US politics

Democratic lawmakers are publicly pledging to challenge the Israeli government over escalating violence against Palestinians, describing the situation as 'out of control'. The vow signals growing friction within the US political establishment over Washington's traditionally strong support for Israel, and points to increased congressional scrutiny of Israel's conduct toward Palestinians in the occupied territories.

The US Supreme Court has cleared the Trump administration to resume citizenship checks on voters, a move affecting how states verify voter eligibility. The decision hands a win to administration efforts to tighten voting rules and is expected to draw legal challenges and debate over voter suppression versus election integrity. Political and civil rights groups are closely watching how states implement the checks.

Two giant pandas have arrived at Zoo Atlanta, renewing one of the most visible symbols of China’s soft power abroad. China has long loaned pandas to foreign zoos as a gesture of goodwill, and their arrival in the United States is being read as a small thaw in bilateral relations at a time of ongoing political and trade tensions between the two countries.

The US Supreme Court has allowed expanded voter-citizenship checks to resume ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. The decision permits states to proceed with verifying the citizenship status of registered voters, a move supporters say protects election integrity and critics warn could purge eligible voters from the rolls. The ruling is set to shape voting access debates heading into the midterms.

Donald Trump has criticised the US Supreme Court after it rejected a challenge related to Missouri's congressional map, which supporters had pushed as part of a broader effort to redraw district lines in Republicans' favour. The rebuke highlights growing tension between Trump and the Court over redistricting fights ahead of the midterms, with advocates urging justices to back partisan map redraws in Republican-led states.

Demands are mounting for the US government to release the full files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and convicted sex offender who died in custody in 2019. Supporters of disclosure argue the public deserves to see what investigators uncovered and who may be implicated, while officials continue to face pressure over how much of the material remains sealed.

An analysis from Our World in Data examines how current immigration to the United States compares with historical levels. It places recent inflows, including the recent surge in migration, against more than a century of data, showing how today's foreign-born population share stacks up against past immigration waves such as those of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

President Trump is moving to withhold roughly $800 million in funding that Congress had already approved, according to reports carried by Reuters and multiple US newspapers. The effort raises fresh questions over executive authority and the separation of powers, as lawmakers from both parties weigh whether the administration can refuse to spend money explicitly appropriated by Congress.

A legal and political battle is underway over whether US states can inspect federal immigrant detention facilities. State officials are seeking oversight powers to check conditions inside facilities operated by federal immigration authorities, while the federal government has resisted, arguing immigration detention falls under its jurisdiction. The dispute highlights broader tensions between states and Washington over immigration enforcement and detainee welfare.

The American ambassador says Donald Trump asked Xi Jinping whether China would be interested in buying US-made weapons. The remark, if accurate, would be an unusual sales pitch to a strategic rival and raises questions about US export controls and arms policy toward Beijing. Details of when and where the exchange took place, and how China responded, have not been disclosed.

Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington led a Mass for Migrants and said the public cannot 'pass by' the plight of immigrants, calling attention to their hardships. The remarks come amid ongoing national debate over immigration policy in the United States, with religious leaders increasingly voicing concern about the treatment of migrant communities.

Global Policy Journal has published an analysis arguing that the buffer zones the United States relies on for strategic depth around the world are steadily weakening. The piece warns that the erosion of these military buffers leaves American forces and allies more exposed, with fewer geographic and political cushions between US interests and potential adversaries.

Immigration raids carried out by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement are creating political headaches for vulnerable Republicans facing tough reelection fights. According to Politico, the operations are forcing these lawmakers to balance support for tough enforcement with backlash from constituents affected by arrests in their districts, adding pressure as they battle for political survival.

Newly circulated figures from the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism state that right-wing extremists committed 76% of extremist-related murders in the United States between 2015 and 2024 — 328 of 429 killings. The statistic is being widely shared in US political discussions, with supporters citing it as evidence of where the main extremist threat lies and others contesting how such data is categorised.

Researchers at the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public report that recent incidents in Utah and Texas are fueling rumors and political narratives that undermine confidence in US election integrity. They warn that isolated events are being amplified and woven into broader claims of electoral wrongdoing, echoing misinformation patterns seen in past election cycles.

A new opinion piece argues that US Congress should address online child exploitation as a public health crisis rather than a piecemeal legal problem. The article calls on lawmakers to adopt a coordinated, health-focused response to protect children from abuse and exploitation on digital platforms, framing the issue as a systemic crisis requiring sustained legislative action.

CBS News has published the full transcript of the September 27, 2026 edition of "Face the Nation" hosted by Margaret Brennan. The transcript documents the interviews and policy discussions featured on the program, which regularly covers US politics, foreign affairs and current events. Transcripts of the Sunday show are typically released so the public can review officials' exact words on major news topics.

The leaders of the United States, Denmark and Greenland have signed a new security agreement concerning Greenland, according to a breaking report circulating widely online. The deal would touch on the Arctic island's defence arrangements, an area of heightened attention given Greenland's strategic location and ongoing debate over its political future and US interest in the territory.

A new commentary argues that criticism of the US Supreme Court is being overused as an explanation for legislative dysfunction, and that Congress's own failures deserve the blame. The piece contends that lawmakers, not the judiciary, are responsible for stalemates on major policy issues. It is likely to fuel ongoing debate about how much responsibility each branch of government bears for the current state of American politics.