INSIDER
Democrats stick with Schumer as leader. Their strategy for countering Trump is far less certain
Read full article: Democrats stick with Schumer as leader. Their strategy for countering Trump is far less certainSenate Democrats reelected Chuck Schumer as party leader on Tuesday as the party moves into a deeply uncertain time, with no real consensus on a strategy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.
NFL's Goodell and Commanders' Harris meet with lawmakers to talk about potential RFK stadium site
Read full article: NFL's Goodell and Commanders' Harris meet with lawmakers to talk about potential RFK stadium siteNFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington Commanders controlling owner Josh Harris have met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill as efforts push forward to secure access to the RFK Stadium site in the District of Columbia.
The Australian Senate debates the world's first social media ban for children under 16
Read full article: The Australian Senate debates the world's first social media ban for children under 16The Australian Senate is debating a ban on children younger than 16 from social media after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly supported the age restriction.
Australian father of teen sextortion victim backs banning young children from social media
Read full article: Australian father of teen sextortion victim backs banning young children from social mediaWayne Holdsworth became an advocate for banning Australian children younger than 16 from social media because his son took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam.
Social media sites call for Australia to delay its ban on children younger than 16
Read full article: Social media sites call for Australia to delay its ban on children younger than 16An advocate for major social media platforms has told Australia's Parliament that a plan to ban children younger than 16 from the sites should be delayed rather than being rushed to approval this week.
What to know about Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Trump's pick for labor secretary
Read full article: What to know about Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Trump's pick for labor secretaryPresident-elect Donald Trump has named Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer to lead the Department of Labor, elevating a Republican congresswoman who has strong support from unions in her district but lost reelection in November.
Democrats strike deal to get more Biden judges confirmed before Congress adjourns
Read full article: Democrats strike deal to get more Biden judges confirmed before Congress adjournsThe Senate wonāt hold votes on four of President Joe Bidenās appellate court nominees as part of a deal with Republicans to allow for speedier consideration of other judicial nominations.
McConnell to head subcommittee overseeing defense spending as he prepares to step down as GOP leader
Read full article: McConnell to head subcommittee overseeing defense spending as he prepares to step down as GOP leaderSen. Mitch McConnell says he will lead a subcommittee overseeing defense spending as he carves out new roles once he relinquishes his long-running post as Senate Republican leader.
Senate rejects effort from Bernie Sanders to block some weapons for Israel over Gaza deaths
Read full article: Senate rejects effort from Bernie Sanders to block some weapons for Israel over Gaza deathsThe Senate has rejected attempts by Sen. Bernie Sanders to block the sale of offensive weapons to Israel.
Lawmakers are concerned about background checks of Trump's Cabinet picks as red flags surface
Read full article: Lawmakers are concerned about background checks of Trump's Cabinet picks as red flags surfaceAs senators prepare to consider Donald Trumpās picks for his Cabinet, theyāll likely be doing so without the FBI background checks that are staples of the confirmation process.
Australian senate censures Indigenous lawmaker who yelled at King Charles III
Read full article: Australian senate censures Indigenous lawmaker who yelled at King Charles IIIAustralian senators have voted to censure an Indigenous colleague who yelled at King Charles III during a reception in Parliament House last month.
Trump names Brendan Carr, senior GOP leader at FCC, to lead the agency
Read full article: Trump names Brendan Carr, senior GOP leader at FCC, to lead the agencyPresident-elect Donald Trump has named the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband.
Ruben Gallego did better than most Democrats. He says his party needs to stoke working class roots
Read full article: Ruben Gallego did better than most Democrats. He says his party needs to stoke working class rootsIncoming Democratic Senator-elect Ruben Gallego of Arizona says building authentic connections with working-class voters can help Democrats find their way back to power in Washington.
What are recess appointments and how could Trump use them to fill his Cabinet?
Read full article: What are recess appointments and how could Trump use them to fill his Cabinet?President-elect Donald Trump is considering recess appointments to skip over Senate confirmations for some of the most powerful positions in the U.S. government.
