Poli Alert Politics & Civics

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 …

A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked sweeping changes to the nation’s childhood vaccine recommendations ordered by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., finding the move likely violated federal procedures. The ruling also halted a planned meeting of a newly restructured federal vaccine advisory panel, marking a significant legal …

A man accused of planting pipe bombs near the headquarters of the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee on the eve of the January 6 Capitol attack is asking a federal judge to dismiss the case, arguing he is covered by President Donald Trump’s sweeping pardons of alleged rioters. …

President Donald Trump said Monday that U.S. forces have “literally obliterated” the Iranian regime’s military capabilities as the war with Iran entered its third week, while urging other countries to help secure the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting with the board of trustees …

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said Monday she has been diagnosed with breast cancer, adding that the illness was detected early and that doctors have given her a strong prognosis. Wiles announced the diagnosis in a statement released by the White House, saying she plans to continue serving …

The U.S. Department of State has sharply reduced the fee Americans must pay to formally renounce their citizenship, cutting the cost by roughly 80% after years of legal and political pressure from expatriate advocacy groups. In a final rule published Friday in the Federal Register, the department lowered the fee …

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday that the U.S. military has launched a comprehensive investigation into a deadly strike last month on an elementary school in Iran, a move that signals a possible shift toward examining whether American forces were responsible for the attack. Speaking at a Pentagon news conference, …

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission warned Saturday that broadcasters could lose their licenses if they air what he called inaccurate reporting about the war between Israel and Iran, echoing criticism from Donald Trump about media coverage of the conflict. Brendan Carr, the FCC chair appointed by Trump, said …