are sprinting toward a Wednesday vote on President Donald Trump鈥檚 , determined to seize momentum from a hard-fought vote in the Senate while essentially daring members to defy their party鈥檚 leader and vote against it. It鈥檚 a risky gambit designed to meet Trump鈥檚 demand for a July 4 finish.
Here's the latest:
Trump to meet at White House with American hostage freed from Gaza
Trump and first lady Melania Trump will meet at the White House on Thursday with Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage in Gaza, who was released in May.
鈥淭he President and First Lady have met with many released hostages from Gaza, and they greatly look forward to meeting Edan Alexander and his family in the Oval Office tomorrow,鈥 White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
Alexander, now 21, is an American Israeli from New Jersey. The soldier was 19 when militants stormed his base in Israel and dragged him into the Gaza Strip.
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Pentagon spokesperson on Ukraine aid halt: 鈥榃e can鈥檛 give weapons to everybody.鈥
The Pentagon鈥檚 chief spokesperson says the pause of weapons shipments to Ukraine is part of a review of military assistance to ensure it aligns with U.S. defense priorities.
Sean Parnell declined to specify the types or amounts of weaponry that will be withheld under the halt.
He says the pause does not reflect any concerns about the military鈥檚 ability to defend U.S. interests.
鈥淲e鈥檙e always assessing, you know, our munitions and where we鈥檙e sending them,鈥 he told reporters. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 give weapons to everybody all around the world.鈥
The Pentagon says US strikes 鈥榗ompletely obliterated鈥 Iran鈥檚 nuclear sites
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell says the strikes in June set back Tehran鈥檚 nuclear program by more than a year.
鈥淲e鈥檙e thinking probably closer to two years,鈥 Parnell told reporters at his second briefing since Trump鈥檚 latest term began.
鈥淲e destroyed the components they would need to build a bomb,鈥 Parnell said. 鈥淲e believe Iran鈥檚 nuclear capability has been severely degraded.鈥
The 鈥楤ig Beautiful Bill鈥 and its impact on clean energy tax credits
The bill now in the House ax , including killing a 30% tax credit for rooftop residential solar by the end of the year that the Biden administration鈥檚 extended into the next decade.
Trump has called the clean energy tax credits in the climate law part of a 鈥済reen new scam鈥 that improperly shifts taxpayer subsidies to help the 鈥済lobalist climate agenda鈥 and energy sources like wind and solar.
Businesses and analysts say the GOP-backed bill will likely reverse the sector鈥檚 growth and eliminate jobs.
Karl Stupka, president of Raleigh-based NC Solar Now, says if the bill becomes law, companies will rush to finish as many solar jobs as they can before the credit ends. He believes he will have to lay off half of his 100 employees.
Federal judge finds a Trump order suspending asylum access at the southern border unlawful
The judge鈥檚 order throws into doubt one of the key pillars of Trump鈥檚 plan to crack down on migration at the southern border.
U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss says his order will take effect July 16, giving the Trump administration two weeks to appeal.
In Trump declared the situation at the southern border constitutes an invasion of America and that he was 鈥渟uspending the physical entry鈥 of migrants and their ability to seek asylum until he decides it鈥檚 over.
Moss wrote that neither the Constitution nor immigration law gives the president 鈥渁n extra-statutory, extra-regulatory regime for repatriating or removing individuals from the United States, without an opportunity to apply for asylum鈥 or other humanitarian protections.
Alina Habba is formally nominated for US attorney in New Jersey
The White House posted the nomination of the president鈥檚 former counselor and defense lawyer to its website on Tuesday.
Habba is already serving in that role on an interim basis.
A spokesman for the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmed that the panel has received the nomination.
The state鈥檚 two Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, said in a joint statement that Habba has already 鈥渄egraded the office and pursued frivolous and politically motivated prosecutions鈥 as interim prosecutor.
