Pete Sessions

Another member of Congress has disclosed buying shares of a Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) ETF ahead of President Donald Trump's announcement for a planned Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.What Happened: Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) recently disclosed buying shares of a Bitcoin ETF, according to the Benzinga Government Trades page.Greene follows Senator David McCormick (R-Pa.) who also recently disclosed buying shares of a Bitcoin ETF before a social media post from Trump announcing plans for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.Greene's purchase of shares of iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ:IBIT) happened on March 3 — after Trump’s social media post, but before he signed an executive order for Bitcoin Strategic Reserve. The purchase price was $15,000 to $50,000.In the latest disclosure, Greene also announced buying ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

House Democratic leadership privately confronted the roughly dozen progressive members of their caucus for apparently disregarding requests for decorum during President Donald Trump’s terrible speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.According to Axios, the three most senior House Democratic leaders—Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, Minority Whip Katherine Clark, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries—gathered the group of disruptors on Thursday morning. The trio was reportedly “very unhappy” with the cadre of leftist lawmakers who (gasp!) coordinated outfits or refused to clap during Trump’s nearly two-hour speech. Reps. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, Maxine Dexter of Oregon, Maxwell Frost of Florida, and Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico, were among the progressive lawmakers called into the “come to Jesus meeting.”A source familiar with the gathering stressed that the lawmakers were “not getting yelled at” nor were they “being talked to like they are children.” Instead, House Democratic leadership said they wanted the affected legislators to “understand why their strategy is a bad idea.”Rep. Nydia Velazquez of New York and fellow Democrats protest President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress on March 4, 2025.“It doesn’t surprise me leadership is very upset. They gave specific instructions not to do that,” another source said, seemingly referring to a “dear colleague” letter that Jeffries sent to the caucus before Trump’s address. In the letter, Jeffries urged his colleagues to have a “strong, determined, and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber.” Democrats were also privately told not to use props during the president’s speech.But some rank-and-file Democrats ignored both requests. Stansbury, for instance, held a sign reading, “This is NOT normal,” which was yanked out of her hands by GOP Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas. And Frost wore a shirt donning the phrase, “No Kings Live Here,” an apparent reference to Trump’s description of himself as a “king” in a recent post on Truth Social.Democrats don’t seem to know how they plan to protest Trump—assuming they even want to at all. Those who vote in favor of the president’s agenda, even if they later admit that they screwed up, face few consequences. Meanwhile, silent protesters are admonished behind closed doors while those who object to Trump’s lies more blatantly—such as Rep. Al Green of Texas—get censured by the House, including by 10 fellow Democrats.Perhaps Democratic leadership wanted all protests to occur outside of the chamber. But considering that the bulk of their caucus has struggled to find an effective way to call out Trump, it’s shameful to pull aside the few members who have directly pushed back against the Trump administration.Surprising no one, other “Democrats”—like Rep. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania—have also admonished dissenters. On the day of Trump’s speech, Fetterman called the protests “a sad cavalcade of self owns and unhinged petulance” in a post on X.Notably, Democrats’ takedown of their own caucus’ protesting methods isn’t all that different from what Trump himself said shortly after Green was kicked out of the chamber. “This is my fifth such speech to Congress,” he said, “and once again, I look at the Democrats in front of me, and I realize there is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy or to make them stand or smile or applaud.”Campaign Action

It was a week that saw not only more twists in the tariffs saga but also Trump's big Hill address, the suspension of aid to Ukraine, more firings at agencies, and more. NPR keeps track, day by day.

He also suggested the U.S. might abandon its commitments to the alliance if member countries don't meet defense spending targets.

'Dignified Democratic presence in the chamber'

Even with the urging of President Donald Trump, who signed an executive order in February supporting IVF availability, the GOP-majority House sidelined the bill by a tight margin, 47-52.

The House on Thursday voted to censure an unrepentant Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, for disrupting President Donald Trump's address to Congress.

'He can’t control China. China’s our enemy,' Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said.

Co-chairs of the U.S. Congressional DOGE Caucus, Reps. Aaron Bean (R-Fla.), Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Blake Moore (R-Utah), and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) hold a news conference at 2:15 p.m. ET on Feb. 25.

