Macron to Defend Europe in US Talks Next Week, Minister Says
French President Emmanuel Macron will defend Europe's interests regarding Ukraine when he meets US President Donald Trump in Washington next week, a French minister said.
'He will come to speak for the Europeans and the security of Europe,' the French minister for European affairs, Benjamin Haddad, said in an interview with LCI TV on Thursday. Haddad added that Ukraine's future can't be decided without the Ukrainians and the Europeans.
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Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Democrats react to Trump's push for Texas redistricting
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — After reports of President Donald Trump convening a meeting Monday with members of the Texas congressional delegation, Texas Democrats say it shows the party is worried about potential losses in 2026. A report in the New York Times detailed a White House meeting in which the president pushed Texas congressmen to pursue a mid-decade redistricting effort. Republicans who spoke to both the Times and the Texas Tribune did not seem keen on the idea, which would require Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session of the legislature. None of the 25 Republicans who represent Texas in the U.S. House responded to requests for comment, but a source close to the situation confirmed to KXAN that a meeting at the White House will take place Thursday. Changing the congressional map to advantage the GOP would likely require splitting up districts which currently lean heavily toward one party to create more competitive seats, a move that could backfire if Democrats have a good year in 2026. However, changes to the congressional districts in large metro areas like Houston or Dallas could net Republicans some seats without throwing any of their own into jeopardy. And even without redistricting, Republicans have clear pickup opportunities in Texas' 28th and 34th congressional districts — two south Texas districts which swung heavily to Trump in 2024. The current Texas congressional map is already overwhelmingly Republican, with 25 Republicans to 12 Democrats, though one heavily-Democratic seat is vacant. That leaves Republicans with nearly 66% of seats in a state in which Trump received 56% of the vote. Democrats say that the current map is already unfair, and a mid-decade redraw would be a sign of desperation for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms. State Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, said that Republicans' policies have been unpopular and that the GOP is trying to minimize losses in next year's House races. 'Donald Trump is desperate to cling on to the power that he's had, and he knows just how upset people are about what the Republicans have done in just a few months that they've been in office,' Wu said. 'People are pissed, and they know what's coming.' Wu cited policies passed out of the legislature in Texas, including a ban on all hemp-derived THC products as well as the school voucher program, championed by Abbott, as ways lawmakers have ignored voters. He attributed this to the safe districts which exist under the current maps. The congressional districts drawn in Texas currently do not favor competition — just two House races were decided by fewer than 14 points in the 2024 elections. The current maps — including for the state legislature — are undergoing litigation in El Paso over allegations that the maps were drawn to disadvantage Black and Latino voters. The Supreme Court has shown opposition to racial gerrymandering in recent years, striking down maps in Alabama and Louisiana for disadvantaging Black voters in those states. Wu described the current map as a 'racial gerrymander' and said that if Republicans want to draw an even more favorable map, they will likely succeed in doing so. This would not be the first time Republicans have attempted mid-decade redistricting in Texas. Back in 2003, as Texas was quickly changing from Democratic to Republican, the legislature redrew the maps to heavily advantage the GOP. Democrats lost five seats in the 2004 elections as a result. Democrats then walked out to try and prevent Republicans from meeting quorum and being able to vote on the maps. When asked what should be done about it in the event Republicans try it again, Wu did not give a clear answer, but accused Republicans of playing politics. 'Anytime you hear them talk about redistricting, especially if it's in the middle of the cycle, all this is about political games and trying to destroy our democracy,' Wu said. Congressman Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, also did not give a clear strategy, but said he has faith in the Austin-area Democrats. 'I hope they will do everything they can to protect the interest of our neighbors in Central Texas and not let some radical gerrymandering occur just because President Trump is desperate to be protected,' Doggett said. Any attempt by Republicans to redraw the maps would need to happen soon, with the filing deadline for the 2026 primary elections coming up at the end of the year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'No Kings' Detroit rally: What to know about the anti-Trump rally
The Brief Protests against the Trump administration are planned nationwide for Saturday, June 14. The protests coincide with President Donald Trump's birthday, Flag Day, and the U.S. Army's 250th birthday celebration. A protest at Clark Park in Detroit is one of dozens planned in Michigan. Hundreds of "No Kings Day" protests are planned across the U.S. - including in Michigan - on Saturday, June 14 to protest the Trump administration's policies. The 'No Kings' rally takes place nationwide on Saturday, June 14 and coincides with Flag Day and a massive military parade in Washington, D.C. to honor the 250th birthday of the Army and the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump. The parade will feature approximately 6,600 soldiers, 150 military vehicles, and 50 helicopters, according to the Associated Press. While the government plans the celebration, opponents of Trump and his administration are planning what they call a "nationwide day of defiance." What they're saying "In America, we don't put up with would-be kings." According to organizers, NO KINGS is a national day of action and mobilization