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Trump mishandled classified documents that included information about the secretive U.S. nuclear program and potential domestic vulnerabilities in the event of an attack, the federal indictment said. Unauthorized disclosure of classified documents posed a risk to U.S. national security, foreign relations, and intelligence gathering, prosecutors said. Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends a campaign event in Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S., April 27, 2023. The indictment also alleges Trump conspired with Nauta to keep classified documents Trump had taken from the White House and hide them from a federal grand jury. The case does not prevent Trump from campaigning or taking office if he were to win the November 2024 presidential election.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, John Rowley, Jim, Walt Nauta, Jack Smith, Smith, General Merrick Garland, Trump’s, Matt Bennett, Joe Biden, Biden, Brian Snyder, Lago, Nauta, Aileen Cannon, Cannon, Sarah N, Lynch, Jonathan Stempel, Jack Queen, Jacqueline Thomsen, Karen Freifeld, Nathan Layne, Heather Timmons, Nandita Bose, Andy Sullivan, Noeleen Walder, Howard Goller Organizations: U.S, White House, The Justice Department, Trump, Republican, Reuters, Democratic, Former U.S, REUTERS, White, Mar, Pentagon, CIA, National Security Agency, Department of Energy, Prosecutors, Defense Department, FBI, TRUMP, AS, Democrat, Biden, Thomson Locations: Lago, Florida, Miami, United States, U.S, Former, Manchester , New Hampshire, New Jersey, Mar, New York, Georgia

Republican hopefuls have alleged, without evidence, that the investigation into Trump, who is running to unseat Biden from the White House in 2024, is politically motivated. As the charges against Trump were unsealed, Biden was in North Carolina, where he was discussing his economic agenda and had plans to meet with military members. BIDEN, TRUMP IN SWING STATENorth Carolina is a key political swing state that Republicans are courting this weekend during a state convention. North Carolina, with 15 electoral votes, is an important political swing state that Trump won, though only with a slim margin, in 2020. He leads the North Carolina Republican field with 44% of the vote, followed by DeSantis at 22%, the poll shows.

Persons: ROCKY, Joe Biden, General Merrick Garland, Department's, Donald Trump, I’m, Biden, White, Olivia Dalton, Garland, Jack Smith, Trump, BIDEN, Jill, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Nandita Bose, Jeff Mason, Sarah Lynch, Jarrett Renshaw, Heather Timmons, Alistair Bell, Daniel Wallis, Diane Craft Organizations: Trump, White House, DOJ, Air Force, FBI, TRUMP, Nash Community College, Fort Liberty, Diagnostics, North Carolina Republican, White, Liberty, Thomson Locations: N.C, North Carolina, Carolina, Rocky Mount, Florida, Philadelphia . North Carolina, Fort Bragg

☆ Biden to host thousands at White House Pride party
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will host the largest White House Pride Month celebration in history on Thursday, in a deliberate contrast to a cascade of Republican legislation and other attacks targeting LGBTQ+ people. Biden, a Democrat, will host thousands of people on the White House's South Lawn for an evening celebration of LGBTQ+ families that will feature singer Betty Who and Baltimore DJ Queen HD. "This year we're seeing a disturbing surge in violent threats against LGBTQ community organizations," Tanden told reporters on a conference call. In April, the White House warned bills targeting LGBTQ kids and gender-affirming care for youth set a dangerous precedent. Florida has led restrictions of the LGBTQ community under governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, who recently entered the battle for the 2024 presidential election, challenging Biden.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Betty Who, Neera Tanden, Tanden, Barack Obama, Ron DeSantis, Nandita Bose, Jeff Mason, Trevor Hunnicutt, Heather Timmons, Gerry Doyle Organizations: White, Democrat, Baltimore DJ Queen, Republican, Gallup, Department of Education, Civil, The Department of Homeland Security, Department, Justice, Department of Health & Human Services, Human Rights, Thomson Locations: United States, statehouses, Florida, Washington

WASHINGTON, June 6 (Reuters) - The White House on Tuesday said it could not say conclusively what caused the destruction of a massive dam in Ukraine, but was assessing reports that the blast was caused by Russia, which has been occupying the dam since last year. "We've seen the reports that Russia was responsible for the explosion at the dam," he said. REUTERS/Ivan AntypenkoUkraine accused Russia of blowing up the Nova Kakhovka dam while the Kremlin said it was Ukraine that had sabotaged the dam. Asked if the destruction of the dam would constitute a war crime, Kirby said international law forbade the destruction of civilian infrastructure. He said U.S. officials would continue to work with humanitarian partners on the ground to supply aid to those affected.

