Coco Gauff says criticism of Aryna Sabalenka's French Open comments went 'too far'

Coco Gauff says criticism of Aryna Sabalenka's French Open comments went 'too far'

LONDON (AP) — It didn't take long forCoco GauffandAryna Sabalenkato patch up their relationship after this month's French Open final. Now asWimbledonis about to start, Gauff is hoping everyone else can also forget what the top-ranked Sabalenka said in the wake of her loss to the American at Roland-Garros. A day afterdancing together on Wimbledon's Centre Courtin a TikTok video, the two tennis players faced more questions on Saturday about the aftermath of Sabalenka's comments right after the final, when she said her loss had more to do with her own mistakes than Gauff's performance. The Belarusian laterwrote to apologize to Gauffand said her comments were "unprofessional," but not before she faced some major backlash from fans and pundits — especially in the United States. Gauff is trying to make sure the criticism stops. "I'm not the person that will fuel hate in the world," said Gauff, who opens her Wimbledon campaign against Dayana Yastremska on Tuesday. "I think people were taking it too far. … It was just really targeting and saying a lot of things that I felt were not nice. I didn't want to fuel that more." Sabalenka, who faces Carson Branstine on No. 1 Court on Monday, said she hopes the TikTok video shows that all is well between the two. "We are good, we are friends," the three-time major winner said. "I hope the U.S. media can be easy on me right now." Sabalenka reiterated that she never meant to offend Gauff. "I was just completely upset with myself, and emotions got over me," she said. "I just completely lost it." Gauff did acknowledge that she was initially tempted to hit back publicly at Sabalenka, who said the American "won the match not because she played incredible; just because I made all of those mistakes from ... easy balls." Gauff also said she was slightly surprised that it took a while for Sabalenka to reach out to apologize. But once that happened, the American was quick to bury any grudge. "I preach love, I preach light," Gauff said. "I just want us to be Kumbaya, live happily, hakuna matata, and be happy here." Other players were also pleased to see the top two women's players getting along again. "I'm happy to see that they turned the page about it," said Frances Tiafoe, who is seeded 12th in the Wimbeldon men's bracket. "That's the biggest thing, because they're the best players in the world. So those relationships you kind of need." Then the American added with a laugh: "But also it wouldn't be too bad if they were also back-and-forth. That'd kind of be cool if they kind of didn't like each other." ___ AP tennis:https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

byMario Satorik

in

June 28, 2025

Coco Gauff says criticism of Aryna Sabalenka's French Open comments went 'too far'

Coco Gauff says criticism of Aryna Sabalenka's French Open comments went 'too far' LONDON (AP) — It didn't take long forCoco...

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Deontay Wilder wins in boxing ring, but court battle continues

Deontay Wilder wins in boxing ring, but court battle continues

While Deontay Wilder was preparing for hissuccessful return to the boxing ringFriday, June 27, he remained embroiled in a fight for the custody of his 6-year-old daughter, court records show. Wilder, the former heavyweight world champion, was denied joint custody of his youngest daughter on June 18 – nine days before he beat Tyrrell Herndon by TKO in the seventh round of Wilder's first fight in more than a year. The ongoing court battle was triggered when Shuntel "Telli'' Swift, Wilder's former fiancé and the mother of his youngest daughter, wasgranted a temporary restraining order in June 2024. Wilder, 39, had lost four of his previous five fights during a stretch when Swift said the boxer had abused her. A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge granted Swift's request after she said the boxer has physically assaulted her, including by choking, at least 10 times since their relationship began in 2015 and that his mental health has deteriorated during his struggles in the ring, according to the request for a temporary restraining order. In granting the temporary restraining order, the court required Wilder's subsequent visits with his daughter, Kaorii, to be monitored – an ongoing stipulation. In seeking joint custody of Kaorii – the youngest of his three daughters – Wilder earlier this month filed a court document that in part cited the relationship between Swift and her boyfriend, John Johnson III, an NFL safety who played most recently with the Los Angeles Rams. Wilder said Kaorii had stayed at Johnson's house in Southern California since June and the living arrangement had resulted in 18 unexcused absences from school, according to the court records. Johnson's house is 45 miles away from a house owned by Wilder where Kaorii has lived with Swift until the two were forced out of the home last year as a result of flooding, according to court records. It was one of multiple issues cited by Wilder in a 266-page document arguing his daughter's life has "not been stable'' while Swift retained sole custody of the child. But on June 18, the court ruled against Wilder. In addition to being denied joint legal and physical custody of his daughter, the court wrote there "needs to be some compliance with the current orders'' for Wilder to attend previously stipulated anger management and cognitive analytic therapy, according to court records. The next hearing is set for July 14 and Swift and Wilder were set to meet and confer on the concept of unmonitored visitation, according to court records. After Wilder's victory against Herndon in his successful return to the ring, Wilder said, "I laid off a long time getting myself back together, getting myself mentally, physically, emotionally back together. It's been a long road for me.'' This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Deontay Wilder court battle continues after win in boxing ring

