On Politics

Wed Feb 12 2025

Rebecca Morin | Senior National News Reporter

@RebeccaMorin_

It's Wednesday! Rebecca Morin, senior national news reporter at USA TODAY, here. Today is the start of a test where I'll be switching up how and when I'm sending On Politics. Love it? Hate it? Feedback on the newsletter? Send your thoughts here.

Susan Collins is again under pressure over backing or bucking Trump

Sen. Susan Collins is considered one of the most independent voices in the Senate chamber. But she is already facing increased pressure from those on the right and the left as President Donald Trump returns for a second term where he has already begun pushing conventional boundaries. She will play a critical role to get Trump's agenda passed as Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in Congress. Read more.

•	Photos: A look at Collins' career in the U.S. Senate

Collins has already been critical of some of the president's actions, and even voted against confirming Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. But she's falling in line with other controversial nominees, saying she will back Robert F. Kennedy Jr. later this week as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. On Wednesday morning, Collins also voted to confirm Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence, despite initial concerns about the former Hawaii congresswoman. More on Gabbard's confirmation.

Snow day in DC

A person departs the White House during a snowstorm in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.

Kevin Lamarque, REUTERS

A politics pit stop

•	Why TikTokers are pretending they got into Harvard
•	Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday, a president Trump is fixated on
•	North Korea condemns Trump's proposal to take over Gaza as 'bluster'
•	Senators: Trump hiring freeze means firefighting jobs are unfilled
•	Trump loses bid to pause judge's order barring funding freezes

Inflation ticked up again in January

For the fourth straight month, inflation picked up in January. Consumer prices overall increased 3% from a year earlier, up from 2.9% the previous month, according to the Labor Department's consumer price index, a measure of goods and service costs across the U.S. Inflation rose amid a rise in food and energy costs. Read more.

•	Stock market slides at the open as inflation fears resurface

Republican lawmaker wants to rename Greenland

President Donald Trump has already renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. And now a GOP lawmaker wants to rename Greenland, which Trump is trying to acquire. Rep. Earl "Buddy" Carter, R-Ga., introduced a bill that would give Greenland a more American flag inspired name: Red, White and Blueland. Read more.

•	A reminder that Greenland is a semi-autonomous Danish territory. In Denmark, they're also poking a little fun with Trump's efforts to purchase the arctic region. An online satirical petition circulated on the website Denmarkification that called on Denmark to buy California.

Got a burning question, or comment, for On Politics? You can submit them here or send me an email at rdmorin@usatoday.com.