All articles tagged with #legality
President Trump proposed at the Republican midterm convention that if Republicans win control of both the House and Senate, every adult American would receive a $5,000 dividend funded by tariff Revenues, a plan costing about $1.3 trillion with no implementation details and questions over legality and feasibility. Democrats call it an empty promise amid rising prices and foreign policy tensions.
Trump pledges a $5,000 dividend for every adult American if Republicans win both the House and Senate, a plan estimated to cost over $1 trillion and likely to face funding and legality challenges, echoing earlier, unreleased proposals like a DOGE dividend and tariff rebates.
The U.S. Mint begins selling a $1 gold-colored coin featuring President Donald Trump—the first living person to appear on U.S. currency in more than a century—as part of a 250th-anniversary program. The coins go on sale Sept. 2 in bags and rolls, including a batch of 250,000 coins with a July 4 privy mark. The move has sparked questions about legality since U.S. law typically limits portraits on currency to the deceased, though the Treasury cites a 2020 law allowing the semiquincentennial coin for one year. Neither the coin nor a proposed 24K gold commemorative coin received review from the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. The coins are described as having a gold-like finish and do not contain precious metals.
A surge of smart cameras and audio devices are used during home showings, with about 72% of buyers reporting awareness or suspicion and 56% of sellers admitting active recording. While many justify it as protection, some listeners use the footage to gauge interest or probe buyer comments, raising privacy and legal concerns as laws on consent vary by state. MLS listings and broker policies are increasingly calling for disclosures or agreements not to listen in, but enforcement is uneven. The recordings can chill buyer discussions and even derail negotiations, with buyers often omitting budget or offer strategy details and some even leaving shows due to the sense of being watched.
A Washington Post feature describes how people are buying the weight-loss peptide retatrutide online, highlighting safety concerns and an unclear regulatory status, making it a popular but not clearly legal or regulated consumer option.
The US military said it struck a boat in the eastern Pacific suspected of smuggling drugs, killing two men and raising the toll of people killed in such boat strikes to at least 207 since September, though it offered no evidence the vessel carried drugs. The operation feeds a broader debate over the legality and effectiveness of the campaign against Latin American traffickers, as Trump frames it as self-defense in an armed conflict while critics point to past strikes and legal questions; the Pentagon watchdog will review the targeting process, not the legality of the strikes.
A new immigration-focused report argues that the Department of Labor's rule to raise wages for H-1B workers is likely illegal, citing questions about the agency's authority and rulemaking process, with potential legal challenges and varied impacts on employers and foreign workers depending on implementation.
The DOJ’s plan to pay nearly $1.8 billion from the Judgment Fund to those alleging weaponization of the legal system has triggered questions about its legality, eligibility criteria, and oversight. Some experts say the fund can be legally authorized under the Judgment Fund, while others warn it bypasses Congress and lacks transparent rules, risking abuse. Lawmakers from both parties are pushing for safeguards, and lawsuits question who has standing to challenge the arrangement.
PBS NewsHour reports that the Trump administration is paying nearly $2 billion to energy companies to cancel offshore wind projects, including a nearly $1 billion payout to TotalEnergies and additional payments for Bluepoint Wind and Golden State Wind, raising questions about spending authority, legality, and the transparency of subsidized project cancellations.
Legal scholars say Trump’s strikes on Iran raise serious constitutional questions: only Congress can declare or authorize war, yet the White House has offered no public justification. DOJ memos cited by supporters argue executive power suffices, but several experts—including Ilya Somin and Steve Vladeck—call the move unconstitutional or highly dubious and warn that what’s framed as a limited action could escalate into a broader conflict. The administration cites Article II authority and past executive actions, but critics say the scale, duration, and potential for prolonged hostilities demand congressional authorization, leaving the legality of the strikes contested and unsettled.
The Kennedy Center board voted to rename the venue after Donald Trump and John F. Kennedy, a move met with legal questions and opposition from the Kennedy family, amid Trump's efforts to reshape the institution and its programming.
The US has expanded its military campaign against suspected drug traffickers off Venezuela, resulting in at least 64 deaths, amid legal and congressional concerns over the legality and transparency of these strikes, with critics questioning the administration's authority and the evidence used.
Senator Mark Kelly questioned the legality of the US military's deployment around Venezuela, criticizing the administration's unclear justification and warning against potential conflict, amid ongoing strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug boats.
Doubts are emerging over the legality of US military strikes in the Caribbean, raising concerns about potential violations of international law and the implications for regional stability.
Legal experts question the legality of Trump's military strike on a Venezuelan drug boat, citing insufficient justification, lack of clear evidence that the targets were combatants, and potential violations of domestic and international law, with the administration providing vague legal rationale and limited factual details.