byMario Satorik

in

June 28, 2025

Deontay Wilder wins in boxing ring, but court battle continues

Deontay Wilder wins in boxing ring, but court battle continues While Deontay Wilder was preparing for hissuccessful return to the boxing rin...

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'Alligator Alcatraz' provides a political 'boon' for Ron DeSantis and his top allies

'Alligator Alcatraz' provides a political 'boon' for Ron DeSantis and his top allies

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — At the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida is quickly constructing a $450 million-a-year immigration detention center in the heart of the Everglades as part of the state's pushto coordinatewith President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration agenda. The facility, which has been informally dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," has received heavy pushback and a legal challenge, but it has also been a boon for the national profile of both DeSantis and his appointed attorney general, James Uthmeier. Both have received waves of national attention — and a resulting boost to their political stock. "They are locking people in a swamp in extreme heat with no clear plan for humane conditions," Florida state Sen. Shevrin Jones said on a call with reporters organized by Florida Democrats on Friday morning. The effort was spearheaded by Uthmeier, DeSantis' former chief of staff — whom he appointed this year to serve as Florida attorney general — in order to create an immigrant-focused South Florida version of Alcatraz, the now-shuttered prison off the coast of San Francisco that was notorious for being nearly inescapable because it is situated in the San Francisco Bay, more than a mile from land. DeSantis has long made immigration enforcement a linchpin of his political messaging, so the effort to build a headline-grabbing facility surrounded by swamps, snakes and alligators, is consistent with the administration's overarching policy goals. But the effort has had the ancillary effect of amplifying his political profile after a failed 2024 presidential bid, and the fortunes of Uthmeier, who will be on the ballot for the first time during the 2026 midterms. "This is going to be a force multiplier, and we are really happy to be working with the federal government to satisfy President Trump's mandate," DeSantis said Friday morning while touring the facility live on "Fox & Friends." The move to further boost Florida's status as the state working hardest to enact policies that align with Trump's immigration agenda is nothing new, but the creation of Alligator Alcatraz is without question the highest-profile effort to date, and it has come with the benefit of being popular with the Republican base. The Fox News interview gave DeSantis a high-profile platform Friday, but since June 18, the term "Alligator Alcatraz" has received unique mentions on both national and local media roughly 3,400 times, according to TVEyes, a service that monitors media mentions. It's a clear indication that for the first time since his failed presidential bid, DeSantis is breaking through the national media ecosystem. His supporters say his immigration policies are the right ones, and the good politics are just a natural byproduct. "Other than the economy, immigration is the No. 1 issue among Republican voters," said Nick Iarossi, a Florida lobbyist and longtime DeSantis supporter. "So if the of the governor and attorney general are strong on immigration and supportive of President Trump's immigration agenda, that's going to enhance their popularity with the base and the president." "Alligator Alcatraz is designed to enforce immigration laws and keep people safe," he added. "It's a win-win for them." Trump has yet to chime in on the idea, but his Department of Homeland Security offered the needed federal sign-off for Florida to operate the facility, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised the effort in a statement this week. "Under President Trump's leadership, we are working at turbo speed on cost-effective and innovative ways to deliver on the American people's mandate for mass deportations of criminal illegal aliens," she said. "We will expand facilities and bed spaces in just days, thanks to our partnership with Florida." The White House did not respond to a request seeking comment for this story. A Trump adviser told NBC News that the president supports "any proposal or initiative that helps his effort to remove illegals from