Russia launches new attacks on Ukraine with the countdown to a US peace deadline underway
The latest bombardment in Russia's escalating aerial campaign against civilian areas came ahead of a Sept. 2 deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for the Kremlin to reach a peace deal in the three-year war , under the threat of possible severe Washington sanctions if it doesn't.
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Newsweek
2 minutes ago
- Newsweek
What if the Parties Struck a Truce on Self-Destructive Gerrymandering?
America's two major political parties are about to exchange the next salvos in a decades-long battle where—as is typical of trench warfare—they both stand to lose. Texas Governor Greg Abbott is under severe pressure from President Donald Trump to restart one of the most craven and self-destructive practices of American politics in the 21st century: predatory gerrymandering. California Governor Gavin Newsom has made clear that, if Abbott goes through with it, he stands ready to retaliate. If you're thinking "gee, this sounds like a boring, technical issue for government nerds to fuss over," it's not. It's been a poison that's seeped further into our political life than most realize. Here's what happened. Partisan gerrymandering—drawing legislative and congressional districts to maximize your party's power—goes back literally to the birth of the republic. But for most of the 20th century, state political leanings were so stable that parties kept their maps in place. Even after Supreme Court rulings in the mid-1960s forced change, the parties settled into a fairly anodyne process, forming districts once every ten years after the new national census with only minor angling for political advantage. In 2003, then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay broke the tacit truce. After Texas drew its districts following the 2000 census, he waited for Republicans to gain complete control of Texas government, and then maneuvered an ambush: a sudden redraw that gave Republicans six more congressional seats. Once DeLay started this new predatory approach—grabbing for power at any opportunity—others followed. Republican-dominated states started to copycat Texas, and Republicans saw an opportunity if they were really willing to push the envelope. Political strategist Karl Rove crafted a project called REDMAP to win key state legislative seats all over the country in order to drive an even more aggressive round of congressional redistricting. It worked: in 2012, Democrats won 1.4 million more votes for the U.S. House than Republicans, but Republicans won the chamber 234-201. In the Wisconsin legislature, as just one state example, Republicans won less than half of the statewide vote but took 61 percent of the legislative seats. These outrageous power tilts still exist around the country. US President Donald Trump (L) listens to Texas Governor Greg Abbott speak during a meeting with local officials and first responders in Kerrville, Texas, on July 11, 2025, following devastating flooding that occurred in the... US President Donald Trump (L) listens to Texas Governor Greg Abbott speak during a meeting with local officials and first responders in Kerrville, Texas, on July 11, 2025, following devastating flooding that occurred in the area over the July 4 weekend. More BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images Most Americans might dismiss all this as another instance of all's-fair-in-love-and-war political skullduggery. Why was it actually so bad? For Republicans, gerrymandering helped drive the MAGA-fication of the party. To achieve the 2010 backlash that would fuel their predatory gerrymandering scheme, Republican leaders engineered an angry populist movement—the Tea Party. That Frankenstein's monster came alive and helped Republicans shellack Democrats in the 2010 midterms, but then escaped lab containment. Feuds between Tea Party-aligned activists and establishment Republicans roiled the party in 2012 and sank them in 2014, leaving the party rudderless, confused, and ripe for Trump's takeover. Then the Trump faction became a force inside America's gerrymandered districts. Since his endorsement was seen as the critical factor in winning Republican primaries, and with almost all Republicans districts being "ultra-safe," the majority of state and U.S. House elected officials became Trump acolytes. Democrats in turn became both politically neutered and schizophrenic: in a few places successfully depoliticizing redistricting through independent commissions, in other places trying (unsuccessfully) to even the score after the 2020 census with their own aggressive gerrymanders. So they remain boxed out of power in most states, still trying to land a feeble counterpunch. It's left them with a severe case of "don't wrestle a pig in the mud; you get dirty and he has fun." And we Americans ended up with a mess. Trump's gerrymandering-enabled leveraged buyout of the Republican Party—and