Live updates: White House affirms tariffs against Canada, Mexico and China will take effect Saturday
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters in her second press briefing of the Trump administration that the tariff plan would go forward.
The briefing takes place a day after several of Trump's nominees were grilled in the Senate. One Trump nominee, Tulsi Gabbard, is facing increasing scrutiny from Republicans in her bid to become director of national intelligence. In particular, her views on Edward Snowden, the former National Security Administration staffer who stole over a million classified documents, have rankled GOP senators who might otherwise back her bid.
While Trump heads to Florida this weekend, Democrats will choose their new leadership. The Democratic National Committee will vote on its new chair on Saturday in one of its first initial steps toward recovering from November's disappointing election.
Follow along for updates from the White House and more Friday.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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UPI
31 minutes ago
- UPI
Texas Democrats flee state over GOP-drawn House maps
Texas Governor Greg Abbott listens as President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order to begin the process of dismantling the Department of Education at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, March 20, 2025. On Sunday, Democrats fled the state to prevent the Republicans from advancing controversial GOP-drawn congressional maps. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Texas Democrats have fled the Lone Star State in an effort to block Republicans from advancing state House maps that not only advantage the GOP by five seats but that critics say target the voting power of people of color. The local Democrats traveled to Illinois and other Democratic-led states to prevent a Republican quorum -- meaning the minimum number of congressional members needed for a vote -- from being reached to advance the controversial maps on Monday when the House reconvenes at 3 p.m. local time. The Republicans hold a nearly 60% majority in the Texas House with 88 representatives to the Democrats' 62. With Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker behind him, Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu told reporters at a press conference that they were armed with the moral responsibility to leave the state. "We're not here to have fun. We're not here because it is easy, and we did not make the decision to come here today lightly," he said. "But we come here today with absolute moral clarity that this is the absolutely the right thing to do to protect the people of the state of Texas." The Republicans released their proposed Texas congressional map late last month that, if adopted, would add five new Republican congressional seats. The bill, House Bill 4, has since been hastily moved through the state's Congress, with the redistricting committee passing it to the House floor on Saturday. The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas has rebuked the GOP maps as "designed to dilute the voting power of communities of color." Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, on Saturday warned the Democrats against breaking quorum, issuing a letter stating by not being present when the House reconvenes for the special session, they could be removed from office and face felony charges, on allegations of them accepting funds to assist in their violation of legislative duties. Abbott did not provide proof to support the allegations. "Real Texans do not run from a fight," he said in the letter. "But that's exactly what most of the Texas House Democrats just did." Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also took to X to say that the Democrats "should be found, arrested and brought back to the Capitol immediately. "We should use every tool at our disposal to hunt down those who think they are above the law," he said. During the Sunday press conference, Wu lambasted Abbott for using the people of Texas as hostages "in a political game" as the Republicans were seeking to pass the congressional maps before filing a promised bill to aid those suffering from last month's flooding that killed more than 135 people. "Instead, they spent their entire time playing dirty political games that only help themselves," he said. "And what is even worse -- their attempts to do this, their attempts to disenfranchise Texans, the tool their using is a racist, gerrymandered map, a map that seeks to use racial lines to divide hardworking communities who have spent decades building up their power and strengthening their voices." The Democratic National Committee has voiced support for the Texas Democrats, issuing a statement saying it was "time to fight back" against Republicans, including President Donald Trump who "have tried to get away with rigging the system, breaking the rules and scheming to hold onto power." "For weeks, we've been warning that if Republicans in Texas want a showdown -- if they want to delay flood relief to cravenly protect Donald Trump from an inevitable midterm meltdown -- then we'd give them that showdown," DNC Chair Ken Martin said. "Republicans thought they could just rig the maps and change the rules without the American people taking notice. They were dead wrong."
Forbes
31 minutes ago
- Forbes
Texas Democrats Flee State To Halt GOP Redistricting Bid—Abbott Threatens Their Removal
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott late on Sunday warned the state's Democratic lawmakers—who fled the state to prevent a vote on a GOP-led redistricting effort—that they will be removed from office unless they return to Austin by Monday afternoon. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Texas Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D) listen as Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu speaks to reporters during a press conference at the DuPage County Democratic Party headquarters in Carol Stream, Illinois. Getty Images More than 50 Democratic state lawmakers left the state on Sunday afternoon and flew to Chicago to deny the quorum needed to pass the Republicans' proposed new congressional maps, which could help the GOP gain up to five additional seats in the midterms. The 150-member Texas House needs at least 100 lawmakers to be present to conduct its business and pass legislation. In a statement on X, the Texas House Democratic Caucus accused the GOP and Abbott of using a special House session called to deal with last month's flooding in Central Texas 'as political cover' to pass their redrawn maps. Late on Sunday evening, Illinois' Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker joined a few of the Texas Democrats for a press conference in a Chicago-area suburb and said: 'Donald Trump is trying to cheat the system in Texas, but these Democratic legislators refuse to let it happen without a fight.' Pritzker said his administration is 'going to do everything we can to protect every single one of them,' amid Abbott's demand for their extradition. 'Governor Abbott has turned the victims of a tragedy into political hostages in his submission to Donald Trump. We will not allow disaster relief to be held hostage to a Trump gerrymander. As of today, this corrupt special session is over,' the Texas House Democratic Caucus said in its statement. What Has Gov. Greg Abbott Said? In a statement issued on Sunday night, Abbott bashed the Democratic lawmakers, saying: 'Real Texans do not run from a fight. But that's exactly what most of the Texas House Democrats just did.' He said being present for the special session was their 'duty' and not 'optional,' adding: 'The absconded Democrat House members were elected to meet and vote on legislation—not to prevent votes that may not go their way.' He then added: 'This truancy ends now,' warning that the Democrats must return to the state and be in attendance, 'when the House reconvenes at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025.' Abbott warned that if they don't return, he will move to 'remove the missing Democrats from membership in the Texas House.' The governor said he will use a non-binding August 2021 opinion issued by the state's Attorney General, Ken Paxton, to initiate the removal. Paxton opined in 2021 that any lawmaker who attempts to break quorum intentionally could be removed from office due to 'abandonment' of their duties. The Texas House Democrats responded to Abbott's threats to remove their membership from the state House with a single sentence: 'Come and take it.'