our country," but said they were unsure when, or if, Trump would comment on the Florida idea publicly. The facility, the DeSantis administration says, is set to start housing detainees as soon as Tuesday, just seven days after construction began. It has been blasted by Democrats, immigration activists and environmentalists concerned about the impact of housing up to 3,000 people on some of the most environmentally sensitive land in the country. Environmental groups on Friday filed a lawsuit trying to block the plan, arguing it could have devastating effects on the Everglades. "The site is more than 96% wetlands, surrounded by Big Cypress National Preserve, and is habitat for the endangered Florida panther and other iconic species," said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Florida Everglades, which is among the groups suing. "This scheme is not only cruel, it threatens the Everglades ecosystem that state and federal taxpayers have spent billions to protect." The land being used, roughly two hours west of Miami, is a little-used airstrip owned by Miami-Dade County, but it was taken over by the state for the facility under emergency powers DeSantis enacted in 2023 as part of his immigration crackdown. Under those powers, the state can seize the land for immigration enforcement-related activities. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, a Democrat considering a run for governor in 2026, opposed the plan. Despite the pushback, the DeSantis administration has executed the Uthmeier-led plan at a breakneck pace. Using its emergency powers, Florida, led by its emergency management division, has brought in tents, construction crews and portable toilets, hired nearly a dozen vendors, seized the land and said the site is set to be operational in just seven days. From a political perspective, the push to create an immigration detention center in the middle of a Florida swamp has also helped fundraising. Uthmeier is working to build out his campaign infrastructure ahead of 2026 and has seen "a fundraising boost over the past week," according to a campaign source familiar with his numbers. The Republican Party of Florida has seen an increase in traffic to its website and donation links of 400%-500% in the same time period, according to a party official. It's also startedselling "Alligator Alcatraz" merchandise, including shirts and hats, on its website. It comes at a time when DeSantis' political future is uncertain. He is term-limited and cannot seek re-election as governor, but many suspect he is once again eyeing a run for president in 2028. Early 2028public pollinghas not been kind to DeSantis, generally showing him trailing Vice President JD Vance, the current perceived front-runner, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also from Florida. "For a guy who wants to run for president, I'm not sure how this could have gone any better," a veteran GOP pollster said. "He needed to try and break through somehow, and so far it seems to be working for him. I don't know if he has a real shot or not, but this sort of thing can only help with the base who is looking for the Trump heir apparent." For Uthmeier, it also boosts his profile, a needed step for a little-known attorney general who is eager to try and fend off a serious primary challenger. DeSantis is starting to get national recognition for the Alligator Alcatraz idea, but ultimately it was spearheaded by Uthmeier, who is getting more media attention as a result. "Alligator Alcatraz has been a boon for press for Florida, getting Governor DeSantis attention," Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power said in a message to NBC News. "An even bigger winner though is Attorney General James Uthmeier who has been a regular on TV selling a tremendously popular idea with the Republican base." Despite the early political success, there is still one threshold DeSantis has not yet totally cleared: Trump's public praise. "We can land Air Force One right there," DeSantis said during his "Fox & Friends" interview from the South Florida airstrip when asked about Trump coming to visit the site. "No problem. We will get it done." "I think the president would be impressed with what these guys are doing out here," he said.

byMario Satorik

in

June 28, 2025

'Alligator Alcatraz' provides a political 'boon' for Ron DeSantis and his top allies

'Alligator Alcatraz' provides a political 'boon' for Ron DeSantis and his top allies TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — At the direction of...

