Latest news with #Plankey
30-07-2025
- Politics
Senate committee advances Trump nominee to lead cybersecurity agency that protects election systems
NEW YORK -- A U.S. Senate committee voted Wednesday to advance President Donald Trump's pick to lead the agency that secures the nation's critical infrastructure, including election systems. Members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 9-6 to recommend Sean Plankey 's nomination for director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, known as CISA, which sits under the Department of Homeland Security. The agency has been dealing with workforce and funding cuts, as well as criticism from Republicans over some of its election-related activities. Plankey, who retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2023, worked in the first Trump administration as a director for cyber policy at the National Security Council and then as a principal deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy. If confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, he will inherit an agency that has been mired in partisan tensions over the role it should play in combating false claims about voting or election fraud. Those claims have led to a lack of trust among Republicans in election workers and voting machines since Trump started lying about widespread fraud leading to his loss in the 2020 election. A majority of Republicans still believe that Democrat Joe Biden was not legitimately elected president in 2020. CISA is tasked with protecting the nation's critical infrastructure, from dams and power plants to banks and voting systems. It has received praise from state election officials of both parties for its work protecting those systems. But it also has been sharply criticized by Republicans who claim its efforts to counter misinformation about elections and the COVID-19 pandemic veered into censorship. During her Senate hearing in January to be homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem said the agency had strayed 'far off mission.' CISA officials have said they were never engaged in censorship and only worked with states in 2020 to help them notify social media companies about misinformation spreading on their platforms. They said the agency did not instruct or try to coerce those companies to act. CISA worked with other federal agencies in 2024 to alert the public to various foreign misinformation campaigns related to the election. During his July 24 confirmation hearing, Plankey faced some pointed questions about election security. When Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., asked him if the 2020 election was rigged and stolen, Plankey did not answer directly. Instead, he said he had not reviewed that election's cybersecurity and that his personal opinions were not relevant. He acknowledged that Biden's victory was confirmed by the Electoral College and that he was sworn in. Blumenthal then pressed Plankey on what he would do if Trump later pushed him to falsely claim the 2026 or 2028 elections were rigged. 'Senator, as a cybersecurity professional, these are state-run elections,' Plankey answered. 'I have not reviewed the cybersecurity posture of all 50 states. That's like a doctor who's diagnosing somebody over the television because they saw him on the news.' 'No," Blumenthal replied. "It's like a doctor who has a patient come to him and is responsible for doing the diagnosis.' The senator called Plankey's answers 'unsatisfactory' and accused him of 'undermining the confidence of the nation in the election apparatus.' Plankey also will face a challenge leading an agency that is undergoing structural changes during Trump's second term. That includes funding and workforce cuts and the pausing of election security work pending a Homeland Security review. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., asked Plankey how he would ensure the agency's statutory requirements are met, given the expected multimillion-dollar budget cuts and personnel leaving the agency. The nominee said he had learned through his leadership experience to 'allow the operators to operate' and praised the cybersecurity capabilities of the agency's staff. He said he would reorganize CISA or ask for more money if needed. Plankey's advancement comes as the ranking Democrats on the House and Senate committees overseeing elections have sent multiple letters to CISA leadership requesting information about its workforce cuts and the status of its efforts to support election infrastructure. They have not received a response. investigate former CISA head Chris Krebs and strip his security clearances. Krebs became a target of Trump's ire after he insisted the 2020 election was secure and that ballot counts were accurate.
