Latest news with #SundayMorningFutures
18 hours ago
- Business
Senate kicks off fraught appropriations process against shutdown deadline
The Senate on Wednesday took a step toward approving its first appropriation bill, agreeing to advance military construction and Veterans Affairs spending in a 90-8 vote. But lawmakers have a long way to go to avoid a government shutdown, with 12 appropriations bills to get through before the Sept. 30 deadline. The House, which has passed two appropriations bills, saw its legislative session ended early by Speaker Mike Johnson amid turmoil over the Trump administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The Senate is set to begin its August recess next week, though Senate Majority Leader John Thune has kept open the possibility of canceling the weekslong break at President Donald Trump's request to advance his nominees. And unlike many of the things that Republicans have done this Congress, passing any of the 12 appropriations bills in the Senate will require 60 votes to pass. Thune, during an appearance on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures," said "we've got to find a way" to start moving the measures. "We are going to need to get appropriations done. That will require some cooperation from Democrats and hopefully they will be willing to make sure that the government is funded," Thune told host Maria Bartiromo. Democrats seek to strategize on funding Democrats met behind closed doors on Tuesday to try to hash out a cohesive strategy for approaching government funding ahead of the s hutdown deadline. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also met with their Democratic appropriators. At a brief joint press conference afterward, Schumer and Jeffries said Democrats were committed to a "bipartisan, bicameral" appropriations process but blamed Republicans for making a clear path forward to averting a shutdown difficult. "As has always been the case we are prepared to engage in those discussions in good faith, but House Republicans are not there. House Republicans are in fact marching us toward a possible government shutdown that will hurt the American people. We remain ready, willing and able to have the type of appropriations process that will yield a good result for the American people, but that process must be bipartisan and bicameral in nature," Jeffries said. Schumer said Senate Democrats supported the first appropriations bill on military construction and VA funding because it will help veterans and undo some cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency -- but that other issues wouldn't be as simple. Democrats are weighing a number of considerations as they think about how to deal with government funding, especially with most saying they feel scorned after Republicans struck $9 billion in previously-approved funds from the federal budget. Republicans were able to pass the rescissions package, which included cuts to foreign aid and public broadcasting, without any Democratic support. Democrats say it amounts to a betrayal of a previous agreement that's left them reluctant about future deals. "Speaking for myself, I am really hard put to vote for appropriations when I know Republicans are just going to ride roughshod and reverse them down the line on a strictly partisan basis," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, said on Monday. "The pattern of partisan betrayal on the part of my colleagues gives me a lot of pause so I am really torn about it." Sen. Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat, echoed those sentiments. "There's a trust issue that we have to have to legislate where you reach an agreement and then there's a switch-a-roo on rescissions and you have 60 votes and it suddenly goes to 50," Welch said. "What we thought was solid and set in stone suddenly melts away, that is a problem." Thune on Tuesday also called for a bipartisan path forward on the appropriations process, but put the onus on Democrats to work with Republicans. "The Democrats have indicated, because they're so upset over the rescissions bill last week -- which, by the way, cut one-tenth of 1 percent of all federal spending -- that somehow they can use that as an excuse to shut down the appropriations process and therefore shut down the government," Thune said at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership. "We think that would be a big mistake, and hopefully they will think better of it and work with us." The White House, though, has made the case the government funding process should be "less bipartisan." "It's not going to keep me up at night, and I think it will lead to better results, by having the appropriations process be a little bit partisan. And I don't think it's necessarily leading to a shutdown," White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought told reporters last week. "Who ran and won on the on an agenda of a bipartisan appropriations process? Literally no one. No Democrat, no Republican," he added. "There is no voter in the country that's went to the polls and said, 'I'm voting for a bipartisan appropriations process.'" Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the vice chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, said on the Senate floor before Wednesday's vote that she thought his process should move forward in its historically bipartisan fashion despite Republicans' recent moves to work on government funding through a rescissions package. "To be clear, if Republicans continue cutting bipartisan deals with more rescissions, that's not cooperation," Murray said. She added, "So for anyone considering the partisan route, you cannot write a bill without talking to Democrats and then act surprised when Democrats don't support it. You want our votes. You work with us, and this bill today that we're considering shows that is possible."
