Author: Ellen Morrissey
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Federal government shutdown now tied for third-longest in U.S. history
On Oct. 16, the federal government shutdown became tied for the third-longest shutdown in U.S. history. At 16 full days long, it is tied with the 2013 government shutdown over an attempt to alter the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If the shutdown lasts through Oct. 22, it will become the second-longest shutdown, and if it…
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U.S. Supreme Court has granted 83% of the Trump administration’s requests on the emergency docket
As of Oct. 1, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court had fully granted 19 of the Donald Trump (R) administration’s emergency applications for intervention in lower court cases, 83% of the decided emergency applications that the administration filed. The court granted in part and denied in part two applications, denied one application, and denied one other…
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September saw President Donald Trump’s (R) second-lowest monthly executive order total
President Donald Trump (R) issued 11 executive orders in September, bringing his second-term total to 209. This is the second-fewest executive orders he has issued in any month of this term. To view each order he issued in September, click here. So far this term, Trump issued the fewest executive orders in June 2025 with…
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President Donald Trump (R) hit 43% approval in September, lowest rating of his second term
At the end of September, approval polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) at 44% approval. Fifty-four percent of voters disapproved of his performance. In early September, Trump received a 43% approval rating, the lowest of his second term. The highest approval rating Trump has received this term is 54%, last seen on Jan. 22,…
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DCCC raised almost twice as much as NRCC in August
As of Aug. 31, 2025, the end of the most recent party committee campaign finance filing period, the three committees associated with the Democratic Party have raised a cumulative $221 million and spent $210 million in the 2026 election cycle, while the three committees associated with the Republican Party have raised $259 million and spent…
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Michael Waltz confirmed as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Michael Waltz as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Sept. 19, 2025. The Senate voted 47-43 in favor of his nomination, with 44 Republicans and three Democrats, Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), voting in favor. There were 41 Democrats who voted against…
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Senate Republicans invoke nuclear option to change nomination rules
On September 11, 2025, Senate Republicans voted to change chamber rules governing the nomination process for certain types of presidential nominees. The vote was 53-45, along party lines. This procedure, where a majority party changes a Senate rule or precedent through a simple majority vote, is often referred to as the nuclear option or constitutional…
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President Donald Trump (R) ends August with 44% approval, same as July
At the end of August, approval polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) at 44% approval. Fifty-three percent of voters disapproved of his performance. This is the lowest approval rating he’s received during his presidency. He first received this approval rating in April. The highest approval rating Trump has received is 54%, last seen on…
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President Donald Trump (R) issued 17 executive orders in August, two more than he issued last month
President Donald Trump (R) issued 17 executive orders in August, bringing his total to 198 in his second term. To view the titles and text of each order he issued in August, click here. Trump issued two more orders this month than he did in July, when he issued 15 executive orders. Trump issued 46…
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Almost 200 candidates have already filed to run in the 2028 presidential election
As of Aug. 25, 2025, a total of 175 candidates had filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to run in the 2028 presidential election. Of these candidates, 39 were Democrats, 44 were Republicans, and the other 92 were independent or minor party candidates. Over the course of a presidential election cycle, hundreds of individuals…