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NBC News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
As lawmakers leave Washington, Democrats declare an 'Epstein recess': From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today's edition, we dive into how Democrats are continuing to put Republicans on Capitol Hill in a tough spot on the Epstein files. Plus, Jonathan Allen explores the potential power shift the saga has revealed in the GOP-led House. — Adam Wollner As lawmakers leave town, Democrats declare an 'Epstein recess' As the House prepared to leave Washington for its summer recess, Democrats were united around one goal: forcing Republicans over and over again to confront the Epstein issue. Kyle Stewart and Syedah Asghar report that across several committees Wednesday, Democrats brought up amendments on whether the government's files on the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein should be released. It's part of a broader effort by Democrats to capitalize on a pain point for Republicans, a rare moment when President Donald Trump appears to be out of step with his base. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., ultimately canceled the House's final day of votes before recess after Democrats ground a key organizing committee to a halt with Epstein amendments. (More on that below.) Members now head home to their districts for what Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called 'the Epstein recess.' The flurry of Democratic amendment offerings in the House succeeded in one case Wednesday. A motion by Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., to compel the Justice Department to release files tied to Epstein was approved in a House Oversight subcommittee hearing. A committee spokesperson later said the subpoena will be issued but did not provide timing. Lee's motion attracted the votes of three Republicans, who joined with five Democrats to pass it. In the Senate: Sens. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., sparred over competing Epstein-related resolutions on the Senate floor this afternoon, Brennan Leach reports. Gallego accused House Republicans of 'fleeing' D.C. to punt on accountability on Epstein. 'What we're simply wanting to do here is give [Trump] cover,' Mullin said, accusing Democrats of using the Epstein files to 'go after' the president. And in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Cory Booker, D-N.J., argued over a resolution to force the release of the Epstein files, which Booker ultimately withdrew, Frank Thorp V notes. At the White House: Meanwhile, Trump and his aides have settled on silence as a strategy to stamp out criticism of his refusal to release files detailing the federal government's investigation of Epstein, according to a senior administration official and Republicans familiar with the White House's thinking. Jonathan Allen, Matt Dixon, Henry J. Gomez, Allan Smith and Natasha Korecki report that in a break from Trump's usual crisis communications template — which emphasizes an all-hands-on-deck approach to defending him on television and on social media — the Epstein case has been met with more restraint from the White House. Trump himself has signaled that he doesn't want members of his administration talking about the matter nonstop, a person close to the White House told NBC News. And White House aides have made it clear that no one in the administration is allowed to talk about Epstein without high-level vetting, according to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The latest: Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Ghislaine Maxwell and Maxwell's attorneys met in a conference room inside the U.S. attorney's office in the federal courthouse in Tallahassee, Michael Kosnar reports. The Epstein saga reveals a potential power shift in the House Analysis by Jonathan Allen House Speaker Mike Johnson is getting battered by his own right arm — the Rules Committee. The panel, which controls which measures receive votes on the House floor, rebelled against the Louisiana Republican this week as GOP leaders tried to stop lawmakers from demanding the release of the Justice Department's Jeffrey Epstein files. At an impasse, and unable to move forward with any legislation, Johnson sent the House home early for its August recess. It seems like the Epstein matter has been delayed rather than killed. But on a broader level, the Rules Committee revolt represents a significant potential power shift in the chamber. For more than 60 years, the panel has been considered an arm of the speakership — with the majority-party's leader handpicking its chair and members. In 1961, the committee, then dominated by the chamber's bipartisan conservative bloc, was its own rogue source of power. The chairman, Rep. Howard Smith, D-Va., opposed newly elected President John F. Kennedy's New Frontier agenda — especially its civil rights plank. Then-Speaker Sam Rayburn, a Texan, wanted to help Kennedy and forced a crucial vote on the House floor to pack the committee with three additional members — two Democrats and Illinois Republican Elmer Hoffman — who were amenable to civil rights. In a nail-biter that consumed the Capitol and national news pages at the time, Rayburn beat Smith on the floor, 217-212, and broke the committee's stranglehold. Over decades, the committee not only lost its independence, it became the speaker's tool. But conservative Republicans in recent years have forced GOP leaders to appoint more of their own to the ranks of the committee's roster, and the seeds of that play for power are now blooming. History suggests that the less power the speaker has, the more likely the House is to pass bills — or kill them — based on the sentiments of the majority of House members, rather than the diktats of the majority party's leadership. It's too early to say that the pendulum is swinging back toward independence for the committee, but this week's activity shows that it is stirring. 🗞️ Today's other top stories 👀 Paying a visit: Trump used a rare visit to the Federal Reserve to renew his pressure on Chair Jerome Powell, telling reporters that costs to renovate the Fed's buildings were exorbitant. Read more → 🔴 Rallying the base: Republican operatives are planning to use the prospect of Trump facing a third impeachment if Democrats win control of the House to motivate their base in the midterms. Read more → 🗳️ 2026 watch: Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley intends to run for Senate in North Carolina and would have the White House's full support, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News. Lara Trump also announced she would not run for the seat. Read more → 🗳️ 2026 watch, cont: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced he will not seek a third term next year, a move that will set off a wide-open race to replace him in one of the nation's most closely divided battleground states. Read more → 🔀 Staff shakeup: Virginia Republican Winsome Earle-Sears has hired a new campaign manager as she tries to find her footing in this year's gubernatorial race. Read more → ⚖️ SCOTUS watch: The Supreme Court blocked an appeals court ruling that would gut a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. Read more → 🏫 Trump v. Columbia: Columbia University will pay $200 million to the federal government to restore the majority of funding that was cut by the Trump administration over allegations it violated anti-discrimination laws. Read more → ➡️ Heading toward the exits: Antonio Gracias, a high-ranking DOGE volunteer who was simultaneously managing nearly $2 billion in assets for nine public pension funds, has left the government. Read more → 📝 Pen to paper: Trump signed an executive order prohibiting 'third party, pay-for-play' payments to college athletes and another aimed at removing homeless populations in cities.
NBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- NBC News
How Trump is shaping the midterm map: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today's edition, we take a look at how President Donald Trump is steering GOP lawmakers away from statewide bids with an eye on protecting the House majority. Plus, Andrea Mitchell breaks down the latest chapter in the Trump administration's attempts to shift attention away from the Epstein files. — Adam Wollner How Trump is shaping the midterm map A trio of Republican members of Congress have in recent days declined to seek a higher office, developments that could not only help their party avoid messy statewide primaries, but shore up battleground districts as they aim to protect their fragile House majority in 2026. And in all three cases, President Donald Trump played a key role. New York: After toying with a gubernatorial bid for months, GOP Rep. Mike Lawler announced today he would not challenge New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and instead run for re-election. The decision comes as a relief to Republicans, who feared Lawler's Hudson Valley district — one of three they represent that Kamala Harris won in the 2024 election — would be even more at risk without an incumbent on the ballot. Trump and GOP leaders had been trying to steer Lawler away from the governor's race, with the president even endorsing him for re-election in May before he made up his mind. Lawler said on ' Meet the Press NOW ' that he met with Trump, who 'offered his perspective that he believes the right thing to do is to run for re-election.' 'But ultimately it was my decision,' Lawler added. Lawler's move could also clear the way for Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Trump ally who has been weighing a gubernatorial run after her nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations was pulled earlier this year. Stefanik said today she'd announce her plans after this fall's elections. Michigan: Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga also announced today he would not run for the Senate, averting a primary clash with former Rep. Mike Rogers in the swing state. Huizenga said he made the decision 'in consultation with President Trump.' But notably, he did not say whether he'd run for another term in his southwest Michigan district, which the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter rates as 'likely Republican.' Still, the announcement is welcome news for Rogers and the Senate GOP leaders who are supporting him as he seeks the seat Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is vacating. Trump has not yet endorsed a candidate in the race, although he is expected to back Rogers soon, two Republican sources told NBC News. Iowa: Earlier this month, GOP Rep. Zach Nunn passed on a bid for Iowa governor after speaking with Trump. Nunn, whom Trump praised as a 'team player,' is instead running again in his southwest Iowa district, which he won by 4 points last year and