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Republicans aim to tie Democrats to Zohran Mamdani after primary upset

Republicans aim to tie Democrats to Zohran Mamdani after primary upset

Speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalition summit in Washington, D.C., an annual evangelical gathering in the nation's capital, Republican leaders showcased an emerging line of attack against Democrats to energize voters and defend their congressional majorities: the ascent ofNew Yorkstate lawmaker Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic socialist on track to become the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City. Mamdaniupset former New York Gov.Andrew Cuomoon Tuesday with a campaign thatzeroed in on affordability: He pledged to raise taxes to He pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations, help fund city-owned grocery stores, eliminate bus fares and expand public housing initiatives. His win vaulted him into the national conversation overnight -- Republicans across Washington using it as a new opportunity to depict Democrats as "radical socialists" and out of step with the country. MORE: After stunning NYC mayor primary upset, Mamdani tells ABC News Democrats need to focus on economic agenda President Donald Trump posted that Mamdani was a "100% Communist Lunatic" the day after the primary. In his news conference on Friday, Trump said companies looking to the invest in the U.S. are "worried that somebody like this communist from New York, gets elected. I can't believe that's happening. That's a terrible thing for our country, by the way. He's a communist. We're going to a communistic city? That's so bad for New York, but the rest of the country is revolting against it." The National Republican Congressional Committee, House Republicans' campaign arm, has also been quick to link the national Democratic Party to Mamdani. Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican who represents a swing district outside New York City and served with Mamdani in the state legislature in Albany,posted on Xthat Democrats in New York "will pay the price for this insanity at the ballot box." "Look at what we just had happen in New York," Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley said Friday, adding, "This is where the Democrats are going. They are open borders, inflationary spending, weak America." While some progressive Democrats have embraced Mamdani, some of the party's leaders have stopped short of endorsing him. Some moderate Democrats representing New York's suburbs have criticized him and declined to back his campaign. A critic of Israel's government, Mamdani has faced allegations of antisemitism over past comments and proposals. In response, he has emphasized policies to combat antisemitism, said that he wants to focus on city issues and has said he supports Israel's right to exist as a state with equal rights for all. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, in a speech at the same conference as Whatley, also criticized Mamdani while seeking to tie him to Democrats. "Listen, the progressive left will not stop. They will not stop trying to lead us down a path to socialism, and therefore we can never stop … Look what happened in New York. They nominated a mayoral candidate who would make Bernie Sanders blush," Youngkin said. "But it's not just New York. This is the challenge that we continually face and why we have to continually remind ourselves that elections have consequences," he said. MORE: After stunning NYC mayor primary upset, Mamdani tells ABC News Democrats need to focus on economic agenda Ralph Reed, a Republican operative and chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, told reporters Friday that Mamdani's victory, and a general election win in November, would put him at the center of the Democratic Party as the leader of the country's largest city. "The mayor of New York City is one of the most prominent political figures, not only in the United States, but in the world," he said. "I don't care if you're Rudy Giuliani or Ed Koch or, you know, [Michael] Bloomberg, or you know, whoever it is. It's a big deal. I mean, whether the Democrats would want it or not if he won the primary, he's helping to define that party." ABC News has reached out to Mamdani's campaign for comment on the comments made at the conference. When he was asked by ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott on Wednesday about Republicans seizing on his self-identification as a Democratic socialist to paint all Democrats similarly, Mamdani responded, "You know, I see that so many New Yorkers, especially the ones we saw [on primary] night, are not actually concerned -- they're excited, by a recognition of the inequality they're facing in their own lives." MORE: Zohran Mamdani tells ABC News he plans to win over moderate Dems, other voters after upset win in NYC mayoral primary Some Republicans have launched what some are calling Islamophobic attacks against Mamdani. Born in Uganda, Mamdani, who is a Muslim of Indian descent lived in the United States since he was 7 years old and became a naturalized citizen in 2018. House Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee wrote on Thursday that he was requesting the Department of Justice open an investigation into Mamdani's citizenship, specifically his naturalization application. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., in response to Mamdani's victory, posted a digitally-altered image of the Statue of Liberty covered in a burqa. Several Muslim Democratic members of Congress have strongly pushed back against Ogles' letter, calling on Democratic leaders to denounce the attacks. Democratic U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, André Carson of Indiana, and Lateefah Simon of California wrote in a joint statement on Friday, "These hateful, Islamophobic, and racist tropes have become so entrenched and normalized in our politics… They directly contribute to the ongoing dehumanization and violence against Muslim Americans." At a press conference on Friday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who has stopped short of endorsing Mamdani but plans to meet with him, called Ogles's effort "disgusting." U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., who has strongly criticized Mamdani over his views and endorsed Cuomo in the mayoral primary,wrote on Xon Thursday, "It is no secret that I have profound disagreements with Zohran Mamdani. But every Democrat — and every decent person — should speak out with moral clarity against the despicable Islamophobic attacks that have been directed at him." Other House Democrats also came to Mamdani's defense over the comments. Reed, who said he was not familiar with Ogles or Greene's posts, suggested other Republicans should focus on criticizing Mamdani's policies and legislative record. "I haven't even seen it, but I wouldn't think that would be a dominant message," he told reporters. "There's so much material on this guy." Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who won her seat last November while Trump carried the state of Michigan on the presidential level, downplayed the disagreements inside the party, and argued that Mamdani's victory in New York underscored voters' focus on the economy across the country. "People, just like in November, are still really focused on costs and the economy, and their own kitchen table math, and they're looking for a new generation of leadership," Slotkinsaid on Thursday. "It reinforces that you may disagree on some key issues, but understanding that people are concerned about their family budget, that is a unifying thing for a coalition." ABC's Tiffany Li contributed to this report.

