Category: Politics

(WASHINGTON) — Nuclear power on the moon is critical to the United States’ space exploration and national security goals, and the U.S. government should “move quickly” to build reactors there before its terrestrial rivals, according to a directive issued by Transportation Secretary and acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, which was obtained by ABC News.

One full “day” on the moon is two weeks of light followed by approximately two weeks of darkness (in Earth time). Nuclear energy, referred to as fission surface power, or FSP, in the directive, is a “sustainable” and “high-powered” energy source that can survive through the lunar night and be deployed on other celestial bodies, like Mars, according to Duffy.

“We’re in a race to the moon, in a race with China to the moon,” Duffy said at a press conference on Tuesday. “And to have a base on the moon, we need energy. And some of the key locations on the moon, we’re going to get solar power. But this vision technology is critically important, and so we’ve spent hundreds of millions of dollars studying.”

“Can we do it? We are now going to move beyond studying, and we are going,” Duffy continued. “We have given direction to go. Let’s start to deploy our technology, to move to actually make this a reality.”

When reached for comment by ABC News, NASA said, “We’ll let these directives speak for themselves.”

The directive, dated July 31, calls for a “Fission Surface Power Program Executive” to be named within 30 days, who will implement and oversee the project and will report directly to the NASA administrator. It does not say what exactly the nuclear reactors would power on the moon.

“Since March 2024, China and Russia have announced on at least three occasions a joint effort to place a reactor on the Moon by the mid-2030s,” Duffy said in the directive. “The first country to do so could potentially declare a keep-out zone which would significantly inhibit the United States from establishing a planned Artemis presence if not there first.”

Politico was the first to report on this directive.

A second directive, issued on the same day by Duffy, aims to speed up the development of replacements for the International Space Station, which is set to retire by 2030.

While NASA has never used a fission nuclear reactor in space, it has been using nuclear material to power spacecraft since the 1960s. Known as radioisotope thermoelectric generators, or RTGs, these systems use the heat generated by the decay of plutonium-238, a nuclear element, to create electricity for powering spacecraft and rovers. Currently, NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars is using an RTG system for its power.

In recent years, billions of dollars have been spent developing a new kind of nuclear reactor called Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). These reactors produce less power than traditional reactors, but are significantly smaller in size. SMRs are still being developed in the U.S. and there are no units currently in operation.

“There’s a certain part of the moon that everyone knows is the best. We have ice there, we have sunlight there. We want to get there first and claim that for America,” Duffy said Tuesday.

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(WASHINGTON) — House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer issued numerous subpoenas on Tuesday — including one to the Department of Justice for the complete Jeffrey Epstein files and another for depositions with former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Comer said he wants the Justice Department to turn over the “full, complete, unredacted Epstein Files” on or before Aug. 19.

“While the Department undertakes efforts to uncover and publicly disclose additional information related to Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell’s cases, it is imperative that Congress conduct oversight of the federal government’s enforcement of sex trafficking laws generally and specifically its handling of the investigation and prosecution of Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell,” Comer wrote in a subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

In addition to the Clintons, the panel issued subpoenas for depositions from James Comey, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Merrick Garland, Robert Mueller, William Barr, Jeff Sessions, and Alberto Gonzales. Republicans on the committee are seeking information from these officials regarding the Epstein files.

The move from Comer comes after Democrats on the panel forced a vote to issue a subpoena right before recess where three House Republicans supported the effort.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(LINCOLN, Neb.) — House Republican Rep. Mike Flood faced what appeared to be a hostile crowd during a rowdy town hall on Monday night in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The crowd erupted within just minutes of the start of the forum, shouting and heckling at the congressman as he touted President Donald Trump’s massive policy and tax bill that was signed into law in July.

Flood said there were about 750 members in the audience at Kimball Hall.

“I know this is probably going to be met with some resistance … I want the opportunity to tell you and talk to you about health care in the bill we just passed. I want to go right into this bill, because I know this is something a lot of people have questions about. And quite frankly, from where I sit, there’s been a lot of misinformation out there about the bill,” Flood told the crowd, which received loud boos from the audience.

