The Latest: Texas GOP has their quorum to vote on new gerrymandered district map
By The Associated Press
The Republican-controlled Texas Legislature is poised to vote soon on a redistricting plan that resulted from prodding by President Donald Trump, eager to stave off a midterm defeat that would deprive his party of control of the House of Representatives.
Texas Democratic lawmakers delayed the vote for 15 days by leaving the state in protest, depriving the House of enough members to do business. House approval of the map Wednesday would send it to the Senate for a vote as early as Thursday.
The new map is expected to set off a national redistricting battle, with California’s Legislature poised to approve new maps adding more Democratic-friendly seats later this week.
Here’s the Latest:
Vance, other Trump administration officials, have lunch with National Guard troops at Shake Shack
Asked at Union Station whether the White House would extend the federalization of Washington’s police force after 30 days, Vance replied, “If the president of the United States thinks that he has to extend this order to ensure that people have access to public safety, that’s exactly what he’ll do.”
Amid questions about whether the Trump’s actions have really made Washington safer, Vance suggested that crime statistics “all over the country” have been “massively underreported.”
After speaking to reporters, the vice president, as well as Hegseth and Miller, remained at the station’s Shake Shack for lunch with National Guard members.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser strikes a measured tone and firm opposition to Trump’s federal crackdown
“My plan is to represent the district and navigate us out of this emergency, the president’s emergency,” Bowser said when asked by The Associated Press if she planned to change her approach to engaging with Trump after his increasingly apocalyptic rhetoric about D.C.
Bowser also said that she firmly opposed federal agents masking their faces during arrests, raids and immigration enforcement activities in the city.
“I think this is a good question for the Congress, to prohibit law enforcement agencies that are going to be working in an urban environment from wearing masks,” said Bowser at a press conference meant to highlight the district’s back-to-school plans.
She declined to describe a meeting Tuesday between the mayor and police chief and Trump administration officials, including Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
“I don’t think the National Guard should be used for law enforcement,“ Bowser said at the end of the event. She decried “calling men and women from their homes and their jobs and their families” for the president’s operation. “I don’t think you should have an armed militia in the nation’s capital.”
Judge denies Justice Department request to unseal Epstein grand jury transcripts
The ruling Wednesday by federal Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan came after the judge presiding over the case against British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell also turned down the government’s request.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her conviction on sex trafficking charges for helping the late financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse girls and young women.
Epstein died in jail awaiting trial. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment.
Most D.C. residents are opposed to President Trump’s federal intervention in the District
According to a new poll from The Washington Post-Schar School, about two-thirds also believe that Trump ordering the National Guard and FBI to patrol D.C. will not make the city safer.
The poll shows many D.C. residents don’t agree with Trump’s assessment of the District as a crime-ridden area. Fewer describe crime as a highly serious problem than did a few months ago.
Most residents report noticing more federal law enforcement officers in D.C. over the prior week. Among those who noticed more law enforcement, about 6 in 10 said it made them feel less safe
Heated exchange over map’s impact on Black voters
Debate had been relatively calm and technical until Democratic State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, who is Black, confronted bill author and Republican State Rep. Todd Hunter over the provision’s elimination of two House seats held by Black Democrats.
“We weren’t asked any questions or engaged,” Gervin-Hawkins said, referring to the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and accusing Hunter of ignoring minority interests.
“For 17 to 18 days you left,” Hunter shot back. “And now you’re coming on the microphone and asking why I didn’t come find you?”
ICC denounces U.S. sanctions
The International Criminal Court has denounced the imposition of new U.S. sanctions against four of its judges and prosecutors. In a statement, The Hague-based ICC called the sanctions “a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution” and “an affront against the Court’s states parties, the rules-based international order and, above all, millions of innocent victims across the world.”
The sanctions freeze any assets held by the two ICC judges and two ICC prosecutors in U.S. jurisdictions.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he imposed the sanctions because the tribunal’s investigations into alleged war crimes by U.S. and Israeli soldiers and officials. Neither Israel nor the U.S. is a member of the ICC, which is charged prosecuting international war crimes.
Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the U.N. secretary general, said the U.S. should withdraw the sanctions.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the step.
Protesters are staying loud
Opponents of the redistricting bill are staging protests inside the Capitol rotunda every two hours during the floor debate.
About 200 have gathered again to chant and cheer while lawmakers debate one floor above. Many protesters are holding signs that read “Put Texans Here” and “Fight the Trump Takeover.”
Debate centers around race
Much of the floor debate over the new Texas map revolves around whether it increases or decreases the number of majority-minority districts in the state.
That’s because the Voting Rights Act requires that maps give minority groups enough districts where they have an opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. That would be the only grounds under which a court could block the map. Democrats and their allies have already filed court papers urging the presumed map be rejected for that reason.
Republicans are arguing that the map actually increases the number of majority-minority House seats in Texas. Democrats are countering that the map does so only by playing numbers games and overall hurts minority representation.
