Tech billionaire who recently left President Donald Trump's administration, has blasted the tax cuts and spending plans backed by the president that passed the House.
"This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,鈥� Musk posted Tuesday on X. 鈥淪hame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.鈥�
Here鈥檚 the latest:
Senate majority leader pushes back on Musk critique of GOP bill
John Thune said billionaire Elon Musk鈥檚 critiques of the Republicans鈥� sweeping tax and spending package amounts to 鈥渁 difference of opinion鈥� and said the Senate would not change course.
鈥淪o we have a difference of opinion. He鈥檚 entitled to that opinion. We鈥檙e going to proceed full speed ahead,鈥� Thune told reporters.
Thune said he has seen economic modeling that predicts 鈥渟ignificant growth鈥� in the U.S. economy if the proposals were enacted.
He said Musk鈥檚 concerns were based on analysis from the Congressional Budget Office that he called 鈥渟tatic scoring assessment.鈥�
He dismissed concerns that Musk鈥檚 critiques could tank the GOP鈥檚 signature legislation.
鈥淲e have an agenda that everybody campaigned on, most notably the president,鈥� Thune said.
House speaker calls Elon Musk鈥檚 criticism of the Republican tax and immigration bill 鈥榲ery disappointing鈥�
鈥淲ith all due respect, is terribly wrong about the one big beautiful bill,鈥� Mike Johnson said Tuesday.
Johnson said he spoke with Musk on Monday for more than 20 minutes by telephone. He said he extolled the virtues of the bill and how it was achieving campaign promises while making permanent massive tax and spending cuts.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very important first start. Elon is missing it,鈥� Johnson said.
Johnson also noted how the bill quickly phases out tax credits for electric vehicle purchases.
鈥淭hat is going away because the government should not be subsidizing these things,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚 know that and I lament that.鈥�
He also said that鈥檚 he鈥檚 surprised by Musk鈥檚 criticism given their conversation.
鈥淚 just deeply regret he鈥檚 made this mistake,鈥� Johnson said.
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Judge rules federal prisons must continue providing hormone therapy to transgender inmates
The ruling Tuesday followed signed by Trump that led to a disruption in medical treatment.
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said in Tuesday鈥檚 ruling that federal law prohibits prison officials from arbitrarily depriving inmates of medications and other lifestyle accommodations that its own medical staff has deemed appropriate.
Lamberth said the transgender inmates who sued to block 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 executive order are trying to reduce the personal anguish caused by gender dysphoria, which is the distress that a person feels because their assigned gender and gender identity don鈥檛 match.
He said neither the Bureau of Prisons nor the executive order 鈥減rovides any serious explanation as to why the treatment modalities covered by the Executive Order or implementing memoranda should be handled differently than any other mental health intervention.鈥�
The bureau provides hormone therapy to more than 600 inmates diagnosed with gender dysphoria. It doesn鈥檛 dispute that gender dysphoria can cause severe side effects, including depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, the judge said.
Musk slams Trump-backed tax cuts and spending bill as a 鈥榙isgusting abomination鈥� for increasing debt
Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who just left the Trump administration, blasted the Republican tax cuts and spending plans that passed the House.
鈥淭his massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,鈥� Musk posted Tuesday on X. 鈥淪hame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.鈥�
Musk continued that the bill 鈥渨ill massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and burden America citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.鈥�
last week from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, which has been tasked with slashing federal spending.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt played down the criticism by one of 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 top advisers and funders of his political operations during last year鈥檚 election.
鈥淭he president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill,鈥� Leavitt said, adding that Musk鈥檚 post 鈥渄oesn鈥檛 change the president鈥檚 opinion.鈥�
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WH criticizes GOP senators worried about national debt and attacks Congressional Budget Office鈥檚 reputation
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says that Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin are wrong to claim that the tax cuts in his budget plan would increase the national debt.
Leavitt said Tuesday that Trump 鈥渉as vocally called them out鈥� for 鈥渘ot having their facts together,鈥� even though most economic analyses show his tax cuts would increase the size of the national debt relative to the existing policy that includes the expiration of the tax cuts.
