Former Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan responded to criticism from President Donald Trump about his retirement by jokingly asking, "New phone. Who Dis?" The exchange highlights ongoing tensions within the Republican Party, particularly related to Trump-backed candidates and establishment figures like Phelan. Phelan faced and defeated a Trump-endorsed opponent in a previous primary challenge.
Key Facts
Dade Phelan, a former Texas House Speaker, announced his retirement from politics.
President Donald Trump criticized Phelan for his political record on a social media platform.
Phelan responded to Trump's remarks by jokingly asking, "New phone. Who Dis?"
In 2024, Phelan defeated David Covey, a primary opponent endorsed by Trump.
Tensions arose after Phelan led a failed impeachment effort against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Trump ally, in 2023.
Trump has referred to Phelan's actions as causing divisions in the Republican Party.
Phelan's retirement creates a vacancy in the Texas House, prompting discussions about political future moves.
President Donald Trump showed off new renovations at the White House in a video with Fox News host Laura Ingraham. The renovations include gold decorations and a new ballroom, which some Democrats criticized, while supporters praised them. A White House spokesperson said the renovations were privately funded and defended their quality.
Key Facts
President Trump showcased White House renovations in an interview with Laura Ingraham.
Renovations include gold ornamentation, moldings, medallions, and a new ballroom.
Democrats criticized the renovations, saying they portrayed the president as disconnected.
A White House spokesperson defended the renovations as enhancing the White House.
The renovations, including the ballroom, are reportedly funded by private donors.
The video clip of the tour went viral, with over 200,000 views.
Critics mentioned the administration’s focus on décor amid a government shutdown and funding issues for social programs.
President Donald Trump celebrated the expected end of a U.S. government shutdown after the Senate passed a funding bill. He praised Republican leaders for this achievement, which moves the bill forward to the House of Representatives. The shutdown began due to a budgeting impasse and has affected federal operations, like air travel.
Key Facts
President Trump called the likely end of the government shutdown a "big victory."
The Senate passed a funding bill with a 60-40 vote, receiving some support from Democrats.
The House of Representatives, controlled by Republicans, is expected to pass the bill.
The shutdown, which started on October 1, has been the longest in U.S. history.
The shutdown affected federal employees, including air traffic controllers, leading to flight delays.
Democrats wanted the funding bill to include healthcare subsidies, which Republicans opposed.
The U.S. Congress is responsible for passing a budget to avoid a government shutdown.
If the House passes the funding bill, it will be sent to President Trump to be signed into law.
President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama both honored U.S. military members on Veterans Day. President Trump participated in a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, while Barack Obama surprised veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars during a special flight event in Washington D.C.
Key Facts
President Trump honored U.S. service members at Arlington National Cemetery.
He laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during the annual ceremony.
Barack Obama also participated in Veterans Day events.
Obama surprised veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars during a special event.
The event with Obama took place on a flight arriving in Washington D.C.
Veterans Day is a day to honor those who have served in the U.S. armed forces.
The day included ceremonies and events across the United States.
President Donald Trump plans to allow more oil drilling off the coast of California. California Governor Gavin Newsom opposes the plan and promises to fight it in court. Newsom points out that Trump’s plan does not include Florida’s coast.
Key Facts
President Trump plans to expand oil drilling off California's coast.
Reports suggest the plan may also include areas around Alaska and the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
Governor Gavin Newsom, from California, strongly opposes this plan.
Newsom indicated he would likely take legal action if the plan goes through.
Newsom criticized the exclusion of Florida from the drilling plan.
Newsom made his comments during a news conference in Brazil.
The plan may be announced as soon as this week, according to reports.
Marion County in Kansas has agreed to pay $3 million and apologize for a police raid on a local newspaper in 2023. The Justice Department will check security at UC Berkeley after protests at a conservative event led to arrests. A new political map for Utah will create a district that leans Democratic.
Key Facts
Marion County, Kansas, will pay $3 million to settle with the raided newspaper.
The county will also officially apologize for the police raid that happened in 2023.
The Justice Department plans to look into security measures at UC Berkeley.
Protests at a Turning Point USA event at UC Berkeley resulted in several arrests.
A judge approved a new electoral map in Utah.
The new map will create a political district in Utah that tends to favor Democrats.
A conservative judge named Mark Wolf is resigning after 40 years as a federal judge. He expressed strong concerns about the current White House, specifically mentioning concerns about President Donald Trump in an essay.
Key Facts
Mark Wolf is a federal judge appointed by President Reagan.
He has served as a judge for 40 years.
Judge Wolf is resigning from his position.