Liberals pressure Senate Democrats to confirm more Biden judges while they can
Read full article: Liberals pressure Senate Democrats to confirm more Biden judges while they canDemand Justice, a progressive organization focused on the judiciary, is set to bombard Capitol Hill with a message for the closing weeks of the 118th Congress: Do āwhatever it takesā to confirm President Joe Bidenās nominees as a second Donald Trump presidency looms.
Trump issues early challenge to GOP Senate with defiant nominations
Read full article: Trump issues early challenge to GOP Senate with defiant nominationsJust hours after Republican Sen. John Thune was elected as the incoming Senate majority leader, President-elect Donald Trump presented him with one of his first tests ā an announcement that he intends to nominate House Republican Matt Gaetz as attorney general.
Virginia Democrats advance efforts to protect abortion, voting rights, marriage equality
Read full article: Virginia Democrats advance efforts to protect abortion, voting rights, marriage equalityDemocratic lawmakers who wield control of the Virginia Legislature are hoping to make good on promises made on the campaign trail, including becoming the first Southern state to expand constitutional protections for abortion access.
Texas lawmakers target property taxes, abortion and gender transition care in first bills for the 2025 session
Read full article: Texas lawmakers target property taxes, abortion and gender transition care in first bills for the 2025 sessionTuesday marked the first day lawmakers could file bills for next yearās legislative session.
Lawmakers prepare for final lame-duck sprint before making way for next Congress
Read full article: Lawmakers prepare for final lame-duck sprint before making way for next CongressCongress has a short but important to-do list as lawmakers return to Washington this coming week for what is known as a lame-duck session.
Who will replace Mitch McConnell as Senate GOP leader? It remains deeply uncertain
Read full article: Who will replace Mitch McConnell as Senate GOP leader? It remains deeply uncertainSenate Republicans vying to replace longtime leader Mitch McConnell have been crossing the country to campaign and fundraise for colleagues, making their final arguments before an important upcoming Senate vote.
Ted Cruz, Colin Allred make spirited final pitches to Texas voters in Senate race
Read full article: Ted Cruz, Colin Allred make spirited final pitches to Texas voters in Senate raceRepublican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic Rep. Colin Allred are making their final pitches to Texas voters at campaign stops across the state as Election Day nears.
Michigan House races will test Democrats' grasp on the state government trifecta
Read full article: Michigan House races will test Democrats' grasp on the state government trifectaThe same Michigan voters Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris needs in the critical swing state will also determine whether her party maintains its foothold on state government two years after pulling off a historic sweep.
Duterteās jarring testimony into drug killings in Philippines relives a nightmare for many
Read full article: Duterteās jarring testimony into drug killings in Philippines relives a nightmare for manyThe cockiness, expletives and threats unleashed by former President Rodrigo Duterte in a Senate inquiry brought back the nightmare of the bloody āwar on drugsā for many families of the thousands of victims who were gunned down under his rule.
Ken Paxton sues Dallas pediatrician over providing hormone treatments to teens
Read full article: Ken Paxton sues Dallas pediatrician over providing hormone treatments to teensIn the first test of Senate Bill 14, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has accused Dr. May Lau of providing testosterone to at least 21 teens.
McConnell called Trump 'stupid' and 'despicable' in private after the 2020 election, a new book says
Read full article: McConnell called Trump 'stupid' and 'despicable' in private after the 2020 election, a new book saysSenate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said after the 2020 election that then-President Donald Trump was āstupid as well as being ill-temperedā and a ādespicable human being."
Moreno's abortion comment rattles debate in expensive Senate race in Republican-leaning Ohio
Read full article: Moreno's abortion comment rattles debate in expensive Senate race in Republican-leaning OhioOhio's close Senate race took a twist recently when cellphone video surfaced of Republican Bernie Moreno criticizing women whose votes are driven by the abortion issue.
North Carolina lawmakers pass a $273M Helene relief bill with voting changes to more counties
Read full article: North Carolina lawmakers pass a $273M Helene relief bill with voting changes to more countiesNorth Carolina legislators have approved an initial $273 million relief package to help address Hurricane Heleneās devastation and recovery in the mountains.
