Reuters US Domestic News Summary

A federal judge in Boston will hear a bid to block President Trump's executive order tightening mail-in voting rules, amid growing concerns over inflation and potential policy action.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Boston judge to weigh blocking Trump's mail-in voting executive order

A federal judge in Boston on Tuesday will hear a bid by Democratic-led states and voting rights groups to block U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order aiming to tighten rules for mail-in voting. U.S. District Judge Indira Talawni is slated to hear arguments in a pair of lawsuits just days after another judge in Washington, D.C., last week rejected a bid by the Democratic Party to similarly halt implementation of the order ahead of the November midterm elections that will ​decide control of Congress.

Fed's Hammack eyes tighter policy if inflation doesn't abate

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack said Tuesday that the U.S. central bank may need to act “soon” to combat inflation pressures that are already too high and are on a worrisome trend. “Based on the data, I’m more concerned about the growing risks of persistently elevated inflation than the risks to full employment ​and also that monetary policy may not be sufficiently restrictive to bring inflation down to 2 percent,” Hammack said in a speech prepared for delivery before the City Club of Cleveland.

US court blocks Pentagon from removing transgender troops, for now

A U.S. appeals ‌court on Monday said President Donald ​Trump's administration could for now bar transgender people from enlisting in the military, but blocked the expulsion of current service members while a lawsuit plays out. A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in a 2-1 ruling said the 2025 policy was unlawfully motivated "by the bare desire to harm a politically unpopular group."

Amazon moves Prime Day to June, keeps it a four-day event

Amazon.com will host its annual Prime Day sales event from June 23 to June 26 after launching the event in July for the past five years, citing major holidays and sporting events as factors in its decision. Prime Day is one of Amazon's biggest sales events of the year, and helped drive $24.1 billion in U.S. online spending in 2025 when it extended the event to four days from two, according to data from Adobe Analytics.

US jury finds investor Andrew Left guilty of securities fraud

A U.S. jury found prominent investor Andrew Left guilty of securities fraud on Monday, the Justice Department said, in a blow to a divisive cohort of short sellers who have for years goaded public companies in the U.S. and overseas with allegations of fraud and mismanagement. U.S. authorities charged Left in July 2024, alleging he had manipulated the stock market and defrauded investors with misleading ‌claims about his positions in multiple companies' shares, including Nvidia and Tesla, making at least $20 million in the process.

US agency announces interim guidance on Medicaid work requirements

The U.S. agency that runs the Medicare and Medicaid programs on Monday announced interim guidance on how states should implement new work requirements for Americans enrolled in Medicaid health plans. The rule announced last year as part of President Donald Trump's tax cut and spending bill requires 80 hours of work per month to be eligible to receive Medicaid, the health program for low-income Americans.

US lawmakers to grill Rubio, as Iran war enters fourth month

Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives get a rare chance this week to question Secretary of State Marco Rubio in public about President Donald Trump's foreign policy, as his fellow Republicans have been showing signs of concern about the Iran war. Rubio, who also serves as Trump's national security adviser, will testify on the State Department's budget request to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee and House and Senate appropriations subcommittees at two hearings over two days.

Fed's Powell warns that politicizing the Fed would cost public trust

U.S. Federal Reserve Governor Jerome Powell on Sunday warned about the impact of a politicized Fed and made a broader call for the defense of democratic institutions in his first public remarks since the end of his eight-year stint as head of the central bank. "Democratic institutions take much time, effort, and patience to build but can be torn down all too quickly," Powell said in remarks prepared for delivery as he accepted the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, given by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.

New Mexico Epstein commission makes first subpoenas

New Mexico legislators probing Jeffrey Epstein on Monday said they have issued their first subpoenas, calling for evidence ‌on the late sex offender from 14 entities including federal law enforcement agencies, the state governor's office and a Santa Fe scientific institute. The New Mexico Truth Commission, in its second meeting since it was set up in February, also heard testimony from Rachel Benavidez, a survivor of alleged sexual abuse at Epstein's New Mexico ranch, as well as family members of the late Virginia Giuffre, another survivor.

Financial adviser whose name appeared on Epstein files has left Merrill, spokesperson says

Paul V. Morris, a private wealth adviser whose name appeared in the Department of Justice files on disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has left his position at Merrill Lynch, a unit of Bank of America, a company spokesperson said. A company spokesperson confirmed the departure, first reported by Bloomberg News, but the spokesperson declined to specify when it occurred. There was no indication ‌whether his departure was related to his ties to Epstein.