He wrote an essay in The Atlantic about his concerns.
Wolf is worried about the White House's actions affecting the rule of law.
He calls President Donald Trump "uniquely dangerous."
Wolf shared his thoughts in more detail with journalist Amna Nawaz.
President Donald Trump's administration is making changes to higher education policies. These changes affect funding and introduce new rules on topics like diversity, transgender rights, and antisemitism. UCLA is one of the universities dealing with these changes.
Key Facts
The Trump administration is changing policies that affect higher education.
Changes include cutting off funding to some universities.
New rules have been issued on diversity, transgender rights, and antisemitism.
Some universities have settled disputes with the government.
UCLA is specifically mentioned as navigating these new changes in the current school year.
The report about UCLA is part of a series called "Rethinking College," reported by Stephanie Sy.
President Trump proposed sending $2,000 checks to many Americans. He suggested that money could come from tariff revenue, helping both citizens and the national debt. Experts, however, doubt this plan is financially viable.
Key Facts
President Trump proposed sending $2,000 to millions of Americans.
He suggested using money from tariffs to fund these checks.
Tariffs are taxes on imported goods.
Trump believes this plan could also help reduce the national debt.
Experts have questioned whether the numbers in Trump's plan add up.
Erica York from the Tax Foundation discussed these concerns with Amna Nawaz.
President Trump spoke at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day, criticizing political correctness and highlighting his policies. He announced plans to rename Veterans Day and discussed current military activities in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
Key Facts
President Trump criticized political correctness during his Veterans Day speech.
He spoke at Arlington National Cemetery, highlighting American military strength.
Trump mentioned plans to rename Veterans Day to "Victory Day for World War I."
The U.S. military is currently involved in a campaign in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is supporting the mission in the region.
Trump's speech came as the Senate passed a package to end the government shutdown.
President Trump and his Defense Secretary have focused on reshaping the military.
A wreath-laying ceremony took place at Arlington National Cemetery.
The Supreme Court extended a temporary order that blocks full food assistance payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This extension maintains a mixed system where some people get full benefits, but others do not get any help. The order is temporary and depends on Congress making a deal to end the government shutdown.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court extended a temporary order affecting SNAP payments.
Some SNAP recipients are not receiving any benefits due to this order.
The order is set to expire before midnight on Thursday.
Congress is working on a deal to end the government shutdown.
If Congress reaches a deal, SNAP operations could fully restart for 42 million Americans.
It is uncertain how fast full SNAP benefits will be restored once the government reopens.
The U.S. has experienced its longest-ever government shutdown, causing widespread flight cancellations and delays for the fifth day. Airlines reduced flights due to air traffic controller shortages, and a bill to end the shutdown is awaiting approval. Airline stocks have dropped amidst the disruptions.
Key Facts
Near 1,200 flights in the U.S. were cancelled, continuing a five-day trend of disruptions.
Over 1,300 flights were delayed on Tuesday morning alone.
LaGuardia Airport in New York reported delays averaging one hour and 40 minutes.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instructed a reduction in flights due to staffing shortages.
The government shutdown has lasted 42 days, the longest in U.S. history.
A bill to end the shutdown has passed the Senate and awaits further approvals.
President Trump has urged air traffic controllers to return to work, warning of docked pay.
Airline stocks fell as a result of ongoing flight cancellations and delays.
President Donald Trump promised each American $2,000 from tariff revenue, claiming his administration has collected trillions of dollars through tariffs. He stated this money would also help reduce the national debt and support investment in U.S. factories.
Key Facts
President Trump promised $2,000 payments to Americans from tariff revenue.
He claimed to have collected trillions of dollars from tariffs during his administration.
Tariffs have been placed on various countries and goods like drugs, steel, and cars.
Trump mentioned that the money would also help reduce the $37 trillion U.S. debt.
He pointed out that high-income people would not receive the $2,000 payments.
President Trump stated that there is increased investment in U.S. plants and factories.
A Texas pastor and his family left the United States for Brazil after facing immigration delays. Pastor Albert Oliveira had been in the U.S. on a temporary religious worker visa and applied for a permanent residency visa, but processing delays prompted him to leave to avoid being undocumented. He plans to apply again for a visa so he can return.
Key Facts
Pastor Albert Oliveira and his family voluntarily left the U.S. to avoid undocumented status after their R-1 visa expired.
Oliveira applied for an EB-4 visa, which is for religious workers seeking permanent residency, but a backlog in immigration processing delayed their application.
The U.S. has a record number of 11.3 million pending immigration applications.
Oliveira first came to the U.S. on a student visa in 2011 and later worked at the First Baptist Church of Gordon.