San Francisco Chronicle
30-07-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Senate committee advances Trump nominee to lead cybersecurity agency that protects election systems
NEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. Senate committee voted Wednesday to advance President Donald Trump's pick to lead the agency that secures the nation's critical infrastructure, including election systems. Members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 9-6 to recommend Sean Plankey 's nomination for director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, known as CISA, which sits under the Department of Homeland Security. The agency has been dealing with workforce and funding cuts, as well as criticism from Republicans over some of its election-related activities. Plankey, who retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2023, worked in the first Trump administration as a director for cyber policy at the National Security Council and then as a principal deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy. If confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, he will inherit an agency that has been mired in partisan tensions over the role it should play in combating false claims about voting or election fraud. Those claims have led to a lack of trust among Republicans in election workers and voting machines since Trump started lying about widespread fraud leading to his loss in the 2020 election. A majority of Republicans still believe that Democrat Joe Biden was not legitimately elected president in 2020. CISA is tasked with protecting the nation's critical infrastructure, from dams and power plants to banks and voting systems. It has received praise from state election officials of both parties for its work protecting those systems. But it also has been sharply criticized by Republicans who claim its efforts to counter misinformation about elections and the COVID-19 pandemic veered into censorship. During her Senate hearing in January to be homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem said the agency had strayed 'far off mission.' CISA officials have said they were never engaged in censorship and only worked with states in 2020 to help them notify social media companies about misinformation spreading on their platforms. They said the agency did not instruct or try to coerce those companies to act. CISA worked with other federal agencies in 2024 to alert the public to various foreign misinformation campaigns related to the election. During his July 24 confirmation hearing, Plankey faced some pointed questions about election security. When Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., asked him if the 2020 election was rigged and stolen, Plankey did not answer directly. Instead, he said he had not reviewed that election's cybersecurity and that his personal opinions were not relevant. He acknowledged that Biden's victory was confirmed by the Electoral College and that he was sworn in. Blumenthal then pressed Plankey on what he would do if Trump later pushed him to falsely claim the 2026 or 2028 elections were rigged. 'Senator, as a cybersecurity professional, these are state-run elections,' Plankey answered. 'I have not reviewed the cybersecurity posture of all 50 states. That's like a doctor who's diagnosing somebody over the television because they saw him on the news.' 'No," Blumenthal replied. "It's like a doctor who has a patient come to him and is responsible for doing the diagnosis.' The senator called Plankey's answers 'unsatisfactory' and accused him of 'undermining the confidence of the nation in the election apparatus.' Plankey also will face a challenge leading an agency that is undergoing structural changes during Trump's second term. That includes funding and workforce cuts and the pausing of election security work pending a Homeland Security review. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., asked Plankey how he would ensure the agency's statutory requirements are met, given the expected multimillion-dollar budget cuts and personnel leaving the agency. The nominee said he had learned through his leadership experience to 'allow the operators to operate' and praised the cybersecurity capabilities of the agency's staff. He said he would reorganize CISA or ask for more money if needed. Plankey's advancement comes as the ranking Democrats on the House and Senate committees overseeing elections have sent multiple letters to CISA leadership requesting information about its workforce cuts and the status of its efforts to support election infrastructure. They have not received a response. Trump signed an executive order earlier this year directing the U.S. Justice Department to investigate former CISA head Chris Krebs and strip his security clearances. Krebs became a target of Trump's ire after he insisted the 2020 election was secure and that ballot counts were accurate.
Winnipeg Free Press
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Senate committee advances Trump nominee to lead cybersecurity agency that protects election systems
NEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. Senate committee voted Wednesday to advance President Donald Trump's pick to lead the agency that secures the nation's critical infrastructure, including election systems. Members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 9-6 to recommend Sean Plankey 's nomination for director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, known as CISA, which sits under the Department of Homeland Security. The agency has been dealing with workforce and funding cuts, as well as criticism from Republicans over some of its election-related activities. Plankey, who retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2023, worked in the first Trump administration as a director for cyber policy at the National Security Council and then as a principal deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy. If confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, he will inherit an agency that has been mired in partisan tensions over the role it should play in combating false claims about voting or election fraud. Those claims have led to a lack of trust among Republicans in election workers and voting machines since Trump started lying about widespread fraud leading to his loss in the 2020 election. A majority of Republicans still believe that Democrat Joe Biden was not legitimately elected president in 2020. CISA is tasked with protecting the nation's critical infrastructure, from dams and power plants to banks and voting systems. It has received praise from state election officials of both parties for its work protecting those systems. But it also has been sharply criticized by Republicans who claim its efforts to counter misinformation about elections and the COVID-19 pandemic veered into censorship. During her Senate hearing in January to be homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem said the agency had strayed 'far off mission.' CISA officials have said they were never engaged in censorship and only worked with states in 2020 to help them notify social media companies about misinformation spreading on their platforms. They said the agency did not instruct or try to coerce those companies to act. CISA worked with other federal agencies in 2024 to alert the public to various foreign misinformation campaigns related to the election. During his July 24 confirmation hearing, Plankey faced some pointed questions about election security. When Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., asked him if the 2020 election was rigged and stolen, Plankey did not answer directly. Instead, he said he had not reviewed that election's cybersecurity and that his personal opinions were not relevant. He acknowledged that Biden's victory was confirmed by the Electoral College and that he was sworn in. Blumenthal then pressed Plankey on what he would do if Trump later pushed him to falsely claim the 2026 or 2028 elections were rigged. 'Senator, as a cybersecurity professional, these are state-run elections,' Plankey answered. 'I have not reviewed the cybersecurity posture of all 50 states. That's like a doctor who's diagnosing somebody over the television because they saw him on the news.' 'No,' Blumenthal replied. 'It's like a doctor who has a patient come to him and is responsible for doing the diagnosis.' The senator called Plankey's answers 'unsatisfactory' and accused him of 'undermining the confidence of the nation in the election apparatus.' Plankey also will face a challenge leading an agency that is undergoing structural changes during Trump's second term. That includes funding and workforce cuts and the pausing of election security work pending a Homeland Security review. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., asked Plankey how he would ensure the agency's statutory requirements are met, given the expected multimillion-dollar budget cuts and personnel leaving the agency. The nominee said he had learned through his leadership experience to 'allow the operators to operate' and praised the cybersecurity capabilities of the agency's staff. He said he would reorganize CISA or ask for more money if needed. Plankey's advancement comes as the ranking Democrats on the House and Senate committees overseeing elections have sent multiple letters to CISA leadership requesting information about its workforce cuts and the status of its efforts to support election infrastructure. They have not received a response. Trump signed an executive order earlier this year directing the U.S. Justice Department to investigate former CISA head Chris Krebs and strip his security clearances. Krebs became a target of Trump's ire after he insisted the 2020 election was secure and that ballot counts were accurate.
Politico
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
CISA's next chapter on election security
With help from Maggie Miller Driving the day — With CISA one step closer to filling its top leadership position, election security groups worry that the agency won't have the capacity to work with state and local officials to secure future elections. HAPPY MONDAY, and welcome to MORNING CYBERSECURITY! As a former high school cross-country runner, I learned this weekend that I can still run pretty fast, when a thunderstorm rolled in just as I was dozing off at my building's pool. Follow POLITICO's cybersecurity team on X at @RosiePerper, @johnnysaks130, @delizanickel and @magmill95, or reach out via email or text for tips. You can also follow @POLITICOPro on X. Editor's Note: Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. Election Security ELECTION INSECURITY — The Senate Homeland Security Committee is set to vote this week on the nomination of Sean Plankey to lead CISA. While Plankey has received widespread support from the private sector for the role, last week's nomination hearing stirred up concerns among election security groups about whether the agency would prioritize keeping elections secure under his leadership. 'Plankey did not resolve the concerns that CISA will not provide transparency about the future of election security and whether or not the agency will step up to defend the cybersecurity of critical election infrastructure,' said Tim Harper, a senior policy analyst for elections and democracy at the Center for Democracy and Technology. — Concerning answers: While testifying before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Thursday, Maggie reported that Plankey dodged questions from Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) over the security of the 2020 election and how he would respond if Trump asked him to say future votes were rigged. 