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Ali Swenson

@aliswenson.bsky.social
1.2K followers 263 following 188 posts

National political reporter at The Associated Press Signal: aswenson.99

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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
A new pact that calls for Russia to boost the U.S. supply of diesel over the next few months is unlikely to make a dent in painfully high prices at the pump or elsewhere, energy policy experts say. apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
Boosting US oil supplies with Russian diesel unlikely to have much impact on prices, experts say
A new pact that calls for Russia to boost the U.S. supply of diesel over the next few months is unlikely to make a dent in painfully high prices at the pump or elsewhere, energy policy experts say.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
A second lawsuit is now challenging the ads: apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
Two lawsuits challenge Trump's taxpayer-funded ads, alleging they violate propaganda law
Two new lawsuits are challenging President Donald Trump's recent spate of federally funded television advertisements.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
A second lawsuit is now challenging the ads: apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
Two lawsuits challenge Trump's taxpayer-funded ads, alleging they violate propaganda law
Two new lawsuits are challenging President Donald Trump's recent spate of federally funded television advertisements.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Link to the complaint: democrats.org/wp-content/u...
democrats.org
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
NEWS: The Democratic National Committee is suing President Donald Trump’s administration for recent television advertisements that promoted his political message while costing taxpayers millions of dollars. apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
DNC sues Trump administration, alleging taxpayer-funded ads violate propaganda law
The Democratic National Committee has sued the Trump administration over recent TV ads promoting the president.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
RFK Jr. is embracing AI. Some of the most prominent MAHA organizations are actively organizing against it. More on the health secretary's approach to AI, which is confounding some MAHA allies and medical experts: apnews.com/article/ai-r...
apnews.com
RFK Jr.'s embrace of AI confounds some MAHA allies and medical experts
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s unexpected embrace of artificial intelligence has rankled some of his allies in the “Make America Healthy Again” movement.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
NEW: Rural voters are split on Trump's immigration crackdown. About a third said it's been positive for their community. About a third said negative. And the final third said no impact. More on the AP-KFF poll: apnews.com/article/rura...
apnews.com
Trump’s immigration crackdown divides rural voters as midterms approach, AP-KFF poll finds
An AP-KFF poll finds that rural voters are divided on whether President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown has benefited or harmed their communities.
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Reposted by Ali Swenson
Meg Kinnard @megkinnardap.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
AP Ground Game: ✅ AP reporters take us to areas where GOP redistricting might not pay off ✅ Rural MAHA polling from @aliswenson.bsky.social @sjtribble-reports.bsky.social & @linleyann.bsky.social ✅ @ktoropin.bsky.social sets up Hegseth's speech Today's edition: tinyurl.com/APGroundGame...
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The latest TV ad labeled “Paid for by the U.S. Government” is virtually identical to one that aired during Trump’s 2024 campaign. apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
Trump administration begins airing 2024 Trump campaign ad in latest taxpayer-funded messaging
The Trump administration is using taxpayer funds to air a television advertisement from Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign in the latest in a series of ads promoting the president ahead of the ...
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Remember the taxpayer-funded, pro-Trump ad that drew scrutiny from lawmakers from both parties yesterday? There's a second ad🔽 apnews.com/article/paid...
apnews.com
Taxpayer-funded pro-Trump TV ad campaign grows with new spot, wider reach
The Trump administration appears to be expanding its campaign of taxpayer-funded TV ads promoting President Donald Trump.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
🚨The Supreme Court has lifted restrictions for now on a controversial federal voter database, granting President Donald Trump a temporary win in his campaign against noncitizen voting. The court’s three liberal-leaning justices publicly dissented. apnews.com/article/save...
apnews.com
Supreme Court lets Trump administration use revamped federal voter eligibility database for now
The Supreme Court is allowing states to resume using a controversial federal tool to check voter eligibility before the November elections.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
New from me: Election officials say a new federal cybersecurity plan released Thursday is too little, too late. “For them to come in five weeks before the election, yeah, nice effort,” said Nevada’s Democratic Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar. apnews.com/article/elec...
apnews.com
40 days to midterms, election officials say new US cyber plan comes too late
The nation’s cybersecurity agency has released an election infrastructure security plan 40 days before November’s midterms.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Trump’s FDA pick, Heidi Overton, will answer senators' questions today. Health committee chairman Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician and Republican, has called Overton’s support for Trump's plan to space out vaccines “almost disqualifying.” apnews.com/article/fda-...