鈥淚t鈥檚 clear that Alina Habba does not meet the standard to serve the people of New Jersey,鈥 they said.
鈥榃e were promised鈥
Rep. Eric Burlison, a Freedom caucus member, says the changes the Senate made to the bill are simply unacceptable.
Burlison says Republican leaders promised 鈥渨hen we passed it to allow it to go to the Senate, that they would live up to the framework and any kind of tax cuts would be reciprocated with spending cuts.鈥
鈥淎nd it doesn鈥檛 meet that framework. We were promised. And so it鈥檚 really about making people live up to the promises,鈥 Burlison says.
Freedom Caucus chair says House votes lacking to advance Trump bill
GOP Rep. Andy Harris has predicted that a key procedural vote will fail, putting Trump鈥檚 tax and spending cuts bill in jeopardy of missing the president鈥檚 4th of July deadline.
鈥淭he rules vote as is will fail,鈥 said Harris, before walking into House Majority Whip Tom Emmer鈥檚 office.
Harris says he has not spoken to the president today. He says if Trump wants a bill 鈥渁s soon as possible, he has to get the Senate back in town as soon as possible.
鈥淥therwise this is going to drag on until the end of next week,鈥 said Harris.
CIA report examines investigations into Russia and the 2016 presidential election
The declassified report released Wednesday challenges the work intelligence agencies did to conclude that Russia interfered in the election because it wanted Trump to win.
The memo was written on the orders of CIA Director John Ratcliffe, a Trump loyalist who spoke out against the Russia investigation as a member of Congress. It does not address that multiple investigations, including by the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee in 2020, that reached the same conclusion about Russia鈥檚 influence and motives.
The report cites several 鈥渁nomalies鈥 that the authors say could have impacted conclusions that Russian President Vladimir Putin 鈥渁spired鈥 to help Trump win. They include a rushed timeline and a reliance on unconfirmed information, including opposition research about Trump鈥檚 ties to Russia that was compiled by a former British spy, Christopher Steele, whose work was financed by Democrats.
Democrats use parliamentary tactics to present a united front
With limited time for debate, scores of Democrats are weighing in on the House floor with their opposition to Trump鈥檚 tax and spending cut bill.
One by one, the lawmakers are lining up and making a simple request: Amend a resolution before the House to protect against any cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., who is presiding over the chamber, is forced to explain to each speaker that he cannot entertain the request because of an objection from Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., who is leading the debate for Republicans.
Under House rules, the requests being made by Democrats must be cleared by majority and minority leadership before the chair will recognize them.
Democratic members know their effort is doomed, but the tactic gives them a chance to show their unity before the cameras and get their request defending Medicaid and SNAP into the Congressional Record.
Republican lawmakers leave White House meeting
Rep. Stephanie Bice posted a video of her and Rep. Dusty Johnson leaving the White House after conversations with Trump.
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e going to get it done, although it鈥檚 going to take a little bit of time today,鈥 Johnson said.
Bice added, 鈥淗opefully we can get this wrapped up by the end of the day.鈥
Education grants in limbo were used for a 鈥榬adical leftwing agenda,鈥 the Trump administration says
The administration this week for after-school and summer programs, English language instruction, adult literacy and more, saying it would review the grants to ensure they align with Trump鈥檚 priorities.
The Office of Management and Budget said in a statement Wednesday that 鈥渕any of these grant programs have been grossly misused.鈥
It says New York schools have used money for English language instruction to promote organizations that advocate for immigrants in the country illegally, and that Washington state used the money to direct immigrants without legal status toward scholarships that were 鈥渋ntended for American students.鈥
The agency says grant funds have also been used for a seminar on 鈥渜ueer resistance in the arts.鈥
GOP Rep. Jason Smith says he texted Trump to 鈥榚ncourage鈥
Trump on Wednesday shared on social media a text he received from Smith, in which the Missouri Republican thanked Trump for his 鈥渧ision, leadership and determination.鈥
Smith tells The Associated Press he has heard Trump shared his text, and that he communicates with the president 鈥渜uite often.鈥
鈥淢y text message to him this morning was to encourage,鈥 said Smith. He added that he鈥檚 鈥渘ever worked with someone in the executive that is engaging as much as President Trump.鈥
Air defense missiles are among the weapons the US is withholding from Ukraine, AP sources say
The Trump administration will hold back delivering some air defense missiles, precision-guided artillery and other weapons to Ukraine as part of its announced pause to some arms shipments. This comes amid U.S. concerns that its own stockpiles have declined too much, officials said.
