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—Martin Lelievre—AFP/Getty Images(SeaPRwire) - Days after the Senate banned its members and staffers from trading on prediction markets, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D, N.Y.) on Sunday called on President Donald Trump, his Administration, and the House of Representatives to follow suit.“We must never allow Congress to turn into a casino, and we shouldn’t let the White House, or the West Wing, be one either,” Schumer said in a statement.The Senate on Thursday unanimously voted to change the chamber’s rules to ban Senators and staffers from using prediction markets—a move that Polymarket, a popular prediction market platform, lauded.Schumer asked the House to implement a similar measure and for the President to sign a comprehensive federal ban covering every government official, staffer, and employee in the executive branch.“Members and staff representing the public should never be able to gamble on wars, on economic crises, or on elections,” Schumer said. “The very possibility that a member's vote could be influenced by a bet is reason enough to slam this door shut.”The Senate ban follows several reported incidents of suspected insider trading in prediction markets. Last month, Kalshi fined and suspended three U.S. congressional candidates from using their platform for five years for placing bets on the outcome of their respective races.On April 23, authorities announced the indictment of a special forces soldier for allegedly using classified information on the U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to earn more than $400,000 from trading on Polymarket. The soldier pleaded not guilty.Earlier in April, the Associated Press reported on new Polymarket accounts reaping hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit after placing well-timed and highly specific bets on the timing of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire.Lawmakers have been eager to regulate these markets amid suspicious activity. Earlier this year, Sen. Todd Young (R, Ind.) and Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D, Mich.) introduced a bill that would ban federally elected officials and government employees from using insider information to bet on these prediction markets. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D, Conn.), alongside Sen. Andy Kim (D, N.J.), in March introduced another bill seeking to regulate these markets, including banning prediction market listings related to war, death, and military action, and requiring age verification, among others. Both bills have yet to be voted on.Trump has previously said he was “never much in favor of” prediction markets, when asked about federal workers possibly using classified information to trade on them, but he added that “the whole world unfortunately has become somewhat of a casino.”The White House previously warned staff against using confidential information to place trades and bets, not only on prediction markets but also on futures markets. But the Trump family stands to gain from such markets. Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., is linked to Polymarket and Kalshi, the top two firms in the industry. Trump’s social media platform Truth Social also announced last year plans to have its own cryptocurrency-based prediction market called Truth Predict, without a clear launch date.Schumer said with the Trump Administration’s self-dealing and alleged track record of corruption, there is a “glaring conflict of interest” in the West Wing.“When people on the inside can profit from what they know before the public knows it, we have a serious problem,” Schumer said. “It puts our troops at risk. It puts our intelligence at risk. It puts our democracy at risk.” This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.

U.S. Army personnel participate in a simulated village exercise during the Combined Resolve "Greywolves" drills at the Hohenfels training center in Germany, Thursday, April 30, 2026. —Alex Kraus—Bloomberg(SeaPRwire) - The Trump Administration’s declaration that it will remove 5,000 service members from Germany has unsettled European partners, though this move may merely signal the start of a more extensive reduction in forces.On Friday, the Pentagon stated that the withdrawal followed a "comprehensive assessment of the Department’s force posture in Europe," citing theater requirements and current conditions as the primary drivers.However, when questioned by the press on Saturday, President Donald Trump indicated that further reductions are likely, signaling a significant contraction of the American commitment to European defense.