Dick Cheney remembered at funeral service; Trump accuses Democrats of 'seditious behavior'
Cheney’s elder daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney, delivered a eulogy, as did former President George W. Bush.
What to know today
- CHENEY FUNERAL: The funeral service for former Vice President Dick Cheney, an architect of the global war on terrorism and the second Iraq War, took place at the Washington National Cathedral. Cheney’s elder daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney, delivered a eulogy, as did former President George W. Bush.
- DEATH THREATS: President Donald Trump, in a series of social media posts this morning, accused several Democratic lawmakers of “seditious behavior,” calling for them to “be arrested and put on trial” for behavior that, he said, could be “punishable by death.”
- UKRAINE PEACE PLAN: Trump this week approved a 28-point plan for peace between Russia and Ukraine that top administration officials have quietly developed over the last several weeks in consultation with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Ukrainian officials, a senior administration official told NBC News.
U.S. retiree freed after years jailed in Saudi Arabia for critical tweets
A U.S. retiree held in Saudi Arabia over critical tweets has been freed months ahead of schedule, his son said, a day after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appeared hand-in-hand with Trump at the White House.
“Our family is overjoyed that, after four long years, our father, Saad Almadi, is finally on his way home,” his family said in a statement his son Ibrahim posted yesterday on X.
Riyadh authorities jailed and then banned Saad Almadi, 75, from leaving the country two years ago, downgrading his previous 19-year sentence, which was handed down in 2021.
Coast Guard set to change policy on swastikas and nooses
The Coast Guard is poised to change some of its language and policies surrounding the display of hate symbols like swastikas and nooses, as well as how personnel report hate incidents.
A Coast Guard message in 2020 from then-Commandant Karl Schultz said symbols like swastikas and nooses were “widely identified with oppression or hatred” and called their display “a potential hate incident.” The Coast Guard policy dated this month calls the same symbols “potentially divisive.”
The new policy maintains a yearslong prohibition on publicly displaying the Confederate flag outside of a handful of situations, such as educational or historical settings. However, it does not outright prohibit the public display of any other “potentially divisive” symbols.
DOT to require use of female crash test dummies for the first time
For the first time ever, American car companies will soon be required to test vehicle safety using dummies that are representative of women.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy today unveiled an advanced female crash test dummy — the THOR-05F — that could help close the staggering gap of higher injury rates for women than for men in certain crash scenarios.
Millions pour into Tennessee special election ahead of December vote
Money is pouring into a deep-red House district in Tennessee ahead of an early December special election as the candidates and their super PAC backers ramp up spending.
Republican Matt Van Epps, a former state official, and Democratic state Rep. Aftyn Behn are in a heated ad war that has drawn notable outside groups from both parties into the 7th Congressional District, which Trump carried by 22 points in 2024.
Behn’s campaign raised more than $1 million from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, according to a campaign finance filing today. She spent a little more than half of that during the same period. Van Epps, meanwhile, raised about $591,000 and spent most of it, leaving him with $231,000 in the bank for the stretch run. Behn had about $522,000 on hand at the close of the fundraising period.
DNC takes out a $15 million loan as cash reserves run low
The Democratic National Committee took out a $15 million loan in October, an unusually large amount of debt for this point in the political calendar, as the party looks to rebuild its brand and infrastructure under new leadership.
New fundraising reports filed with the Federal Election Commission show the national party committee took out the loan at the start of October, about a month before Democrats secured major victories in pivotal elections for governor in Virginia and New Jersey, a key redistricting referendum in California and various other downballot races.
Those results have energized the Democratic Party one year after Trump swept the presidential battleground states on his way to defeating then-Vice President Kamala Harris and as poll after poll in the wake of that loss shows the party’s image at an all-time low.
Justice Department reverses course, now says full grand jury reviewed James Comey’s indictment
In just 24 hours, the Justice Department has done a complete reversal on its position about whether the full grand jury in the James Comey criminal case reviewed the indictment before it was handed up to a federal judge in September.