Leavitt also criticized the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office tasked with analyzing the financial impacts of legislation, saying its staffers have contributed to Democratic candidates and 鈥渢his is an institution in our country that has become partisan and political.鈥�
Trump had no advance warning of Ukraine drone attack
Asked if the Ukrainians gave the U.S. any heads up before launching a major drone assault on Russian air bases over the weekend or if Trump was aware it was coming, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: 鈥淗e was not.鈥�
Trump will attend the NATO summit
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Tuesday that Trump will travel to the Netherlands to meet with the leaders of other NATO countries during the summit later this month in The Hague.
US asks trade partners to provide their best offers to 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 team ahead of tariffs deadline
The U.S. Trade Representative鈥檚 office sent letters to trade partners saying they have until Wednesday to provide their best offer on a trade framework, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Leavitt called the letters a 鈥渇riendly reminder that the deadline is coming up.鈥�
In April, Trump restricted most of his country-by-country tariffs to a 10% baseline so negotiations could occur over the course of 90 days.
Leavitt said Tuesday that Trump 鈥渆xpects good deals鈥� and 鈥渨e are on track for that.鈥�
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Karoline Leavitt says the White House takes hurricane season 鈥榮eriously鈥�
The White House press secretary on Tuesday dismissed news reports that the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said he didn鈥檛 know that the U.S. has a hurricane season as 鈥渟loppy and irresponsible.鈥�
鈥淚 know FEMA is taking this seriously,鈥� she said.
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Federal judge clears the way for Trump to continue using an emergency powers law to impose import taxes, at least for now
U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in Washington agreed to pause his own order in favor of two Illinois-based toy companies who say the president overstepped his authority.
Contreras wrote that the freeze while the administration appeals would allow the president to 鈥渋dentify and respond to threats to the U.S. economy and national security.鈥�
The judge鈥檚 order comes after an appeals court froze a different ruling that struck down 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 sweeping tariffs last week
Vance meets with right-wing activist Laura Loomer
The two met Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly.
It is not clear what Vance and Loomer discussed when they met at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where the vice president鈥檚 offices are located.
Loomer has sought to publicly identify members of the Trump administration she feels are not loyal to the president鈥檚 agenda. Trump fired some National Security Council officials after an earlier meeting she had with Trump where she raised concerns about staff loyalty.
Top Chinese diplomat meets the new US ambassador in Beijing
David Perdue says he told Foreign Minister Wang Yi that Trump 鈥渧ery much respects鈥� Chinese President Xi Jinping and stressed the importance of 鈥減ositive, constructive exchange鈥� between the two, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.
In a Perdue confirmed the meeting Tuesday, saying he emphasized 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 priorities of trade, fentanyl and illegal immigration, and the vital role of communication in bilateral relations.
The two countries are locked in a trade war over tariffs and non-tariff measures such as export controls, and Trump last week accused China of violating agreements that paused the tariff war for 90 days.
Wang told Perdue that Beijing had 鈥渟trictly鈥� implemented the consensus following the trade talks in Geneva but that the U.S. had 鈥渞egrettably鈥� taken 鈥渘egative measures鈥� that harmed China鈥檚 interests.
The Trump administration placed new curbs on exports of advanced chips and technology to China, while China has yet to remove export restrictions on critical minerals.
The White House said Trump will likely have a phone call with Xi this week.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she talked to Trump about kidnapping plot again
Whitmer says she talked to the president in 鈥渢he last 24 hours鈥� about the two men convicted of plotting to kidnap her in 2020. Trump mused last week that he would look into pardoning them.
Whitmer, a Democrat and potential 2028 presidential candidate, declined to elaborate except to say she connected with Trump directly and made her 鈥渢houghts known.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 important that in any case that has resulted in a jury convicting people, the impact on the victim is really important,鈥� she said Tuesday at a ribbon cutting event in Detroit.
鈥淎s a former prosecutor, as the target of this particular plot, I wanted to make sure that the president who鈥檚 going to make a decision has all the information necessary toward making the right decision.鈥�
Last week, Trump said that he was considering a pardon, saying he followed the men鈥檚 trial and 鈥渋t looked to me like somewhat of a railroad job.鈥�
that he would be going back on his word if he pardoned them, saying he promised a month earlier that he would 鈥渄rop it.鈥�
Education Secretary Linda McMahon defends cuts at Harvard University
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said during a budget hearing Tuesday that the Education Department鈥檚 that Harvard University end its diversity, equity and inclusion programs while also demanding new 鈥渧iewpoint diversity鈥� in hiring and admissions is 鈥渢otally contradictory.鈥�
McMahon responded that Harvard鈥檚 DEI practices are 鈥減itting one group against another鈥� and need to go, while viewpoint diversity 鈥渋s an exchange of ideas that鈥檚 actually better.鈥�
She cited surveys finding that few Harvard professors identify as conservative.