“We are going to scale back significantly,” Trump remarked in Florida. “And we are going much further than 5,000.”This decision follows persistent friction between the U.S. and its long-standing European allies, particularly regarding the conflict in Iran. Trump has voiced frustration with NATO members for their refusal to support military efforts involving the U.S. and Israel.After European nations declined to deploy naval assets to secure the Strait of Hormuz, Trump labeled NATO "cowards" and "useless," appearing to retaliate against his allies. Internal Pentagon records indicate the U.S. has considered reviewing diplomatic backing for European "imperial possessions," such as the Falkland Islands, and has even discussed the possibility of suspending Spain’s NATO membership.German Chancellor Friedrich Merz drew particular criticism from Trump after questioning the Iran campaign last week, suggesting that the U.S. is being "humiliated" by the protracted engagement.“The Iranians are clearly adept at negotiating—or rather, at avoiding negotiation—allowing the Americans to travel to Islamabad only to return empty-handed,” Merz stated on Monday.Trump has long threatened to reduce U.S. troop levels in Germany, having proposed a cut of 9,500 during his initial term. That plan was ultimately abandoned once President Joe Biden took office.German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius described the announcement as "expected." Despite the reduction, 30,000 American troops will remain stationed in Germany. Pistorius told the dpa news agency that Germany continues to value the U.S. military presence.“The stationing of American forces in Europe, and specifically in Germany, serves both our interests and those of the U.S.,” he noted.As Trump pivots his European policy, several Republican members of the Armed Services Committee issued a statement over the weekend expressing "deep concern" regarding the withdrawal.“Germany has responded to President Trump’s demands for increased burden-sharing by significantly boosting defense expenditures and providing essential access, basing, and overflight rights for U.S. forces in support of Operation Epic Fury,” stated Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama.The lawmakers contend that withdrawing these forces could send "the wrong message to Vladimir Putin" and Russia amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.However, the reduction in Germany is not the only indicator that Trump is distancing the U.S. from Europe.Spain and Italy could be nextTens of thousands of troops remain stationed elsewhere in Europe—many deployed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—and these forces could be the next to face relocation.Trump suggested that he would "likely" pull troops from Spain and Italy as well, citing deteriorating relations with their respective leaders.“Why shouldn't I? Italy has provided no assistance, and Spain has been terrible. Absolutely terrible,” he told reporters at the White House on Thursday, arguing that while the U.S. assisted Europe in defending Ukraine, Europe failed to reciprocate regarding Iran.Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been in direct conflict with Trump after characterizing U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran as "illegal" and denying the U.S. use of joint military bases for the campaign.Italy also blocked a U.S. military aircraft from utilizing a Sicilian airbase, citing a lack of prior authorization. Unlike Spain, Italy’s conservative leader, Giorgia Meloni, was previously considered a strong ally of Trump.Following the Iran conflict and Meloni’s defense of Pope Leo against Trump’s criticisms, the President labeled her "unacceptable."“Because she doesn’t care if Iran possesses a nuclear weapon and would destroy Italy in minutes if given the chance,” he added.NATO allies told to expect delays in weapons deliveriesConcurrently with the troop drawdown, the Pentagon has informed NATO allies that they should anticipate delays in weapons shipments as the U.S. works to restock its own supplies depleted during the Iran conflict.According to the Financial Times, the U.K., Poland, and Lithuania are among the nations facing delays, raising concerns regarding Ukraine’s dwindling supply of U.S.-made missile systems used to counter Russia.Ukraine was already grappling with a shortage of Patriot air defense systems—munitions costing $4 million each used to intercept ballistic missiles and drones. The Financial Times reports that these delays will also impact munitions for HIMARS and NASAMS systems, with the HIMARS being a critical mobile rocket platform for Ukraine.In March, E.U. Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius described the situation for Ukraine as "critical," urging the E.U. to "develop missile production in a very urgent and very rapid way."The conflict in Iran has also fueled anxiety over whether the U.S. maintains sufficient stockpiles to deter a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan.Trump dismissed concerns regarding U.S. inventory on Friday, stating: “We have inventory all over the world, and we can access it if necessary.” This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.