is expected to be among Democrats' top targets next year. Gov. Kim Reynolds' decision to not seek re-election could lead to a crowded Republican field. One of Nunn's colleagues, Rep. Randy Feenstra, who represents a safer district, is exploring a bid. Looking ahead: Plenty of challenges still await Republican leaders and Trump, who has been steadily rolling out endorsements throughout the year, as the midterm map takes shape. Heading into the summer congressional recess, they will work to ensure that incumbents in key states and districts run for re-election. And they are still searching for candidates in critical Senate races in Georgia and North Carolina. North Carolina: Speaking of the Tar Heel State, Democrats are poised to score a prized recruit for the seat held by retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis. Former Gov. Roy Cooper is set to enter the race, according to two sources familiar with his plans. The latest chapter in Trump's distraction strategy President Donald Trump and his Cabinet have been busy this week declassifying reports and levying a flurry of controversial accusations. The timing has aroused suspicions of a larger strategy. Case in point: Today's appearance by the head of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, in the White House briefing room to amplify Trump's unfounded accusation that former President Obama committed 'treason' to rig the elections in 2016 and 2020. Treason is defined as attempting to overthrow the government by waging war against the state, or materially aiding its enemies. Trump is basing his charge on a widely discredited 2020 Republican House intelligence report that excluded Democratic committee members, differing from an earlier, bipartisan and unanimous Senate report led by then-Intelligence Committee Chairman Marco Rubio — now, of course, Trump's secretary of state and national security adviser. Still, Gabbard has referred Obama for possible criminal prosecution, creating headlines despite no indication of an error in the intelligence assessments or wrongdoing. Even if there were, Obama would likely have immunity based on last year's Supreme Court's decision that presidents cannot be prosecuted for offenses while in office. Plus, Trump's own special prosecutor found no reason to file charges after a three-year investigation. Also striking was the sudden release of secret files on Martin Luther King Jr. The files had been under a court-ordered seal since 1977, but Trump signed an order in January to take steps to make them public. On Monday, thousands of pages were released with no advance notice — while King's family was still reading them, hoping to redact unsubstantiated claims about MLK's personal life. Critics said the White House was resurrecting old conspiracy theories to distract from the furor over Trump's failure to release the Epstein files. Adding to the cacophony was the president's social media exhumation of a settled dispute over the name of Washington's NFL team. Known for almost a century as the 'Redskins,' in 2022 the team was renamed the 'Commanders' to satisfy many Native American tribes. But now Trump is threatening to block the team's return to Washington from the suburbs if it doesn't reclaim its old name. That would be a nonstarter with local officials who have to approve the team's move — and hardly a distraction to diehard D.C. football fans. 🗞️ Today's other top stories ⚖️ Epstein fallout, part 1: A federal judge in Florida ruled that the court's 'hands are tied' in releasing federal grand jury transcripts from 2005 and 2007 in connection with an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Read more → 📃 Epstein fallout, part 2: The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell for a deposition to occur from prison in Tallahassee on Aug. 11. Read more → ☑️ Epstein fallout, part 3: A House Oversight subcommittee voted to subpoena the Justice Department for its complete Epstein files, with the names of victims redacted. Read more → ⚖️ SCOTUS watch: The Supreme Court allowed Trump to fire members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a federal agency set up by Congress to be independent of political pressures. Read more → 🇯🇵 We have a deal: Trump said that his administration reached a deal with Japan, one of the largest U.S. trading partners, to lower its tariff rate to 15% as part of a sweeping trade agreement. Read more → 🔎 New probe: The State Department said it launched an investigation into Harvard University's compliance with the government-run visa program for international students. It's the latest effort by the Trump administration to prevent the university from enrolling international students. Read more → 🗽 New frontiers: The calls from some Republicans to strip Zohran Mamdani's citizenship are sparking alarm about Trump weaponizing denaturalization. Read more → 🗳️ 2025 watch: This year's gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey will provide an initial test of how Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' plays on the campaign trail. Read more → 🇺🇦 Protests in Ukraine: Ukrainians took to the streets over a law signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that curbs the country's top two anti-corruption agencies. Read more →
NBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
