other polls have shown these groups tend to prioritize increasing border security more than deporting immigrants, even those who are living in the country illegally.<\/p>\n<p>Shaniqwa Copeland, a 30-year-old independent and home health aide in St. Augustine, Florida, said she approves of Trump\u2019s overall handling of the presidency, but believes his immigration actions have gone too far.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow they\u2019re just picking up anybody,\u201d Copeland told the AP. \u201cThey just like, pick up people, grabbing anybody. It\u2019s crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u25b6 <i>Read more about <\/i><span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnorc.org\/projects\/trumps-approval-rating-slips-on-the-economy-and-immigration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>the poll\u2019s findings<\/i><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Time magazine names \u2018Architects of AI\u2019 person of the year\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0d92-dce3-a59b-2ddb42640000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765459958872\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0d92-dce3-a59b-2ddb42640000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Time magazine names \u2018Architects of AI\u2019 person of the year         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Prediction markets pegged AI as a leading contender, along with Trump, Pope Leo XIV, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.<\/p>\n<p><span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-stock-exchange-time-nyse-bell-ringing-91a59ff0f4ce77c0c6f87e55a38c6c75\">Trump was already named the 2024<\/a><\/span> person of the year by the magazine after his winning his second bid for the White House, succeeding Taylor Swift, who was the <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/taylor-swift-time-person-of-year-2023-6c8ce1275db4cc326fe6ac94ea20bace\">2023 person of the year<\/a><\/span>. <\/p>\n<p>The magazine cited 2025 as the year when the potential of <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/artificial-intelligence\">artificial intelligence<\/a><\/span> \u201croared into view\u201d with no turning back. \u201cFor delivering the age of thinking machines, for wowing and worrying humanity, for transforming the present and transcending the possible, the Architects of AI are TIME\u2019s 2025 Person of the Year,\u201d Time said in a social media post Thursday.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"<b>Ukraine meets urgently with European coalition on latest peace proposals<\/b>&#8221; data-post-id=&#8221;0000019b-0d87-deff-adbb-cfa752110000&#8243; data-posted-date-timestamp=&#8221;1765459245454&#8243; data-seconds-delta-text=&#8221;sec ago&#8221; data-minutes-delta-text=&#8221;min ago&#8221; data-hours-delta-text=&#8221;h ago&#8221;>              <a id=\"0000019b-0d87-deff-adbb-cfa752110000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             <b>Ukraine meets urgently with European coalition on latest peace proposals<\/b>         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<div data-align-center>                      <bsp-figure>     <\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>              <a id=\"image-2e0000\"><\/a>                                      <picture data-crop=\"imgEn-medium-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, looks back at the media in Downing Street, London, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo\/Kin Cheung, File)\"   fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/e76c7cc\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6211x4141+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F73%2Faa%2F08a0a53d1cdfd07394cdd66b2a55%2F70864f2b5b6c4db48fadbd4bf4ca92a2\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, looks back at the media in Downing Street, London, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo\/Kin Cheung, File)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>          <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template>                  <\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">                         <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id>                             <\/p>\n<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, looks back at the media in Downing Street, London, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo\/Kin Cheung, File)<\/p>\n<p>                         <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>                     <\/div>\n<p>     <\/template>      <\/bsp-figure>                  <\/div>\n<p>President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would give its latest peace proposals to U.S. negotiators ahead of his urgent talks Thursday with a coalition of about 30 <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/russia-ukraine-war-witkoff-europe-61ae60275a00cb442c743181df13b785\">countries supporting Kyiv\u2019s effort<\/a><\/span> to end the war with Russia on acceptable terms. The White House did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday on whether that happened.