byMario Satorik

in

June 28, 2025

Republicans aim to tie Democrats to Zohran Mamdani after primary upset

Republicans aim to tie Democrats to Zohran Mamdani after primary upset Speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalition summit in Washington, D.C...

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Pegula beats Swiatek on grass to win Bad Homburg title in Wimbledon tune-up

Pegula beats Swiatek on grass to win Bad Homburg title in Wimbledon tune-up

BAD HOMBURG, Germany (AP) — World No. 3Jessica Pegulabeat five-time major championIga Swiatek6-4, 7-5 to win the grass-court Bad Homburg Open and extend Swiatek's year-long title drought on Saturday. Pegula clinched her third title of 2025 — with the others in Austin, Texas, and Charleston, South Carolina — and it was the ninth title of the American's career. World No. 8 Swiatek sought her first trophy since the2024 French Openand 23rd overall. In their11th career meetingbut first on grass, Pegula won for the fifth time overall.Pegulabeat Swiatek in the quarterfinals at last year's U.S. Open, where she finishedrunner-up. Although Swiatek hit nine aces in the final on Saturday, she also dropped her serve twice. Pegula saved the only break point she faced. Still, Swiatek took heart from her performance. "This tournament shows there is hope for me on grass," she said. "I'm happy we can play here and I'm happy I could prove that." The former No. 1 has won four French Opens and one U.S. Open but has never been beyond the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Pegula has also never been past the last eight atWimbledon, where plays starts on Monday in London. Elsewhere on Saturday, 19-year-old Australian Maya Joint saved four match points as she won the Eastbourne Open final against Filipino qualifier Alexandra Eala 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (10). ___ AP tennis:https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

byMario Satorik

in

June 28, 2025

Pegula beats Swiatek on grass to win Bad Homburg title in Wimbledon tune-up

Pegula beats Swiatek on grass to win Bad Homburg title in Wimbledon tune-up BAD HOMBURG, Germany (AP) — World No. 3Jessica Pegulabeat five-t...

