\u201cThe president believes in the United States constitution. However, he believes there has obviously been a lot of fraud and irregularities that have taken place in American elections,\u201d Leavitt said, re-upping Trump\u2019s unfounded claims of election fraud. \u201cVoter ID is a highly popular and commonsense policy that the president wants to pursue, and he wants to pass legislation to make that happen for all states across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
Updated at\u00a016.09 EST<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n Trump repeats claim that federal government should run elections in some states<\/p>\n Asked by a reporter to explain his suggestion on Monday, to podcaster-turned-FBI deputy-director-turned-podcaster-again Dan Bongino, that the US should \u201cnationalize\u201d elections and have them run by the federal government, Trump repeats his false claims that elections in states he lost in 2020 were \u201ccrooked\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to see elections be honest,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you think about it, the state is an agent for the federal government\u201d in the conduct of elections for federal office, the president claimed, which is an incorrect statement of the provisions for elections in the US constitution, which give states the power to run their own elections.<\/p>\n Trump claimed that when there are \u201crigged crooked elections\u201d the federal government should have the power to take control of the counting of votes. He went on to cite what he said were American cities where previous elections were corrupt, specifically naming Detroit, Philadelphia and Atlanta, cities with large numbers of Black voters.<\/p>\n In 2020, Trump lost all three of the states those cites are in, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia, to Joe Biden, but refused to admit that he had lost and instead shared conspiracy theories about the vote counts and pressed local officials to claim the results were fraudulent. In court, however, his lawyers failed to produce any evidence to support those claims in dozens of cases.<\/p>\n After his 2020 loss, Trump notoriously called the secretary of state of Georgia, Brad Raffensperger, and pressed him to \u201cfind 11,780 votes\u201d and declare that they were fraudulently cast for Biden, to deliver the state\u2019s electoral votes to him instead. As president, he had no role in the counting of Georgia\u2019s votes, but he apparently now wants the Republican Congress to change the law to give him that right.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they can\u2019t count the votes legally,\u201d Trump said, the federal government should be prepared to step in.<\/p>\n When it was pointed out to him that this would violate the Constitution, Trump did not address the question but moved on to take another question.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.03 EST<\/p>\n Trump uses appearance to sign government funding bill to air grievances and campaign for Republicans<\/p>\n Donald Trump is currently speaking, at length, at a televised ceremony in the Oval Office to sign the spending package to end the partial government shutdown, using the opportunity to boast about what he calls his accomplishments, unveil a new red campaign hat and invite Republican lawmakers to praise him and tout what they call the policies that should deliver them success in the midterm elections for the House and Senate they are in danger of losing.<\/p>\n The cap has the slogan \u201cAmerica Is Back\u201d on the front, the numbers 45 and 47 on the side, to refer to Trump\u2019s two terms, as the 45th and 47th president on the side.<\/p>\n After Trump signed the bill, he took questions from the reporters invited to be present.<\/p>\n The funding re-opens the federal government and keeps the Department of Homeland Security funded for two weeks, to allow Democrats and Trump to negotiate reforms to how the administration\u2019s immigration crackdown is conducted.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.45 EST<\/p>\n The White House press secretary just announced<\/a> that Donald Trump plans to sign the funding bill to end the partial government shutdown in a few minutes, at 4:30 pm ET.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Here’s a recap of the day so far<\/p>\n The House narrowly passed a package of five annual funding bills, and a stopgap measure to keep the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) open for two weeks \u2013 ending the partial government shutdown. By a vote of 217-214, the package funds most of the federal government through 30 September. It includes a short-term bill to fund DHS until 13 February. The bills head to Trump\u2019s desk for his signature, and tee up a bitter negotiation between Democrats and the White House over guardrails for federal immigration enforcement.<\/p>\n Donald Trump has continued to sow doubt in the election system. While appearing on former deputy FBI director Dan Bongino\u2019s podcast on Monday, the president called on Republicans to \u201cnationalize the voting,\u201d in at least \u201c15 places\u201d, although he did not clarify which ones. In the interview, Trump repeated baseless claims that undocumented immigrants being \u201cbrought to our country to vote, and they vote illegally\u201d. Later, the White House deflected and said the president\u2019s comments were in reference to the Save Act \u2013\u00a0a piece of legislation which would require people registering to vote to present proof of citizenship in person, like a passport or birth certificate.<\/p>\n James Comer, the Republican chair of the House oversight committee, announced that former president Bill Clinton, and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, have agreed to appear for closed-door depositions as part of the committee\u2019s ongoing investigation into the handling of Jeffrey Epstein<\/a> and Ghislaine Maxwell\u2019s crimes. Hillary Clinton will give testimony first, on 26 February, and the former president will appear for his deposition on 27 February. Their respective testimonies will be transcribed and filmed.<\/p>\n Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, is running her own review into the 2020 election with Donald Trump\u2019s approval, the Guardian has learned, working separately from a justice department investigation even as she joined an FBI raid of an election center in Georgia last week. Her presence at the raid drew criticism from Democrats<\/a> and former intelligence officials, who questioned why the country\u2019s top intelligence officer with no domestic law enforcement powers would appear at the scene of an FBI<\/a> raid.<\/p>\n The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has vowed to challenge a federal judge\u2019s ruling that blocks the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians in the US. \u201cSupreme Court, here we come,\u201d said<\/a> assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin. \u201cThis is lawless activism that we will be vindicated on.\u201d Judge Ana Reyes, a Joe Biden appointee, issued a halt on the expiration of the program for more than 300,000 Haitian immigrants who are living and working with authorization in the US.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Renee Good’s brothers testify on Capitol Hill<\/p>\n On Capitol Hill, Renee Good\u2019s brothers \u2013\u00a0Luke and Brent Ganger \u2013\u00a0are testifying before Democratic lawmakers at a hearing to discuss the violence and use of force by federal immigration agents throughout the country.<\/p>\n \u201cThe completely surreal scenes taking place on the streets of Minneapolis are beyond explanation. This is not just a bad day, or a rough week, or isolated incidents,\u201d Luke Ganger said in his opening remarks. \u201cThese encounters with federal agents are changing the community and changing many lives, including ours, forever. I still don\u2019t know how to explain to my four year old what these agents are doing when we pass by.\u201d<\/p>\n Luke and Brent Ganger, brothers of Renee Good, who was fatally shot on 7 January by a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis, attend a public forum to discuss the use of violent force by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents, 3 February 2026. Photograph: Kylie Cooper\/ReutersShare<\/a>White House deflects Trump’s call to ‘nationalize’ elections, says it is in reference to Save Act<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters outside the White House today, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president\u2019s comments on Dan Bongino\u2019s podcast, where he urged<\/a> Republicans to \u201cnationalize the voting\u201d in 15 states, were in reference to the Save Act. This is a piece of legislation which would require people registering to vote to present proof of citizenship in person, like a passport or birth certificate. <\/p>\n \u201cThe president believes in the United States constitution. However, he believes there has obviously been a lot of fraud and irregularities that have taken place in American elections,\u201d Leavitt said, re-upping Trump\u2019s unfounded claims of election fraud. \u201cVoter ID is a highly popular and commonsense policy that the president wants to pursue, and he wants to pass legislation to make that happen for all states across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n Karoline Leavitt speaks to the media at the White House, 3 February 2026. Photograph: Will Oliver\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.09 EST<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters today, Walz added that federal officials have yet to confirm to the governor the identities of the officers who shot and killed Alex Pretti.<\/p>\n \u201cThis assault on Minnesota for whatever false reason they want to give, and it continues to change, they don\u2019t care,\u201d Walz said of the Trump administration<\/a>. \u201cWe\u2019re just the test grounds for this and what works here and what doesn\u2019t work here.\u201d<\/p>\n The governor had choice words about the arrival of Tom Homan, Trump\u2019s \u201cborder czar\u201d, in the Twin Cities. Homan replaced the belligerent border official Gregory Bovino in Minnesota following Pretti\u2019s death.