In this photo illustration, packages of Mifepristone tablets are displayed at a family planning clinic on April 13, 2023 in Rockville, Maryland —Anna Moneymaker—Getty Images(SeaPRwire) - A federal appeals court issued a ban on Friday against mailing the commonly prescribed abortion medication mifepristone, representing a significant setback for reproductive rights nationwide. The unanimous decision from the Fifth Circuit temporarily brought back a rule requiring the drug to be dispensed in person, overturning a 2021 FDA policy that permitted prescriptions through telehealth and mail delivery. Attorneys general from several states contended that the mail-order system circumvented state-level abortion prohibitions and that the drug should only be available through in-person visits at clinics. "The regulation creates an effective way for an out-of-state prescriber to place the drug in the hands of Louisianans in defiance of Louisiana law," wrote Circuit Judge Kyle Duncan, of the New Orleans-based court.The ban will be challenged at the Supreme Court Following the ruling, Danco Laboratories, a maker of the pill, petitioned the Supreme Court on Saturday to restore mail access, setting the stage for what could be a major abortion-related ruling since the Dobbs decision, which ended the federal right to abortion and gave the power to regulate it back to the states. After the reversal of Roe v. Wade, approximately 25% of abortions are conducted through telehealth. If the Supreme Court upholds the ban, patient access to the procedure would be further reduced.“We are alarmed by this court’s decision to ignore the FDA’s rigorous science and decades of safe use of mifepristone in a case pursued by extremist abortion opponents,” said Evan Masingill, CEO of GenBioPro, one of the companies that manufactures mifepristone, in a statement. Data from the Guttmacher Institute shows that medication abortions made up 63% of all abortions in U.S. states without complete bans in 2023. This figure was significantly higher in certain rural states, including Wyoming (95%) and Montana (84%).The widespread use of medication abortion has positioned mifepristone as a focal point for anti-abortion groups following the overturn of Roe. The drug, which is used in combination with another medication for the most frequent method of medication abortion, received FDA approval in 2000. The Supreme Court previously rejected a challenge to the drug earlier in 2024. Over the past two decades, the FDA has repeatedly addressed and refuted safety issues related to the drug, citing studies that show a 99.6% success rate in ending pregnancies.A response to protections introduced by Democrats After the Dobbs decision led to the elimination of abortion access in numerous states, states with Democratic leadership enacted shield laws to safeguard providers who prescribe and mail pills to patients in states where abortion is illegal. Louisiana is among several Republican-led states where attorneys general are attempting to eliminate this avenue of care. A potential Supreme Court ruling could significantly influence telehealth restrictions in Idaho, Kansas, and Missouri. Separately, Florida and Texas are considering proposals to prohibit mifepristone entirely.Concurrently, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Trump Administration, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is undertaking a review of its mifepristone regulations. The FDA initially requested the courts to delay the case pending the outcome of its review. A district court approved this request, halting any abrupt changes to the pill's availability. Louisiana quickly appealed the district court's decision to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.The American Civil Liberties Union, meanwhile, characterized the review as a "thinly veiled attempt to lay the groundwork for additional medically unjustified restrictions” on the drug. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.

A Spirit Airlines aircraft at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., on Saturday, May 2, 2026. —Daniel Heuer—Bloomberg via Getty Images(SeaPRwire) - Budget carrier Spirit Airlines revealed on Saturday that it has formally ceased operations following years of financial struggles, pointing to surging fuel costs linked to the Iran War as the final push over the edge.The airline stated it had carried out “wide-ranging and thorough attempts to restructure its operations” after filing for bankruptcy twice in 2024 and 2025, but noted that the “abrupt and ongoing increase in fuel prices over recent weeks finally left us with no other option.”Spirit told passengers that all its flights had been canceled, refunds were in progress, and they should seek to rebook with other airlines.Spirit Airlines was established in 1983 as Charter One Airlines, a charter tour company. It rebranded to Spirit in 1992, transitioning into a passenger carrier and a trailblazer in budget air travel, providing stripped-down services in return for low base fares. In 2025, it transported approximately 30 million passengers— a significant decline from its peak of more than 44 million in 2023 and 2024, per President Donald Trump and his administration proposed a possible $500 million federal bailout for the Florida-headquartered airline, but bondholders failed to agree on how to restructure and save the company using those funds.What led to Spirit’s closure?Spirit faced financial troubles long before the Iran War began, but the unexpected global energy crisis triggered by Iran’s closure and control of the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil passes—speeded up the airline’s collapse.Dave Davis, Spirit’s President and CEO, identified “the sudden and sustained rise in fuel prices in recent weeks” as the cause of the airline’s shutdown.“Keeping the business afloat would have needed hundreds of millions more in liquidity that Spirit just doesn’t have and couldn’t obtain,” he stated in the company’s announcement. “This is extremely disheartening and not the result any of us hoped for.”Per J.P. Morgan analysts referenced by the Wall Street Journal, if fuel prices stayed high, Spirit’s expenses would have increased by $360 million by year’s end.Spirit’s shutdown comes after years of larger airlines adjusting to compete with its budget-friendly services. Loyalty schemes, co-branded credit cards, corporate alliances, and frequent-flyer benefits at major carriers like Delta and American Airlines drew cost-conscious travelers away from Spirit.Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy challenged the idea that Spirit’s closure could be blamed on the Iran War during a Saturday news conference.“Spirit was in deep trouble long before the war with Iran,” Duffy noted. “Their business model wasn’t working; they couldn’t achieve financial stability. So the war wasn’t the driving force behind Spirit’s collapse.”Instead, Duffy pointed the finger at the Biden administration and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for Spirit’s shutdown, citing the Justice Department’s 2023 lawsuit to block a proposed merger between Spirit and larger rival JetBlue. The Biden-era Justice Department argued that the merger would lead to higher fares and fewer options for tens of millions of travelers.Trump’s efforts to save the airlineOver the past several weeks, Trump has been discussing a potential bailout for Spirit, proposing a $500 million federal package that might have let the government own up to 90% of the airline.In an April interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box, he said he’d “love for someone to buy Spirit—it’s 14,000 jobs—and maybe the federal government should assist with that.”However, his interest sparked worries from both Republicans and Democrats, who doubted if taking over Spirit was the most effective use of U.S. taxpayer money.Senate Republican Ted Cruz stated on X in April: “The government has no clue how to run a failing budget airline.”In his statement, Davis expressed gratitude to the administration “for their exceptional efforts to try to protect jobs and services nationwide.”In a Saturday statement, Duffy and the Transportation Department announced that other airlines are limiting ticket prices for Spirit passengers seeking to rebook their flights.Are other budget airlines at risk?Since the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran began on Feb. 28, U.S. jet fuel prices have jumped by almost 70%, per the Argus U.S. Jet Fuel Index.The crisis has affected nearly every airline and traveler, driving up prices and causing travel instability.Customers are feeling this increase acutely as airlines adjust by raising baggage fees and ticket prices to offset costs. Travel search engine Kayak reports that the average international fare from U.S. departure points has risen by roughly 37% since the war started.Smaller airlines globally are being forced to make tougher choices because of their slimmer profit margins. In mid-April, Mexican holiday carrier Magnicharters canceled all its flights for two weeks, leaving some travelers stranded in popular vacation spots like Cancún, Mérida, and Huatulco.At the same time, Ryanair, Europe’s biggest airline, has said it’s thinking about cutting routes, as have smaller carriers in Europe and Asia such as Vietnam Airlines, AirAsia, and Scandinavian Airlines—all citing escalating jet fuel costs. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.

In this handout image released by U.S. Central Command, American forces are seen patrolling the Arabian Sea near the M/V Touska on April 20, 2026, following an engagement with the Iranian-flagged vessel. The U.S. alleged the ship was attempting to breach the naval blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz. —Handout Photo by the U.S. Navy via Getty Images(SeaPRwire) - President Donald Trump likened the U.S. Navy to pirates while discussing the execution of his directives to blockade Iranian ports."We seized the vessel, we seized the cargo, we seized the oil. It is a highly lucrative operation," Trump remarked on Friday evening, describing the capture of an Iranian ship. "We are essentially acting like pirates, but we are not playing around."The United States initiated a naval blockade of Iranian ports last month after peace negotiations collapsed, a move ostensibly taken in retaliation for Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.Prior to the surprise U.S. and Israeli offensive against Iran on February 28—a conflict that has resulted in thousands of civilian casualties—this energy corridor facilitated the transport of one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas.Following the attack, Iran halted all maritime transit through the Strait. In recent weeks, Tehran has partially eased these restrictions, permitting vessels from allied and non-combatant nations to pass upon payment of a toll.According to Trump, the U.S. blockade targets both Iranian vessels and any other ships that have paid transit fees to Iran.On April 29, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper reported that U.S. forces had intercepted and redirected over 40 commercial ships attempting to bypass the blockade."Currently, there are 41 tankers carrying 69 million barrels of oil that the Iranian regime is unable to sell. This represents an estimated loss of over $6 billion in potential revenue for Iran's leadership. The blockade is proving highly effective, and U.S. forces remain dedicated to its full enforcement," he stated. Since that announcement, CENTCOM confirmed that four additional vessels have been redirected, raising the total to 45 since the blockade commenced on April 13.In an April 12 post on Truth Social, Trump declared that the U.S. Navy would intercept "any and all ships attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz," stating that the blockade would persist until Iran grants unrestricted access to the waterway.The disruption of oil transit through the passage has triggered significant surges in global oil prices and necessitated fuel rationing worldwide.Data from AAA indicates that the average price of gasoline in the U.S. reached $4.39 per gallon on Friday. On Saturday, Spirit Airlines became the first U.S. carrier to suspend operations due to escalating fuel costs stemming from the conflict with Iran, with jet fuel prices having doubled since the war began two months ago. This article is provided by a third-party content provider. SeaPRwire (https://www.seaprwire.com/) makes no warranties or representations regarding its content. Category: Top News, Daily News SeaPRwire provides global press release distribution services for companies and organizations, covering more than 6,500 media outlets, 86,000 editors and journalists, and over 3.5 million end-user desktop and mobile apps. SeaPRwire supports multilingual press release distribution in English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Russian, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more.

