(NEW YORK) — Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Sunday that the United States is in “one of the most dangerous moments America has ever faced” with President Donald Trump using the federal government to try to punish his political opponents.
“The United States is now employing the full power of the federal government, the FCC, the Department of Justice, in order to punish, lock up, take down off the air all of his political enemies,” Murphy told ABC News’ “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl. “As you know, this is what happens in Iran. This is what happens in Cuba. This is what happens in China, in deeply repressive states in which if you have the courage to stand up and speak truth to power, you are silenced. I mean, there is no more fundamental right in America than the right to protest your government.”
Murphy said Trump’s threats to have the Federal Communications Commission reexamine licenses for television broadcasters that repeatedly criticize him is an effort to use the government to silence critics.
“Listen, every single president, every single politician has drawn issue with something that a media figure has said and may use the power of persuasion to try to get them to change what they say. That’s very different than using the power of government in a coercive way that’s actually illegal. The Supreme Court has said, no, you cannot use the regulatory power of the government to say to a broadcaster, if you don’t say what I want you to say, as the president, United States, there will be a official legal consequence that’s illegal”
(NEW YORK) — Conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s memorial service will take place on Sunday, little more than a week after his murder sent shockwaves through American politics.
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several top administration officials are slated to speak at the event, which is being held at State Farm Stadium in Arizona and is expected to draw tens of thousands of mourners.
Kirk was fatally shot on Sept. 10 in front of a large crowd at Utah Valley University, the first stop of Kirk’s “The American Comeback Tour” that invited students to debate him on hot-button issues.
President Trump announced Kirk’s death that night, and a manhunt ensued for the gunman. Authorities on Sept. 12 identified 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the suspect. Robinson was charged this week with multiple counts, including aggravated murder. Prosecutors said they intend to seek the death penalty.
Kirk, 31, founded Turning Point USA at age 18 and rose to become one of the most prominent conservative voices in the country. His influence, particularly with young people, helped propel Trump to office. But some of his comments on gun violence, LGBTQ issues, race and more often drew criticism from liberals and others.
A top ally to Trump and a close friend to many in the administration, Kirk’s killing rattled many inside the White House.
The president said he will posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Vance escorted Kirk’s casket from Utah to Arizona on Air Force Two.
Kirk is survived by his wife Erika and their two young children. Erika Kirk, who has been elected to replace her husband as the CEO for Turning Point USA, vowed “the movement my husband built will not die.”
“No one will ever forget my husband’s name, and I will make sure of it,” Erika Kirk said in emotional remarks days after his death. She will also speak at Sunday’s service.
Other high-profile figures who are scheduled to deliver remarks include Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
Attendees have been asked to wear red, white or blue to the service.
The memorial event has been designated as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event by the Department of Homeland Security, meaning it will have the same level of security as the Super Bowl or the Boston Marathon.
Local officials said they wouldn’t be surprised if more than 100,000 people gather for the memorial.
Kirk’s death was met with bipartisan condemnation from public officials, as top lawmakers on both sides of the aisle raised alarm about the rising tide in acts of violence against public officials.
President Trump vowed to go after individuals and groups he claims contribute to political violence, though has predominately blamed the “radical left” as a problem and not acknowledging recent attacks against Democrats.
Vice President Vance and several administration officials are calling for punishment for people who they say have celebrated Kirk’s death or mocked him online. Some prominent MAGA figures have gone so far as to say Kirk’s death means “war.”
Democrats have pushed back on the rhetoric. Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate’s top Democrat, blasted Trump’s “finger-pointing” and said it won’t help turn down the temperature. Critics have called the conservative call for a crackdown on Democrats a threat to free speech.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on September 16, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The Senate on Friday failed to advance both the House-passed short-term government funding bill and the Democrat counter-offer, increasing the risk of government shutdown early next month.
The Senate action came just hours after the House sent them the short-term funding bill. The Senate voted to block that Republican short-term funding bill, failing by a vote of 44-48.
Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Rand Paul cast votes against the legislation. Democrat Sen. John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote for it.
As expected, senators also failed to advance the Democrat funding bill with extraneous health care provisions by a vote of 47-45.
This leaves the Congress no closer to a government funding solution with the Oct. 1 deadline fast approaching.
Ahead of the two votes Friday afternoon, party leaders from both sides of the aisle dug in on their positions, pointing fingers at the other side.
On Friday morning, Majority Leader John Thune urged passage of the House’s clean short-term funding solution to allow more time for work on full-year appropriations bills.
Democrats, he said, would bear the responsibility for a shut down if they block the just-passed House bill from proceeding.
