Bank

FBI Director Kash Patel clapped back at criticism he's received from Congressional lawmakers over his handling of high-profile cases during a new podcast on Tuesday.

Patel and his girlfriend, country music singer Alexis Wilkins, appeared on the latest episode of "The Katie Miller Podcast," hosted by Katie Miller, the wife of Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller. During the interview, he addressed criticism he's received over the FBI's handling of cases like the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

House Speaker Mike Johnson is drawing a firm line against action on health care this year, refusing to advance legislation that would extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire and potentially raise premiums for millions of Americans. But his stance is fueling growing frustration among vulnerable House Republicans, some of whom are openly considering breaking with party leadership to force a vote.

According to Axios, several swing-district GOP lawmakers facing tough reelection fights believe inaction on the subsidies could carry serious political consequences. While the House is scheduled to vote on a Republican-backed health care package this week, an extension of ACA subsidies is not expected to be included, leaving moderates searching for alternative paths.

Two high-profile members of the conservative Heritage Foundation's governing board recently resigned over the think tank's support for right-wing provocateur Tucker Carlson, according to a new report.

Abby Spencer Moffat and Shane McCullar resigned from the governing board, The New York Times reported on Tuesday. Their resignations followed Robert P. George, a professor at Princeton University, who resigned in November, and several departures from staff in recent weeks.

President Donald Trump's crusade to give the White House a $300 million ballroom was allowed to proceed on Tuesday, as a federal judge denied an emergency request to halt the posh project.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, a Bush-appointed judge, rejected a request from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to stop the renovation, finding that allowing subsurface work to proceed posed merely a minimal risk of permanently damaging the project's opponents, Politico reported. The preservationists had sought a temporary block. The judge agreed to consider a longer preliminary injunction when arguments resume early next year.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth clashed sharply with Sen. Mark Kelly during a classified congressional briefing Tuesday, erupting into a heated exchange over the Trump administration’s controversial lethal boat strikes in the Caribbean near Venezuela.

According to Punchbowl News, the confrontation unfolded after Kelly, a Democratic senator from Arizona and a Navy veteran, questioned officials about the ongoing military operations. Hegseth responded by referencing a separate Department of Defense investigation into Kelly, which stems from a video the senator recorded with other Democratic veterans warning active-duty service members not to follow unlawful orders.

The bombshell leak of damning comments made by longtime Donald Trump strategist Susie Wiles, who, among other things, said the president has an "alcoholic's personality," are a key demonstration of how powerless she and the rest of Trump's inner circle are to restrain his basest impulses, former Homeland Security staffer Miles Taylor told MS NOW's Nicolle Wallace on Tuesday.

"Miles, I'm dying to know what you think," said Nicolle.

Middletown, Ohio shows little sign of celebrating its most famous son. Many residents actually express ambivalence — or even discomfort — about JD Vance's rise, according to a Washington Post report. While some locals view his ascent as notable, others say his behavior and political alignment don’t reflect the city. With manufacturing jobs still scarce and costs still high, residents remain divided over whether Vance offers hope for revival or simply underscores Middletown’s long-running struggles.

Watch the video below.

A private equity firm backed by President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, dropped its controversial bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery on Tuesday, according to a new report.

Axios reported on Tuesday that Kushner's Affinity Partners withdrew its bid for the company after learning that it was about to reject Paramount's offer to buy the company for more than $108 billion, or roughly $30 per share in an all-cash offer.