Republicans in little mood for talking
Democrats can’t stop the vote on the redistricting bill but are doing what they can to slow things down. Republicans are in no mood.
Democrats are trying to prolong the debate by filing amendments and asking a lot of questions.
Republicans have twice used the majority to enforce time limits and keep the bill moving toward a vote.
Texas Democrats say it’s about democracy
Texas Democrats objecting to the new maps say the idea of lawmakers redrawing districts to help their party win elections flies in the face of the nation’s values.
“In a democracy, people choose their representatives,” said state Rep. Chris Turner. “This bill flips that on its head and lets politicians in Washington, D.C., choose their voters.”
What about that aid for flood victims?
Texas Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows has brushed off the protests by Democratic lawmakers, saying ahead of Wednesday’s session that he’s focused on important issues including responding to last month’s deadly floods.
Republicans had accused Democrats of delaying aid to flood victims by leaving the state. But redistricting is the only item scheduled for Wednesday’s session.
Trump is making more decorating changes at the White House
It looks like Trump is adding portraits along the West Wing colonnade, or the walkway that borders one side of the Rose Garden.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who is also one of Trump’s close personal friends, shared photos of herself with the president on the colonnade.
In one photo, separate sheets of brown paper are taped to the wall. In the second, Trump and Pirro stand back and watch as military aides hold up framed portraits.
A White House spokesman says Trump is playing with different ideas and designs.
Trump’s sanctions have halted ICC’s war crimes work
The Trump administration already managed to halt the International Criminal Court ’s work by sanctioning its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan. He lost access to his email and bank accounts, and the court’s American staffers were told they risk arrest if they return home. Those are just some of hurdles court staff face under pressure from Trump, according to interviews with current and former ICC officials, international lawyers and human rights advocates.
Trump sanctioned the court after a panel of ICC judges in November issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, finding reason to believe the pair may have committed war crimes by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeting civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny.
▶ Read more about the Trump administration’s pressure on the war crimes court
Texas Republicans have their quorum as protesters shout outside
About 200 are gathered in the rotunda for a rally supporting Democrats as Republicans prepare to approve new congressional maps on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025.
About 200 people have gathered in the Texas Capitol’s rotunda for a rally supporting Democrats as Republicans prepare to approve new maps answering Trump’s call to giving GOP candidates for Congress a bigger advantage in the next elections.
They’re holding signs saying “End Gerrymandering — Save Democracy,” “Defend the Constitution” and “Fascism is here.”
Meanwhile, enough lawmakers have arrived inside the chamber to give Republicans the quorum they need to proceed.
Democrats applauded as they head into House chamber
As the Texas House floor session was about to begin, about two dozen demonstrators supporting Democrats sang “Fighting for Democracy, we shall not be moved” outside the chamber.
A few held signs saying “Let Her Out.” Rep. Nicole Collier’s staff later removed the pillows, blanket and a bag of personal effects she used during her sleepover in the chamber.
As lawmakers trickled in to the chamber, several Democrats stopped to give Collier a hug and say “Thank you” and take photos with her. Meanwhile a handful of supporters clapped and cheered the arriving Democrats.
GOP House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced that the public gallery will be cleared if there are disruptions. The public gallery was mostly empty as the session was gaveled in.
Resistance widens to Trump’s troop deployments in U.S. cities
A bill introduced by Democratic Rep. Sam Liccardo of California would require a report outlining the cost of any National Guard deployment unrelated to a natural disaster, as well as its legal basis. It would also require reporting on any Guard interactions with civilians and other aspects of the operation.
Forty four Democrats have signed on, including Washington’s non-voting delegate, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. While the measure stands little chance of passing while Republicans control the chamber, it’s shows a widening Democratic response to Trump’s unprecedented moves.
“Are L.A. and D.C. a test run for a broader authoritarian takeover of local communities?” Liccardo asked. He added that the country’s founders were suspicious of “executive control of standing armies.”
Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, said “Democrats continue to side with criminals over law abiding Americans.”
▶ Read more about Trump’s military deployments to U.S. cities
US sanctions more ICC officials for probing allegations of American and Israeli war crimes
The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on the International Criminal Court. The sanctions announced by the State Department on Wednesday target two judges and two prosecutors who it said had been instrumental in efforts to prosecute Americans and Israelis at the The Hague-based international war crimes tribunal.
They are judges Kimberly Proust of Canada and Nicolas Guillou of France, and prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration will “take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our troops, our sovereignty, and our allies from the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions.”
The White House and Trump are now on TikTok
The official @whitehouse account was launched Tuesday afternoon, with Trump prominently featured in the first video.
The president several times has extended a deadline banning TikTok from operating in the U.S. to buy more time to bring the social media platform under American ownership. Congress passed a law in 2024 requiring ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to divest or face a ban.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says the decision to join TikTok shows the administration’s commitment to keeping the public informed through as many audiences and platforms as possible.
She notes that Trump was popular on TikTok during the presidential campaign and says “we’re excited to build upon those successes and communicate in a way no other administration has before.”
