Steve Benen

Today’s edition of quick hits.* An extraordinary diplomatic escalation: “Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday that he would not issue visas to Palestinian officials to prevent them from attending the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York next month.

As French President Emmanuel Macron talks about Vladimir Putin "once again" playing Trump, the White House's claims to international respect look absurd.

U.S. military funerals are traditionally reserved for actual heroes, not insurrectionists like Ashli Babbitt who attacked their own country’s capitol.

According to JD Vance, the White House isn’t just angry with the Fed’s recent policy decisions; it’s also angry about the Fed’s existence.

By any fair measure, the last year has been challenging for Sen. Joni Ernst. Now, the Iowa Republican is calling it quits.

Despite Pete Hegseth’s rhetoric about “lethality,” his Pentagon finds time for other priorities — such as helping Confederate names, monuments and paintings.

Karoline Leavitt said the White House supports "individual choice" on Covid shots. That wasn't altogether true, and her boast came with fine print.

Many Jan. 6 criminals paid restitution to the government. With the Trump administration's blessing, the money is starting to flow in the opposite direction.

As Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. targets the CDC with nonsense, a growing number of Senate Democrats are demanding RFK Jr's resignation.

As Republicans connect mass shootings and antidepressants, remember: It’s not just that they're wrong, it’s that they’re not even trying to be right.

As Donald Trump revokes Kamala Harris’ Secret Service protection, the Republican is effectively wielding security details as a political tool.