More and more Republican lawmakers are being confronted by angry constituents at town hall meetings across the country. The opposition continues to grow to the chaos President Donald Trump and co-President Elon Musk have unleashed on the federal government with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.On Friday, a town hall held by Georgia Republican Rep. Rich McCormick went off the rails after McCormick started attacking constituents who confronted him about Trump and Musk's cuts, comparing them to the violent pro-Trump rioters who ransacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.Since then, multiple other GOP lawmakers have now been confronted by enraged constituents at town halls, many of whom implored Republicans to stand up to Trump and Musk’s decision to slash the federal workforce in a slapdash way that endangers necessary government services, and even national security.“When are you going to wrest control back from the executive and stop hurting your constituents?” one voter asked Rep. Pete Sessions at a Saturday town hall in his Texas House district.When Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) was confronted by angry constituents, rather than listen to their concerns he accused them of not wanting to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in the government.Alford even eventually told one laid-off federal worker who attended the town hall that "God has a plan and purpose for your life"—an extremely callous response to someone in imminent need of help after losing their livelihood at the hands of the world’s richest man. In Oklahoma, home to more than 41,000 federal workers, voters asked Rep. Kevin Hern to stand up to Musk and the conflicts of interest he presents.“Will you call Elon Musk in to testify under oath to explain what he's doing?” one constituent asked Hern, according to a local television outlet.x"First District Congressman Kevin Hern spoke first about the border, the deficit, and China. His constituents only had questions about government cuts" via CBS affiliate KOTV / @emorybryan's report on Hern's event in Glenpool pic.twitter.com/CWD7gDx0sO— Alan He (@alanhe) February 21, 2025Other Republicans aren’t even having town halls, possibly to avoid being confronted by voters who demand they do their jobs and not cede Congress’ power to Trump and Musk."Last week, Republicans sent the House home for nine days. While House Democrats held hundreds of town halls and events, House Republicans hid from their constituents. And when Republicans did show up, the American people told them exactly how they feel about their extreme budget scheme," Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) wrote in a post on X, which included a video with clips of voters protesting GOP lawmakers.xLast week, Republicans sent the House home for nine days.While House Democrats held hundreds of town halls and events, House Republicans hid from their constituents.And when Republicans did show up, the American people told them exactly how they feel about their extreme... pic.twitter.com/NmErhXEE2A— Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (@RepMGS) February 25, 2025The lack of access to GOP elected officials led voters in Kansas to hold their own town hall to urge GOP Sen. Jerry Moran to listen to them.“Senator Moran, as my elected representative, I am relying on you,” Dot Nary, a disability activist who uses a wheelchair, said at a virtual town hall organized by Kansans frustrated with Moran’s lack of accessibility. “Will you vote against efforts to cut funding for these Health and Human Services programs—both from the Department of Government Efficiency and in upcoming budget negotiations? Your constituents expect you to advocate for programs that allow us to live full lives in our communities.” Republicans, however, are shrugging off the town hall outrage.Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) attacked the town hall attendees."Last week, videos of protesters yelling at members of Congress went viral, right? But the content focused on the confrontation, not the why,” she said at a Tuesday news conference on Capitol Hill. “Some of the people that hijacked those town halls are happy with the bloated status quo, they want the bloated status quo to continue. They don't want to get our country back on track.”Other Republicans are alleging that the anger at town halls is part of a manufactured astroturf campaign by left-wing groups.A headline from the right-wing Free Beacon reads: "Red-District DOGE Protests, Cited As Proof of Broad Musk 'Backlash,' Were Organized By Left-Wing Groups"From the article: Across the country, similar protests played out at House GOP town halls and district offices. The demonstrations drove mainstream media coverage of brewing backlash against the Trump administration as the lower chamber left Washington, D.C., for a week-long recess. Well-funded liberal organizations organized many of them.That language is eerily similar to the reaction Democrats had in 2009, when Republicans were showing up in droves to town halls to rage at Democratic lawmakers over then-President Barack Obama's health care reform bill. A 2009 headline from the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call read, "Pelosi: GOP Tax Protest Is AstroTurf, Not Grass Roots.""This initiative is funded by the high end; we call it AstroTurf, it’s not really a grass-roots movement. It’s AstroTurf by some of the wealthiest people in America to keep the focus on tax cuts for the rich instead of for the great middle class," Pelosi said at the time.Republicans who are ignoring the outrage are merely whistling past the graveyard.Thank you to the Daily Kos community who continues to fight so hard with Daily Kos. Your reader support means everything. We will continue to have you covered and keep you informed, so please donate just $3 to help support the work we do.

