Nearly two dozen states sue Trump administration over decision to rescind billions in health funding
A group of Democratic-led states have sued the Trump administration over its decision to cut $11bn in federal funds that they were allocated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the lawsuit, attorneys general and governors from 23 states and the District of Columbia argue that Department of Health and Human Services lacks the authority to unilaterally claw back funding the states had already built health programs around.
The “sudden and reckless cuts violate federal law, jeopardize public health, and will have devastating consequences for communities nationwide,” the lawsuit writes.
The lawsuit asks the court to immediately stop the Trump administration from rescinding the money, which was allocated by Congress during the pandemic and mostly used for Covid-related efforts such as testing and vaccination, Associated Press reports.
Key events
In Tuesday’s press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the deaths of four US soldiers in Lithuania, the US southern border, and a new tariffs announcement slated for tomorrow:
“This is obviously a very big day,” Leavitt said. “He is with his trade and tariff team right now, perfecting it to make sure this is a perfect deal for the American people and the American worker, and you will all find out in about 24 hours from now.”
Trump is expected to impose sweeping tariffs on US imports on Wednesday, which he has called “liberation day”.
Summary of the day so far
New Jersey senator Cory Booker is about to enter the 17th hour of his marathon overnight speech on the Senate floor to warn of what he called the “grave and urgent” danger that Donald Trump’s presidential administration poses to democracy and the American people. Here’s what else is happening today:
-
US voters are headed to the polls in Wisconsin and Florida in elections that some see as a test of Donald Trump’s popularity and the political clout of Elon Musk. The most closely watched contest is a battle for a seat on Wisconsin’s seven-member supreme court.
-
US attorney general Pam Bondi announced that she has directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel in December.
-
Thousands of Health and Human Services (HHS) employees across the country are being dismissed as the Trump administration began implementing its controversial workforce reduction plan, which could ultimately remove 10,000 staff from the department through forced layoffs.
-
A group of Democratic-led states have sued the Trump administration over its decision to cut $11bn in federal funds that they were allocated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
-
Republican House speaker Mike Johnson brushed off Trump’s suggestion that he could run for a third term, adding that “the president and I have talked about this, joked about it.”
-
The reproductive health provider Planned Parenthood said the Trump administration would cut federal family planning funding as of Tuesday, affecting birth control, cancer screenings and other services for low-income people.
The White House said Donald Trump will deliver remarks at a “Make America Wealthy Again” event on Wednesday at 4pm ET from the White House Rose Garden.
Trump is expected to unveil a swathe of reciprocal tariffs at the event tomorrow, which he has called “Liberation Day”.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday that the goal would be to announce “country-based tariffs”, although Trump has remained committed to imposing separate sector-specific charges.
Attorney general Pam Bondi directs prosecutors to seek death penalty against Luigi Mangione
US attorney general Pam Bondi announced that she has directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel in December.
A statement by Bondi reads:
Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America. After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again.
Chris Stein
The top Democrat on the House armed services committee says he is not confident that the defense department will get to the bottom of the Signal group chat where senior US government officials discussed plans to bomb Yemen in front of a journalist.
Last week, the top Democrat and Republican on the Senate armed services committee requested the defense department (DOD) inspector general investigate the chat.
It’s unclear if that inquiry has started, but Democratic congressman Adam Smith said he did not think the department’s independent watchdog was up to the task.
“President Trump fired all of the inspector generals, as we know, including the one at DOD, and I think he made it very clear what he expected out of them”, Smith told a press conference at the Capitol, referring to one of the first moves the president took after being sworn in.
Is the inspector general’s process going to be legitimate in light of the Trump administration’s clear effort to fire people who don’t give them the answers they want? I think the answer to that question is highly in doubt.
The inspector general’s investigation would likely be the only one to happen anytime soon. Donald Trump, along with senior officials on the group chat including defense secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz, have denied any wrongdoing, and Congress’s Republican leadership appears disinterested in pressing the matter further.
From Jenny Peek in Madison, Wisconsin, where voting is under way in an election that will decide majority control of the state’s supreme court:
Voters streamed into Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin on Tuesday morning. It’s the state’s capital city and a Democratic stronghold.
Jeannine Ramsey, 65, said it’s her civic duty to vote, and she does so in every election.
The Madison resident voted for liberal-backed candidate Susan Crawford shortly before 9am. She said the “Elon Musk-supported Brad Schimel” wouldn’t rule fairly on the issues most important to her.
“I think it’s shameful that Elon Musk can come here and spend millions of dollars and try to bribe the citizens,” Ramsey said.
I don’t think it should be allowed. He doesn’t live in our state, and I don’t think he should be able to buy this election. It makes me angry.
Ramsey pointed to redistricting, the state’s civil rights era abortion ban and collective bargaining as major issues the Wisconsin supreme court could hear in the coming months. And despite living in a liberal city, she’s cautious about getting her hopes up.
“I live in a very blue bubble and I’ve been very disappointed in the past,” she said.
I thought I knew what people were thinking and feeling, and I was really surprised that people would send a convicted felon back into the presidential office.
Nearly two dozen states sue Trump administration over decision to rescind billions in health funding
A group of Democratic-led states have sued the Trump administration over its decision to cut $11bn in federal funds that they were allocated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the lawsuit, attorneys general and governors from 23 states and the District of Columbia argue that Department of Health and Human Services lacks the authority to unilaterally claw back funding the states had already built health programs around.
The “sudden and reckless cuts violate federal law, jeopardize public health, and will have devastating consequences for communities nationwide,” the lawsuit writes.
The lawsuit asks the court to immediately stop the Trump administration from rescinding the money, which was allocated by Congress during the pandemic and mostly used for Covid-related efforts such as testing and vaccination, Associated Press reports.
House Speaker Mike Johnson says he and Trump have ‘joked’ about running for third term
Chris Stein
At a press conference in the Capitol, Republican House speaker Mike Johnson brushed off Donald Trump’s suggestion that he could run for a third term.
“There’s a constitutional path. You have to amend the constitution to do it, and that’s a high bar,” Johnson said, adding that “the president and I have talked about this, joked about it.”
“We take him at his word,” Johnson continued, before downplaying the possibility that any change to the constitution would succeed.
I understand why so many Americans do wish that he could run for a third term, because he’s accomplishing so much in this first 100 days that they wish it could go on for much longer. But I think he recognizes the constitutional limitations, and I’m not sure that there’s a move about to amend the constitution.
Democratic Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer praised Senator Cory Booker for his “strength”, “fortitude” and “clarity”.
“All of America is paying attention to what you’re saying,” Schumer said during his question to Booker, adding:
Our whole caucus is behind you. We admire your stamina, your strength, your passion, your intelligence.
Oliver Milman
Some of Senator Cory Booker’s fellow Democrats have helped support him during his monologues, with several asking questions that have allowed Booker to have a break without yielding the floor.
Democratic Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer was the first to pose a question to his New Jersey colleague, and he praised Booker for his “strength and conviction”.
“You’re taking the floor tonight to bring up all these inequities that will hurt people, that will so hurt the middle class, that will so hurt poor people, that will hurt America, hurt our fiscal conditions, as you document,” Schumer said in his own question to Booker.
Just give us a little inkling of the strength – give us a little feeling for the strength and conviction that drive you to do this unusual taking of the floor for a long time to let the people know how bad these things are going to be.
