*By Carlo Versano*
President Trump announced on Friday that he reached a tentative deal with Democrats to reopen the government temporarily while the two sides continue to negotiate on border security.
The continuing resolution would fund the government at current levels for three weeks, until Feb. 15. It reportedly does not include any funding for the border wall. While Trump framed the deal as a victory, he was essentially agreeing to the same proposal that was offered by Democrats before the shutdown, which he had rejected.
Trump thanked federal workers, some of whom have been forced to visit food banks as they missed paychecks, and promised they would receive back pay "very quickly."
After 35 days of a government shutdown that left 800,000 furloughed federal workers without pay and strained the nation's law enforcement, air travel, food safety, and border security agencies, the president essentially backed off his promise that he would only re-open the government if Congress agreed to appropriate billions for a wall. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had said Trump would get "nothing for the wall."
In his Rose Garden announcement, Trump said he would ask Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to hold a vote on the continuing resolution immediately. He then delivered an extended off-prompter riff on border security, repeating many of his claims that a wall would drastically reduce crime and drug use in the U.S. "Walls should not be controversial," Trump said.
"This is an opportunity for all parties to work together for the benefit of our whole, beautiful, wonderful nation."
Afterward, Nancy Pelosi told reporters she was "glad we gave come to a conclusion today."
Sen. Chuck Schumer added: "Hopefully, the president learned his lesson."
Allies of former Vice President Mike Pence are launching a new super PAC to support his expected candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a nearly $11 billion investment on Tuesday to help bring affordable clean energy to rural communities throughout the country.
Top executives at Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank largely avoided taking responsibility for their banks’ dramatic failures at a Senate hearing Tuesday.
The head of the artificial intelligence company that makes ChatGPT will testify before Congress as lawmakers call for new rules to guide the rapid development of AI technology.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill that blocks public colleges from using federal or state funding on diversity programs, addressing a concern of conservatives ahead of the Republican governor's expected presidential candidacy.
A special prosecutor found that the FBI rushed into its investigation of ties between Russia and Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and relied too much on raw and unconfirmed intelligence as he concluded a four-year probe that fell far short of the former president's prediction that the “crime of the century" would be uncovered.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill passed by state lawmakers that would ban most abortions after 12 weeks.
U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia says a man with a baseball bat walked into his Fairfax office, asked for him, and then assaulted two members of his staff.
Thanks to recent advances in artificial intelligence, tools that can create lifelike photos, video and audio are now cheap and readily available.
In front of an exuberant crowd, North Carolina’s Democratic governor vetoed legislation Saturday that would have banned nearly all abortions in his state after 12 weeks of pregnancy.
