President Donald Trump has won and lost some as wraps its final week of a term focused on executive power.
The justices said Monday that , ruling that central banker Lisa Cook can keep her job at the Federal Reserve for now.
The court said , rejecting a Trump-led challenge. It declined to consider Trump鈥檚 push to toss a $5 million jury verdict that . And it turned away 鈥檚 effort to rewrite the U.S. libel law standards.
Here’s the Latest:
Schumer blasts Supreme Court decision on independent federal agencies
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision giving presidents free rein to fire agency heads at will gives Trump a 鈥減ermission slip to turn independent federal agencies into members-only clubs for his golf buddies and cronies.鈥�
The justices ruled in the case of former Federal Trade Commission member , whom Trump fired without cause despite a provision of federal law that requires a reason. The logic of the court鈥檚 decision extends to other agencies where Trump has fired board members.
Slaughter once served as Schumer鈥檚 chief counsel. Schumer says she was fired for no other reason than doing a good of a job protecting consumers.
鈥淚nstead of preserving independence intended to keep markets fair and protect consumers, Trump鈥檚 instead catering to fraudsters and monopolists. And the Supreme Court is giving him a green light to do it,鈥� Schumer said.
Top California election official says mail-in ballot ruling is a win for democracy
California鈥檚 Secretary of State hailed Monday鈥檚 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court as a win for voters, the rule of law and democracy.
Shirley Weber, California鈥檚 first Black secretary of state, said in a statement the court 鈥減rotected an important safeguard鈥� that helps make sure voters are not disenfranchised by mail delays.
鈥淭his ruling makes one thing clear,鈥� the Democrat said in a statement. 鈥淥ur elections belong to the people, not to partisan agendas.鈥�
Under California law, ballots received within seven days of an election are counted as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.
FCC鈥檚 sole Democrat warns of Supreme Court ruling鈥檚 impact
Anna Gomez is one of the few Democrats who have held onto their seats at federal agencies after Trump fired most of them, partly because her presence allows for a quorum that allows Chairman Brendan Carr to enact his agenda.
She warned the Supreme Court鈥檚 ruling 鈥減uts at risk how Congress intended independent agencies to function in American democracy.鈥�
鈥淭hose who argue these agencies are unaccountable misunderstand how they were designed, as the FCC answers to Congress, the democratically elected body that created it, through oversight, appropriations, and legislation,鈥� she said in a statement following the Court鈥檚 ruling. 鈥淲hen commissioners can be removed for their policy views rather than for cause, the inevitable result is an agency that pulls its punches and defers to political winds rather than the record before it.鈥�
She said consumers 鈥渨ill pay the price鈥� in higher costs, fewer choices and slower progress toward connectivity.
Republican chairman follows Trump鈥檚 lead on mail-in ballot ruling
RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said the court鈥檚 decision upholding state practices of accepting all ballots postmarked by Election Day is a reason to pass the president鈥檚 proposed elections bill that is stalled on Capitol Hill.
鈥淚f we want fair and secure elections, Election Day should mean exactly what it says, which is why this decision makes it even more imperative that Congress pass the SAVE America Act,鈥� Gruters said.
RNC aides distributed the statement after Trump made the same argument Monday morning. Trump鈥檚 proposal would virtually eliminate absentee voting nationally, require voters to provide citizenship documentation to register and then present certain photo identification at polling places.
Gruters said Democrats 鈥渁re inviting chaos at the ballot box by allowing elections to drag on.鈥� He did not offer any examples of such chaos, and it was the original plaintiffs who wanted the court to overturn long-established rules months before November鈥檚 elections.
America 250 celebrations bring extraordinary security challenge to Washington
Federal law enforcement is preparing for one of the capital鈥檚 largest and most complex security operations as hundreds of thousands of people visit Washington for of the nation鈥檚 freedom.
The security challenge comes amid rising , including near the White House, and a president who enjoys being yet has repeatedly faced attempts on his life.
The nation鈥檚 capital 鈥渋s a target-rich environment鈥� on a normal day, said Darren B. Cox, assistant director in charge of the FBI鈥檚 Washington Field Office. 鈥淲e are prepared for any threats.鈥�
The throngs will be joined by thousands of law enforcement officers and agents and 5,000 , along with military-style vehicles and other hardware not often seen on American streets.