He tried to walk the audience through key health care provisions of the megabill but was continuously drowned out by the raucous crowd.

“The only way we’re going to get through tonight is if I get a chance to tell you why I voted, because ultimately I represent you, and you will have your say,” he said.

The megabill’s impact on Medicaid was a main topic brought up at the town hall, which angered the audience.

“So, here’s a question. Do you think that people who are 28 years old that can work and refuse to work, should get free health care?” Flood asked, which received an unfriendly response from the crowd. “I don’t think that a majority of Nebraskans agree with you.”

The congressman argued that while Medicaid benefits were not cut, the changes to the program don’t “involve anybody that’s disabled, that is of senior age and unable to work, anybody that is pregnant or the vulnerable.”

When asked by an audience member how the congressman can justify taking away health care from Nebraskans, Flood brushed off the concern.

“We have a state where our infrastructure is going to be supported, is going to be funded, and is going to be available for the people that need it. If you are able to work, and you’re 28 years old and you choose not to work, you don’t get free health care in America. If you are in this country illegally, you do not get free health care in America.”

Audience members repeatedly shouted, “Tax the Rich! Tax the Rich! Tax the Rich!” as Rep. Flood discussed tax provisions of the megabill like no tax on tips and no tax on overtime.

The congressman pushed back, saying, “If we adopted the Democrats’ plan in the last Congress to tax the rich, it would generate $50 billion, which does not take us close to where we’re going. And it cuts job creation. It cuts business creation. It cuts the ability for employers to invest in their businesses.”

“This bill is a middle-class tax cut,” Rep. Flood said at one point, which received strong pushback and boos from the audience.

“I read the bill,” the congressman added when pressed by a constituent. “Is every bill perfect? No. But I supported this bill.”

Rep. Flood took several questions on a wide range of topics but the audience was remained not satisfied, yelling, “vote him out!” as the hour-and-a-half event came to a close.

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(WASHINGTON) — As the Trump administration says it’s continuing its effort to reduce waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government through cuts at key agencies such as the Social Security Administration and the Education Department, Sen. Elizabeth Warren is touting her ongoing investigations that she said work to protect millions of Americans from restricted access to higher education and retirement benefits.

“We cannot stand by and let Trump abuse his power by ripping away the programs that help people breathe a little easier,” Warren said in an exclusive interview with ABC News. “People voted Democrats into office to fight for them, and they do not expect us to roll over and play dead.”

The Massachusetts Democrat, a former teacher and fierce defender of public education, launched her Save Our Schools campaign this spring to investigate the administration’s attempts to shutter the Department of Education. The investigations probe the Department of Education’s cuts including downsizing the Federal Student Aid (FSA) office and changes to the student loan system.

Democrats contend slashing FSA’s workforce will hinder low-income Americans’ access to college and urged the agency to rehire employees critical to its financial aid operations.

In April, Warren launched the Social Security War Room, a coordinated effort to combat the administration’s so-called “attack on Americans’ Social Security” at the Social Security Administration (SSA), which is responsible for distributing retirement disability, and survivor benefits to more than 70 million Americans. So far, Warren said her campaign has worked to cut down Social Security wait times on the phone and in person at regional offices.

Warren urged President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency to take their “hands off” Social Security. She said her pressure campaign — which included an inspector general review of the agency — has impeded Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano from making additional layoffs after the agency announced it was aiming to cut roughly 7,000 people from its workforce.

Warren said if Democrats do nothing, the Trump administration will “go ahead with no pushback.”

“There’s a lot of anger over what Trump and the Republicans are trying to do to the Social Security Administration,” she said. “We will push back with everything we’ve got.”

While Trump has vowed to safeguard Social Security and Medicare, some actions from the administration have raised concerns about potential impacts on the program — including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s recent comments that the so-called Trump savings accounts for newborns could be a “back door” to start privatizing Social Security. Bessent later walked back the comments.

The Trump administration says its workforce restructuring is part of the president’s efforts to cut waste, fraud and abuse and improve Americans’ lives, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields told ABC News. He added that the president’s success through DOGE is “undisputed and legal.”

