Politics and views in the United States

VP Vance criticizes the Supreme Court birthright citizenship ruling, Democrats gain ground in key Senate polls while Republicans keep an edge and Trump reports more than $1 billion in cryptocurrency earnings.

Transcript

Welcome to 2026 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

Do I think she made a mistake in the ruling?

I do.

But look, it was 5-4.

Sometimes the Supreme Court makes mistakes.

We're going to try to correct that mistake, but nobody's perfect, including the Supreme Court.

Vice President J.D. Vance is criticizing Justice Amy Coney Barrett for joining the 6-3 Supreme Court decision, upholding birthright citizenship for children born to people in the country temporarily or without permission.

Vance says it's an issue to consider with future court nominees, and Congress should change the law.

Administration officials say they'll start by targeting what they call birth tourism.

In fact, pregnant tourists very rarely give birth here.

But there are an estimated 6 million people born in the U.S. who live in a mixed-status household.

Zane Lacani with the Women's Refugee Commission in Wisconsin says the birthright decision doesn't remove legal barriers those families face when trying to get public housing, food stamps, and other benefits.

So this is a way in which you do not get those vital life-sustaining benefits to which you are entitled to as a U.S. citizen because one of your parents is an immigrant.

President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans are broadly unpopular and could face tough midterms.

A new New York Times poll finds economic and cost of living concerns are helping Democrats narrow the gap in key Senate battlegrounds.

But the poll still says Republicans are likely to keep control of the chamber.

With a Democratic Socialist winning nomination in Denver, progressives have continued to do well in the Democratic primary.

Other Colorado winners are more moderate but ran on their willingness to aggressively oppose the president.

Trump's latest financial disclosure shows he earned nearly $1.2 billion last year from his cryptocurrency businesses.

Ethics watchdogs say countries, corporations, and individuals with pending government business have pumped huge amounts of cash into the Trump family's World Liberty Financial.

Just after stepping off a jet given to him by Qatar, Trump denied they are buying access.

I've made a lot of money before I became president, and they invest my money.

I don't even speak to him.

You put your money in and that's it.

I don't talk to him.

The filing also shows he made millions more selling Trump-branded Bibles, watches, and sneakers.

The House voted all but unanimously to disclose which lawmakers in the past used taxpayer money to settle sexual misconduct claims.

Congress ended such taxpayer-funded settlements nine years ago.

Critics know the Department of Justice still has not released all of its files on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in spite of a law requiring that.

I'm Joe Ulory for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.