<\/p>\n<p>Negotiations are at \u201ca critical moment,\u201d German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement. <\/p>\n<p>Washington\u2019s goal of <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/russia-ukraine-war-peace-talks-timeline-f588b009209c06d458571aab8d69fd90\">a swift compromise<\/a><\/span> to stop the fighting that followed <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/russia-ukraine\">Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion<\/a><\/span> in 2022 is reducing <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-zelenskyy-ukraine-russia-war-ece1a80b435f402b475fb180023a75dc\">Kyiv\u2019s room for maneuvering<\/a><\/span>. Zelenskyy is walking a tightrope between defending Ukrainian interests and showing Trump he is willing to compromise, even as Moscow shows no public sign of budging from <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/russia-ukraine-war-putin-zelenskyy-trump-253ff2eb24b2dbd1b1b9d8a2ab20e913\">its demands<\/a><\/span>. Zelenskyy\u2019s allies are <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-europe-talks-297fc6a148fdb8dce4defb31b953ce0f\">backing his effort<\/a><\/span>, seeking a fair settlement that will deters future Russian attacks and defend Europe. <\/p>\n<p>\u25b6 <i>Read more about <\/i><span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/russia-ukraine-war-trump-peace-elections-zelenskyy-2506b9f7c8c9a62ea2fa3737d400877f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>the latest negotiations to end Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine<\/i><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"<b>Senate to reject extending health care subsidies as costs rise for many<\/b>&#8221; data-post-id=&#8221;0000019b-0d83-d57e-a5fb-7f8b830e0000&#8243; data-posted-date-timestamp=&#8221;1765458529000&#8243; data-seconds-delta-text=&#8221;sec ago&#8221; data-minutes-delta-text=&#8221;min ago&#8221; data-hours-delta-text=&#8221;h ago&#8221;>              <a id=\"0000019b-0d83-d57e-a5fb-7f8b830e0000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             <b>Senate to reject extending health care subsidies as costs rise for many<\/b>         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The Senate is poised on Thursday to reject legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits for <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/affordable-care-act-enrollment-subsidies-health-90ad8b27a6693c5aa03a9ca841048479\">millions of Americans<\/a><\/span>, a potentially unceremonious end to a monthslong Democratic effort to prevent the COVID-era subsidies from expiring on Jan. 1.<\/p>\n<p>Despite a bipartisan desire to continue the credits, Republicans and Democrats have never engaged in meaningful or high-level negotiations. The Senate is expected to <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/senate-health-care-insurance-premiums-ee6ccda9ea9df4a8e5a0af351e65afd4\">vote on two partisan bills<\/a><\/span> and defeat them both \u2014 essentially guaranteeing that many who buy their health insurance on the ACA marketplaces <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e\">see a steep rise in costs at the beginning of the year<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s too complicated and too difficult to get done in the limited time that we have left,\u201d said Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who has unsuccessfully pushed his Republican colleagues to extend the tax credits for a short time so they can find agreement on the issue next year. Neither side has seemed interested in compromise.<\/p>\n<p>\u25b6 <i>Read more about <\/i><span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/health-care-vote-affordable-care-act-obamacare-6ffc1ea9f878c6b3da995589ef8a012c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>the congressional stalemate on health care<\/i><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Trump\u2019s National Guard deployments face Senate questioning\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0d81-deff-adbb-cfa708c90000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765458276611\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0d81-deff-adbb-cfa708c90000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Trump\u2019s National Guard deployments face Senate questioning         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<div data-align-center>                      <bsp-figure>     <\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>              <a id=\"image-ad0000\"><\/a>                                      <picture data-crop=\"imgEn-medium-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"California National Guard and Marines hold back demonstrators at the Federal Building during a protest June 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Noah Berger, File)\"   fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/0b7f8f1\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6048x4032+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2Fdd%2F31%2F3c093459bffa6adc01919b6cc5a1%2Fb9be2a4abd904579a9e063a11ab66487\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>California National Guard and Marines hold back demonstrators at the Federal Building during a protest June 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Noah Berger, File)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>          <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template>                  <\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">                         <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id>                             <\/p>\n<p>California National Guard and Marines hold back demonstrators at the Federal Building during a protest June 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo\/Noah Berger, File)<\/p>\n<p>                         <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>                     <\/div>\n<p>     <\/template>      <\/bsp-figure>                  <\/div>\n<p>Senators for the first time are poised to question military leaders over Trump\u2019s <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/immigration-chicago-portland-memphis-trump-arrests-b36199b00e0511e687c10fa83fd838b5\">use of the National Guard in American cities<\/a><\/span>, an extraordinary move that has prompted legal challenges as well as <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-national-guard-legal-clash-presidential-power-1ed22e89bcdebc8d3e5bd9238373dc45\">questions about states\u2019 rights<\/a><\/span> and the use of the military on U.S. soil.