After Mueller, legal experts hope for a more vocal special counsel
As former President Trump faces his second special counsel investigation in six years, some legal experts are encouraging the Justice Department to be more vocal in addressing the inevitable attacks and misinformation about the high stakes probe. The appointment of Jack Smith to oversee dual Justice Department investigations into the mishandling of records at Mar-a-Lago and efforts to block the 2020 transition of power comes as the public holds fresh memories of the attacks on special counsel Robert Mueller as he investigated Trump’s ties to Russia. Special c
Read MoreThe Memo: Democrats pine for Trump as GOP nominee
Former President Trump met a muted response from many Republicans when he launched his 2024 White House bid at Mar-A-Lago this month. But his campaign is stirring excitement, and even some glee, from Democrats. Members of President Biden’s party are openly pining for Trump to become the 2024 Republican nominee, believing he is just too flawed to win a general election. They argue that the situation today is markedly different from 2016, not least because voters now know what they get with Trump in office. And Democrats are eager to have such
Read MoreWhite House preps for potential post-midterms staff turnover
The White House is bracing for a potential staffing turnover now that the midterm elections are in the rearview mirror, with some aides expected to depart in early 2023. The Biden administration so far has been remarkably stable compared to the Trump administration, with very few high-profile departures in its first two years. But that is likely to change as some officials prepare to move on, and others may be asked to transition to a potential 2024 reelection campaign. “We have made no secret of actively leading a diverse and wide effort to look for new tale
Read MoreUS, allies struggle to support protesters in make-or-break moment for Iran
The U.S., its allies and individuals across the globe are struggling to support protesters in Iran in what observers say is a make-or-break moment that could tip the scales for regime change in Tehran. President Biden said in early November that “we’re gonna free Iran. They’re gonna free themselves pretty soon.” But outside experts say U.S. policy focused on diplomacy with Tehran over its nuclear program, and the disunity within and outside Iran, puts the favor in the hands of the nation's current government. “The problem is not o
Read MoreWhite House battles pandemic fatigue in vaccine push
Public health officials have repeatedly warned that the U.S. will likely face another wave of COVID-19 infections as the weather gets colder and people travel and gather for the holidays. But it doesn’t seem to be convincing a checked-out public to get vaccinated. New COVID-19 booster shot uptake remained low heading into the Thanksgiving holiday, frustrating Biden administration officials who previously called for the public to get booster shots in time for Halloween. White House COVID-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha last month said that e
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