Poli Alert Politics & Civics

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday abruptly dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the influential federal panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine recommendations for the U.S. public. Kennedy announced the move in …

At a sometimes raucous town hall meeting Friday morning, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst faced vocal opposition to her support for spending cuts to programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. Like many other Republican lawmakers holding events with constituents throughout the country, Ernst faced a crowd at the Aplington-Parkersburg High School …

In a fiery speech to steelworkers at U.S. Steel’s Irvin Works plant on Friday, President Donald Trump announced a doubling of tariffs on steel imports to 50%, up from the current 25%, as part of his broader push to fortify American manufacturing and revive the domestic steel industry. “We’re going …

Former President Donald Trump on Friday accused China of violating a recently agreed-upon trade agreement, just weeks after the two countries announced a temporary easing of tariffs on each other’s imports. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that Beijing had “totally violated” the agreement, though he …

A signature federal report spearheaded by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is under fire after an investigation revealed it contains multiple references to nonexistent or misrepresented scientific studies. The 72-page “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) report, intended to guide a sweeping new child health initiative, has …

President Donald Trump’s global tariffs can remain in place while the courts examine whether the sweeping import taxes that have roiled worldwide trade reach beyond his presidential authority. The U.S. Appeals Court for the Federal Circuit delivered the order swiftly Thursday, handing Trump a win after a lower trade court blocked …

The U.S. government will begin revoking visas for some Chinese international students, including those studying in sensitive academic disciplines, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday, marking a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s effort to restrict Chinese influence in American higher education. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. State …

President Donald Trump issued a sweeping new round of pardons Wednesday, extending clemency to a mix of political allies, celebrities, and high-profile figures with criminal pasts, including rapper NBA YoungBoy, a former Connecticut governor, and a Chicago gang leader once deemed one of America’s most dangerous inmates. The move, confirmed …

Elon Musk’s high-profile stint as a special government employee in President Donald Trump’s White House came to an end Wednesday, capping a turbulent tenure marked by flashy rhetoric, ambitious promises, and a rocky relationship with the administration he aimed to help. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who was tapped to …

President Donald Trump pushed back hard Wednesday against the growing perception that he retreats from his own steep tariff threats, denying that he’s “chickening out” and insisting his trade tactics are deliberate negotiating maneuvers designed to pressure foreign governments. Asked about the so-called “TACO” trade — an acronym coined by …

A federal three-judge panel on Wednesday dealt a major blow to President Donald Trump’s trade agenda, ruling that he overstepped his legal authority by imposing sweeping tariffs on U.S. trading partners. The U.S. Court of International Trade said Trump’s actions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) lacked clear …

Elon Musk says in an interview excerpt that he was “disappointed” in the U.S. House GOP’s massive legislative package of tax cuts, border funding and more of President Donald Trump’s domestic policy priorities, telling CBS News the bill would undermine the work of his U.S. DOGE Service to cut government …

A federal judge on Tuesday struck down a Trump administration executive order that sought to penalize WilmerHale, one of the nation’s most prominent law firms, delivering the third judicial rebuke this month to former President Donald Trump’s campaign against legal institutions. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon permanently blocked the executive …

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville formally entered the 2026 campaign for governor of Alabama Tuesday, launching a campaign website shortly before announcing his candidacy on Fox News Tuesday afternoon. “I will be the future governor of the great state of Alabama,” Tuberville said from Byron’s Smokehouse in Auburn. “I’ve still got …

The U.S. State Department has paused the scheduling of new visa interviews for international students while it prepares to roll out expanded screening of applicants’ social media activity, officials confirmed Tuesday. The suspension, which does not affect students who already have interviews scheduled, was ordered in a classified internal cable …