House Democrats in close races try to show they hear voter concerns about immigration
Read full article: House Democrats in close races try to show they hear voter concerns about immigrationIn some of the closest House races in the country, Democratic candidates are leaning into an issue that Republicans have made a centerpiece of their pitch to voters ā immigration.
Casey, McCormick hammer home attacks in debate for Pennsylvania's battleground Senate race
Read full article: Casey, McCormick hammer home attacks in debate for Pennsylvania's battleground Senate raceDemocratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Republican challenger David McCormick have held the first debate in their race for a swing-state seat.
Czechs vote in the runoff election for a third of the seats in Parliament's upper house
Read full article: Czechs vote in the runoff election for a third of the seats in Parliament's upper houseCzechs are casting ballots in the second round of voting for a third of the seats in Parliamentās upper house.
Sophistication of AI-backed operation targeting senator points to future of deepfake schemes
Read full article: Sophistication of AI-backed operation targeting senator points to future of deepfake schemesAn advanced deepfake operation targeted Sen. Ben Cardin, the Democratic chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, this month, according to the Office of Senate Security.
Bernie Sanders preparing resolutions to block $20B in US arms sales to Israel
Read full article: Bernie Sanders preparing resolutions to block $20B in US arms sales to IsraelU.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders is preparing a series of Senate resolutions that would stop more than $20 billion in U.S. arms sales to Israel.
John Thune is striving to be the next Republican Senate leader, but can he rise in Trump's GOP?
Read full article: John Thune is striving to be the next Republican Senate leader, but can he rise in Trump's GOP?Sen. John Thune of South Dakota is competing intensely to become the next Republican leader in the Senate.
Senate Republicans again block legislation to guarantee women's rights to IVF
Read full article: Senate Republicans again block legislation to guarantee women's rights to IVFRepublicans have blocked for a second time this year legislation to establish a nationwide right to in vitro fertilization, arguing that the vote is an election-year stunt after Democrats forced a vote on the issue.
Democrats put up $25 million to reach voters in 10 states in fierce fight for Senate majority
Read full article: Democrats put up $25 million to reach voters in 10 states in fierce fight for Senate majorityDemocrats are pumping $25 million into expanded voter outreach across 10 states as part of their effort to protect their narrow Senate majority.
Mexicoās Senate approves a contentious judicial overhaul after protesters storm the chamber
Read full article: Mexicoās Senate approves a contentious judicial overhaul after protesters storm the chamberMexicoās Senate has voted to overhaul the countryās judiciary, clearing the biggest hurdle for a controversial constitutional revision that will make all judges stand for election.
Hong Kong hits out at US Congress for passing a bill that could close its representative offices
Read full article: Hong Kong hits out at US Congress for passing a bill that could close its representative officesHong Kong's government says the U.S. House of Representatives twisted facts in an attack on the city as it passed a bill that could close its representative offices in America.
Protesters storm Mexico's Senate after ruling party wins votes for court overhaul
Read full article: Protesters storm Mexico's Senate after ruling party wins votes for court overhaulHundreds of protesters pushed into Mexicoās Senate as lawmakers weighed a contentious plan to overhaul the countryās judiciary, forcing the body to temporarily suspend its session.
Speaker Johnson pushes ahead on funding bill with proof of citizenship mandate despite dim prospects
Read full article: Speaker Johnson pushes ahead on funding bill with proof of citizenship mandate despite dim prospectsHouse Speaker Mike Johnson is vowing to press ahead with requiring proof of citizenship for new voters as part of a bill to avoid a partial government shutdown.
Catholic leaders raise concerns over judicial reform pushed by Mexico's president
Read full article: Catholic leaders raise concerns over judicial reform pushed by Mexico's presidentMexicoās Catholic leaders have raised their concerns over a controversial judicial reform pushed by President AndrĆ©s Manuel LĆ³pez Obrador.
Pentagon chief says a six-month temporary budget bill will have devastating effects on the military
Read full article: Pentagon chief says a six-month temporary budget bill will have devastating effects on the militaryDefense Secretary Lloyd Austin says passage of a six-month temporary spending bill would have widespread and devastating effects on the department and the military.
