Congressional candidate Isaiah Martin was arrested at the Texas State Capitol during a protest against alleged illegal gerrymandering involving Governor Greg Abbott and former President Donald Trump.

State lawmakers are moving forward with efforts to redraw congressional maps a move that’s sparking both political controversy and public pushback ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

President Donald Trump announced that he signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, Texas, following severe flooding that resulted in at least 59 fatalities.

A major change in federal disaster response could soon reshape how states prepare for and recover from natural disasters.

Harris County is suing President Donald Trump and his administration over a freeze on federal funding critical to its refugee resettlement program.

A Houston-area man who spent over two decades in federal prison for drug-related charges was granted a brief period of freedom following a clemency order from former President Joe Biden.

Car buying has never been a cheap chore, but it’s about to become even more expensive.

Tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump have far-reaching impacts on the everyday American, but there are some you might not even think of - like a can of beer.

President Donald Trump announces exemptions to 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada. However, tariff uncertainties cause confusion for Houston businesses.

In response to President Trump's heightened immigration policies, Houston-area schools and law enforcement are clarifying their protocols regarding federal agency requests, prioritizing student safety.

A federal judge, John C. Coughenour, temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship, citing it as blatantly unconstitutional.

During his inaugural address on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump pledged to strengthen U.S.-Mexico border efforts by sending troops and enhancing infrastructure.

Less than 24 hours after President-elect Donald Trump says he wants to rename the Gulf of Mexico, the governor of Texas is now throwing the Lonestar State’s name in the ring.

For decades, history books and maps have labeled the big body of water that sits off the coast of the southern United States and Mexico as the Gulf of Mexico.

It’s been nearly 70 years since there last was a presidential election rematch, but it has occurred more than people might think in U.S. history.

Gov. Greg Abbott and former President Donald Trump have experienced a history of mixed support and political maneuverings.

The Houston area is preparing for former President Donald Trump’s stop, expected to take place on Thursday.

Photos are coming out of court as President Donald Trump

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is conceding to President-elect Joe Biden and condemning the violent supporters who stormed the nation’s Capitol Wednesday. In a new video message, Trump says that now that Congress has certified the results, the “new administration will be inaugurated on January 20” and his “focus now turns to ensuring a smooth orderly and seamless transition of power.”He is also speaking out against the violence, calling it a “heinous attack” that left him “outraged by the violence lawlessness and mayhem.”Trump did not address his role in inciting the violence. But he is telling his supporters that, while he knows they are “disappointed,” he wants them to know “our incredible journey is only just beginning.”

WASHINGTON – Attorney General William Barr, one of President Donald Trump’s staunchest allies, is resigning amid lingering tension with the president over the president’s baseless claims of election fraud and the investigation into President-elect Joe Biden’s son. Barr went Monday to the White House, where Trump said the attorney general submitted his letter of resignation. Trump said Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen, whom he labeled “an outstanding person,” will become Acting Attorney General. Barr, who was serving in his second stint as attorney general, sought to paint himself as an independent leader who would not bow to political pressure. But Democrats have repeatedly accused Barr of acting more like the president’s personal attorney than the attorney general, and Barr had proved to be a largely reliable Trump ally and defender of presidential power.

The Democrat had topped the incumbent Republican by more than 7 million in the popular vote nationwide. California’s 55 electoral votes put Biden over the top. Republicans who would have been Trump electors met anyway in a handful of states Biden won. With the exception of Maine and Nebraska, states award all their Electoral College votes to the winner of the popular vote in their state. The bargain struck by the nation’s founders has produced five elections in which the president did not win the popular vote.

WASHINGTON – The General Services Administration has ascertained that President-elect Joe Biden is the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election. The move clears the way for the start of the transition from Trump’s administration and allows Biden to coordinate with federal agencies on plans for taking over on Jan. 20. An official said Administrator Emily Murphy made the determination after Trump efforts to subvert the vote failed across battleground states, most recently in Michigan, which certified Biden’s victory Monday. “Please know that I came to my decision independently, based on the law and available facts. I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official--including those who work at the White House or GSA--with regard to the substance or timing of my decision,” Murphy wrote in a letter to Biden.

In addition, there’s no information yet as to whether the vaccine worked in vulnerable populations or only in younger, healthier study volunteers. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, meanwhile, said Trump is “not even at that point yet” when it comes to conceding to Biden. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows tested positive last week after attending an election night party at the White House. Others at the party also have tested positive, including White House political director Brian Jack, former White House aide Healy Baumgardner and Trump campaign advisers David Bossie and Corey Lewandowski. Incoming White House chief of staff Ron Klain said Biden will appoint a “COVID coordinator” who will lead the administration’s pandemic response.

A handful of pivotal states remained in play Thursday in the tightly contested U.S. presidential race. But there are outstanding ballots left to be counted in the coming days. North CarolinaThe situationWith ballots left to count, the race is too early to call. As long as those ballots are postmarked by Nov. 3, state election officials have until Nov. 12 to count them. And when it comes to mail ballots, Biden was outperforming Trump.

(2020 Getty Images)President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at iG Flight Services on Oct. 26, 2020 in Martinsburg, Pennsylvania. (2020 Getty Images)Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks at a voter mobilization center on Oct. 26, 2020 in Chester, Pennsylvania. (2020 Getty Images)Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks to reporters while visiting a voter mobilization center on Oct. 26, 2020 in Chester, Pennsylvania. (2020 Getty Images)President Donald Trump arrives for a campaign rally at the Waukesha County Airport on Oct. 24, 2020 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. (2020 Getty Images)Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks at a drive-in campaign rally at Dallas High School on Oct. 24, 2020 in Dallas, Pennsylvania.