apnews.com
Senators to question FDA nominee about her views on abortion pill and vaccines
President Donald Trump’s pick to run the Food and Drug Administration will face questions from Senate lawmakers considering her nomination.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
A U.S. citizen was left bloodied and injured on the side of the road in a Chicago suburb after a confrontation with immigration enforcement agents who mistook him for a fugitive, according to local police and a resident who tried to help the man. apnews.com/article/chic...
apnews.com
US citizen injured in Illinois after ICE agents mistook him for fugitive and tried to arrest him
A man was left bloodied and injured in an encounter with immigration enforcement agents in a Chicago suburb.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
About half of rural American voters believe the economy is worse off now than when President Donald Trump returned to office, according to a new survey that points to economic frustration among a key group for Republicans. New AP/KFF poll: apnews.com/article/rura...
apnews.com
Economic frustration tests Trump’s standing with rural voters, new AP-KFF poll finds
About half of rural American voters believe the economy is worse off now than when President Donald Trump returned to office.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
“I’m sure I disagree with a whole lot of his policies, but right now I’m kind of a one-issue voter." Will Lawrence, a progressive Democrat in Michigan, is attracting some surprising GOP support through a crusade against a data center project: apnews.com/article/mich...
apnews.com
AI fears are fueling progressive Democrat's campaign in Michigan battleground district
Will Lawrence, a progressive Democratic congressional candidate in Michigan, is trying to harness unease over the rapid pace of artificial intelligence development to defeat Republican Rep.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Early voting is officially underway in the midterms, and @apnews.com is talking to Americans in Virginia, South Dakota and Minnesota about what's motivating their votes. Answers so far: Iran war, Trump's immigration crackdown, public safety and more... apnews.com/article/earl...
apnews.com
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Fascinating new data project from my @apnews.com colleagues. Millions of people have crossed into the United States over the past decade. But what happened after the border? apnews.com/projects/bor...
apnews.com
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Three HHS nominees are facing senators today, including President Donald Trump's third pick for the still-vacant role of U.S. surgeon general. More on that nominee, Dr. Nicole Saphier, with @fatimathefatima.bsky.social: apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Associated Press journalists who witnessed Sept. 11 remember what they saw, 25 years later apnews.com/article/sept...
apnews.com
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Here's the foundation's release, featuring a Q&A with us about the reporting: www.hillmanfoundation.org/sidney-award...
hillmanfoundation.org
The Guardian and AP win September Sidney Award for proving RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccination agenda for Samoa trip
NEW YORK — Michelle Smith of the Guardian and Ali Swenson of the Associated Press win the September Sidney Award for proving that the future Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy J...
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Thanks very much to the Sidney Hillman Foundation for the honor of the September Sidney Award. @bymichellersmith.com and I reported on new documents that refute RFK Jr's Senate testimony that a trip he took to Samoa in 2019 had "nothing to do with vaccines." AP's story: apnews.com/article/rfk-...
apnews.com
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
NEWS: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeatedly told lawmakers who held the key to his confirmation last year that a 2019 Samoa visit before a deadly measles outbreak had “nothing to do with vaccines.” Documents obtained by @apnews.com and @theguardian.com refute that testimony. apnews.com/article/rfk-...
apnews.com
Exclusive: RFK Jr. said a Samoa trip had nothing to do with vaccines. New documents refute that
The Associated Press and The Guardian have obtained documents that contradict statements made by current Health Secretary Robert F.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
New: A sliced finger and severe hot flashes have become painful calculations for Floridians struggling to afford their healthcare. The state's population and politics make it an epicenter of the impact of expired ACA subsidies. apnews.com/article/affo...
apnews.com
Florida, hard-hit by Obamacare drop-off, feels the squeeze of rising healthcare costs
Florida chef Elijah Button faces a tough situation after losing his Affordable Care Act health insurance due to a premium hike. The 21-year-old St.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Nothing changes yet with the Supreme Court’s order on elections. But it could open door to ‘chaos.’ apnews.com/article/elec...
apnews.com
Nothing changes yet with the Supreme Court's order on elections. But it could open door to 'chaos'
The Supreme Court's decision clearing one obstacle to the enactment of President Donald Trump's order on mail voting may not mean the order ultimately takes effect for November's elections.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
First on AP: Nearly 200 activists in Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s “Make America Healthy Again” movement sent a letter to President Donald Trump criticizing his promotion of coal to fuel the rise of AI data centers. apnews.com/article/maha...
apnews.com
MAHA activists criticize Trump for promoting coal to power energy-hungry AI data centers
Nearly 200 activists in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s “Make America Healthy Again” movement are criticizing President Donald Trump's promotion of coal to power artificial intelligence data centers.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Trump picks Dr. Heidi Overton, a top White House aide, to lead the Food and Drug Administration apnews.com/article/fda-...
apnews.com
Trump picks Dr. Heidi Overton, a top White House aide, to lead the Food and Drug Administration
President Donald Trump has picked Dr. Heidi Overton to lead the Food and Drug Administration. Overton is a deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and a trusted figure in the admini...
