Reuters US Domestic News Summary

The Republican presidential candidate, speaking to supporters in Ohio, made the claim after repeating his baseless assertion that his 2020 election defeat to Democratic President Joe Biden was the result of election fraud. US congressional funding fights take toll on housing aid programs Democrats in the U.S. Congress fended off some of the deepest cuts to housing and other social safety net programs sought by Republicans, but low-income Americans will nonetheless feel the brunt of reductions that were included in a new law.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

US investigating Meta for role in illicit drug sales, WSJ reports

U.S. prosecutors in Virginia are probing whether Facebook-parent Meta's social media platforms facilitated and profited from the illegal sale of drugs, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing documents and people familiar with the matter. The prosecutors sent subpoenas last year and have been asking questions as part of a criminal grand jury probe, the report said, adding that they have also been requesting records related to drug content or illicit sale of drugs via Meta's platforms.

Trump predicts the end of U.S. democracy if he loses 2024 election

Donald Trump said on Saturday if he does not win November's presidential election it will mean the likely end of American democracy. The Republican presidential candidate, speaking to supporters in Ohio, made the claim after repeating his baseless assertion that his 2020 election defeat to Democratic President Joe Biden was the result of election fraud.

US congressional funding fights take toll on housing aid programs

Democrats in the U.S. Congress fended off some of the deepest cuts to housing and other social safety net programs sought by Republicans, but low-income Americans will nonetheless feel the brunt of reductions that were included in a new law. Washington's efforts to address the availability of affordable dwellings for low-income families and rid aging structures of dangerous lead-paint contamination suffered funding setbacks in legislation enacted earlier this month as part of a wide-ranging government spending measure.

Trump hush money trial delayed until at least April, judge rules

Donald Trump's criminal trial stemming from hush money paid to a porn star before the 2016 U.S. election will start no earlier than April after the judge on Friday granted a 30-day delay due to the late disclosure of evidence to the former president. Justice Juan Merchan's decision to delay the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president marks another victory for Trump, who has sought to slow down proceedings in his various legal entanglements as he prepares to challenge President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 U.S. election.

Biden campaign raises over $53 million in February fundraising

U.S. President Joe Biden's re-election campaign raised more than $53 million in February and has $155 million cash-on-hand after pulling in the most grassroots fundraising since the campaign's launch. February's fundraising came just before Biden clinched the Democratic Party's nomination in March and before he raised $10 million in the 24 hours following his fiery State of the Union address.

Maine sheriff had cause to seize shooter's guns before mass killing, panel finds

Law enforcement authorities had probable cause to place U.S. Army reservist Robert Card into protective custody and seize his guns a month before he shot 18 people to death in Lewiston, Maine, an independent commission said in a report on Friday. In a unanimous finding, the seven-member panel appointed by Maine's governor and attorney general determined that the Sagadahoc County Sheriff's Office failed to take action under the state's so-called Yellow Flag law that may have prevented the mass shooting.

Exclusive-Musk's SpaceX is building spy satellite network for US intelligence agency, sources say

SpaceX is building a network of hundreds of spy satellites under a classified contract with a U.S. intelligence agency, five sources familiar with the program said, demonstrating deepening ties between billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's space company and national security agencies. The network is being built by SpaceX's Starshield business unit under a $1.8 billion contract signed in 2021 with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), an intelligence agency that manages spy satellites, the sources said.

Biden jokes about Trump's mental fitness at Washington's Gridiron dinner

U.S. President Joe Biden took jabs on Saturday at former President Donald Trump with jokes about the mental fitness of his election opponent during a speech at the Gridiron Club dinner, a Washington tradition that began in the 1880s. Biden's appearance at the dinner, in which politicians and journalists trade humorous barbs in a white-tie formal affair, was the first time a president has attended in person since former President Donald Trump in 2018.

Factbox-At a glance: March 19 presidential primary states and delegate counts

Five states will hold their presidential nominating contests on Tuesday, a week after both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump netted enough delegates to clinch their parties' nomination. Though the two candidates are now looking ahead to their general election rematch in November, Biden is contending with a protest movement from Democratic voters who oppose his backing of Israel's attacks against Hamas in Gaza.