Lindsey Halligan, the acting U.S. attorney for Eastern Virginia who presented the case by herself to the grand jury on Sept. 25, testified yesterday that when jurors voted to indict the former FBI director on two of the three counts submitted in the original indictment, the full grand jury hadn’t reviewed a final revised document showing the two counts he was charged with. Instead, its viewing was limited to the jury foreperson and an additional grand juror.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons, who is leading the prosecution, also said the full grand jury hadn’t reviewed the final indictment.
Democratic Rep. Nydia Velázquez announces she's retiring
Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., announced today that she's retiring next year after having served in the House for over 30 years.
"After much reflection, I have decided that this will be my last term in Congress," Velázquez, 72, said on X. "This was not an easy decision, but I believe that the time is right for me to move on and for a new generation of leaders to step forward."
Velazquez, who was the first Puerto Rican woman to be elected to the House, said in her post: "Serving the people of New York City for over three decades has been the honor of my life."
"Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey, nothing I have accomplished would have been possible without your support," she said.
At least a dozen House members have said they plan to retire from Congress when this term ends in January 2027.
Authorities say no one was injured in a small electrical fire on Capitol subway system
U.S. Capitol Police said a small electrical fire occurred on the subway that leads from the Rayburn House Office building to the Capitol. Lawmakers typically use the subway to get to and from votes.
Authorities said that no one on the subway car was injured and that the fire was quickly put out with fire extinguishers. The D.C. Fire Department and emergency services responded for a follow-up investigation.
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan says Leavitt 'twisted' Democratic lawmakers' words
In a phone interview this afternoon — hours after Trump suggested that several Democratic lawmakers who posted a video urging military members and intelligence officers to refuse illegal orders should "be arrested and put on trial" for "seditious behavior" that could be "punishable by death" — Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., defended herself and fellow Democrats.
Houlahan said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt today "twisted" her and fellow lawmakers' words. Leavitt earlier said that, "no," Trump wasn't calling for Democrats to be executed.
"If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck," Houlahan said.
"She completely twisted what it is that we said," Houlahan added about Leavitt's assertion, which is that Democrats were telling military and intelligence officers to disobey orders.
"We said that people cannot — literally cannot — obey unlawful orders. That’s what we said. She twisted that into saying that we told people to disobey lawful orders, and this is exactly what the problem is with this upside-down world that we’re living in right now," she said. "This administration is just messing with everybody’s minds, and that makes me even angrier than my own personal safety.”
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick calls indictment 'unjust'
Speaking to reporters today, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick called the indictment unsealed against her last night “unjust” and said, “I look forward to my day in court so I can prove myself and actually state the truth.”
Arriving at her Capitol Hill office escorted by a Capitol Police officer, Cherfilus-McCormick implied the indictment was an “intimidation tactic.”
Cherfilus-McCormick was indicted last night on charges she stole and laundered $5 million in federal relief funds and used the money for her congressional campaign, the Justice Department said.
Asked about members of Congress who are calling for her to resign, she said, and only the “people who elected me” can make that decision.
An early 2028 fight erupts as the White House stews over Sen. Ted Cruz
Long-simmering tensions between Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, are boiling over, with White House allies convinced that Cruz is aiming to boost his 2028 presidential prospects at the expense of Vice President JD Vance.
Cruz has raised hackles by positioning himself against Trump — and, by extension, Vance — on several key issues, three people with knowledge of the situation told NBC News.
Sen. Bill Cassidy says vaccines are 'safe and effective' and won't cause autism
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., blasted the Trump administration in a statement this afternoon in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's updating its website to say there may be a link between vaccines and autism.
Cassidy, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee, said that as a doctor, he has seen people die from diseases that can be prevented by vaccines.
"What parents need to hear right now is vaccines for measles, polio, hepatitis B and other childhood diseases are safe and effective and will not cause autism. Any statement to the contrary is wrong, irresponsible, and actively makes Americans sicker," he said.
Cassidy added, "Redirecting attention to factors we definitely know DO NOT cause autism denies families the answers they deserve."
The CDC's updated webpage includes a footnote that refers to Cassidy, saying, “The header ‘Vaccines do not cause autism’ has not been removed due to an agreement with the chair of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee that it would remain on the CDC website."