Persons: John Kirby, Kirby, We've, Ivan Antypenko, Nandita Bose, Andrea Shalal, Leslie Adler Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Dnipro, Ukrainian, Kherson, Ivan Antypenko Ukraine, Kremlin

"Things are looking good," Biden told reporters. "I'm hopeful," said McHenry, one of House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy's lead negotiators with the White House. Negotiators are discussing a deal that would lift the limit for two years, but remain at odds over whether to stiffen work requirements for some anti-poverty programs. WORK REQUIREMENTS IN DISPUTEThe safety-net programs remained a sticking point. Biden in particular has resisted the work requirements for Medicaid, which covered 85 million Americans as of January.

Afterward, he was to have been the first sitting U.S. president to visit Papua New Guinea. In Sydney, Biden had planned to attend a meeting of the four so-called Quad nations - the United States, Japan, Australia and India. White House spokesperson John Kirby said Biden would be able to meet Albanese and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi while in Hiroshima. Albanese said in a statement that Biden had apologized for not being able to visit Australia and that they would work to reschedule his visit at the earliest opportunity. “I'm sure the White House will find ways to make this up to partners in the short term.

Democrats were not as positive about a quick time frame, but the White House called the meetings "productive and direct." Republicans have refused to vote to lift the debt ceiling past its $31.3 trillion limit unless Biden and his Democrats agree to spending cuts in the federal budget. Going forward, the talks will be narrowed for more engagement between House Republicans and the White House, McCarthy said. White House adviser Steve Ricchetti and budget director Shalanda Young will lead discussions for the administration. "We can raise the debt ceiling if we limit what we're going to spend in the future," McCarthy told reporters.

☆ Biden may skip Australia Quad meet as debt ceiling default nears, White House says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, May 16 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden may skip a visit to Australia on an upcoming Asia trip due to the unfolding debate in Washington over the U.S. debt ceiling, the White House said on Tuesday. John Kirby, the White House national security spokesperson, said Biden would depart for Japan on Wednesday as scheduled but a subsequent stop in Australia is being reevaluated. Afterwards, he is to make a brief, historic stop in Papua New Guinea, then travel to Australia for a meeting of the Japan, Australia, India, U.S. grouping known as the Quad countries. The Treasury Department has estimated that the United States will go into a crippling default as early as June 1 if Congress does not lift the debt ceiling. Reporting by Nandita Bose and Steve Holland Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ US Vice President Harris fundraises for 2024 in Georgia
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will kick off fundraising for Democrats' 2024 re-election campaign in the swing state of Georgia on Friday, as she and President Joe Biden start to tap donors who contributed over $1 billion to the 2020 campaign. Harris will headline the Democratic Party of Georgia's "Spring Soiree" fundraiser - a gathering expected to have hundreds of attendees. Biden and Harris face significant political headwinds in their bid for a second term, including low approval numbers and concerns about Biden's age. Political strategists have said Harris's appeal as a fundraiser for the re-election campaign will be tested in the coming months. Harris's 2020 campaign 'Kamala Harris for the People' raised over $40 million, with nearly 57% coming from large contributors, according to campaign finance records.

☆ Biden warns of recession unless Republicans back his debt ceiling plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

We're going to win this fight," Biden said at a flag-bedecked event at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, New York. Republicans are vowing to support raising the debt ceiling only if Biden agrees to retroactive reductions in government spending. Biden wants the debt ceiling lifted without spending cuts attached, but said he wants to negotiate the next budget. White House aides are meeting with congressional leaders' staff in Washington daily before Biden and the leaders meet again on Friday. Democrats view Republican House members who narrowly won election as possibly vulnerable to being pressured into breaking with their party's leadership and voting for a bill to raise the debt ceiling without conditions.

☆ Biden hits Republican debt ceiling plan in swing New York district
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

We're going to win this fight," Biden said at a flag-bedecked event at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, New York. Republicans are vowing to support raising the debt ceiling only if Biden agrees to retroactive reductions in government spending. Biden wants the debt ceiling lifted without spending cuts attached, but said he wants to negotiate the next budget. Biden spoke a day after he met with top Republican and Democratic lawmakers for the first time in three months to try to move forward on the debt ceiling and avoid a historic default. Democrats view Republican House members who narrowly won election as possibly vulnerable to being pressured into breaking with their party's leadership and voting for a bill to raise the debt ceiling without conditions.