'I have no confidence Plankey will tell Trump 'no' if asked to delegitimize or meddle in future elections, and I will oppose his confirmation,' Blumenthal told your host in a statement on Saturday. For years, CISA has coordinated election security between the federal government and election officials in states and counties across the country. The agency has historically shared information on vulnerabilities, scanned election system networks for safety and assisted with active cyber incidents. But since Trump returned to office, his administration has slashed the cyber agency's workforce and funding, and election security work was put on hold pending a review by DHS in March. '[Plankey] didn't commit to restoring election security programs. He wouldn't say whether or not the 2020 election was secure,' Harper said. 'He kind of avoided basic questions about whether or not the agency will continue to have the capacity to handle these issues going forward.' — What officials are dealing with: The cuts have already strained relationships between state elections officials and CISA. Last week, election officials in Arizona reportedly avoided contacting CISA after a pro-Iranian hacking group targeted an online portal for political candidates in the state, partly due to the Trump administration's cuts to the cyber agency's election security work. Harper told your host that this division is a 'gift' to rival powers, like China, Russia, Iran or North Korea. 'Foreign governments are probing our systems to see what they can get away with, and they're learning. Iran last week, who knows in the future?' Harper said. 'They're learning that this administration is unwilling or unable to counter those attacks.' CISA, for its part, insists its election security work is ongoing. 'Every day, CISA continues to deliver cyber and physical security services to election officials across the country — at no cost,' Marci McCarthy, head of CISA public affairs, told your host in an emailed statement. — Others are optimistic: While Plankey's election security responses startled some, others are hopeful for the agency's future with a leader finally in place. House Homeland Security Chair Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) said in a statement on Friday that Plankey 'demonstrated that he is the right person to lead CISA,' adding that he will work with his colleagues in the Senate to advocate for Plankey's confirmation. Liana Keesing, technology and national security policy director at Issue One, a group that works with election officials across the country to boost election infrastructure, told your host that 'while concerns remain, we're focused on the positive.' She pointed to Plankey's endorsement of reauthorizing the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act and the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program — both of which expire at the end of September. 'He also committed to supporting state and local election offices that rely on CISA's expertise and grants,' Keesing said, adding that Issue One will urge Plankey to follow through on these promises if he is confirmed by the Senate. — What's next: The Senate Homeland Security Committee will vote on whether or not to advance Plankey's nomination to the full Senate floor on Wednesday. At the Agencies KEEP IT GOING — A group of former CISA officials is hoping to continue multiple key agency efforts — such as ensuring a future for the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures program and the Secure by Design Initiative — outside of the agency. — Top dogs: As Maggie writes in, this effort is focused within the Institute for Security and Technology, a think tank where Bob Lord, a former senior technical adviser at CISA, formally took on a role as senior vice president for digital security strategy last week. Lord, along with Lauren Zabierek and Jack Cable, were leaders of CISA's Secure by Design initiative, which kicked off under the Biden administration and was aimed at getting commitments from private sector companies to build cybersecurity into products from the get-go. All three left CISA after Trump returned to office. Zabierek joined IST as senior vice president for the future of digital security last month, while Cable joined IST as an adjunct senior technical adviser in April. Lord told Maggie in an interview last week that between the three, they're looking at continuing to push forward Secure by Design, and also better secure the future of the CVE program — a critical global vulnerability tracking initiative that was almost shut down in April due to funding cuts from CISA. 'We're taking a look at the CVE program and really trying to do something that leverages IST's ability to pull people together from lots of different sectors and walks of life to come up with some tangible policy solutions,' Lord said. According to Lord, this includes evaluating different funding streams beyond a CISA grant to MITRE, which maintains the CVE program, to give greater stability long-term, along with bringing in international partners that see CVE as critically important to tracking cyber vulnerabilities. — Next steps: Lord said the group is 'keeping in touch' with CISA on its efforts around Secure by Design and the CVE program, and more developments may be discussed at an upcoming panel at the B-Sides conference in Las Vegas next week, ahead of Black Hat and DEFCON. On The Hill 'WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION' — A lawmaker is raising the alarm over Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's recent accusations that former President Barack Obama 'knowingly lied' about Russian efforts to interfere with the 2016 election. Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) said on 'Fox News Sunday' that Gabbard's accusations about Obama would be 'sad if they weren't so dangerous,' POLITICO's Cheyanne Daniels reported on Sunday. — Zoom out: Crow's comments come after Gabbard claimed that newly declassified documents revealed 'irrefutable evidence' that Obama and his national security team created an intelligence community assessment that 'they knew was false' about Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election. Quick Bytes DOWN UNDER — Ransomware attacks are highlighting privacy risks for Australia's political parties, which are exempt from many data protection obligations, Josh Taylor reports for The Guardian. INSURANCE HACK — Insurance giant Allianz Life said on Saturday that hackers stole sensitive information on the majority of its customers and select employees in the U.S., Reuters reports. TEA TIME — Paul Wiseman for the Associated Press breaks down everything you need to know about a hack that compromised a dating app designed to let women anonymously warn each other about men they've encountered. Chat soon. Stay in touch with the whole team: Rosie Perper (rperper@ John Sakellariadis (jsakellariadis@ Maggie Miller (mmiller@ and Dana Nickel (dnickel@
The Independent
24-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
The Latest: Justice Department to meet with Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell
Justice Department officials are set to meet on Thursday with Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned girlfriend of financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a person familiar with the matter. The meeting in Florida, which Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Tuesday he was working to arrange, is part of an ongoing Justice Department effort to cast itself as transparent following fierce backlash from parts of President Donald Trump's base over an earlier refusal to release additional records in the Epstein investigation. Here's the latest: State Dept. remains mum on what 'alternative options' US will use for Israeli hostage release after breakdown in talks At a news briefing Thursday, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott would not offer details on what the 'alternative options' the U.S. is considering to release hostages in Gaza after Trump envoy announced a breakdown in negotiations. When pressed for clarity on whether and how the U.S. would proceed, Pigott did not offer clarity and said, 'This is a very dynamic situation.' He said there's never been a question of the U.S. commitment to reaching a ceasefire, but Hamas' commitment. Journalists get rare tour of Fed building renovations before Trump visit On Thursday, reporters wound through cement mixers, front loaders, and plastic pipes as they got a close-up view of the active construction site that encompasses the Fed's historic headquarters. Fed staff pointed out new blast-resistant windows and seismic walls that were needed to comply with modern building codes and security standards set out by the Department of Homeland Security. Sensitivity to the president's visit later Thursday among Fed staff was high during the tour. Reporters were ushered into a small room outside the Fed's boardroom, where 19 officials meet eight times a year to decide whether to change short-term interest rates. The room is oval-shaped, and someone had written 'oval office' on plywood walls. The Fed staff downplayed the inscription as a joke. When reporters returned to the room later, it had been painted over. ▶ Read more about Fed headquarters CISA nominee won't say whether he'd bend to Trump on false election security claims Trump's pick to run the nation's cybersecurity agency, Sean Plankey, evaded some questions about election security in his confirmation hearing with a Senate committee on Thursday morning. When Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) asked him if the 2020 election was rigged and stolen, the nominee said he had not reviewed that election's cybersecurity and his personal opinions weren't relevant. He acknowledged that President Joe Biden was confirmed by the electoral college and sworn in. Blumenthal then pressed Plankey on what he would do if Trump later pushed him to falsely claim the 2026 or 2028 elections were rigged. 'Senator, as a cybersecurity professional, these are state-run elections,' Plankey answered. 'I have not reviewed the cybersecurity posture of all 50 states. That's like a doctor who's diagnosing somebody over the television because they saw him on the news.' 'No, it's like a doctor who has a patient come to him and is responsible for doing the diagnosis,' Blumenthal replied. The senator called Plankey's answers 'unsatisfactory' and accused him of 'undermining the confidence of the nation in the election apparatus.' The uncomfortable exchange reflects partisan tensions over the role CISA should play in combating the rise of election fraud claims that have frayed the nation's trust in election officials and voting machines. CISA is tasked with protecting the nation's critical infrastructure, from dams and power plants to banks and voting systems. Trump signed an executive order earlier this year directing the Justice Department to investigate former CISA head Chris Krebs and strip his security clearances. Krebs became a target of the president's ire after he insisted the 2020 election was secure and ballot counts were accurate. Obama heading to fundraiser for Democrats' redistricting efforts Former President Barack Obama is attending a fundraiser next month for a group that advocates for Democrats in an effort to push back toward congressional maps they see as unfairly drawn to favor Republicans. Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush said Thursday that the former Democratic president would be attending an August event on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. The event, first reported by Politico, is hosted by the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, a group headed up by Obama's former attorney general, Eric Holder. It has filed and supported litigation in several states over GOP-drawn district maps. President Donald Trump mourns 'a great friend,' Hulk Hogan Trump offered condolences to Hogan's wife and family on his social media platform Thursday. Using Hogan's 'Hulkster' nickname, Trump said the pro wrestling star was 'strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart.' He said Hogan 'MAGA all the way' and praised his speech at the Republican National Convention as 'one of the highlights of the entire week.' Where do gaps remain in Gaza ceasefire talks? The talks have been bogged down over competing demands for ending the war. Hamas says it will only release all hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal and end to the war. Israel says it will not agree to end the war until Hamas gives up power and disarms — a condition the militant group rejects. The U.S. plan called for an initial 60-day ceasefire and partial hostage release, with pledges from the U.S. that Israel would not resume the fighting after that. Hamas is believed to be holding the hostages in different locations, including tunnels, and says it has ordered its guards to kill them if Israeli forces approach. Senate Republicans quash Democratic bid to force release of Epstein files It was the latest attempt by Democrats on Capitol Hill to force Republicans to vote for greater disclosure of the Epstein files, yet notably, the first time many Republicans in the Senate had to take a stand on the issue. For now, they voted against forcing the release of the case files. The vote unfolded Thursday morning with tense exchanges as the Senate Judiciary Committee prepared to advance a bill meant to address opioid trafficking. Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey offered an amendment to the bill that would have kept it from going into effect until the Epstein files are released. But Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas successfully stymied that effort by offering a separate amendment that nullified Booker's while also adding language to address criminals who entered the country illegally. While some Republicans have indicated they're open to a debate on forcing more disclosure, Cornyn said he trusted Attorney General Pam Bondi to handle the matter. Republicans on the committee all voted for Cornyn's amendment, while Democrats voted against, saying, 'No on concealing the Epstein files.' Trump envoy Witkoff says US cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks, bringing home negotiating team President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday the U.S. is cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing home its negotiating team from Qatar for consultations after the latest response from Hamas 'shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.' 'While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith,' Witkoff said. 'We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza.' He said it was 'a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way' and that the U.S. is 'resolute' in seeking an end to the conflict in Gaza. ▶ Read more about Gaza ceasefire The Senate Judiciary Committee advances Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as federal prosecutor for DC, again The party-line committee vote, which advances Pirro's nomination to the Senate floor, was a do-over after the Judiciary panel approved her nomination last week when Democrats had walked out of the room to protest Emil Bove's nomination to become a federal appeals court judge. The Judiciary committee scheduled the second vote to ensure there was a sufficient quorum of senators after consulting with the Senate parliamentarian. Pirro has served as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia since May. President Donald Trump nominated her to replace his previous nominee, Ed Martin Jr., amid concerns among some Republican senators about his outspoken support for rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and were later pardoned by Trump. Democrats have criticized Pirro, as well, for defending the rioters. Before she replaced Martin, Pirro cohosted the Fox News show 'The Five' on weekday evenings. She was elected as a judge in New York's Westchester County Court in 1990 before serving three terms as the county's elected district attorney. Trump takes to social media to support Musk's embattled car company. The Thursday morning post on Truth Social — 'I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE' — is a startling development given the bitter public feud between the two. The post came about an hour before Tesla's stock opened sharply lower after the company reported another quarter of lackluster financial results. The stock was down 9% in midday trading. Musk blasted Trump's budget bill for adding to U.S. debt and said he will form a new political party. Trump has threatened to cut contracts and subsidies for Musk's businesses, including Tesla. Trump meets with Rose Garden construction workers in Oval Office A Trump aide posted a photo on social media of the president sitting at the Resolute Desk with about a dozen men in orange shirts facing him. The photo was accompanied with a message that Trump had invited the workers in to sign hats for them. Trump has ordered the grass in the Rose Garden to be paved over. Mike Waltz UN nomination advances out of committee with bipartisan support The Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced Mike Waltz's nomination Thursday to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The bipartisan vote came after the initial vote was pulled Wednesday over concerns by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. The top Democrat on the committee, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, voted with all Republicans except Paul to push the nomination to the Senate floor. Shaheen's support came as a surprise as many thought that Paul's opposition would tank Waltz's nomination, dealing another blow to the White House over a position they have failed to fill for the past six months. The New Hampshire lawmaker defended her decision, saying in a statement that while she disagrees with Waltz on some issues, the alternatives to his nomination could fare worse for U.S. foreign policy. 