National

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – Despite claims to “drain the swamp” and cut wasteful government spending, and despite the efforts of Elon Musk and a new Department of Government Efficiency, federal agencies spent billions of dollars on a range of programs, including millions experimenting on animals, a new report reveals. U.S. Sen. Rand...

By Andrew Rice | The Center Square (The Center Square) - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Monday he will not seek a third term in 2026. Walz was first elected to the position of Minnesota governor in 2018 after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives beginning since 2007. He ran unsuccessfully as Vice President alongside Democratic nominee Kamala Harris...

By Andrew Rice | The Center Square (The Center Square) - Lawmakers have sharply criticized the United States' takeover of Venezuela on Saturday. President Donald Trump said the U.S. will run Venezuela "until such a time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition." Trump's announcement followed U.S. strikes on the South American country and the capture of...

By Morgan Sweeney | The Center Square (The Center Square) – A number of groups held protests across the country Saturday in the wake of the U.S. capture and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The feminist anti-war organization CODEPINK released a statement on Saturday condemning the swift American attack in Caracas, the country’s capital, saying the U.S. “bombed civilian...

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch | The Center Square (The Center Square) – As American taxpayers are plagued with high housing costs, rising medical expenses and other costs, many refugees continue to qualify for over a dozen costly federal benefits, as Congress could decide to continue the quadrupled funding for the program. Hundreds of thousands of refugees were admitted into the U.S....

By Thérèse Boudreaux | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Congress faces a mountain of political challenges when it resumes session next week, including a potential government shutdown, a health care affordability crisis, and the ongoing release of the Epstein files. U.S. lawmakers left town for the holidays after passing only three of the 12 appropriations bills funding federal...

By Andrew Rice | The Center Square (The Center Square) - The U.S. Senate could see a major shakeup in 2026 as Democrats and Republicans battle for control of Congress. In 2024, Republicans flipped the U.S. Senate from blue to red and hold a 53-47 majority. Two senators are independents who caucus with Democrats. In the 2026 midterm elections, 35...

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch | The Center Square (The Center Square) – The U.S. will run Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” President Donald Trump said Saturday following the strikes that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. U.S. military used power from the “air, land and sea”...

By Morgan Sweeney | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Negotiated lower Medicare costs for 10 popular prescription drugs went into effect Thursday. How much those savings will be passed on to Medicare Part D and applicable Advantage plan enrollees is unclear, however, as drug pricing and reimbursement is notoriously complex and opaque, though lawmakers have pushed for more transparency...

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Following days of civil unrest in Iran, President Donald Trump issued a warning to the Iranian regime that the U.S. is prepared to take action if civilians are shot. Trump posted the warning overnight Friday, indicating he may be throwing support behind the uprising in the Islamic Republic sparked...