Cassidy expressed deep concerns this year about Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination for the Cabinet role because of his record of vaccine skepticism. Cassidy, however, ultimately voted to confirm him.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene voters say they’re sticking with her, despite the Trump feud
Not many Republican politicians have dared criticize Trump — and a few bold souls who’ve tried have seen their careers collapse.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is now facing the president’s wrath, but in a sign of broader fissures within the MAGA movement, she just may survive the blowback, interviews with about 20 of her constituents suggest.
Once an unflinching Trump loyalist, Greene now faults him for spending too much time on meet-and-greets with foreign leaders when many people at home are struggling to pay bills.
“People in my district are having a very hard time,” she said in a recent interview.
“And I think that many voters are feeling a little disenfranchised because the domestic issues have not been the priority,” she added.
Trump hosts former Hamas hostages at the White House
Trump hosted hostages released from Gaza last month at the White House this afternoon, as well as their families.
The event was closed to the media, though White House press adviser Margo Martin posted a short video clip on X showing Trump speaking to the group.
“You’re not a hostage anymore," Trump said. "Today you’re heroes."
Twenty people who were held hostage in Gaza since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel were released in mid-October as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and the terrorist group.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters, which represents the former hostages and their families, said in a release that 17 of the 20 hostages were going to visit the White House, including twins Gali and Ziv Berman from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the places attacked on Oct. 7. The twins planned to present the original mezuzah from their home at the kibbutz, the organization said.
Deployment of National Guard in D.C. is unlawful, judge rules
A federal judge in Washington has ruled that the Trump administration’s National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C. is unlawful.
“The Court finds that the District has demonstrated irreparable harm from Defendants’ infringements on its ability to exercise sovereign powers within its jurisdiction,” U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb wrote.
“The Court finds that Defendants lack authority under D.C. law to support their deployment of the DCNG and have exceeded the bounds of their statutory authority under 32 U.S.C. § 502(f) in requesting the deployment of out-of-state National Guards,” Cobb continued.
She also said she believes the Trump administration’s actions are usurping the District of Columbia’s sovereign powers under the Home Rule Act.
Cobb paused her order for 21 days, until Dec. 11, to give the Trump administration time to appeal. (And, most likely, to wait for the Supreme Court to rule on the Illinois National Guard emergency docket case, which will have an impact here in D.C., as well.)
Abigail Jackson, a spokeswoman for the White House said in a statement today that Trump is "is well within his lawful authority to deploy the National Guard in Washington D.C. to protect federal assets and assist law enforcement with specific tasks."
"This lawsuit is nothing more than another attempt — at the detriment of DC residents — to undermine the President’s highly successful operations to stop violent crime in DC," she said.
Vindman and 38 Democrats demand Trump release 'full transcript' of his 2019 MBS call
Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., is leading a group of 38 House Democrats to demand that Trump show “transparency” and release the “full transcript” of a call he had with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2019.
“The American people deserve to know what was said in that conversation, particularly anything that might pertain to the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi,” the lawmakers write in a new letter to Trump, noting that Vindman “reviewed” the call at the time as a staffer for the Trump White House National Security Council.
Trump hosted the crown prince at the White House on Tuesday and defended him, saying he “knew nothing” about Khashoggi's killing. The signatures include those of Rep. Ted Lieu, of California, a Democratic leadership member, and Reps. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., who played key roles in Trump’s two impeachments.
The phone call is classified, meaning Vindman is legally prohibited from disclosing its contents. Without making direct assertions, Vindman’s letter raises questions about Trump’s recent public comments and questions whether favors were traded between the two men in their 2019 conversation.
“The American people deserve transparency in our foreign policy. Specifically, Americans deserve answers regarding your communications with the Crown Prince, as well as any promises, favor or commitments exchanged during the conversation,” the lawmakers write. “For these reasons and for the sake of justice and closure for the Khashoggi family, we urge you to immediately release the transcript of the 2019 call.”
In his NSC role, Vindman also reviewed a phone call Trump had in 2019 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which led to Trump’s first impeachment after it was flagged and reported. Trump called the call “perfect,” and the Senate acquitted him on a mostly party-line vote after a trial.
“If history is any guide, the receipts will be shocking. I call on the president to release the transcript,” Vindman, who was first elected to the House last year, said on the floor before he organized the letter with colleagues. “And honestly, does anyone believe the Zelenskyy call was the only problematic conversation Donald Trump had with a foreign leader?”