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Fauci’s decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment tees up a legal debate and a contempt vote apnews.com/article/fauc...
apnews.com
Fauci's decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment tees up a legal debate and a contempt vote
Dr. Anthony Fauci’s decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment before Congress will be put to the test this week.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment and declines to testify in Republican-led COVID-19 Senate hearing apnews.com/article/fauc...
apnews.com
Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment and declines to testify in Republican-led COVID-19 Senate hearing
Dr. Anthony Fauci has invoked the Fifth Amendment and declined to answer questions from senators in a Republican-led committee hearing about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Affordable Care Act premiums are likely to see another double-digit hike next year, per early rate filings: apnews.com/article/affo...
apnews.com
Obamacare premiums surged this year. A new analysis shows it's likely to happen again in 2027
A new analysis of early rate filings shows that Affordable Care Act insurers are proposing another year of double-digit premium increases.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
A woman who previously dated Graham Platner said he drunkenly forced her to have sex after she told him to stop, according to a Politico report released Monday. Platner denied the allegation, but said he would be considering next steps for his campaign. apnews.com/article/grah...
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Posted in late June, first reported on now by AP: A 50-state breakdown of steep Affordable Care Act enrollment declines between February 2025 and February 2026. apnews.com/article/affo...
apnews.com
Obamacare rolls shrank dramatically in many states over the past year, new federal data shows
New federal data reveals the first 50-state look at a steep drop in Affordable Care Act enrollment after enhanced subsidies expired in January.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
GLP-1 weight loss drugs just got a lot cheaper for many older Americans through a temporary Medicare program: apnews.com/article/glp1...
apnews.com
Medicare is now covering some GLP-1 weight loss drugs for $50. Here’s what to know
The federal government has launched a new program to make GLP-1 weight loss drugs more affordable for older Americans.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
New: The Trump administration is freezing funding for New York’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which investigates and prosecutes health fraud. The administration says the unit's metrics aren't measuring up. State officials disagree and vow to fight it. apnews.com/article/medi...
apnews.com
Trump administration suspends funding for New York's Medicaid fraud unit
The Trump administration has frozen federal funding for New York's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Health and Human Services inspector general Thomas March Bell on Tuesday accused the state agency of not...
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
New: Democrats in 25 states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration over its recent guidance on new Medicaid work requirements, arguing the strict rules will prevent eligible Americans from accessing the care they need. apnews.com/article/medi...
apnews.com
Half of states sue Trump administration over its strict interpretation of Medicaid work rules
Democrats in 25 states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration over its interpretation of new Medicaid work requirements.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Only about half of Americans can afford their healthcare and have access to quality care, according to a new poll. “I’m terrified that I’ll start a plan of treatment but won’t be able to afford to keep up with it,” one respondent told me. apnews.com/article/heal...
apnews.com
How many Americans can afford high-quality healthcare? A new poll finds the number has fallen
New data from the West Health-Gallup Affordability Index shows that only about half of U.S. adults could afford their healthcare and had access to quality care last year.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
One of Nevada's most outspoken promoters of election falsehoods has won the Republican nomination for secretary of state. He wants to eliminate electronic voting machines, end the state’s universal mail ballots and require paper ballots, counted by hand. apnews.com/article/neva...
apnews.com
Promoter of election conspiracy theories wins GOP primary for Nevada secretary of state
Former state lawmaker Jim Marchant has won the Republican nomination for Nevada secretary of state. His primary victory on Monday brings one of the state’s most outspoken promoters of election conspir...
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
How do you prove you're too sick to work 80 hours a month? The question is worrying patients like cancer survivor DeAnna Brandon, whose Medicaid coverage could ultimately depend on her ability to do just that. New from me: apnews.com/article/medi...
apnews.com
Too sick to work, but can they prove it? New Medicaid rule worries patients
Blood cancer survivor DeAnna Brandon worries about new Medicaid work requirements affecting her health coverage.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Zach Lahn's upset in the Iowa GOP primary for governor revealed cracks in Trump’s coalition in the deep-red state. It also marked a potential breakthrough moment for the MAHA movement. New: apnews.com/article/lahn...