The details on the weapons in some of the paused deliveries were confirmed by a U.S. official and former national security official familiar with the matter. They both requested anonymity to discuss what is being held up as the Pentagon has yet to provide details.
The pause includes some shipments of Patriot missiles, precision-guided GMLRS, Hellfire missiles and howitzer rounds. One official said other weaponry being held up includes the AIM-7 Sparrow, Stinger missiles and AT-4 grenade launchers.
Defense Department official Elbridge Colby says Pentagon officials have aimed to provide Trump 鈥渨ith robust options to continue military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end.鈥
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By Associated Press reporters Aamer Mahdani and Lisa Mascaro.
The White House says arrests for illegal border crossings from Mexico fell 30% during June
The Border Patrol made 6,070 arrests in June, down from 8,725 in May, setting a pace for the lowest annual clip since 1966.
On June 28, the Border Patrol made only 137 arrests, a sharp contrast to late 2023, when arrests topped 10,000 on the busiest days.
Arrests dropped sharply when Mexican officials increased enforcement within their own borders in December 2023 and again when then-President Joe Biden introduced severe asylum restrictions in June 2024.
They plunged even more after Donald Trump became president in January, deploying thousands of troops to the border under declaration of a national emergency.
AOC says 鈥楧o the math鈥
Liberal leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Trump often mocks her intelligence. But you don鈥檛 have to be smart to assess the deal they鈥檙e getting under the bill, she said.
For example, the bill offers no taxes on tipped income up to $25,000. Compare that to losing health care and food stamp cuts, she said.
鈥淚s that worth it you?鈥
鈥淟osing all your health care? Not being able to feed your baby?鈥
Trump meets with GOP lawmakers at the White House
The president is holding the meetings with Republican lawmakers as he works to push his legislative agenda over the finish line, according to two White House officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren鈥檛 authorized to discuss private conversations.
Trump was meeting with moderate representatives in the Cabinet Room and is also expected to talk with members of the conservative Freedom Caucus.
A final vote in the House could come today, which would be the final step before Trump signs the legislation.
鈥 Collin Binkley and Chris Megerian
More from the House debate on Trump鈥檚 bill before key procedural vote
Rep. Mike Haridopolos, a Florida Republican, said voters wanted change for one simple reason. It was too expensive to live in America.
He said the bill was designed to help those very people hurt in the last four years.
鈥淧eople who earned tips, who earned overtime, people who earned Social Security get a big tax cut,鈥 he said.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat and former speaker, took aim at what Republicans are calling the 鈥渙ne, big beautiful bill.鈥
鈥淚f beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then GOP, you have a very blurred vision of what America is about,鈥 Pelosi said. 鈥淚s it beautiful to cut off food from seniors and children?鈥
She also invoked her own personal path about coming to Congress to stand up for children.
The House opens debate on Trump鈥檚 big bill 鈥 and it鈥檚 fiery
Debate has begun on the bill 鈥 actually, the procedural debate for considering the bill 鈥 and lawmakers aren鈥檛 holding back.
鈥淭his is robbery,鈥 said Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the Rules Committee.
He said it鈥檚 taking from the nation鈥檚 most vulnerable to provide tax breaks for the rich.
鈥淚t is cowardly, it is a betrayal of everything this country is supposed to stand for,鈥 he said.
