Politics

Nashville, Tenn. -- Matt Van Epps secured an unexpected victory in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, buoyed—according to analysts—by an unprecedented pledge from technology philanthropists Michael and Susan Dell, who promised a $1,000 “voter-assistance check” to every constituent who cast a ballot for the candidate.

Washington, D.C., — President Donald Trump on Wednesday characterized his first in-person meeting with New York City’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, as exceptionally positive, telling reporters the conversation was “very perfect.”

The meeting, held in the Oval Office, lasted just under an hour. While observers anticipated discussions on federal funding, public safety, or infrastructure, Trump said the two leaders spent much of their time talking about the newly crowned Miss Universe, Fatima Bosch.

Washington, D.C. — Former Vice President Dick Cheney was laid to rest on Wednesday in a solemn ceremony attended by political leaders, dignitaries, and longtime colleagues. The service, held at the Washington National Cathedral, featured an unexpected yet poignant musical tribute from actor and singer Kevin Spacey.

Washington, D.C. — A recent cloud infrastructure outage has unexpectedly found itself at the center of a political story. Congressman Clay Higgins (R-La.) stated Tuesday that his “no” vote on the motion to release files related to the Jeffrey Epstein case was the result of a Cloudflare outage that disrupted access to several major online platforms, including Twitter (now X).

WASHINGTON — After serving nearly 40 years in Congress, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced today that she will retire from public office at the end of her current term. The longtime California representative, who has been a fixture in Democratic leadership for decades, said she plans to launch a hedge fund aimed at “leveraging policy expertise to support strategic investments in American innovation.”

New York — Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani unveiled his transition team on Wednesday, marking the first major step in what many observers see as a new chapter for New York City politics. The team includes community organizers, urban policy experts, union representatives, and — for the first time in city history — an official muezzin.

TRENTON, N.J. — In a decisive victory Tuesday night, former U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill was elected the 58th Governor of New Jersey, defeating Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli in a contentious race defined by debates over taxes, development, and land use.

Washington, D.C. — FBI Director Kash Patel is facing public criticism after recent comments about his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, sparked debate over religious sensitivity and personal boundaries for senior government officials.

Patel made the remarks during a recorded podcast interview last week in which he expressed hope that Wilkins “would consider embracing Hinduism." The statement drew immediate attention online, prompting both praise and backlash from political commentators, faith groups, and civil rights advocates.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to restore federal funding to the New Herald Tribune, ruling that the White House acted unlawfully when it suspended support earlier this year, citing the outlet’s alleged bias and “pattern of misinformation.”

U.S. District Judge Elaine Merriweather of the District of Columbia criticized the administration’s decision as “arbitrary and politically motivated,” writing that the government had failed to provide a consistent or fact-based rationale for the funding cutoff.

Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration announced yesterday that it will rescind federal funding previously allocated to the New Herald Tribune, a national nonprofit news outlet known for its investigative reporting and public affairs coverage. The decision marks the first time in over two decades that a sitting administration has revoked funding from a press organization citing concerns over editorial content.