'He represents a moderating force within the administration. He has a distinguished record of military service, and he has an extensive background in national security policy,' Shaheen said. Senate Republicans quash Democratic bid to force release of Epstein files It was the latest attempt by Democrats on Capitol Hill to force Republicans to vote for greater disclosure of the Epstein files, yet notably, the first time many Republicans in the Senate had to take a stand on the issue. For now, they voted against forcing the release of the case files. The vote unfolded Thursday morning with tense exchanges as the Senate Judiciary Committee prepared to advance a bill meant to address opioid trafficking. Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey offered an amendment to the bill that would have kept it from going into effect until the Epstein files are released. But Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas successfully stymied that effort by offering a separate amendment that nullified Booker's. While some Republicans have indicated they're open to a debate on forcing more disclosure, Cornyn said he trusted Attorney General Pam Bondi to handle the matter. Republicans on the committee all voted for Cornyn's amendment, while Democrats voted against, saying, 'No on concealing the Epstein files.' A replica Oval Office on display near the White House just got a Trump makeover The replica Oval Office now looks exactly like President Trump's. But it's not the blingy version he's currently using. Visitors starting Thursday will experience the mock Oval Office as it was in the Republican president's first term, until it's redecorated again next year to incorporate the golden touches and other flourishes Trump brought to the workspace after he returned to power in January. 'Just like the White House itself, our Oval Office is a living space, so it changes and evolves as the actual Oval Office changes,' Stewart McLaurin, president of the White House Historical Association, said Wednesday as he led The Associated Press on a tour of the space as it was being revamped. The mock-up is inside 'The People's House: A White House Experience,' an educational center the association opened last year one block west of the Executive Mansion. ▶ Read more about the replica Oval Office House subcommittee voted Wednesday to subpoena Justice Department for Epstein files A House subcommittee voted to subpoena the Department of Justice for files in the Epstein case after Democrats successfully goaded GOP lawmakers to defy Trump and Republican leadership to support the action. The vote showed the intensifying push for disclosures in the Epstein investigation even as House Speaker Mike Johnson — caught between demands from Trump and clamoring from his own members for the House to act — was sending lawmakers home a day early for its August recess. Meanwhile, Democrats on a subcommittee of the powerful House Oversight Committee made a motion for the subpoena Wednesday afternoon. Three Republicans on the panel voted with Democrats for the subpoena, sending it through on an 8-2 vote tally. Democrats cheered the action as proof that their push for disclosures in the Epstein investigation was growing stronger. The committee agreed to redact information on victims, yet Democrats successfully blocked a push by Republicans to only subpoena information that was deemed to be 'credible' — language that Trump has also used when discussing what he would support releasing. ▶Read more about the subpoena Bondi facing Democratic calls to testify following report she told Trump he was in Epstein files Bondi is facing Democratic calls to testify before Congress after the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that she told Trump his name was among many high-profile figures mentioned in the files, which the Justice Department this month said it would not be releasing despite a clamor from online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and members of Trump's base. Trump's personal ties to Epstein are well-established and his name is already known to have been included in records related to the wealthy financier. Sen. Adam Schiff responded to the report by calling on Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Justice Department declined to comment on the report but issued a joint statement from Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche saying that investigators had reviewed the records and 'nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution.' The mere inclusion of a person's name in Epstein's files does not imply wrongdoing and he was known to have been associated with multiple prominent figures, including Trump. ▶ Read more about the calls for Bondi to testify Senate Democratic Leader calls for closed-door briefing on the Epstein files Democrats aren't letting up on their calls for disclosure from the Trump administration on the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer started the morning off with a speech calling for a closed-door briefing for senators from the Trump administration on the Epstein files. While the administration is unlikely to comply with the New York Democrat's demand, Democrats are pouncing on the issue and have found some success this week by daring Republicans to join them in votes to demand disclosure of the files. 