The Epstein saga continues to affect Washington: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. Happy Tuesday! In today's edition, our Congress team breaks down how the Jeffrey Epstein saga is freezing up the House of Representatives. And speaking of the House, Steve Kornacki analyzes how mid-decade redistricting by Republicans in a few key states could alter the math of the midterms. — Scott Bland House cancels last day of votes before summer break as Epstein consumes Capitol Hill By Scott Wong, Kyle Stewart and Syedah Asghar The GOP-controlled House is cutting short its last workweek before the summer recess because of a fight on Capitol Hill over the release of the government's files on the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The House was scheduled to hold votes on Thursday before lawmakers departed for their five-week recess. But Republican leaders informed rank-and-file lawmakers on Tuesday that the final vote of the week would now be a day earlier, on Wednesday afternoon. The shift in schedule occurred because of a standoff on the Rules Committee, which decides how legislation comes to the floor but has been ground to a halt by the Epstein issue. The panel, which is closely aligned with Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., typically passes a rule for legislation on Monday that sets up debate and allows bills to come to the floor for the week. But Democrats had promised Monday to force the committee to take more votes on whether to require the Trump administration to release all remaining files from the Epstein case. To avoid embarrassing votes on Epstein, Republicans decided to recess the committee and not attempt to pass a rule for bills this week. Without a rule, Republicans would be left with nothing to vote on after Wednesday. The Epstein saga has dominated chatter on Capitol Hill for more than a week as many Trump supporters have clamored for the release of all documents related to the convicted sex offender and the president and his administration sought to downplay the issue. It appeared to be dying down in recent days, but the Trump administration breathed new life into the story Tuesday morning, when the Justice Department announced that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will meet with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell in the coming days. By Steve Kornacki In the coming weeks, Republicans in Texas and Ohio are expected to redraw their states' congressional maps. Their intent is transparent: to bolster their party's chances of protecting its super-slim House majority in next year's midterm elections. As it stands now, there are 220 Republican districts, meaning the party can afford a net loss of no more than two seats in 2026 and still keep the House. In theory, the redistricting effort could shift as many as eight seats from the Democratic to the GOP column, although the ultimate yield will depend on how aggressive the GOP gets — and how much the courts and voters will tolerate. It could also be offset by similar measures from Democrats in blue states like California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to do a redraw of his own but faces a far trickier process. Yet even if Republicans do emerge from a fresh round of redistricting with a batch of new, safe seats, it may still be woefully insufficient to keep the House, given the dramatic losses that the party in the White House often endures in midterm elections. It was during the first Trump presidency that the GOP coughed up a net 40 House seats in the 2018 midterms, easily losing control of the chamber. But the structure of the current Republican majority is much different than it was back in '18. Far fewer GOP seats now are in districts that are politically hostile to Trump and a far greater share are in politically safe Trump landslide districts. Nor are there as many marginal GOP incumbents in districts Trump carried only narrowly in the most recent presidential election. If successful, the redistricting push would amount to another big difference from 2018: It would give Republicans far more opportunities to play offense this time around.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
As Trump pursues his trade agenda, other countries' views shift on ties with China: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today's edition, Scott Bland breaks down new poll numbers that show the world's views shifting on China and the economy. Plus, Sahil Kapur examines how Republican members of Congress are hate-voting for certain pieces of legislation. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here. — Adam Wollner As Trump pursues his trade agenda, other countries' views shift on ties with China Analysis by Scott Bland President Donald Trump's first year back in the White House has coincided with some sharp changes in allied countries' assessments of the importance of Chinese economic ties. That's according to new data from surveys conducted in 25 countries by the Pew Research Center. Pew notes that the changing attitudes also reflect a rebound from low points in the immediate aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, which began in China. But the data also demonstrates how Trump's presidency and his trade agenda have sharply shifted public opinion in other nations — shifts that could have far-reaching effects for years. In particular, Pew asked whether it was more important for each country surveyed to have close economic ties with the U.S. or China. Generally, the share of respondents choosing China has grown in recent years, while the United States' share has shrunk. But two nations in particular stand out. There's Australia, which this week is hosting military exercises meant to signal strength against China. This year, Australian respondents said 53%-42% that having closer economic ties with China is more important. Four years ago, that was reversed — 52%-39% toward the U.S. And then there's Mexico, one of the biggest U.S. trading partners. Mexican survey respondents have long recognized the importance of the trade relationship with the U.S., but amid the back-and-forth on tariffs this year, they split on whether ties with the U.S. or China were more important. These opinions have shifted over time, and there's no telling where they'll go in the future. But as the U.S. tries to shift its trade policy and tries to counter China geopolitically, these surveys offer some early evidence of backlash in one realm that could affect the other. Republicans keep voting for bills they say they don't like By Sahil Kapur There's a new trend in Congress that has emerged in President Donald Trump's second term: Republican lawmakers across the ideological spectrum keep voting for bills they have publicly criticized. In some cases, GOP members of Congress have explicitly threatened to vote 'no' on bills they say are deeply flawed before eventually folding and voting 'yes.' In others, they warn bills they have voted for will require fixing down the road. A few notable examples: Medicaid: Two weeks after voting to pass a sweeping domestic policy bill that cuts Medicaid by about $1 trillion, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introduced a bill to repeal some of those cuts. 'Now is the time to prevent any future cuts to Medicaid from going into effect,' Hawley said in a statement. Hawley said he feared the party's megabill would cause long-term harm if the Medicaid cuts are fully implemented, but still voted for it because it will deliver more hospital money for Missouri in the first four years. 'You can't get everything you want in one piece of legislation. I like a lot of what we did. I don't like some of it,' he told reporters after unveiling his own measure on Tuesday. National debt: Nowhere has this dynamic been more pronounced than with the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, whose members have repeatedly threatened to oppose bills before acquiescing under pressure from Trump. With Trump's megabill, they complained about red ink: It's expected to add $3.3 trillion to the national debt over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. 'What the Senate did is unconscionable,' Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said in a Rules Committee meeting, vowing that 'I'll vote against it here and I'll vote against it on the floor.' He ultimately voted for that bill, unamended, after conservatives were told Congress would consider future bills to lower the debt. Rescissions: And in the run-up to the votes on a package to cancel $9 billion in previously approved funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, several Republicans expressed serious concerns with its substance, its deference to the executive branch and the damage it could do to bipartisan dealmaking on government funding in the future. 'I suspect we're going to find out there are some things that we're going to regret. Some second- and third-order effects. And I suspect that when we do, we'll have to come back and fix it,' said Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, before voting in favor of the bill. Bottom line: It isn't unusual for lawmakers to back legislation they call imperfect. But this year, that contrast has become more stark. It comes as Trump has solidified his grasp over the GOP base, resulting in lawmakers growing increasingly leery of crossing him and risking their political futures. Read more from Sahil → ✉️ Mailbag: Could Democrats undo the 'big, beautiful bill'? Thanks to everyone who emailed us! This week's reader question is on the future of the megabill President Donald Trump signed into law. 'If the Democrats gain control of both chambers of Congress how much of the Republicans bill can they change?' In theory, Democrats could change much, if not all, of what's in the new tax cut and spending law if they were in power in Washington, using the same party-line 'budget reconciliation' process Republicans just utilized. But they won't be in that position for a while — and they may not want to completely do away with the sweeping package. Let's start with the first point. Given Republicans' tiny majority in the chamber and the usual headwinds the party in power faces during a midterm, Democrats have a good shot at winning the control of the House next year. But the Senate is a different story. As we've written, Democrats face an uphill climb to the majority in 2026, and the 2028 map doesn't look much more favorable, with the number of states splitting their presidential and Senate tickets dwindling. Then of course, even if Democrats manage to take control of both chambers of Congress, they won't have an opportunity at the White House until 2028. As for the second point, there are a lot of aspects of the 'big, beautiful bill' Democrats would like to reverse, most notably the cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs. But there are others, such as 'no tax on tips,' that have garnered support from Democrats. And while Democrats support increasing the current tax rates on the top earners, they wouldn't want the 2017 tax cuts that the law extends to completely expire. That would mean tax hikes on middle- and lower-income Americans, too. 