“If they want to shut down the government, they have the power to do so, but if they think they are going to gain political points from shutting down the government over a clean nonpartisan CR, something they voted for 13 times under the Biden administration, I would strongly urge them to think again,” Thune said.
He accused Democrats of throwing an “endless temper tantrum” by refusing to keep the lights on with a stopgap funding bill.
But Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, moments later, made a pitch instead for the Democrat continuing resolution, which included a number of health care provisions Democrats want. Republicans, he said, haven’t been willing to negotiate with Democrats to secure their votes.
Ahead of the vote, Schumer said that “senators will have to choose to stand with Donald Trump and keep the same lousy status quo and cause the Trump health care shutdown, or stand with the American people, protect their health care and keep the government functioning.”
Thune, however, called this a “fundamentally unserious proposal designed to appease Democrat’s liberal base” and said it had “zero chance of making it through the Congress.”
Ahead of the Senate votes, Speaker Mike Johnson said that “the ball [was] in Chuck Schumer’s court” to avoid a government shutdown.
“I hope he does the right thing,” Johnson told reporters Friday following the House vote. “I hope he does not choose to shut the government down and inflict pain unnecessarily on the American people.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on September 16, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The Senate on Friday failed to advance both the House-passed short-term government funding bill and the Democrat counter-offer.
The Senate action came just hours after the House sent them the short-term funding bill.
The Democrat funding bill with extraneous health care provisions failed to advance, as expected, by a vote of 47-45.
The Senate then voted to block the Republican short-term funding bill just hours after the House passed it. It failed by a vote of 44-48.
Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Rand Paul cast votes against the legislation. Democrat Sen. John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote for it.
This leaves the Congress no closer to a government funding solution with the Oct. 1 deadline fast approaching.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — A public memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed on Sept. 10 while speaking on a college campus, is being held Sunday in Glendale, Arizona.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the service at State Farm Stadium, including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and top administration officials.
Trump said he will deliver remarks at the service. The president previously said he would posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Being called “Building a Legacy, Remembering Charlie Kirk” — the service is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. local time, or 2 p.m. ET, according to Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded. Attendees have been asked to wear red, white or blue.
The event will be streamed live on ABC News Live, which is available on ABCNews.go.com, ABC News apps and across streaming platforms. Live blog coverage with up-to-the-minute developments will be available on ABCNews.go.com.
The Department of Homeland Security has designated the memorial service as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event, which is “reserved for events of the highest national significance,” a department official said.
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot on Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University for his “The American Comeback Tour,” which invited public debate on college campuses.
Authorities on Sept. 12 identified 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the suspect. Robinson was charged this week with multiple counts, including aggravated murder. Prosecutors said they intend to seek the death penalty.
Kirk is survived by his wife and their two young children. Erika Kirk, who has been elected to replace her husband as the CEO for Turning Point USA, is also slated to speak at Sunday’s service.
Other speakers for Sunday’s service include Vice President Vance, Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
Alex Acosta speaks during a press conference July 10, 2019 at the Labor Department in Washington, DC. Alex Wong/Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — Alexander Acosta, the former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida who negotiated a plea deal in 2008 with Jeffrey Epstein, arrived on Capitol Hill Friday morning to testify before the House Oversight Committee behind closed doors.
Acosta, who served as the Labor Secretary during the first Trump administration, did not respond to several shouted questions as he walked into the committee room.
Acosta resigned his position at the Labor Department after more than two years in the job amid controversy over his role in the 2008 plea deal with Epstein. At the time, he defended his decision, saying his goal “was straightforward” and included putting Epstein behind bars.
With continued interest in the Epstein matter on Capitol Hill, Acosta now finds himself testifying at a closed-door deposition.
“We want to know what went on during the prosecution, when many believe that Epstein was awarded a sweetheart plea deal. So, we’re going to ask a lot of questions about this. This is going to be a pretty hard-hitting deposition,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said ahead of Acosta’s interview Friday.
Comer said the committee will have “a lot of questions” for Acosta.
“So according to the victims and the survivors of Epstein, there was a lot of warning about the crimes that Epstein and [Ghislaine] Maxwell were committing. But yet, it appears the government let the victims down, and they didn’t, they didn’t prosecute. So, Acosta was a major player in that,” Comer claimed.
Comer said the committee’s Epstein investigation is “very serious” and “fast moving.”
“The Trump administration is fully cooperating with us in this investigation. We’re going to continue to get more documents in from the estate unredacted, and we will be able to answer some more questions,” Comer added.
Earlier this month the committee released tens of thousands of records related to Epstein, provided by the Department of Justice in response to a committee subpoena. A review of the documents released by the committee indicates they largely consist of public court filings and transcripts from Maxwell’s trial, previously released flight logs from Epstein’s plane, already public Bureau of Prisons communications the night of Epstein’s death and various other public court papers from Epstein’s criminal case in Florida.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on September 16, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The House passed the Republicans’ short-term government funding bill on Friday ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline to avert a shutdown.
