https://www.scmp.com/rss/522037/feed Chuck Schumer is a prominent American politician, currently serving as the Democratic Senate Minority Leader. Representing New York as a U.S. Senator since 1999, he previously held the position of Senate Majority Leader from 2021 to 2025. His extensive career includes terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and the New York State Assembly. Schumer is known for championing legislation such as the Violence Against Women Act and the Brady Bill. He has also been instrumental in passing... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A top US lawmaker called on Fifa to pay for World Cup public transport costs on Tuesday following a report that local authorities in New Jersey are planning massive price rises during the tournament. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said on X that football’s world governing body – which stands to earn US$11 billion from the tournament – should foot the bill for transport costs to World Cup venues. Schumer was responding to a report in The Athletic on Tuesday which said New... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3350105/american-train-bosses-planning-fleece-world-cup-fans-heading-new-york-matches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3350105/american-train-bosses-planning-fleece-world-cup-fans-heading-new-york-matches?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:00:30 +0000 Reuters Reuters Dozens of protesters were detained by ⁠police in New ⁠York City on Monday during demonstrations ⁠calling for the blocking of arms sales to Israel and an end to US military support for its ally. Demonstrators included anti-war group Jewish Voice for Peace, which said around 90 people were detained. ‌Among those detained was whistle-blower Chelsea Manning, a former US Army soldier and WikiLeaks source. The New York City Police Department said there were “multiple” arrests but did not provide a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349963/dozens-arrested-new-york-protesters-demand-us-blocks-sale-bombs-israel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349963/dozens-arrested-new-york-protesters-demand-us-blocks-sale-bombs-israel?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 21:57:42 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang The two-week ceasefire the United States agreed to with Iran on Tuesday not only sets a deadline to seal a deal with Tehran, but leaves just days before the expiration of the 60-day legal limit for waging war without congressional authorisation that is set out under America’s War Powers Resolution. This has left open the question of how the conflict will proceed if diplomacy fails and the legal clock runs out. “Almost all the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349437/us-ceasefire-iran-sets-diplomatic-clock-war-powers-deadline-nears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349437/us-ceasefire-iran-sets-diplomatic-clock-war-powers-deadline-nears?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:17:26 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin,Orange Wang Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin,Orange Wang Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz under a ceasefire agreement with the United States brokered by Pakistan, as the two sides also agreed to start negotiations in Islamabad on Friday for a peace deal. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the US would pause its bombing campaign in Iran for two weeks, calling it a “double-sided ceasefire” requested by Pakistani mediators in a last-minute bid to create space for diplomacy. In a social media post, Trump said the suspension of military action was... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349299/trump-agrees-suspend-bombing-iran-2-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349299/trump-agrees-suspend-bombing-iran-2-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:28:16 +0000 Agencies Agencies US President Donald Trump did not take a break from his polarising rhetoric on Easter Sunday, delivering an expletive-laden attack on Iran that sparked criticism on Capitol Hill and beyond. “Open the F****n Strait, you crazy b******s, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!” the president wrote early on Sunday, renewing his threat to unleash heavy bombing on Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran refused to unblock the strategic Strait of Hormuz. “Praise be to Allah,” Trump added,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349103/trump-draws-criticism-fiery-expletive-laden-easter-message-attacking-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349103/trump-draws-criticism-fiery-expletive-laden-easter-message-attacking-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 17:45:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US unexpectedly lost jobs in February while unemployment edged up, government data showed Friday, piling pressure on President Donald Trump’s economic agenda as key midterm elections approach. The world’s biggest economy shed 92,000 jobs last month, in a sharp reversal from the job growth of 126,000 in January, the Labour Department said. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, crept up to 4.4 per cent from 4.3 per cent. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett insisted Friday that the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345782/us-sheds-92000-jobs-warning-sign-trumps-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345782/us-sheds-92000-jobs-warning-sign-trumps-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 21:09:39 +0000 Xinmei Shen,Lucy Quaggin Xinmei Shen,Lucy Quaggin A bipartisan resolution that would block US President Donald Trump from launching further strikes on Iran failed to pass the Senate floor on Wednesday, as the Pentagon pledged to “accelerate” its actions in a war that’s “just getting started”. In a 52-47 procedural vote on Wednesday, the Republican-controlled Senate blocked a war powers resolution aimed at curbing Trump’s ability to escalate military action against Iran, preventing the measure from reaching the floor for debate. The resolution... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345487/us-senate-rejects-bid-curb-trumps-iran-war-powers-pentagon-set-increase-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345487/us-senate-rejects-bid-curb-trumps-iran-war-powers-pentagon-set-increase-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 23:42:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump briefly laid out ⁠his case for a possible attack on Iran in his State of the Union speech to Congress on Tuesday, saying he would not allow the world’s biggest sponsor of terrorism to have a nuclear weapon. Even while assembling a massive military force in the Middle East, Trump has done little to explain to the American public why he might be leading the US into its most aggressive action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution. In his speech, Trump... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344568/iran-rejects-big-lies-after-trump-lays-out-case-possible-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344568/iran-rejects-big-lies-after-trump-lays-out-case-possible-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 07:07:48 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier The US Government experienced its second shutdown in four months on Saturday, as funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) halted, underscoring Washington’s growing partisanship and dysfunction. But in an ironic twist, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, at the centre of the Congressional showdown, will continue to operate despite being part of DHS, given its independent source of funding. In an unprecedented move, US President Donald Trump’s administration has allocated at... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3343562/partial-us-government-shutdown-throws-congress-turmoil-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3343562/partial-us-government-shutdown-throws-congress-turmoil-again?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 05:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump signed a roughly US$1.2 trillion government funding bill Tuesday that ends the partial federal shutdown that began over the weekend and sets the stage for an intense debate in Congress over Homeland Security funding. The president moved quickly to sign the bill after the House approved it with a 217-214 vote. “This bill is a great victory for the American people,” Trump said. The vote on Tuesday wrapped up congressional work on 11 annual appropriations bills that fund... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342294/us-shutdown-track-end-house-approves-trump-funding-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342294/us-shutdown-track-end-house-approves-trump-funding-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 20:02:25 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US Congress has teed up a Tuesday vote on a spending bill to end the government shutdown, following a House committee vote late on Monday. The shutdown followed a breakdown in spending negotiations amid Democratic anger in response to federal immigration agents killing two US citizens in Minneapolis, which derailed talks over new money for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Late Friday, the Senate had passed a package clearing five outstanding funding bills to cover most federal... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342160/trump-urges-no-changes-spending-bill-end-3-day-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342160/trump-urges-no-changes-spending-bill-end-3-day-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 22:07:00 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han The US is poised to avoid a major shutdown after senators agreed on Friday to separate a controversial bill funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from a package that also includes funding for the State Department and the Pentagon. On Friday, the Senate voted 71-29 to advance the package. The House, which is out of session this week, will still need to approve the package before it can be signed into law, meaning that there will be at least a brief funding lapse after the current... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3341911/us-likely-averts-major-government-shutdown-splitting-bill-partial-closure-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3341911/us-likely-averts-major-government-shutdown-splitting-bill-partial-closure-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 22:50:24 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US Justice Department on Friday published millions of ‌new files related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including emails that show Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump’s commerce secretary, apparently visited Epstein’s private island for lunch years after he claimed to have cut off ties. Todd ‍Blanche, the US deputy attorney general, said Friday’s massive batch of documents marked the end of the Trump administration’s planned releases under a law passed in November that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341898/us-justice-department-releases-3-million-more-pages-epstein-files?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341898/us-justice-department-releases-3-million-more-pages-epstein-files?