A massive banner featuring President Trump's face, recently unveiled at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C., has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats. Spanning multiple floors, the banner includes the “Make America Safe Again” slogan, which the Trump Administration utilizes to advocate for its immigration enforcement efforts. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a frequent Trump critic, labeled the display “beyond parody,” asking, “How many dictatorship-style monuments, building name changes, and fake awards do Americans have to endure?” Additional legislators raised concerns about whether the imagery erodes the distinction between political propaganda and the autonomy of federal law enforcement. “The Department of Justice is meant to serve and represent the people, not a single individual,” stated Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey. Representative Jimmy Gomez of California remarked, “Trump is plastering his face on the very building tasked with investigating him. There was a time when a President could not treat the Attorney General like a personal subordinate.” [video id=dm9W9Nhn autostart="viewable" vertical video_text=Pam Bondi declines to directly apologize to Epstein victims during Capitol Hill testimony] During her testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on February 11 regarding the DOJ's management of the Epstein files, Attorney General Pam Bondi faced questions from multiple lawmakers who suggested she demonstrates undue loyalty to Trump. “Trump orders up prosecutions like pizza, and you deliver every time,” claimed Representative Jamie Raskin, the committee's ranking Democrat. Bondi defended her record, asserting that she entered office with the intent of refocusing the Justice Department on its primary mission following what she described as “years of bloated bureaucracy and political weaponization.” However, the installation of the banner at the DOJ has only intensified existing concerns. Beyond Democratic legislators, other figures in Washington have also reacted to the new display. Laura Coates, a former federal prosecutor under previous administrations, noted she cannot remember ever walking under images of former Presidents George Bush or Barack Obama, or political slogans, outside the building. “You’re not supposed to engage in political activities as a member of the Department of Justice,” she stated, arguing that it has effectively become “Trump’s DOJ.” “That firewall of independence between the White House and main justice seems to be crumbling before our very eyes,” added Coates, a CNN legal analyst. While the Justice Department is designed to function independently from the White House, Trump has previously urged Bondi to prosecute his political adversaries. Recently, federal prosecutors filed charges against the New York Attorney General and former officials, though these cases were subsequently dismissed. Additionally, the department is looking into individuals regarding their congressional testimony and others for potentially obstructing federal immigration enforcement via public statements. Comey was among the critics who reacted to the Trump banner outside the DOJ, describing the sight as “sickening.” TIME has reached out to the Justice Department for a comment. This incident is not the first instance of Trump's image appearing on federal buildings. Last May, banners featuring Trump alongside President Abraham Lincoln were displayed at the Department of Agriculture. In August, a banner showing Trump’s second inaugural portrait next to President Theodore Roosevelt was installed at the Department of Labor with the slogan “American Workers First.” As Newsom noted, Trump has also attempted to attach his name to prominent Washington landmarks. In a controversial move, Trump’s name was added to the Kennedy Center in December, a decision made by the board he chairs and appointed. Later that month, the Department of State rebranded the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) building to include Trump’s name.