鈻�
Trump says he will keep fighting Carroll case after court declines to take it up
The president said in a social media post that it was 鈥渁 Fake Case鈥� brought against him by a woman he claims he never met.
鈥淚 will continue the fight against this Weaponization and Lawfare Case against me, including the ridiculous claim of Defamation, with all of my power and strength,鈥� Trump wrote.
He also said the case, in which a jury found that he sexually abused the writer in New York City in the 1990s and and later defamed her, is 鈥渞eally against the United States of America, and all it stands for.鈥�
In a statement Monday, Carroll said the decision affirms the jury鈥檚 verdict will stand. 鈥淗is multiple efforts to appeal that verdict have all failed and today鈥檚 ruling ends his quest to avoid accountability for his actions,鈥� she said.
Trump says he’ll seek to remove Cook despite court rejection of his initial attempt
Trump said he lost his effort to remove the Federal Reserve鈥檚 Lisa Cook 鈥渙n a strictly procedural basis鈥� and would still seek to remove the central bank governor.
The court ruled 5-4 that the Federal Reserve鈥檚 Lisa Cook can remain on the Fed board as she challenges the administration鈥檚 attempts to fire her over claims of mortgage fraud, which she has denied.
Trump said in a social media post that 鈥渨e will take appropriate action immediately to make sure that someone who has committed wrongdoing will not be making vital decisions concerning the Welfare of the United States of America!鈥�
In light of Supreme Court rejection, Trump renews push for his voter ID bill
Trump called a Supreme Court ruling that ballots postmarked by Election Day can be counted days after an election a 鈥渢remendous loss.鈥�
Trump posted on social media that the decision makes it more important for his SAVE America Act to pass. The measure would require proof of citizenship and include a ban on mail-in ballots unless that person is sick, disabled, traveling or deployed by the military, Trump noted.
鈥淭here is only one reason to oppose 鈥� CHEATING!鈥� Trump said.
The president then called out Republican senators who have objected to the measure: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
Cook says her attempted firing was about 鈥榩olitical pressure鈥� on the Fed
The firing attempt 鈥渨as never about mortgage documents signed years ago鈥� but rather 鈥渨as an attempt to remove me on a manufactured pretext because I refused to bow to political pressure鈥� from Trump, who has long sought lower interest rates from the central bank, Cook said in a written statement reacting to the court鈥檚 ruling.
Trump fired Cook , citing allegations that she had committed fraud in mortgage documents she signed in June and July of 2021. The Biden appointee sued to keep her job, and lower courts ruled she could remain while the case is litigated. The Supreme Court Monday those rulings.
鈥淭oday鈥檚 ruling affirms a principle that has underpinned sound economic stewardship for generations: that the Federal Reserve must make all its policy decisions guided by evidence and independent judgment, free from political interference,鈥� Cook鈥檚 statement said.
Trump applauds ruling empowering him to fire independent agency leaders
A majority of the justices ruled presidents have free rein to fire agency heads at will, despite federal laws that require a cause for such dismissals and a .
鈥淚t is such an Honor to be the sitting President who won this Historic and Unprecedented Ruling, one of the most important ever given with respect to Presidential Powers,鈥� Trump posted on social media.
The justices ruled in the case of former . The decision鈥檚 logic extends to National Labor Relations Board, the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Trump did not acknowledge that the court recognized some limits on his authorities by also ruling 5-4 that Lisa Cook can remain a central bank governor while challenging unproven mortgage fraud allegations, which she has denied.
Supreme Court says Fed鈥檚 Cook can keep her job for now
The on Monday dramatically expanded presidential power, upholding Trump鈥檚 firings of the heads of independent federal agencies with one important exception, the Federal Reserve.
The justices allowed Fed governor Lisa Cook to stay in her job while she fights the Republican president鈥檚 effort to fire her over allegations of mortgage fraud, which she has denied.