White House spokesperson Steven Cheung called Vindman "a bitter back-bencher who nobody takes seriously. He is a serial liar and was part of the hoax relating to the perfect Ukraine call, in which the Ukrainian president said so himself."
Democratic lawmaker says he's received threats since Trump's 'seditious behavior' post
Rep. Chris Deluzio, of Pennsylvania, one of the Democratic veterans who appeared in the video, said he has received threats since Trump posted his message this morning, adding he could not share additional details about being in touch with state, local or federal law enforcement other than to acknowledge he is “taking precaution with the Capitol Police and otherwise to keep my family and me safe.”
He said he has not spoken with the White House today following Trump’s post.
“Let’s start with what he said, which he called for my hanging and my death along with several of my colleagues,” Deluzio said in an interview. “And it’s a dark day in the country for any president to say such a thing.
“And my hope is that people, no matter their politics, can come together to condemn this,” he continued. “We have to end this scourge. And yet Donald Trump is the person with the most power who can bring the temperature down, and instead, he threatens to have us killed. And so for me, it’s not about me, it’s not about my colleagues. This is about the country, whether we’re going to have a constitution that means something, and I’m not going to be intimidated.”
GOP lawmaker says he is 'praying' for former staffer accused of staging fake political attack
Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., said he was “praying for” his former staffer Natalie Greene, who is accused of staging a fake political attack.
“Just praying for and wish her the very best,” he said. “I don’t know any more than you all do, and we never would interfere with an investigation or a criminal process.”
White House press secretary says 'no,' Trump doesn't want to execute members of Congress
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked during the press briefing to address Trump's Truth Social posts this morning in which he accused several Democratic lawmakers of seditious conspiracy.
Asked if Trump wants to execute members of Congress, Leavitt said, "No."
Pressed to explain what Trump was responding to, she said, "Many in this room want to talk about the president’s response, but not what brought the president to responding in this way. You have sitting members of the United States Congress who conspired together to orchestrate a video message to members of the United States military, to active duty service members, to members of the national security apparatus, encouraging them to defy the president’s lawful orders."
Trump accuses Democrats of ‘seditious behavior, punishable by death,’ for urging military to ignore illegal orders
Trump accused several Democratic lawmakers of “seditious behavior,” calling for them “be arrested and put on trial” for behavior that, he said, could be “punishable by death.”
The lawmakers, many of whom were veterans, had posted a video telling military and intelligence officers to refuse illegal orders.
“This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???” Trump wrote in one post.
In another, he wrote: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”
A third Indiana Republican lawmaker is the target of a swatting attempt
A third Indiana Republican lawmaker said he was the target of a swatting attempt this morning amid pressure on members of the Legislature to pursue a redraw of the state's congressional map.
State Sen. Spencer Deery said in a news release that police notified him that a report of domestic abuse was made at his address along with threats of violence against any responding officers. The night prior, he added, an unpaid pizza was sent to his home address.
Deery said police recognized the report as an attempted swatting, which is when someone makes a false report to law enforcement with the goal of intimidating or harassing victims with a police response.
“It is disturbing that anyone would attempt to harm or intimidate lawmakers, but sadly not all that surprising in the current environment,” Deery said in a statement. “We will continue to do our duty and to do what is in the best interest of our district, no matter the threats.”
Yesterday, police thwarted a swatting attempt at the home of GOP state Sen. Dan Dernulc. And earlier in the week, another Republican, state Sen. Greg Goode, was the target of a swatting attempt. No one was harmed in these incidents.
All three lawmakers voted to reconvene the state Senate in January, refusing a call from Gov. Mike Braun to meet in December to pursue a mid-decade redistricting effort. Trump has also posted several messages on Truth Social pressuring Indiana Republicans to draw a new map that would help shore up the party's narrow U.S. House majority in next year's midterm elections.
Deery came out publicly over the summer against such a push.
“If a special session is called, I will stay true to my oath of office by standing up for the principle that candidates should win on the strength of their ideas and not on their ability to choose new voters," he said in a statement in August.
