‘You took $2M': RFK Jr explodes at Rep Pallone, accuses him of taking millions from pharma industry
Tensions erupted at a House health subcommittee as US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. clashed with lawmakers over vaccine policy. Kennedy accused Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone of accepting $2 million from pharmaceutical companies, implying that the congressman's pro-vaccine stance was influenced by Big Pharma contributions.
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Mint
43 minutes ago
- Mint
Confusion and anxiety grips immigrant communities nationwide after US Supreme Court's ruling on birthright citizenship
Confusion and anxiety gripped immigrant communities nationwide after the Supreme Court's ruling on birthright citizenship, leaving pregnant asylum seekers like Lorena, a 24-year-old Colombian in Houston, fearing her unborn child could become stateless, according to a Reuters report. "I don't understand it well," she admitted, voicing concerns that her September-born baby might lack Colombian citizenship if she can't add the child to her pending asylum case. Her panic reflects a broader uncertainty: The court's 6-3 decision curbed federal judges' power to issue nationwide injunctions against President Trump's executive order denying citizenship to babies born to undocumented or temporary-visa holders, but did not rule on the order's constitutionality. Instead, it triggered a 30-day countdown before the policy could take effect, during which lower courts must reconsider narrower ways to block it. Immigrant advocates reported a surge of calls from distraught parents-to-be, including a visa holder in Ohio terrified his child would be denied rights in a non-plaintiff state. "I don't want her to be adrift with no nationality," Lorena said, highlighting the humanitarian crisis brewing beneath all the legal chaos. The ruling's ambiguity centers on its potential to fracture citizenship rights state-by-state. While Trump's order remains blocked for plaintiffs like members of Maryland's CASA and the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, it could apply elsewhere after 30 days, creating what experts call an "unworkable patchwork." For instance, a baby born to undocumented parents in Louisiana (a non-plaintiff state) might be denied citizenship, while an identical birth in Massachusetts (a plaintiff state) would secure it. This disparity could force hospitals to act as de facto immigration enforcers, checking parents' statuses during childbirth. "Would individual doctors have to figure out how to determine citizenship?" asked Migration Policy Institute analyst Kathleen Bush-Joseph, as per Reuters. Trump, meanwhile, doubled down at a press conference, falsely claiming "hundreds of thousands" exploit birthright citizenship as a migration magnet. In a rapid response, advocacy groups filed class-action lawsuits to shield families nationwide. Within hours of the ruling, CASA and the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project amended their Maryland lawsuit to seek certification for a nationwide class covering all children born after February 19, 2025, who'd be stripped of citizenship under Trump's order. "We're going to get protection for everyone," vowed lawyer William Powell, arguing class actions could achieve what universal injunctions no longer can. But hurdles persist: Joining these groups requires resources that many lack, and Republican-led states may still enforce the policy during litigation. Betsy, a Virginia teen and CASA member whose undocumented parents migrated from El Salvador, fears targeting 'innocent kids who haven't even been born.' Meanwhile, Democratic attorneys general in 22 states signaled they'll argue in lower courts that only nationwide injunctions prevent bureaucratic chaos, like tracking parents who cross state lines to give birth. As Honduran asylum seeker Nivida fielded panicked calls from pregnant friends in Louisiana, she echoed a community's plea: "Is the baby going to be a citizen?" With the Supreme Court likely to revisit the order's constitutionality this fall, the clock ticks toward a fragmented America.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Manhattan's progressive man
In a stunning political upset that has caught the eye of political observers and could potentially upend the Democratic Party in the U.S., a new progressive star has emerged: Zohran Kwame Mamdani, the presumptive winner of the New York City mayoral primary. For an Indian progressive uninitiated in American politics, the name Zohran Kwame Mamdani will invoke references to two familiar figures. The 33-year-old is the son of noted postcolonial theorist and academic Mahmood Mamdani, who has written extensively on the legacy of colonialism in Africa, and acclaimed film director Mira Nair. His middle name is, of course, a reference to Kwame Nkrumah, the Ghanaian Pan-Africanist revolutionary leader. But now the younger Mamdani has become a name to be reckoned with on his own accord. By defeating a formidable establishment figure — former Governor Andrew Cuomo — in the New York City mayoral Democratic primary race, Mr. Mamdani has catalysed sharp discourse within the fractured and soul-searching Democratic Party, still reeling from stinging defeats in the presidential and Congressional races in 2024 that heralded the Trump 2.0 era. New York is largely a Democratic stronghold, and the winner of the primary typically goes on to win the mayoral race. In the November Mayoral election, Mr. Mamdani will take on the incumbent, the unpopular Eric Adams, who is expected to run as an independent. Mr. Mamdani's political career is relatively short — he was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020. In the