'A good number of people voted for Trump because he promised to be their voice against the so-called deep state. But now they've seen he's very much part of that deep state. He's right in the middle of it,' Schumer said. Lara Trump says she's sitting out the North Carolina Senate race The president's daughter-in-law formally made her decision public Thursday in a post on X, as news of RNC Chair Michael Whatley's expected entrance into the race emerged. Lara Trump said she was 'deeply grateful' for encouragement to seek the open seat in her home state and appeared not to close the door to a possible future run, saying she looked 'forward to the future, wherever that leads.' Lara Trump served alongside Whatley as RNC co-chair during last year's elections and had been seen as having the right of first refusal to seek the seat, which Democrats see as a top pickup opportunity in next year's midterms. Biden's former chief of staff appears on Capitol Hill for House Republican age inquiry Ron Klain, who served as former President Joe Biden's first chief of staff, entered the House Oversight Committee's hearing room just before 10 a.m. for testimony as part of House Republicans' probe into Biden's age and alleged cognitive decline. Klain took no questions as he entered the room. UnitedHealth stocks dip The stock price dropped 2%, or $6.13, to $286.50 on Thursday morning. Company shares have mostly shed value since December, when UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot in midtown Manhattan on his way to the company's annual investor meeting. What to know about UnitedHealth Group The company's business covers more than 8 million people as the nation's largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans. The business has been under pressure in recent quarters due to rising care use and rate cuts. UnitedHealth also runs one of the nation's largest health insurance and pharmacy benefits management businesses. It also operates a growing Optum business that provides care and technology support. UnitedHealth says it is under a federal investigation and cooperating Shares of UnitedHealth Group dove early Thursday after the health care giant said it was under a Department of Justice investigation. The company said it has started complying with both criminal and civil requests from federal investigators and it was working cooperatively with them. '(UnitedHealth) has a long record of responsible conduct and effective compliance,' the company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal said federal officials had launched a civil fraud investigation into how the company records diagnoses that lead to extra payments for its Medicare Advantage, or MA, plans. Those are privately run versions of the government's Medicare coverage program mostly for people ages 65 and over. ▶ Read more about the UnitedHealth federal investigation RNC Chair Michael Whatley plans to run for an open Senate seat in North Carolina That's according to two people familiar with his thinking, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't permitted to speak on the record. President Trump, according to one of the people, asked him to make the run after Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, mulled the seat. Politico first reported news of Whatley's plans. Democrats see North Carolina as their top pickup opportunity next year after Sen. Thom Tillis announced his surprise retirement after clashing with Trump. While Lara Trump had been seen as having the right of first refusal, Whatley is considered by national Republicans to be a strong contender for the seat, thanks, in part, to the large fundraising network he's cultivated as RNC chair and his perceived loyalty to the president. He's a well-known name in the state, having served as GOP chair there, and has no voting record that could be used against him by Democrats. — Jill Colvin Trump's trip to Scotland highlights his complex relationship with his mother's homeland President Trump's trip to Scotland this week will be a homecoming of sorts, but he's likely to get a mixed reception. Trump has had a long and at times rocky relationship with the country where his mother grew up in a humble house on a windswept isle. He'll be met by both political leaders and protesters during the visit, which begins Friday and takes in his two Scottish golf resorts. It comes two months before King Charles III is due to welcome him on a formal state visit to the U.K. 'I'm not proud that he (has) Scottish heritage,' said Patricia Sloan, who says she stopped visiting the Turnberry resort on Scotland's west coast after Trump bought it in 2014. 'All countries have good and bad that come out of them, and if he's going to kind of wave the flag of having Scottish heritage, that's the bad part, I think.' ▶ Read more about Trump's relationship with Scotland Trump's schedule, according to the White House 3 p.m. ET — Trump will sign executive orders 4 p.m. — Trump will visit the Federal Reserve Man accused of attempting to assassinate Trump returns to court and hopes to represent himself The man charged with attempting to assassinate Trump last year at his Florida golf course will return to court Thursday to once again explain why he wants to fire his court-appointed lawyers and represent himself. Ryan Routh previously made the request earlier this month during a hearing in Fort Pierce before U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon. She didn't rule during the hearing but said she would issue a written order later. But now Routh, 59, is set to be back in front of Cannon, a day after his court-appointed federal public defenders asked to be taken off the case. Routh is scheduled to stand trial in September, a year after prosecutors say a U.S. Secret Service agent thwarted his attempt to shoot Trump as he played golf. Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.