The U.S. added a robust 119,000 jobs in September, but there are still signs of a weakening labor market
The U.S. added 119,000 jobs in September, a stronger-than-expected figure and a sign that the economy was adding jobs at a healthy clip prior to the government shutdown.
But the details of the report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics paint a more mixed picture, of a labor market that has recently begun to look more wobbly amid high-profile layoff announcements from a host of blue-chip companies.
September’s employment gains were concentrated in health care, food and drinking establishments, and social assistance. Manufacturing shed 6,000 jobs, continuing a trend in a sector the Trump administration has touted as a key target of its economic policies. Transportation and warehousing also saw job losses totaling 25,300.
The unemployment rate climbed from 4.3% to 4.4% in September, though the pickup was due in part to an increase in the labor force, which the BLS said gained 450,000 new potential workers.
Cheney was the architect of the global war on terrorism and the second Iraq War
Former Vice President Cheney died earlier this month at the age of 84, after devoting his life to public service, which included spearheading the global war on terrorism.
Cheney served as a key adviser on the defense and foreign policies of two Bush administrations, including overseeing the invasion of Panama and the first Gulf War under President George H.W. Bush. Cheney served as vice president during President George W. Bush's two terms in office, including during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
In addition to defending the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, Cheney fiercely defended the 2003 invasion of Iraq despite the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in the country, which the Bush administration used as the war's justification. Cheney also argued in favor of the second Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping efforts in the U.S. and harsh interrogation techniques abroad.
In recent years, he defended his daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., against Trump, and spoke out against the president. During the 2024 general election, the former vice president said that he would vote for the Democratic nominee, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, for president.
Former Rep. Liz Cheney commemorates her father's life of service
In her eulogy of her father, former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., spoke about Dick Cheney's life of service and her educational childhood.
"My dad’s devotion to America was deep and substantive. He spent his life studying the history of our great republic. He knew you couldn’t truly appreciate what it means to live in freedom if you didn’t understand the sacrifices of the generations who came before," she said.
She recalled how the former vice president would take her and her sister as children to Civil War battlefields and how he would have to read every sign at every site and museum. She said that after her father began attending the University of Wyoming, he went to an event featuring President John F. Kennedy, who urged students to dedicate their lives to the service of the nation.
"I think this is the moment my dad decided what direction his life should take," she said. "Though he was inspired to service by President Kennedy, Dick Cheney became a Republican, but he knew that bonds of party must always yield to the single bond we share as Americans."
"For him, a choice between defense of the Constitution and defense of your political party was no choice at all," she said.
An outspoken critic of Trump, Liz Cheney has repeatedly accused the president of violating the Constitution through his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Former President Bush says Cheney was a 'vice president totally devoted to protecting the United States and its interests'
Former President George W. Bush remembered Dick Cheney in his eulogy as "a vice president totally devoted to protecting the United States and its interests."
"You did not know Dick Cheney unless you understood his greatest concerns and ambitions were for his country," he said. "Across 40 years, his service was consistent, faithful and noble. All in all, not a bad showing for a career and a life, especially when you consider his sheer physical endurance."
Bush spoke about how Cheney helped him in his search for a running mate in the 2000 presidential election cycle, but that he came to the realization that he was the right one for the job.
"I realized the best choice for the vice president was the man sitting right in front of me," Bush said, "And I told him that at such a moment, most in this position would have jumped at the chance, but Dick stayed detached and he analyzed it before I made my decision. He insisted on giving me a complete rundown of all the reasons I should not choose him."
The former president said he wished more Americans got to know Cheney the way people in Wyoming knew him. Bush called him "smart and polished ... courteous and approachable, seeing everyone as an equal."
"A gentleman by nature and a true man of the West, Dick was funny and easy-going in a style that his public image never caught up with, though we can all agree, wasn't your standard-issue politician."
Photo: Former congresswoman Liz Cheney and family members arrive at the Washington National Cathedral
Former congresswoman Liz Cheney stands with family members as they arrive at the funeral service of former Vice President Dick Cheney today. Roberto Schmidt / AFP - Getty Images
Photo: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris attend the funeral service for Dick Cheney at the Washington National Cathedral
Former President Joe Biden greets former Vice President Kamala Harris today as former first lady Jill Biden looks on. Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images
Former VP Dick Cheney's casket enters National Cathedral
Former Vice President Dick Cheney's casket is being brought into the Washington National Cathedral for his funeral service.
