President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz, to be the Director of the CDC, April 16, 2026. (Department of Health and Human Services)
(WASHINGTON) — Dr. Erica Schwartz is set to appear before a Senate committee on Wednesday for her confirmation hearing as the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Schwartz, a formal deputy surgeon general, was nominated by President Donald Trump in April. Trump made the announcement in a post on Truth Social, describing Schwartz as “incredibly talented.”
Schwartz is the fourth person named or nominated as head of the CDC since last summer. If confirmed by the Senate, Schwartz will replace Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, who took over as acting CDC director in February.
Schwartz earned a medical degree from Brown University and served in the U.S. Navy until 2005.
She served in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, as the Coast Guard Chief Medical Officer and as Deputy Surgeon General from 2019 to early 2021, during the first Trump administration.
“I was very pleased to see Dr. Schwartz nominated to be the next director of the CDC,” Dr. Richard Besser, former acting director of the CDC during the Obama administration, told ABC News. “What struck me is how refreshing it felt to see someone nominated for this job who actually has deep experience in public health and has the credentials necessary to lead a complex public health organization.”
Besser expressed concern about whether Schwartz, if confirmed, will have the independence from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to make public health recommendations, referencing a previous CDC director: Susan Monarez.
Monarez was confirmed as CDC director in July 2025, but she held the post for less than a month. Monarez was fired by Kennedy for reportedly not rubber-stamping the health secretary’s vaccine agenda or firing high-ranking CDC leaders whom he opposed.
The turmoil led to both Kennedy and Monarez appearing in front of Senate committees to address the ousting.
At a Senate hearing, Kennedy denied telling Monarez to accept vaccine recommendations without scientific evidence and claimed she was fired in part because she told him she was untrustworthy.
Besser said he expects that Schwartz will be asked by members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) about her perspectives on vaccinations, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the rise of measles in the U.S.
“Those are some of the critical areas I think she’ll be asked about. There are so many other areas that are of concern to those who have relied on the CDC to prevent illness and promote health,” he said.
Sean Kaufman will appear before the Senate HELP Committee for his confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Kaufman was nominated to lead the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, which was recently absorbed under CDC as part of an HHS reorganization in 2025.
Kaufman has claimed without evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine caused “excessive death and injury … in the United States and globally.” Health officials have said COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective following clinical trials that involved tens of thousands of people and have since helped save millions of lives.
“What concerns me about Mr. Kaufman is that he has expressed very strong anti-vaccine views, and the ASPR is responsible for the strategic national stockpile,” Besser said. “So, I hope that the committee asks him questions to fully understand the approach that he would take in that role.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands at a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House on February 27, 2025 in Washington, DC (Photo by Carl Court – Pool/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — As Britain prepares for yet another prime ministerial change, a former holder of the office — Theresa May, who led the country from 2016 to 2019 — urged the country’s next leader to focus on shared U.S.-U.K. interests, rather than falling prey to potential personal or political clashes with President Donald Trump.
The U.K. Parliament is expected to anoint the Labour Party’s Andy Burnham as prime minister later this month. Burnham will become the seventh leader to take the reins of the country in 10 years, a reflection of the political and economic turbulence that has beset the country since the Brexit vote in 2016.
Burnham will replace current Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who last month said he would vacate his post following a collapse in support among Labour members of parliament, exacerbated by disastrous local election results in May. Starmer delivered Labour a historic majority in parliament in the 2024 general election, but saw his authority and approval rapidly deteriorate.
Like his predecessors, Burnham will need to juggle domestic discord while navigating a raft of foreign policy demands — among them the cultivation of the so-called “special relationship” between the U.K. and the U.S., which during President Donald Trump’s two terms in the White House has been subject to strategic, ideological and economic headwinds.
Trump has already described Burnham — who until recently was serving as the mayor of Greater Manchester — as “extremely liberal.” During Starmer’s time in office, the president has been scathing toward the prime minister’s policies in areas including energy, immigration, crime and foreign policy. May, whose time in office overlapped with Trump’s first term, told ABC News last week that institutional transatlantic relationships and shared interests can help Starmer’s successors ease possible interpersonal tensions.
“Keir Starmer, actually, on the foreign policy field, by and large, played a good hand,” May told ABC News on the sidelines of the Chatham House think tank’s conference in London. The outgoing prime minister has been broadly praised for his deft handling of the transatlantic relationship, which included hosting a state visit for Trump to the U.K. in 2025.
Of the special relationship, May said, “We talk about it perhaps slightly more than the U.S. does. But that relationship is built on a whole set of different levels of relationships. So, it’s not just about the prime minister and the president. It’s also about our security relationships, our defense relationships … It’s not just about the two people at the top.”
The same is true of the U.K.’s own political issues, May said, as the nation prepares for the coronation of its next prime minister. “It’s not about individuals. Politics today generally across the globe has become more about individuals and personalities and I think that’s problematic,” she said.
“What matters to people is not the personality at the top. What matters to the people is what they’re doing, what their policies are,” May said.
The recent joint U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has again prompted Trump to strike out at America’s European allies, who refused to join the campaign in support of Washington though expressed willingness to aid security and minesweeping missions in the Strait of Hormuz once the conflict is over.
The U.K. was among the American allies who refusal to assist the U.S. against Iran “greatly disappointed me,” Trump said in March. Starmer’s response in particular, the president said, was “very disappointing.”
Asked whether the Iran war would prove to be a long-lasting blot on U.K.-U.S. relations, May said she was hesitant to comment as the conflict “is not finished.”
Still, she — like many other current and former European leaders — noted that European nations have previously shown their “commitment to the United States,” not least in rallying to the U.S. side after the 9/11 attacks; the only time in NATO history that an ally invoked the Article 5 collective defense clause.
When asked about Trump’s repeated suggestions that the U.S. should be less involved in European security, May replied, “There have been other times when there’s been more of that sense of isolationism,” specifically noting the later American entry into the Second World War in support of the U.K. and its allies.
“But I think, again, the interests that we have together are what combines us,” May said.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies during a House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building, June 2, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is facing the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday as he seeks confirmation to secure his role on a permanent basis.
Blanche is likely to be grilled over a series of controversies from his time with the Justice Department, as he seeks confirmation to secure his role on a permanent basis.
Formerly President Donald Trump’s defense attorney, Blanche faced a relatively smooth glide path to confirmation with unanimous Republican support last year when he was nominated to serve as the department’s number two official.
Since Trump’s ouster of Pam Bondi as attorney general in April, Blanche has served in the position in an acting role and Trump formally nominated him in June.
Blanche’s road to confirmation is further complicated by the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, a veteran of the Judiciary Committee who was expected to be a strong advocate for Blanche with his GOP colleagues. Blanche will likely need the support of every Republican on the committee in order for his nomination to advance to the Senate floor, as all Democrats are expected to oppose him.
In recent months, multiple Republicans have voiced concerns with actions taken by the Justice Department under Blanche’s leadership — most notably the now-defunct “Anti-Weaponization Fund” that was propped up under the guise of a settlement after Trump’s personal attorneys sued the Internal Revenue Service for $10 billion over the leak of his tax returns. One day after that settlement was announced, Blanche signed an additional document that purported to give Trump and his family immunity from IRS investigations of all of their past tax returns.
The announced settlement drew bipartisan condemnation that led to an extraordinary behind-closed-doors standoff between Blanche and Senate Republicans who demanded the administration drop the proposed fund that could have been used to award Trump allies who claimed to have been wrongful targets of the Biden administration — including those convicted of attacking police during the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.
While Blanche later said the administration was dropping the fund, the department has so far refused to commit to doing so in writing, and the DOJ has also not rescinded Blanche’s separate order regarding immunity from IRS probes for Trump and his family.
On Monday, a federal judge in Florida issued an extraordinary order that lambasted Trump and the Justice Department for misusing her court to legitimize a “settlement” that she says would never have survived judicial review.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, who had previously been assigned to oversee Trump’s IRS lawsuit, referred Trump’s attorneys for potential sanctions and separately sent her ruling to the State Bar of New York for consideration in potential disciplinary proceedings for Blanche — who Williams said had potentially given “misleading” testimony to Congress about how the settlement was executed.
The Justice Department has yet to respond publicly to Williams’ order.
Cornyn: Ruling raises more questions
Republican Sen. John Cornyn, a key vote on the Judiciary Committee who has said he remains undecided on Blanche’s nomination, told reporters Monday that Williams’ ruling raised more questions for Blanche to answer in his hearing.
Sen. Thom Tillis, another closely watched Republican on the committee, said Tuesday that the fund needs to be “certainly and completely ended” before he can vote for Blanche to be sworn in as attorney general.
Both Cornyn and Tillis are serving out the end of their terms — Cornyn was defeated in Texas’ GOP primary by Trump-backed state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Tillis decided against running again after Trump threatened to put up a candidate to challenge him in North Carolina’s Republican primary.
Blanche’s handling of the “anti-weaponization fund” is just one among a series of controversies from his time atop the Justice Department that Democrats will seek to seize on to cast Blanche as an eager henchman to execute Trump’s campaign of vengeance against his political enemies.
“While deploying the Justice Department as a shield for the President and his cronies, Blanche has also used our top law-enforcement agency as a sword against Trump’s political opponents,” ranking Judiciary Committee Democrat Dick Durbin said in a statement following Blanche’s nomination.
Democrats are expected to highlight DOJ’s now-dismissed cases that targeted former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James — in addition to a new indictment targeting Comey in North Carolina over an image of seashells reading ‘8647’ that prosecutors argue amounts to a death threat targeting Trump. Comey has pleaded not guilty to those charges and his attorneys are set to argue for the case to be dismissed on the grounds he’s being vindictively targeted by the administration.
Committee Democrats will also likely press Blanche over a series of other probes that judges across the country have labeled as politically driven, dismissing subpoenas that targeted Fulton County election workers, Minnesota state officials over their refusal to cooperate on immigration enforcement, and a criminal probe of former Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell that a judge said was based on zero evidence.
Questions about ICE tactics and more
Blanche will also likely face questions over the two fatal shootings by ICE agents over the past week and the administration’s ongoing investigations into the separate shootings of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis earlier this year.
In recent months the administration has also mounted a more aggressive push targeting reporters to root out their sources, with the New York Times last week disclosing that several of its journalists were subpoenaed to testify in federal court in Manhattan at the same time Blanche will be appearing before the Senate panel.
Blanche also played a central role in the administration’s botched handling of the release of files stemming from its investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and sat for a two-day interview with Epstein’s convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell in federal prison while he was assistant AG. Democrats have accused Blanche of later arranging for Maxwell’s transfer to a less restrictive prison facility in Texas, which he has repeatedly denied.
In the lead up to his hearing, Blanche has been seen making frequent jaunts to Capitol Hill meeting with senators to rally support for his confirmation. In recent weeks, he has held sessions preparing answers on some of the more controversial subjects he’s likely to be pressed on — including his loyalties to Trump, his position on monetary awards for Jan. 6 defendants and Trump’s demands that the Justice Department aggressively investigate his 2020 election loss and potentially intervene in the upcoming midterms.
It’s not immediately clear when the full Senate would move for a vote on Blanche’s nomination if passed by the committee, though administration officials have said their goal would be for him to be confirmed before the August recess.
Jay Clayton testifies during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill May 8, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Jay Clayton, President Donald Trump’s pick to serve as director of national intelligence, is scheduled to appear before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence for his nomination hearing on Wednesday.
The hearing could clear a path for lawmakers to replace the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and Trump loyalist Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence and could pave the way for an extension of a lapsed surveillance authority.
Clayton’s hearing comes weeks after the president abruptly canceled his previously scheduled confirmation hearing. Lawmakers had urgently scheduled a nomination hearing for Clayton in an effort to block Pulte from temporarily taking on the role, but Trump derailed the effort.
Pulte has been serving as the acting director since June 19.
Trump derails confirmation process
Trump, last month in an early morning social media post, said the confirmation process for Clayton would not continue until his pick to replace Clayton as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, was confirmed.
“Regarding the approval of our Great Patriot, Jay Clayton, we are cancelling the Senate Hearing RE: DNI today, and will not be going forward until Jamie McDonald is approved to be U.S. Attorney,” Trump wrote. “In the meantime, Bill Pulte will remain as the Acting Director of National Intelligence.”
Pulte, who has no prior national security experience, is best known in the Trump administration for launching probes into several of the president’s perceived political enemies over allegations of mortgage fraud and possible misuse of authority.
Targets of the investigations include Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff and former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell.
All have denied wrongdoing.
Pulte drew bipartisan concern on Capitol Hill after he sought to accelerate his predecessor’s departure from the role. The former DNI, Tulsi Gabbard, announced her intention to resign from the role in May, citing a desire to step away from public service to support her husband following his cancer diagnosis. Gabbard ultimately left the role on June 18, days earlier than planned.
In his short tenure as the acting director of national intelligence, Pulte made good on threats to cut hundreds of jobs at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence by mass firing employees in June.
It’s unclear how many jobs had been affected, but sources told ABC News last month that the National Counterterrorism Center was expected to be hit hard. Trump, for his part, had made clear he had instructed Pulte to slash jobs at the agency.
Pulte’s appointment also stalled efforts to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the federal government to collect communications of foreigners abroad without a warrant. The program’s legal authorization lapsed in June.
Scrutiny from skeptical lawmakers
It’s not clear how long the Intelligence Committee will take to consider Clayton’s nomination, but he could potentially be confirmed by the Senate by the end of next week if there is unanimous agreement to speed up his consideration.
Clayton may face questions from senators on the Trump administration’s decision to issue subpoenas on Friday to several journalists who work for The New York Times after the news outlet reported last week on security concerns involving Trump’s new Qatari-donated Air Force One.
Clayton, as U.S. attorney in Manhattan, issued the subpoenas. In a statement on Saturday, a Justice Department spokeswoman said that “reporters are not the targets, those leaking classified information are.”
Clayton, prior to his role as the U.S. attorney, was also the former chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Apart from the national security cases he oversaw while serving as U.S. attorney, Clayton also lacks experience in intelligence-gathering and national security matters.
Clayton spent the bulk of his career as a corporate attorney, and prior to his appointment as U.S. attorney last year, lacked meaningful experience in criminal matters.
He has spent the last year overseeing one of the country’s highest profile federal prosecutor’s offices — focusing on drugs, gangs, immigration and fraud cases. Clayton also oversaw the unsealing of grand jury materials related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, prompting complaints from victims about the disclosure of their sensitive personal information.
Clayton was never confirmed by the Senate as U.S. attorney, though his nomination was approved by the federal judges in the district and was seen then by many as a steady hand to lead the high-profile office.
ABC News’ Aaron Katersky and Peter Charalambous contributed to this report.
Passengers who were injured during a boat incident are treated by emergency services at Gashouse Cove on July 14, 2026 in San Francisco, California. A rescue mission continues after 16 people were rescued and two remain missing. One death has been reported. Heather Diehl/Getty Images
(SAN FRANCISCO) — One person is dead and three others are missing after a boat with more than a dozen passengers aboard capsized and sank in San Francisco Bay near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday, according to local authorities.
Authorities said they believe 20 people were aboard the Volare, a 50-foot cabin cruiser based out of Stockton, California, when it was hit by a wave, causing it to capsize.
The person who died was taken to the shore severely injured and, despite CPR being administered, was pronounced dead, officials said. He has not been identified but authorities said he was an adult male.
Three people were taken to the hospital and reported to be in stable condition. They were expected to be released later Tuesday.
San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen told reporters that authorities believe that there was some kind of memorial service that the 20 passengers, all adults and mostly comprised of family members, were engaging in on the vessel when it capsized.
The U.S. Coast Guard will continue the search-and-rescue efforts for the three missing passengers overnight.
The San Francisco Fire Department said it initially received a call for a fire on the boat at 3:30 p.m. local time. However, authorities said they haven’t yet seen evidence that there was a fire on board.
The U.S. Coast Guard, along with several local authorities, helped respond to the incident.
Rescue swimmers and scuba divers were also deployed.
Earlier, authorities said they believed there were 19 people aboard and that they were looking for two missing passengers.
Passengers who were injured during a boat incident are treated by emergency services at Gashouse Cove on July 14, 2026 in San Francisco, California. A rescue mission continues after 16 people were rescued and two remain missing. One death has been reported. Heather Diehl/Getty Images
(SAN FRANCISCO) — One person is dead and three others are missing after a boat with more than a dozen passengers aboard capsized and sank in San Francisco Bay near Alcatraz Island on Tuesday, according to local authorities.
Authorities said they believe 20 people were aboard the Volare, a 50-foot cabin cruiser based out of Stockton, California, when it was hit by a wave, causing it to capsize.
The person who died was taken to the shore severely injured and, despite CPR being administered, was pronounced dead, officials said. He has not been identified but authorities said he was an adult male.
Three people were taken to the hospital and reported to be in stable condition. They were expected to be released later Tuesday.
San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen told reporters that authorities believe that there was some kind of memorial service that the 20 passengers, all adults and mostly comprised of family members, were engaging in on the vessel when it capsized.
The U.S. Coast Guard will continue the search-and-rescue efforts for the three missing passengers overnight.
The San Francisco Fire Department said it initially received a call for a fire on the boat at 3:30 p.m. local time. However, authorities said they haven’t yet seen evidence that there was a fire on board.
The U.S. Coast Guard, along with several local authorities, helped respond to the incident.
Rescue swimmers and scuba divers were also deployed.
Earlier, authorities said they believed there were 19 people aboard and that they were looking for two missing passengers.
Sunisa Lee prepares to perform her routine during the Artistic Gymnastics, Women’s Balance Beam Final at the Bercy Arena during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games on August 5th, 2024, in Paris, France. (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Olympian Suni Lee is officially returning to competitive gymnastics.
The 23-year-old made the announcement in a video shared Tuesday on her Instagram page that featured clips of her from past practice sessions and in competition.
“I know what I’m capable of. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get there,” Lee can be heard saying in a voiceover.
The end of the short video also included a message, which read: “This is more than a comeback, stay tuned.”
USA Gymnastics celebrated Lee’s return in its own Instagram post. “The journey continues! Welcome back, Suni!” the organization captioned the post, re-sharing Lee’s video.
Fellow gymnasts and Olympians also shared excitement for Lee’s big news.
“She’s back!!!!” Jordan Chiles wrote in a comment.
“yesssss,” Hezly Rivera added.
Lee, a two-time Olympian, has won six medals in her Olympic career so far, including two gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals. She specializes in the uneven bars and became the first American woman to win two medals in uneven bars at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
When she was honored with the 2025 ESPY for best comeback athlete, Lee gave Dr. Marcia Faustin, co-head team physician for the USA Gymnastics Women’s National Team, a shoutout in her acceptance speech.
“Thank you for guiding me through the toughest moments, reading every scan and report by my side,” Lee said.
United is unveiling a new seating option blocking off the middle seat. (United Airlines)
(NEW YORK) The woes of airplane middle seats are soon to be eradicated for some United Airlines passengers.
The Chicago-based carrier announcedon Tuesday a new type of Economy Plus farethat features a fully blocked off middle seat, giving passengers extra elbow room and a shared table between them.
United said it will start selling the new seat option later this year, exclusively on its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
“On each XLR, one row will have large, custom-designed tables stretching from armrest to armrest across the open middle seats, giving customers sitting in the window or aisle seat extra space to stretch out on longer international flights,” United said in a press release. “The table is permanently fixed, with a soft leather-like covering, and two indentations for cups.”
The airline noted that “the extra space is in addition to the three inches of additional legroom already offered in Economy Plus on the XLR.”
United says it is currently the only U.S. airline offering the blocked-off middle seat option.
The middle seat block notably keeps the XLR aircraft within the 150-passenger capacity, which would require a minimum of just four flight attendants as opposed to five, as required under federal regulations.
The seat-block option comes four months after United unveiled a new Relax Row option, a row of three economy seats with individually adjustable leg rests that fold up at a 90-degree angle to create a lie-flat sleeping area.
The Relax Row will be outfitted on all of United Boeing 787 and 777 widebody aircraft, starting with 90 planes at launch in 2027.
Andrew Nocella, United’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, said in a statement included in Tuesday’s press release, “We’re investing nose-to-tail across our fleet and giving customers choice and value in every cabin.”
“The XLR is our newest aircraft and not only offers all-aisle access lie-flat seats in United Polaris but now also includes seats in Economy Plus with extra leg and elbow room,” Nocella said. “Our customers are going to love all these new options.”
A memorial dedicated to the 19 children and two adults murdered on May 24,2022 during a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School is seen on January 05, 2026 in Uvalde, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
(UVALDE, Texas) — Former Uvalde, Texas, school police chief Pete Arredondo was due to appear in federal court Tuesday, but the hearing was abruptly postponed due to heavy rain and flooding in parts of Texas, and a new date has not yet been scheduled.
Tuesday’s hearing was to be part of Arredondo’s push to compel federal agents to testify at his trial for allegedly endangering students during the response to the Robb Elementary School mass shooting.
Arredondo is charged with 10 counts of endangering students for allegedly failing to quickly respond to the May 24, 2022, shooting, in which 19 students and two teachers were killed.
Arredondo filed a civil lawsuit this year to compel 19 U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees to testify during his criminal trial, which is set to begin on Feb. 22, 2027.
Arredondo’s attorneys have argued the testimony is vital for him to have a fair trial.
“The testimony will not only be material to determining whether he alone is responsible for the delay, it will also be helpful to show that Mr. Arredondo is not personally responsible for many shortcomings or any delay of CBP agents as part of the law enforcement response,” defense attorney Paul Looney wrote in a court filing.
This year, Looney filed a formal request to make the agents available to testify at trial, arguing that the accounts of the agents who stormed the classroom where the shooter was barricaded is necessary to prove Arredondo was not responsible for the botched response. Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell has sued to compel similar testimony, but CBP declined the requests to facilitate the testimony.
CBP Chief Counsel Andrew Block said in court filings that the testimony is not necessary for Arredondo’s defense, could be sought through other means, could impact CBP operations, and may result in the disclosure of “confidential law enforcement techniques and procedures.”
“You seek testimony from 19 CBP employees, which would require CBP to make all 19 officers available before and during the trial, pulling them off duty, incurring travel costs, and lost work hours, which negatively impacts CBP operations and national security,” Block wrote.
Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan (L) and Amy Coney Barrett testify to the House Appropriations Committee on Capitol Hill July 14, 2026, in Washington, DC. The justices appeared before the committee’s budget hearing for the Supreme Court requesting additional funding for security. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — U.S. Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett made a rare appearance before Congress on Tuesday to pitch lawmakers on new security enhancements for the Supreme Court even as they fielded criticism about their transparency and ethics practices.
