Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Biden, who is working to shore up support among Black voters ahead of his November rematch with former President Donald Trump, contrasted his policies with Republican efforts to cut funding for racial equity initiatives, state-provided health insurance, and social security. Trump repeats attack on ex-lawyer on eve of trial despite gag order Donald Trump once again attacked his former lawyer Michael Cohen on Saturday, potentially testing the limits of a gag order that bars him from making public statements about witnesses concerning their testimony in his upcoming criminal trial in New York.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

What does the gag order mean in Trump's hush money case?

The gag order imposed on Donald Trump by a judge in next week's New York criminal trial bars the former U.S. president from talking publicly about certain people involved in the case and their families. Trump has pleaded not guilty to falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment before the 2016 election to stop porn star Stormy Daniels from talking about a sexual encounter she says she and Trump had in 2006. Trump denies an encounter.

Abortion rights activists rally in Florida as issue moves to center of U.S. election

Thousands of reproductive rights supporters rallied on Saturday in Florida to support a voter referendum that would enshrine abortion protections into the state constitution, an effort Democrats hope will boost their chances to win the Southern state in November's presidential election. Activists in Arizona – where a similar ballot measure campaign is ongoing – have announced a rally on Sunday in Scottsdale to protest the decision from the state's highest court on Tuesday reviving a 160-year-old abortion ban.

Truck slams into Texas public building, killing one, injuring over a dozen

An 18-wheel truck with a loaded flatbed slammed into a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) building on Friday, killing one person and injuring more than a dozen others in what a county judge said was a deliberate act. "This incident was intentional and done by the suspect who was denied a CDL yesterday," said Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough said in a Facebook post, referring to a commercial driver's license or CDL. "He returned today with intent to harm."

US House passes controversial surveillance bill on fourth attempt

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted to reauthorize a controversial surveillance program on Friday, in a major step toward keeping a key element of the United States' foreign intelligence-gathering operation in place. The House passed a bill reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in a 273-147 vote. The FISA bill now moves to the Senate, which is expected to give it bipartisan approval. Without congressional action, the program will expire on April 19.

Battleground Pennsylvania: Trump holds rally, Biden plans tax speech as rematch heats up

Former U.S. President Donald Trump heads to the battleground state of Pennsylvania on Saturday for a rally and a fundraiser just days before he is set to go on trial in New York over an alleged hush money scheme. He will be closely followed by President Joe Biden, who will make three Pennsylvania stops next week, speaking first in his hometown of Scranton about his push to reform the U.S. tax code.

Trump's hush money trial will not be delayed because of publicity, judge rules

The New York judge overseeing Donald Trump's hush money criminal case rejected the former U.S. president's bid to delay Monday's scheduled trial on the ground that substantial pre-trial publicity would make the proceedings unfair. Trump had sought an indefinite delay, saying media coverage was prejudiced against him, and finding an acceptable jury in Manhattan would be tough because the borough was "overwhelmingly biased" against him.

US House to consider pro-Israel bill next week, lawmaker says after Iran attack

The U.S. House of Representatives will make a change in its schedule to consider legislation that supports Israel and holds Iran accountable, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said in a statement on Saturday. "The House of Representatives stands strongly with Israel, and there must be consequences for this unprovoked attack," he said in a statement. More details will follow, he said.

Biden hails work to reduce racial wealth gap as he seeks voter support

U.S. President Joe Biden hailed his administration's efforts to close the racial wealth gap, one of the country's most persistent inequalities, in a speech to Reverend Al Sharpton's racial justice conference in New York on Friday. Biden, who is working to shore up support among Black voters ahead of his November rematch with former President Donald Trump, contrasted his policies with Republican efforts to cut funding for racial equity initiatives, state-provided health insurance, and social security.

Trump repeats attack on ex-lawyer on eve of trial despite gag order

Donald Trump once again attacked his former lawyer Michael Cohen on Saturday, potentially testing the limits of a gag order that bars him from making public statements about witnesses concerning their testimony in his upcoming criminal trial in New York. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the former president wrote, "Has disgraced attorney and felon Michael Cohen been prosecuted for LYING? Only TRUMP people get prosecuted by this Judge and these thugs!"

Biden returns to Washington as Iran launches attack on Israel

U.S. President Joe Biden returned to Washington on Saturday to consult with his national security team as Iran launched a retaliatory drone and missile attack on Israel. Biden cut his weekend trip to Delaware short to monitor developments and meet with Cabinet members and other top U.S. officials, the White House said.