With the 2026 midterm elections just over four months away, Democratic candidates are showing stronger-than-expected performance in primary races across key swing districts. Recent polls show Democrats leading the generic congressional ballot for the first time this cycle, driven by voter frustration over inflation and concerns about Republican-backed policy proposals. Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers, but Democrats believe a 'red wave' reversal is possible in November.
A federal judge has permanently barred the Trump administration from implementing most of the president's first executive order on elections, which would have required voters to show proof of citizenship to register for federal elections. The ruling, which dealt a blow to one of Trump's priority voting policies, found the order likely exceeded presidential authority and conflicted with existing federal election law. The administration is expected to appeal the decision.
The U.S. Senate voted to halt military operations in Iran on Tuesday, delivering a bipartisan rebuke to the Trump administration even as Vice President JD Vance conducted direct peace talks with Iranian officials in Switzerland. The vote reflects growing congressional war fatigue and concerns over the cost of prolonged engagement. The White House signaled it would not comply, setting up a constitutional clash.
US Vice President JD Vance announced Monday that Iran has agreed to allow nuclear inspectors back into the country, marking a major step forward after the first round of US-Iran talks. Vance said a great deal of progress was made during negotiations, though core sticking points remain unresolved including a $300 billion question over sanctions relief. The development comes as the Trump administration claims the Iran deal amounts to an unconditional surrender, while critics point out that the text of the agreement falls short of ensuring Iran will never develop nuclear weapons.
President Trump faced fresh bipartisan criticism over the Iran deal as Vice President Vance took a public-facing role in negotiations. Senate Iran hawk Tom Cotton found himself in a Trump-induced jam over the agreement. Republicans fear Trump's approach could hurt their midterm chances, while a federal judge ordered Biden's audio files turned over to the Heritage Foundation.
President Trump unveiled the new Air Force One — a converted Qatari Boeing 747 — at a ceremony Friday, replacing the decades-old US-built fleet. The move drew criticism from Boeing and defense hawks who questioned outsourcing the presidential aircraft conversion. Separately, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that habitual marijuana users cannot be banned from owning firearms, striking down a federal law as a violation of Second Amendment rights. In DC, Janeese Lewis George won the Democratic mayoral primary, while federal judges pushed back against Trump administration immigration detention policies.
The US House of Representatives passed a war powers resolution Wednesday directing President Donald Trump to end hostilities with Iran, with four Republicans joining Democrats in a 215-208 vote. The measure represents the strongest congressional rebuke yet of Trump's handling of the three-month-old conflict. Trump called the vote 'meaningless' on Truth Social, and the measure faces almost certain veto, but the bipartisan margin signals growing unease within the GOP over the war's economic toll and lack of clear endgame.
Georgia Republicans delivered a split decision in Tuesday's runoff elections, backing Trump's preferred Senate candidate Mike Collins but rejecting his choice for governor, Burt Jones, in favor of billionaire Rick Jackson. Jackson spent more than $100 million, largely from his own pocket, to defeat the Trump-endorsed candidate. The results highlight the limits of Trump's endorsement power in a state that has become a key battleground ahead of the 2026 midterms. Collins will now face Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in November.
President Donald Trump said he has called off new military strikes on Iran just hours after threatening escalation, as negotiations toward a peace deal picked up momentum at the G7 summit. Separately, Trump nominated US Attorney Jay Clayton to serve as director of national intelligence, filling a key national security position amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Voters headed to the polls Tuesday for primary elections and runoffs in Alabama, Georgia, the District of Columbia, and other states, with President Donald Trump's political influence on the ballot. A new NBC News poll shows Trump's approval rating at historic lows, with 77% of young voters, 64% of Latinos, and two-thirds of independents disapproving. Meanwhile, the FBI foiled an alleged plot to attack the White House during a UFC event, and the Supreme Court turned away a challenge to New York's firearms liability law.