in response to "increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies." Several grassroots political organizations — including 50501, Indivisible and Stand Up America — are joining forces June 14 "to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings," the site said. The Detroit rally is schedule for June 14 at 1 p.m. at Clark Park but there are dozens of other planned protests across Michigan, which are all listed on the organization's site here. The backstory The protests are in affiliation with the national coalition "50 Protest, 50 States, One Movement (50501)" and dozens of grassroots groups including Indivisible, American Federation of Teachers, Black Voters Matter, National Action Network, and Social Security Works. The movement is inspired by the "Hands Off!" and May Day demonstrations across the U.S. Organizers said action is being taken to reject the notion the country is ruled by a "king" and to show what democracy looks like: "people, united, refusing to be ruled." "This country doesn't belong to a king — and we're not letting him throw himself a parade funded by tens of millions of our taxpayer dollars while stealing from us and stripping away our rights, our freedoms, and the programs our families rely on," the release stated. The other side While speaking at Fort Bragg this week, Trump said Saturday would be a "big day" and noted "we want to show off a little bit." "We're going to celebrate our greatness and our achievements," he said. "This week, we honor 250 years of valor and glory and triumph by the greatest fighting force ever to walk the face of the Earth: the United States Army." Dig deeper Veterans are divided over the Army's big parade. Christopher Purdy, an Army veteran who served in Iraq, called the parade a facade that paints over some of the Republican president's policies that have targeted military veterans and current service members, including cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs and a ban on transgender troops. "It's embarrassing," said Purdy, 40, of Atlanta. "It's expensive. And whatever his reasons are for doing it, I think it's entirely unnecessary." Joe Plenzler, a retired Marine who fought in Iraq, said Trump wants to see troops saluting him on his birthday as tanks roll past. "It's just suspicious," the 53-year-old from Middletown, Virginia, said of the timing. "I absolutely love the Army from the bottom of my cold black Marine heart," he said. "But if the Army's birthday was a day later, we probably wouldn't be doing it. I'd rather see that $50 million take care of the men and women who went off to war and came back with missing arms, legs and eyeballs, and with damaged brains." For Gulf War Army veteran Paul Sullivan, Trump and the parade are inextricably linked. "This Trump tank travesty is all about stroking Trump's ego," said Sullivan, 62, who lives outside Charlottesville, Virginia. "If Trump truly cared about our service members, he would sit down with them quietly and say, 'What can we do with $50 million or $100 million to make your lives better?' He's not." The Source Information for this story was provided by the No Kings website and the Associated Press.
USA Today
39 minutes ago
- USA Today
Trump 'gold card' website opens. Here's how to join the $5 million waitlist
Trump 'gold card' website opens. Here's how to join the $5 million waitlist Show Caption Hide Caption Trump wants to sell $5 million 'gold cards' as path to citizenship President Donald Trump says he wants to offer wealthy immigrants "gold cards" that would give a pathway to citizenship in exchange for a $5 million purchase price. President Donald Trump's long-touted "gold card," which offers foreigners a path to U.S. citizenship after paying $5 million to the government, is open for business. But even if you have the money, there's a waitlist at And read the fine print carefully: Your $5 million doesn't buy you immediate citizenship. Trump has said that he is not seeking approval from Congress as he is not providing gold card buyers with citizenship - only a path to citizenship. The path to citizenship requirements for card buyers are unclear and White House officials have said more details will be provided soon. The most common path to U.S. citizenship through naturalization is being a lawful permanent resident for at least five years. It requires the applicant to be least 18 years old when they apply, be able to read, write, and speak basic English (depending on age) and be of "good moral character." Trump has described the card, which he has also dubbed the Trump card, as 'somewhat like a green card, but at a higher level of sophistication.' 'FOR FIVE MILLION $DOLLARS, THE TRUMP CARD IS COMING!,' President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on June 11. 'Thousands have been calling and asking how they can sign up to ride a beautiful road in gaining access to the Greatest Country and Market anywhere in the World.' The website shows an image of the gold-colored card, emblazoned with a likeness of Trump's face, and asks a few questions including name, region, email address and if an applicant is applying for themselves or as a business. The new website asks interested people to fill out a form that specifies eight regions: Europe, Asia (including Middle East), North America, Oceania, Central America, South America, Caribbean and Africa. Other countries also offer immigration programs that offers permanent residency or citizenship to foreign investors in exchange for investment. Portugal, for example, offers residency and a path to EU citizenship after five years. When he first floated the idea in February, Trump said the card would replace the "EB-5" immigrant investor green card visa program, The EB-5 visa allows immigrant investors the option to invest between $800,000 and $1.05 million to obtain a green card. The investment money is used to help create or preserve U.S. jobs. 'Wealthy people will be coming into our country by buying this card,' Trump said in February. 'They'll be wealthy, and they'll be successful, and they'll be spending a lot of money, and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people.' 'It's a road to citizenship for people and essentially people of wealth or people of great talent where people of wealth pay for those people of talent to get in,' he said. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal