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Max Verstappen off the pace with 'undriveable' car in qualifying for Red Bull home race

Max Verstappen off the pace with 'undriveable' car in qualifying for Red Bull home race

SPIELBERG, Austria (AP) — Max Verstappen felt his Red Bull car was "undriveable" as he found himself off the pace at hisFormula 1team's home race. A lack of grip and an unfortunately timed yellow flag both played a role as Verstappen placed seventh in qualifying at the Red Bull Ring, where he's won five times, to further dent his hopes of defending the F1 title. A frustrating day for Verstappen and the wider Red Bull team came amid widespreadspeculation over his futureafter Mercedes driver George Russell indicated on Thursday he believed Verstappen was in talks about a move. "The car is completely undriveable. I have no grip," Verstappen told the team over the radio part way through Saturday qualifying. Things got worse later on as he had to back off his final lap of the session because of a yellow flag. Speaking to British broadcaster Sky Sports after the session, Verstappen indicated he believed his car was "miles off pole" set by McLaren's Lando Norris, even without the yellow flag. "Hopefully tomorrow we can at least be competitive with Ferrari or Mercedes," Verstappen said. "I don't know even, because with the balance we had in quali that's for sure not going to look great for tomorrow, but we will analyze everything." Verstappen's teammate Yuki Tsunoda was even less competitive as he qualified 18th and complained he, too, was lacking grip. Norris said he and McLaren expected Red Bull "to be quicker here this weekend" after both teams brought upgraded parts to Austria, but said he wouldn't write off Verstappen. Piastri leads Norris by 22 points in the standings with Verstappen third, 21 points further back. "Max has been our main contender for every race this season," Norris said. "Just because he's had a slightly worse qualifying today, definitely not going to count him out of of the race tomorrow and definitely not going to count him out for the rest of the season." ___ AP auto racing:https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

byMario Satorik

in

June 28, 2025

Max Verstappen off the pace with 'undriveable' car in qualifying for Red Bull home race

Max Verstappen off the pace with 'undriveable' car in qualifying for Red Bull home race SPIELBERG, Austria (AP) — Max Verstappen fel...

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What's in the latest version of Trump's big bill now before the Senate

