Burgess Everett

Trump’s push against Venezuela faces Republican blowback at pivotal moment The president may be close to a decision on expanding military pressure on Caracas. But his party’s lawmakers are chafing at the administration’s latest moves.

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Trump facing GOP questions on Venezuela double-strike and the pardon of former Honduran president

Sen. Justice said it's "not acceptable" to hit survivors in the water

Sen. Cassidy does not like the pardon: “I’m a doctor..I have seen people die of cocaine that this guy may have helped bring in"

Sen. Kelly: “For most of Donald Trump's career, bullying people has worked out for him, but not now, because I won't let it happen”

“This isn’t about me… they’re trying to send a message … to all Americans who are thinking about speaking up: you better keep your mouth shut”

Exclusive: Democrats push armed security for lawmakers Rep. Joe Morelle, the party’s top member on the House Administration Committee, discussed the new effort with Semafor.

House Democrats are lobbying Republicans to let each lawmaker’s office employ an armed staff member to accompany them in their districts, as well as a law enforcement coordinator

@eleanormueller.bsky.social

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Exclusive: Fight over state-level AI rules heats up in Congress Republicans are split over whether to add a moratorium on state-level AI regulation to must-pass defense legislation.

New: House making offer to Senate on adding AI moratorium to NDAA. Dems don't like it and leaders won't want to jeopardize the defense bill if it will sink the whole thing ... Trump could pivot to executive order if it falls out

www.semafor.com/article/12/0...

🟡 Semafor Washington, DC: Talking turkey | Semafor In today’s edition: How leaks left talks on AI and health care in limbo, and economic fears are weighing on many Americans this Thanksgiving.

New: After a bunch of delays, DHS Sec Noem likely to appear before House Homeland Security Committee in December for worldwide threats hearing www.semafor.com/newsletter/1...

Trump’s AI, health care plans in limbo after leaks Republicans are making no secret of being divided over the ideas.

New Trump trend: His admin's plans on AI and health care getting leaked, criticized, then delayed

@Eleanor_Mueller

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Curtis says Kelly's "career has been defined by service. His record as a combat naval aviator and NASA astronaut reflects his example of the discipline and dedication that are important for success"

Some Republicans coming to Sen. Mark Kelly's defense tonight amidst DoD investigation into his video appearance

Murkowski says "to accuse him and other lawmakers of treason and sedition for rightfully pointing out that servicemembers can refuse illegal orders is reckless and flat-out wrong"

New: All 6 Dems from video say FBI is targeting them

Sen. Slotkin: "Last night, the FBI's Counterterrorism Division appeared to open an inquiry"

Sen. Kelly received FBI inquiry via sergeant at Arms, as did Reps. Crow, Deluzio, Goodlander and Houlahan, who say FBI "requesting interviews"

Rep. Mike Flood, who chairs center-right Main Street, says they back "President Trump’s ongoing efforts to address the ACA tax credit cliff with an extension. Any effort to address this cliff needs to include income caps and make serious reforms to the credits"

Inside Congress’ reaction to Trump’s in-limbo ACA plan Some Democrats see a path forward. It’s not clear whether Republicans do, too.

What to make of Trump’s purported plan to extend expiring enhanced tax credits for Obamacare for two years?

Republicans are responding with tepid quiet as the president figures out whether to even release the proposal, while Democrats are sounding “encouraged"

www.semafor.com/article/11/2...

Mark Kelly becomes Trump’s newest target The Arizona Democrat appeared in a video discouraging national security members from following illegal orders.

With the cases against Letitia James and James Comey void, the Trump administration has picked a new enemy: Sen. Mark Kelly.

www.semafor.com/article/11/2...

Dems are happy that Trump is engaging on ACA $$$ (except ... is he? Stay tuned!)

Rosen: WH "signaling that they are interested in having a serious conversation"

Shaheen: “If the reports are true ... I believe we can find a path forward"

Hassan: Potential "starting point for serious negotiations"

Not at all clear when/if the Trump ACA subsidies extension plan will officially drop ... a lot of people in both parties waiting to see a final version before weighing in.