☆ Biden heads to New York to talk debt ceiling, raise funds for re-election
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

In an appearance at Westchester Community College north of New York City, Biden plans to discuss the need to move quickly to head off default. Democrats view Republican House members who narrowly won election as possibly vulnerable to being pressured into breaking with their party's leadership and voting for a bill to raise the debt ceiling without conditions. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said Republicans will not vote to raise the borrowing limit without an agreement to cut spending. While Biden has largely focused on his presidential duties since announcing his bid for re-election, his campaign operation is coming to life. The events being planned for Biden are expected to generate some $2.5 million for his reelection campaign, according to sources.

☆ What Biden, McCarthy, McConnell said about the US debt ceiling
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said his chamber will not approve any deal that doesn't cut spending to address a growing budget deficit. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN"I had a productive meeting with congressional leadership about the path forward, to make sure America does not default on its debt." Biden also did not rule out eventually invoking the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, an untested approach that would seek to declare the debt limit unconstitutional. KEVIN MCCARTHY, SPEAKER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES"Everybody in this meeting, reiterated the positions they were at. MITCH McCONNELL, SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER"We ought to have at least some restraint on our spending related to the debt ceiling, and this is not unusual.

Leading AI developers, including Anthropic, Google, Hugging Face, NVIDIA Corp (NVDA.O), OpenAI, and Stability AI, will participate in a public evaluation of their AI systems. Shortly after Biden announced his reelection bid, the Republican National Committee produced a video featuring a dystopian future during a second Biden term, which was built entirely with AI imagery. Such political ads are expected to become more common as AI technology proliferates. In February, Biden signed an executive order directing federal agencies to eliminate bias in their AI use. The Biden administration has also released an AI Bill of Rights and a risk management framework.

☆ Quotes: What Biden, McCarthy, McConnell said about the US debt ceiling
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said his chamber will not approve any deal that doesn't cut spending to address a growing budget deficit. KEVIN MCCARTHY, SPEAKER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES"Everybody in this meeting, reiterated the positions they were at. "We explicitly asked speaker McCarthy would he take default off the table? MITCH McCONNELL, SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER"We ought to have at least some restraint on our spending related to the debt ceiling, and this is not unusual. "The Republican House majority's shameful default bill is completely unworkable.

The U.S. Department of Transportation did not specify how much cash it aims to require airlines to pay passengers for significant delays. But it asked carriers last year whether they would agree to pay at least $100 for delays of at least three hours caused by airlines. A July 2021 proposal to require airlines to refund consumers fees for baggage that is delayed, or onboard service like Wi-Fi that do not work, are still not finalized. The Transportation Department said it plans to write regulations that will require airlines to cover expenses such as meals and hotels if carriers are responsible for stranding passengers. In October, Reuters first reported major U.S. airlines opposed Transportation Department plans to update its dashboard to show whether carriers would voluntarily compensate passengers for lengthy delays within airlines' control.

It is the latest in a series of moves by the Biden administration to crack down on airlines and bolster passenger consumer protections. "When an airline causes a flight cancellation or delay, passengers should not foot the bill,” U.S. Transportation Secretary (USDOT) Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. Most carriers voluntarily committed in August 2022 to providing hotels or meals but resisted providing cash compensation for delays. The Biden administration has sparred with U.S. airlines over who was to blame for hundreds of thousands of flight disruptions last year. In October, Reuters first reported major U.S. airlines opposed USDOT plans to update its dashboard to show whether carriers would voluntarily compensate passengers for lengthy delays within airlines' control.

☆ Biden says not yet ready to invoke 14th Amendment to avoid debt default
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"I've not gotten there yet," Biden said in an interview with MSNBC when asked about the possibility of invoking the amendment. If Congress fails to act, some legal experts say Biden has another option to avert a crisis: Invoke the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to ensure the United States can continue to pay its bills. Section Four of the amendment, adopted after the 1861-1865 Civil War, states that the "validity of the public debt of the United States ... shall not be questioned." Some experts have suggested that Biden could invoke this amendment to raise the debt ceiling on his own if Congress does not act. Biden and top Republicans and Democrats from the U.S. Congress will sit down on Tuesday next week to try to end the three-month standoff over the federal debt ceiling and avoid a crippling default before the end of the month.