'They do not support these goals'

Democratic governors are diverging in their approaches to President Trump amid mounting speculation that some of them are gunning for the White House in 2028. Some are digging their heels into resistance efforts, as in Illinois, where Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) this week trolled Trump’s plan to rename the Gulf of Mexico. Others are taking a [...]

Florida Republican Congressman Aaron Bean is putting forward the DRAIN THE SWAMP Act to compel the relocation of a swath of the federal bureaucracy outside Washington, D.C.

BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that NATO membership for Ukraine was unrealistic and in sweeping remarks suggested that the country should abandon hopes of returning to its pre-2014 borders and prepare for a negotiated settlement with Russia that would be backed up by international troops.

Billionaire Elon Musk targeted members of Congress who enjoy rising wealth amounts while in office, which comes as retail traders place larger emphasis on politicians’ stock and options trading activity.What Happened: Members of Congress can buy and sell stocks, options and cryptocurrency as long as they disclose the transactions in a timely manner.This activity has drawn increased scrutiny in recent years as trades made by members of Congress often appear to be conflicts of interest based on non-public knowledge and can sometimes be stocks related to government-funded contracts.A post that discussed several prominent members of Congress with their annual salaries and net worths caught the attention of Musk, who is currently the world's richest person worth $379 billion."It's not like these politicians started companies or were NBA All-Stars, so where did they get all the money? Does anyone know?" Musk tweeted.The quoted tweet included the following members of Congress:Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.): Annual salary $223,000, Net worth $202 millionMitch McConnell (R-Ky.): Annual salary $200,000, Net worth $95 millionChuck Schumer (D-N.Y.): Annual salary $210,000, Net worth $75 millionElizabeth Warren (D-Mass.): Annual salary: $285,000, Net worth $67 millionThe replies included a post from the original poster with additional examples of politicians who have net worths of more than $50 million."I am not suggesting anything. Make your own conclusions," the poster tweeted.The annual salaries in the post could include other sources of income and may not be strictly their Congressional salary.The post also doesn't take into account how much the net worth of members of Congress was before they took office or what their spouses do.Pelosi's husband Paul Pelosi is a ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

STUTTGART, GERMANY — The Pentagon plans to welcome Elon Musk and "the keen eye of DOGE" to scrutinize its spending "very soon," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Axios on his first overseas trip since taking office.Why it matters: At more than $890 billion, the Pentagon's budget is a behemoth — accounting for roughly half of the U.S. government's discretionary spending this fiscal year.It's also a black box: The sprawling Defense Department has failed its annual audit seven years in a row, including this past December.Contrary to DOGE's downsizing goals, President Trump actually wants to increase defense spending — but believes Musk and his team can help salvage and redirect "billions of dollars" of inefficiencies in the military.What they're saying: "There is waste, redundancies, and headcounts at headquarters that need to be addressed. There's just no doubt," Hegseth told Axios outside U.S. Africa Command here on Tuesday.A fierce proponent of "getting back to basics," Hegseth pointed to spending on dealing with climate change — prioritized as a national security threat by the Biden administration — as a clear target for cost-cutting."The Defense Department is not in the business of ... solving the global thermostat. We're in the business of deterring and winning wars," the former Fox News host and Army combat veteran told Axios.Between the lines: Neither Trump nor Hegseth have acknowledged public concerns about letting Musk — whose companies have billions of dollars in Pentagon contracts — into the heart of the military-industrial complex.But Hegseth did downplay the notion that Musk would exercise unilateral authority at the Pentagon, as critics allege the billionaire has done at other agencies targeted by DOGE."We'll do it in coordination. We're not going to do things that are to the detriment of American operational or tactical capabilities," Hegseth said."The Defense Department is not USAID," he added, referring to the foreign aid agency crippled by DOGE. "USAID's got a lot of problems ... pursuing globalist agendas that don't have a connection to America First."Zoom in: Hegseth, who served as an infantry officer in the Army National Guard, began his first full day in Europe by joining an early-morning physical training session with Special Forces soldiers.He later encountered a small crowd of protesters — mostly military families and teachers who booed and chanted "DEI" — before his meetings at U.S. European Command. Hegseth, following Trump's lead, has targeted diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at the Pentagon. At an AFRICOM town hall, Hegseth was grilled by service members on Trump's executive order banning trans people from the military and pausing gender reassignment procedures. This week he directed the military to stop recruiting trans people. Hegseth, 44, was upbeat and defiant as he ended his day celebrating the restoration of Fort Bragg — now renamed after World War II hero Roland L. Bragg, rather than the Confederate general. During the Biden administration in 2023, the fort's name had been changed to Liberty."We're honoring a private first class. And I'm proud that we have a Marine corporal as the vice president of the United States," Hegseth told reporters with a smile, referring to JD Vance."Junior enlisted have never seen better days."What to watch: On Wednesday, Hegseth will become the first senior Trump official to visit NATO headquarters, where defense ministers are anxiously waiting to hear the administration's plans for ending the war in Ukraine.