now the U.S. government—means his faction of MAGA Republicans (which represents only 16 percent of Americans) gets to drive a radical agenda that the majority of us oppose. So everyone has lost—Republicans as much as anyone, as their party has been coopted and as their ultra-aggressive tactics have sometimes backfired. But, addicted to a toxic formula that has worked out well for him so far, Trump is now looking for even more aggressive gerrymandering, and California Governor Gavin Newsom is threatening to retaliate with some partisan redistricting of his own. So the cycle will restart, and the screws will continue to tighten. But what if the few remaining adults in American politics said, "enough?" There's actually a model in 20th century political history for one way it could work. In 1940s and 1950s, it was common for U.S. senators of opposing parties to form a "voting pair" on a bill. Since their votes would cancel each other out, they would skip the vote together. Greg Abbott could call Gavin Newsom and say "hey, we're a couple of Washington outsiders with national ambitions—let's pair up on a ceasefire. I'll carve out a little space from Trump, you'll show that you can work with Republicans. Our parties will breathe a sigh of relief, and we'll do our country a lot of good. We could even start a trend for other states to follow." Likely? No. But possible? Absolutely. It wouldn't undo the damage that's been done. But the first rule when you're in a hole is to stop digging. Matt Robison is a writer, podcast host, and former congressional staffer. The views in this article are the writer's own.
Newsweek
2 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Trump Wants $1 Billion for Taiwan Amid China Military Tensions
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump's administration is pushing for more U.S. help for Taiwan to bolster its defenses and "strongly urged" Congress to increase an appropriation to $1 billion, Taiwan news portals have reported. The call from the U.S. administration should help reassure the self-ruled island of unwavering U.S. support in the face of growing concerns that China might be planning to invade. Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese foreign ministry for comment. A Patriot air defense system is deployed at a park during the Han Kuang Exercise on July 14, 2025, in Taipei, Taiwan. A Patriot air defense system is deployed at a park during the Han Kuang Exercise on July 14, 2025, in Taipei, It Matters China claims Taiwan as its own and has never ruled out the use of force to take control of the democratic island. Taipei rejects China's claim of sovereignty and says Taiwan's people should decide their own future. The U.S. is the island's most important ally despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations but there have been some questions about Washington's commitment to support Taiwan during Trump's second term. Trump, pressed in February on whether he would defend Taiwan, declined to comment on the matter to Reuters, saying: "I don't want to ever put myself in that position." But the president had raised doubts in Taiwan after accusing the island of "stealing" America's chip industry and suggesting it should pay the U.S. for its support in terms of defense. China is invariably angered by any outside support for the island which it condemns as interference in its internal affairs. What To Know The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which included $500 million for Taiwan. The bill is not final and must pass the U.S. Senate before it can be sent to the president for signing. The Office of Management and Budget under the Executive Office of the President said the Trump administration appreciated the $500 million allocated by the House of Representatives, calling it "critical to enabling the Department of Defense's efforts to strengthen Taiwan's self-defense capabilities," the Focus Taiwan news portal reported. However, it added that a $1 billion budget would enhance "Taiwan's ability to credibly defend itself." This would be "vital for deterrence in the Indo-Pacific and important for safeguarding [U.S.] personnel in the event of a contingency," Focus Taiwan reported. What People Are Saying The White House Office of Management and Budget, as cited by Focus Taiwan, said: "The Administration strongly urges full consideration of the fiscal 2026 budget request of US$1 billion for TSCI, as Taiwan's ability to credibly defend itself is vital for deterrence in the Indo-Pacific and important for safeguarding United States personnel in the event of a contingency." The Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, or TSCI, is a provision aimed at facilitating U.S. defense support for the island. What Happens Next The U.S. Senate has yet to pass the proposed appropriations, while Beijing can be expected to make its opposition to the support clear at a time that Trump's tariff policy is putting an additional strain on difficult relations.
