Jen Psaki makes fun of Chuck Schumer's ‘very strong' letter to Trump on Stephen Colbert
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Politico
4 hours ago
- Politico
Senate votes down Israel arms sales ban, despite growing Democrat support
The Senate on Wednesday voted down a resolution to bar U.S. arms sales to Israel, exposing new divisions among Democrats and highlighting rising frustration with the country's conduct in Gaza. The first of two votes pushed by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders — which came to 27-70 — renewed efforts to halt American weapons transfers in protest of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Democrats split on the vote, with 12 new supporters who previously backed arms sales to Israel. 'This resolution is absolutely necessary because the United States will have no credibility in the international community if we don't stand up against this,' said Sanders, an Independent. The effort coincided with growing international outrage, including rare criticism of Israel from President Donald Trump, who this week publicly contradicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's denial that Gaza is facing a hunger crisis. Britain, France and several other nations warned they would recognize Palestine as a state unless Israel takes steps to improve conditions in Gaza and commits to a long-term peace process. This marks the third time Sanders has forced a Senate vote on halting Israeli arms sales since late 2024, each time citing the toll on Palestinian civilians. New supporters included Maine Independent Sen. Angus King , who said this week he would no longer support Netanyahu's government because Israel appears to be using starvation as a weapon of war. 'I had just had it,' King said in an interview. 'I kept expecting that Israel would wake up and realize what an awful thing they were perpetuating, and that surely they would at least open up humanitarian aid. They just continued to not do it, and I just reached the point where enough was enough.' Other new supporters since April included Senate Foreign Relations Committee's ranking member Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Senate Armed Services ranking member Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Senate Appropriations ranking member Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). The Senate in April rejected two resolutions from Sanders aimed at blocking billions of dollars in arms sales to Israel. That time, it followed the collapse of a ceasefire in Gaza and was backed by just 15 senators. That was fewer than in November when 19 senators backed an Israel resolution. One of Wednesday's resolutions would have blocked the $676 million sale of 5,000 heavy duty bombs and 5,000 guidance kits for bombs. The other would have prohibited the sale of tens of thousands of fully automatic assault rifles. Sanders argued the arms transfers would 'clearly violate' U.S. legal requirements for foreign military sales because Israel has used weapons provided by Washington to kill thousands of Palestinian civilians. Senate Foreign Relations Chair Jim Risch (R-Idaho) defended the sales, arguing that Hamas, and not Israel, is perpetuating the war. 'These are misguided resolutions, and if adopted, would … abandon America's closest ally in the Middle East,' he said in a floor speech.
The Hill
6 hours ago
- The Hill
Could a Congressional stock trading ban become law this year?
It's back. The conversation around a potential congressional stock trading ban reignited Wednesday. A Senate committee advanced a measure, which President Trump later warned was a trap set by Democrats. When first asked about the measure, the president said he needed to see the details, but also called for an investigation into Nancy Pelosi. NewsNation's Blake Burman spoke with Rep Seth Magaziner (D-RI), who has bipartisan legislation addressing this issue.
New York Post
6 hours ago
- New York Post
MSNBC Democrats mock Cory Booker's ‘political theater' stunt on the Senate floor
Democratic MSNBC panelists mocked Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., on Wednesday for his recent grandstanding behavior on the Senate floor, arguing it was more about boosting his public image rather than solving problems. Booker accused his fellow Democratic senators on Tuesday of aligning themselves with Trump because they are in favor of passing new police legislation. Advertisement He claimed that without amendments, the legislation would allow the president to pick winners and losers in terms of who receives the benefits. 'That is complicity with an authoritarian leader who is trashing our country,' Booker said. 'It is time for Democrats to have a backbone. It's time for us to fight. It's time for us to draw a line, and when it comes to the safety of my state being denied these grants, that's why I'm standing here.' Panelists of MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' were not impressed. Advertisement 'Well, it's great theater that we just saw. Cory Booker, a good guy, standing up and yelling on the floor of the United States Senate,' MSNBC contributor Mike Barnicle said on Wednesday. 'What I don't understand is he's yelling at two other Democrats. The Democrats have enough problems in this country defining themselves to people, making sure people know they are alive, they are interested in your life, they are interested in you, solving problems.' 3 Sen. Cory Booker was mocked by several Democratic MSNBC panelists for his recent behavior on the Senate floor. MSNBC analyst and former Democratic senator Claire McCaskill argued that Booker is simply playing to the desires of the Democratic Party's base. Advertisement 'Here's what's going on. The Democratic base is starving for a fighter. They're starving for a fight,' she said. 'They want people to fight Donald Trump, because everyone is so frustrated and angry and depressed at everything he's doing and how he's doing it, and the cowardice of the Republicans across the aisle in the Senate who are knowingly doing terrible things and casting votes that I would never dreamt they would have cast, when I was serving with them in the Senate.' 3 Booker accused his fellow constituents for aligning themselves with President Trump as they want certain police legislation passed. MSNBC But there's another key aspect to this as well, she said, defending Democrats like Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., as people trying to do the best they can under the Trump administration. Advertisement 'On the other side, you have Cory Booker unfairly criticizing two strong Democrats that are doing everything they can in their power to fight Donald Trump. And, you know, Amy's right. There's a way to change a bill. And then there's a way to get in the opening segment of 'Morning Joe' and on the front page of The New York Times. And Cory chose the latter, rather than the former,' she said. 'He knew if he did this, it would be a viral moment, and he would be associated with Democrats who are willing to fight.' 3 Ex-Sen. Claire McCaskill was among the multiple MSNBC analysts appearing on 'Morning Joe' who ridiculed Booker's recent behavior. MSNBC 'Meanwhile, this bill didn't impact funding, and there probably was not the leverage to do what Cory would like to do, which is defy Donald Trump, because we don't have the votes in the Senate,' McCaskill said. She later added, 'Cory knows we don't have the votes in the Senate to do what the base wants us to do. So the way he criticized his colleagues is really unusual, kind of unheard of, and frankly, to me, a little worrisome, with what we have in front of us and the fights we have to — the Democratic Party needs to wage next year in the midterms.' Fox News' Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
