President Donald Trump is examined at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The White House announced the visit earlier this week. Trump is preparing for a trip to the Middle East shortly after his medical exam.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the visit earlier this week as a “routine annual exam,” even though the Republican president had his annual physical exam in April.
White House officials have declined to explain why Trump is under investigation again on Friday. Trump told reporters Thursday he believes he is in great shape. Trump plans to return to the White House after the visit.
The latest:
Republicans are emphasizing the toll a shutdown will take on federal workers
Spokesman Mike Johnson points out that 1.3 million military members will miss their paychecks next week as the federal government shutdown continues Friday.
The next paycheck for civilian workers will also be partial wages.
During a press conference, he blamed Democratic lawmakers for this scenario, emphasizing that Republicans had voted several times to temporarily maintain funding for the government.
“There are millions of American families who are now having to figure out how to get their mortgage, how to cover the rent, how to pay the car bill and how to keep food on the table because the Democrats, Chuck Schumer and his colleagues in the Senate are playing their games here,” Johnson said.
In addition, the country’s third shutdown in 12 years is once again increasing concerns among service members and their families because those in uniform are working without pay.
Although they would receive back pay after the standoff ends, many military families live paycheck to paycheck. During previous shutdowns, Congress passed legislation to ensure troops continued to earn their pay, but time is running out before they miss their first paycheck in less than a week.
National Guard troops patrol Memphis
For the first time, National Guard troops were seen patrolling Memphis as part of Trump’s federal task force.
The deployment comes a day after a federal judge in Illinois blocked the deployment of troops in the Chicago area for at least two weeks.
It was unclear Friday how many Guard members were on site in Memphis or expected to arrive later.
Trump is pushing to deploy the National Guard in several US cities. His government claims that crime is widespread in these cities, although statistics do not always support this. Tennessee’s Republican Governor Bill Lee supports the effort.
The absence of members of Congress poses a dilemma for the Speaker of the House of Representatives
The absence of House members during the government shutdown presents Republican Speaker Mike Johnson with a political dilemma and is testing his leadership. ‘
The Louisiana congressman sent members home three weeks ago, and they haven’t been back in session since.
The government has been closed for the past few weeks. Trump threatened mass layoffs of federal workers. And Democrat Adelita Grijalva won a special congressional election in Arizona but was not sworn in.
Johnson says the House has already done its job and passed a bill to fund the government. Johnson blames Democrats in the Senate, which is also controlled by Republicans. The Democrats want health funds for expiring insurance subsidies.
The White House reacts after Trump was passed over for the Nobel Prize
The White House is reacting bitterly to President Donald Trump being passed over despite the efforts of Republicans and world leaders.
A White House spokesman said Friday that members of the Nobel Committee “have demonstrated that they put politics above peace” by not recognizing Trump. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado received the award for her work promoting democratic rights.
Trump has long wanted the prize, claiming it is responsible for ending global conflicts. Although the Republican president received nominations, many came after the deadline. The Nobel Peace Prize aims to promote peace efforts. Previous award winners include three sitting US presidents. Critics argue that Trump’s nominations are more about manipulation than merit.
The National Guard is expected to patrol Memphis
National Guard troops are expected to begin patrols in Memphis.
The patrols are expected Friday after a federal judge in Illinois ruled Thursday to block a deployment in the Chicago area for at least two weeks.
Trump is pushing to deploy the National Guard in several US cities. His government claims that crime is widespread in these cities, although statistics do not always support this.
Tennessee’s Republican Governor Bill Lee supports the effort. A president can send active-duty military to states that fail to suppress an insurrection or defy federal law. Illinois judge says she found no substantial evidence of rebellion.