US manufacturing activity at four-year high, supply constraints growing

U.S. manufacturing activity increased more than expected in May, hitting the highest level in four years, likely driven by businesses front-loading orders amid rising prices and shortages because of the war with Iran. The Institute for Supply Management survey on Monday showed the three-month-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz, was fracturing supply chains and threatening to undermine the manufacturing recovery.

Amazon's Ring sued over facial recognition feature, latest privacy concern for doorbell maker

Amazon was sued on Monday by a Virginia resident over what he said were privacy violations after the company's Ring doorbell cameras at friends and family members' homes collected and stored images of his face using facial recognition software.

The plaintiff, Charles Sigwalt, who is seeking class-action status, sued Amazon in federal court in Seattle alleging a feature known as “Familiar Faces” retains images of passersby without their consent. He is seeking at least $5 million in damages for the class.

Sticker shock meets gridlock: LA motorists keep driving at any price

If you thought soaring pump prices since the onset of the Iran war might help clear the notoriously clogged highways of Los Angeles, think again. Drivers in the often-gridlocked city - where regular unleaded gasoline prices are well over $6 per gallon - appear accustomed to sticker shock, according to data provided to Reuters by government officials. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in an exclusive analysis for Reuters, found that major Los Angeles-area freeways overall showed no significant declines in vehicle miles traveled since the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.

Trump signs proclamation amending tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper imports

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation amending his Section 232 national security tariffs on some aluminum, steel and copper imports, the White House said. The proclamation lowers tariffs on some steel and aluminum derivative products, including certain types of agricultural machinery and residential heating, air conditioning and ventilation equipment to 15% from 25% previously.

How the Supreme Court is reshaping the US midterm elections

The U.S. Supreme Court this year already has given a boost to President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans ⁠in the nationwide battle over redrawing electoral maps. In the ​coming weeks, it could rule in favor of the Republicans in two more significant cases related to elections ahead of the November elections that will decide control of Congress. In a case from Mississippi, Republican Party officials are seeking to strike down ⁠state laws that allow late-arriving mail ballots to be counted as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. Trump has sought to cast doubt on the security of mail-in ballots, though evidence of voter fraud is rare, and Democratic voters tend to use this mode of voting more than Republicans.

Visits to restart at New Jersey migrant detention center as police expand restricted area

New Jersey State Police closed off an area outside a Newark immigrant detention center after tensions escalated at protests over the weekend, while FBI and Homeland Security investigators were on the scene on Sunday. After two nights with arrests of activists outside the Delaney Hall immigrant detention center, law enforcement officials have expanded the area off-limits to protesters even as the facility started allowing detainee visits to resume.

California votes in primary to pick new governor, and maybe tip balance in Congress

California votes on Tuesday in a primary election that will choose two finalists for governor and Los Angeles mayor while also testing newly redrawn congressional lines that could tip the balance of power in ⁠the U.S. House of Representatives. The marquee contest is the open race for governor, with Governor Gavin Newsom termed out and widely seen as pursuing a run for the White House in 2028. A field of 61 candidates is competing under the state’s “jungle primary," in which the two highest vote-getters advance regardless of party.

Democrats appeal judge's decision not to block Trump's mail-in voting executive order

The Democratic Party indicated in a court filing on Monday that it is appealing a judge's decision last week not to immediately block President Donald Trump's executive order tightening rules on mail-in voting. Trump's March 31 executive order directed his administration to compile a list of confirmed U.S. citizens and required the U.S. Postal Service to deliver ballots only to voters on each state's approved mail-in ballot list.

Lawyers, others plead not guilty to massive US insider trading scheme

Fifteen people, including a lawyer who worked at several major law firms, pleaded not guilty on Monday to U.S. charges that they participated in a ​decade-long scheme in which attorneys fed an insider trading ring tips about nearly 30 underway mergers. Nicolo Nourafchan, who had worked at the law firms Sidley Austin, Latham & Watkins and Goodwin Procter, was among the defendants who appeared in federal court in Boston to enter pleas to securities fraud and other charges.

Gunman kills six family members, then himself, in eastern Iowa, police say

A gunman killed six members of his family, then took his own life, during a spate of shootings on Monday in the eastern Iowa city of Muscatine, a waterfront town situated across the Mississippi River from Illinois, police said. A preliminary investigation into the gun violence indicated the shootings "stemmed from a domestic-related dispute," the Muscatine Police Department said in a statement, although no mention was made of precisely what ⁠may have precipitated the bloodshed.

'We are in a war,' alleged Iran-backed militant exclaims in US court

An alleged member of an Iran-backed militia pleaded not guilty on Monday to U.S. criminal charges he was involved in multiple attacks against American interests in Europe, proclaiming in a courtroom outburst, "I am not a criminal." Iraqi national Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi spoke in Manhattan federal court after his lawyer, Andrew Dalack, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf to eight counts including conspiracy to provide material support to Kata'ib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia the U.S. considers a terrorist organization.