Vice President Vance says attempts to shift the GOP away from Trump's policies would be a 'huge mistake'
Vice President JD Vance harshly critiqued any attempts to return to the Republican Party of "20 years ago," saying that conservatives instead need to "lean into" the new coalition of voters shaping the party.
"I do think that some of our folks in Congress, they want to go back to the Republican Party of 20 years ago," Vance said. "That Republican Party was a Republican Party that lost and that couldn't successfully govern the country."
Vance claimed that Americans "don't want stupid wars" or offshoring of jobs, which he claimed was "the legacy of the Republican Party" that preceded Trump.
"You saw this in 2020. You're going to see it in 2025 and 2026. There is an effort to try to wrestle control of the Republican Party away from the voters, and away from the coalition that really delivered the big victory in 2024," Vance said. "I think it's a huge mistake."
"I'm glad the president got us away from that Republican Party," Vance said. "It lost, but it was also a disaster for the United States of America."
Vice President Vance offers condolences to Dick Cheney's family despite 'political disagreements'
In a fireside chat with Breitbart News, Vice President JD Vance expressed condolences to the family of former Vice President Dick Cheney, whose funeral is happening today. However, he didn't address reports that neither he nor Trump were invited to the funeral.
"Obviously, there are some political disagreements there, but he was a guy who served his country; we certainly wish his family all the best in this moment of grieving," Vance said.
NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani says he views meeting with Trump as an 'opportunity' to make the case for New Yorkers
Mamdani said during his press briefing that the city's incoming mayor typically meets with the White House because of "mutual reliance."
"It's more critical than ever, given the national crisis of affordability, one that New Yorkers know very well across these five boroughs, and the specific challenge many cities are facing with balancing public safety against steps taken by this administration," he said during his opening remarks.
Mamdani said he viewed the meeting as "an opportunity" to make the case for New Yorkers.
He said he looked forward to discussing affordability and safety, among other issues. Mamdani also noted that his team set up the meeting because he will "work with anyone."
Trump and Vance were not invited to former Vice President Dick Cheney's funeral
A senior White House official confirms to NBC News that neither Trump nor Vice President JD Vance was invited to former Vice President Dick Cheney's funeral today.
Rep. Rob Bresnahan sold stock in several Medicaid providers before voting for cuts
A week before he voted to significantly cut Medicaid, Rep. Rob Bresnahan dumped six figures’ worth of stock in a quartet of companies that manage nearly half of all Medicaid enrollees in the country, according to public disclosure documents reviewed by NBC News.
Bresnahan, R-Pa., who became one of the most prolific stock traders in Congress after he took office this year, offloaded up to $130,000 worth of stock in Centene, Elevance Health, UnitedHealth and CVS Health on May 15, the periodic transaction reports he filed with the House clerk in June show. Taken together, those four companies oversee roughly half of all Medicaid managed care organizations, according to KFF, a health policy research organization.
Seven days later, on May 22, the House took its first vote on Trump’s mega bill, which slashed funding for Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion to help pay for tax cuts. Bresnahan, along with all but two House Republicans, voted in favor of the bill, which ultimately passed both chambers of Congress and became law this summer.
While Bresnahan has come under intense scrutiny for his stock trades, including for offloading the Centene stock, which was worth up to $15,000, the full breadth of his Medicaid-related trades ahead of his vote for Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” has not previously been reported.
In a statement to NBC News, Bresnahan said he “never instructed my financial advisors on what to buy, sell, or hold.”
“It is no secret that I built a successful career before serving, and I am beholden to no lobbyist or special interest,” he said.
Funeral for former Vice President Dick Cheney to take place this morning
Former Vice President Dick Cheney's funeral will take place at 11 a.m. today at the Washington National Cathedral.
Former Rep. Liz Cheney, his eldest daughter, and former President George W. Bush are among those delivering remarks.
Cheney died earlier this month at 84 years old.
House unanimously votes to repeal provision allowing senators to sue the government over phone record searches
The House voted 426-0 last night to strip a provision in the government funding bill that allows senators to sue the federal government for $500,000 if their phone data was searched without their knowledge.
