Trump nails Obamacare with decision to cut off billions in subsidies

U.S. President Donald Trump moved to undermine Obamacare dramatically late on Thursday by cutting off subsidies to health insurance companies for low-income patients, sparking threats of legal action and concern of chaos in insurance markets. The decision is the most dramatic action Trump has taken yet to weaken the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law, which extended insurance to 20 million Americans.

Trump just made a huge move that could blow up Obamacare

President Donald Trump announced Thursday night that he will end the Obamacare cost-sharing reduction payments, a move that could wreck the law's individual insurance exchanges and send healthcare costs soaring for many Americans. Based on guidance from the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services has concluded that there is no appropriation for cost-sharing reduction payments to insurance companies under Obamacare," said a statement from the White House.

Border Patrol tests camera-toting balloon

The U.S. Border Patrol is considering a surveillance balloon that can be quickly moved to spot illegal activity, part of an effort to see if more eyes in the sky translate to fewer illegal crossings. Agents in Texas recently finished a 30-day trial of the camera-toting, helium-filled balloon made by Drone Aviation Holding Corp., a small startup that named former Border Patrol chief David Aguilar to its board of directors in January.

Ap Fact Check: Trump vs. Grassley on tax cuts in history

President Donald Trump is going around mischaracterizing his tax plan as the largest tax cut in U.S. history and a Republican senator is calling him out on it. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley tweeted Thursday, as if speaking to Trump, "Ur tax cut will not be 'largest in history of country,'" and proceeded to offer a fact check "my own self."

Trump to halt subsidies to health insurers

In a brash move likely to roil insurance markets, President Donald Trump will "immediately" halt payments to insurers under the Obama-era health care law he has been trying to unravel for months. The Health and Human Services department made the announcement in a statement late Thursday night.

Trump lashes out at Puerto Rico as House passes aid package

President Donald Trump lashed out at hurricane-devastated Puerto Rico on Thursday, insisting in tweets that the federal government can't keep sending help "forever" and suggesting the U.S. territory was to blame for its financial struggles. His broadsides triggered an outcry from Democrats in Washington and officials on the island, which has been reeling since Hurricane Maria struck three weeks ago, leaving death and destruction in an unparalleled humanitarian crisis.

Trump admin delays decision on $17B Boeing, Iran aircraft deal

The Trump administration asked a Chicago federal court Thursday for a two-month deadline extension on its decision assessing whether revealing secret details of a $17 billion commercial aircraft deal between Iran and Boeing would interfere with US foreign policy by obstructing a key component of the Iranian nuclear deal. Filed just one day before President Donald Trump is expected to announce plans to decertify the Iran nuclear deal, the Department of Justice request aims to push Thursday's original court-ordered deadline to January.

Rep. Collins Slams NY Dem Over Ethics Committee Report

New York Republican Rep. Chris Collins hit back at a report issued from the Congressional Ethics Committee Thursday that concluded there is "substantial reason to believe" the congressman engaged in insider trading and made moves to help a company that he is the largest shareholder in. The House Ethics Committee stated it would extend its review of the issue under a procedure that does not place deadlines for additional public announcements and the committee seldom metes out punishments.

For War Hawks, Iran Deal Dump Is Music to the Ears

Donald Trump is expected to tell Congress as early as Friday that he will not to re-certify Iran's compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, otherwise known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action . The Iran Nuclear Review Agreement Act, also known as Corker-Cardin, obliges the president to make this certification every 90 days.

Mnuchin: Trump hopes to announce Fed chair within a month

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday that President Donald Trump hopes to decide within a month whom he will choose to lead the Federal Reserve starting next year but is still going through the interview process. Trump said two weeks ago that he had had four meetings to interview potential nominees for Fed chair and expected to decide within two to three weeks.

Biden: New campus sex assault guidelines not an improvement

Former Vice President Joe Biden, speaking to students at Rutgers University on Thursday, defended college sexual assault guidelines he helped champion that recently were relaxed by the Trump administration. During a 45-minute speech to about 2,000 students on combating sexual violence, Biden also took shots at disgraced film executive Harvey Weinstein over recent sexual assault revelations and at President Donald Trump.

Trump begins Obamacare dismantling with executive order

President Donald Trump took his first steps Thursday toward fulfilling his vow to dismantle Obamacare, signing an executive order that he says will bring affordable health insurance to millions more people. The order broadly tasks the administration with developing policies to increase health care competition and choice in order to improve the quality of health care and lower prices.

Sessions urges crackdown on policies allowing immigrants to seek asylum in the US

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said on Thursday the policies that allow immigrants to seek asylum in the United States were broken and subject to "rampant abuse and fraud." In a speech at the department's Executive Office For Immigration Review, Sessions said too many immigrants were taking advantage of the rules, and urged Congress to pass legislation that could make it harder for asylum petitions to be granted.

Ryan blames high-tax states as GOP lawmakers balk on plan

House Speaker Paul Ryan on Thursday lambasted high-tax states like California, New York and New Jersey, arguing the rest of the country is "propping up profligate, big-government states" even as they pay billions more in taxes than they receive in return from the federal government. Ryan's attack came as he defended the Republican tax proposal that would repeal the federal deduction for state and local taxes, saying it has forced the rest of the country to support those states' high taxes and reckless spending.

What is Joe Biden up to?

Former Vice President Joe Biden is recruiting friends into tough-to-win Southern races, campaigning with Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey and wading into superior court races in Pennsylvania. He has cast President Donald Trump as racist, told an LGBT crowd that "we have a hell of a lot of work to do" and tweeted at Trump that "this has to stop."