A bill has been proposed to allow certain religious workers to stay in the U.S. while their visa applications are pending, but it is still in committee.
Oliveira and his family received an emotional farewell from the church community before their departure.
Oliveira plans to apply for a new R-1 visa in the future and continue his work remotely for now.
The U.S. Senate voted to pass a bill ending the longest government shutdown in history. This bill funds most of the government through January 30 and includes specific spending for various departments through September 2026. Some states will be reimbursed for federal expenses they covered during the shutdown.
Key Facts
The U.S. Senate passed the bill with a 60-40 vote.
Seven Democrats and one independent joined Republicans in passing the bill.
The government will be funded through January 30, 2024.
Specific funding is provided for the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction, agriculture, and nutritional assistance programs through September 2026.
The deal reimburses states for federal expenses paid during the shutdown.
The bill reverses federal worker layoffs from the shutdown and prevents new ones until the end of January.
The legislative text of the bill is 328 pages long, with additional documents and statements adding to its length.
President Donald Trump has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a $5 million civil ruling that found he defamed and sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll. A New York jury awarded damages to Carroll, and a federal appeals court upheld the decision, stating that no errors were made during the trial. Trump contends that improper evidence was allowed, and the Supreme Court is now his last chance to challenge the verdict.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump has requested the U.S. Supreme Court review a $5 million civil case verdict involving E. Jean Carroll.
A jury in New York found that Trump sexually assaulted Carroll and defamed her, awarding her damages.
A federal appeals court supported the jury's decision, denying Trump's request for a new trial.
Trump argues that the trial judge improperly allowed evidence, like the 2005 Access Hollywood tape, to be shown to the jury.
Trump's appeal claims Carroll's accusations are politically motivated and false.
The Supreme Court has not yet decided if it will review the case.
Carroll alleges Trump attacked her in a Manhattan department store in the 1990s, which Trump denies.
Trump's appeal to a federal appeals court was rejected in June, leaving the Supreme Court as his last option.
This article discusses the positive change in mood among MAGA supporters after recent events. These include President Trump pardoning 77 people accused of 2020 election interference and Democrats compromising on the government shutdown. However, internal disagreements within the MAGA movement still persist, although they have been somewhat overshadowed by these new developments.
Key Facts
President Trump pardoned 77 people involved in the 2020 election interference.
Democrats made concessions to avoid a government shutdown.
MAGA supporters felt relieved after these developments, following tensions over issues like Israel support and cancel culture.
Last week, Republicans faced losses in key elections in states like New Jersey and Virginia.
Internal disagreements continued within MAGA, including criticism from figures like Laura Loomer and comments on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
MAGA supporters are now pushing for more legal actions against their opponents.
Ed Martin, the U.S. pardon attorney, mentioned plans to pursue legal accountability or public exposure for past actions by opponents.
President Trump's administration removed multiple online posts by the Department of Homeland Security related to U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver at the order of a judge. McIver was charged with assaulting federal officers at a New Jersey detention center but pleaded not guilty. The judge ordered the removal of these posts as they might impact her legal proceedings.
Key Facts
Posts by the Department of Homeland Security about Representative LaMonica McIver were taken down.
A judge, Jamel Semper, ordered the removal to prevent possible prejudice in McIver's case.
McIver was charged with assaulting federal officers during a congressional visit in May.
McIver has pleaded not guilty and claimed the charges could violate her political rights.
The Department of Homeland Security made several online statements criticizing McIver and other Democrats.
McIver's lawyers argued these posts could harm her legal process and asked the court to stop them.
Despite the judge's order, one post remained online because it was controlled by a private journalist, not the government.
Stewart Rhodes, leader of the Oath Keepers, is restarting the group after getting a pardon from President Donald Trump. Rhodes suggests the group could act as a militia supporting Trump, interpreting federal laws to support this idea.
Key Facts
Stewart Rhodes is the founder of the Oath Keepers, a militia group.
Rhodes received a presidential pardon from President Trump after being sentenced for involvement in the January 6 Capitol attack.
Rhodes is relaunching the Oath Keepers and suggests it can serve as a militia under Trump's command.
He claims the group can be used to handle invasions, insurrections, and enforce federal laws.
The Insurrection Act allows for military deployment under certain conditions, but Rhodes’ interpretation is legally debatable.
After being pardoned, Rhodes quickly became active again, speaking at the U.S. Capitol.
Nearly 1,600 people received pardons for crimes related to the Capitol riot.
Rhodes aims to ensure the Oath Keepers can continue should he be absent again.