<\/p>\n<p>The hearing Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to feature tough questioning for Pentagon leaders over the legality of <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/national-guard-troops-memphis-chicago-trump-abf0fab0c6010bc5ab5a1ac3eaee6eae\">the deployments<\/a><\/span>, which in some places were done over the objections of mayors and governors.<\/p>\n<p>The hearing will bring the highest level of scrutiny to Trump\u2019s use of the National Guard outside of a courtroom <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/donald-trump-gavin-newsom-immigration-protests-a8269425e604f6f03affdc627a2a5721\">since the deployments began<\/a><\/span> and comes a day after the president <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/california-national-guard-trump-los-angeles-a8a201d234d655a7e65fb4c3dd320116\">faced another legal setback<\/a><\/span> over his muscular use of troops in larger federal operations.<\/p>\n<p>\u25b6 <i>Read more about <\/i><span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/national-guard-deployments-trump-senate-hearing-d860259d291af4bcf49569d384421cf9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Senate scrutiny of the Guard deployments<\/i><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"First of 30 oil lease sales planned for Gulf of Mexico draws $300 million from companies\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0d51-d678-a7ff-6ddf40d70000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765455111668\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0d51-d678-a7ff-6ddf40d70000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             First of 30 oil lease sales planned for Gulf of Mexico draws $300 million from companies         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<div data-align-center>                      <bsp-figure>     <\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>              <a id=\"image-8a0000\"><\/a>                                      <picture data-crop=\"imgEn-medium-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"FILE - Oil platforms are visible through the haze near the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Galveston, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. (AP Photo\/LM Otero, File)\"   fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/633af87\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3600x2400+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2Feb%2F4d%2Fd6875ac9434e9683a04a743e74f1%2Fap25344666563364-1.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>FILE &#8211; Oil platforms are visible through the haze near the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Galveston, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. (AP Photo\/LM Otero, File)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>          <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template>                  <\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">                         <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id>                             <\/p>\n<p>FILE &#8211; Oil platforms are visible through the haze near the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Galveston, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. (AP Photo\/LM Otero, File)<\/p>\n<p>                         <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>                     <\/div>\n<p>     <\/template>      <\/bsp-figure>                  <\/div>\n<p>Oil companies offered $300 million for drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday in the first of 30 sales planned for the region under Republican efforts to <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/4c0346f96ad748c3b7be47e1ebe1ffcc\">ramp up U.S. fossil fuel production<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>The sale came after Trump\u2019s administration recently announced plans to allow <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/offshore-drilling-california-trump-newsom-oil-1e5b0c52b128daddb3a1f112acd44fd6\">new drilling off Florida and California <\/a><\/span>for the first time in decades. That\u2019s drawn pushback, including<span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/offshore-drilling-florida-trump-tourism-beaches-f9e19190599552dfb3f172d0aad945bb\"> from Republicans <\/a><\/span>worried about impacts to tourism.<\/p>\n<p>Wednesday\u2019s sale was mandated by the <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-sign-tax-cut-bill-july-4-3804df732e461a626fd8c2b43413c3f0\">sweeping tax-and-spending bill <\/a><\/span>approved by Republicans over the summer. Under that legislation, companies will pay a 12.5% royalty on oil produced from the leases. That\u2019s the lowest royalty level for deep-water drilling since 2007.