Political Court Broader

Castro Indictment, Court Expansion, and a Party in Flux

Federal prosecutors are preparing to indict 94-year-old former Cuban president Raúl Castro for ordering the 1996 shootdown of two civilian planes that killed four people — a move that arrives while a CIA chief is simultaneously visiting Havana, suggesting a deliberate diplomatic balance between engagement with current Cuban leadership and accountability for past actions.

On the domestic judicial front, Vice President Harris is urging Democrats to consider expanding the Supreme Court, a significant escalation in the party's thinking about institutional reform. Previously focused on term limits and ethics rules, Democratic strategy has moved toward structural changes that would fundamentally alter the Court's balance — a step that would also require eliminating the Senate filibuster, with sweeping implications for legislative governance.

Senate Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries seized on Trump's remark that he does not think about Americans' finances when making decisions about the Iran conflict, drawing a sharp political contrast over priorities during a period of economic stress. Meanwhile, JFK's grandson Jack Schlossberg pushed back against a Times report describing turmoil in his congressional campaign, calling his operation 'nimble and small' and accusing rivals of planting the story ahead of the June 23 primary. Connecticut's GOP gubernatorial frontrunner separately suspended his campaign over city credit card spending issues, illustrating how financial ethics controversies have become increasingly toxic across the political spectrum.

A House bill requiring 'In God We Trust' to appear on all federal buildings advanced amid the broader political turbulence, a measure that critics argue raises First Amendment questions about government endorsement of religious messages and that supporters see as an appeal to cultural conservative values.