Steve Kornacki: Republicans face historical headwinds in 2026 midterms
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Trump teases 'major statement' on Russia amid new attacks on Ukraine
Trump on Thursday told NBC News that he's "disappointed in Russia" as he addressed the status of the Russia-Ukraine war, which has raged for more than three years. He added, "But we'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks." "I think I'll have a major statement to make on Russia on Monday," Trump said, declining to elaborate. More: Trump escalates criticism of Putin, rearms Ukraine, as Russia's war plows on Trump on Wednesday gave his bluntest assessment yet of Putin. "We get a lot of bulls--t thrown at us from Putin, if you want to know the truth," Trump said at a Cabinet meeting. "He's very nice all the time but it turns out to be meaningless." "We're not happy with Putin, I'm not happy with Putin, I can tell you that much right now. Because he's killing a lot of people. And a lot of them are his soldiers," Trump said. Unmoved by Trump's criticism, Russia on Thursday launched a new wave of attacks that targeted Kyiv with some 400 drones and missiles. Earlier in the week, Trump overturned a Pentagon decision to withhold some weapons shipments to Ukraine. More: Trump rips Putin, says Russian leader 'killing a lot of people' in Ukraine Trump discussed details of the weapons arrangement with NBC. "We're sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons, 100%. So what we're doing is the weapons that are going out are going to NATO, and then NATO is going to be giving those weapons [to Ukraine], and NATO is paying for those weapons." More: 'We have to': Trump sending weapons to Ukraine after expressing disappointment with Putin Trump has long said he is considering imposing new sanctions on Russia but has held off on taking action. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, a Trump ally, is pushing legislation that would target Russia with substantial new sanctions. Since returning to the White House in January for his second term, Trump has pinned equal blame on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for prolonging a war started by Russia. But in recent weeks, Trump has expressed impatience with Putin as U.S. efforts to secure a Russia-Ukraine peace deal haven't gained traction. Trump said in late May that Putin was "playing with fire" and had gone "absolutely crazy," as he speculated that Russia wants to lay claim to all of Ukraine. The next month he said the war had been "more difficult" to resolve than other conflicts and called Putin "misguided." Contributing: Francesca Chambers of USA TODAY Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Senate ups Ukraine funding, hems in Hegseth in new defense bill
The bill "reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to assist Ukraine" with its defense against Russia and to "bolster" its military for that purpose. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat on the committee from New Hampshire, said she added language to the bill to prevent "diversion of military equipment obligated for Ukraine after the Pentagon's misguided decision." The provisions "put guardrails on Secretary Hegseth's harmful make sure promised military assistance continues to flow to Ukraine," she said in a statement. The bill easily cleared the committee on July 9, with just one senator voting against. Hegseth shut down weapons deliveries to Ukraine in early July, saying it was part of a broad "review" to make sure Pentagon stockpiles hadn't dwindled too low. Among the weapons held up in the pause were Patriot missiles and other key air defense weapons. Russian drone and missile attacks have increased in recent days to levels unprecedented in the more-than-three-year conflict. Less than a week after Hegseth suspended them, deliveries abruptly started up again after President Donald Trump said Ukraine needed weapons to defend itself and lashed out at Vladimir Putin with the harshest language he's yet directed at the Russian leader. Senators also want to require Hegseth to continue the Pentagon's intelligence sharing with Ukraine, according to a summary of the approved bill. The Trump administration temporarily paused all Ukraine aid, including intelligence sharing, after and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's contentious exchange in the Oval Office in late February. Trump has not requested or designated any new funds for Ukraine, but he is reportedly considering another aid package, according to Reuters and other outlets. Of the money allotted by former President Joe Biden, $3.86 billion remains, which is separate from the funds allocated by Congress. House bill bars Trump from diverting Ukraine funds without 'declaration' Meanwhile, a "mark-up" of the House version of the defense bill by Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican Armed Services Committee chair, renews funding to Ukraine, but without the Senate's $200 million increase. But that version would also bar Trump from spending or reallocating funds for Ukraine without handing Congress a "written determination that doing so is in the national interest of the United States." It would require Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to submit regular reports on "allied and partner support to Ukraine." Rogers said in a statement after the pause on weapons deliveries ended that "President Trump is right that now is not the time to pause U.S. military aid to support Ukraine's defense."
NBC News
7 hours ago
- NBC News
Cannabis farmworker in California is on life support after chaotic federal immigration raid, family says
LOS ANGELES — A farmworker at a Southern California cannabis farm is in critical condition after being injured during a chaotic immigration raid by federal officers, county officials said Friday. Jaime Alanis Garcia is hospitalized at Ventura County Medical Center and remains in critical condition, officials said in a statement authorized by the man's family. His family told NBC Los Angeles that the man is on life support using an assistive breathing machine and has "catastrophic" injuries. He has a broken neck, broken skull and a severed artery, a niece said. The United Farm Workers had previously said he had died from his injuries. The labor union said the employee of Glass House Farms north of Los Angeles plummeted 30 feet. 'These violent and cruel federal actions terrorize American communities, disrupt the American food supply chain, threaten lives and separate families,' UFW President Teresa Romero said in a statement to NBC News. Immigration officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Federal agents lobbed less-lethal weapons and tear gas at protesters who gathered outside the Camarillo grow house Thursday while employees were being rounded up and arrested inside. Officers pepper-sprayed a disabled U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq and works as a security guard at the facility, the man's wife told NBC News. George Retes complied with federal officers when he arrived to check on friends and colleagues who might have been affected by the raids, she said, but instead he was arrested on suspicion of assault, according to immigration officials. A hearing is scheduled Monday. 'He wasn't even a protester,' Guadalupe Torres said of her husband. 'They smashed his window, and after they smashed his window, they pepper-sprayed him.' Aerial footage from NBC Los Angeles showed farm equipment being loaded up into tow trucks and people standing around in handcuffs. President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday night that he watched the protests 'in disbelief' as unruly demonstrators threw rock and bricks at cars belonging to federal agents. He directed Homeland Security and immigration officials to use 'whatever means is necessary' to arrest people who do not obey the law. At a cultivation center in Carpinteria owned by Glass House Farms, manager Edgar Rodriguez said federal officers assaulted and handcuffed him after he repeatedly asked them to identify themselves and provide a warrant. Rodriguez was standing behind a window when 10 unidentified men in fatigues arrived Thursday morning in unmarked cars and one armored vehicle. Rodriguez, a U.S. citizen, said he asked the men several times to identify themselves and provide a reason for arriving heavily armed. The officers refused and responded by saying they were 'not ICE' but did not specify which agency they were from. One of the officers can be seen in video obtained exclusively by NBC News attempting to coax Rodriquez outside by telling him he wouldn't be harmed. 'I'm just trying to talk to you. We're not here for you,' the officer said in the video. 'We have a federal warrant. We have a right to be here. Please come out.'
