Democratic senator presses Hegseth over whether he'd follow orders from President Trump to shoot protesters
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth clashed with Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) on the Senate Armed Services Committee over whether he would follow orders for the military to shoot American protesters if they were handed down by President Donald Trump.
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USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Trump's rebuke of MAGA isolationists is smart foreign policy. We must stop Iran.
Trump's rebuke of MAGA isolationists is smart foreign policy. We must stop Iran. | Opinion Trump's approach to the Middle East has been very competent. He has stood by Israel, continued to position the United States against Iran, and has not taken American military action off the table. Show Caption Hide Caption Trump teases possible strike on Iran but says it's not too late for deal "I may do it. I may not do it." President Trump teased a possible strike on Iran but also said it is not too late to negotiate. President Trump rebuked Tucker Carlson's isolationist stance on the Middle East. Trump remains firm on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Trump's actions have distanced him from isolationist figures like Carlson and Gabbard. President Donald Trump on June 16 called out fired Fox News host Tucker Carlson by his new nickname, 'kooky Tucker Carlson,' who has called Trump "complicit" in Israel's strikes against Iran. Trump also emphasized that 'Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.' Carlson represents a faction on the right that is against American involvement in the Middle East, regardless of our interests. Despite his rhetorical embrace of these voices during his third presidential campaign, Trump's approach to the Middle East has been very competent. He has stood by Israel, continued to position the United States against Iran and has not taken American military action off the table. One of my chief concerns about a second Trump presidency was that he was embracing voices like Carlson and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. But Trump's latest rebuke of the isolationist right is a welcome turn of events, and it improves my view of him as president. Opinion: Israel's successful attack on Iran is proof American support is worth the money Trump's stances on Iran have been commendable Trump has been unwavering in his stance that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon, and he has held the line against any compromise that allows them to enrich uranium. While he initially pushed for a diplomatic resolution, it is clear that Iranian leaders will not willingly sign a deal that prevents their continued enrichment programs. Whether Trump signed off on the Israeli strikes or not remains up for debate, but Trump has had no problem taking credit regardless and has said it's almost too late for negotiation. Opinion: Trump must back Israel against Iran. 'Kooky' Carlson is wrong about nuclear threat. Trump's approach to Israel in his second term has been nothing short of stellar, and the fact that he has been consistent on this issue is rather remarkable considering how he has changed his mind in so many other areas. Trump's willingness to keep all options on the table in the Middle East marks a parting of ways from the isolationists who helped to shape his reelection campaign. MAGA isolationists got played by Trump's 'America First' approach The isolationist right thought they had a hero in Trump, but they really just fell for a campaign strategy. Isolationists thought they could mold Trump into their dream candidate, one who lets the happenings of the world go on without American intervention, regardless of our interests in the matter. They were wrong. Many chalked up Trump's first term peace-through-strength foreign policy to the establishment Republicans advising him, and thought that his America First movement could be co-opted to meet their isolationist dream. It turns out that Trump still understands the value of America's influence abroad, at least in some regards. Carlson has been one of the chief skeptics of America's relationship with Israel on the right, often even dipping into the very antisemitic tactics that he used to denounce. Trump has been asked about Carlson plenty in recent days, and the president has been dismissive of his viewpoints. Another such figure is Gabbard, whose appointment to be the director of national intelligence rightfully worried conservatives. Gabbard recently has been warning that we are 'closer to the brink of nuclear annihilation than ever before' (which is ridiculous on its face), and suggesting that pro-interventionists are apparently fine with this because "they will have access to nuclear shelters for themselves and for their families.' This type of fearmongering represents nothing more than an effort to influence the Trump administration back into her camp. Trump also rejected some of Gabbard's assessments of the Iran situation, telling reporters that 'I don't care what she said, I think they were very close to having" an Iranian nuke. He continues to put American interests above the views of these fringe isolationist voices, and I am pleasantly surprised that he is. The isolationists do not have a true foreign policy ally in Trump. His second term has been reassuring to conservatives who feared the worst. Dace Potas is an opinion columnist for USA TODAY and a graduate of DePaul University with a degree in political science.