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Posts AI Video of Obama's Arrest: 'No One Is Above Law'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated video showing former President Barack Obama's arrest on his social media platform on Sunday. Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via an email sent outside regular business hours and Obama's office via a contact form on its website. Why It Matters Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, released a report on Friday alleging that Obama and his national security Cabinet members manufactured intelligence regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election to "lay the groundwork for what was essentially a yearslong coup against President Trump." She said she would refer the officials to the Justice Department for prosecution. The announcement comes as Trump seeks to move on from the backlash he has received from his supporters over his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. President-elect Donald Trump, right, speaking with former President Barack Obama at the state funeral service for former President Jimmy Carter at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on January 9. President-elect Donald Trump, right, speaking with former President Barack Obama at the state funeral service for former President Jimmy Carter at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on January 9. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images What To Know The video, which Trump posted on Truth Social, begins with Obama saying in a campaign speech that "no one, especially the president, is above the law." The clip them shows other Democrats—including former President Joe Biden and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi—saying, "No one is above the law." Later in the video, Trump and Obama are seen sitting in the Oval Office together when FBI agents handcuff Obama as the AI-generated Trump smiles widely, with the montage set to "YMCA" by the Village People. The video ends with Obama dressed in an orange jumpsuit in a jail cell. While some Trump supporters cheered the video and called for Obama's arrest, others questioned whether it was an attempt to deflect from the Epstein case. Social media users also said the Supreme Court's 2024 ruling that former presidents had broad immunity from criminal prosecutions for official acts would protect Obama. What People Are Saying Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures: "Creating this piece of manufactured intelligence that claims that Russia had helped Donald Trump get elected contradicted every other assessment that had been made previously in the months leading up to the election that said exactly the opposite, that Russia had neither the intent nor the capability to try to 'hack the United States election for the presidency of the United States.' "So the effect of what President Obama and his senior national security team did was subvert the will of the American people, undermining our democratic republic and enacting what would be essentially a yearslong coup against President Trump, who was duly elected by the American people." Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, dismissed Gabbard's claims, telling The New York Times: "This is one more example of the director of national intelligence trying to cook the books. We're talking about apples and oranges. The Russians were not successful at manipulating our election infrastructure, nor did we say they were." Conservative journalist Nick Sortor wrote on X: "President Trump posted an AI video of Barack Obama being ARRESTED by FBI and rotting in a prison cell. MAKE THIS A REALITY, @AGPamBondi!" MAGA influencer Gunther Eagleman wrote on X: "Don't give Obama the chance to flee to Kenya... Revoke his passport ASAP!" Political commentator Majid M. Padellan wrote on X: "SCOTUS made it impossible to arrest [Obama] when their dumb ruling gave trump immunity." What Happens Next On Sunday Morning Futures, Gabbard said it would be up to Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to "gather all of the evidence—both that we have released, the facts that have already been known previously, the information that will continue to come out—and move forward with this prosecution and these indictments."
Sky News AU
4 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Tulsi Gabbard details bombshell claims of Obama-era cabal's 'treasonous conspiracy' against Donald Trump
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard detailed "striking" findings from declassified documents released Friday, claiming to showcase "overwhelming evidence" that an Obama-era cabal laid the groundwork for what would be the years-long Trump-Russia collusion probe after the 2016 election. "The implications of this are frankly nothing short of historic," Gabbard said on this week's "Sunday Morning Futures." "Over 100 documents that we released on Friday really detail and provide evidence of how this treasonous conspiracy was directed by President Obama just weeks before he was due to leave office after President Trump had already gotten elected. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. This is an issue that is so serious it should concern every single American because it has to do with the integrity of our democratic republic," she continued. Documents shared by Gabbard's office claimed that before the 2016 election, there was no evidence showing Russia tried to directly alter vote counts. However, members of the intelligence community later suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to help Trump win. Gabbard argues the narrative shift was politically motivated rather than based on new findings. "Creating this piece of manufactured intelligence that claims that Russia had helped Donald Trump get elected contradicted every other assessment that had been made previously in the months leading up to the election that said exactly the opposite, that Russia had neither the intent nor the capability to try to 'hack the United States election,'" Gabbard told host Maria Bartiromo. "So the effect of what President Obama and his senior national security team did was subvert the will of the American people, undermining our democratic republic and enacting what would be essentially a years-long coup against President Trump, who was duly elected by the American people." Evidence released by Gabbard's office implicated then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI Director James Comey and former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, among others, in addition to the former president. Gabbard confirmed her intent to send all the uncovered documents to the Department of Justice and the FBI for a criminal referral. When asked if she expects to see prosecutions, she vowed to do "all that [she] can" to ensure accountability. "We have whistleblowers, actually, coming forward now after we released these documents because there are people who were around, who were working within the intelligence community at this time who were so disgusted by what happened," she shared. "We're starting to see some of them come out of the woodwork here because they… want to see justice delivered… there must be indictments. Those responsible, no matter how powerful they are and were at that time, no matter who was involved in creating this treasonous conspiracy against the American people, they all must be held accountable." Some Democrats, including Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, who is the top member of his party on the House Intelligence Committee, have criticized Gabbard's claims as "baseless." Fox News Digital previously reached out to Obama, representatives for the former president, Clapper, Comey, Brennan, Rice, Lynch and McCabe for comment and did not receive a response. Originally published as Tulsi Gabbard details bombshell claims of Obama-era cabal's 'treasonous conspiracy' against Donald Trump