But Republican Rep. Nick Langworthy of Pennsylvania said the package will ensure Trump鈥檚 2017 tax breaks don鈥檛 expire at the end of the year.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 extreme, it鈥檚 not partisan it鈥檚 proven policy,鈥 he said.
He highlighted the bill鈥檚 higher child tax credit and other expanded tax breaks.
鈥淟et鈥檚 get this country back on track,鈥 he said.
Democrats say they鈥檒l vote 鈥榟ell no鈥 on GOP bill
Democrats have struggled to find a unified message since their key defeats in the 2024 election. But on Wednesday morning, nearly every member of the caucus stood shoulder to shoulder on the Capitol steps, rallying behind Leader Jeffries.
鈥淓very single House Democrat will vote hell no against this one big ugly bill,鈥 Jeffries said to a roaring applause from behind him. 鈥淎nd all we need are for House Republicans to join us.鈥
House Republicans head to White House for meeting
Some of the more conservative members of the House Republican conference say they鈥檙e heading to the White House to talk about their concerns with the president鈥檚 tax and spending cut bill and its impact on future deficits.
Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina says he鈥檒l be a no 鈥渦nless something changes鈥 on a procedural vote that Republicans will need to pass to get to a vote on the bill. He says he won鈥檛 be assured by promises of spending cuts on subsequent bills.
Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee said once again lawmakers were hearing 鈥渁 line 鈥榣et鈥檚 pass this and we鈥檒l fix it later.鈥欌
鈥淲e never fix it later, and America knows that,鈥 Burchett said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the same game.鈥
He also said he鈥檚 unconcerned about meeting Trump鈥檚 self-imposed deadline of signing the bill on July 4, this Friday.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 care if it鈥檚 July 40th, honestly,鈥 Burchett said.
Trump shares details of his trade negotiation with Vietnam
In a follow-up social media post, Trump said Vietnam will pay the United States a 20% tariff on all goods sent 鈥渋nto our Territory鈥 and a 40% tariff on any transshipping.
Transshipping usually means exports that come from China but pass through Vietnam to dodge tariffs on Chinese goods.
In return, Vietnam will grant the U.S. 鈥淭OTAL ACCESS鈥 to its market for trade, Trump said, meaning 鈥渨e will be able to sell our product into Vietnam at ZERO Tariff.鈥
He added that he thinks SUVs 鈥渨ill be a wonderful addition to the various product lines within Vietnam.鈥
Trump said he reached the agreement after speaking with Vietnamese General Secretary To Lam, which he said was an 鈥渁bsolute pleasure.鈥
Trump announces US trade deal with Vietnam
He made the announcement on his Truth Social media platform.
鈥淚 just made a Trade Deal with Vietnam. Details to follow!鈥 the president said.
It comes just before a by Trump to formally set the tariff rates on goods from dozens of countries.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows 鈥榯here will be no Hamas鈥 in postwar Gaza
President Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. The U.S. leader has been increasing pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas to broker a ceasefire, and hostage agreement and bring about an end to the war.
Hamas said in a brief statement Wednesday that it had received a proposal from the mediators and is holding talks with them to 鈥渂ridge gaps鈥 to return to the negotiating table to try to reach a ceasefire agreement.
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House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries naming names
House Democrats are calling out Republicans from competitive districts as they try to drum up opposition to Trump鈥檚 big bill.
鈥淎ll we need are four,鈥 Jeffries said, referring to the number of GOP defections that would likely defeat the bill.
Jeffries mentioned several Republicans from closely divided districts, including two from Pennsylvania.
鈥淲hy would Rob Bresnahan vote for this bill? Why would Scott Perry vote for this bill?鈥 he said.
House Democrats are gathering on the steps of the Capitol to denounce the Republican bill
鈥淪hame on Republicans for even bringing this bill to the House floor,鈥 House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to do everything in our power to stop it.鈥
Trump鈥檚 supposedly empty schedule
The president鈥檚 public schedule is blank today, but it鈥檚 unlikely he鈥檚 doing nothing. With his big tax cut and spending bill back at the House, Trump is likely working to bring Republicans on board with advancing the legislation.