President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden are set to chase votes in Florida, a state all but essential to the Republican’s pathway to another term as both nominees turn their focus to encouraging voters to turn out on Election Day. More than 73 million Americans have already voted, absentee or by mail, and Trump and Biden are trying to energize the millions more who will vote in person Tuesday. Thousands gathered in close proximity without wearing masks — a trend that was expected to continue through more than a dozen events in the final sprint to Election Day. Biden, meanwhile, heads later in the week to three more states Trump won in 2016: Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan, where he’ll hold a joint Saturday rally with former President Barack Obama. Trump, meanwhile, is banking on enthusiasm among his Election Day supporters to overcome indicated Democratic strength in some early returns.

With less than two weeks before one of the biggest Election Days in history, Republican incumbent nominee, President Donald Trump, and Democratic nominee and former vice president Joe Biden met at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, for the second and final presidential debate. The debate, which appeared to be a little more constructive than the last, was moderated by Kristen Welker of NBC News. What did you think of responses and ideas presented by Biden and Trump? Let us know your reaction by clicking on an emoji below each statement that was made.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden will have their microphones cut off in Thursday’s debate while their rival delivers their opening two-minute answer to each of the debate topics. The 90-minute debate is divided into six 15-minute segments, with each candidate granted two minutes to deliver uninterrupted remarks before proceeding to an open debate. The open discussion portion of the debate will not feature a mute button, but interruptions by either candidate will count toward their time in the second and final debate Thursday. The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates announced the rule changes Monday, three weeks after a chaotic opening faceoff between the two presidential contenders that featured frequent interruptions -- most by Trump. The commission has faced pressure from the Trump campaign to avoid changing the rules, while Biden’s team was hoping for a more ordered debate.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump says he has instructed aides to stop negotiating on a coronavirus aid plan until after the election, roiling stock markets hoping for an economic boost for hard-hit industries such as the airlines. Trump, who has the coronavirus himself, tweeted Tuesday that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was not negotiating in good faith. The Democratic-led House passed a $2.2 trillion relief bill last week. The White House said at the time that it had raised the price tag on its own proposal to $1.6 trillion. But bridging that difference has proved difficult.

WASHINGTON – White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany says she has tested positive for COVID-19. This comes days after President Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus. McEnany says in a statement that she tested positive Monday morning and is experiencing no symptoms at this time. She spoke briefly with reporters Sunday evening but says that no members of the White House press corps spent enough time around her to be considered close contacts. She says that she is beginning the quarantine process and “will continue working on behalf of the American People remotely.”

11:20 a.m. -- Trump’s doctor to give update on conditionThe White House says President Donald Trump’s doctor provided an update on his condition Saturday morning. President Donald Trump’s doctor says he is doing “very well” as he spends the weekend at a military hospital for treatment of COVID-19. 11:35 p.m. — The White House physician says his medical team has “elected to initiate Remdesivir therapy” for President Donald Trump. ___11:55 a.m.First lady Melania Trump says she is experiencing “mild symptoms” after she and President Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said President Trump was also experiencing mild symptoms, but continues to work from the White House residence as he quarantines.

HOUSTON – The Houston-area doctor featured in a controversial, viral video claiming anti-malarial drug, hydroxychloroquine, is a cure for COVID-19, offered to treat White House staff Friday after President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump announced they had COVID-19. PREVIOUS INTERVIEW: Houston-area doctor in viral video touting hydroxychloroquine as virus cure doubles down on claims“This virus has a cure, it’s called hydroxychloroquine,” she said at the time. “Everyone in the White House get on HCQ twice a month. Everyone in the White House get on HCQ twice a month. Read the full memo tweeted by White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany below:Watch Immanuel’s full interview with KPRC 2 from July below and read the transcript here.

The experimental antibody drug given to President Donald Trump has been called one of the most promising approaches to preventing serious illness from a COVID-19 infection. Trump was given the experimental drug at the White House on Friday before he was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he’ll be monitored, officials said. Several physicians who treat COVID-19, including Dr. David Boulware at the University of Minnesota, had speculated that doctors might use the antibody drug, given that this approach has worked against other diseases in the past. In multiple studies, Regeneron is testing it both for preventing infection and in people already infected, like Trump, to try to prevent serious illness or death. Trump apparently is not receiving hydroxychloroquine, a drug he widely promoted that has been shown in many studies to be ineffective for preventing or treating COVID-19.

HOUSTON – President Donald Trump will be treated in Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital’s VIP treatment ward in Washington. The medical center has its own intensive care unit, kitchen, secure conference room, NBC 4′s investigative reporter Scott MacFarlane noted. Here are his additional reported details:The White House typically has a person on duty at medical center when President is in town (Monday through Friday)If the President needs specialty care, Walter Reed has already-vetted doctors to provide it. The White House Chief of Staff has his own office space in the medical center, and the White House physician gets sleeping quarters. Walter Reed administrators do not have unrestricted access to President’s area.

An Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist, Amanda Cochran is a Houston transplant from New York City who has embraced her new city with both arms -- living and breathing news and all things Texas.

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is experiencing “mild symptoms” of COVID-19 after revealing Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus, a stunning announcement that plunges the country deeper into uncertainty just a month before the presidential election. “Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. Trump had consistently played down concerns about being personally vulnerable to contracting COVID-19, even after White House staff and allies were exposed and sickened. On July 3rd, Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is dating Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., tested positive in South Dakota before an Independence Day fireworks show at Mount Rushmore. In July, Trump National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien tested positive.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Hope Hicks, one of President Donald Trump’s closest aides, has tested positive for the coronavirus after spending time in close proximity to him this week. She is the most senior White House official to test positive so far. She originally served as White House as communications director, and re-joined the administration this year as an adviser ahead of the election. Multiple White House staffers have tested positive for the virus, including Katie Miller, Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary, national security adviser Robert O’Brien, and one of the president’s personal valets. After earlier positive cases close to the president, the White House instituted a daily testing regimen for the president’s senior aides.

You were a disaster.”THE FACTS: Trump frequently distorts what happened in the pandemic of 2009, which killed far fewer people in the United States than the coronavirus is killing now. Supreme CourtBIDEN, on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett: “She thinks that the Affordable Care Act is not constitutional.”THE FACTS: That’s not right. Health careTRUMP: “Drug prices will be coming down 80 or 90%.”THE FACTS: That’s a promise, not a reality. Delaware StateTRUMP: “You said you went to Delaware State, but you forgot the name of your college. “I got started out of an HBCU, Delaware State — now, I don’t want to hear anything negative about Delaware State,” Biden told a town hall in Florence, South Carolina, in October 2019.

ORANGE PARK, Fla. – A man was arrested last week after striking a 12-year-old girl in the face with a flagpole during a small rally for President Donald Trump near a Florida intersection, authorities said. Norbert Logsdon Jr., 67, of Orange Park, was charged Sept. 16 with child abuse without great bodily harm and later released on bail, the Florida Times-Union reported. Logsdon and others had been participating in a sidewalk support event for the Republican president near an Orange Park intersection, according to a Clay County Sheriff’s Office arrest report. A video that the mother posed on Facebook appears to show Logsdon approach the vehicle, stick the flagpole through an open car window and hit the girl. A deputy who later interviewed the girl noted redness on her face.

The war of words on the Senate floor is likely a preamble to a coming brawl to replace the Ginsburg. "Unfortunately, the Democratic leader has put forth an amendment to turn that bipartisan resolution into a partisan resolution," Cruz said in his floor remarks, referring to U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer. Schumer took to the floor immediately after Cruz spoke, stating that he believed "Justice Ginsburg would easily see through the legal sophistry" of Cruz's argument. When U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died in February 2016, Cruz and other Republicans successfully blocked then-President Barack Obama's appointee, Judge Merrick Garland, from serving on the court. They argued at the time it is inappropriate for a Supreme Court nomination to move forward so close to a presidential election.

President Donald Trump said Saturday that he tentatively approved a deal between the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok and Oracle and Walmart that could bring the new joint venture’s headquarters to Texas. Greg Abbott tweeted that he had spoken to the president about Texas housing the possible new TikTok headquarters. “I let him know that if he approves the deal Texas would be the perfect place for the HQ,” Abbott wrote in the tweet. Trump had previously requested that there be a contribution to the U.S. government in exchange for helping to arrange the deal. In a TikTok press release describing the deal, the company said the jobs would be “across the country.”While Trump said the deal had his “blessing,” a final agreement is still uncertain.

Republicans and President Donald Trump have repeatedly tried to sow doubt over the reliability of voting by mail, alleging it allows for widespread fraud. During the interview with Politico’s Tim Alberta, Crenshaw raised concerns about voting practices in Pennsylvania and Nevada, falsely saying that Pennsylvania was sending unsolicited ballots to voters. Crenshaw suggested in the interview that he worried that some ballots might be mailed to the wrong addresses, inviting fraud. Just 372 possible cases of double voting or voting on behalf of dead people were identified, the Post reported. “It’s no secret that in the suburbs and especially amongst women, that they’re simply turned off by Donald Trump,” Crenshaw said, later adding, “They have a personal dislike for him.”

WASHINGTON (AP) – The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg just over six weeks before the election cast an immediate spotlight on the high court vacancy, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell quickly vowing to bring to a vote whoever President Donald Trump nominates. Trump took the stage for a Minnesota rally not long before Ginsburg’s death was announced. She “stood for all of us.”A confirmation vote in the Senate is not guaranteed, even with a Republican majority. Typically it takes several months to vet and hold hearings on a Supreme Court nominee, and time is short ahead of the election. He has said he’s also working on a list of potential nominees, but the campaign has given no indication that it will release names before the election.

But the state is already seeing one major effect of the pandemic on voting: It’s much harder to register voters. Texas is not one of them, and the state’s Republican leadership has long fought efforts to allow for an online voter registration process. “We’re not seeing an increase in voter registration activity that compensates for the decrease that we’ve seen in previous months,” he said. Democrats and Republicans told The Texas Tribune that they’re struggling with voter registration in the era of COVID-19. While Texas has turned to online services during the pandemic, the state doesn’t allow residents to register when they renew their driver’s licenses online.

Neither was a man accused of shooting and killing a demonstrator in Louisville following the death of Breonna Taylor. Demonstrations have slowed, though not necessarily because of the federal charges. Carroll accused federal authorities of using the cases to try to make the protests seem more violent and disruptive than they really were. “There is absolutely an agenda here to blow these out of proportion, make these look more serious or more sinister than it is,” Barnett said of the pursuit of federal charges. “This is the Justice Department, from the top, furthering an agenda that has nothing to do with justice,” he said.

Even if the election is messy and contested in court, the country will have a president on Inauguration Day. But states' electoral votes have to be cast on Dec. 14. When the electors meet, the candidate who gets at least 270 of the 538 electoral votes wins. But what happens if election issues still prevent a winner from being named? In a contingent election, House members have to choose among the three people with the most electoral votes.

Tens of thousands of immigrants who are living in Texas legally under humanitarian protection could be forced to leave or face deportation after an appellate court ruled that President Trump can end the program. The ruling would require Salvadorans to leave the country by Nov. 5, 2021 for Salvadorans. Monday's decision in Ramos v. Nielsen could affect more than 300,000 TPS holders nationwide. The plaintiffs in the case said they would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary. According to the center for American Progress, TPS holders from El Salvador, Honduras and Haiti add about $2.2 billion to the Texas GDP every year.

HOUSTON A ban on Black Lives Matter face masks at Needville High School has some parents and students accusing the school and district of bias and silencing students trying to express their first amendment rights to free speech. She says she questioned his rationale and asked why other students are allowed to wear masks that say Trump on them, apparently in support of President Donald Trump. The Needville Independent School District did not answer KPRC 2s specific questions regarding students being allowed to wear Trump masks. When a student wore a Black Lives Matter face mask, that student was told the same thing that face mask was not permitted. The district recognizes that it is important to provide students with guidance regarding what face masks are permitted and which are not.

The top executives of nine drugmakers likely to produce the first vaccines against the new coronavirus signed an unprecedented pledge meant to boost public confidence in any approved vaccines. Meanwhile, public health officials have expressed doubt that adequate data on vaccine safety and effectiveness would be available before November. BioNTech has partnered with Pfizer on one of the three vaccines now in the final round of human testing. The country already has a small, but vocal, group of “anti-vaxxers” who oppose giving their children the many standard vaccines. They added that extra transparency on testing results and the approval process is needed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention followed up Tuesday by declaring that any landlord shall not evict any covered person from any residential property for failure to pay rent. Senior administration officials explained that the director of the CDC has broad authority to take actions deemed reasonably necessary to prevent the spread of a communicable disease. Affirmatively declare they are unable to pay rent because of COVID-19 hardships. Trumps Democratic rival, Joe Biden, called on Aug. 1 for Congress to enact a broad emergency housing support program to prevent evictions and shore up landlords. Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said the order will provide relief for millions of anxious families, but added that the action delays rather than prevent evictions.

WASHINGTON (AP) In her Republican National Convention speech, Kimberly Guilfoyle described herself as a first-generation American, citing her mother's Puerto Rican roots. Now, she says, I consider it my duty to protect that dream.The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for clarification. Kimberly Guilfoyle describes herself as a first-generation American, but also notes that her mother is a special education teacher from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Guilfoyle, a Trump campaign adviser, cited her roots to make the case that she knows how dangerous a socialist agenda would be for the nation. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.

Trips are planned with input from the presidential medical staff, and the president, vice president and senior staff are regularly tested. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is painting Trump's public appearances as public health threats. President Trump and Vice President Pence are safely hosting events that allow them to bring their message directly to the American people in several states across the country, said campaign spokeswoman Courtney Parella. It isnt the presidents and vice presidents safety thats at risk, said Dr. Perry Haltikis, a public health psychologist and dean of the Rutgers University School of Public Health. At one, called suddenly on a Friday night, club members holding wine glasses assembled keeping no personal distance and, like Trump, not wearing masks.

Senator John Cornyns office Tuesday with the aim of getting him to support the HEROES Act, a proposal led by Democrats in Congress. The provisions in the HEROES Act are the same $600 weekly unemployment assistance. Since the CARES Act expired in July with final disbursements on July 25, the HEROES Act would extend that provision though January 2021 and longer for others, depending on their circumstances. Republicans supported the HEALS Act which, unlike the HEROES Act, proposes a lesser payment to unemployed workers. Sen. Cornyn supported the additional federal unemployment benefits in the CARES Act and supported its extension in the HEALS Act.

HOUSTON In a historical move, former Vice President and presidential candidate Joe Biden announced that Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) will be running mate for the 2020 elections. Simply put Kamala Harris is a leader who will never stop fighting for the people. She and Vice President Biden are the right team to lead America out of the dark era of Trumpism and into our next generation. I'm honored to join him as our party's nominee for Vice President, and do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief. He said by picking Harris, Biden underscored his own judgement and character.

HOUSTON – President Donald Trump says he never suggested that his face grace Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, but now that it’s been mentioned, he thinks it’s a “great idea,” according to a recent tweet. Never suggested it although, based on all of the many things accomplished during the first 3 1/2 years, perhaps more than any other Presidency, sounds like a good idea to me! https://t.co/EHrA9yUsAw — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020On a recent visit to Mount Rushmore, the president posed with his face positioned beside the other presidents -- George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln -- envisioned on the mountainside. President Donald Trump smiles at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Friday, July 3, 2020, near Keystone, S.D. What do you think about the idea of President Trump’s face on Mount Rushmore?

Around 1.6 million Texans were receiving the extra unemployment benefits before funding for them expired in July. On Saturday, Trump ordered that eligible unemployment recipients receive an extra $400 weekly but only if states administer the funds and provide $100 of that amount. Trumps order calls on states to use money from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund or other state funding to pay for its share of the unemployment benefits. But even if it were to hold up in court, it remains unclear how exactly Trump's order would work. Neither of Texas two Republican senators directly answered questions posed to their offices Monday about whether they supported Trumps order.

FILE - In this July 28, 2020, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event in Wilmington, Del. Despite all the secrecy, the speculation and the fierce jockeying behind the scenes, presidential running mates rarely sway an election. But as the political world awaits the imminent announcement of Bidens vice presidential pick, there is a real sense among his allies and adversaries that this decision may matter more in 2020. Joe Biden is on the cusp of announcing the biggest, and possibly most consequential, decision of his political career with the unveiling of his running mate. It has become typical over the past few presidential campaign cycles for the presumptive nominee to put a team in place so that the running mate can hit the ground running, and so that its a more integrated campaign, he said.

A review by the Kaiser Health News service and The Associated Press finds at least 48 state and local health leaders have resigned, retired or been fired since April across 23 states. At least 38,000 state and local public health jobs have disappeared since the 2008 recession, leaving a skeletal workforce for what was once viewed as one of the worlds top public health systems. In Oklahoma, both the state health commissioner and state epidemiologist have been replaced since the outbreak began in March. She said she knows many public health department leaders who are considering resigning or retiring because of the strain. Our elected officials in positions of power, whether presidents, governors or mayors, they arent supporting staff better or aligning messages," forcing public health officials to bear the political pressure, Brown said.

HOUSTON President Donald Trump issued executive orders against TikTok and WeChat Thursday night, prompting reactions from social media users on Twitter. The Executive Order came after the U.S. accused Chinese tech firms ByteWave and Tencent of automatically capturing vast swaths of information from its users, such as location data and browsing information. The executive order is set to go in effect for 45 days. Stephanie Jill Roberts (@Stepherpsu) August 7, 2020Hopefully this supposed Tiktok ban wakes people up to how their data is mined and packaged for sale. Adolwulf MUFC (@Adolwulf) August 7, 2020Ban Facebook instead of Tiktok cheese connoisseur (@Isabellecreager) August 7, 2020instagram: *sees tiktok is getting ban*instagram: this is our chanceinstagram: NOW INTRODUCING REELS dacia (@Dacia_k_) August 7, 2020alright trump can you NOT ban tiktok please.

HOUSTON In the latest move against China, President Donald Trump signed an executive order against the parent company of popular video app, TikTok, that will go into effect in 45 days, according to a report from the Washington Post. Trump previously said the app was a threat to national security as tensions between China and the U.S. have escalated. Per the order, all U.S. companies and people in the country will be prohibited from transacting with ByteDance, TikToks parent company. pic.twitter.com/1zR4HgCPVj Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) August 7, 2020The order further states that TikTok reportedly censors content that the Chinese Communist Party deeps politically sensitive.Trump reportedly also signed a similar order against China-based app, WeChat. MORE: @realDonaldTrump has also signed a similar order banning transactions with WeChat.

The meeting was part of a series of events across the country to reach Black voters. Angela Piazza for The Texas TribuneTrump himself has made sporadic attempts to reach out to Black voters. The state party has taken some steps to diversify: Allen West, a Black former congressman from Florida, was recently elected chair of the state party. While he doesnt need to win a lot of Black voters to win reelection, just moving the needle by a few percentage points could be helpful. The effort is there, Smith said of Trumps strides with Black voters.

Widespread testing is considered essential to containing the outbreak as the U.S. approaches a mammoth 5 million confirmed infections and more than 156,000 deaths out of over 700,000 worldwide. Jessica Moore of rural Newberry, South Carolina, said that after a private lab lost her COVID-19 test results in mid-July, she had to get re-tested at a pop-up site organized by the state. A number of companies are studying COVID-19 antigen tests in which you spit on a specially coated strip of paper, and if you are infected, it changes color. But the approach faces resistance in Washington, where federal regulators have required at least 80% accuracy for new COVID-19 tests. To date, the Food and Drug Administration has allowed only two COVID-19 antigen tests to enter the market.

HOUSTON A Texas widow, whose husband died from coronavirus last month, penned a scathing obituary in which she blamed President Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Stacey Nagy of Jefferson, Texas posted the obituary for her husband 79-year-old husband David on Facebook after she had it printed in their hometown newspaper. In it, she said her husband had died a horrible death from COVID-19 on July 22. The father of five and grandfather died alone in the ICU at Christus Good Shepherd Hospital in Longview, Stacey Nagy wrote. Shame on all of you, and may Karma find you all!On 07/22/20 my dear husband died a horrible death from COVID-19.

Members of the Nevada National Guard install social distancing stickers while setting up a new temporary coronavirus testing site Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, in Las Vegas. Some Americans have resisted wearing masks and social distancing, calling such precautions an over-the-top response or an infringement on their liberty. We do.The number of confirmed infections in the U.S. has topped 4.7 million, with new cases running at over 60,000 a day. In Virginia, cases have surged so much in cites like Norfolk and Virginia Beach that Democratic Gov. You just dont care as much about social distancing after youve had a couple of drinks.

DALLAS A predominantly Black Dallas church active in the Black Lives Matter movement alleges a pro-police rally tried to intimidate its members by roaring into its parking lot Sunday afternoon. Organizers said a Friendship-West Baptist Church pastor gave them permission to use its parking lot to rest. Leaders of the church, which displays a huge Black Lives Matter banner on its exterior wall, said in a statement, however, that it was asked to use the parking lot for a Black Lives Matter rally, not a Back the Blue event. Were the only one out of those seven or eight that has a Black Lives Matter sign up. Fellow organizer Nathan Adams also blamed a communication breakdown and apologized "for any kind of misconceptions or misunderstandings or anything.Nevertheless, some church members responded Sunday evening with a Black Lives Matter rally and march at Dallas police headquarters Sunday night.

HOUSTON – The Houston-area doctor featured in a controversial, viral video claiming an anti-malarial drug is a cure for COVID-19 is sharing her side of the story with KPRC 2 Investigates. “This virus has a cure, it’s called hydroxychloroquine,” claimed Dr. Stella Immanuel at a press conference in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday. But that bold proclamation goes against what the World Health Organization, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and most medical experts say about the drug. But the consensus among the worldwide medical community is that there is currently no cure for COVID-19. “I’m a warrior, sniper in the kingdom of God.”Watch the full interview below and read the transcript here.

Also, sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. The damage comes at the start of what is projected to be an active hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30. Engineering experts who reviewed photos of the jagged cracks caused by the weekends storms said the damage reinforces what many have long said: Building and maintaining a border fence so close to the river poses serious challenges. Flooding and erosion concerns are some of the main reasons why the government has not built a border fence directly on the banks of the river. We said it was too close to the water, erosion would be an issue, the location made no sense, Patrick said.

President Donald Trump sought to give a morale boost to the beleaguered Texas energy industry during a visit Wednesday to the Permian Basian, while also rallying oil-and-gas workers against Democrats ahead of the November election. "We were very close to losing a very powerful, great industry," Trump said, "and now we're back and we're just gonna keep expanding." While Texas officials welcomed Trump to Texas by endorsing his "support of Texas energy producers, the industry across the state has been harshly disrupted in 2020. The trip was Trump's 16th visit to Texas as president but first to the Midland-Odessa area, a Republican stronghold. The Texas Democratic Party held a news conference ahead of Trump's visit to highlight how the pandemic has disproportionately impacted Latino Texans.

HOUSTON Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Monday that he issued a proclamation extending the early voting period for the November election by nearly a week in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Per the proclamation, early voting by personal appearance in Texas will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 13, instead of Monday, Oct. 19. The early voting period will continue till Oct. 30 before Election Day on Nov. 3. For the runoffs, Abbott had doubled the early voting period, shifting the start date from July 6 to June 29. Abbott and other Texas GOP leaders continue to resist a push by Democrats to expand mail-in voting.

The Trump administration is detaining immigrant children as young as 1 in hotels before deporting them to their home countries. Government data obtained by AP showed the U.S. had detained children nearly 200 times over two months in three Hampton Inn & Suites hotels in Arizona and two Texas border cities. But the Trump administration has not said it will stop using hotels to detain children. Their agreement only covers 17 children known to have been detained as of Thursday at the Hampton Inn in McAllen. The Trump administration responded by questioning Ordin's authority to issue the report.

Portland has seen protests nightly for two months since Floyd was killed in Minneapolis in May. President Donald Trump said he sent federal agents to Portland to halt the unrest but state and local officials say they are making the situation worse. Portland Police say they arrested six people. Protesters paused outside a downtown hotel, where federal agents are staying, chanting Feds go home and yelling the names of Black people killed by police. During demonstrations Friday night, federal agents repeatedly fired tear gas to break up rowdy protests that continued into the early morning Saturday.

BEIJING China on Friday ordered the United States to close its consulate in the western city of Chengdu in an increasingly rancorous diplomatic conflict. The order followed the U.S. closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston. WHAT HAPPENED: US orders China to close Houston consulate amid swirling accusations of espionage, theftThe Chinese foreign ministry appealed to Washington to reverse its erroneous decision.The Trump administration on Tuesday ordered the Houston consulate closed within 72 hours. The United States has an embassy in Beijing and consulates in five other mainland cities Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenyang and Wuhan. WATCH: Videos show flames, activity in courtyard of Consulate General of China in HoustonEXPLAINED: Most important things to know about whats going on with the Consulate General of China in Houston

BEIJING China ordered the United States on Friday to close its consulate in the western city of Chengdu, ratcheting up a diplomatic conflict at a time when relations have sunk to their lowest level in decades. The measure taken by China is a legitimate and necessary response to the unjustified act by the United States, said a foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin. On Tuesday, the Trump administration ordered the Houston consulate closed within 72 hours. The United States has an embassy in Beijing and consulates in five other mainland cities Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenyang and Wuhan. Alongside the eviction of the Houston Chinese Consulate, the risk of the U.S.-China conflict escalating into a Cold War is worrying, Hayaki Narita of Mizuho Bank said in a report.

Republicans wanted $25 billion but the Trump administration said the $9 billion in unspent funds from a previous aid deal was sufficient. Despite deep differences among Republicans, McConnell is trying to push forward with what he calls a starting point in negotiations with Democrats. Were still on the 20-yard line? Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said, referring to White House comments. Where have the Republicans been?The White House negotiators, Mnuchin and Mark Meadows, the presidents acting chief of staff, arrived late at the Capitol. Were still struggling.Congress approved a massive $2.2 trillion aid package in March, the biggest of its kind in U.S. history.

I cant even imagine whats going to happen, said Helen Shih, a member of the Chinese community in Houston. So whats going to happen to them?The feeling of uncertainly was shared by Brian Liu, another member of Houstons Chinese community. For regular people, for regular businesses, the Chinese Consulate in Houston gives us a lot of convenience. We have people constantly going back and forth getting their visas here at the Chinese consulate going to China. Liu said the Chinese and Chinese American community in Houston love being an active part of the community.

An NBC/WSJ poll out Wednesday also finds Biden leading Trump with an increasing margin, Biden with 51% support among registered voters over Trump's 40%. In the NBC/WSJ June poll, Biden lead Trump with 49% to 42%. A majority of registered voters (54%) approve of how Trump is handling the economy in that poll, 42% disapprove, steady from their February poll. A Pennsylvania poll from Monmouth University, also out Wednesday, finds Biden leading Trump significantly -- Biden with 53% of registered voters, 40% for Trump. The NBC/WSJ poll was conducted June 9-12 among a random national sample of 900 registered voters.

(CNN) President Donald Trump plans to address China during afternoon remarks at the White House, officials said. The 4 p.m. CT Rose Garden event was added to the Presidents schedule mid-afternoon. Trump has stated he is unhappy with the country but that he's not yet planning to scrap the trade agreement he struck with Chinese President Xi Jinping last year. The measure would impose sanctions on businesses and individuals that help China restrict Hong Kong's autonomy. And two weeks ago, the administration announced visa restrictions on current and former Chinese officials who it says were responsible for eviscerating Hong Kongs freedoms.

Fauci has contradicted Trump's false claims that the United States is leading the world in the coronavirus fight. Last week, Fauci said that some states had opened too early -- a position supported by the evidence of fast-rising Covid-19 infections. The White House apparently sees no irony in attacking his track record when the President spent weeks denying the virus would be a problem, praising China for its handling of it and predicting a "miracle" that would cause it to disappear. DeVos played on those concerns in demanding a full opening of schools on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. Brian Kemp even angered Trump with the speed of his state openings.

(CNN) States with spiking coronavirus cases still can contain them by pausing their reopening processes, rather than shutting down a second time, one of the nation's top infectious disease experts said Thursday. On Wednesday, Fauci told the Wall Street Journal that a second shutdown might be the best move for states struggling with burgeoning coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. "I think any state that is having a serious problem, that state should seriously look at shutting down," Fauci told the newspaper in a podcast. The US reached more than 3 million coronavirus cases this week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The University of Mississippi Medical Center has more patients than rooms, the center's vice chancellor said Thursday in a briefing with state health officials.

(CNN) In the span of a week and a half, the number of coronavirus cases in the United States has doubled, yet officials are saying this is still the first wave of the pandemic. "We are still knee-deep in the first wave of this," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a Facebook and Twitter livestream Monday. On the same livestream with Fauci on Monday, Dr. Francis Collins, the National Institutes of Health director, tried to reassure Americans the country would get through the pandemic. The state reported 9,999 new coronavirus cases Sunday, bringing Florida's total to more than 200,000 infections. Florida authorities failed to contact traceA CNN investigation found Florida health authorities often failed to perform contact tracing, which has long been considered a key tool in containing coronavirus outbreaks.

Immigration judges said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday against the U.S. Department of Justice that they are being muzzled by the Trump administration, marking the latest confrontation between the judges and the federal government. The lawsuit seeks to block the agency's policy preventing judges from speaking out publicly on immigration issues or the court system. While immigration judges wear black robes and preside over non-jury proceedings, they are considered federal attorneys with the Justice Department, a law enforcement agency. In contrast, federal judges who oversee criminal and civil matters are more autonomous because they are appointed for life and work for the independent judicial system. The immigration judges’ union has called for the courts to be made independent and free of government influence.

The event will gather "thousands" together during a global pandemic with no social distancing, comes amid a national conversation on monuments with racist histories and also highlights local environmental issues. Kristi Noem, who worked with the President and the Department of Interior to make the event happen, said Monday that social distancing will not be enforced at the "large event," though masks will be provided. "But we won't be social distancing, we're asking them to come, be ready to celebrate, to enjoy the freedoms and the liberties that we have in this country." "There are no social distancing requirements in place at this time," a recording on the park's main telephone line said on Monday. Trump is also expected to attend traditional fireworks festivities on the White House South Lawn on July 4, though it's unclear how or if social distancing will be enforced.

(CNN) The White House announced Thursday night that Vice President Mike Pence would lead a public coronavirus task force briefing Friday morning, the first public meeting in almost two months. The briefing will not take place at the White House, but at the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a schedule released by the White House. He has also resumed campaign rallies, despite warnings by health experts on his own task force that the events could be super spreaders of the virus. Even as cases rise, an administration official familiar with discussions inside the coronavirus task force told CNN that the panel has remained sidelined and muzzled. Fauci told committee members that he spoke to the President about two and a half weeks ago.

HOUSTON – Local leaders and lawmakers are pleading with the federal government to extend support for COVID-19 testing sites in Texas as cases continue to grow at a rapid rate. Seven COVID-19 testing centers across Texas, including four in the Houston-area, are set to lose federal funding on June 30, after the Trump administration decided not to extend the program that established them. He noted that Harris County has the third-largest population in the country and has seen a significant increase in positive COVID-19 cases in the past weeks. He said there is an increasing demand for testing sites in the county and that testing facilities have routinely reached capacity by midday. He also warned that losing federal support for testing sites could lead to catastrophic by “blunting the progression” of COVID-19.

(CNN) Donald Trump's campaign against mail-in voting isn't getting much support from other Republicans, either in Washington or in some key swing states. On Monday, Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri told CNN he is supportive of states expanding mail-in voting. Blunt did add that states that "dramatically change" their systems to include more mail-in voting presented a "challenge." GOP Texas Sen. John Cornyn said the process for mail-in voting through absentee ballots has worked well in his state, though he said expanded mail-in voting is "not a panacea." And there is already anecdotal evidence Trump's campaign against mail-in voting is putting his reelection bid at a disadvantage.

The US Secret Service on Monday evening told members of the White House press corps to immediately leave the White House grounds, a highly unusual decision that did not immediately come with an explanation. The decision came during an ongoing demonstration in Lafayette Square, across the street from the White House where protestors were trying to bring down a statue of former President Andrew Jackson that stands in the middle of the park. Last month, Trump was briefly taken to the underground bunker for a period of time as protesters gathered outside the White House, according to a White House official and a law enforcement source. Following that episode, the White House cautioned staffers who must go to work to hide their passes until they reach a Secret Service entry point and to hide them as they leave, according to an email which was viewed by CNN. He remained at the boarded-up building, brandishing a Bible for the cameras, for only a matter of minutes before returning to the White House.

(CNN) Silicon Valley is pushing back against President Donald Trump's latest immigration curbs, this time targeting visa programs that tech companies use to bring in thousands of skilled foreign worker. Both visas are popular with the United States' tech giants, and many were quick to condemn the executive order. "Immigration has contributed immensely to America's economic success, making it a global leader in tech, and also Google the company it is today," Google CEO Sundar Pichai said on Twitter. "Disappointed by today's proclamation we'll continue to stand with immigrants and work to expand opportunity for all," he added. "Preventing high skilled professionals from entering the country and contributing to America's economic recovery puts American's global competitiveness at risk," a company spokesperson said.

(CNN) – President Donald Trump said that his niece, who is set to publish a tell-all book about him and his family, had signed a nondisclosure agreement and is "not allowed to write a book." Mary Trump, the President's niece and the daughter of his late older brother, Fred Trump, Jr., has penned a book described as a "revelatory, authoritative portrait of Donald J. Trump and the toxic family that made him." The book is set to be released on July 28, according to the book's publisher Simon & Schuster. "She's not allowed to write a book," Trump told Axios in an interview Friday. The Daily Beast first reported that Mary Trump had signed a nondisclosure agreement.

2) Wearing a mask when in public particularly indoors is a very effective way of slowing the spread of the virus. Unless local and county offices refuse to mandate masks, no federal dollars. The Trump campaign, in fact, is not mandating masks be worn at the President's campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday night -- although masks will be passed out. He also told Trump that Oklahomans "can't wait to have you here on Saturday." "Governor Ricketts has any future he wants," former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski told the World-Herald in 2019.

