Poli Alert Politics & Civics

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has authorized the purchase of Iranian oil already in transit, granting a temporary sanctions exemption as the administration of President Donald Trump seeks to ease surging global energy prices during the ongoing conflict with Iran. Under the license, buyers may purchase Iranian oil loaded …

The Justice Department on Friday filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, accusing its leadership of failing to address antisemitism on campus and seeking to freeze federal funding while recovering billions in previously awarded grants. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Massachusetts, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing standoff …

A federal design panel composed entirely of Trump-appointed members voted Thursday to approve a 24-carat commemorative gold coin featuring President Donald Trump, part of preparations for the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026. The Commission of Fine Arts signed off on a proposed design depicting Trump in the Oval Office, with …

Former FBI Director James Comey has been subpoenaed as part of a sweeping federal investigation examining the origins of the 2016 Russia probe and subsequent prosecutions tied to President Donald Trump, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The investigation is being led by Jason A. Reding Quiñones, the …

The U.S. Treasury Department will take over the Department of Education’s responsibility for collecting on defaulted federal student loan debt, President Donald Trump’s administration announced Thursday. It’s the first step in a multi-phase process that will end with Treasury taking on the entire federal student loan portfolio. It’s also the latest …

A key Senate committee voted 8-7 Thursday to advance President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, sending Sen. Markwayne Mullin to the full Senate despite sharp partisan divisions and concerns over his conduct. The vote by the Senate Homeland Security Committee came one day after a …

A group of House Democrats walked out of a closed-door briefing Wednesday with Attorney General Pam Bondi on the federal probe into Jeffrey Epstein, escalating tensions over the Justice Department’s handling of the case and setting up a potential legal showdown with Congress. The contentious meeting came one day after …

Global energy markets were jolted Thursday as oil and gas prices surged following a wave of Iranian strikes on critical infrastructure across the Persian Gulf, raising fears of prolonged disruptions to global supply. Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, climbed above $115 per barrel, while European natural gas futures also …

The Department of Defense has asked the White House to approve a funding request exceeding $200 billion to sustain and expand the U.S. war effort in Iran, according to administration officials, setting the stage for a major political battle in Congress over the cost and scope of the conflict. The …

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., faced a combative and deeply personal confirmation hearing Wednesday as he seeks to become the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, with sharp exchanges over his past statements, claims of classified work and approach to immigration enforcement. The hearing before the Senate Homeland Security …

Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton has won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, NBC News projects, defeating two sitting members of Congress in a high-profile and expensive race to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. Stratton overcame Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly, consolidating support in vote-rich areas and benefiting from …

The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify next month as part of its investigation into the Justice Department’s handling of records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, intensifying a politically charged probe that has drawn bipartisan scrutiny. The subpoena compels Bondi to appear for …

Senate Republicans on Tuesday voted to begin debate on the SAVE America Act, a sweeping election overhaul backed by President Donald Trump, setting up what leaders in both parties expect to be a prolonged and contentious fight on the Senate floor. The procedural vote passed 51-48, with Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, …

President Donald Trump on Tuesday abruptly backed away from his call for U.S. allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, marking a sharp reversal just one day after urging other nations to “get involved” in protecting the critical global oil chokepoint. Speaking in the Oval Office alongside Irish Prime …

The director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, resigned Tuesday in protest of the ongoing U.S. war with Iran, saying he could not support the conflict and arguing Tehran posed no immediate threat to the United States. “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent …