Free Republic

WASHINGTON (AP) — As congressional lawmakers scramble to respond to President Donald Trump’s slashing of the federal government, one group is already taking a front and center role: military veterans. From layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs to a Pentagon purge of archives that documented diversity in the military, veterans have been acutely affected by Trump’s actions. And with the Republican president determined to continue slashing the federal government, the burden will only grow on veterans, who make up roughly 30% of the federal workforce and often tap government benefits they earned with their military service. “At a moment...

“Mass Deportation Now!” declared the signs at the Republican National Convention, giving a full embrace to Donald Trump’s pledge to expel millions of migrants in the largest deportation program in American history. Some Republicans aren’t quite ready for that. Lauren B. Peña, a Republican activist from Texas, said that hearing Trump’s calls for mass deportations, as well as terms like “illegals” and “invasion” thrown around at the convention, made her feel uncomfortable. ... “He’s not meaning to go and deport every family that crosses the border, he means deport the criminals and the sex offenders,” Peña said. But Trump and...

WASHINGTON (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem described in a new book having met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during her time in Congress. But her office said Friday that the story of the meeting was an error as further scrutiny was put on the Republican governor’s life story. ... In her soon-to-be-released book, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward,” Noem describes instances where she has stood up to international leaders — anecdotes that would have bolstered her foreign policy experience — but those were called into...

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota House on Tuesday passed two bills aimed at transgender students, seeking to restrict which bathrooms K-12 trans children can use and which sports teams trans girls and college-age women can join.A ( proposal from Republican Gov. Kristi Noem) to ban transgender women and girls from playing in school sports leagues, including college athletes, that match their gender identity cleared its final hurdle in the Legislature with its passage in the House. Meanwhile, a proposal to ban transgender children from using school restrooms that match their gender identity was headed to the Senate.Advocates for...

At the foot of Mount Rushmore on the eve of Independence Day, President Donald Trump made a direct appeal to disaffected white voters four months before Election Day, accusing protesters who have pushed for racial justice of engaging in a “merciless campaign to wipe out our history.” The president dug further into American divisions Friday, offering a discordant tone to an electorate battered by a pandemic and wounded by racial injustice following the high-profile killings of Black people. He zeroed in on the desecration by some protesters of monuments and statues across the country that honor those who have benefited...

Without saying his name, Hillary Clinton assailed President Donald Trump during a commencement speech in New York on Wednesday, saying the president should be held accountable for defying Congress and ignoring special counsel Robert Mueller's findings on Russian attempts to interfere in U.S. elections. Clinton's bluntly political speech to members of the class of 2019 at Hunter College was delivered at Madison Square Garden hours after Mueller made his first public comments about his probe into election meddling. Referencing Mueller's remarks, Clinton said the allegation that Russians had attempted to sway U.S. voters "deserves the attention of every American," and...