Some House members road-trip it to DC for tax cuts vote
With treacherous weather hampering flights into Washington, a handful of House members hit the road overnight to make it in time for Wednesday鈥檚 votes.
Two GOP members from South Carolina, Reps. Russell Fry and Nancy Mace, chronicled their journey on social media.
Democrats also racked up the miles. Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi drove, hosting a Zoom town hall during his 14-hour drive. Reps. Chris DeLuzio of Pennsylvania and Derek Tran of California drove together after being stranded in Pittsburgh.
Tesla sales fell 13% in the last three months as anti-Musk sentiment still has an effect
Sales of Tesla electric cars fell as boycotts over Elon Musk鈥檚 political views continue to keep buyers away, a significant development given expectations that anger with the company鈥檚 billionaire CEO would have faded by now.
The plunging sales add to growing signs that Musk鈥檚 embrace of Trump and far-right politicians in Europe has had a deep and enduring hit to the Tesla鈥檚 brand appeal. The new figures also are a possible sign that Tesla could disappoint when it announces second quarter earnings later this month. In the first three months this year, .
Sales fell to 384,122 in April through June, down from 443,956 in the same period last year. During this period, Musk formally left the Trump administration as a cost-cutting czar and hopes rose that sales would recover.
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Pilots who bombed Iran鈥檚 nuclear sites will be Trump鈥檚 guests for the Fourth of July
Trump is hosting a Fourth of July celebration at the White House on Friday and the pilots have been invited.
The Air Force will conduct a flyover of F-22s, B-2s and F-35s, the same aircraft that were used in the strikes in Iran.
Trump has said the pilots are 鈥渋ncredible.鈥
Analysis shows Trump鈥檚 tariffs would cost a critical group of US employers $82.3 billion
That sum could be potentially managed through price hikes, layoffs, hiring freezes or lower profit margins.
The analysis by the JPMorganChase Institute is among the first to measure the direct costs created by the import taxes on businesses with $10 million to $1 billion in annual revenue, a category that includes roughly a third of private-sector U.S. workers.
These companies are more dependent than other businesses on imports from China, India and Thailand 鈥 and the retail and wholesale sectors would be especially vulnerable to the import taxes being levied by .
The findings show clear trade-offs from Trump鈥檚 import taxes, contradicting that foreign manufacturers would absorb the costs of the tariffs instead of U.S. companies that rely on imports.
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Paramount to pay $16 million in settlement with Trump over 鈥60 Minutes鈥 interview
In a case seen as a challenge to free speech, Paramount has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a filed by President Trump over the editing of CBS鈥 鈥 with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in October.
Paramount told media outlets the money will go to Trump鈥檚 future presidential library, not to the president himself. It said the settlement did not involve an apology.
Trump鈥檚 lawyer said the president had suffered 鈥渕ental anguish鈥 over the editing of the interview by CBS News, while Paramount and CBS rejected his contention that it was edited to enhance how Harris sounded. They had sought to get Trump鈥檚 lawsuit dismissed.
There was no immediate word from the White House about the settlement of the case, which Trump filed in Amarillo, Texas.
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Trump urges House Republicans to vote for his tax and spending cuts package
The encouragement comes as the Republican-controlled House sprints toward a vote Wednesday on the bill after it cleared the Senate by the narrowest of margins a day earlier.
Vice President JD Vance, in his role as Senate president, cast the tiebreaking vote on the measure.
Some House GOP members have voiced reservations about the bill. House Democrats are united in their opposition to the legislation.
鈥淩epublicans, don鈥檛 let the Radical Left Democrats push you around. We鈥檝e got all the cards, and we are going to use them,鈥 Trump said in a post on his social media site.
The Associated Press