an hour ago
Trump's latest judicial pick is someone that Joe Biden almost nominated
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump said Wednesday he plans to tap Chad Meredith, a former state solicitor general in Kentucky, for a federal judgeship in the state — a move that could face objections from Sen. Rand Paul, who opposed the nomination three years ago. Meredith was the starring player in a bit of judicial nominations drama in the previous administration, when then-President Joe Biden had agreed to nominate Meredith, who was enthusiastically supported by Sen. Mitch McConnell, the former Senate majority leader. It was a curious move at the time, because Meredith had a track record of defending Kentucky's anti-abortion laws and the nomination would come in the immediate aftermath of the 2022 Supreme Court decision that eliminated a constitutional right to the procedure. But Paul indicated to the Biden White House at the time that he would block Meredith's confirmation proceedings from moving forward, so the former president never formally nominated him. Biden's decision to back off Meredith was also a relief to Democrats and abortion rights groups who had been enraged at the prospect of Biden tapping an anti-abortion lawyer for a lifetime judiciary seat. In a social media post announcing the nomination, Trump called Meredith 'highly experienced and well qualified.' 'Chad is a courageous Patriot who knows what is required to uphold the Rule of Law, and protect our Constitution,' Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday night. McConnell said in a statement Wednesday that Trump made an 'outstanding choice' in choosing Meredith, who also served as chief deputy general counsel for former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin. 'His demonstrated devotion to the rule of law and the Constitution will serve the people of Kentucky well on the federal bench,' McConnell said. 'I look forward to the Senate confirming his nomination.' Paul's office did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday night on the nomination. Three years ago, Paul accused McConnell of cutting a 'secret deal' with the White House as a reason why Meredith's nomination never moved forward under Biden. 'Unfortunately, instead of communicating and lining up support for him, Senator McConnell chose to cut a secret deal with the White House that fell apart,' Paul said at the time. Paul never made any substantive objections about Meredith himself. It's unclear whether Paul would hold similar process concerns with Meredith's formal nomination under Trump. But Paul had effective veto power over a judicial pick in his home state because the Senate continues to honor the so-called blue slip rule, a decades-old custom that says a judicial nominee won't move forward if there is opposition from his or her home-state senator. The Biden White House also deferred to that custom, which is why Biden never ended up nominating Meredith. Though the rule has been eroded in part, namely for appellate court judges whose seat spans several states, the custom has remained intact for district court nominees who are more closely tied to their home states. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, has so far made no indication that he would deviate from that longstanding custom. Lena Zwarensteyn, senior director of the fair courts program and an adviser at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, criticized Trump's selection of Meredith given his 'disturbing anti-abortion record." 'The nomination of Chad Meredith to a lifetime judgeship should trouble everyone,' Zwarensteyn said.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Ranked choice voting expansion in Maine sent to Gov. Mills
Jun. 18—AUGUSTA — The Senate voted Wednesday to send a bill to Gov. Janet Mills that would expand ranked choice voting to include the governor's and state legislative races. Mills has not yet taken a position on the bill. She previously let a bill to allow the voting method to be used in presidential elections become law without her signature in 2019, citing concerns about a lack of funding. This year's bill, LD 1666, was enacted 73-72 in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. The Senate later voted 21-14 in support of the measure. Maine became the first state in the nation to adopt ranked choice voting in 2016 after it was approved through a citizens' initiative. It has withstood Republicans' subsequent efforts to repeal it. The voting method is used in federal races, including for president, and legislative primaries. Proponents hope the expansion will take effect for next year's gubernatorial races, which is drawing a lot of interest from candidates because Mills cannot seek reelection because of term limits. But the proposal may wind up in the courts, which could delay implementation, because it conflicts with an advisory opinion issued by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court in 2017 that said ranked choice voting for state-level offices would violate the state Constitution, which says such offices are determined by who gets the most votes. During floor debates last week, Rep. Adam Lee, D-Auburn, said Maine's advisory opinion was undermined by a court in Alaska, which has a similar constitutional provision and ranked-choice voting. He said Maine's court ruling hinged on the idea that a candidate must win in the first round, while Alaska's court ruled that the vote is not completed until the final round. "The Alaska Supreme Court compellingly took apart the Law Court's opinion and demonstrated the flaw of its reasoning," said Lee, who is an attorney. "This legislative change would align us with how the Federal Elections Commission and other federal courts and the Alaska Supreme Court have come to understand ranked choice voting — not as multiple votes but as a single iterative process." Ranked choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. The candidate with the fewest votes in each round is eliminated. Ballots listing an eliminated candidate as their top choice then have their second choice added to the remaining candidates. That process continues until a candidate surpasses 50% of the vote. The push for ranked choice voting came largely as a response to the 2010 governor's race, in which long-shot Republican candidate Paul LePage took office with just under 38% of the vote, after the Democratic candidate and a third-party challenger split the opposition. LePage won reelection in 2014 in another three-way contest without receiving more than 50% of the votes. Mills has 10 days to sign, veto or allow the bill to become law without her signature, as long as the Legislature is still in session. But if lawmakers adjourn for the year, she would have to sign the bill within 10 days for it to become law. Copy the Story Link
