Congressional Democrats are demanding that Department of Homeland Security officers display ID badges and end racial profiling when conducting immigration enforcement operations.
Late Wednesday, the Senate and House minority leaders released a list of 10 demands for the agency as congressional lawmakers negotiate potential changes.
The list included several demands Democrats have already made following two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis last month, such as banning DHS officers from entering private property without a judicial warrant and requiring immigration enforcement agents to take off their masks and use body-worn cameras for accountability.
—Spectrum News’ Susan Carpenter
This July 16, 1945, file photo, shows the mushroom cloud of the first atomic explosion at Trinity Test Site near Alamagordo, N.M. (AP Photo)
For the first time in more than 50 years, U.S. and Russia without nuclear arms treaty
It’s been more than 50 years since the United States and Russia first entered into an agreement to limit nuclear weapons. But as of Thursday, that comes to an end when the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, is officially over, potentially setting off a new nuclear arms race.
The New START Treaty that limited the United States and Russia to 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads on no more than 700 deployed long-range missiles and bombers expired at the end of the day Wednesday.
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday “we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future.”
—Spectrum News’ Susan Carpenter
Trump says he’s ‘bothered’ by Clintons having to testify in House Epstein probe
President Donald Trump appears to be expressing solidarity with the Clintons as they are set to appear on Capitol Hill this month at the request of House Republicans as part of their investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In an interview with NBC News on Wednesday, Trump referred to the situation involving former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as a “shame” and unveiled a personal affinity for the former president in particular. “It bothers me that somebody’s going after Bill Clinton,” Trump said. “See, I like Bill Clinton.”
Trump’s apparent sympathy toward Bill Clinton in the face of the recent developments is particularly striking given that the president has often pointed to the former president’s ties to Epstein when pressed about his own.
—Spectrum News’ Maddie Gannon
House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Treasury secretary defends Trump’s tariffs on Capitol Hill as Supreme Court decision looms
Amid the wait for the Supreme Court to issue its ruling on President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent headed to Capitol Hill this week to defend what he has previously described as the president’s “signature economic policy.”
Bessent faced questions largely from congressional Democrats about the import duties Thursday from the Senate Banking Committee and on Wednesday from the House Financial Services Committee.
Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., pressed the treasury secretary about how the duties have affected the cost of housing construction. A recent analysis from the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank, projected that about 450,000 homes would not be constructed over the next five years due to higher costs on homebuilding materials such as lumber, copper, cabinets and steel from tariffs. Bessent replied by citing a separate study about the role of immigration on higher housing costs.
—Spectrum News’ Christina Santucci
More Thursday reads
• U.S. and Russia agree to reestablish military-to-military dialogue after Ukraine talks
• What to know as Iran and U.S. set for nuclear talks in Oman
• Epstein files rife with uncensored nudes and victims’ names despite redaction efforts
• Kamala Harris unveils new digital organizing effort ahead of midterm elections
