Panhandle

These stories are focused on the Florida Panhandle and its government and politics
The wine, distilled spirits, and general alcohol sector is bracing for a bitter tariff dispute between the US and European Union (EU). The EU recently announced new 50% tariffs on whiskey exports from the US in response to President Donald Trump’s recent tariffs on EU aluminum and steel exports. President Trump imposed 25% tariffs on […]
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has welcomed the announcement of an agreement integrating Syria’s Democratic Forces (SDF) into Syria’s government. SDF is a US-backed coalition of armed Kurdish groups controlling a significant portion of northeastern Syria. The agreement reportedly exchanges recognition of Syria’s Kurdish minority as “an integral part of the Syrian state” for SDF’s […]
Republican Congressional lawmakers are pledging to push legislation to balance the US budget as the federal government’s debt soars. Last May, it was reported that the US was spending more on debt interest payments than on its military for the first time in history. Florida Republican Representatives Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos spoke to […]
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz have announced Ukraine’s acceptance of a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. “Today, we've made an offer that the Ukrainians have accepted, which is to enter into a ceasefire and into immediate negotiations to end this conflict in a way […]
President Donald Trump is encouraging the people of Greenland to vote for candidates that will support annexing the island to the US in the upcoming general elections. “As I made clear during my Joint Address to Congress, the United States strongly supports the people of Greenland’s right to determine their own future,” said President Trump. […]
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for negotiations with Ukrainian officials on a potential end to the Russia-Ukraine war. Secretary Rubio’s meeting with Ukrainian officials follows President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Vlodymyr Zelesnkyy’s recent acerbic discussion in the Oval Office. The discussion initiated the rapid deterioration of US-Ukraine relations, as […]
US Central Command (CENTCOM) is reporting the recent capture of ISIS-K leadership as a result of a joint mission between US forces and armed Syrian groups. CENTCOM claimed its forces had cooperated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition of armed Kurdish groups, to capture Salah Mohammad Al-Abdullah, an ISIS cell leader, in the […]
The State Department is reportedly launching a ‘Catch and Revoke’ program that will harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify and deport Hamas supporters living in the US on an immigrant visa. State Department Secretary Marco Rubio, who initially floated the idea of revoking Hamas sympathizers’ visas prior to joining the state department, is allegedly leading […]
President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order creating the US’ first ever Bitcoin and Crypto reserve. The executive order creates two separate reserves, one Bitcoin reserve and another Digital Assets reserve holding a gauntlet of cryptocurrencies, that will hold assets forfeited as part of criminal or civil asset forfeiture proceedings. President Trump has publicly […]
President Donald Trump recently ordered the re-designation of Ansarallah, also known as the Houthis, as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). The re-designation reverses former President Joe Biden’s decision to remove the Houthis’ FTO status, originally set during President Trump’s first term. The Houthis, an islamist political and military organization receiving significant funds from Iran, has […]
The US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) recently ruled against President Donald Trump’s request to freeze $2 billion of USAID payments. President Trump had asked SCOTUS to reaffirm the US’ freezing of $2 billion USAID ‘reimbursement’ payments to companies for work that had already allegedly been performed. However, in a 5-4 ruling, SCOTUS rejected Trump’s request, ruling […]
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced the charging and extradition of terrorist Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as “Jafar,” for helping orchestrate the Abbey Gate terror attacks which killed 13 US military service members. The August 26, 2021 attacks occurred during President Joe Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal debacle. As US servicemembers attempted to coordinate the […]
Polls measuring viewers’ reactions to President Donald Trump’s recent joint address to Congress are signaling overwhelming support for the president's speech. A CBS poll conducted shortly after President Trump’s speech recorded 76% of viewers approved it. While the poll claimed 51% of viewers were Republican, 27% were independent while 20% were Democrats. The 76% approval […]
President Donald Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports while increasing current tariffs on Chinese goods by 10%. The tariffs had been originally imposed last February but were paused by President Trump due to ongoing negotiations with the respective countries. Trump has repeatedly promised, both during his presidential campaign and first days […]
President Donald Trump’s annoyance with Ukrainian President Vlodymyr Zelenskyy has seemingly worsened after the two recently engaged in a heated debate over the Ukraine-Russia war. President Zelenskyy reportedly stated the end of the Ukraine-Russia war is “still very, very far away,” inciting President Trump’s immediate rebukes. “This is the worst statement that could have been […]
President Donald Trump’s Treasury Department recently announced that it will not enforce the Corporate Transparency Act’s (CTA) beneficial ownership information reporting rule (BOI). BOI rules, originally designed to combat illicit business transactions, fraud, and money laundering by requiring businesses to disclose their ownership’s identity, have faced criticism for being allegedly unconstitutional and burdensome for small […]
Conservative lawmakers in Washington have condemned Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro’s latest threats and repressive tactics against Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. Machado recently reported Dictator Maduro sent undercover agents that attempted to break into her private residence in Caracas, Venezuela. The agents, who arrived in a silver SUV without a license plate, allegedly threatened […]
The US Department of the Treasury has announced new sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong companies allegedly helping build Iranian military drones. The latest sanctions were described as part of President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure campaign on Iran.” Six entities operating out of China and Hong Kong were sanctioned for reportedly supplying critical components of […]