43 minutes ago
All major Las Vegas Strip casinos are now unionized in historic labor victory
LAS VEGAS -- When Susana Pacheco accepted a housekeeping job at a casino on the Las Vegas Strip 16 years ago, she believed it was a step toward stability for her and her 2-year-old daughter. But the single mom found herself exhausted, falling behind on bills and without access to stable health insurance, caught in a cycle of low pay and little support. For years, she said, there was no safety net in sight — until now. For 25 years, her employer, the Venetian, had resisted organizing efforts as one of the last holdouts on the Strip, locked in a prolonged standoff with the Culinary Workers Union. But a recent change in ownership opened the Venetian's doors to union representation just as the Strip's newest casino, the Fontainebleau, was also inking its first labor contract. The historic deals finalized late last year mark a major turning point: For the first time in the Culinary Union's 90-year history, all major casinos on the Strip are unionized. Backed by 60,000 members, most of them in Las Vegas, it is the largest labor union in Nevada. Experts say the Culinary Union's success is a notable exception in a national landscape where union membership overall is declining. 'Together, we've shown that change can be a positive force, and I'm confident that this partnership will continue to benefit us all in the years to come," Patrick Nichols, president and CEO of the Venetian, said shortly after workers approved the deal. Pacheco says their new contract has already reshaped her day-to-day life. The housekeeper no longer races against the clock to clean an unmanageable number of hotel suites, and she's spending more quality time with her children because of the better pay and guaranteed days off. 'Now with the union, we have a voice,' Pacheco said. These gains come at a time when union membership nationally is at an all-time low, and despite Republican-led efforts over the years to curb union power. About 10% of U.S. workers belonged to a union in 2024, down from 20% in 1983, the first year for which data is available, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics. President Donald Trump in March signed an executive order seeking to end collective bargaining for certain federal employees that led to union leaders suing the administration. Nevada and more than two dozen other states now have so-called 'right to work' laws that let workers opt out of union membership and dues. GOP lawmakers have also supported changes to the National Labor Relations Board and other regulatory bodies, seeking to reduce what they view as overly burdensome rules on businesses. Ruben Garcia, professor and director of the workplace program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas law school, said the Culinary Union's resilience stems from its deep roots in Las Vegas, its ability to adapt to the growth and corporatization of the casino industry, and its long history of navigating complex power dynamics with casino owners and operators. He said the consolidation of casinos on the Las Vegas Strip mirrors the dominance of the Big Three automakers in Detroit. A few powerful companies — MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts — now control most of the dozens of casinos along Las Vegas Boulevard. 'That consolidation can make things harder for workers in some ways, but it also gives unions one large target," Garcia said. That dynamic worked in the union's favor in 2023, when the threat of a major strike by 35,000 hospitality workers with expired contracts loomed over the Strip. But a last-minute deal with Caesars narrowly averted the walkout, and it triggered a domino effect across the Strip, with the union quickly finalizing similar deals for workers at MGM Resorts and Wynn properties. The latest contracts secured a historic 32% bump in pay over the life of the five-year contract. Union casino workers will earn an average $35 hourly, including benefits, by the end of it. The union's influence also extends far beyond the casino floor. With its ability to mobilize thousands of its members for canvassing and voter outreach, the union's endorsements are highly coveted, particularly among Democrats, and can signal who has the best shot at winning working-class votes. The union's path hasn't always been smooth though. Michael Green, a history professor at UNLV, noted the Culinary Union has long faced resistance. 'Historically, there have always been people who are anti-union,' Green said. Earlier this year, two food service workers in Las Vegas filed federal complaints with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing the union of deducting dues despite their objections to union membership. It varies at each casino, but between 95 to 98% of workers opt in to union membership, according to the union. 'I don't think Culinary Union bosses deserve my support,' said one of the workers, Renee Guerrero, who works at T-Mobile Arena on the Strip. 'Their actions since I attempted to exercise my right to stop dues payments only confirms my decision.' But longtime union members like Paul Anthony see things differently. Anthony, a food server at the Bellagio and a Culinary member for nearly 40 years, said his union benefits — free family health insurance, reliable pay raises, job security and a pension — helped him to build a lasting career in the hospitality industry. 'A lot of times it is an industry that doesn't have longevity," he said. But on the Strip, it's a job that people can do for '20 years, 30 years, 40 years.' Ted Pappageorge, the union's secretary-treasurer and lead negotiator, said the union calls this the 'Las Vegas dream.'