Republicans argue the SSA changes will ensure fraudsters won’t tamper with retirees’ benefits and streamline the experience by utilizing artificial intelligence.

Warren said large-scale changes to these agencies could have dire consequences for Americans.

“Save Our Schools and the Social Security War Room are two ways that, internally, the Democrats are fighting back against administration cuts that undermine people all across this country,” Warren said.

SSA has said the focus of its workforce reduction and organizational restructuring is to eliminate things that don’t provide “mission critical” services. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon also stressed she is not defunding federal programs and will continue to perform all of the agency’s “statutory duties.”

Through a combination of federal investigations, oversight, storytelling and even lawsuits, Warren told ABC News her campaigns have worked to provide the administration with checks and balances. Warren took credit for recently helping millions of students receive roughly $6 billion in FY25 title funding that is typically allocated on July 1, but was withheld for more than three weeks by the Office of Management and Budget for a “programmatic review” of education funding.

During the funding freeze, McMahon told ABC News that the administration wanted to ensure that student programs had “the right focus” and funds weren’t being misused.

“We organized groups and individuals to pressure the department to release those funds…,” Warren said. “This matters because that’s the money that’s often used for our kids with special needs, for after-school programs and others who help our kids get a high-quality education.”

Despite union criticism that the Education Department is carrying out unlawful layoffs, the department’s spokesperson, Madi Biedermann, told ABC News the agency followed all applicable laws and regulations when implementing its reduction in force.

Before the Senate left town, Warren vowed to continue fighting for the federal workforce.

“The Trump administration is committed to undercutting Social Security and eliminating the Department of Education,” she said. “This is not going to be a one and done.”

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(AUSTIN, Texas) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he wants to oust and replace Democratic lawmakers who fled the state in an attempt to prevent Republican redistricting efforts and charge them with felonies. But that might be a challenge and take some time, the state’s attorney general said Monday.

Abbott said if legislators did not return to Texas by 3 p.m. CT, he would remove them then “swiftly” fill the vacancies.

“I believe they have forfeited their seats in the state legislature because they’re not doing the job they were elected to do,” he said Monday on Fox News.

The governor also said the Democrats could be committing felonies if they solicit funds to pay the $500 daily fines they face for skipping the session.

Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton said those threats might not be practical.

“We’d have to go through a court process, and we’d have to file that maybe in districts that are not friendly to Republicans. So it’s a challenge because every district would be different. We’d have to go sue in every legislator’s home district,” Paxton said in a Monday interview with conservative commentator Benny Johnson.

Democratic Texas state Rep. Jolanda Jones, an attorney, said Abbott’s threat was merely “smoke and mirrors” during a press conference on Monday from Albany, New York.

“There is no felony in the Texas penal code for what he says. So respectfully, he’s making up some s—,” Jones said. “Subpoenas from Texas don’t work in New York, so he’s going to come get us how?”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said at the news conference that Democrats were “not breaking the law.”

“This is a legitimate process that has been used before,” Hochul said.

Democratic Texas state Rep. Mihaela Plesa, also speaking from Albany, said Abbott is “trying to manipulate the situation to make it play in his favor. It’s not going to work.”

Experts say Abbott’s threats are more effective as intimidation than as legally enforceable action.

“The governor doesn’t have unilateral power to charge members with bribery or to vacate their seats,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston.

But, “Even if it’s not the case that he can do this, it’s certainly the case that he’s made the high stakes very obvious to Democrats,” he added.

Despite the challenge, Paxton said he was “optimistic” the governor would prevail in the standoff with Democrats. Texas Democrats have said they plan to stay out of state until the end of this special session in two weeks, but Abbott is able to call another special session after that.

“If he keeps calling them back, it’s going to be a challenge for all 51 of them to stay out of the state for the rest of their lives,” Paxton said.

State Rep. Gene Wu, Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair, said Sunday that the lawmakers have received an “outpouring of support from people, from Americans around the country” to help pay their fines.

“My phone has not stopped ringing of people texting us, like, keep going, tell us what you need, give me the donation link,” Wu said during a press conference with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

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