🗞️ Today's other top stories ✉️ Epstein fallout: Trump took legal action less than 24 hours after The Wall Street Journal published an article saying Trump sent a letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 that included a drawing of a naked woman. The Justice Department also filed a motion to unseal grand jury transcripts related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal case in Manhattan federal court. 📻 Stations in limbo: After Congress approved a package to cut funding for PBS and NPR, media advocates fear that local public broadcasters will be forced to downsize or shutter, which could have an outsize impact on rural areas. Read more → 🩺 Health care hikes: People who get health insurance through the Affordable Care Act could soon see their monthly premiums sharply increase as subsidies expire and insurers propose a major premium hike for 2026. Read more → 🪙 Crypto crunch: Trump signed the GENIUS Act, the first piece of federal legislation regulating stablecoins, a form of cryptocurrency, into law after it passed through Congress with bipartisan support. Read more → 🤠 Texas two-step: Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin was set to travel to Houston today to meet with Texas Democrats to discuss how to fight back against Republican efforts to redraw the state's congressional maps. Read more → 🌴 Palmetto State dispatch: In conversations with more than a dozen Democrats across the South Carolina, a key presidential primary state, two themes emerged: They want someone ready to 'fight,' but they also want someone who can appeal across party lines. Read more → 🎥 End of an era: 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' will broadcast its final show in May, CBS said, adding that it's not continuing the franchise. Read more → Follow live politics updates → That's all From the Politics Desk for now. Today's newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Dylan Ebs. If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@ And if you're a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here. This article was originally published on
NBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- NBC News
As Trump pursues his trade agenda, other countries' views shift on ties with China: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today's edition, Scott Bland breaks down new poll numbers that show the world's views shifting on China and the economy. Plus, Sahil Kapur examines how Republican members of Congress are hate-voting for certain pieces of legislation. — Adam Wollner As Trump pursues his trade agenda, other countries' views shift on ties with China Analysis by Scott Bland President Donald Trump's first year back in the White House has coincided with some sharp changes in allied countries' assessments of the importance of Chinese economic ties. That's according to new data from surveys conducted in 25 countries by the Pew Research Center. Pew notes that the changing attitudes also reflect a rebound from low points in the immediate aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, which began in China. But the data also demonstrates how Trump's presidency and his trade agenda have sharply shifted public opinion in other nations — shifts that could have far-reaching effects for years. In particular, Pew asked whether it was more important for each country surveyed to have close economic ties with the U.S. or China. Generally, the share of respondents choosing China has grown in recent years, while the United States' share has shrunk. But two nations in particular stand out. There's Australia, which this week is hosting military exercises meant to signal strength against China. This year, Australian respondents said 53%-42% that having closer economic ties with China is more important. Four years ago, that was reversed — 52%-39% toward the U.S. And then there's Mexico, one of the biggest U.S. trading partners. Mexican survey respondents have long recognized the importance of the trade relationship with the U.S., but amid the back-and-forth on tariffs this year, they split on whether ties with the U.S. or China were more important. These opinions have shifted over time, and there's no telling where they'll go in the future. But as the U.S. tries to shift its trade policy and tries to counter China geopolitically, these surveys offer some early evidence of backlash in one realm that could affect the other. Republicans keep voting for bills they say they don't like By Sahil Kapur There's a new trend in Congress that has emerged in President Donald Trump's second term: Republican lawmakers across the ideological spectrum keep voting for bills they have publicly criticized. In some cases, GOP members of Congress have explicitly threatened to vote 'no' on bills they say are deeply flawed before eventually folding and voting 'yes.' In others, they warn bills they have voted for will require fixing down the road. A few notable examples: Medicaid: Two weeks after voting to pass a sweeping domestic policy bill that cuts Medicaid by about $1 trillion, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introduced a bill to repeal some of those cuts. 