Trump urges Senate to cancel August recess, speed up confirmations
'Hopefully the very talented John Thune, fresh off our many victories over the past two weeks and, indeed, 6 months, will cancel August recess (and long weekends!), in order to get my incredible nominees confirmed. We need them badly!!' Trump posted on Truth Social.
The Senate is currently scheduled to confirm six of Trump's nominees on Monday, including advancing his pick to head the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Among the nominations is Emil Bove, a Justice Department official tapped for a federal appeals court seat, and Jeanine Pirro, a former Fox News host, nominated to serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
Bove's nomination has drawn criticism from Senate Democrats after a whistleblower alleged he advised the Justice Department to defy court orders related to migrant deportations—claims he has denied.
Trump has also nominated candidates to restore a quorum to the National Labor Relations Board, which has remained inactive since January after he dismissed its lone Democratic member. — Agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leaders
2 hours ago
- Leaders
Trump Demands Obama Prosecution for 'Treason'
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused his predecessor Barack Obama of treason and called for his prosecution. This explosive accusation stems from a report alleging that officials in Obama's administration manipulated information regarding Russia's interference in the 2016 election. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department based on this report, which claims Obama and his team participated in a 'treasonous conspiracy.' Gabbard's Controversial Allegations Gabbard asserted that Obama manufactured intelligence about Russian election interference to 'lay the groundwork for what was essentially a years-long coup against President Trump.' However, critics widely condemned her claims. These accusations contradict findings from four separate investigations conducted between 2019 and 2023, which concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to benefit Trump. During an Oval Office press event with visiting Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, Trump was asked whom the Justice Department should target based on Gabbard's report. He responded, 'Based on what I read — and I read pretty much what you read — it would be President Obama. He started it.' This statement followed criticism Trump faced for sharing an AI-generated video depicting Obama's arrest. In addition to Obama, Trump named several individuals as part of the alleged conspiracy, including then-vice President Joe Biden, former FBI Director James Comey, former DNI Director James Clapper, and ex-CIA Director John Brennan. Trump labeled Obama as the 'leader of the gang,' accusing him of treason. Trump's Ongoing Claims of a Hoax Since the investigations began, Trump has consistently claimed those probes are a 'hoax.' His latest remarks drew skepticism from opponents, who viewed them as an attempt to divert attention from the growing crisis surrounding the administration's failure to release files related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. However, Obama's office issued an angry rebuke, calling Trump's claims 'ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.' Spokesman Patrick Rodenbush stated, 'Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes.' A bipartisan report from the Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-acting chairman Marco Rubio, found in 2020 that the Trump campaign sought to 'maximize the impact' of leaks from Democratic documents stolen by Russian military intelligence. The report indicated that the hack aimed to assist Trump and undermine Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election. The report concluded, 'The Russian intelligence services' assault on the integrity of the 2016 US electoral process, and Trump and his associates' participation in and enabling of this Russian activity, represents one of the single most grave counterintelligence threats to American national security in the modern era.' Short link : Post Views: 20
Leaders
2 hours ago
- Leaders
Republicans Push to Rename DC Opera House After Melania Trump
Republicans in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday proposed renaming the opera house at Washington's John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after First Lady Melania Trump. The Republican-led House Appropriations Committee voted to advance this proposal while debating the 2026 budget. Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson introduced an amendment to designate the venue as the 'First Lady Melania Trump Opera House,' stating that this change would be an 'excellent way to recognize her support and commitment to promoting the arts.' Trump's Influence on the Kennedy Center This proposal represents the latest effort by President Donald Trump to assert control over the Kennedy Center. Earlier this year, he fired board members and appointed himself chairman. Additionally, he replaced the longtime president with ally Richard Grenell, following his criticism to the institution for being too 'woke' and appointed several close associates, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, as trustees. In June, Trump attended an opening night performance of the hit musical 'Les Miserables,' where he received both cheers and boos from the audience. Efforts to Cement Trump's Legacy Republicans have actively sought to honor Trump and solidify his legacy during his second term, as they have introduced various proposals, including renaming Dulles International Airport after him. Other efforts include replacing Benjamin Franklin on the $100 bill, carving Trump's likeness into Mount Rushmore, and establishing a national holiday in his name. Additionally, they have suggested rebranding Washington's Metro train service as the 'Trump Train.' The proposed name change for the Kennedy Center's opera house is part of a larger legislative package that primarily focuses on funding for the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency for 2026. However, the 2,364-seat theater, the second-largest in the Kennedy Center complex, will only receive its new designation if both chambers of Congress approve the change. Currently, Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate, but spending bills require 60 votes to pass, which means that Democrats may have the opportunity to remove the name change from the final legislation before any vote occurs. Short link : Post Views: 13
Saudi Gazette
4 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
US House speaker shuts down chamber to block Epstein vote
WASHINGTON — US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson has announced an early adjournment of the chamber, stalling efforts to force the release of documents related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The move delays a politically fraught vote on the matter until September amid growing bipartisan pressure for transparency. It followed a key committee vote to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's longtime associate, to testify before Congress. Calls to declassify Epstein-related files have intensified recently, including from supporters of President Donald Trump. Earlier on Tuesday, the US justice department requested a meeting with Maxwell to ask: "What do you know?" Maxwell's legal team told the BBC they were in discussions with the government and she would "always testify truthfully". On Capitol Hill on Tuesday, facing mounting pressure from both Democrats and some Republicans to force a vote to release Epstein-related files within 30 days, Johnson declared recess a day earlier than planned. The House is expected to reconvene in September, when the usual summer break ends. Johnson defended the decision, accusing Democrats of "political games". "We're done being lectured on transparency," the Republican congressman from Louisiana said. The decision to bring forward the summer recess gives Johnson times to mend cracks within the Republican party over how to manage disclosures in the Epstein case. Factions of Trump's Make America Great Again (Maga) movement have been incensed by the justice department and FBI's conclusion on 6 July that Epstein did not have a so-called client list that could implicate high-profile associates, and that he did take his own life. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously served as Trump's personal attorney in his 2024 criminal trial, said that assessment "remains accurate". His statement noted that a recent, thorough review of FBI records related to the Epstein case uncovered "no evidence to predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties". "This Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead," Blanche said. He confirmed plans to meet Maxwell "soon." "If Ghislaine Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say," he added. Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office, President Trump said interviewing Maxwell "sounds appropriate to do" adding: "I don't know anything about it." The justice department's meeting invitation has already been critiqued by some in the Maga world. Laura Loomer, a far-right influencer who has the ear of Trump, questioned why the Maxwell interview was not done "on day 1". "I guess what I want to know is whether the DOJ is basically saying they have never met with Ghislaine Maxwell to ask her or interview her about whether she has information about sex crimes committed against minors," Ms Loomer wrote on social media. Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died by suicide in a New York prison cell in 2019 while he was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Last week, Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to petition a court to release all relevant grand jury testimony in the case. Maxwell was found guilty of helping Epstein sexually abuse young girls. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June 2022. On Tuesday, her lawyer David Oscar Markus said in a statement: "We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case." Earlier this year, Maxwell urged the Supreme Court to review her case. The justice department pushed the court to reject that appeal last week. Throughout the course of Maxwell's 2022 trial, four women testified that they had been abused as minors at Epstein's homes in Florida, New York, New Mexico and the Virgin Islands. One of those women, Annie Farmer, said her only sense of justice came from the conviction of Maxwell. She told the BBC in an interview this week that the "rollercoaster" of the Epstein saga was a "real weight" on accusers, adding that too much focus has been paid to the abusers with little new information emerging, leaving her feeling "used". — BBC