House Republicans push to link government funding to a citizenship check for new voters
Read full article: House Republicans push to link government funding to a citizenship check for new votersHouse Speaker Mike Johnson has teed up a vote this week on a bill that would keep the federal government funded for six more months.
The Navy secretary broke the law by voicing his views on Trump and Biden, a watchdog says
Read full article: The Navy secretary broke the law by voicing his views on Trump and Biden, a watchdog saysThe U.S. Office of Special Counsel says Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro broke the law by publicly endorsing the reelection of President Joe Biden and criticizing former President Donald Trump in several statements he made while on official duty overseas.
Markey and Warren condemn Steward's CEO for refusing to comply with a Senate subpoena
Read full article: Markey and Warren condemn Steward's CEO for refusing to comply with a Senate subpoenaMassachusetts U.S. Sens. Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren are among several political leaders who are attacking the leader of a troubled health care system for refusing to comply with a subpoena to appear before a Senate committee.
Whatās at stake in Mexico's judicial system under sweeping overhaul pushed by the president
Read full article: Whatās at stake in Mexico's judicial system under sweeping overhaul pushed by the presidentMexicoās governing party says judges in the current court system are corrupt, and it wants to push through a unusual proposal to make the countryās entire judicial branch ā some 7,000 judges āstand for election.
New Texas laws strengthen domestic violence support, wildlife conservation, online safety for children
Read full article: New Texas laws strengthen domestic violence support, wildlife conservation, online safety for childrenSeptember isnāt just marked by meteorological fall or Labor Day, itās also when an array of state laws goes into effect.
Mexico's ruling party edges closer to a majority in both houses of Congress after 2 senators defect
Read full article: Mexico's ruling party edges closer to a majority in both houses of Congress after 2 senators defectFollowing a pair of defections by opposition senators, Mexicoās ruling party is edging closer to a steamroller two-thirds majority in both houses of congress.
McConnell says deterring America's adversaries should be 'front and center' for the next president
Read full article: McConnell says deterring America's adversaries should be 'front and center' for the next presidentSenate Republican leader Mitch McConnell says the challenge of deterring America's adversaries should be āfront and centerā for the next president.
House Democrats dig in amid ongoing fight in Congress over compensation for US radiation victims
Read full article: House Democrats dig in amid ongoing fight in Congress over compensation for US radiation victimsA top Democrat in the U.S. House says it will take a shift of power in Congress to ensure that legislation is finally passed to extend and expand a compensation program for people exposed to radiation following uranium mining and nuclear testing carried out by the federal government.
Schumer says he will work to block any effort in the Senate to significantly cut the CDC's budget
Read full article: Schumer says he will work to block any effort in the Senate to significantly cut the CDC's budgetThe Senateās top Democrat says he'll work to block a plan that would significantly cut the proposed budget of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Thai court dissolves progressive Move Forward Party, which won election but was blocked from power
Read full article: Thai court dissolves progressive Move Forward Party, which won election but was blocked from powerA court in Thailand has ordered the dissolution of the progressive Move Forward Party, which won national elections in 2023, saying it violated the constitution by proposing an amendment of a law against defaming the countryās royal family.
Schumer predicts Democrats will keep control of the Senate now that Harris is atop the party ticket
Read full article: Schumer predicts Democrats will keep control of the Senate now that Harris is atop the party ticketSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is predicting that Democrats will keep control of the Senate in the November election.
In an attempt to reverse the Supreme Court's immunity decision, Schumer introduces the No Kings Act
Read full article: In an attempt to reverse the Supreme Court's immunity decision, Schumer introduces the No Kings ActSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has introduced legislation reaffirming presidents don't have immunity for criminal actions, an attempt to reverse the Supreme Courtās landmark decision last month.
Senate rejects legislation that would expand child tax credit and restore business tax breaks
Read full article: Senate rejects legislation that would expand child tax credit and restore business tax breaksSenators are heading home for the month after failing to advance a bill to expand the child tax credit and restore some business tax breaks.
Senate passes bill to protect kids online and make tech companies accountable for harmful content
Read full article: Senate passes bill to protect kids online and make tech companies accountable for harmful contentThe Senate has passed legislation designed to protect children from dangerous online content.