<\/p>\n Walz said the \u201conly reason\u201d Homan was now in charge was because \u201cDonald Trump was watching TV last Saturday, a week ago, saw the horrific aftermath of Alex\u2019s murder, and told them that this doesn\u2019t look good \u2026 This is reality TV for him, and he was losing in the ratings.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a>‘This is called damage control’: Walz slams Noem as immigration officers issued body cameras in Minnesota<\/p>\n Minnesota governor Tim Walz slammed homeland security Kristi Noem at a press conference today. When asked about her latest update, that all immigration officers deployed will be issued with body cameras, Walz said Noem is the \u201cabsolutely worst choice for any cabinet position\u201d. The governor also noted that he\u2019s asked for body camera footage of Alex Pretti\u2019s fatal shooting which he\u2019s yet to receive.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is called damage control,\u201d Walz said. \u201cI put no stake in what she says at all. But here\u2019s the good thing, every single Minnesotan has a camera. Keep filming. Keep keeping track of this.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.34 EST<\/p>\n House narrowly passes funding bills to end partial government shutdown<\/p>\n The House narrowly passed a package of five annual funding bills, and a stopgap measure to keep the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) open for two weeks \u2013\u00a0ending the partial government shutdown.<\/p>\n By a vote of 217-214, the package funds most of the federal government through 30 September. It includes a short-term bill to fund DHS until 13 February.<\/p>\n The continuing resolution was met with severe pushback from House Democrats, who say that the Trump administration<\/a> will not use the window to negotiate in good faith, and argue any guardrails on federal immigration enforcement (including the use of judicial warrants and the need for officers to remain identifiable) should be guaranteed now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.13 EST<\/p>\n House oversight chair sets dates for Clintons’ depositions<\/p>\n James Comer, the Republican chair of the House oversight committee, announced that former president Bill Clinton, and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, have agreed to appear for closed-door depositions as part of the committee\u2019s ongoing investigation into the handling of Jeffrey Epstein<\/a> and Ghislaine Maxwell\u2019s crimes. Hillary Clinton will give testimony first, on 26 February, and the former president will appear for his deposition on 27 February. Their respective testimonies will be transcribed and filmed.<\/p>\n The Clintons\u2019 concession follows a months long standoff between the pair and Republicans on the oversight committee, which included Comer marking up legislation to hold the Clintons in contempt of Congress.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce it became clear that the House of Representatives would hold them in contempt, the Clintons completely caved,\u201d Comer said in a statement. \u201cWe look forward to questioning the Clintons as part of our investigation into the horrific crimes of Epstein and Maxwell, to deliver transparency and accountability for the American people and for survivors.\u201d<\/p>\n On Monday, the Clintons finally agreed to testify as part of the House investigation. \u201cThey negotiated in good faith. You did not,\u201d Angel Ure\u00f1a, a spokesperson for the Clintons, replied to Comer, in a post on social media. \u201cThey told you under oath what they know, but you don\u2019t care. But the former president and former secretary of state will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.34 EST<\/p>\n Man accused of attacking Ilhan Omar appears in federal court<\/p>\n The man accused of spraying congresswoman <\/a>Ilhan Omar<\/a> with an unidentified substance at a Minneapolis town hall last week is appearing before a federal judge today.<\/p>\n The justice department charged Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, on a single count of \u201cforcibly assaulted, opposed, impeded, intimidated and interfered\u201d with Omar \u2013 a crime that carries up to a year in prison.<\/p>\n A magistrate judge today denied Kazmierczak\u2019s request for release while he awaits trial.<\/p>\n In a criminal complaint and attached affidavit, signed by an FBI<\/a> special agent, a forensic team determined that the substance sprayed at Omar was a mixture of \u201cwater and apple cider vinegar\u201d. Court documents state that Kazmierczak rushed the lectern after Omar called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)<\/a> to be abolished \u201cfor good\u201d and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary, Kristi Noem, to resign<\/a>. \u201cShe [Noem] is not resigning. You\u2019re splitting Minnesotans apart,\u201d Kazmierczak said after he sprayed the lawmaker, according to the affadavit.<\/p>\n![\"Karoline](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4754.jpg\")
Karoline Leavitt speaks to the media at the White House, 3 February 2026. Photograph: Will Oliver\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n