Senate begins debate on Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'
After a dramatic procedural vote late Saturday, the bill went to the floor.
The Senate on Sunday afternoon began debate on President Donald Trump's megabill for his second term priorities after a dramatic procedural vote late Saturday night.
There is up to 20 hours of debate but while Democrats will use their allotted 10 hours, Republicans are expected not to. After that, likely in the early hours of Monday, senators will begin offering amendments to the bill.
Overnight Sunday, the Senate parliamentarian ruled more provisions out of order with the reconciliation process Republicans are using to pass the bill with a simple majority. If it passes in the Senate, the bill goes back to the House to consider changes the Senate made to the House's version of the bill, which passed by one vote.
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Leavitt claims there is an effort to divide Trump's team with leaks
The press secretary was asked about the recent leaks to the press claiming that "there's an effort on the outside of this building to try to divide the president's team on the inside."
"But I can assure you, the president's team is strong, especially the national security team. Everyone is very proud of the president, of our commander in chief and of our military for the successful operation that took place on Saturday night," she added.
Despite blocking of key Medicaid provision in Trump's bill, White House remains committed to deadline
Following the Senate parliamentarian's blocking of a key Medicaid provision from Trump's bill, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt recognized this as "part of the process" and reiterated the president's July Fourth deadline.
"I know that there was a ruling by the Senate parliamentarian this morning. Look, this is part of the process," she said. "This is part of the inner workings of the United States Senate, but the president is adamant about seeing this bill on his desk here at the White House by Independence Day."
"I think our friends in both the Senate and the House know exactly where the president stands on Medicaid," Leavitt added, emphasizing the president's desire to eliminate "waste, fraud, and abuse."
Trade deal deadline not 'critical,' Leavitt says
Next week is the deadline for the trade deals with the majority of other countries before the White House issues its tariffs.
Leavitt was asked if that deal is still "hard and fast."
"The deadline is not critical. The president can simply provide these countries with a deal if they refuse to make us one by the deadline," she said, adding that the president can make a reciprocal tariff rate.
Pentagon provides more details of US strikes against Iran's nuclear sites
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine held a news conference at the Pentagon on Thursday morning, where they provided more operational details of the U.S. strikes against Iran's nuclear sites.
The press conference came as President Trump and Hegseth doubled down on their assessment the sites had been totally "obliterated" after a preliminary U.S. intelligence assessment that the bombings of the Natanz, Isfahan and Fordo facilities likely set back Iran's nuclear program by only a few months.
Hegseth continued to criticize the leak of the report and the news media's coverage of it.
Caine, meanwhile, said the Joint Force doesn't do battle damage assessment as he focused on the details of how the U.S. strikes unfolded -- including how the weapons were built and tested, how the U.S. targeted ventilation shafts at the Fordo facility and personal stories from military personnel involved. Caine said the fighter pilots who trailed the B-2 bombers said that after the first bomb struck the target “the pilots stated, 'this was the brightest explosion that I've ever seen. It literally looked like daylight.'"