Stephen Dinan

DOJ moves to oust judge who blamed Trump for cutting trees at D.C. golf course

The Department of Justice has asked a federal judge to recuse herself after she yelled at department lawyers and demanded senior officials appear and testify on whether President Trump prodded them to cut down trees so he could rebuild the golf course on East Potomac Park south of the National Mall.

October 17, 2026

$2 trillion man: Trump oversees deep deficit in 2026

President Trump's first full year back in the White House ended with a $2 trillion deficit, as Uncle Sam's budget woes deepened.

October 16, 2026

‘Good guy’ with gun credited with saving lives in Oregon school shooting

Authorities are crediting an armed civilian with taking down the shooter in this week's tragic attack on an Oregon elementary school, saying the person saved lives.

October 16, 2026

DHS records best year ever at southern border; zero catch-and-release cases

The Department of Homeland Security closed out fiscal year 2026 with its best numbers ever at the southwestern border, with only a trickle of illegal immigrants detected -- and not a single one given a catch-and-release.

October 16, 2026

Judge upholds NYC sanctuary policy; Trump administration can’t commandeer locals to help ICE

A federal judge ruled Thursday in favor of New York City's sanctuary policy, saying the federal government can't force local authorities to assist in arresting and deporting illegal immigrants.

October 15, 2026

Feds sue to stop California from counting ballots of 20,000 suspected noncitizens

The Justice Department filed a groundbreaking lawsuit Thursday, asking a judge to bar California from counting ballots cast by roughly 20,000 people the government believes to be noncitizens, unless the state takes steps to verify those individuals are, in fact, valid voters.

October 15, 2026

Fairfax, Arlington counties can defend transgender student policies in court, judges rule

An appeals court delivered a victory Thursday to Fairfax and Arlington counties' school systems, ruling that they can turn to the regular federal courts to defend their transgender student policies against the Department of Education.

October 15, 2026

USPS vows to deliver all ballots this year; Trump’s plans put on hold

U.S. Postal Service leaders said Thursday that this year's election mail will be business as usual, promising the same delivery as in the past, unaffected by President Trump's professed distrust of voting by mail.

October 15, 2026

Supreme Court allows FCC ad rules that benefit GOP to remain for 2026 election

The Supreme Court slapped down Democrats' latest attempt to hinder Republicans' election-season ad buying, ruling Wednesday that the Federal Communications Commission does not need to make an immediate decision on what ad rates apply to coordinated expenditures.

October 14, 2026

Did you buy a MAGA hat after the 2020 election? Jack Smith’s team had your info

Former special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into President Trump scooped up information on 639,000 Republican supporters and everyday voters, the Senate's top lawmaker revealed Wednesday.

October 14, 2026

California can’t make ICE wear ID, federal appeals court rules

A federal appeals court issued an injunction Wednesday blocking California's law requiring national law enforcement officers to wear identification tags so their activities can be tracked.

October 14, 2026

ICE against wearing automatically activated body cameras

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is resisting a recommendation from the government's comptroller general to have its agents' and officers' body cameras automatically activate, saying the danger of an inadvertent start that captures sensitive information outweighs the benefits.

October 14, 2026

Social Security checks to see 3.6% cost-of-living increase next year

Persistent inflation will drive up older Americans' Social Security checks next year, with the government announcing a 3.6% cost-of-living increase.

October 14, 2026

Judge says Trump was behind National Park Service tree cutting

A federal judge suggested that President Trump lurks behind the National Park Service's snap decision to chop down hundreds of trees on the golf course that's part of the National Mall park.

October 14, 2026

Trump appeals judge’s ruling that blocks White House from stripping media’s credentials

The White House filed an appeal Wednesday after a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction barring President Trump's team from stripping press credentials from journalists for CNN, Politico and MS NOW.

October 14, 2026

Supreme Court refuses antifa activist’s demand for pretrial release

The Supreme Court on Tuesday shot down Minnesota antifa activist Kyle Wagner's request for release while he awaits trial.

October 13, 2026

‘Unprecedented’: Judge clears name of FEMA official after Trump confidantes lied about her

A federal magistrate judge delivered an unusual victory to a fired federal employee Tuesday, officially clearing her name of all the overheated and erroneous allegations Trump officials and confidantes aimed at her.

October 13, 2026

‘Pharma Bro’ Martin Shkreli accused of violating court order by dealing in pharmaceuticals again

Martin Shkreli, nicknamed the Pharma Bro for his callous approach to price gouging life-saving drugs, violated the terms of his case by buying and selling pharmaceutical stocks, a coalition of federal and state authorities said Tuesday.

October 13, 2026

Supreme Court to decide on whether man who cooked for terrorists can claim asylum

The Supreme Court said Tuesday it will decide whether a Nigerian who says he was forced to serve as a cook for a terrorist organization can claim asylum in the U.S., in a case that goes to the heart of what it means to materially support terrorism.

October 13, 2026

Supreme Court to decide whether Trump can shield DOGE documents from public view

The Supreme Court said Tuesday it will hear a case involving President Trump's attempt to block a liberal watchdog group from obtaining documents about the internal workings of DOGE, the White House's now-defunct cost-cutting initiative.

October 13, 2026