<\/p>\n<p>Thirty companies submitted bids on parcels covering 1,600 square miles (4,142 square kilometers). Total high bids were down from $382 million offered in the most recent lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico under former President Joe Biden in <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/gulf-oil-offshore-drilling-lease-biden-whale-be6009f1edba22e6e369aa9f1456ec16\">December 2023<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>\u25b6 <i>Read more <\/i><span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-gulf-of-mexico-oil-lease-sale-1bff978fb31b8eeaf4ebe2e448e39e4b\"><i>about the sales<\/i><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post> <bsp-liveblog-post data-gtm-region=\"Trump wants to keep farmers happy with cash. They\u2019re still worried about the future\" data-post-id=\"0000019b-0d4f-d4b1-adbb-cd7f6d650000\" data-posted-date-timestamp=\"1765454965888\" data-seconds-delta-text=\"sec ago\" data-minutes-delta-text=\"min ago\" data-hours-delta-text=\"h ago\">              <a id=\"0000019b-0d4f-d4b1-adbb-cd7f6d650000\"><\/a>                          <\/p>\n<h2>             Trump wants to keep farmers happy with cash. They\u2019re still worried about the future         <\/h2>\n<div>\n<div data-align-center>                      <bsp-figure>     <\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>              <a id=\"image-580000\"><\/a>                                      <picture data-crop=\"imgEn-medium-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\"  ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\"  ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"This screenshot taken from video shows Charlie Radman, a corn and soybean farmer, standing on the land his family has owned since 1899, near Randolph, Minn., Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Vancleave)\"   fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/600749d\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/1620x1080+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F2f%2F24%2Faa7e319c6bc1d7d29c6aa3feaf5c%2Fed742faa5aee453490d3d2bdc19825fa\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>This screenshot taken from video shows Charlie Radman, a corn and soybean farmer, standing on the land his family has owned since 1899, near Randolph, Minn., Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Vancleave)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>          <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template>                  <\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">                         <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id>                             <\/p>\n<p>This screenshot taken from video shows Charlie Radman, a corn and soybean farmer, standing on the land his family has owned since 1899, near Randolph, Minn., Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Vancleave)<\/p>\n<p>                         <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>                     <\/div>\n<p>     <\/template>      <\/bsp-figure>                  <\/div>\n<p>When Trump promised new tariffs while running for president, Gene Stehly worried that trade disputes would jeopardize his international sales of corn, soybeans and wheat.<\/p>\n<p>A little more than a year later, Stehly said his fears have become a reality, and Trump\u2019s latest promise of federal assistance is insufficient to cover farmers\u2019 losses.<\/p>\n<p>Trump announced Monday that his administration would distribute <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-farmers-aid-07328f260d1ebf26c2bfde79b426230e\">$12 billion in one-time payments to farmers<\/a><\/span>, who have suffered from persistently low commodity prices, rising costs and declining sales after China cut off all agricultural purchases from America during the trade war.<\/p>\n<p>While rural areas remain conservative bastions, farmers\u2019 patience with Washington is wearing thin. Several of them described the government bailout, an echo of similar policies during Trump\u2019s first term, as a welcome stopgap but one that won\u2019t solve the agricultural industry\u2019s problems.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a bridge. It\u2019s not the ultimate solution we\u2019re looking for,\u201d said Charlie Radman, a fourth-generation farmer. \u201cWhat we really want to have is a little more certainty and not have to rely on these ad hoc payments.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u25b6 <i>Read more <\/i><span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-soybean-farmers-china-trade-tariffs-brazil-9663759ac3c9c7360bd5f23cb84180f0\"><i>about farmers\u2019 concerns<\/i><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>          <\/bsp-liveblog-post>               <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Senate on Thursday rejected two partisan health bills on expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, essentially guaranteeing that millions of Americans will see a steep rise in costs when the subsidies run dry on Jan. 1. The Democratic bill would\u2019ve extended the COVID-era tax credits for three years, while the GOP alternative would\u2019ve replaced them [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8218,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8217","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8217"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8217\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}