Politics and views in the United States

The House rejects a bid to end military aid to Israel, the Senate grills the nominee for Director of National Intelligence over the big 2020 election lie, and Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche faces a tough confirmation hearing.

Transcript

Welcome to 2026 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

Israel does not need, and quite honestly, does not deserve more American money for weapons.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has taken Israel down an ugly path.

Texas Democrat Joaquin Castro backed a failed amendment in the House to end U.S. military aid to Israel.

The proposal, offered by Kentucky Republican Thomas Massey, drew support from half of House Democrats, but not nearly enough to pass.

Progressives have been winning more Democratic primaries, many by voicing criticism of what they call genocide in Gaza.

Ukraine is working to keep support in Washington after the death of a strong ally, South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.

Kyiv is lobbying the White House and Capitol Hill, and senators have renamed a bipartisan sanctions bill after Graham in the hope that will strengthen support for targeting countries that help finance Moscow's war.

New U.S. strikes on Iran are targeting military sites tied to attacks on commercial shipping, but voters are pessimistic.

A new economist YouGov poll finds nearly half of Americans say the war will last at least another year. 55% want the U.S. to stop attacking Iran, while about a quarter support continuing strikes.

Gas and oil prices are up, but remain below where they were earlier in the war.

Jay Clayton, the president's nominee for director of national intelligence, faced tough questions over the 2020 election at his Senate confirmation hearing.

I'm not an election denier.

Joe Biden was certified as the president of the United States.

We have substantial work to do in improving our electoral processes.

It's part of national security.

Clayton stops short of calling the election legitimate, drawing sharp criticism from Democrats.

President Donald Trump is again returning to his claims about 2020, even devoting a primetime address to demands that Congress tighten voting laws before the midterms.

With Mitch McConnell too frail to vote, the narrow GOP edge in the Senate is even thinner.

A key Republican vote on Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination is still up in the air.

During a confirmation hearing, lame duck Texas Senator John Cornyn pressed Blanche on the $1.8 billion so-called anti-weaponization fund.

The acting AG helped design.

I believe you have said that the weaponization fund is a moot issue.

Yes, there is no weaponization fund.

The weaponization fund is dead.

It's not moving forward.

Critics call it a Trump slush fund and say while Blanche calls it dead, the White House refuses to confirm that.

Cornyn has not said if he'll support Blanche's nomination.

I'm Joe Ulori for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

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