But other than at the nation鈥檚 central bank, with its role of setting interest rates, the court held that presidents have free rein to fire agency heads at will, despite federal laws that require a cause for such dismissals and a that had limited executive authority. That decision, Humphrey鈥檚 Executor, was overturned.
Witkoff and Kushner going to Qatar for talks with Iran
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that Steve Witkoff, who is the special envoy, and Jared Kushner, Trump鈥檚 son-in-law, are flying to Qatar to meet with the Iranians.
Leavitt said in an interview with Fox 太子探花鈥� 鈥淔ox & Friends鈥� that those talks would be 鈥渉igh level鈥� and that technical negotiations would occur on the sidelines. Iran has denied that the talks are happening.
Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire by attacking a ship last week in Strait of Hormuz, but so far the interim deal for negotiations to take place appears to have held.
Court rules states can count late-arriving mailed ballots
The said states can count , a persistent target of .
The decision Monday rejects a Republican-led attack on laws in more than half the states and the District of Columbia that permit mailed ballots to arrive and be counted some number of days after the election, provided they are postmarked by Election Day. The outcome spares officials the headache of changing their ballot rules just a few months before the 2026 midterm congressional elections.
In just over half those states, the more forgiving deadlines apply only to ballots cast by military and overseas voters.
Trump has claimed breeds fraud despite strong evidence to the contrary and years of experience. He keeps repeating that fraud caused his loss to Joe Biden in 2020 even though more than 60 court decisions and his own attorney general said that argument had no merit.
鈻�
Supreme Court rebuffs Alan Dershowitz鈥檚 $300 million suit against CNN
The refused Monday to revive the prominent attorney鈥檚 defamation lawsuit against CNN over its coverage of remarks he made while defending Trump during his 2020 impeachment.
Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas dissented from the majority decision, saying legal standards for public figures who claim defamation should be reconsidered.
the news network aired only part of a comment he made, distorting his meaning to make him look like he鈥檇 鈥渓ost his mind,鈥� according to court documents.
The network said that multiple outlets had interpreted his remarks in a similar way, and Dershowitz couldn鈥檛 show CNN was trying to mischaracterize what he said.
Dershowitz had urged the justices to reconsider New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, the landmark First Amendment case that made it harder for public figures to win libel lawsuits by requiring proof that an outlet either knowingly published something false, or showed a reckless disregard for the truth.
Supreme Court will weigh GOP push to revive Arizona voting laws
The Supreme Court said Monday it will consider a Republican push to enforce strict Arizona voting laws passed in the swing state after the 2020 election.
The high court has allowed some similar rules to take effect temporarily before, including Arizona鈥檚 proof-of-citizenship requirement for state and local elections and a Virginia purge of that the state said was aimed at keeping noncitizens from voting.
President Donald Trump鈥檚 Republican administration joined the appeal after lower courts found the measures violated federal voting laws.
The high court is expected to hear arguments in the fall and hand down an opinion after the midterm elections.
鈻�
Supreme Court rejects Trump push to toss $5 million E. Jean Carroll verdict
Trump wanted the justices to a jury鈥檚 finding that he sexually abused the writer at a New York City department store in the mid-1990s and later defamed her. The high court, in a typically brief and unexplained order, declined to take up the case.
Trump鈥檚 lawyers had argued that allegations leading to the verdict were propped up by 鈥渉ighly inflammatory鈥� evidentiary rulings, including those that allowed the testimony of two other women who accused Trump of sexual abuse decades ago. Trump has denied all three women鈥檚 allegations.
Trump鈥檚 attorneys also framed the case as a distraction from Trump鈥檚 unique duties as president, though the verdict came before his return to the White House. A jury also awarded Carroll an additional $83.3 million after a second defamation trial. Trump also appealed that ruling, which is not yet before the Supreme Court.
Are oil traders too optimistic about a recovery in Gulf oil shipping?
Oil prices have inched up amid , with Tehran launching fresh drone and missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait in response to new U.S. airstrikes over the weekend.
Brent crude, the international standard, was up 58 cents to $73.18 a barrel early Monday, up from about $72 before the war. Benchmark U.S. crude gained 73 cents to $69.96 a barrel.