New York Post
4 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Thune warns Schumer may let govt shut down as ‘struggling' Dems scramble to appease far-left
Senate Majority Leader John Thune warned that Congress may be careening towards a partial government shutdown this fall because of pressure from the far-left flank of the Democratic Party. Thune (R-SD) observed that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has faced intense pressure from his base and mused that a few upcoming votes will provide more clarity about the risks of a partial shutdown. 'I think he [Schumer] probably thinks that it's beneficial to their political base, the far left of the Democrat Party, and you can kind of see what's happening up there in New York politics,' Thune told Fox News' 'Sunday Morning Futures.' In March, Schumer faced fierce progressive backlash after he declined to block a GOP-backed spending patch to avert a partial government shutdown. The blowback was so pronounced that Schumer was forced to reschedule parts of his book tour as progressives demanded Democrats in Congress put up more of a fight against President Trump. 3 Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated that a few upcoming votes on appropriations bills will help determine the likelihood of a government shutdown. Getty Images 3 Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer faced progressive backlash when he moved to avert a partial government shutdown in March. AP Government shutdown showdowns are one of the few instances in which Democrats have leverage with the Trump administration, given that they are the minority party in both the House and the Senate. Every new fiscal year, which starts on Oct. 1, Congress is required to fund the government via 12 appropriations bills or through a continuing resolution in order to avoid a shutdown. Both avenues are subject to the Senate fillibuster, which requires 60 votes to overcome. Republicans only have 53, which means they need cooperation from Democrats. At the moment, Congress has funded the government via a continuing resolution, which essentially means that it is running on autopilot until the fall. 'This is a party struggling for an identity. This is a party that's completely out of step with the mainstream of this country,' Thune added. 'We're going to be waiting to see anxiously what Chuck Schumer and other leaders on the Democrat side decide to do.' Earlier this month, Schumer railed against Republicans for advancing a rescissions package, which allows them to cancel previously approved spending without support from Democrats. Schumer argued that such a move jeopardizes negotiations over the government shutdown showdown. 'We are doing everything we can to keep the bipartisan appropriations process going,' Schumer told reporters earlier this month. 'And they're undermining it with rescissions, with pocket rescissions, with impoundment and every other way.' The implication from Schumer is that Democrats can't trust Republicans to stick to the terms of a bipartisan appropriations deal because they've shown a willingness to bypass them via rescissions and presidential impoundment, when Trump decides not to spend certain authorized funds. On the Republican side, GOP leaders, particularly in the House, have long struggled to get fiscal hawks on board with either a continuing resolution or the 12 appropriations bills. There's been a strong push from the right flank for deeper cuts to spending, something that is a dealbreaker for Democrats. 3 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hasn't said what her 2028 intentions are yet. LP Media Schumer also has to navigate dicey progressive politics. The Democratic establishment was upended last month when Zohran Mamdani bested former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary. The top Senate Democrat is up for reelection in 2028 and hasn't said whether or not he will run amid the threat of a challenge from 'Squad' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). 'Ultimately, keeping the government funded is good for the country, and hopefully we will have bipartisan cooperation to do that,' Thune added. 'If their recent track record is any indication, they're under a tremendous amount of pressure from that far left wing of the Democrat Party to shut the government down.' The last partial government shutdown, which lasted 35 days, took place between late 2018 and early 2019 due to a feud between Trump and Democrats over border wall funding.
USA Today
07-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Did Trump strike a deal with China about TikTok? Here's what we know
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to discuss a potential TikTok deal with China this week, and the United States "pretty much" has a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app. "I think we're gonna start Monday or to China, perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives, but we would, we pretty much have a deal," Trump told reporters on Air Force One en route to Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, New Jersey on Independence Day. A deal to spin off TikTok's U.S. operations into a new U.S.-based firm, majority-owned and operated by U.S. investors, was in the works earlier this year, but it was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump's announcement of steep tariffs on Chinese goods. When asked how confident he was that China would agree to a deal, he said, "I'm not confident, but I think so. President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think it's good for them. I think the deal is good for China and it's good for us." Here's the latest on what we know regarding a potential TikTok ban in the U.S. and a possible sale of the app. Will TikTok be banned?: Trump says there's 'a group of very wealthy people' lined up to buy it Will TikTok be banned in the U.S.? Trump last month extended the deadline for a TikTok ban to take effect, allowing the Chinese-owned social media platform to continue operating for 90 days. Trump signed the executive order on June 19, marking the third time the president has authorized a delay. The extension gives ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, until Sept. 17 to secure a deal that satisfies a legal requirement. Who is buying TikTok? In a June interview on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo," Trump confirmed that his administration had identified a group of buyers for TikTok and would announce their names soon. "We have a buyer for TikTok, by the way," Trump said. "I think I'll need probably China's approval. I think President Xi will probably do it." He said the buyer is "a group of very wealthy people" without providing additional details. Contributing: Sarah D. Wire & Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY; Reuters Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@