The Trump administration has in research grants from Harvard as it presses a series of policy and governance demands. Harvard is .
Pressed by Murphy to explain her authority to cut Harvard鈥檚 funding, McMahon cited Title VI, a civil rights law.
Murphy shot back that no civil rights law allows her to 鈥渕icromanage viewpoint diversity on campus.鈥�
It was one of the sharper exchanges in a hearing that focused on McMahon鈥檚 new budget proposal, which requests a 15% reduction in spending for her department.
Wall Street drifts as most financial markets worldwide hold relatively steady
It comes as the wait continues for more updates on and how much they鈥檙e affecting the economy.
The S&P 500 was 0.4% higher in midday trading, coming off a that added to its . It鈥檚 back within 3% of its all-time high set earlier this year after falling roughly 20% below two months ago.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 74 points, or 0.2%, as of 11:15 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.7% higher.
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Newark mayor sues New Jersey鈥檚 top federal prosecutor after arrest at immigration detention site
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka sued Tuesday , which was later dropped.
Barak, who leads New Jersey鈥檚 biggest city, is a candidate in a crowded primary field for the Democratic nomination for governor next Tuesday. The lawsuit against interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba coincided with the day early in-person voting began.
The lawsuit seeks damages for 鈥渇alse arrest and malicious prosecution,鈥� and also accuses Habba of defamation for comments she made about his case. Citing a post on X in which Habba said Baraka 鈥渃ommitted trespass,鈥� the lawsuit says Habba issued a 鈥渄efamatory statement鈥� and authorized his 鈥渇alse arrest鈥� despite 鈥渃lear evidence that Mayor Baraka had not committed the petty offense of 鈥榙efiant trespass.鈥欌��
The suit also names Ricky Patel, the Homeland Security Investigations agent in charge in Newark.
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Thune says not extending debt limit would be 鈥榠ncredibly consequential鈥�
As Senators negotiate 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 legislation to cut taxes and policy programs, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Tuesday morning that failing to extend the debt limit would be 鈥渋ncredibly consequential in a very adverse way. So it鈥檚 got to be done.鈥�
His comments come after Trump posted earlier in the day about Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul鈥檚 opposition to the bill. Paul has said he won鈥檛 vote for it if a debt limit extension is included. Trump said Paul 鈥渉as very little understanding鈥� of the bill and 鈥渓oves voting 鈥楴O鈥� on everything.鈥�
Thune said 鈥渇ailure is not an option鈥� on the bill. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to get to 51,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o we鈥檒l figure out the path forward to do that over the next couple of weeks.鈥�
Democratic lawmakers put estimate of blocked federal funds at $425 billion
President 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 administration has frozen at least $425 billion in federal funds already approved by Congress, according to tracking conducted by Democratic lawmakers on the House and Senate committees responsible for crafting spending bills.
The lawmakers say the administration is brazenly violating federal laws and choking off critical investments in programs such as Head Start, local road and bridge projects and birth control and cancer screenings for hundreds of thousands of patients.
鈥淭his administration鈥檚 unprecedented assault on our nation鈥檚 spending laws is costing the American people dearly,鈥� said Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democratic lawmakers on the House and Senate Appropriations committees.
The lawmakers say the estimate is the minimum amount of funding the administration has frozen. They鈥檙e maintaining a list of programs affected on the minority鈥檚 websites.
罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 Tuesday schedule
According to the White House, Trump has no public events scheduled for today.
However, at 1 p.m., press secretary Karoline Leavitt will hold a press briefing.
Trump is going after Sen. Rand Paul as he works to pass his big bill
The president fired off a series of angry posts on social media Tuesday morning about Paul鈥檚 opposition to 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 big tax breaks and spending cuts package.
The Kentucky Republican is among GOP senators who have concerns about the likely deficit increases the bill will cause.
Trump said Paul 鈥渉as very little understanding鈥� of the bill and 鈥渓oves voting 鈥楴O鈥� on everything.鈥�
鈥淩and votes NO on everything, but never has any practical or constructive ideas. His ideas are actually crazy (losers!),鈥� the president wrote. He added that 鈥渢he people of Kentucky can鈥檛 stand him.鈥�
Republican push for proof of citizenship to vote proves a tough sell in the states
President Trump and congressional Republicans have made it a priority this year to require people to prove citizenship before they can register to vote. Turning that aspiration into reality has proved difficult.
罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 directing a documentary, for federal elections has been by a judge, while to accomplish it doesn鈥檛 appear to have the votes to pass in the Senate. At the same time, state-level efforts have found little success, even in places where Republicans control the legislature and governor鈥檚 office.
The most recent state effort to falter is in Texas, where a Senate bill failed to gain full legislative approval before lawmakers adjourned Monday. The Texas bill was one of the nation鈥檚 most sweeping proof-of-citizenship proposals because it would have applied not only to new registrants but also to the state鈥檚 roughly 18.6 million registered voters.
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US growth likely to slow to 1.6% this year, hobbled by 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 trade wars, OECD says
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development forecast Tuesday that the U.S. economy 鈥� the world鈥檚 largest 鈥� will slow further to just 1.5% in 2026. 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 policies have raised average U.S. tariff rates from around 2.5% when he returned to the White House to 15.4%, the highest since 1938, according to the OECD. Tariffs raise costs for consumers and American manufacturers that rely on imported raw materials and components.
World economic growth will slow to just 2.9% this year and stay there in 2026, according to the OECD鈥檚 forecast. It marks a substantial deceleration from growth of 3.3% global growth last year and 3.4% in 2023.
The world economy has proven remarkably resilient in recent years, continuing to expand steadily 鈥� though unspectacularly 鈥� in the face of global shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine.
But global trade and the economic outlook have been clouded by 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 sweeping taxes on imports, the unpredictable way he鈥檚 rolled them out and the threat of retaliation from other countries.
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Top Trump officials visit prolific Alaska oil field amid push to expand drilling
Trump wants to coursing through Alaska鈥檚 vast pipeline system and build a massive as its 鈥渂ig, beautiful twin,鈥� a top administration official said Monday while touring a prolific oil field near the Arctic Ocean.
The remarks by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright came as he and two other Trump Cabinet members 鈥� Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin 鈥� visited Prudhoe Bay as part of a aimed at highlighting 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 push to expand oil and gas drilling, mining and logging in the state that drew criticism from environmentalists.
During the trip, Burgum鈥檚 agency announced plans to on future leasing and industrial development in portions of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska that are designated as special for their wildlife, subsistence or other values.
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Man accused of trying to get witness against him deported by writing letters threatening Trump
A Wisconsin man is facing charges accusing him of forging a letter threatening 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 life in an effort to get another man who was a potential witness against him in a criminal case deported.
Prosecutors said in a criminal complaint that Demetric D. Scott was behind a letter sent to state and federal officials with the return address and name of Ramo虂n Morales Reyes.
Scott was charged Monday with felony witness intimidation, identity theft and two counts of bail jumping.
Immigration agents arrested Morales Reyes after he dropped his child off at school in Milwaukee. announced the arrest, saying he had written a letter threatening to kill Trump and would 鈥渟elf-deport鈥� to Mexico.
But as investigators talked to Morales Reyes.
Morales Reyes is listed as a victim in the case involving Scott, who is awaiting trial in Milwaukee County Jail on armed robbery and aggravated battery charges. The trial is scheduled for July.
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Ex-Homeland Security official Taylor fights back against 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 鈥榰nprecedented鈥� investigation order
A former Homeland Security official during 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 first administration who authored sharply critical of the president is calling on independent government watchdogs to investigate after Trump ordered the department to look into his government service.
, once chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security, warned in an interview with The Associated Press of the far-reaching implications of , 鈥淎ddressing Risks Associated with an Egregious Leaker and Disseminator of Falsehoods,鈥� when it comes to suppressing criticism of the president. That memo accused Taylor of concocting stories to sell his book and directed the secretary of Homeland Security and other government agencies to look into Taylor and strip him of any security clearances.
Taylor sent via email to the inspectors general at the Department of Justice and Homeland Security on Tuesday.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 commit any crime, and that鈥檚 what鈥檚 extraordinary about this. I can鈥檛 think of any case where someone knows they鈥檙e being investigated but has absolutely no idea what crime they allegedly committed. And it鈥檚 because I didn鈥檛,鈥� Taylor said.
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The Associated Press