The hearing marked the first time since 2019 that members of the Supreme Court have testified on Capitol Hill and comes as the justices seek support for a larger budget — $228 million, up 10% from last year — to accommodate more security.
The funding increase would go almost entirely toward beefing up personal protection for the justices, though the court has also asked for funding to support more building officers, an off-site security office and new cybersecurity hires.
Lawmakers seemed largely sympathetic to the justices on Tuesday, who cited a heightened threat environment — and the personal toll it takes on their daily lives — in recent years. The Supreme Court police report that threats against the justices increased by 38% last year and 25% the prior year.
In the hearing’s most personal moment, Justice Barrett shared that she brought a bulletproof vest home around the time of the court’s leaked opinion overturning Roe v. Wade— a precaution she struggled to explain to her 12-year-old son.
“I didn’t expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had to wear one,” Barrett said, calling the threat environment “really high.”
Barrett also confirmed news reports that she was the target of a swatting incident six weeks ago, saying her teenage son opened the door to swarms of law enforcement. Swatting involves hoax calls about bogus shootings and other emergencies.
Other justices have also faced security concerns in recent years, most notably when a man went to Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house in 2022 looking to assassinate him in the weeks after the Dobbs opinion was leaked.
Each member currently has between four and eight agents assigned to them, the justices testified on Tuesday — a number they said fluctuates based on the justices’ schedule and the scrutiny they’re under.
The Supreme Court’s requested 2027 budget would significantly expand that security force. The justices are seeking $14.6 million to fund six additional agents per justice — a total of 54 new officers — and to hire 25 officers dedicated to the Supreme Court building.
The justices argued on Tuesday that the current staff allocation is insufficient. Barrett said it risks burn out and exhaustion, noting the same detail often drops her off at 11 p.m. and must then arrive in the morning again.
The court has also asked for $6.5 million to fund an “exterior visitor screening facility design.” The money would go toward blueprints and early planning for an off-campus security process for those entering the court.
Kagan briefly addressed the proposal, saying the justices were concerned about visitors entering the building before they had been screened. Currently, members of the public go through magnetometers and x-ray machines inside the lobby area beneath the grand staircase.
The justices were also asked about more unconventional threats, including from drones and cyber warfare.
Barrett acknowledged that “drone mitigation measures are certainly on security’s radar.” She also said that cybersecurity attacks were increasing “by magnitudes year after year.” The Supreme Court has asked for $2.3 million to fund cybersecurity-related hires — part of a yearslong plan to protect its data and bolster technology infrastructure.
Though lawmakers largely steered clear of hot-button policy issues on Tuesday, Democrats pressed the justices on transparency-related concerns that they say have eroded trust in the court.
Lawmakers appeared most frustrated with the court’s prolific use of the so-called “shadow docket” — also known as the “emergency docket” — to reach decisions on emergency requests more quickly and without a full briefing or oral argument.
Notably, Kagan — who has long been publicly critical of this practice — defended the practice on Tuesday. She said it was no longer accurate to refer to it as “shadow” because the court was more frequently providing explanations alongside their snap decisions on the docket.
“We have done, I think, a better job in the recent past of where appropriate — and it’s not always appropriate — but where appropriate, explaining ourselves at least to a moderate degree,” Kagan said.
DeLauro called on the Supreme Court to adopt a gift ban, citing a bill reintroduced by her colleague Rep. Jamie Raskin on Tuesday that would prevent the justices from accepting gifts greater than $50.
DeLauro also pressed the justices on how they were enforcing their code of conduct, adopted in 2023. Though Barrett hesitated to endorse an independent enforcement mechanism, Kagan said she was supportive.
“I think that we would be better off with an enforcement mechanism,” Kagan said. “I think that my colleagues are taking this code incredibly seriously, all making every effort — and I think successful efforts — to live by it. But if nothing else, for public confidence.”