The provision was added to the funding bill by Senate leaders from both parties and passed by both the House and the Senate last week in the funding bill that ended the government shutdown.
It remains unclear whether Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., will hold a vote on repealing the provision in the Senate.
“We’ll see what the House does,” Thune told NBC News when he was asked yesterday whether he’d take up the measure.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had said he was “very angry” and “surprised” to see the payout provision — applicable only to senators — added to the bill and led the charge to repeal it.
“We had no idea that was dropped in at the last minute. And I did not appreciate that, nor did most the House members. Many of them were very — are very angry about that,” Johnson told reporters last week.
Asked whether he believes Thune will bring it up for a vote in the Senate, Johnson told NBC News: “I certainly hope he will. We’ll have that, we’ll have that discussion.”
There is bipartisan support to repeal the provision among rank-and-file senators.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said yesterday morning that though his data was requested as a part of the investigation that led to former special counsel Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 probe, he would prefer that senators use other means of “accountability.”
“I think it’s a bad idea. I mean, listen, I’m all for accountability. I mean, I have my phone tapped, so I’m all for accountability. Don’t get me wrong, but I just, I think taking taxpayer money is not the way to do it,” Hawley said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who continues to fiercely defend the provision, said yesterday: “They went after my phone. I did nothing to deserve that. ... I am definitely going to sue.”
“If the government doesn’t pay, you’re going to get more of this,” he added.
Trump approves plan for peace between Russia and Ukraine, senior administration official says
Trump this week approved a 28-point plan for peace between Russia and Ukraine that top administration officials have quietly developed over the last several weeks in consultation with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Ukrainian officials, a senior administration official told NBC News.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were involved in formulating the plan, the official said.
“The plan focuses on giving both sides security guarantees to secure a lasting peace,” the senior official told NBC News. “It includes things Ukraine wants and needs to have a durable peace.”
The official would not outline details of a plan the official believes is still up for some degree of negotiation with the key parties involved. Axios first reported the existence of the plan.
Three U.S. officials told NBC News that the framework for the peace deal still needed to be presented to Ukraine and that the timing of finalizing a draft of the plan coincided with the visit of an Army delegation to Ukraine.
Trump to meet with Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office on Friday
Trump and Zohran Mamdani are set to meet in person tomorrow, days after the New York City mayor-elect reached out to the White House to arrange a sit-down.
Trump wrote last night on Truth Social that Mamdani had asked for a meeting and that they “agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office” tomorrow. Trump said “further details” were forthcoming.
A spokesperson for Mamdani confirmed the plans.
Larry Summers going on leave at Harvard as university investigates ties to Jeffrey Epstein
Larry Summers announced last night that he would step aside from his teaching duties at Harvard University while the school investigates his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Summers, a former treasury secretary and ex-president of Harvard, also plans to go on leave as director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School, according to his spokesman, Steven Goldberg.
Larry Summers in New Delhi, India, in 2024. Raj K Raj / Hindustan Times via Getty Images file
“His co-teachers will complete the remaining three class sessions of the courses he has been teaching with them this semester, and he is not scheduled to teach next semester,” Goldberg told NBC News in a statement.
Summers has been in the national spotlight after the House Oversight Committee published more than 20,000 documents from Epstein’s estate, including extensive email exchanges between the two men suggesting they were closer than had previously been known.
Trump signs bill to release the DOJ’s Epstein files
Trump signed a bill last night to compel the Justice Department to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein, capping off a monthslong bipartisan push in Congress that initially met with resistance from the president and sparked sharp divisions within the Republican Party.
Trump had previously said he would sign the measure into law, even as he continued calling the largely Democrat-led push to release the files a “hoax.”
Instead of holding a public bill signing ceremony at the White House, as he has with other pieces of legislation, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had signed the measure. He also used the post to take more digs at Democrats, repeating his “hoax” characterization and arguing that they were seeking “to try and distract” from his administration’s accomplishments.
The House overwhelmingly supported passing the bill Tuesday, with only Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., voting against the legislation. Later in the day, the Senate agreed to send the measure to Trump by unanimous consent.