INTERNACIONAL
GOP holdouts unmoved by Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ trip to Capitol Hill
President Donald Trump’s rallying speech to House Republicans Tuesday morning wasn’t enough to convince some holdouts to unite behind his «big, beautiful bill» ahead of a planned vote this week.
Trump urged Republicans to cease infighting on Medicaid reform and state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps at the House GOP’s weekly conference meeting. Several Republicans who emerged said they were still concerned enough to oppose the bill, however.
House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, Rep. Eric Burlison of Missouri, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and representatives Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler and Andrew Garbino of New York told Fox News Digital Tuesday they would vote against the bill if changes were not made.
On the other hand, Trump did persuade some people. Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, one of several Republicans to sink a committee vote on the bill Friday, told reporters he would review it and make a «judgment call» ahead of a 1 a.m. meeting to advance the bill through the House Rules Committee.
INSIDE TRUMP’S URGENT MEETING WITH HOUSE GOP TO PASS THE ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’
Rep. Mike Lawler (left) and Rep. Thomas Massie (right) said President Donald Trump did not convince them Tuesday to vote for his «big, beautiful bill» in its current form. (Getty Images)
Norman said Trump did a «fantastic job» and delivered «one of the best speeches I’ve heard» at the House GOP meeting, and he urged his blue state colleagues to «take the words the president said to heart about SALT.»
CONSERVATIVE RIPS BLUE STATE REPUBLICAN’S PROPOSAL TO RAISE TAXES ON WEALTHY IN SALT DEBATE
Norman and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, are both members of the powerful rules panel who have not been shy about their concerns with the current bill. The committee acts as the final gatekeeper before most legislation sees a full House vote.
Roy did not appear to attend Trump’s speech but told reporters Monday evening the 1 a.m. Wednesday vote should be postponed.
But the New York Republicans weren’t budging after Trump’s «big, beautiful» speech, maintaining the bill doesn’t go far enough to deliver for middle-class New Yorkers on the SALT deduction cap.
«This is the single biggest issue that I’ve talked about, and, with all due respect to the president, I’m not budging,» Lawler said.
«Between property taxes and income taxes, it blows well past the $30,000 cap with the $400,000 income cap. So, as I’ve said repeatedly, that is insufficient. We will continue the dialogue with leadership, but as it stands right now, I do not support the bill,» Lawler said.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill. (Reuters/Anna Rose Layden)
Lawler said SALT is one of the biggest issues affecting his district in New York and campaigned on never supporting a tax bill that doesn’t «adequately lift the cap.»
«The president can say whatever he wants, and I respect him, but the fact is, I certainly understand my district. I’m one of only three Republican members that won in a district Kamala Harris won, and I did so for reasons,» Lawler said.
«We need a little more SALT on the table to get to this,» fellow New York Republican LaLota added. «I hope the president’s presence motivates my leadership to give us a number that we can go sell back home.»
LaLota said while he is still a «no,» he hopes «the president’s presence here today motivates some folks in the Ways and Means Committee and my leadership to give us a number to which we can actually say ‘yes.’»
Rep. Nick Lalota, R-N.Y., leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
When asked if Trump did enough to ease concerns in Tuesday’s meeting, Garbarino, another New York Republican, said, «No. There were no specifics. … It was more of a rally. We need to get this done.»
«We share President Trump’s call for unity within the House Republican Conference,» Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., said in a joint statement after Trump’s visit to Capitol Hill.
«We hope his remarks today motivate the Speaker to advance a SALT proposal that delivers meaningful relief for our middle-class constituents, as we have worked in good faith with House Leadership for more than a year,» the statement from Kim, Garbarino, Lawler, LaLota and Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J., said.
Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., speaks during a hearing March 10, 2021, on Capitol Hill. (Ting Shen-Pool/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Trump urged Republicans not to «f— with» Medicaid in his speech, though different factions came to different conclusions about what he meant.
Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee, who was not in the room for Trump’s speech, called for more cuts to the entitlement program in an X post Tuesday afternoon but told Fox News Digital he was opposed to the legislation as written.
«I agree with President Trump — we must crush the waste, fraud, and abuse. Liberal states like California and New York are abusing Medicaid — and making you pay for it. Illegal aliens and freeloaders have no right to taxpayer-funded benefits,» Ogles said on X.
Other fiscal conservatives, like Ogles, who were in the room, said the bill does not go far enough to reform Medicaid and would also vote «no» in the bill’s current form.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., outside the Capitol building Dec. 18, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
«I think it’s inappropriate for us to say we’re not going to touch it and then leave all of this fraud that’s happening in the system,» Burlison said.
Harris, the House Freedom Caucus chair, said, «I can’t support the bill. It does not eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid. The president called for waste, fraud and abuse to be eliminated. I don’t think that’s where the bill sits.»