Volunteers and donations surge into Democratic campaigns with Harris atop the ticket
Read full article: Volunteers and donations surge into Democratic campaigns with Harris atop the ticketCongressional Democrats in Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and beyond are seeing an outpouring of volunteers to help Vice President Kamala Harris and counter Republican Donald Trump.
Senior NORAD Air Force commander nominated to be next National Guard Bureau chief
Read full article: Senior NORAD Air Force commander nominated to be next National Guard Bureau chiefA top Air Force commander at the North American Aerospace Defense Command has been nominated to be the next chief of the National Guard Bureau.
Senate to consider bills that aim to protect children and teenagers online
Read full article: Senate to consider bills that aim to protect children and teenagers onlineThe Senate will consider legislation this week that aims to protect children from dangerous online content, moving forward with what could become the first sweeping new regulation of the tech industry in decades.
Philippine president orders shutdown of Chinese-run online gambling industry employing thousands
Read full article: Philippine president orders shutdown of Chinese-run online gambling industry employing thousandsPhilippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered an immediate ban on the mostly Chinese-run online gaming operations in the country.
Republican field in Michigan Senate race thins as party coalesces around former Rep. Mike Rogers
Read full article: Republican field in Michigan Senate race thins as party coalesces around former Rep. Mike RogersDetroit-area businessman Sandy Pensler has announced his withdrawal from the Republican Senate race in Michigan just ahead of the state's primary.
Nominations for National Guard leaders languish, triggering concerns as top officers retire
Read full article: Nominations for National Guard leaders languish, triggering concerns as top officers retireThe top four officers of the National Guard Bureau have left or are set to retire in about two weeks, and to date no nominations for their replacements have been confirmed by the Senate.
New Mexico Democrats mostly rebuff calls from Democratic governor to address high crime rates
Read full article: New Mexico Democrats mostly rebuff calls from Democratic governor to address high crime ratesDemocrats in the state legislative majority have rebuffed calls by New Mexicoās governor to address the ādangerous intersectionā of crime and homelessness.
Dominican activists protest against a new criminal code that would maintain a total abortion ban
Read full article: Dominican activists protest against a new criminal code that would maintain a total abortion banActivists in the Dominican Republic are protesting against a bill for a new criminal code that would retain a total abortion ban.
Democrats consider expelling Menendez from the Senate after conviction in bribery trial
Read full article: Democrats consider expelling Menendez from the Senate after conviction in bribery trialSen. Bob Menendez has shown no sign he will voluntarily resign from the Senate following his conviction on bribery charges.
Texas Sens. Charles Schwertner, Borris Miles silent after new accusations of sexual harassment in report
Read full article: Texas Sens. Charles Schwertner, Borris Miles silent after new accusations of sexual harassment in reportA Texas Monthly article revealed fresh allegations of sexual harassment against two senators with a history of scandals.
Mississippi election officials argue against quick work on drawing new majority-Black districts
Read full article: Mississippi election officials argue against quick work on drawing new majority-Black districtsMississippi election officials say redrawing legislative districts in time for this Novemberās election is impossible because of tight deadlines to prepare ballots.
Democrats on Capitol Hill express concerns about Biden in private but stay quiet in public
Read full article: Democrats on Capitol Hill express concerns about Biden in private but stay quiet in publicAfter meeting for around two hours to discuss whether President Joe Biden should remain at the top of their presidential ticket, Senate Democrats almost unanimously have agreed on one thing ā not to say anything about it.
Key senators reach agreement on spending levels for next year, setting up clash with House
Read full article: Key senators reach agreement on spending levels for next year, setting up clash with HouseThe Senate will pursue a spending increase next year of about 3.4% for defense and 2.7% increase for non-defense programs under a bipartisan agreement reached by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
U.S. to expand control of land sales to foreigners near 56 additional military sites
Read full article: U.S. to expand control of land sales to foreigners near 56 additional military sitesNew Treasury rulemaking would expand the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United Statesā jurisdiction to review land sales near 56 additional military sites, bringing the overall number to 227.