The final tally was 217-212. Ultimately, all but two Republicans supported the President Donald Trump-backed spending bill. Reps. Thomas Massie and Victoria Spartz voted no.
Nearly all Democrats who were present voted against the measure though Rep. Jared Golden of Maine voted in favor.
The funding bill now heads to the Senate where its fate is uncertain as Democratic support is necessary for passage.
Ahead of the vote, Democrats signaled they would vote to shut down the government if Republicans didn’t cave to Democratic demands to restore cuts to Medicaid and extend Obamacare subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.
House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed Democrats for the move.
“It’s just very unfortunate the Democrats are trying to play partisan games when we’re in good faith trying to fund the government,” Johnson told reporters as he arrived at the Capitol on Thursday.
For his part, Trump urged House Republicans to support the “clean” funding bill Thursday afternoon.
“Every House Republican should UNIFY, and VOTE YES!” Trump posted to his social media platform. He also repeated his claim that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic lawmakers want a government shutdown.
The funding plan proposes $30 million in additional member security over a more than seven-week stretch — giving each member of Congress around $7,500 each week to spend on security — more than double their own congressional salary. The package also includes $58 million to meet the Trump administration’s request for supplemental funding for the executive and judicial branches.
That funding supplants a pilot funding program that lawmakers had utilized for member security in the wake of the shooting targeting state lawmakers in Minnesota over the summer.
“We will not support a partisan spending bill that Republicans are trying to jam down the throats of the American people that continues to gut health care,” Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters ahead of the vote. “No one who is following what Republicans have done to rip away health care of the American people can reasonably suggest that responsible legislators should do anything other than push back aggressively to protect the health care of the American people.”
Senate and House Democrats had unveiled a counter funding proposal that would only extend government funding until Oct. 31 and include health care-related proposals like rolling back Medicaid cuts in Trump’s megabill that passed earlier this year. This plan is a non-starter with Republicans who control majorities in both chambers.
The GOP plan, however, presents a real challenge in the Senate, requiring at least seven Democratic votes to reach 60 votes for passage.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has urged Senate Democrats to support the short-term measure, arguing the bill is a clean extension of funding.
“There’s nothing in here about President Trump,” Thune said on the Senate floor this week. “This is a clean funding resolution, bipartisan funding resolution, short-term, to allow the Appropriations Committee to do its work.”
A sign marks the location of the U.S. Department of Education headquarters building on June 20, 2025, in Washington, DC. (J. David Ake/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Education’s Office watchdog is launching an investigation into the agency’s sensitive data systems, according to a letter first obtained by ABC News.
The news comes after Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and a group of her Democratic colleagues sent a letter requesting a probe of the Department of Government Efficiency’s alleged “infiltration” of the Education Department’s Federal Student Aid office, which handles the nation’s $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio.
This week, the Education Department’s acting Office of Inspector General confirmed it would work to review that data. The OIG office is the statutory, independent entity within the department responsible for identifying fraud, waste, abuse and criminal activity involving department funds, programs, and operations, according to its website.
Asked about the investigation, the Department of Education referred ABC News to an appeals court decision last month, which did allow DOGE access to sensitive data at several agencies, including the student loan portfolio at the department. The White House claimed President Trump’s success through DOGE is “undisputed,” “legal” and yielding “historic results.”
Warren has led the charge in investigating the Trump administration’s changes at federal agencies, including the Education Department and Social Security Administration. She argued the American people should know who is “digging” into their personal data.
“The American people deserve to know if Elon Musk’s DOGE guys had access to private Social Security numbers and income information,” Warren told ABC News. “It’s about time these amateurs in the Education Department were investigated.”
Sensitive data that Warren warned could be vulnerable includes anything from borrowers’ social security numbers to personal information that is used within the National Student Loan Data Systems.
The acting inspector general said it “plans to look into the Department’s processes for managing access to several sensitive Department data systems.” This will be a coordinated effort with the Government Accountability Office, which is also looking into issues involving access and handling of sensitive data at the department, according to the letter from the acting inspector general.
The OIG claimed its probe will begin “shortly,” but a timeline for when — or if — a final report would be issued was not immediately available.
In June, the Democratic group of senators accused the Department of Education of refusing to comply with Warren’s monthslong congressional investigation into what, if any, records have been accessed by DOGE employees that could be sensitive.
