Washington news
Read verified news on BetaVoices covering Washington, with reporting, context, and related developments.
Supreme Court ruling sets off new redistricting fight before midterms
Republican-led Southern states are moving quickly after the court limited a key Voting Rights Act tool, while Democrats look for countermeasures in states such as New York
Hegseth dismisses Iran ‘kamikaze dolphins’ claim as Hormuz tensions rise
The defense secretary rejected the idea that Iran has weaponized marine mammals, while the U.S. Navy’s own dolphin and sea lion program shows their long military role in detecting mines and underwater threats
Sanders campaign paid for Netflix after senator criticized company’s taxes
Federal Election Commission records cited by Fox News show monthly subscription payments from January through March; the campaign did not respond to a request for comment
US to test Google, Microsoft and xAI models before release
Voluntary Commerce Department agreements give CAISI early access to frontier systems as Washington weighs security risks from more powerful AI
Hegseth says Iran ceasefire still holds after Strait exchange
The defense secretary said U.S. escorts for commercial ships are separate from the broader conflict, even after Iranian fire and a U.S. strike on small boats
Elon Musk to pay $1.5M to settle SEC suit over Twitter disclosures
The proposed settlement, which still needs a judge’s approval, resolves claims that Musk waited too long to disclose early Twitter stock purchases in 2022
Warsh’s Fed independence stance draws concern over balance sheet
The Fed chair nominee says rate policy should be independent, but former officials told CNBC his comments on Treasury coordination leave important powers unclear
Melania Trump adviser urges advertisers to drop Kimmel after ‘widow’ joke
Marc Beckman said ABC should fire Jimmy Kimmel after Melania and Donald Trump condemned a monologue joke the host says was about the couple’s age difference
Trump says he is ‘not satisfied’ with Iran’s new peace proposal
Pakistani officials said Iran sent an updated offer as Washington faces a war powers deadline and the Strait of Hormuz standoff keeps raising global shipping costs
Trump says EU car and truck tariffs will rise to 25%
The president accused the European Union of failing to comply with last year’s trade deal but did not explain the alleged breach. The higher rate is set to take effect next week