Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, called a new memo from the White House budget office freezing the disbursement of federal loans and grants

The Senate on Friday night confirmed President Donald Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News personality, to become the country’s next defense secretary.

President Donald Trump has kicked off his second term with a flurry of executive actions on immigration, the economy, DEI and more. In his first trip since becoming president, Trump headed to survey hurricane damage recovery in North Carolina and then to Los Angeles to tour devastation from wildfires.

Donald Trump scored a big win in Washington and visited North Carolina, California and Nevada on first trip since beginning his second term.

Susan Rubio, a Democrat from Baldwin Park, will refill the vacancy that Senate leaders briefly left open for a few weeks following reports that she was part of an FBI investigation stemming from her time as a member of the Baldwin Park City Council.

Senators voted 51-49 to advance Hegseth's defense secretary bid, which has been mired in several controversies. Two Republicans oppose him.

Federal officials have not identified Rubio by name in the corruption probe, which has ensnared a handful of other officials.