State capital of Albany, he joined a small group of lawmakers affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a progressive and socialist organisation that was formed in 1982 but truly took flight during Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign in 2016. Since then, it has emerged as a major leftist pressure group operating both within and outside the Democratic Party. Mr. Mamdani's victory is reminiscent of a similar triumph in New York when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (fondly known as AOC) won a Congressional election in the city's 14th district in 2018. While Mr. Mamdani's legislative record is relatively modest in terms of Bills passed, his colleagues acknowledge that his work helped shift the Assembly's ideological emphasis to the left. If elected, Mr. Mamdani would be the city's youngest Mayor since 1917 and the first Muslim to hold the post. Mr. Mamdani's victory was no mean feat. He had to overcome the challenge posed by a candidate with extensive political experience — former two-term New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo. Mr. Cuomo has deep establishment ties and was endorsed by multi-billionaire Michael Bloomberg and former U.S. President Bill Clinton, among others. He was also backed by a super Political Action Committee that raised $25 million to bankroll his candidacy. The fact that Mr. Cuomo had resigned from his gubernatorial duties a few years ago after being embroiled in sexual harassment cases did not deter him from attempting to obscure this record while running a conventional campaign that featured attack ads targeting Mr. Mamdani's identity and views. Grassroots mobilisation Mr. Mamdani overcame these challenges by relying on massive grassroots mobilisation — reportedly 50,000 volunteers organised by the DSA's New York Chapter conducted a door-to-door campaign that reached an astounding 1.5 million doors. Focusing on one key issue — 'affordability' in New York's high-cost economy — Mr. Mamdani pledged to address this through a series of concrete measures. These included freezing rents for nearly a million New Yorkers in rent-stabilised apartments, providing free city buses (based on a pilot programme he had helped start as a lawmaker), creating city-owned grocery stores that would keep food costs low by buying wholesale and operating on city land, and providing childcare for infants and toddlers. The focus on livelihood-based 'bread-and-butter economic issues' helped his campaign build a broad coalition of support, including in neighbourhoods that were won by Donald Trump in the 2024 elections. Notably, Mr. Mamdani's message was tailored to redirect working-class frustration away from the Right's targets — immigrants and marginalised groups — toward a different culprit: billionaires. The endorsements by the doyen of the American democratic Left, Bernie Sanders, and its key public figure, AOC, also bolstered his candidacy. Interestingly, Mr. Mamdani managed to register a strong win while unapologetically taking a pro-Palestine position, accusing Israel of committing 'apartheid and genocide in Gaza', supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, and openly embracing his Muslim identity. This stood in sharp contrast to the Democratic Presidential campaign in 2024, where candidate Kamala Harris tacked to the right of centre, refused to halt arms sales to Israel, and did not allow a Palestinian voice to speak at the Democratic Convention. In many ways, Mr. Mamdani's campaign — focused on welfare issues while celebrating his identity as the son of immigrant parents and a practising Muslim — represented everything the Trump administration has demonised during its current tenure. Seen in this light, Mr. Mamdani's victory could possibly be the biggest win for the democratic socialist movement that has taken root in U.S. cities since Mr. Sanders's national campaign. It offers a boost to a demoralised American Left caught between the right-wing populism of Mr. Trump (which has attracted segments of the traditional working class) and what critics see as the vapid centrism of the Democratic Party establishment that refuses to change course, particularly on foreign policy. Inevitably, the question arises: Is Mr. Mamdani's win a blueprint for future success for the beleaguered Democratic Party? His campaign — combining modern social media tools with traditional door-to-door campaigning — managed to generate broad support across a sprawling urban metropolis, offering lessons for other Democratic mobilisations in similar environments across the U.S. A freewheeling, accessible style is clearly a more effective approach than the carefully scripted strategy that cost Democrats in 2024. Road ahead Yet, challenges remain. Republicans are already working to brand Mr. Mamdani as the radical face of the Democratic Party, while the media establishment that supports the GOP has sought to use his identity to tarnish his record, with one Republican Congress representative's fundraising appeal branding him as a 'Hamas Terrorist sympathiser'. His brand of democratic socialism may indeed prove a difficult sell in the small towns and red bastions of middle America. Ultimately, Mr. Mamdani's victory may be less a simple blueprint to be copied and more a mirror held up to the Democratic Party. It has forced a reckoning, proving that a campaign centred on economic justice and unapologetic principles can generate a powerful movement. The question for party leadership is not whether they can perfectly replicate a New York City race, but whether they are willing to embrace the grassroots energy, class-based populism, and bold vision that this stunning victory represents. The future of the party may well depend on their answer.