Massie, known for being a libertarian, was unconvinced by Trump’s appearance, telling reporters that his constituents didn’t «vote for increased deficits and Biden-level spending.»
He acknowledged that younger members or those who harbor ambitions for higher office would likely fall in line, however.
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«I think he probably closed the deal in there,» Massie said.
SALT deduction caps and Medicaid remain two of the biggest sticking points in Republican negotiations. SALT deduction caps primarily benefit people living in high-cost-of-living areas like New York City, Los Angeles and their surrounding suburbs. Republicans representing those areas have argued that raising the SALT deduction cap is a critical issue and that a failure to address it could cost the GOP the House majority in the 2026 midterms.
Republicans in redder, lower-tax areas have said in response that SALT deductions favor wealthy people living in Democrat-controlled states and that such deductions reward progressive high-tax policies.
It was Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that first instituted caps on SALT deductions, setting the maximum at $10,000 for both married couples and single filers.
SALT Caucus members have rejected House Republican leaders’ offer to increase that to $30,000.
Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, meanwhile, are pushing for the bill to be more aggressive in cutting waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicaid system, including a faster timeline for implementing work requirements for able-bodied recipients. Currently, the legislation has work requirements kicking in 2029.
They also want to restructure Medicaid cost-sharing to put a bigger burden on the states. Moderates, meanwhile, have been wary of making significant cuts to the program.
House GOP leaders are hoping to hold a full House vote on the bill this week.
Politics,House Of Representatives,Republicans,Donald Trump
INTERNACIONAL
La mega cárcel a la que fue trasladado Jorge Glas tiene un avance de construcción del 30 por ciento
Daniel Noboa reconoció públicamente que la llamada “Cárcel del Encuentro”, el nuevo penal de máxima seguridad al que fue trasladado el ex vicepresidente Jorge Glas y varios cabecillas del crimen organizado, aún no está terminada. En una entrevista radial, el presidente detalló que el complejo carcelario está “entre el 35% y el 40%” de avance, pero defendió la decisión de adelantar el traslado de los reclusos más peligrosos por razones de seguridad y prometió que la obra se completará en las próximas semanas.
En diálogo con Radio Sucre, Noboa respondió a las críticas sobre el envío de presos a una cárcel cuya construcción sigue en marcha. “La cárcel no está al 100%, no está al 100%, pero ya está al 35–40%. En dos semanas estará al 80% y se finalizará el último pabellón y las últimas cosas en un mes”, aseguró. Con esa descripción, el mandatario trazó por primera vez un cronograma público de la obra, que el Gobierno ha presentado como emblema de su ofensiva contra el narcotráfico y las bandas criminales.
El anuncio llega después del traslado de Jorge Glas y de otros presos de alto perfil al nuevo penal, lo que encendió el debate sobre las condiciones de la infraestructura y la legalidad de las decisiones penitenciarias. Mientras organizaciones y voces críticas cuestionan que se use un centro “en obra gris” para alojar a personas privadas de libertad, el Gobierno sostiene que la prioridad es neutralizar la capacidad de mando de los líderes criminales desde las cárceles tradicionales. Noboa reiteró que los primeros en ser trasladados fueron “los más malos, los que ya desde la cárcel se pasaban organizando asesinatos y secuestros”.
El presidente vinculó directamente la premura por habilitar la Cárcel del Encuentro con el clima político previo al referéndum y consulta popular del 16 de noviembre. Según su versión, grupos delictivos estarían buscando desestabilizar al país ante la posibilidad de una victoria del “sí” en las preguntas impulsadas por el Ejecutivo. “Era urgente viendo lo alterados que están, porque está ganando el sí y quieren hacer relajo y quieren matar la mayor cantidad de gente para decir que este gobierno fracasa”, afirmó. No presentó pruebas concretas durante la entrevista, pero insistió en que la lectura de inteligencia del Gobierno justificaba adelantar el uso parcial del complejo penitenciario.
Más allá de esa coyuntura, Noboa enmarcó la Cárcel del Encuentro en un rediseño más amplio del sistema penitenciario. El mandatario sostuvo que no se trata de una obra aislada, sino del primer paso de un plan que incluye la construcción de otro gran centro carcelario de mediana seguridad, también en la Costa, con capacidad para unas 15.000 personas privadas de libertad. “Se va a construir otra cerca, grande, no de máxima seguridad, sino de mediana seguridad, para aproximadamente 15.000 personas”, adelantó. Según su diagnóstico, en el sistema actual hay entre 6.000 y 7.000 presos en hacinamiento y varias cárceles que “nunca se arreglaron” y hoy son inseguras tanto para los funcionarios como para los internos.
