Trump Urges Congress to Pass Tax and Immigration Bill by July 4

President Trump demands Congress complete a major tax and immigration bill by July 4. He is working to persuade Senate Republicans while no public engagements appear on his schedule. Virginia’s Governor announces a special election for late Rep. Connolly’s seat. Meanwhile, Trump’s online activity surges as he continues to promote his policy initiatives.

Fast Summary: President Trump reiterated his call for Congress to pass a significant tax and immigration bill by July 4, stressing the need for swift action from lawmakers. Meanwhile, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced a special election to fill the late Rep. Gerry Connolly’s seat. Trump continues to lobby Senate Republicans on his legislative priorities, although he has no public events scheduled today.

Article Body: In a social media post, President Donald Trump urged Congress to expedite the pending tax and immigration package, aiming for a completion date of July 4. This extensive bill, which narrowly passed the House last month, now faces hurdles in the Senate due to hesitations from some Republican senators. Trump is ramping up efforts to persuade those GOP holdouts this week but has no public appearances on his day planner for Tuesday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will speak with reporters later this afternoon.

The Trump administration, alongside Republican members in Congress, is pushing for the introduction of work requirements as part of their strategy to reduce welfare spending. This move aligns with broader GOP messaging focused on eliminating waste and fraud in social assistance programs, making a case that not all recipients of federal aid should receive it.

In other news, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has set a special election for September 9, following the passing of long-serving Rep. Gerry Connolly, who succumbed to cancer last month. The majority-Democrat district is seen as favouring candidates aligned with Connolly’s legacy. Notably, James Walkinshaw, Connolly’s former chief of staff, has entered the race, having received Connolly’s endorsement before his death.

Back to Trump, there are no planned public events for him today—this marks the second consecutive day without any appearances. That said, he has been diligently working to promote his priority legislation in the Senate. Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri mentioned he had a conversation with Trump regarding Medicaid concerns, during which Trump described the legislation as a “historic opportunity.”

Trump’s online activity has significantly increased since his return to social media. In just 132 days since his inauguration, he has published 2,262 posts on Truth Social—over three times the amount of tweets he shared in a similar timeframe during his first presidential term.

On Tuesday, Trump also promised that California will face “large scale fines” following a transgender athlete’s victories at a high school championship event. He previously warned California’s Governor Gavin Newsom against allowing the athlete to compete, aligning with his executive order aimed at prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports.

In a new presidential portrait released by the White House, Trump is depicted in a formal blue suit and red tie, staring somberly at the camera. This new image is reminiscent of the infamous mug shot he took two years ago.

As Trump pushes for a legislative package including an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Republicans find it challenging to campaign on inaction. They must defend their choices without a solid record to back up their efforts. This messaging battle brings potential risks, especially with statements like that of Senator Joni Ernst, who casually remarked about the dire consequences of losing Medicaid coverage during a town hall.

Lastly, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security clarified that the Acting FEMA chief’s remarks regarding hurricane season were intended as a joke, which sparked worries among Democratic lawmakers. Meanwhile, Trump has engaged in efforts to support GOP gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey, aiming to rally Republican voter turnout ahead of November’s elections.

Original Source: www.washingtonpost.com