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Eric Trump for US President? Donald Trump's son reveals his plans for White House
Image: The Trump Organisation Eric Trump, the 41-year-old son of U.S. President Donald Trump, has indicated that he may one day pursue a bid for the nation's highest office, potentially paving the way for a second-generation Trump to enter the political fray. In an interview with the Financial Times , Eric Trump suggested that his personal experience over the past decade in the spotlight has prepared him for a possible political journey, though he expressed concern about the impact such a decision might have on his family. Speaking candidly, Eric Trump remarked, 'The real question is: 'Do you want to drag other members of your family into it?' Would I want my kids to live the same experience over the last decade that I've lived?'He added, 'If the answer was yes, I think the political path would be an easy one, meaning, I think I could do it. And by the way, I think other members of our family could do it too', as quoted in a report by USA Today. These remarks mark a rare moment of direct contemplation from Donald Trump's son about his own potential in politics. While often appearing at campaign events and rallies, Eric Trump has largely remained focused on business, steering clear of day-to-day political strategy, unlike his older brother. Eric Trump currently serves as co-executive vice-president of the Trump Organization, which recently entered the mobile communications sector. He manages the family's expansive real estate and branding empire alongside his brother Donald Trump Jr., who has himself expressed a tentative interest in running for public office. In May, the elder Trump sibling noted he 'maybe one day' could seek the to Lara Trump, the current co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), Eric has remained influential behind the scenes in Republican circles. However, his public posture has been less politically charged than his brother's, who is frequently vocal on conservative platforms and active in rallying support for his father's ongoing political career. Also Read | Trump's Big, Beautiful Bill sparks panic among MAGA voters: 'We'd lose everything' The Trump family's flirtation with politics dates back to the 1980s, when Donald Trump was first floated as a potential candidate for president. As early as the 1988 election cycle, grassroots efforts attempted to draft the New York businessman into the race, with Trump exploring campaigns under both Democratic and Reform Party labels. He officially entered and later withdrew from the 2000 presidential race before launching his successful 2016 bid as a and Donald Jr.'s musings reflect a continuation of that legacy, one that has now been cemented by Donald Trump's return to the White House in 2025. The elder Trump's political brand remains dominant within the Republican Party, giving his family members a prominent platform from which to contemplate public office. Also Read | Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize? After Pakistan, now Congo joins the push While no official moves have been made, Eric Trump's comments underscore the possibility of a Trump political dynasty, especially at a time when voter loyalties and name recognition play an outsized role in U.S. his father back in power, the younger Trumps may find an increasingly receptive conservative base willing to extend their support to another now, however, Eric Trump appears content to keep his focus on business — but the door to politics, as he notes, remains open. In an interview with the Financial Times , Eric Trump said he believes he 'could do it' when asked about a potential run for president. However, he expressed concern about the impact such a move could have on his family, especially his Eric Trump has not officially declared his candidacy. He simply acknowledged that the political path would be 'easy' for him if he chose to pursue it.
