In the News
Donors duped into giving cash to Trump-backed group instead of bipartisan America 250 team: report
by Joe Sommerlad
Some philanthropists seeking to support America’s 250th anniversary celebrations were misled into paying out their donations to a partisan initiative backed by the White House, House Democrats have alleged. The donors had meant to contribute to America250, a congressionally-chartered board founded a decade ago. But instead they were given routing and account numbers that directed funds to Freedom 250, President Trump’s own organizing effort established last December, according to Democrats … Continue Reading
July 02, 2026
Democrats Accuse Trump-linked fundraisers of fraud over diverted donations for America’s anniversary
by Micheal Biesecker and Josh Boak
WASHINGTON (AP) — Consultants tied to President Donald Trump may have engaged in financial fraud, tricking donors who wanted to support the nation’s bipartisan 250th anniversary organizer into sending their money instead to a rival group set up by his administration, according to a report released Thursday by House Democrats. The report draws in part on interviews by Democratic staffers of the House Committee on Natural Resources. Those interviews suggest that donors seeking to celebrate … Continue Reading
July 02, 2026
Nine years after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico is still waiting for help
by Danica Coto
Less than a quarter of the $14 billion allocated to rebuild Puerto Rico's power grid after Hurricane Maria has reached the island nearly a decade later, according to a federal audit released Wednesday. The U.S. Government Accountability Office found that of the $11 billion FEMA has obligated for grid recovery, only $2.7 billion had been disbursed as of February. The money has largely gone toward equipment, materials and engineering work. "The people of Puerto Rico have waited nine years for … Continue Reading
July 02, 2026
Donors were misled by Trump-backed Freedom 250, House Democrats allege
by Ben Binday and Dan Diamond
Some donors who intended to give money to a bipartisan effort to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary were, instead, steered to a White House-backed initiative under false pretenses, House Democrats allege in a report released Thursday morning, citing whistleblower interviews and newly obtained documents. The donors meant to give money to America250, a congressionally chartered initiative to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial, according to Democrats on the House Natural Resources … Continue Reading
July 02, 2026
House Democrats accuse Trump’s Freedom 250 of misleading donors, potential wire fraud
by Ashleigh Fields
Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee released an interim report on Thursday alleging Freedom 250 potentially misled donors, directing them to complete payments that were rerouted. “According to sources interviewed by Committee Democrats, donors who intended to donate to America250 were instead given wire instructions with Freedom 250’s banking information—including its routing number and account number—so that contributions would instead flow to Freedom 250,” the House report … Continue Reading
July 02, 2026
ENERGY The Wind and Solar Tax Credits Are About to Expire. Will They Come Back?
by Emily Pontecorvo
As many Americans celebrate the country’s 250th birthday this weekend, the clean energy industry will be mourning a death. Independence Day marks the expiration of federal tax credits for wind farms and solar arrays, subsidies that have been in effect in some form or another since 1978. They may not be dead forever. Leading Democrats in Congress are preparing to reinstate the tax credits the next chance they get — whether or not the clean energy industry is asking for it. “Republicans … Continue Reading
July 02, 2026
A Firm Run by Trump Allies is Organizing the 250th. Their Fee? Unclear.
by David A. Fahrenthold and Andrea Fuller
A company with deep ties to President Trump is organizing some of the biggest events in Washington this weekend, including the Great American State Fair and the record-breaking fireworks display planned for Saturday. Those events will be funded, in part, by $68 million in taxpayer money. But because the Trump administration has routed those funds through an opaque nonprofit, it is unclear how much the company close to the president will receive. Event Strategies, Inc., a Virginia-based … Continue Reading
July 02, 2026
House Democrats accuse Trump of 'hijacking' America's 250th birthday for his own gain
by Rachel Treisman
As America's birthday celebrations kick into high gear, so too do criticisms of the preeminent national group organizing them, Freedom 250. Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee published a 55-page report Thursday accusing the group of aiding President Trump in turning America's milestone into a "hotbed of corruption and self-enrichment" through tactics that potentially amount to criminal fraud. It's titled "From Vanity to Insanity: How the White House Cheated the American … Continue Reading
July 02, 2026
Trump-backed organizer of America’s 250th birthday events may have duped donors, report from House Democrats alleges
by Piper Hudspeth Blackburn
Donors who intended to support a bipartisan nonprofit that’s organizing celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary were allegedly redirected — without their knowledge — to a separate nonprofit behind events being promoted by President Donald Trump, according to a report from a group of House Democrats, citing confidential, unnamed sources. The interim report, compiled by Democratic staff on the House Natural Resources Committee, includes accounts from unnamed sources about donors who wanted … Continue Reading
June 30, 2026
Panel to consider national park, recreation bills
by Jennifer Yachnin
House Natural Resources subcommittee will meet this week to discuss a slate of bills, including a proposal to create Georgia's first national park and to speed permitting for recreation projects on public lands. The Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold a Wednesday hearing on seven measures. They include Colorado Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd's H.R. 9248, the Recreation Permitting Improvement Act. That proposal would add "recreation" to the list of industries eligible for a condensed … Continue Reading