☆ White House to meet Microsoft, Google CEOs on AI dangers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationWASHINGTON, May 4 (Reuters) - The White House will host CEOs of top artificial intelligence companies, including Alphabet Inc's Google (GOOGL.O) and Microsoft (MSFT.O), on Thursday to discuss risks and safeguards as the technology catches the attention of governments and lawmakers globally. Leading AI developers, including Anthropic, Google, Hugging Face, NVIDIA, OpenAI, and Stability AI, will participate in a public evaluation of their AI systems at the AI Village at DEFCON 31 - one of the largest hacker conventions in the world - and run on a platform created by Scale AI and Microsoft. Such political ads are expected to become more common as AI technology proliferates. In February, Biden signed an executive order directing federal agencies to eliminate bias in their use of AI. The Biden administration has also released an AI Bill of Rights and a risk management framework.

☆ VP Harris tells Microsoft, Google they have legal responsibility to ensure safety of AI products
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, May 4 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday told the chief executives of tech companies including Microsoft (MSFT.O) and Google (GOOGL.O) they have a "legal responsibility" to ensure the safety of their artificial intelligence products. Harris and President Biden are open to advancing new regulations and supporting new legislation on artificial intelligence, she said. The White House is hosting CEOs of top artificial intelligence companies on Thursday to discuss risks and safeguards as the technology catches the attention of governments and lawmakers globally. Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. military aid for Ukraine includes air-launched rockets
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, May 3 (Reuters) - The United States said Wednesday it would send a new military aid package for Ukraine worth $300 million, including for the first time the Hydra-70 short-range. The security assistance package would be the 37th approved by the United States for Ukraine since Russian invaded its neighbor in February 2022, for a total of $35.7 billion. "The United States and our allies and partners will stand united with Ukraine, for as long as it takes," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement announcing the aid package. The rockets, munitions and 155mm howitzer cannons included in the package would help Ukraine weaken Russian ground positions for advancing Ukrainian ground forces as Kyiv plans a spring offensive. The rockets are typically launched from pods attached to aircraft to provide support for ground troops.

WASHINGTON, May 2 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will not negotiate over the debt ceiling during his meeting with four top congressional leaders on May 9, but he will discuss starting "a separate budget process" to talk about spending priorities, the White House said on Tuesday. "He is not going to negotiate on the debt ceiling," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. The White House and Biden have previously asked Republicans for a clean debt ceiling hike and offered to discuss spending once the risk of default is off the table. The White House knew Yellen's letter would be released on Monday, Jean-Pierre said. Biden called Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Jerusalem, where he is on a diplomatic trip, to invite him to the May 9 White House meeting.

[1/3] U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks during an event marking National Small Business Week, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., May 1, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File PhotoWASHINGTON, May 2 (Reuters) - The chief executives of Alphabet Inc's Google (GOOGL.O), Microsoft (MSFT.O), OpenAI and Anthropic will meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and top White House officials to discuss key artificial intelligence (AI) issues on Thursday, said a White House official on Tuesday. Concerns about fast-growing AI technology include privacy violations, bias and worries it could proliferate scams and misinformation. In April, the Biden administration said it was seeking public comments on proposed accountability measures for AI systems, as concerns grow about its impact on national security and education. The meeting will emphasize the importance of driving innovation "with safeguards that mitigate risks and potential harms," the official said.

[1/2] Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden answers a question as President Donald Trump listens during the second and final presidential debate at the Curb Event Center at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., October 22, 2020. "I may not be the only one, but I know him well and I know the danger he presents to our democracy," Biden said. Biden further clarified he would still be running for office in 2024 if Trump was not and said his favorable ratings currently are similar to his predecessors." It features the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol and focuses on issues like gun violence, abortion and safeguarding democracy. Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ US Senate Republicans go after Biden's labor nominee for stance on Uber, Lyft, others
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Julie Su speaks at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on her nomination to be Labor Secretary, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 20, 2023. She needs at least 50 votes in a Senate where Democrats have a slim 51-49 majority. Industry groups that represent companies employing gig labor have launched an aggressive campaign to oppose her nomination. Cassidy also accused her of eliminating independent contracting during her tenure as Biden's deputy secretary of labor. It is not a given that all Senate Democrats will support Su.

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