(CNN) Father's Day is just another reason for former first lady Michelle Obama to shower her husband with some extra love. She posted to Instagram a photograph of former President Barack Obama and their two daughters, Malia and Sasha, along with a heartwarming note. Happy Father's Day, Barack! Current first lady Melania Trump also posted a Father's Day message on Twitter. "Today we celebrate all fathers for their love, dedication & wisdom to help guide our youth to help them succeed & grow.

Attorney General William Barr raised that prospect in interviews in recent weeks with The New York Times magazine and Fox News. The president tweeted on Monday a news report on Barrs remarks as well as a separate message that said: RIGGED 2020 ELECTION: MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND OTHERS. A bipartisan team of election judges conducts signature verification and refers for further investigation suspected instances of double-voting. That trend has agitated Trump, who even before Monday has openly railed against absentee voting. ___Associated Press reporters Brian Slodysko in Washington and Nicholas Riccardin in Denver contributed to this report.

Zapata County is not looking to reach an agreement, but rather challenge the authority of the federal government to do this." Now Zapata County is trying to protect a roughly four-acre tract of land thats home to a bird sanctuary in the town of San Ygnacio, which lies about 35 miles south of Laredo. We attract a lot of visitors to that area, its a habitat that we dont want necessarily to be disturbed, said Zapata County Judge Joe Rathmell. Its important for the court to figure out what exactly is the plan for these areas, Rathmell said, adding that the commissioners court isn't against border security. The county also alleges the federal government failed to properly negotiate with county officials over a fixed price, as required by law.

The new restrictions, which Trump is expected to sign Monday afternoon, will prevent foreign workers from filling 525,000 jobs, according to White House estimates. Trump on April 22 ordered a 60-day freeze on several categories of family and employment-based immigration visas, limits that have now been extended through the end of 2020. While U.S. citizens can continue to sponsor spouses and minor children, Trumps orders will bar most other categories of applicants, affecting more than half of the approximately 460,000 immigration visas issued last year. Trump administration officials have defended the restrictions as a sensible measure to protect U.S. workers amid unemployment levels that are the highest since the Great Depression. This is a victory for the immigration hawks within the White House, Krikorian said.

(CNN) The family of the late Tom Petty has filed a cease and desist notice to the Trump campaign after one of the musician's songs was played at the President's campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "Both the late Tom Petty and his family firmly stand against racism and discrimination of any kind. Tom Petty would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate. While the family said they stand for America and democracy, they believe President Donald Trump does not represent "noble ideals of either." CNN has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.

(CNN) – The federal government is stuck with 63 million doses of hydroxychloroquine now that the US Food and Drug Administration has revoked permission for the drug to be distributed to treat coronavirus patients. The government started stockpiling donated hydroxychloroquine in late March, after President Trump touted it as "very encouraging" and "very powerful" and a "game-changer." That leaves the Strategic National Stockpile with 63 million doses of hydroxychloroquine, plus another 2 million doses of chloroquine, a related drug donated by Bayer, according to Carol Danko, a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services. Before the FDA revoked its authorization, the stockpile had already distributed 31 million doses. Novartis and Mylan donated doses of the drug to the stockpile.

At another meeting during last year's G-20 Summit in Osaka, Bolton writes Trump "stunningly" turned the conversation to the upcoming 2020 election. "He is a liar," Trump told the Wall Street Journal Wednesday, adding that "everybody in the White House hated John Bolton." "I am hard-pressed to identify any significant Trump decision during my White House tenure that wasn't driven by reelection calculations," Bolton writes. Despite the objections of his advisers, Bolton writes that "Trump was desperate to have the meeting at any price." "The pattern looked like obstruction of justice as a way of life, which we couldn't accept," Bolton writes.

The most immediate objectives for national Democrats in 2020 are to recapture the White House and Senate majority. Texas is an important battleground state for our campaign in 2020, he told the state Democratic Partys convention earlier this month. If that comes to pass, it would not be impossible to see a national Democratic advertising campaign in Texas. Instead, many Texas Republicans are fairly sanguine about the fall. Additionally, Texas Republicans say the Democratic base may help the GOP more than anything else.

(CNN) There are about 12 million low-income people who are at risk of missing out on the federal government's stimulus payment program because they don't have to file taxes, according to an estimate from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. More than 4 million people have used the non-filer tool to get payments so far, according to the House Ways and Means Committee. On June 3, the IRS said it had sent money to all eligible Americans for whom it had the necessary information, totaling 159 million payments worth $267 billion. Most were directly deposited into people's bank accounts, but about 35 million people were sent paper checks and another 4 million were sent pre-paid debit cards in the mail. But the Ways and Means Committee has estimated that there are about 30 to 35 million payments that still need to be made.

HOUSTON After weeks of protests calling for an end to police brutality in the wake of George Floyds death, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on police reform on Tuesday. What does the executive order do? The president's executive order outlines the following series of recommendations:- Establish a national database to track police officers with multiple reports of misconduct. Whats not includedThe president's executive order does not address calls from civil rights leaders, police reform advocates and protesters for an end to systemic racism within the nation's police departments. Many of the suggestions outlined in Trumps executive order would require funding from Congress.

WASHINGTON The Trump administration Friday finalized a regulation that overturns Obama-era protections for transgender people against sex discrimination in health care. The policy shift, long-sought by the president's religious and socially conservative supporters, defines gender as a person's biological sex. The Obama regulation defined gender as a person's internal sense of being male, female, neither or a combination. LGBTQ groups say explicit protections are needed for people seeking sex-reassignment treatment, and even for transgender people who need medical care for common conditions such as diabetes or heart problems. The Trump administration says the notice requirement has become a needless burden on health care providers, requiring billions of paper notices to be mailed annually at an estimated five-year cost of $3.2 billion.