Sen. Hassan, a key Democrat on the shutdown talks, on Trump's forthcoming health care proposal

"While I have significant concerns about some of the ideas reportedly in the President’s proposal, it nonetheless represents a starting point for serious negotiations.

US senators favor pressure on Russia amid Ukraine peace talks As Trump pressures Kyiv on a controversial peace proposal, US lawmakers would prefer to turn the screws on Putin.

New: Congress in a state of confusion about Russia-Ukraine talks. They're going back to pick and roll: Pressing to pass the sanctions bill

There's still a bunch of issues: And Sen. Paul says he would "absolutely" slow down what he calls “ill-conceived" sanctions

www.semafor.com/article/11/2...

Trump stops getting everything he wants from fellow Republicans It’s early, but members of the president’s party are starting to spurn his demands on everything from tariffs to redistricting.

www.semafor.com/article/11/2...

Suddenly Trump not getting everything he wants from GOP after a year of unity

- Indiana redistricting
- many Rs don’t like tariff rebate checks
- skepticism on his health care plan and AI moratorium
- rejection of filibuster changes
- Argentine beef push back

@eleanormueller.bsky.social

The reaction from Senate Majority Leader John Thune just now on Trump's posts

RE the Dems, he said: "What those folks did was ill advised, unnecessary and clearly provocative"

"But I certainly don't agree with the president's conclusion on how we ought to handle it"

Sen. Graham objects to Sen. Heinrich's bid to roll back language allowing senators to sue DOJ after metadata collection in J6 investigation

Says he's open to changes that satisfy outraged House and Senate members but: "the idea that I'm backing off and just letting this vote? you can forget that"

Sen. Heinrich tries to repeal the Arctic Frost language (allowing senators to sue DOJ).

Sen. Graham: "I object to a lot of what's being said"

Schumer says he’s asked for special Capitol Police protection for Sens. Kelly and Slotkin after Trump’s posts this morning

“He is throwing a match into a country filled with political extreme gasoline.”

Exclusive: Senate struggles toward a health care deal There are no official negotiations going on yet, just informal talks with Republicans.

A week after the shutdown ... those health care talks are basically nowhere so far.

Dems deciding whether to try for bipartisan bill

“There’s some [Republicans] that genuinely want to try to figure it out. Whether it’s 13? That’s questionable," said Sen. Peters

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News: this pm, Sen. Ernst hosting bipartisan meeting of lawmakers with MBS and Saudi Amb. Reema (Ernst is Abraham Accords co-chair)

Hill attendees: Sens. Ernst, Sheehy, Graham, Banks, Durbin, Lankford, Rosen, Cotton, Britt and Rep. French Hill, per person familiar

During MBS visit to DC, Democratic Sen. Kaine tries to pass a resolution commemorating Khashoggi's murder

SFRC Chair Sen. Risch says resolution "couldn't come at a more inappropriate time" w Saudi visit

"This resolution would do nothing to achieve accountability for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi

More

The WH is considering an executive order preempting state legislation on AI if the moratorium does not pass in the NDAA, according to a person familiar with the matter. However, a WH official said until such an order is announced, "discussion about potential executive orders is speculation."

Nominations | The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Executive Session on November 19, 2025 at 9:30 AM

Senate stuff is afoot -- Senate just went into recess for an hour because Sen. Bernie Sanders stalled a HELP nominations vote in protest of the firing of former NLRB Board Member Gwynne Wilcox.

Nominations being considered today include NLRB member: www.help.senate.gov/hearings/nom...

Democrats fighting to preserve states’ ability to regulate AI The issue is roaring back to life during defense bill talks after President Donald Trump urged Republicans to act; the Senate had voted 99-1 against a state-level moratorium.

News: Democrats seeking to block Trump’s state AI moratorium from NDAA. Top SASC Dem Reed says he “absolutely” wants to keep it out but it might be kicked up to leadership negotiation

www.semafor.com/article/11/1...

NASA nominee Jared Isaacman is in the Capitol for his second confirmation go-round.