Politics

(WASHNINGTON) — It’s been less than six months since the 2024 presidential election, but for some Democrats and Republicans, it’s not too early to plan for the race for the White House in 2028.

Three high-profile Democratic governors, one former Democratic Cabinet member and one Republican Cabinet member weighed in last week when questioned if they will run for president in 2028. Some did not rule out a run.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, said on Thursday that he would consider running for president if he felt he was someone who could successfully unite the country.

“If you’d asked me a couple years ago if this is something I’d consider, I probably wouldn’t have. But I don’t want to leave a broken country to my kids. And so if I’m somebody that can bring this nation together, hopefully find some common ground, it’s something I’ll consider,” Beshear told local station WDRB on Thursday.

Beshear rose to national prominence after his statewide gubernatorial wins in a Republican-leaning state and was among those considered to become Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024.

However, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, another Democrat who was considered a potential Harris running mate and who has received praise from some as a rising star within the party, said he’s “not running” for president when asked on ABC’s “The View” on Thursday.

“I am not running,” Moore said, adding that he is “really excited about the work that’s happening right now in the state of Maryland.”

Moore’s term as governor ends in 2026, and he could opt to run for a second term.

Moore, Maryland’s first Black governor, had previously said he was not running, including in an interview with the Baltimore Sun in April. However, Moore’s statement comes as he makes more national media and event appearances. He is set to headline the South Carolina Democratic Party’s high-profile Blue Palmetto Dinner at the end of May.

Last week, former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who served under President Joe Biden, said she would consider running for president, responding with a direct “yes” when asked by political analyst David Axelrod at an event at the University of Chicago.

“The Democratic Party has a huge amount of work to do,” she said. “Introspection … where did we go wrong, what are our policies going to be, what is our platform going to be, what will our tactics be.”

Raimondo, a former venture capitalist, said she has served the country for 15 years and that if there is a “big way” for her to serve again, “including running, I’ll do it.” But she offered a caveat: “If I thought somebody else would be better or better able to win, I’d get behind that person in a minute. … For us to have a chance, it has to be just that right person at that right moment to make it happen.”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, recently said he was not thinking about a 2028 presidential run, and reiterated that position – “I’m not” – at an event last Monday at the Harvard Institute of Politics.

Asked why, Walz did not offer any specifics about his own decision but pointed again to his ethos of the teamwork he thinks should be shown among Democrats. “I think we, collectively as a party, and those elected officials, should be running this campaign, kind of like the old school mountain climbing expeditions,” Walz said. “You never knew who was going to summit. It was whoever was ready at the last moment. And on summit day, if somebody was in the best shape, push them to the top, and the whole team gets credit.”

Walz, however, recently went on a national town hall tour — which has sparked speculation about his political future– and has spoken openly about reflections on his 2024 run.

On the Republican side, fewer names have been floated so far as 2028 presidential contenders. President Donald Trump has speculated about finding a way to run for a third term in office, which scholars say is barred by the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution. But in an interview with NBC News aired Sunday, he said he would be “a two-term president” and said he is not looking to run in 2028.

However, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who joined the Republican Party in 2024 after serving as a Democrat in Congress for several years, said in a podcast episode published Thursday that she would not rule out a future presidential bid.

Conservative journalist Megyn Kelly asked Gabbard if she has ruled out ever running again for president after her unsuccessful 2020 Democratic presidential bid, saying, “Could we potentially see a Tulsi 2028 try?”

“I will never rule out any opportunity to serve my country. … My decisions in my life have always been made around how can I best be of service to God, how can I best be of service to our country,” Gabbard said. “And that is what has led me here. I’m grateful for this opportunity, and I will continue to chase those opportunities where I can make the most positive impact and be of service.”

Her remarks echoed some previous statements she made when under consideration for a presidential ticket.

Gabbard, who is Samoan American, in 2020 became the first woman of color to win a delegate to the Democratic National Convention since Shirley Chisholm in 1972. Four years later, though, in 2024, Gabbard was under consideration to become Trump’s running mate.

The buzz around 2028 contenders continues as some other figures floated as potential 2028 presidential candidates, including Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, ramp up their public appearances and remarks.

Pritzker and Harris delivered high-profile speeches on Sunday and Wednesday, respectively, and Buttigieg is set to headline a town hall in Iowa later in May.

At the same time, some Democrats say the party’s focus, as it regroups after its losses in 2024, needs to be on the 2026 midterm elections for the House of Representatives and the Senate — not on 2028. The Republican Party currently has a trifecta with majorities in the House and the Senate and Trump in the White House.

“I mean, everybody is sort of out there trying to get the touch and the feel [of] like what is actually happening in the country and are the things that Trump is doing, which is now dropping his approval rating, really registering with people,” 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said at a book talk in New York City on Thursday.

But she added later, “I think that there is going to be a lot of testing of the waters, but we won’t know, really, who decides to run until probably after the midterms, which really underscores the most important message: We have to win the midterms.”

ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Army is planning a historic parade through the streets of Washington, D.C., on June 14 that will coincide with and be part of the Army’s long-planned 250th celebration.

The parade will involve some 6,600 soldiers, tanks and infantry vehicles, helicopter flyovers and parachute jumps, according to several people familiar with the planning effort, and will also occur on President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.

“The Army is celebrating its 250th Birthday with multiple events leading up to June 14,” the Army said in a statement Friday evening. “The national level celebration will include a spectacular fireworks display, a parade, and a day-long festival on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The festival will feature displays of Army equipment, military demonstrations, musical performances, and a fitness competition.

“Given the significant milestone of 250 years, the Army is exploring options to make the celebration even bigger, with more capability demonstrations, additional displays of equipment, and more engagement with the community,” it added. “Parade planning is actively underway, and we anticipate approximately 150 vehicles, 50 aircraft, and 6,600 Soldiers to highlight the Army’s 250 years of service to the nation.”

Officials said earlier Friday that the parade had been a possible add-on but had cautioned that no final decisions had been made. The Associated Press first reported details involving the latest plans.

The timing and White House involvement in planning efforts have stoked speculation that Trump is using the Army’s birthday as an excuse to get the kind of grand military parade he wanted during his first term in office. That event was scrapped after estimates topped $90 million.

The cost for this year’s June 14 parade is unclear, officials said, but it will likely be steep. The event will require involvement from several federal agencies, including those requiring security. The Army plans to have soldiers from each of the its 10 divisions represented in the parade, according to a U.S. official.

Earlier this year, city officials expressed concern that heavy vehicles such as tanks would tear up the roads and noted the city would require significant reimbursement to fix any damaged infrastructure.

The tanks would not be allowed to cross the bridges from Virginia into Washington, D.C., only allowing them to operate inside the city along certain roads, according to one official familiar with the planning.

Last month, the Army confirmed the possibility of a parade but called it pre-decisional.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Justice has reached an agreement in principle to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of Ashli Babbitt, a pro-Trump rioter who was shot by a U.S. Capitol Police officer during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

The details of the proposed settlement were not made clear during a Friday hearing before federal Judge Ana Reyes, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Babbitt’s family members sued the government in January 2024 seeking $30 million for what they allege was her wrongful shooting death by Capitol Police Officer Michael Byrd.

Byrd was cleared of any wrongdoing following an internal investigation into the actions leading up to his shooting of Babbitt as she tried to climb through a broken window that led to the House Speaker’s Lobby, where several lawmakers and their staff were sheltering from rioters.

Babbitt’s attorneys disclosed the agreement in principle was reached during the hearing, which was convened on an emergency basis after one of Babbitt’s prior attorneys sought a preliminary injunction on Friday to ensure he received payment for his work on the case if a settlement was formally announced.

Robert Sticht, the lawyer for Babbitt’s family, said he expected the family to sign the formal settlement agreement within the next three weeks.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his solidarity with Babbitt’s family and called for “justice” for what he has said was her “murder” at Byrd’s hands — in line with his broader vocal support for the pro-Trump rioters who attacked the Capitol to overturn his 2020 election loss.

In March, Trump said in an interview with Newsmax he wasn’t aware of the lawsuit brought by Babbitt’s family but promised he would “look into” it.

“I’m a big fan of Ashli Babbitt, OK, and Ashli Babbitt was a really good person who was a big MAGA fan, Trump fan, and she was innocently standing there — they even say trying to sort of hold back the crowd,” Trump said. “And a man did something unthinkable to her when he shot her, and I think it’s a disgrace. I’m going to look into that. I did not know that.”

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — The White House on Friday released President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year, which calls for $163 billion in cuts to federal spending.

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, in a letter to Congress alongside the proposal, said the cuts to discretionary funding would lead to “significant savings.”

“The President is proposing base non-defense discretionary budget authority $163 billion — 22.6 percent below — current-year spending, while still protecting funding for homeland security, veterans, seniors, law enforcement, and infrastructure,” Vought wrote.

While budget proposals are essentially wish-list for the administration, they serve to illustrate the president’s priorities and what the White House hopes is a jumping off point for negotiations with Congress.

The cuts proposed would come from the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, USAID and the Environmental Protection Agency, among others.

However, Trump is proposing a 13% increase to defense spending, which would bring it to $1.01 trillion for the next fiscal year.

The administration’s also proposing $175 billion to go toward the southern border.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Friday renewed his threat to take away Harvard’s tax-exempt status.

“We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve,” Trump wrote in a post to his conservative social media platform. He first floated the idea in mid-April.

Any attempt to do so, though, would likely face legal challenges.

A Harvard spokesperson told ABC News there’s no “legal basis” to rescind the university’s tax-exempt status and said it would endanger the school’s ability to carry out its mission.

“Such an unprecedented action would endanger our ability to carry out our educational mission,” the spokesperson said. “It would result in diminished financial aid for students, abandonment of critical medical research programs, and lost opportunities for innovation. The unlawful use of this instrument more broadly would have grave consequences for the future of higher education in America.”

Trump has taken aim at the university after it said it would not comply with the administration’s series of demands, including actions on antisemitism and the use of DEI on campus.

The Trump administration has already frozen more than $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard, as well as $60 million in multi-year contract value to the institution. Harvard sued the administration in response, alleging the freeze violates the First Amendment and federal law.

Taking away the school’s tax-exempt status would be the latest escalation.

Federal law bars the president from directly or indirectly ordering the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to conduct or terminate an audit or investigation.

Sources previously told ABC News that the IRS was considering revoking Harvard’s tax-exempt status. The White House said in a statement to ABC News in mid-April that any investigation by the IRS into Harvard began before President Trump began posting on his social media account that the school should lose its tax-exempt status.

Many major public and private colleges in the U.S. are exempt from federal income under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code because of their educational mission, research and public service.

“The government has long exempted universities from taxes in order to support their educational mission,” the Harvard spokesperson said. “The tax exemption means that more of every dollar can go toward scholarships for students, lifesaving and life-enhancing medical research, and technological advancements that drive economic growth.”

ABC News’ Hannah Demissie, Katherine Faulders, Arthur Jones and Kelsey Walsh contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he’s nominating Michael Waltz to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as interim national security adviser while keeping his current role as well.

“I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations,” Trump wrote on his conservative social media platform. “From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation’s Interests first. I know he will do the same in his new role.”

“In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department,” Trump continued. “Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Sources had told ABC News earlier Thursday that Waltz was expected to leave his post as national security adviser.

The move came as President Trump has been increasingly frustrated by Waltz after he came under intense scrutiny for inadvertently adding a reporter to a Signal chat with top Trump officials discussing a U.S. military strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Waltz responded to Trump’s announcement on X, writing: “I’m deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation.”

Rubio was a National Prayer Event at the White House earlier Thursday before the news broke. He was seen standing in the colonnade on his phone, and at times speaking with White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce learned about Rubio replacing Waltz in the middle of Thursday’s press briefing. She was being asked by reporters on whether Rubio would consider the position when Trump’s social media post came out.

“It is clear that I just heard this from you,” Bruce said as she reacted to the news in real time. She praised Rubio as “a man who, as I think you all know, has worn several hats from day one” and is “someone who is well known by the president.”

Bruce said the move was not “not entirely surprising,” but acknowledged “these last 100 days, it’s like hanging onto a freaking bullet train.”

Waltz was spotted doing a Fox News interview at the White House on Thursday morning, but was not present later on at the prayer event.

He was in attendance at Trump’s Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, where he offered praise for the president’s leadership and strength on the world stage during his first 100 days in office.

Trump publicly defended Waltz in the aftermath of the March Signal mishap, telling NBC News the day after details came to light in an article by The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg that Waltz “has learned a lesson and is a good man.”

Trump was asked further about Waltz’s future by The Atlantic in an April 24 interview. He said Waltz was “fine” despite being “beat up” after accidentally adding Goldberg to the group chat.

Trump also said in that interview that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who also came under fire for the Signal fiasco, was “safe.”

“I think we learned: Maybe don’t use Signal, okay?” Trump said about the controversy. “If you want to know the truth. I would frankly tell these people not to use Signal, although it’s been used by a lot of people. But, whatever it is, whoever has it, whoever owns it, I wouldn’t want to use it.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he’s nominating Michael Waltz to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as interim national security adviser.

“I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations,” Trump wrote on his conservative social media platform. “From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation’s Interests first. I know he will do the same in his new role.”

“In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department,” Trump continued. “Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Sources had told ABC News earlier Thursday that Waltz was expected to leave his post.

The move came as President Trump has been increasingly frustrated by Waltz after he came under intense scrutiny for inadvertently adding a reporter to a Signal chat with top Trump officials discussing a U.S. military strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Waltz was present at Trump’s Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, where he offered praise for the president’s leadership and strength on the world stage during his first 100 days in office.

Trump publicly defended Waltz in the aftermath of the March Signal mishap, telling NBC News the day after details came to light in an article by The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg that Waltz “has learned a lesson and is a good man.”

Trump was asked further about Waltz’s future by The Atlantic in an April 24 interview. He said Waltz was “fine” despite being “beat up” after accidentally adding Goldberg to the group chat.

Trump also said in that interview that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who also came under fire for the Signal fiasco, was “safe.”

“I think we learned: Maybe don’t use Signal, okay?” Trump said about the controversy. “If you want to know the truth. I would frankly tell these people not to use Signal, although it’s been used by a lot of people. But, whatever it is, whoever has it, whoever owns it, I wouldn’t want to use it.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. military’s standards for investigating sexual assault claims will remain unchanged, a senior official told reporters on Thursday, as it launches a separate department-wide review into how discrimination claims are handled in general.

The promise also comes as the Defense Department faces a potential loss of personnel available to process sexual assault cases due to efforts by the Trump administration to trim staff across government.

“At the end of the day, the standard of proof remains the same with regard to any sexual harassment complaint,” said Dr. Nathan Galbreath, director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office.

“To that end, all complaints are reviewed, the evidence is analyzed, and a legal officer often opines on whether or not action can be taken,” Galbreath told reporters in a briefing call on tracking sexual assault cases in the military.

Last week, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called on service secretaries to review equal opportunity programs to ensure discrimination complaints weren’t being “weaponized” by disgruntled employees.
The military tracks sexual harassment complaints through its equal opportunity personnel.

In his April 23 directive, Hegseth specifically called on secretaries to ensure “complaints that are unsubstantiated by actionable, credible evidence are timely dismissed.” He called it the “no more walking on eggshells policy.”

“Too often, at the Defense Department, there are complaints made that for certain reasons that can’t be verified that end people’s careers,” Hegseth said in a video posted on X.

“Some individuals use these programs in bad faith to retaliate against superiors or peers. I hear that all the time,” he said of general discrimination complaints.

When it comes to sexual assault, unfounded claims are extraordinarily rare. According to the military, 1% of cases involve evidence that either exonerates the person accused or shows the crime did not occur.

When asked if Hegseth’s latest mandate will raise the standard of proof for sexual assault victims, Galbreath said “no.”

President Donald Trump also asked the Pentagon to review regulations that are potentially burdensome and streamline operations, an effort that resulted in offers to employees for early retirement as well as hiring freezes across the department.

Galbreath and other officials told reporters Thursday that they aren’t sure exactly how the military’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program will be affected just yet.

When a recent hiring freeze went into effect, there were about 300 sexual assault prevention jobs put on hold, said Dr. Andra Tharp, director of the Defense Department’s office of command climate and well-being integration.

“We’re really trying to get our arms around total impacts of that,” she said.

Tharp said she is encouraging the services to seek hiring exemptions for sexual assault response coordinators and victim advocates.

Galbreath said that 100% of victim services remain available now and that sexual assault response coordinators and victim advocates are stationed at every military installation around the world.

The number of sexual assaults reported across the military fell by nearly 4% last year, according to data released by the department.

The report is the first full-year account since the Pentagon put in place new prosecution procedures that empower independent lawyers, rather than military commanders. The changes were called for by lawmakers who said not enough was being done to encourage personnel to report assault.

“Even though we’d like to see the number of reports increase, I’m still very satisfied that our military members know that they can come forward,” and “get the help that they need to recover,” said Galbreath.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — The Trump administration will not renew Biden-era grants worth $1 billion that were aimed at boosting mental health services in schools, a Department of Education spokesperson confirmed to ABC News.

“These grants are intended to improve American students’ mental health by funding additional mental health professionals in schools and on campuses,” Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications Madison Biedermann wrote in a statement to ABC News. “Instead, under the deeply flawed priorities of the Biden Administration, grant recipients used the funding to implement race-based actions like recruiting quotas in ways that have nothing to do with mental health and could hurt the very students the grants are supposed to help.”

The decision comes as the Trump administration takes sweeping action to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs and alleged racial discrimination practices in schools. However, multiple courts have blocked efforts to ensure schools certify compliance with the administration’s demands.

The department said the grant programs were not advancing administration priorities. Conservative activist Christopher Rufo lauded the administration’s decision to discontinue the programs, alleging they intend to advance “left-wing racialism and discrimination.”

“No more slush fund for activists under the guise of mental health,” Rufo wrote in a post on X.

But American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten called it a “direct attack” on the safety and well-being of children.

“They may not have agreed on everything, but Congress secured $1 billion in bipartisan mental health grants to help kids better understand themselves and the world around them,” Weingarten wrote in a statement. “The benefits were obvious. Now, with the stroke of a pen, that halting progress has been wiped away, even as the president and his allies insist that improving mental health is the only way to fix the gun violence epidemic.”

The grants were allocated under President Joe Biden’s signature Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The BSCA, an anti-gun violence law signed after the mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in 2022, used “historic funding” to add more mental health services to schools over five years, according to former White House officials.

ABC News previously reported on the Biden administration prioritizing mental health services in schools during a youth crisis prompted by interrupted learning time and social isolation from the coronavirus pandemic.

The former president had indicated his goal was to double the number of school-based practitioners, including social workers, psychologists and counselors.

Dr. Tish Brookins, a certified social worker in Jefferson County, Kentucky, told ABC News that the Trump administration’s decision could result in “missed opportunities, deepened trauma, and diminished futures” for students across the country.

“This cut undermines every effort we’ve made to build safe, responsive, and equitable schools,” Brookins wrote in a statement.

“Mental health support in schools is not a luxury. It is a necessity,” she added.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump’s national security adviser Michael Waltz is expected to leave his post, sources familiar with the decision told ABC News Thursday.

This move comes as President Trump has been increasingly frustrated by Waltz after he came under intense scrutiny for inadvertently adding a reporter to a Signal chat with top Trump officials discussing a U.S. military strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The White House and Waltz have not commented on the moves. Sources cautioned the move is not final until Trump announces it.

The president is expected to announce the changes soon, according to sources.

Waltz was present at Trump’s Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, where he offered praise for the president’s leadership and strength on the world stage during his first 100 days in office.

Trump publicly defended Waltz in the aftermath of the March Signal mishap, telling NBC News the day after details came to light in an article by The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg that Waltz “has learned a lesson and is a good man.”

Trump was asked further about Waltz’s future by The Atlantic in an April 24 interview. He said Waltz was “fine” despite being “beat up” after accidentally adding Goldberg to the group chat.

Trump also said in that interview that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who also came under fire for the Signal fiasco, was “safe.”

“I think we learned: Maybe don’t use Signal, okay?” Trump said about the controversy. “If you want to know the truth. I would frankly tell these people not to use Signal, although it’s been used by a lot of people. But, whatever it is, whoever has it, whoever owns it, I wouldn’t want to use it.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.