'Now is the time to prevent any future cuts to Medicaid from going into effect,' Hawley said in a statement. Hawley said he feared the party's megabill would cause long-term harm if the Medicaid cuts are fully implemented, but still voted for it because it will deliver more hospital money for Missouri in the first four years. 'You can't get everything you want in one piece of legislation. I like a lot of what we did. I don't like some of it,' he told reporters after unveiling his own measure on Tuesday. National debt: Nowhere has this dynamic been more pronounced than with the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, whose members have repeatedly threatened to oppose bills before acquiescing under pressure from Trump. With Trump's megabill, they complained about red ink: It's expected to add $3.3 trillion to the national debt over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. 'What the Senate did is unconscionable,' Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said in a Rules Committee meeting, vowing that 'I'll vote against it here and I'll vote against it on the floor.' He ultimately voted for that bill, unamended, after conservatives were told Congress would consider future bills to lower the debt. Rescissions: And in the run-up to the votes on a package to cancel $9 billion in previously approved funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, several Republicans expressed serious concerns with its substance, its deference to the executive branch and the damage it could do to bipartisan dealmaking on government funding in the future. 'I suspect we're going to find out there are some things that we're going to regret. Some second- and third-order effects. And I suspect that when we do, we'll have to come back and fix it,' said Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, before voting in favor of the bill. Bottom line: It isn't unusual for lawmakers to back legislation they call imperfect. But this year, that contrast has become more stark. It comes as Trump has solidified his grasp over the GOP base, resulting in lawmakers growing increasingly leery of crossing him and risking their political futures. Thanks to everyone who emailed us! This week's reader question is on the future of the megabill President Donald Trump signed into law. 'If the Democrats gain control of both chambers of Congress how much of the Republicans bill can they change?' In theory, Democrats could change much, if not all, of what's in the new tax cut and spending law if they were in power in Washington, using the same party-line 'budget reconciliation' process Republicans just utilized. But they won't be in that position for a while — and they may not want to completely do away with the sweeping package. Let's start with the first point. Given Republicans' tiny majority in the chamber and the usual headwinds the party in power faces during a midterm, Democrats have a good shot at winning the control of the House next year. But the Senate is a different story. As we've written, Democrats face an uphill climb to the majority in 2026, and the 2028 map doesn't look much more favorable, with the number of states splitting their presidential and Senate tickets dwindling. Then of course, even if Democrats manage to take control of both chambers of Congress, they won't have an opportunity at the White House until 2028. As for the second point, there are a lot of aspects of the 'big, beautiful bill' Democrats would like to reverse, most notably the cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs. But there are others, such as ' no tax on tips,' that have garnered support from Democrats. And while Democrats support increasing the current tax rates on the top earners, they wouldn't want the 2017 tax cuts that the law extends to completely expire. That would mean tax hikes on middle- and lower-income Americans, too. 🗞️ Today's other top stories ✉️ Epstein fallout: Trump took legal action less than 24 hours after The Wall Street Journal published an article saying Trump sent a letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 that included a drawing of a naked woman. The Justice Department also filed a motion to unseal grand jury transcripts related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal case in Manhattan federal court. 📻 Stations in limbo: After Congress approved a package to cut funding for PBS and NPR, media advocates fear that local public broadcasters will be forced to downsize or shutter, which could have an outsize impact on rural areas. Read more → 🩺 Health care hikes: People who get health insurance through the Affordable Care Act could soon see their monthly premiums sharply increase as subsidies expire and insurers propose a major premium hike for 2026. Read more → 🪙 Crypto crunch: Trump signed the GENIUS Act, the first piece of federal legislation regulating stablecoins, a form of cryptocurrency, into law after it passed through Congress with bipartisan support. Read more → 🤠 Texas two-step: Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin was set to travel to Houston today to meet with Texas Democrats to discuss how to fight back against Republican efforts to redraw the state's congressional maps. Read more → 🌴 Palmetto State dispatch: In conversations with more than a dozen Democrats across the South Carolina, a key presidential primary state, two themes emerged: They want someone ready to 'fight,' but they also want someone who can appeal across party lines. Read more →
