Politics

News Brief: Jim Mattis, Government Shutdown Looms, Mike Pompeo

5:56am December 21, 2018

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will leave the Trump administration in February. Congress still has time to avert a government shutdown. And, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is asked: Is ISIS defeated?

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Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, one of President Trump's most important early advisers, is the latest to depart the administration.

Defense Secretary Mattis Resigns Amid Syria And Afghanistan Tension

10:49pm December 20, 2018

by Philip Ewing

The retired Marine general had been granted a rare waiver to run the Pentagon as he had been out of uniform for only three years, but his relationship with President Trump eventually turned cold.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, pictured in August during a meeting at the Pentagon, will step down from his position on Feb. 28.

READ: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' Letter Announcing His Resignation

10:11pm December 20, 2018

by Nicole Hernandez

"Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours ... I believe it is right for me to step down from my position," Mattis wrote to the president.

Politics & Government

Without Funding For Border Security, Trump Refuses To Pass Short Term Spending Bill

7:50pm December 20, 2018

by Kelsey Snell

Congress was on the verge of passing a short term bill to avoid a partial shutdown but President Trump said he wouldn't sign anything without border security money.

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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (left) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan address a joint news conference Thursday in Ankara. The pair of leaders asserted their partnership in Syria after the U.S. announced its withdrawal.

How Is The World Reacting To Trump's Decision To Withdraw From Syria?

7:36pm December 20, 2018

President Trump declared victory over ISIS. But the international response is decidedly mixed — from worries in liberated Raqqa, to applause from Russia and measured resolve in Israel.

Politics & Government

Secretary of Defense Mattis Will Resign, Tumultuous Week For WH Continues

7:20pm December 20, 2018

by Mara Liasson

The announcement that Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis will retire comes during a tumultuous week for the White House.

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Politics & Government

Freedom Caucus Member Discusses House Spending Bill Negotiations

7:20pm December 20, 2018

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with David Schweikert, an Arizona congressman and Freedom Caucus member, about House spending bill negotiations as the possibility of a partial government shutdown looms.

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President Trump is expected to sign into law the farm bill Thursday. Ahead of the signing, the USDA unveiled a rule change calling for more able-bodied adults to work in exchange for food benefits.

Trump Signs Farm Bill, Backs Rule Sidestepping Congress On More Work For Food Stamps

6:15pm December 20, 2018

by Brakkton Booker

The Agriculture Department wants to limit states' ability to apply for exemption waivers. It wants more able-bodied people to work in exchange for federal food benefits.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was among those at the Justice Department who announced charges against Chinese cyber-attackers on Thursday. It could escalate tensions between the great powers.

Justice Department Charges Chinese Hackers In Bid To Curtail Cyber-Theft

6:08pm December 20, 2018

by Ryan Lucas

The two men are accused of being part of a vast government effort to transfer American trade, technology and defense secrets into Chinese hands, but are unlikely to face trial.

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Philadelphia demonstrators protested earlier moves by Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act last February. If the ACA is indeed axed as unconstitutional, health policy analysts say, millions of people could lose health coverage, and many aspects o

5 Ways Nixing The Affordable Care Act Could Upend U.S. Health System

5:39pm December 20, 2018

by Julie Rovner

If the decision of a judge in Texas to invalidate the federal health law holds up, expect broad effects on your health care — from insurance coverage to Medicare payments to pre-existing conditions.