Joint Chiefs chairman huddles with European counterparts
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is participating in a virtual meeting of NATO defense leaders amid a renewed push to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, a U.S. defense official said.
U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s supreme allied commander Europe, also was taking part in Wednesday’s meeting as Western countries devise possible future security guarantees for Kyiv that could help forge a peace agreement.
The defense official, who wasn’t authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Caine also met with European military chiefs Tuesday evening in Washington to discuss best options to provide to political leaders.
It wasn’t immediately clear who took part.
A Texas Democrat gets an encouraging phone call
Democratic Texas state Rep. Penny Morales Shaw shows her support for fellow Democratic Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier who refuses to leave there House Chamber due to a required law enforcement escort, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
The Texas Democratic state legislator leading a protest in the Texas House chamber has received encouragement from 2024 presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
“We are all in that room with you,” the former vice president said.
State Rep. Nicole Collier posted video on social media of her listening to the call from Harris, who told her she should not feel alone as Democrats work to thwart GOP plans to redraw congressional districts to favor Republicans.
Collier said the call from Harris showed “we are making a difference” and that “people are watching and they are ready to hold this government accountable.”
Texas Legislature set to pass new congressional map in redistricting battle
Seven Democrats slept in the Texas House chamber House overnight to protest both a Republican plan for redrawing congressional districts that was set for a vote Wednesday and the GOP’s requirement for Democrats leaving the Capitol to be shadowed by police officers. Fort Worth Rep. Nicole Collier led the protest.
State law officers shadowed Democrats outside the Capitol, tailing them as they drove and shopped and watching their homes and apartments to ensure they’d show up Wednesday to give Republicans the quorum they need to approve the maps without any Democratic votes.
Democrats returned after their two-week walkout raised national attention to the GOP’s plan to fulfill Trump’s wish for Republicans to pick up five seats in the 2026 elections.
▶ Read more on redistricting developments at the Texas Capitol
Trump calls on Federal Reserve official to step down, extending pressure campaign
Trump said on social media that Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve’s governing board, should resign after a member of his administration accused Cook of committing mortgage fraud by claiming two different homes as her principal residences.
Bill Pulte, director of the agency that oversees mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, urged the Justice Department to investigate Cook, who was appointed to the board by former president Joe Biden in 2022 and was re-appointed the following year to a term that lasts until 2038.
The allegation represents another front in the Trump administration’s attack on the Fed, which has yet to cut its key interest rate as Trump has demanded. If Cook were to step down then the White House could nominate a replacement. And Trump has said he would only appoint people who would support lower rates.
Yosemite visitors may face prosecution for protesting at the national park
Shannon “SJ” Joslin was fired after hanging a pride flag from El Capitan while some visitors face potential prosecution for alleged violations of protest restrictions that have been tightened under President Donald Trump. (AP video by Brittany Peterson)
A Yosemite National Park ranger was fired after hanging a pride flag from El Capitan, and the National Park Service and the Justice Department are pursuing “possible criminal charges against several park visitors who are alleged to have violated federal laws and regulations related to demonstrations,” NPS spokesperson Rachel Pawlitz said.
Shannon “SJ” Joslin, a biologist who studies bats, was fired for “failing to demonstrate acceptable conduct” after hanging a 66-foot wide transgender pride flag on the famous climbing wall on May 20 before taking it down voluntarily.
Hanging the flag was their way of saying, “We’re all safe in national parks,” Joslin, 35, told The Associated Press, and their firing sends the opposite message: “If you’re a federal worker and you have any kind of identity that doesn’t agree with this current administration, then you must be silent, or you will be eliminated.”
▶ Read more about the crackdown on demonstrations inside National Parks
Trump wants the government to own 10% of Intel Corp.
Intel has received about $2.2 billion of the $7.8 billion pledged under the Biden administration’s CHIPS and Science Act — money the Trump administration wants converted into non-voting Intel shares.
This would deepen the Trump administration’s involvement in the computer industry as the president ramps up pressure for more U.S. companies to manufacture products domestically instead of relying on overseas suppliers.
It also would make the U.S. government one of Intel’s largest shareholders and blur the traditional lines separating the public sector and private sector in a country that remains the world’s largest economy.
▶ Read more about why Trump wants the government to own part of major companies
Trump is leveraging presidential power for Republican control
Some of his steps to intervene in elections — like pushing Republican legislators to redraw maps for GOP advantage — are typical but controversial political maneuvers, taken to his trademark extremes. Other uses of his presidential power have no modern precedent, such as ordering his Department of Justice to investigate the main liberal fundraising entity, ActBlue, and demanding detailed voter files from each state.
Then came Trump’s falsehood-filled rant on social media pledging to lead a “movement” to outlaw voting machines and mail balloting.
“Those are actions that you don’t see in healthy democracies,” said Ian Bassin, executive director of Protect Democracy, a nonpartisan organization that has sued the Trump administration. “Those are actions you see in authoritarian states.”
▶ Read more about Trump’s attempts to predetermine the results of U.S. elections
