Latest news with #PunchbowlNews
New York Post
12 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Don Bacon, House GOP lawmaker critical of Trump's handling of Ukraine war, won't seek re-election: reports
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) will not seek re-election in his swing district in 2026 and instead retire from the House of Representatives, according to multiple reports. Bacon, who has served five terms in the lower chamber representing Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, is expected to make a formal announcement on Monday, Punchbowl News and the New York Times reported on Friday. Bacon's district went for Kamala Harris over President Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Getty Images The congressman's office and campaign would not confirm reports of his imminent retirement, but Bacon has shared several messages thanking him for his service on Capitol Hill on X. Bacon's district, which encompasses Nebraska's largest city, Omaha, went for former Vice President Kamala Harris over President Trump in the 2024 election. The district also voted for former President Joe Biden over Trump in the 2020 presidential contest. Bacon himself narrowly won re-election last year, defeating his Democratic opponent by less than 2 percentage points. His departure opens the door for Democrats to pick up a seat in the House, which is narrowly controlled by Republicans, after the 2026 midterm elections. Bacon, 61, has been an outspoken critic of Trump's approach to negotiations aimed at ending Russia's three-year-long war against Ukraine. Bacon has been critical of Trump's handling of the war in Ukraine. Ron Sachs/CNP / Earlier this year, he told The Post he felt Trump was taking 'a pro-Russian view' of the conflict and that the president has been 'a bit of an appeaser to Russia.' Bacon slammed Trump's 'moral ambiguity' last month after the president took aim at Russian President Vladimir Putin – calling him 'crazy' – for allowing a massive airstrike targeting Ukrainian civilians, but went on to criticize Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the same post. 'The first half of this message is perfect, the rest is dumb,' Bacon said at the time. 'Trump is attacking President Zelensky while Putin bombs Ukrainian cities and it is misguided.' 'Moral ambiguity while one nation invades another is hurting Trump's credibility. Putin is making a mockery of Trump, and Trump keeps attacking Zelensky.'
Axios
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Axios
Republican maverick Rep. Don Bacon retiring from Congress
Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska will announce his retirement on Monday, two sources familiar with the matter said. Why it matters: Bacon, who represents one of the most competitive districts in the country, was viewed as the GOP's best shot at keeping control of the key battleground seat. Democrats have been waiting for Bacon's exit for years. Bacon, who has served in the House since 2017, is only one of three House Republicans to represent a district won by former Vice President Harris in 2024. Punchbowl News was first to report Bacon's retirement. Between the lines: While Bacon's retirement won't send shock waves through the party, Republicans acknowledge that Democrats will have a field day with the open seat, according to a source familiar.
NBC News
15 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Nebraska Republican Don Bacon will not seek re-election to Congress
WASHINGTON — Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican who represents a key battleground district, is planning to announce his retirement from Congress, according to two sources familiar with the situation. He is expected to make a formal announcement as soon as next week, when the House is poised to vote on President Donald Trump's sweeping legislation dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill.' Bacon did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday night. Punchbowl News first reported his retirement plans. Bacon has represented the state's 2nd Congressional District, which includes much of the Omaha metropolitan area, since 2017 when he defeated his Democratic opponent by less than 5,000 votes. Since then, Bacon has kept the seat in the GOP column but only narrowly emerged victorious in recent elections, including last year when he won by less than 2 percentage points. Bacon's departure will provide Democrats an opportunity to pick up a seat in a district that has shown an appetite for supporting Democratic candidates on the ballot in recent elections. Former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the district by nearly 5 percentage points in 2024 — making Bacon one of just three House Republicans to serve in a district Harris won. Former President Joe Biden won Bacon's district by an even larger margin in 2020. Bacon has been among the more vocal Republican critics of Trump's agenda, sparring with the president at times over his use of tariffs and decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico, and accusing him of treating Russia with "velvet gloves." With his announcement, Bacon will join nearly half a dozen Republicans in the House who have opted against seeking re-election next year. Nine House Democrats also are not seeking re-election to their seats.
CNBC
a day ago
- Politics
- CNBC
Trump's mega bill does not need to get done by July 4, says Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman
Jake Sherman, Punchbowl News co-founder, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss President Trump's bill showdown, the list of lawmakers' issues with the bill and much more.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
House Democratic veterans back moves to limit Trump's military authority
A group of 12 House Democratic military veterans have thrown their weight behind efforts to constrain Donald Trump's military authority, announcing they will support a War Powers Act resolution in response to the US president's go ahead for airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The veterans – some of whom served in Iraq and Afghanistan – were strongly critical of Trump's decision to launch what they called 'preventive air strikes' without US congressional approval, drawing explicit parallels to the run-up to some of America's longest recent wars. 'Twenty years ago, in their rush to appear strong and tough, politicians – from both parties – failed to ask the hard questions before starting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,' they wrote in a letter led by Representative Pat Ryan to Trump sent on Monday. 'We refuse to make those same mistakes.' Their intervention comes as multiple war powers resolutions are gaining momentum on Capitol Hill, with the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, pushing for a vote as early as this week to rein in the president's military actions. The veterans did not specify which measure they would support, as competing versions are being drafted by different Democratic factions alongside a bipartisan effort. Related: America is sleepwalking into another unnecessary war | Eli Clifton and Eldar Mamedov The War Powers Resolution of 1973 was enacted to limit the US president's ability to commit armed forces to fight abroad without congressional consent in the form of a vote. Representatives Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, have been championing one bipartisan resolution, while the ranking Democrats on the House foreign affairs, armed services and intelligence committees are preparing an alternative, according to Punchbowl News. Democratic aides described the latter to the outlet as providing cover for members uncomfortable with backing the Massie-Khanna approach, though lawmakers will not be discouraged from supporting both measures. The adamance against the legality of America's involvement has only intensified since Trump's Saturday night strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, and the line from centrist to progressive Democrats has been to charge the president with executive overreach. The New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for Trump's impeachment, describing the attacks as 'a grave violation of the constitution and congressional war powers', while the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, accused the president of misleading Americans and dramatically increasing the risk of war. For the 12 veteran House members, the issue cuts to the heart of their military oath. 'We all swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Article 1 Section 8 explicitly requires a vote by Congress to declare war,' they wrote, demanding clear answers about military objectives, estimated costs and potential American casualties before any escalation. The signatories included representatives Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr, Eugene Simon Vindman, Chris Deluzio, Jimmy Panetta and Ted Lieu. Still, their letter walked a careful line on the broader Middle East conflict, labeling Iran as 'evil' and pledging continued support for Israel while warning against the strategic limitations of military action. 'While destroying nuclear sites may achieve initial tactical success, it far from guarantees longterm strategic victory,' they argued. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post See our guide at for alternative methods and the pros and cons of each. The dispute has built on uncomfortable divisions within Trump's own party, most notably with conservative influencers and independent news media that lean to the right, with Massie and senator Rand Paul emerging as Congress's most vocal Republican critics of the Iran strikes. But Trump has since escalated his rhetoric, posting on Truth Social about potential 'regime change' in Iran and asking: 'MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!' Congressional leaders have also expressed frustration over the administration's failure to provide adequate consultation before the weekend operation. While Schumer received a call from Trump officials, he was reportedly not told which country would be targeted, and Jeffries 'could not be reached until after' the strikes had begun, according to the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt.