Biden gets support from key lawmakers as he tells Democrats he won't step aside after debate
Read full article: Biden gets support from key lawmakers as he tells Democrats he won't step aside after debatePresident Joe Biden is standing firm against calls for him to drop his reelection candidacy and calling for an end to the intraparty drama that has torn apart Democrats since his dismal debate performance.
House Republicans unite on spending cuts to non-defense programs, but Senate roadblock awaits
Read full article: House Republicans unite on spending cuts to non-defense programs, but Senate roadblock awaitsHouse Republicans are off to a quicker, more united start this year when it comes to funding the federal government, passing four of 12 annual appropriations bills before the end of June compared to zero at this time last year, when the new majority got off to a rocky start.
In Atlanta to promote fentanyl actions, Yellen announces sanctions against Mexican cartel
Read full article: In Atlanta to promote fentanyl actions, Yellen announces sanctions against Mexican cartelU.S., Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has announced new sanctions against members of La Nueva Familia Michoacana drug cartel, a notoriously violent group that wars for territorial control with a slate of other Mexican cartels.
Republicans block bill to outlaw bump stocks for rifles after Supreme Court lifts Trump-era ban
Read full article: Republicans block bill to outlaw bump stocks for rifles after Supreme Court lifts Trump-era banSenate Republicans have blocked bipartisan legislation that would have outlawed bump stocks after the Supreme Court struck down a ban on the rapid-fire gun accessory.
Thailandās Senate overwhelmingly approves a landmark bill to legalize same-sex marriages
Read full article: Thailandās Senate overwhelmingly approves a landmark bill to legalize same-sex marriagesThailandās Senate has voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, clearing the last legislative hurdle for the country to become the first in Southeast Asia to enact such a law.
Many Senate Republicans were done with Trump after Jan. 6. Now they want him back in the White House
Read full article: Many Senate Republicans were done with Trump after Jan. 6. Now they want him back in the White HouseAfter the 2020 election, many Republican senators distanced themselves from Donald Trump.
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Georgia's primary runoffs
Read full article: AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Georgia's primary runoffsA southwest Georgia Republican who went to prison for his actions inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, may come a step closer to serving in Congress when the state holds primary runoff elections in some U.S. House and state legislative races.
Jittery markets rally after Argentina's Milei gets his first legislative 'triumph' on broad reforms
Read full article: Jittery markets rally after Argentina's Milei gets his first legislative 'triumph' on broad reformsWall Street has rallied as Argentinaās president traveled to Italy for the Group of Seven summit buoyed by his first legislative victory.
Senate confirms new energy regulators, extending Biden's grip on panel that backs renewable energy
Read full article: Senate confirms new energy regulators, extending Biden's grip on panel that backs renewable energyPresident Joe Bidenās grip on a key federal energy commission will last beyond his first term, giving a boost to the Democratās push for renewable energy regardless of the election results in November.
Senate Republicans block bill on womenās right to IVF as Democrats make push on reproductive care
Read full article: Senate Republicans block bill on womenās right to IVF as Democrats make push on reproductive careSenate Republicans have blocked legislation that would make it a right nationwide for women to access in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments.
In initial win for Argentine President Milei, senators approve his key bills after violent protests
Read full article: In initial win for Argentine President Milei, senators approve his key bills after violent protestsArgentinaās Senate narrowly approved key state overhaul and tax packages proposed by President Javier Miliei, delivering an initial legislative victory to the libertarian leader in his efforts to enact his promises of radical change.
Federal appeals court upholds California law banning gun shows at county fairs
Read full article: Federal appeals court upholds California law banning gun shows at county fairsA federal appeals court has upheld Californiaās ban on gun shows at county fairs and other public properties, deciding the laws do not violate the rights of firearm sellers or buyers.
Two weeks after hush money verdict, Trump to meet with Senate Republicans
Read full article: Two weeks after hush money verdict, Trump to meet with Senate RepublicansFormer President Donald Trump will meet with Senate Republicans Thursday, speaking to the group just two weeks after he was convicted on 34 charges in his hush money trial and as GOP senators have increasingly rallied around him.