US Politics

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a four-day ceasefire and a hostage exchange, mediated by Qatar and coordinated with the United States. The deal, which is still under discussion, would involve the release of about 50 hostages, mostly women and children, held by Hamas in Gaza, in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. This…

House Speaker Mike Johnson met with Trump on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, after he publicly endorsed him for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination1.  Johnson, who became speaker last month after Kevin McCarthy was ousted by a hard-right faction of the GOP, said he was “all in for President Trump” and expected him to be the…

Congressional leaders are aiming to pass Ukraine and Israel supplemental aid before Christmas1.  The White House has requested more than $105 billion in aid for both countries, as well as for other national security needs, such as border security and Indo-Pacific security2.  The aid package is intended to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s invasion…

Congress has not yet voted on the 2024 budget, but it has made some progress on the appropriations bills that fund the government for the fiscal year. The Senate has passed a three-bill “minibus” appropriations package on Nov. 1, which includes the Agriculture, Energy and Water, and Transportation and Housing and Urban Development bills1.  The package…

There are many people and groups who are calling for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas. Some of them are: Also, there have been several open letters signed by different groups of people who are calling for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas. Some of these groups are: These…

Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar are two US congresswomen who are known for their support for Palestinian rights. They are both members of the Democratic Party and the “Squad” of progressive women of color in Congress. They have been vocal critics of the Israeli government and its policies towards the Palestinians, and have faced backlash…

Former US President Donald Trump says he would end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours if he were re-elected. This statement was made during a CNN town hall on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, where he also declined to say if he supports Ukraine or Russia, and mocked a sexual abuse verdict against him1. His…

The 2024 presidential race is still far away, but some polls have already been conducted to gauge the potential matchups between the candidates. According to the latest polls, former President Donald Trump leads President Joe Biden in five battleground states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania1. Trump also has a slight edge over Biden in…

New House Speaker Mike Johnson partnered with an anti-gay conversion therapy group called Exodus International and worked as an attorney and spokesman for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), a socially conservative legal advocacy group that opposes LGBTQ rights, abortion, and secularism12.  He and his group collaborated with Exodus from 2006 to 2010, providing legal advice…

Vice President Kamala Harris said that the US has no intention of sending combat troops to Israel or Gaza amid the ongoing war. This is a very important and timely topic that has implications for the US role and strategy in the region. Here is a summary of what I found: To amplify information: 1….