Eleven cabinet nominees of President Donald Trump were successfully confirmed by the Senate thus far.

In Florida, it’s still DeSantis vs

Tulsi Gabbard Scores Key Victory In Confirmation Process

Sitting on the shelf in the nation's capital are thousands of ideas for making Uncle Sam cost taxpayers a lot less.

Speaking at the House Republican retreat, Trump urged GOP members to stick together.

There goes Minnesota’s reputation for producing fine statesmen.

Scott Bessent on Monday secured confirmation to lead the Department of the Treasury, putting President Trump’s top economic nominee in place ahead of a daunting GOP push to enact Trump's ambitious economic agenda. Senators voted 68-29 on Bessent’s nomination. The chamber had teed up the final vote during a rare Saturday session that top Republicans [...]

So far, Trump’s nominees are largely on track.

It's typical for the Senate to confirm some of a new president's top Cabinet positions on Inauguration Day.

Politics is replete with comebacks – Richard Nixon, Winston Churchill and Vladimir Lenin make the cut. And so does President Donald Trump.

The GOP-led Senate hopes to hit the ground running Monday and begin confirming newly inaugurated President Donald Trump’s nominees on his first day.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of state, is likely to be confirmed Monday.

House lawmakers shared ideas for cutting government waste in the Congressional DOGE Caucus's second meeting.

Senior officials from President-elect Donald Trump’s administration have participated in a transition exercise hosted by President Joe Biden's team on responding to potential terror attacks and avian flu, among other challenges.

One by one, President-elect Donald Trump's hoped-for Cabinet is falling into place. Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth was back on track after a fiery Senate confirmation hearing that probed his drinking, allegations of sexual assault and qualifications to lead the...

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees are pushing through a gauntlet of confirmation hearings with the help of allied Senate Republicans carrying them toward the finish line, despite Democratic objections.

During his candidacy, Jimmy Carter drew on progressive evangelicalism and the promise that he would never knowingly lie to the American people.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent more than a year in hospice care.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent more than a year in hospice care.

Trump continues to fill out his administration in the weeks leading up to his inauguration.

Trump continues to fill out his administration in the weeks leading up to his inauguration.

Rep. Blake Moore spoke with Fox News Digital about the Congressional DOGE Caucus and its goals after joining Reps. Aaron Bean and Pete Sessions as a co-chair.

President-elect Donald Trump said Monday he would consider pardoning embattled New York Mayor Eric Adams and declared the country was "not going to lose" the polio vaccine.

In his first wide-ranging news conference since the election, President-elect Donald Trump cited debunked data linking vaccines and autism, vowed to slash taxes and resume construction of his border wall, and accused the Biden administration of hiding the truth about recent drone sightings.

Tulsi Gabbard is struggling through her meetings with senators this week, sources told The Hill, highlighting the difficult path she faces in winning confirmation to be director of national intelligence. Nearly a half dozen sources, including senators and individuals close to the situation, indicated that Gabbard is having trouble during meetings with lawmakers, with one [...]

Trump announced Guilfoyle as his selection for ambassador to Greece.

While Pete Ricketts was governor, he spent serious money supporting state senators – and opposing fellow Republicans who had displeased him. Longtime observers say that money helped morph the Legislature.

In addition to Habba, Trump made several appointments Sunday for State Department roles.

The House has shut down Democrats’ efforts to release the long-awaited ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy met with members of the House and the Senate on Thursday to discuss plans for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

California’s politicos are talking a good game about inflation, but whether they can and will deliver remains very uncertain.

Matt Gaetz has withdrawn from consideration as attorney general and was replaced by Pam Bondi, as Trump names RFK Jr., Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard and Kristi Noem to key posts.