What's in the latest version of Trump's big bill now before the Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) — At some 940-pages,the legislationis a sprawling collection oftax breaks, spending cuts and other Republican priorities, includingnew money for national defense and deportations. Now it's up to Congress to decide whetherPresident Donald Trump'ssignature's domestic policy package will become law. Trump told Republicans, who hold majority power in the House and Senate, to skip their holiday vacations and deliver the bill by the Fourth of July. Senators were working through the weekend to pass the bill and send it back to the House for a final vote. Democrats are united against it. Here's the latest on what's in the bill. There could be changes as lawmakers negotiate. Tax cuts are the priority Republicans say the bill is crucial because without it, there would be a massive tax increase, totaling some $3.8 trillion, after December when tax breaks from Trump's first term expire. Thoseexisting tax rates and brackets would become permanentunder the bill. It temporarily would add new ones that Trump campaigned on: no taxes on tips, overtime pay or some automotive loans, along with a bigger $6,000 deduction in the Senate draft for older adults who earn no more than $75,000 a year. It would boost the $2,000 child tax credit to $2,200 under the Senate proposal, or $2,500 in the House's version. Families at lower income levels would not see the full amount, if any. A cap on state and local deductions, called SALT, would quadruple to $40,000 for five years. It's a provision important to New York and other high tax states, though the House wanted it to last for 10 years. There are scores of business-related tax cuts. The wealthiest households would see a $12,000 increase from the legislation, which would cost the poorest people $1,600 a year, according tothe nonpartisan Congressional Budget Officeanalysis of the House's version. Middle-income taxpayers would see a tax break of $500 to $1,500,the CBO said. Money for deportations, a border wall and the Golden Dome The bill would provide some $350 billion for Trump's border and national security agenda, including $46 billion for the U.S.-Mexico border wall and $45 billion for 100,000 migrant detention facility beds, as he aims to full his promise of the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history. Money would go for hiring 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, with $10,000 signing bonuses and a surge of Border Patrol officers, as well. The goal is to deport some 1 million people per year. The homeland security secretary would have a new $10 billion fund for grants for states that help with federal immigration enforcement and deportation actions. The attorney general would have $3.5 billion for a similar fund, known as Bridging Immigration-related Deficits Experienced Nationwide, or BIDEN, referring to former Democratic President Joe Biden. To help pay for it all,immigrantswould face various new fees, including when seeking asylum protections. For the Pentagon, the bill would provide billions for ship building, munitions systems, and quality of life measures for servicemen and women, as well as $25 billion for the development of the Golden Dome missile defense system. The Defense Department would have $1 billion for border security. How to pay for it? Cuts to Medicaid and other programs To help partly offset the lost tax revenue and new spending, Republicans are seeking to cut back some long-running government programs: Medicaid, food stamps, green energy incentives and others. It's essentiallyunraveling the accomplishmentsof the past two Democratic presidents, Biden and Barack Obama. Republicans argue they are trying to rightsize the safety net programs for the population they were initially designed to serve, mainly pregnant women and children, and root out what they describe as waste, fraud and abuse. The package includes new 80-hour-a-month work requirements for many adults receiving Medicaid and food stamps, including older people up to age 65. Parents of children 14 and older would have to meet the program's work requirements. There's also a proposed new $35 co-payment that can be charged to patients using Medicaid services. Some 80 million people rely on Medicaid, which expanded under Obama's Affordable Care Act, and 40 million usethe Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. Most already work, according to analysts. All told,the CBO estimatesthat under the House-passed bill, at least 10.9 million more people would go without health coverage and 3 million more would not qualify for food stamps. The Senate proposes a $25 billion Rural Hospital Transformation Fund to help offset those reductions. It's a new addition, intended to win over holdout GOP senators and a coalition of House Republicans warning that the proposed Medicaid provider tax cuts would hurt rural hospitals. Both the House and Senate bills propose a dramatic rollback of the Biden-era green energy tax breaks for electric vehicles. They also would phase out or terminate various the production and investment tax credits companies use to stand up wind, solar and other renewable energy projects. In total, cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs would be expected to produce at least $1.5 trillion in savings. Trump savings accounts and so, so much more A number of extra provisions reflect other GOP priorities. The House and Senate both have a new children's savings program, called Trump Accounts, with a potential $1,000 deposit from the Treasury. The Senate provided $40 million toestablishTrump's long-sought"National Garden of American Heroes." There's a new excise tax on university endowments, restrictions on the development ofartificial intelligenceand blocks on transgender surgeries. A $200 tax ongun silencers and short-barreled rifles and shotgunswas eliminated. One provision bars money to family planning providers, namely Planned Parenthood, while $88 million is earmarked for a pandemic response accountability committee. Billions go for the Artemis moon mission and for exploration to Mars. What's the final cost? Altogether, keeping the existing tax breaks and adding the new ones is expected to cost $3.8 trillion over the decade, the CBO says in its analysis of the House bill. An analysis of the Senate draft is pending. The CBO estimates the House-passed package would add $2.4 trillion to the nation's deficits over the decade. Or not, depending on how onedoes the math. Senate Republicans are proposing a unique strategy of not counting the existing tax breaks as a new cost because those breaks are already "current policy." Senators say the Senate Budget Committee chairman has the authority to set the baseline for the preferred approach. Under the Senate GOP view, the cost of tax provisions would be $441 billion, according to the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation. Democrats and others say this is "magic math" that obscures the costs of the GOP tax breaks. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget puts the Senate tally at $4.2 trillion over the decade.

byMario Satorik

in

June 28, 2025

What's in the latest version of Trump's big bill now before the Senate

What's in the latest version of Trump's big bill now before the Senate WASHINGTON (AP) — At some 940-pages,the legislationis a spraw...

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