January 6th, election interference, acts of authoritarianism, voter suppression, and systematic undermining of democratic institutions.
Stories
During Donald Trump's 2026 State of the Union address, PolitiFact provided live fact-checking, noting that although Trump claimed to have fulfilled all his campaign promises, only 19% had been completed, with many remaining stalled or broken. The address focused on his achievements and future plans, amid ongoing scrutiny of his record on fulfilling promises.
The US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has threatened to invoke wartime powers to force Anthropic to share its AI technology for military purposes, giving the company until Friday to comply or risk losing its government contract. Anthropic has expressed concerns about how its technology might be used. The dispute stems from ongoing negotiations over the use of the AI firm's technology in national security contexts.
The U.S. Department of Defense has threatened to potentially label AI company Anthropic a "supply chain risk" if it does not allow unrestricted U.S. military use of its technology, including in autonomous weapons and surveillance, which the company has publicly opposed. Anthropic has emphasized that it will uphold its principles and refrain from supporting these uses. The controversy arose after allegations that Anthropic’s AI may have been used in military actions, despite their commitments to AI safety and ethical standards.
Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales is facing calls to resign from members of both parties amid allegations of an affair with a staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide in September. The allegations include sexually explicit text messages exchanged between Gonzales and the aide, with some lawmakers describing the situation as serious and disturbing. Gonzales has denied the affair and stated he will not resign, while investigations and political debates continue.
House Speaker Mike Johnson described the allegations against GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales involving an affair with a staffer who subsequently died by suicide as "detestable," and emphasized that efforts are underway to "sort it out" as investigations continue. The staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, revealed the alleged affair before her death in September 2025, and text messages showed sexual banter between her and Gonzales, who denies any affair and claims extortion by her widower. Gonzales has refused to resign and maintains that all facts will come to light.
The SAVE Act, which is progressing through Congress, aims to require proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voter registration, potentially impacting millions of Americans who lack certain documents or face obstacles obtaining them. Critics argue that the legislation could disproportionately affect low-income individuals, people of color, the elderly, and college students, by creating barriers to voting. Supporters contend it would strengthen election security, though existing safeguards have shown few cases of noncitizen voting. The bill's passage could significantly alter voting procedures nationwide if it moves forward in the Senate.
Indonesian Islamic groups have largely supported President Prabowo Subianto’s decision to join Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, a move that has raised concerns about Indonesia's long-standing support for the Palestinian cause. Critics argue that the group's backing, coordinated after a meeting with Prabowo, reflects government co-optation and may undermine efforts to address the structural injustices in Gaza, with some leaders describing the initiative as serving broader geopolitical interests. This shift in support highlights increased government influence over Islamic organizations and raises questions about Indonesia’s commitment to Palestinian aspirations.
A federal court in Washington, D.C., rejected a request from immigrant rights groups to temporarily block the IRS from sharing taxpayer data with ICE, allowing the practice to continue under a recent data-sharing agreement. The court found that the plaintiffs are unlikely to succeed on the merits, noting the shared information is not covered by the IRS privacy statute. The agreement, signed by Treasury and Homeland Security officials, has been part of a broader immigration enforcement effort, despite controversy and internal IRS errors in sharing data.
The U.S. Department of Education is continuing to shift responsibility for school safety and family engagement programs to the Department of Health and Human Services as part of efforts to reorganize federal responsibilities, affecting initiatives such as trauma response grants and family support centers. Critics argue these transfers create complexity, inefficiency, and disruptions for schools and families, while the department claims they aim to strengthen program outcomes. This reorganization follows earlier program cuts and reallocations, prompting legal challenges and concerns over program management and funding stability.
A new NPR report claims that the Department of Justice may have withheld 50 pages of FBI interviews and notes related to allegations that President Donald Trump sexually assaulted a minor, which were part of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The DOJ denies these claims, stating that all relevant documents have been released and any redactions were for victim privacy reasons. The release of the files has been slow and heavily redacted, leading to accusations of potential withholding and cover-up efforts by Congress and critics. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and claims to have been exonerated by the evidence released.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed the bipartisan "Gang of Eight" congressional leaders on Iran, amid rising tensions over Iran's nuclear programme. The meeting occurred prior to President Trump's State of the Union address and involved discussions on potential military action, including the deployment of the USS Gerald Ford. Congressional members emphasized the need for the President to clearly state the US's goals and interests in the region.
A lawsuit alleges that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and the Trump administration violated First Amendment rights by using facial recognition software and surveillance technology to identify, track, and intimidate citizens documenting federal actions in Maine. The complaint claims that federal agents collected biometric data, license plates, and other personal information from citizens, often threatening them with labels such as "domestic terrorists," to deter their constitutional activities. The plaintiffs seek a declaration of the violations, restrictions on such surveillance practices, and the expungement of collected records.