But there鈥檚 still plenty of risk regarding ship safety in the following the latest . ING commodities strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey said in a commentary Monday that oil traders have been 鈥渢oo optimistic鈥� about the timeline for a recovery in supplies.
鈥淭his complacency is odd and clearly leaves significant upside risk if the supply recovery proves slow 鈥� or if we see significant re-escalation,鈥� the commentary said.
鈻�
Race or ethnicity matters more to many Black Americans: AP-NORC poll
Most Black Americans 鈥� 73% 鈥� say their race or ethnicity is 鈥渆xtremely鈥� or 鈥渧ery鈥� important to how they see themselves, according to the . Only about half of Black adults say that being an American is highly important to their personal identity.
About half of Hispanic Americans say their race or ethnicity is highly important to them, compared to 22% of white Americans.
Vincent Harris, a 60-year-old in California who participated in the poll, says his identity as a Black man rises above other attributes for him because of how Black men are treated in America.
鈥淎 lot of people are scared of Black men just because we are Black and we are male. And that鈥檚 crazy,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淧eople don鈥檛 even take you for who you are as a person; they just look at your race.鈥�
House Republicans look to get their agenda on track
With a social media assist from , House Speaker is looking this week to ease the divisions in his Republican ranks and make progress on key legislative priorities before this fall鈥檚 elections.
Johnson sent lawmakers home early last week and went to the White House after GOP tumult prevented the House from voting on two spending bills and a measure dealing with veterans鈥� benefits. Meanwhile, the list of legislative priorities only grew with , mostly to cover .
Johnson emerged from his White House visit with a coveted Trump social media post telling Republicans to quit voting down procedural rules that allow for final votes on their legislative priorities. 鈥淣o more grandstanding, please!鈥� Trump wrote.
Before Trump鈥檚 message, Republican and Democratic lawmakers were openly doubting whether the House would even return this week.
鈻�
Nancy Pelosi democracy institute is established at UC Berkeley
and the University of California, Berkeley, are partnering to form a new nonpartisan academic institute they say will be dedicated to strengthening democracy.
Pelosi says she wants to 鈥渟trengthen our democratic institutions and forge a future that serves the public good.鈥� The Democrat is leaving Congress after representing San Francisco for nearly 40 years and is planning a busy retirement. She鈥檒l co-teach a course on Congress at the Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy, which will launch in January and has already received more than $35 million in philanthropic commitments.
The university says the institute aims to strengthen America鈥檚 democratic institutions; overcome challenges to society, the economy and the planet; promote human and civil rights; and ensure political leadership that represents the full spectrum of perspectives and backgrounds.
鈻�
Kara Swisher brings her Silicon Valley influence into politics
Kara Swisher is expanding her influence from tech journalism to politics. She鈥檚 known for her fearless interviews with tech leaders including Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Now her podcasts including 鈥淥n with Kara Swisher鈥� and 鈥淧ivot鈥� are gaining traction as political platforms, reflecting the growing importance of digital media.
Swisher is hardly the only podcaster talking politics. Conservatives like and and some liberals like the former aides who host 鈥淧od Save America鈥� have larger audiences. They鈥檙e all dwarfed by . But Swisher has few rivals who can match her technology expertise and connect those observations to the broader political debate.
Swisher told The Associated Press from her Washington home that she gets called by all the presidential candidates and she鈥檚 鈥済oing to get to all of them.鈥�
鈻�
American identity matters more to Republicans: AP-NORC poll
The also finds that Republicans are much likelier than Democrats or independents to say being an American is 鈥渆xtremely鈥� or 鈥渧ery鈥� important to their personal identity.
At the same time, young adults are less likely than older people to say this is important to their identity. Matt Stafford, a 39-year-old centrist in Massachusetts who participated in the poll, said he is proud to be American, even if U.S. politics frustrate him. He has a bald eagle tattooed on his back to represent the U.S. and 鈥渁ll the things we鈥檙e supposed to stand for.鈥�
Despite that pride, he鈥檚 frustrated: 鈥淚 love America, but our biggest problem is how we鈥檙e pushing both sides 鈥� like the left and the right 鈥� to the extremes.鈥�
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