Trump's 'weaponization' fund put on hold after fierce opposition from Congress

President Donald Trump's nearly $1.8 billion fund to compensate victims of alleged government “weaponization" has been put on hold after the White House faced fierce opposition from Republicans in Congress, three sources familiar with the plan said on Monday. The rare rebuke of Trump demonstrated some Republicans' increased willingness to flex their political power against the president, particularly after his endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn ahead of a crucial midterm election.

Sens. Warren and Kim blast Trump for allowing AI ⁠chips to ​be sent to overseas units of Chinese firms

Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim on Monday slammed the Trump administration for potentially allowing advanced American AI chips to be sent to overseas units of Chinese firms, and called on Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify to Congress on the issue, according to a statement. In a surprise move, the Department of Commerce, which oversees U.S. exports, on Sunday issued guidance to close a potential loophole that may have led companies to export the world's most advanced chips - like Nvidia's most sophisticated Blackwell processors - to subsidiaries of Chinese companies located outside China.

UN labour agency freezes US official's appointment over unpaid dues

The International Labour Organization has rescinded the appointment of a top U.S. official to be deputy head of the UN agency because of delays in payments from the United States, it said on Monday. "Sheng Li (United States of America) will therefore not assume the position of Deputy Director-General in July as previously foreseen," it said in a statement to Reuters.

Florida becomes first state to sue OpenAI over child safety risks

Florida sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman on Monday, accusing the company of misrepresenting the safety of its ChatGPT platform, which the lawsuit said has harmed children by providing information to school shooters, offering guidance on self-harm and addicting young users. Marking the first state to take legal action against the company, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, a Republican, filed the lawsuit in Florida state court. It cited a shooting at a Tallahassee university last year and a number of events in other states where ChatGPT allegedly provided information to people who went on to commit violence.

Bus driver charged with five counts of manslaughter in Virginia highway wreck

A tour bus driver has been charged with manslaughter stemming from ⁠the deaths of five people in a fiery chain-reaction crash that police say was triggered when the motor coach plowed into slower-moving traffic in a highway construction zone. The driver, Jing Sheng Dong, 48, from Staten Island, New York, was initially charged the day after, on Saturday, with two felony counts of involuntary manslaughter. On Monday, a grand jury in Stafford County Circuit Court indicted him on three additional manslaughter counts and a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving.

Los Angeles sheriff says ICE enforcement not expected at World Cup matches

Federal officials have told Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna that civil immigration enforcement will not take place at FIFA World Cup games or events in Los Angeles, Luna said on Monday, as authorities outlined security plans for eight matches beginning on June 12. "A couple of weeks ago ⁠there was some reporting, or rumors, about ICE potentially being at the FIFA games or events," Luna told a press conference of local, state and federal law enforcement officials.

US fund management firms back 401(k) alternative assets proposal, but others worry about risks

The ⁠U.S. fund management industry has thrown its weight behind a proposal to open up retirement plans to alternative assets like private credit and cryptocurrencies to direct a slice of the estimated $14.2 trillion now in 401(k) and other mass-market products into those vehicles. More than 33,000 letters from individuals and institutions, including Wall Street and investor advocacy groups, offered a myriad of opinions on the proposed new rule by the Department of Labor by the time the comment period for the proposal drew to a close on Monday.

US Homeland Security chief sees no need to stop international flight processing at Newark Airport

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said on Monday he does not need to halt international flight processing at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport, citing cooperation from state and local law enforcement officials near a detention center. "As long as we continue to have this partnership with local and state law enforcement, then there'll be no need to do so," Mullin said at a press conference in Dallas.

US construction spending beats expectations in April

U.S. construction spending increased more than expected in April, boosted by single-family homebuilding, though rising mortgage rates amid the war with Iran continued to cast a shadow over the housing market. The Commerce Department's Census Bureau said on Monday that ‌construction spending rose 0.4% after a downwardly revised 0.2% increase in March. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast construction spending gaining 0.2% after a previously reported 0.6% ‌rise in March.

Trump homeland secretary testifies before Senate panel amid airport threats, detention protests

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is set to testify before a Senate panel on Tuesday after tensions flared over conditions in a New Jersey immigration detention center and Mullin threatened to shut down international travel into a major airport with the World Cup less than two weeks away. The public faceoff comes as Republicans are pushing for $72 billion in additional ​funding for President Donald Trump's mass deportation effort over the next three years, a sum that comes on top of a historic $170 billion devoted to the crackdown in a spending package passed last year.