All articles tagged with #us politics
International tourism to the United States fell by about 4 million in 2025, cutting more than $8 billion in spending as presidential rhetoric and policy confusion fed a perception of dysfunction; the drop was driven largely by Canadians, with a slow recovery expected, and experts warn it weakens US soft power. Recovery to pre-pandemic levels isn’t seen until 2029 unless Brand USA is funded and messaging is stabilized.
Trump linked a potential Iran peace deal to widespread sign-ups to the Abraham Accords, urging Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain to join Israel's normalization, and even floated Iran’s participation; analysts doubt broad adoption will materialize amid Gulf rivalries and ongoing Qatar-brokered talks.
The Wall Street Journal editorial board argues that Trump has lost the governing plot in his second term, saying his personal obsessions and retaliatory politics are derailing policy gains, alienating Republicans, and jeopardizing GOP control of Congress as his approval sinks amid economic worries and a war with Iran.
Tulsi Gabbard has left the Trump administration, marking the fourth departure from his cabinet, and all four exits have been by women, highlighting a notable wave of female turnover at the top levels of his administration.
The Trump administration announced that foreigners currently in the United States who want permanent residence must return to their home country to apply for a green card, with limited exceptions for extraordinary circumstances, expanding barriers to legal immigration and potentially separating families.
The Trump administration unveiled a rule requiring green-card applicants to leave the United States during the application process, a sweeping change that could force hundreds of thousands to leave their jobs and families while their residency requests are processed. The policy, which includes exemptions for extraordinary circumstances, would affect a large share of legal immigration and is expected to face lawsuits as critics argue it would hurt U.S. competitiveness and disrupt communities.
The Trump administration unveiled a sweeping rule requiring green-card applicants to depart the United States to complete their permanent-residency visas, a change that could force hundreds of thousands to leave jobs and families during processing. Officials say the policy tightens immigration controls, while critics fear it will hurt the economy and innovation and trigger legal challenges. The rule comes amid broader efforts to curb legal immigration, with about 1.4 million people obtaining lawful permanent residence in FY2024 showing the scale of the program.
FT Swamp Notes argues the GOP has become a Trump-centered personality cult, as dissenters like Cassidy, Cornyn and Massie were punished in primaries; Trump’s grip on loyalists remains ironclad, even as more Republicans push back on costly, Trump-aligned policies. The piece suggests voters’ focus on the economy and affordability may determine the midterms more than Trump’s corruption, though loyalty to Trump still shapes the party’s trajectory.
As Ken Martin finally released the DNC's 192-page autopsy of its 2024 defeat, he faced renewed calls to resign, while the live feed also tracks Trump’s latest comments and ongoing NATO/Europe troop-position discussions.
A postelection autopsy by the DNC concludes Kamala Harris was not effectively positioned to lead the 2024 race, notes Biden’s departure and Gaza-related tensions complicated messaging, and criticizes the party for not deploying enough negative advertising against Trump. It urges a strategic overhaul—broader Latino outreach, stronger appeal to rural voters and working-class men, and a renewed focus on economic issues—arguing that economics, not identity politics, will win back the Heartland.
The US Senate declined to advance a $70 billion immigration-enforcement funding package amid GOP disputes over linking $1 billion for security upgrades to Trump’s White House ballroom and a separate $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. Democrats say the move blocks a controversial “slush fund,” while Trump defends the ballroom costs as a “very good expenditure,” signaling the row could influence midterm politics as lawmakers head into a recess.
A Fox News poll shows Trump’s approval among Republicans dropping to a record low, with an overall 39% approval (61% disapproval). Among GOP voters, 36% of non-MAGA Republicans approve of his handling of the economy, compared with 74% of MAGA Republicans, while inflation and high gas prices are driving discontent across the party and beyond.
BuzzFeed highlights four cringe-worthy moments from Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry’s Greenland trip as a Trump-appointed special envoy, including anti-USA posters in Nuuk and a notably awkward moment when Landry asked a Greenlandic child for a photo and was refused, underscoring reception and controversy around the envoy role.
Democrats in the House push for a breakthrough as lawmakers prepare for another vote on Iran, underscoring ongoing partisan debate over whether the United States should take military action against Iran.
Sen. John Kennedy described Cuba's leaders as incompetent and oppressive, prompting critics on social media to point out the irony that the same critique could apply to the Trump-era U.S. leadership as Washington increases pressure on Havana.