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:32:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US Senate leaders were scrambling to save a bipartisan spending deal and avert a partial government shutdown at midnight Friday as Democrats have demanded new restrictions on federal immigration raids across the country. Democrats struck a rare deal with US President Donald Trump Thursday to separate funding for the Homeland Security Department from a broad government spending bill and fund it for two weeks while Congress debates curbs on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341750/trump-seeks-avoid-shutdown-democrats-block-funding-demand-ice-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341750/trump-seeks-avoid-shutdown-democrats-block-funding-demand-ice-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 23:32:42 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US Senate Democrats are threatening to block legislation that would fund the Department of Homeland Security and several other agencies on Thursday, potentially bringing the US government a step closer to a partial shutdown if Republicans and the White House do not agree to new restrictions on US President Donald Trump’s surge of immigration enforcement. As the country reels from the deaths of two protesters at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, irate Senate Democrats laid out a list of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341626/partial-us-shutdown-seems-increasingly-likely-amid-political-stand-over-ice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341626/partial-us-shutdown-seems-increasingly-likely-amid-political-stand-over-ice?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 03:51:36 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US Senate advanced a resolution on Thursday that would limit US President Donald Trump’s ability to conduct further attacks against Venezuela, sounding a note of disapproval for his expanding ambitions in the western hemisphere. Democrats and five Republicans voted to advance the war powers resolution on a 52-47 vote and ensure a vote next week on final passage. It has virtually no chance of becoming law because Trump would have to sign it if it were to pass the Republican-controlled... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3339242/us-senate-rejects-trumps-venezuela-threats-war-powers-vote?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3339242/us-senate-rejects-trumps-venezuela-threats-war-powers-vote?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:41:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US Justice Department said Wednesday that it may need a “few more weeks” to release all of its records on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after suddenly discovering more than a million potentially relevant documents, further delaying compliance with last Friday’s congressionally mandated deadline. The Christmas Eve announcement came hours after a dozen US senators called on the Justice Department’s watchdog to examine its failure to meet the deadline. The group, 11 Democrats and a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3337670/after-missing-epstein-files-deadline-trump-admin-says-it-may-need-few-more-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3337670/after-missing-epstein-files-deadline-trump-admin-says-it-may-need-few-more-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 21:20:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thousands of new documents linked to the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were made available Tuesday by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), amid mounting criticism over the pace of the publication and heavy redactions. The documents included a 2020 email from a prosecutor indicating US President Donald Trump had travelled aboard Epstein’s private jet “many more times than previously has been reported”. At least 8,000 files – around 30,000 pages – were posted online, including... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3337534/us-releases-thousands-new-epstein-linked-documents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3337534/us-releases-thousands-new-epstein-linked-documents?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 12:39:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US Senate’s top Democrat urged his colleagues on Monday to take legal action over the US Justice Department’s incremental and heavily redacted release of records pertaining to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced a resolution that, if passed, would direct the Senate to file or join lawsuits aimed at forcing the Justice Department to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law enacted last month that required disclosure of records by last... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3337393/top-democrat-urges-senate-sue-over-justice-departments-staggered-epstein-files-release?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3337393/top-democrat-urges-senate-sue-over-justice-departments-staggered-epstein-files-release?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 18:08:42 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Saturday expressed anger after a long-awaited cache of records from cases against him were released with many pages blacked out and photos censored. The trove of material released by the US Justice Department included photographs of former president Bill Clinton and other luminaries in Epstein’s wealthy social circle including Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson. But blackouts across many of the documents – combined with tight control over the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3337204/epstein-victims-angry-over-gaps-and-censorship-long-awaited-file-release?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3337204/epstein-victims-angry-over-gaps-and-censorship-long-awaited-file-release?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Dec 2025 21:12:34 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US Justice Department released thousands of heavily redacted documents related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday that made scant reference to President Donald Trump but extensively featured Democratic former president Bill Clinton. The absence of references to Trump was notable given that pictures and documents related to him have trickled out of previous Epstein releases for years. Trump’s name appeared in flight manifests listing passengers on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3337144/epstein-files-release-highlights-clinton-makes-scant-reference-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3337144/epstein-files-release-highlights-clinton-makes-scant-reference-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 23:48:52 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan More than a week after US immigration authorities separated 6-year-old Yuanxin from his father during a routine check-in with ICE in New York, it has been confirmed that the child has been placed in the custody of the US Office of Refugee Resettlement. However, his location still remains unknown. The ORR, a federal agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services, is almost always the agency that takes custody of immigrant children classified as unaccompanied or separated minors... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3335428/us-confirms-chinese-boy-federal-custody-his-whereabouts-remain-unknown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3335428/us-confirms-chinese-boy-federal-custody-his-whereabouts-remain-unknown?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 20:41:56 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump did not bring much holiday cheer Tuesday when bestowing ceremonial pardons on two Thanksgiving turkeys, dispensing more insults than goodwill at the traditional White House ritual. He joked about sending the turkeys to an infamous prison in El Salvador that has been used to house migrants deported from the United States. He said the birds should be named Chuck and Nancy – after Democratic stalwarts Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi – but “I would never pardon those... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3334147/trump-pardons-turkeys-and-roasts-foes-thanksgiving-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3334147/trump-pardons-turkeys-and-roasts-foes-thanksgiving-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 20:17:54 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump on Thursday accused half a dozen Democratic lawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH” after the lawmakers - all veterans of the armed services and intelligence community - called on US military members to uphold the Constitution and defy “illegal orders”. The 90-second video was first posted early Tuesday from Senator Elissa Slotkin’s X account. In it, the six lawmakers - Slotkin, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and representatives Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3333614/punishable-death-trump-suggests-seditious-democrats-should-be-executed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3333614/punishable-death-trump-suggests-seditious-democrats-should-be-executed?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:38:43 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han US President Donald Trump signed a bill to end the record-breaking US government shutdown after the House of Representatives approved a bipartisan funding deal on Wednesday. The signing at the White House in Washington capped a 43-day stoppage that has left hundreds of thousands of federal employees without pay and disrupted public services in the United States. However, just how quickly full government services and operations would resume was not immediately clear. “This is no way to run a... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3332563/us-government-shutdown-house-representatives-votes-end-historic-funding-deadlock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3332563/us-government-shutdown-house-representatives-votes-end-historic-funding-deadlock?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 01:27:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters The economic impact of the US government shutdown is far worse than expected, but the US economy is likely to rebound quickly once it ends, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Friday. Construction projects are starting to slow down and travel is suffering, Hassett said in an interview with Fox Business Network. “Travel and leisure is a place that’s really being heavily hit right now, and if it continues to get hit, if the air travel thing goes south for another week or two, then... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3332000/us-government-shutdown-far-worse-expected-white-house-adviser-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3332000/us-government-shutdown-far-worse-expected-white-house-adviser-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 14:27:28 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Reuters Agence France-Presse,Reuters US President Donald Trump accused “kamikaze” Democrats of being prepared to destroy the country as the government shutdown became the longest in history on Wednesday, eclipsing the 35-day record set during the Republican leader’s first term. Federal agencies have been grinding to a halt since Congress failed to approve funding past September 30, and the pain has been mounting as welfare programmes – including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or Snap, that helps millions of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331679/trump-blames-kamikaze-democrats-longest-ever-us-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331679/trump-blames-kamikaze-democrats-longest-ever-us-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:47:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US government shutdown barrelled towards its second month on Friday and the pain is spreading fast – with federal workers broke, food aid vanishing and millions of Americans caught in the crossfire. What started on October 1 as a Washington sideshow has morphed into a slow-motion implosion of public services and a growing economic convulsion, with federal offices dark and President Donald Trump’s government stuck in neutral. Republicans warned that millions will begin feeling the full force... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331126/americans-facing-hunger-shutdown-enters-second-month-starting-become-very-real?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331126/americans-facing-hunger-shutdown-enters-second-month-starting-become-very-real?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 14:03:44 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han Democrats in the US House of Representatives and Senate are urging President Donald Trump not to ease national security restrictions on China for a trade deal, hours ahead of his expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “America’s export controls, investment safeguards, and our long-standing security partnerships must not be on the negotiating table,” a group of 12 senators led by Chuck Schumer, the chamber’s top Democrat, wrote in a letter to the Republican president on... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3330831/democrats-urge-trump-not-ease-national-security-restrictions-negotiations-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3330831/democrats-urge-trump-not-ease-national-security-restrictions-negotiations-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 22:58:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Zohran Mamdani may not solve all of the beleaguered US Democrats’ problems, but the surprise front-runner in the race for New York mayor does offer hints on how to win back voters and power. The Democrats – shut out of power in the White House and both chambers of Congress – were seen negatively by 63 per cent of US voters, according to a July poll in The Wall Street Journal, the party’s lowest approval rating in 30 years. John Kane, a professor of political science at New York University, said... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3330588/new-yorks-zohran-mamdani-future-struggling-us-democratic-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3330588/new-yorks-zohran-mamdani-future-struggling-us-democratic-party?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 06:29:02 +0000 Reuters Reuters The 20-day US federal government shutdown is likely to end this week, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Monday. “I think the Schumer shutdown is likely to end sometime this week,” White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said in an interview on CNBC, referring to Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. Hassett, the director of the National Economic Council, said his “friends in the Senate” believed it was “bad optics for Democrats to open the government before the ‘No Kings’... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3329711/us-shutdown-near-end-after-no-kings-rallies-says-white-house-adviser-kevin-hassett?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3329711/us-shutdown-near-end-after-no-kings-rallies-says-white-house-adviser-kevin-hassett?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:26:47 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Huge crowds took to the streets in all 50 US states at “No Kings” protests on Saturday, venting anger over President Donald Trump’s hardline policies, while Republicans ridiculed them as “Hate America” rallies. Organisers said seven million people marched in protests spanning New York to Los Angeles, with demonstrations popping up in small cities across the US heartland and even near Trump’s home in Florida. “This is what democracy looks like!” chanted thousands in Washington near the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3329539/us-braced-nationwide-no-kings-protests-against-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3329539/us-braced-nationwide-no-kings-protests-against-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Oct 2025 15:30:26 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The White House said on Friday it had begun mass lay-offs of federal workers as US President Donald Trump sought to amp up pressure on opposition Democrats to end a government shutdown that has crippled public services. With the crisis set to go into a third week and no off-ramp in sight, Trump’s budget chief Russ Vought confirmed on social media that the administration had begun following through on its threat to begin firing some of the 750,000 public servants placed on enforced leave. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3328609/substantial-shutdown-firings-have-begun-white-house-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3328609/substantial-shutdown-firings-have-begun-white-house-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 18:07:59 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US government shutdown is set to stretch into next week after senators voted on Friday for a fourth time to reject a funding fix proposed by US President Donald Trump’s Republicans. Federal agencies have been out of money since Wednesday, with a wide range of public services crippled, as a result of deadlocked talks in Congress on how to keep the lights on. Tourist sites such as the Washington Monument have closed, key data on employment has been delayed and some official websites have... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327852/us-government-shutdown-drag-next-week-senate-funding-vote-fails?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327852/us-government-shutdown-drag-next-week-senate-funding-vote-fails?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 19:35:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Donald Trump signalled on Thursday that he planned to follow through on his threat for mass lay-offs of US federal workers as he ratcheted pressure on Democrats to back moves to end the government shutdown. The Republican US president announced he would meet budget chief Russell Vought “to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent”. Trump’s announcement on social media... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327695/trump-piles-pain-democrats-over-us-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327695/trump-piles-pain-democrats-over-us-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 22:56:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US government began shutting down on Wednesday after lawmakers and President Donald Trump failed to break a budget impasse during acrimonious talks that hinged on Democratic demands for healthcare funding. Republicans and Democrats immediately blamed each other for the deadlock that would impact hundreds of thousands of government workers and the millions of Americans who use the services they provide. The shutdown, which would stop work at multiple federal departments and agencies, comes as... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327445/trump-says-us-government-will-probably-shut-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327445/trump-says-us-government-will-probably-shut-down?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 19:03:04 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ahead of a meeting between lawmakers and US President Donald Trump, the Republican leaders of Congress sought on Sunday to blame Democrats for an impasse before a looming deadline to pass legislation to avert a government shutdown and urged them to agree to a short-term bill to buy some time. Without passage of funding legislation, parts of the government would close on Wednesday, the first day of the US government’s 2026 financial year. Republicans control both chambers of Congress, but a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327171/republicans-urge-democrats-agree-short-term-bill-keep-us-government-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327171/republicans-urge-democrats-agree-short-term-bill-keep-us-government-open?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Sep 2025 20:38:52 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg A fresh threat from US President Donald Trump’s budget office of mass firings of federal workers if the government shuts down October 1 incensed Democratic leaders and ramped up the political and economic stakes if lawmakers and the White House cannot reach a deal. A memo sent Wednesday night from the White House Office of Management and Budget directs agencies to plan to permanently lay off federal workers in programmes that do not align with Trump’s priorities if the deadline to pass funding... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326896/trump-threatens-mass-firings-shutdown-clash-democrats-mafia-style-blackmail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326896/trump-threatens-mass-firings-shutdown-clash-democrats-mafia-style-blackmail?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 17:43:30 +0000 Reuters Reuters The threat of a US government shutdown surged on Friday, as the US Senate rejected a short-term funding bill to keep federal agencies operating after September 30 and then left town for a week-long break. The lawmakers voted 44-48 to defeat a stopgap spending bill that would have kept federal agencies operating at current funding levels through November 21. The measure faced near-universal opposition from Democrats, who demanded increased healthcare funding. Republicans said they could vote... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326224/us-government-shutdown-looms-senate-rejects-stopgap-funding-bill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326224/us-government-shutdown-looms-senate-rejects-stopgap-funding-bill?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 19:56:51 +0000 Agencies Agencies After ABC suspended comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show following a threat from the head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), congressional Democrats have denounced the Trump administration’s threats against political critics and unveiled a bill that would bolster free speech protections against government officials. While the bill is unlikely to gain traction in a Republican-controlled Congress, Democrats harshly criticised the Trump administration for pressuring ABC towards the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326049/democrats-introduce-bill-protect-free-speech-following-kimmel-suspension?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326049/democrats-introduce-bill-protect-free-speech-following-kimmel-suspension?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 20:03:59 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Top US Senate Democrats are working to block President Donald Trump’s plan to implement high duties on goods from Brazil, charging that they are being used for political purposes. “We’re particularly concerned about these tariffs on Brazil – which are being put into place to get the Brazilian Supreme Court to stop its prosecution of Trump’s long-time friend Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s former president who is facing criminal charges for inciting a violent coup,” Senators Tim Kaine, Chuck Schumer,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3320337/us-senate-democrats-try-resolution-cancel-trumps-brazil-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3320337/us-senate-democrats-try-resolution-cancel-trumps-brazil-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:43:31 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US Senate early on Thursday approved President Donald Trump’s plan for billions of dollars in cuts to funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, handing the Republican president another victory as he exerts control over Congress with little opposition. The Senate voted 51 to 48 in favour of Trump’s request to cut US$9 billion in spending already approved by Congress. Most of the cuts are to programmes to assist foreign countries suffering from disease, war and natural disasters, but... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3318595/us-senate-passes-aid-public-broadcasting-cuts-victory-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3318595/us-senate-passes-aid-public-broadcasting-cuts-victory-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 09:17:00 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump defended the state and federal response to deadly flash flooding in Texas on Friday as he visited the stricken Hill Country region, where at least 120 people, including dozens of children, perished a week ago. During a round-table discussion after touring Kerr County, the epicentre of the disaster, Trump praised both Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for their response, saying they both did an “incredible job.” The Trump... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3317948/trump-surveys-texas-flood-damage-questions-over-response-swirl?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3317948/trump-surveys-texas-flood-damage-questions-over-response-swirl?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 19:14:27 +0000