Newsweek
2 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump's Support Collapses With Key Demographic
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Hispanic Americans' support for Donald Trump has dropped sharply since the start of his second term, driven by dissatisfaction over his administration's immigration policies and the perception that Hispanic people are unfairly targeted, according to a CBS News/YouGov poll. The CBS survey, conducted July 16–18 among 2,343 U.S. adults with a margin of error of ±2.5 percentage points, shows that Hispanic approval of Trump — which stood at about 50 percent when he returned to office — has fallen to roughly one-third. The poll found that a majority of Hispanic respondents now disapprove of Trump's deportation program, detention practices and his handling of inflation. Why It Matters Hispanic voters have historically leaned Democratic but became an increasingly contested demographic during Trump's political rise. His gains among this group were notable in the 2024 election, when he won 48 percent of the Hispanic vote, surpassing the previous Republican high set by President George W. Bush in 2004. Analysts attributed this shift to economic and immigration concerns, which emerged as the primary issues for many Hispanic voters during the election, according to exit polls. U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak on recent Supreme Court rulings in the briefing room at the White House on June 27, 2025 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak on recent Supreme Court rulings in the briefing room at the White House on June 27, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photo byWhat People Are Saying The CBS News poll suggests this decline is driven largely by across-the-board dissatisfaction with the president's deportation policies. While the program once enjoyed majority support early in Trump's term, it now registers as "slightly net-negative," according to the poll. These findings come as immigration has moved to the forefront of Trump's second-term agenda, with stepped-up enforcement and detentions becoming more visible across the country. The survey reflects a growing sentiment that Trump's immigration policies have gone too far. Fifty-three percent of Americans — and 63 percent of Hispanics — now say Trump and the Republicans are handling immigration in a manner that is "too tough". Voters also appear surprised by the scope of the deportation program. More than half of respondents believe his administration is deporting more people than they expected, and 56 percent say it is targeting non-dangerous individuals rather than focusing on criminals. Thousands of protesters gather in downtown Los Angeles for an anti-Trump "No Kings Day" demonstration in a city that has been the focus of protests against Trump's immigration raids on June 14, 2025, in Los... Thousands of protesters gather in downtown Los Angeles for an anti-Trump "No Kings Day" demonstration in a city that has been the focus of protests against Trump's immigration raids on June 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. More Getty Images/Spencer Platt The poll also found that 64 percent of respondents believe Hispanic people are subjected to more immigration and deportation searches than other groups, and of those, 78 percent consider such treatment unfair. Even the use of detention facilities, which once divided public opinion, is now underwater: Nearly 60 percent disapprove of how the Trump administration is using them to hold migrants it intends to deport. The economy, another major issue for voters, appears to be adding to Trump's challenges. Economic dissatisfaction appears to be contributing to the shift as well. Only 36 percent of Hispanics approve of Trump's handling of inflation, and 70 percent of all respondents say his administration is not doing enough to lower prices. Approval of Trump's overall job performance now sits at 42 percent, with 58 percent disapproving, according to the poll. What People Are Saying Eduardo Gamarra, a professor at Florida International University, told Newsweek: "Hispanics are increasingly behaving like the general electorate. The economy is the main issue, followed by concerns unrelated to immigration. Second- and third-generation Hispanics are also behaving more like their American counterparts, sharing similar cultural preferences." Mike Madrid, political consultant and co-founder of the Lincoln Project, wrote on Substack: "When Republicans and Democrats are splitting the Latino vote 50–50, it's time to acknowledge Latinos aren't who you want them to be. We are who we are, and it's time the parties started listening — or losing." What Happens Next As the 2026 midterms approach, both parties are likely to intensify their outreach to Hispanic voters — a demographic that could prove decisive in key battleground districts. Republicans will aim to maintain their current level of support, while Democrats will work to win it back.
