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Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference on Wednesday that he intends to remain as chair until his successor is confirmed by the Senate. He also stated that he has “no intention of leaving” the Fed until a Justice Department investigation of him is “well and truly over, with transparency and finality.” (WSJ.) For background on the DOJ’s investigation, see a prior Roundup.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, President Trump’s pick to replace Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security, told lawmakers during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday that he plans to take a low-profile approach to leading the department and will require ICE agents to obtain judicial warrants before entering homes. (WSJ.)
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declined to characterize the threat Iran posed to the United States during her testimony on Wednesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee, stating “[i]t is not the intelligence community’s responsibility to determine what is and is not an imminent threat.” She said that such determinations fall solely within the president’s discretion. (NYT.)
The Pentagon has reportedly asked the White House to approve an additional $200 billion request to Congress to fund continued U.S. military operations in Iran. (WaPo.)
Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a resolution for a second time that would have forced President Trump to cease military operations in Iran without prior approval from Congress. (NYT.)
The FBI has reportedly opened an investigation into Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, over possibly leaking sensitive intelligence. The probe reportedly predates Kent’s resignation from his position over the U.S. military operation of Iran. (NYT.) For background on Kent’s resignation, see a prior Roundup.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, when privately pressed by lawmakers on Wednesday, reportedly would not commit to sit for a closed-door deposition with the House Oversight Committee regarding the Epstein files. Under questioning, Bondi, who has been issued a subpoena to appear, reportedly told lawmakers she would follow the law. (NYT.)
Voice of America’s parent agency on Wednesday named a former Fox News producer and Newsmax news director as the next deputy director of the government-funded broadcast agency. (NYT.) For background on the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America, see yesterday’s Roundup.
Speaker Mike Johnson is expected next week to put an extension of the spy law known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to a vote on the House floor. Some Republicans refuse to support the law, which allows for warrantless surveillance of non-Americans abroad but sweeps in some Americans’ communications. (Politico.)
Andrew Kent argued that courts should enforce Congress’s limits on delegations of emergency power and declare President Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act unlawful. (Lawfare.)
Scott Busby, Mary Giovagnoli, Harold Hongju Koh, and Michael Posner argued in advance of oral arguments before the Supreme Court in Noem v. Al Otro Lado that the Trump administration’s “turnback” policy—physically blocking asylum seekers from accessing a port of entry and then denying them the right to apply for asylum because they have not crossed the border—is morally troubling and legally wrong. (Just Security.)
Bill Shipley argued that Judge James Boasberg’s order quashing grand-jury subpoenas regarding Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell “is wrong on the law.” (Shipwreckedcrew.)
Pending Interim Order Applications Involving the U.S. Government in the Supreme Court
Blanche v. Perlmutter: The government filed an emergency application on October 27 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a district court interlocutory injunction that temporarily reinstated Shira Perlmutter to her role as Register of Copyrights while litigation over her removal continues. Chief Justice Roberts formally set a deadline of November 10 for a response to the application. Perlmutter submitted a response on November 10. Blanche submitted a reply on November 12. The Court deferred the application for stay on November 28 pending the Court’s decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and Trump v. Cook.
Trump v. Cook: The government filed an emergency application on September 18 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a preliminary injunction issued by a district court that blocked President Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed an opposition to the request on the same day. The Chief Justice formally set a deadline of September 25 for a response to the application. Cook filed a response on September 25. On October 1, the Court deferred action on the stay application pending oral argument in January 2026 and established a supplemental briefing schedule. Additional amicus briefs were filed on October 29. Both sides filed supplemental briefs on November 19 and the Court heard oral argument on Jan. 21, 2026.
Noem v. Doe: The government filed an application on February 26 requesting the Supreme Court stay pending appeal of a preliminary injunction issued by a district court preliminarily enjoining Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem from terminating temporary protected status designation for Syria. The government asked the Court to construe the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition.
Trump v. Miot: The government filed an application on March 11 requesting the Supreme Court to stay a lower court order postponing then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate temporary protected status designation for Haiti. The government also asked the Court to treat the application as a petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment and grant the petition.