Noboa describió problemas estructurales en las prisiones tradicionales: puertas e infraestructura que no funcionan, flujos internos que no permiten reaccionar ante emergencias y pabellones donde el Estado ha perdido el control frente a las bandas. Argumentó que el nuevo complejo y la futura cárcel de mediana seguridad buscan justamente revertir ese escenario, concentrando a los internos de mayor peligrosidad en espacios controlados y tecnológicamente monitoreados, y reordenando el resto de la población penitenciaria.
La Cárcel del Encuentro se ha convertido en un símbolo del enfoque de Noboa en seguridad: una mezcla de infraestructura penitenciaria de alta seguridad, discurso de mano dura y comunicación directa en redes sociales. Días antes, el presidente difundió en X (antes Twitter) una imagen en la que aparecían Glas y otros procesados y condenados por delitos graves, acompañada de un mensaje en el que advertía que “pronto llegarán otros criminales” al nuevo penal. El gesto fue leído por sus críticos como una utilización política de los expedientes judiciales, al calor de la campaña por el referéndum.
En la entrevista radial, el mandatario buscó presentar la cárcel no solo como un símbolo, sino como una respuesta funcional a la violencia que ha sacudido al país en los últimos años. Su narrativa conecta la construcción acelerada del penal con otros elementos de política pública, como los decretos de estado de excepción, las operaciones contra la minería ilegal y la cooperación internacional en seguridad. A la vez, insiste en que la actual Constitución —que él pretende reformar a través de una Asamblea Constituyente si triunfa el “sí”— “beneficia a los criminales” y limita la acción de las fuerzas del orden.
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Former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James are aiming to convince a federal judge on Thursday that Lindsey Halligan, who brought criminal charges against both of them, is an unlawful U.S. attorney.
Lawyers for Comey and James plan to make their arguments during a hearing in Virginia to Judge Cameron Currie, a Clinton appointee tasked with deciding Halligan’s fate.
President Donald Trump installed Halligan in September as the top prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia days after ousting Erik Siebert, who opposed charging Comey and James, two of the president’s top political nemeses. Amid the change, Trump posted a remarkable message to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Truth Social, indicating that he wanted revenge for his own prior prosecutions and that Bondi needed to act fast.
Halligan, a former insurance lawyer with no prosecutorial experience, brought the indictments almost immediately. Her name was the lone signature on each of them, and no Virginia prosecutors joined the case.
TRUMP’S US ATTORNEYS IN BLUE STATES FACE LEGAL CHALLENGES THAT COULD UPEND KEY PROSECUTIONS
President Donald Trump named lawyer Lindsey Halligan as interim U.S. Attorney Eastern District of Virginia in September. (Marco Bello/AFP via Getty Images)
In court briefs, Comey’s and James’ lawyers have said Halligan’s appointment was defective because Bondi improperly designated her as an interim U.S. attorney after Siebert had already served in that position, which had a 120-day term limit that had expired.
Because Halligan was the lone prosecutor to sign the grand jury indictments, legal experts have said that could be their fatal flaw if the courts deem her invalid.
Bondi has since said she retroactively ratified the indictments and designated Halligan a «special attorney» for the «avoidance of doubt,» according to court filings.
«In all events, the government has endorsed the prosecutions, and the Attorney General has personally ratified the indictments to obviate any question as to their validity,» DOJ lawyers wrote.
COMEY SEEKS TO TOSS CRIMINAL CASE CALLING TRUMP PROSECUTOR ‘UNLAWFUL’ APPOINTEE
Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks alongside President Donald Trump on recent Supreme Court rulings in the briefing room at the White House on June 27, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Halligan’s appointment came as part of a series of maneuvers the Trump administration has made to bypass the Senate confirmation process and keep in place his preferred appointees in temporary capacities using loopholes in federal vacancy laws. Federal judges in New Jersey, California and Nevada have disqualified appointees in those states, and the New Jersey case is now pending before an appellate court. The issue could be bound for the Supreme Court.
Comey’s lawyers argued in court papers that Currie, the judge presiding over the issue, «should reject the government’s machinations.»
Comey is facing a charge that he made a false statement to Congress and James is facing a bank fraud allegation.
DOJ DEFENDS TRUMP TRUTH SOCIAL POST AS COMEY SEEKS TO HAVE CASE DISMISSED
Former FBI Director James Comey testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee about his interactions with President Donald Trump and the Russia investigation on June 8, 2017, in Washington, D.C. (Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Both have pleaded not guilty and have argued their indictments should be tossed out on the grounds that Halligan was improperly appointed and that they were selectively and vindictively prosecuted.
If Comey’s and James’ charges were to be thrown out, it is unclear what would happen. The DOJ could appeal or attempt to bring them again, depending on how the courts rule.
Fox News’ Bill Mears and David Spunt contributed to this report.
justice department,pam bondi,judiciary,virginia,donald trump
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