apnews.com
Lahn's win in GOP primary for Iowa governor is a setback for Trump that could signal MAHA strength
Businessman Zach Lahn's win in Iowa’s Republican gubernatorial primary over President Donald Trump's pick is a rare electoral setback for Trump.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Hundreds of youths in Kenya are protesting the establishment of an Ebola quarantine center in the country where the U.S. plans to fly American citizens who are exposed to the virus abroad. apnews.com/article/ebol...
apnews.com
Hundreds of youths protest outside Kenya's Ebola quarantine center for US citizens
Hundreds of youths in the Kenyan town of Nanyuki have demonstrated against an Ebola quarantine center at Laikipia Air Base.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
The Minneapolis immigration crackdown ended months ago. For these little kids, trauma remains apnews.com/article/immi...
apnews.com
The Minneapolis immigration crackdown ended months ago. For these little kids, trauma remains
A therapy dog named Sage is helping children at Valley View Elementary outside Minneapolis cope with trauma from the immigration crackdown.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
HHS is now using AI to police how states and other recipients of federal health dollars are auditing their programs. The official in charge says he's been in touch with other federal agencies in hopes they follow his lead. apnews.com/article/hhs-...
apnews.com
The Trump administration expands its use of AI in the hunt for healthcare fraud
The Department of Health and Human Services is boosting its use of artificial intelligence to monitor audits from federal grant recipients.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Dr. Oz and his deputy administrator Stephanie Carlton are currently sharing their strategic plan for CMS in a Bipartisan Policy Center forum. Among other things, it cements how the agency is embracing artificial intelligence: "AI first for ourselves and our customers."
Screenshot of a slide showing the 2026-2031 CMS Strategic Framework. Four priorities are Leading Payor (AI first for ourselves and our customers), Crush Fraud (Systematically reduce inappropriate spending), MAHA (Give Americans the tools they need for better health outcomes) and Drive Affordability (Partner to better align spending and value).
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Tillis... Cassidy... Massie. More. The YOLO caucus is in session. apnews.com/article/cong...
apnews.com
The GOP's YOLO caucus is small but growing. That may spell trouble for Trump's congressional agenda
A small but growing group of Republican lawmakers is showing independence from President Donald Trump. This includes Sen.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
ICYMI: Nationwide enrollment in the Affordable Care Act health insurance marketplace could plummet by nearly 5 million people this year, according to a new KFF analysis. apnews.com/article/affo...
apnews.com
Affordable Care Act enrollment projected to plunge by 5 million as costs spike, analysis shows
Nationwide enrollment in the Affordable Care Act marketplace could drop by nearly 5 million people this year.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
President Donald Trump on Monday announced more than 600 generic medications are being added to the government’s discounted-drug website TrumpRx: apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
Trump touts a major TrumpRx expansion, adding more than 600 generic drugs
President Donald Trump has announced an expansion of his discounted-drug website, TrumpRx. Trump said Monday his administration is adding more than 600 generic medications to the website that has been...
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
When the week began, several senior positions at HHS were already sitting empty. Then Makary resigned as head of the FDA, leaving another major health agency with only an acting commissioner and widening a leadership gap that has plagued the department. apnews.com/article/maka...
apnews.com
FDA chief's resignation widens a leadership gap at the nation's health department
Dr. Marty Makary's resignation from his post atop the Food and Drug Administration is widening a leadership gap that already existed at the U.S.
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
The Trump administration said Wednesday it is expanding its sweeping fraud-busting initiative in federal health programs with a nationwide six-month freeze on any new Medicare enrollments by hospice and home health agencies. apnews.com/article/medi...
apnews.com
Trump administration freezes new Medicare enrollments for hospice and home health agencies
The Trump administration is expanding its fraud-busting initiative in federal health programs. On Wednesday, it announced a nationwide six-month freeze on new Medicare enrollments by hospice and home ...
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Ali Swenson @aliswenson.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
The head of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary, is resigning after a rocky tenure that drew months of complaints from health industry executives, anti-abortion activists and other allies of President Donald Trump. apnews.com/article/fda-...
apnews.com
Trump FDA chief is leaving after angering pharma CEOs, vaping lobbyists and anti-abortion groups
Marty Makary is resigning as President Donald Trump's Food and Drug Administration head. The surgeon and health researcher's tenure had drawn complaints from health industry executives, anti-abortion ...
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Reposted by Ali Swenson
The Associated Press @apnews.com · 11/05/2026
BREAKING: The Supreme Court temporarily extends access to a widely used abortion pill for at least three days.
bit.ly
Supreme Court temporarily extends women's access to a widely used abortion pill
The Supreme Court is leaving women’s access to a widely used abortion pill untouched until at least Thursday, while the justices consider whether to allow restrictions on the drug, mifepristone, to take effect.
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