June 29, 2026
Redwood High student’s winning photo to be sealed in time capsule for 250 years
by Ruth Dusseault
A Redwood High School student in Larkspur won an art competition in which the prize includes delivering his art into the next century. Joel Kurtzman was named the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for California’s 2nd Congressional District, earning a yearlong display of his photograph in the U.S. Capitol before it is sealed in a time capsule for 250 years. ... For full article, click … Continue Reading
June 29, 2026
Trump's 'Freedom Trucks' celebrate US 250th anniversary with 'gift from God' message
by Richard Cowan
WASHINGTON, June 30 (Reuters) - Inside President Donald Trump's six "Freedom Trucks" that will drive across the country to celebrate America's 250th birthday, an AI-generated George Washington greets visitors and proclaims: "Thy rights are a gift from God," beneath a ceiling emblazoned with the words, "In God We Trust." On the eve of the holiday observing the July 4, 1776 Declaration of Independence, the tricked-out "Freedom 250" mobile museum trucks have fanned out, from Washington State on … Continue Reading
June 24, 2026
NOAA to allocate $21.3 million in support of California’s beleaguered commercial salmon fishery
by Kyle Garcia Takata
California’s troubled commercial salmon fleet, fishing this year for the first time since 2022, is in store for some federal disaster aid after the Trump administration announced it would allocate $21.3 million to support the state’s beleaguered fishery. The June 17 announcement by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, follows years of requests for help from a West Coast industry still reeling after a historic closure that banned all California salmon fishing in 2023, … Continue Reading
June 24, 2026
California intends to sue Trump administration over deal to end offshore wind project
by Jennifer McDermott
California intends to sue the Trump administration over its deal to end an offshore wind projectproposed off the state’s Central Coast. State officials said they are combating the administration’s attacks on their offshore wind industry by sending a notice of their intention to sue to the Department of the Interior on Tuesday. Tuesday’s action is focused on the administration buying back the lease for Golden State Wind, a floating offshore wind project offshore of Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo … Continue Reading
June 24, 2026
Trump says algae-laden Reflecting Pool ‘looks perfect’ at partisan rally for America’s 250th birthday
by Rachel Dobkin
Donald Trump defended his costly White House ballroom project andtroubled renovations to the nation’s capital as he delivered a rally-style speechto kick off weeks of celebrations for America’s 250 years of independence. “For many years, our country was ruled by politicians who let America and its capital fall into decline and total disrepair. The city named in honor of General George Washington was turned into a national disgrace, but not anymore,” Trump told a crowd of supporters Wednesday … Continue Reading
June 24, 2026
Trump turns America 250 kickoff into a campaign-style rally on the National Mall
by Collin Binkley, Thomas Beaumont and Josh Boak
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump formally kicked off celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary on Wednesday night by working to get the country excited again — about himself. The president hosted a rally on Washington’s National Mall, including a series of booming flyovers by stealth bombers, music from military bands, and Lee Greenwood singing “God Bless the USA.” “There has never been anything like the United States of America, and together we are making it bigger and better and … Continue Reading
June 23, 2026
Democrats to meet on energy, environment priorities
by Amelia Davidson
Hundreds of energy and environment leaders — including 27 Democratic lawmakers — will convene Tuesday in Washington for a summit focused on crafting policies with broad support. The conference, organized by the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Institute, is meant to produce “bold ideas of climate and energy action” that can be implemented under the Trump administration, according to promotional material. Headlining the daylong event is House Minority Leader Hakeem … Continue Reading
June 22, 2026
California lawmakers request emergency USDA funding to fight invasive pest threatening grape industry
Congressman John Garamendi joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, along with Representatives Jimmy Panetta, Mike Thompson, and nine other California lawmakers in requesting emergency funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to address the threat posed by the glassy-winged sharpshooter in California, according to a June 22 announcement. In a letter addressed to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, the group asked for an immediate release of $32.2 million from the Commodity Credit … Continue Reading
June 22, 2026
House Dems look to unwind ‘God Squad’ ruling
by Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp
House Democrats are spearheading legislation to restore Endangered Species Act protections in the Gulf of Mexico, in the latest bid to walk back exemptions for oil and gas drilling projects handed out by the "God Squad" earlier this year. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) introduced the “Protect Gulf Life Act” on Thursday, which would nullify a decision from the Endangered Species Committee, which is nicknamed the “God Squad” for its ability to effectively condemn a species to extinction. The Trump … Continue Reading
June 18, 2026
Dems urge EPA to keep chemical recycling air regs
by Ellie Borst
More than 50 lawmakers sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin urging he reverse course on loosening clean air regulations for nascent plastics recycling development. Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and California Rep. Jared Huffman led the coalition of Democrats opposing a March proposal to remove pyrolysis and gasification from the Clean Air Act's definition of municipal waste combustion units. The Trump administration's proposal aligns with a yearslong campaign from the plastics industry … Continue Reading