U.S. lawmakers are trying to regulate TikTok over long-standing alleged national security concerns, but it's unlikely the app is going anywhere anytime soon.
The big picture: Although Washington surprised even TikTok with its accelerated recent attempt to potentially ban the wildly popular video app, the efforts still face hurdles.
House Democrats are warning that legislation that could lead to a ban of TikTok risks intensifying their party's problems with young voters heading into the 2024 election.
Why it matters: Young voters have made up the backbone of the Democratic coalition in recent elections, but both parties have ramped up their courtship of the critical voting bloc this year.
With Tuesday triggering the start of a 34-week general election campaign, critics of former President Trump are imploring voters and the media to hold the presumptive GOP nominee to the same standard as any politician.
Why it matters: For eight years, the hurricane of news conjured by Trump's unprecedented behavior and rhetoric has enraged, exhilarated and eventually numbed much of the American public.
A years-long battle over TikTok's fate in the U.S. is escalating this week, as the popular video-sharing platform campaigns against the threat of a ban.
State of play: Following threats from the Trump and Biden administrations, Congress is advancing federal legislation to force China's ByteDance to sell its stake in the U.S. version of TikTok or ban the platform from U.S. app stores. Here's a timeline of how we got here.
Some House GOP lawmakers want a redo of the 118th Congress — especially when it comes to the rules that handcuffed former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and led to his ouster last fall.
Why it matters: The House GOP has been unable to consistently act like it has the majority, with members blaming the dysfunction on everything from each other to McCarthy and new Speaker Mike Johnson.
Alabama Sen. Katie Britt (R) said on Wednesday she was assured by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R) that her rebuttal to President Biden's State of the Union last week would be "fine."
Why it matters: Britt's speech, which she delivered from her kitchen, has been widely mocked. She has also been criticized for misconstruing a human trafficking victim's story during the rebuttal.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to announce his vice presidential pick in Oakland, California on March 26 as part of his long-shot presidential bid, according to a campaign event.
Why it matters: Kennedy — whose campaign has floated names like Aaron Rodgers and Jesse Ventura on its VP shortlist — faces a tighter timeline for selecting a running mate to get on the ballot as an independent candidate.
The judge overseeing former President Trump's Georgia election subversion case on Wednesday dismissed six counts in the indictment, including three against the former president.
Why it matters: Judge Scott McAfee's order said prosecutors could seek to refile the quashed charges. It comes ahead of a highly anticipated decision over whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the case.
Hunter Biden will not attend an upcoming hearing related to House Republicans' effort to impeach President Biden, his legal team said in a letter to House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) on Wednesday.
Why it matters: The president's son testified behind closed doors last month for six hours as part of the GOP-led probe, which was partially spurred by false information from an FBI informant who has since been indicted.
The House on Wednesday passed a bipartisan bill that would force China-based ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban in the U.S.
Why it matters: Lawmakers passed the bill in a 352-65-1 vote, raising the stakes in a battle that imperils the app for its millions of users across the country.
TikTokers are going offline to protest a bill advancing through Congress that could lead to the popular video app's demise.
Why it matters: After the platform's unusual call urging users to contact their representatives, creators have been speaking out about the app's financial and communal benefits and role as a major source of news.
Both President Biden and former President Trump secured enough delegates Tuesday night to clinch their primaries and the first presidential rematch since 1956.
Why it matters: A slate of primaries in states where Biden and Trump faced no serious opposition officially pushed America into a brutal and unprecedented general election.
New data shows that Democrats' longtime advantage with Black, Latino and Asian American voters has shrunk to its lowest point in more than 60 years — creating a massive vulnerability for President Biden and congressional Democrats.
Why it matters: One of the most loyal parts of the Democratic coalition is suddenly in danger. Black and Hispanic men could vote Republican in numbers not seen since President Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected in the 1950s.
The specter of an Israeli invasion of Rafah has sparked a resurgent debate among Democrats in Washington over whether aid to the country should be tied to human rights conditions.
President Trump's ousting of a huge chunk of the Republican National Committee's staff is a preview of what he plans to do with federal agencies if he's re-elected in November.
Why it matters: The Republican Party is now effectively the Trump Party. It's been remade in a way that echoes Trump's 2025 plan to oust moderates and nonpartisan civil servants from the government, pack federal offices with loyalists and expand presidential powers.
Former President Trump has won enough delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination, AP projects.
Why it matters: President Biden became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president earlier on Tuesday, kicking off what is expected to be one of the longest presidential campaigns in modern history.
President Biden formally clinched the Democratic nomination on Tuesday, AP projects, setting up what is expected to be a tense rematch with Republican Donald Trump of the 2020 presidential election.
Why it matters: The Biden campaign has already pivoted to the general election, as the president's team seeks to present Trump as an existential threat to the nation.
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