“The Department of Education has a responsibility to protect student loan borrowers’ sensitive data and ensure it doesn’t get into the wrong hands,” Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Luján said in a statement to ABC News. “I’m thankful that the Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General heeded our call and will now launch an investigation into DOGE’s reckless takeover. All Americans deserve clarity and accountability regarding the full extent of DOGE’s role and influence at the Department of Education.”
Warren previously told ABC News that staffing cuts to the agency would have dire consequences on students interested in obtaining higher education. A fierce advocate of public education, Warren has vowed to fight the administration’s federal education-reduction efforts at every turn.
The department has made several changes since Secretary of Education Linda McMahon was sworn in as the nation’s education chief. Shortly after taking the position, McMahon, who comes from many years of experience in the private sector, noted that DOGE was conducting a solid audit of the agency.
A Hepatitis B vaccine in Atlanta, Georgia, September 29, 2023. Alyssa Pointer for The Washington Post via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — An influential group of advisers for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during a meeting on Thursday is considering dropping a longstanding recommendation to give all newborns a hepatitis B vaccination in the hospital.
The CDC vaccine advisory committee, called ACIP, is also weighing new restrictions on existing recommendations for the combined MMRV shot to protect against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.
An official vote is expected on Thursday afternoon. From there, the vote will need signoff from the acting CDC director or the Health and Human Services secretary.
The committee is not considering eliminating or recommending against these vaccines completely. But the changes that have been proposed could result in major disruptions and more illness, experts warn.
Experts say these changes could cause confusion, more doctors’ appointments and more individual shots for children, which could potentially lead to missed cases or more infections. It could also complicate vaccine supply and manufacturing logistics.
On Wednesday, Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a liver doctor, told reporters that Americans should not have confidence in this committee’s decisions if they change the current vaccination schedule.
“I can promise you there will be some hepatitis B transmission,” Cassidy told reporters when asked what would happen if the committee makes changes to already-existing recommendations.
This week’s meeting is the committee’s second since Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all 17 of its members in June. Of the 12 advisers who have since been appointed, many have previously expressed vaccine-skeptical views.
Most major insurance providers have said they will continue covering existing vaccines at least through 2026. But any changes made today will likely impact the more than half of American children who are funded through a federal program, which is tied to the CDC committee recommendations.
The committee members so far are not unanimous during discussion, with some saying the proposed changes could take away parents’ choice — especially regarding the combined MMRV vaccine.
Currently, parents have a choice of giving their children measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox all as one shot, or they can opt to give measles, mumps and rubella as one shot, and give chickenpox as a separate dose. Some studies have suggested a slightly elevated — but overall very rare — risk of seizures when all four are given as a combo shot to kids 12 to 15 months old.
But many parents and clinics may still prefer a single shot. Children also get a second dose of MMRV after the age of 4. The upcoming vote Thursday only discusses the first dose, and parents would still have a choice about their preference for the second shot in older children.
“The disadvantage of giving two doses, or as was suggested, separating the two doses, is that we know compliance falls, and the advantage of combination vaccines is that children and adults are more likely to complete the vaccine requirements if it’s given as a single dose,” said ACIP member Dr. Cody Meissner.
“If parents would choose to have one one jab and one vaccination, it would not be covered by the [federal vaccines for children program] over time accessing clinical care, if they understand the risks and benefits, that option is basically taken away from them,” said Dr. Joseph R. Hibbeln, another committee member.
Entrance to George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. Robert Knopes/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
(FAIRFAX, Va.) — Former Vice President Mike Pence will teach politics at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government in the spring.
The former vice president will teach students studying political science, law, public administration, and related fields at the university located in Virginia outside the nation’s capital.
Vice president to President Donald Trump from 2017-2021, Pence will teach seminars that “explore the intersection of politics, leadership, and national governance,” according to George Mason University.
As a public official who has served in both legislative and executive branch roles as congressman, governor and then vice president, Pence said he is excited to share the lessons he has learned with the next generation. Pence is also expected to draw on lessons directly pertaining to his experiences on the campaign trail, in the West Wing and as president of the U.S. Senate, the university said.
“Throughout my years of public service, I have seen firsthand the importance of principled leadership and fidelity to the Constitution in shaping the future of our nation,” Pence said in a statement. “I look forward to sharing these lessons with the next generation of American leaders and learning from the remarkable students and faculty of George Mason University.”
The former vice president acknowledged the importance of higher-level education, saying it plays a “vital role” in preparing future generations for “lives of service and integrity.”
“Now more than ever we should be investing our time and resources into civil discourse on campus, and I’m honored to contribute to that mission,” Pence said.
Since his time as vice president, Pence started his conservative organization, Advancing American Freedom, in 2021 and taught politics at Grove City College in Pennsylvania in 2024 after ending his presidential campaign in 2023.
