Layla A. Jones
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Articles by Layla A. Jones
Biggest US Retailers Use $5 Billion in Trump Tariff Refunds to Appease Investors Original
This week saw some of the country’s largest retailers report their quarterly earnings and the impact of some several billion dollars in tariff refunds on their bottom lines. After the Supreme Court struck down tariffs President Donald Trump levied under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, Trump’s administration was ordered to repay, with interest, tariff revenue collected under that statute.
Trump Is Using a New, Highly Unusual Census Bureau Report to Claim He Won the 2020 Election Original
President Donald Trump lost the popular vote in the 2020 election by 4.4%. That hasn’t stopped him, though, from latching on to a highly unusual Census Bureau report published Tuesday afternoon that allegedly found less than two-hundredths of a percent of voters in that presidential election were noncitizens. According to the report, 24,000 out of 128 million voters in the 2020 presidential election were ineligible “non-citizen” voters.
Trump Is Using a New, Highly Unusual Census Bureau Report to Claim He Won the 2020 Election
08.19.26 | 1:55 pm U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions after signing an executive order to limit mail-in voting as U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick looks on in the Oval Office of the White House on March 31, 2026 in ... U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions after signing an executive order to limit mail-in voting as U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick looks on in the Oval Office of the White House on March 31, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Let's take a look-see at what 'far left' vs. 'far right' candidates actually want
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Let’s Take a Look-See at What ‘Far Left’ vs. ‘Far Right’ Candidates Actually Want
Whose Narrative Is It Anyway? Political labels are increasingly meaningless. As Josh Marshall has been writing, fewer people these days are inclined to identify as "centrist" or "moderate." So-called independent voters often espouse wildly incoherent views (see: those insane-making New York Times voter surveys). Donald Trump even accused Joe Biden of being a socialist.
Today’s Census Attacks Mirror a Century Old Republican-Led Constitutional Crisis Original
It’s 1920, Republicans feel their government trifecta melting away. They’ve decided forcing a constitutional crisis is the only way to maintain that stronghold. Rural states have identified foreign immigration into urban, Democratic population centers as a top concern.
READ: A New Draft Rule for the Census Seeks Sweeping Changes to How Political Power Is Allocated Original
TPM is publishing the Trump administration’s plan for changes to political apportionment and Census data collection. U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd-L), Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (3rd-L), and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought (R), laugh during an event in the Oval Office of the White House on June 22,...
Kevin Hassett Thinks Ignoring the Dismal Jobs Numbers Makes Them Disappear Original
On top of the fact that the U.S. economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, a deep dive into the jobs report published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Friday morning revealed some jobs statistics reached their worst levels in 10 years. But if you ask Kevin Hassett, White House chief economist and director of the National Economic Council, everything is awesome.
Census Bureau Officials Field Questions About Politicization and Data Loss After Controversial Rule Change Original
Census Bureau officials last Sunday conceded that a new rule banning certain privacy protection methods will make it impossible for the agency to publish certain data that it has historically released, a development that could especially harm minority groups. Representatives of the bureau, however, denied that the policy change had political objectives, though experts and advocacy groups believe it does.
One Year Later, Some of Trump’s Trade Deals Are Real. Others, Not So Much.
Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi listens as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on March 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) During a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, President Donald Trump touted growing “investment” into the U.S. since he took office.
People Are Starting to Worry About Whether Kevin Warsh is a Credible Fed Chair
4 hours ago UEFA, Europe's main soccer body, said on Thursday its members would boycott the men's and women's World Cup unless FIFA abandons a controversial plan to sell stakes in in the tournament to private investors. FIFA has a new plan to raise billions of dollars: Selling stakes in the World Cup A boycott …
People Are Starting to Worry if Kevin Warsh is a Credible Fed Chair Original
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh speaks during a news conference at Federal Reserve Headquarters on July 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) Trump’s new Federal Reserve Board Chair Kevin Warsh took two missteps in two opposite directions during and after yesterday’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) rate decision.
Senators Urge SEC to Investigate Truth Social Plan to Sell Access to Wall Street Original
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) arrive for a vote series at the U.S. Capitol on September 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images) Two influential Senate Democrats are pushing back on the nearly unfathomable idea that a company owned by the sitting U.S. president can sell Wall Street early access to that president’s thoughts and actions. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, and Sen.
Trump’s New ‘Forced Labor’ Tariffs Were Set Under Sham Pretenses Original
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and President Donald Trump speak to members of the media aboard Air Force One on October 30, 2025 in flight. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) President Donald Trump has made clear from very early in his second term that he intends to reorder global trade by instilling permanent tariffs. More than a year later, his government has proven relentless in its attempt.
5 Points on Trump’s Loyal Labor Secretary Nominee Original
Keith Sonderling has been acting Secretary of Labor since ex-secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned amid a flurry of misconduct allegations ranging from drinking on the job to having an affair with a staff member. Sonderling, though, was reportedly at the helm long before then. On Thursday morning, members of the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee will vote in an executive session on whether to advance Sonderling’s nomination to lead the embattled agency to the full Senate.
States Are Feeling the Economic Toll of Trump’s War on the Federal Government Original
A new report shows how President Donald Trump’s administration is harming state economies nationwide as several states that rely on federal government jobs and spending landed on a list of the top 10 worst economies in the nation. And the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to the federal workforce are continuing to acutely impact the Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia region.
Truth Social’s New Plan to Make Money May Be ‘Egregious,’ But Will Face Little Oversight
7 hours ago Mortal threats to the republic are apparently a sideshow that distracts from cutting taxes, confirming judges, and deregulation. When Jay Clayton, Donald Trump’s nominee for the next director of national intelligence, appeared before the Senate on Wednesday, Jon Ossoff of Georgia had a simple …
Truth Social's new plan to make money may be ‘egregious,' but will face little oversight
Layla A. Jones By now, you may have heard that the company behind Truth Social, Trump Media and Technology Group, plans to sell extra-fast access to the most influential posts on the platform to high-paying clients. Trump is the most-followed person on Truth Social, and so the product, called Truth API, appears aimed at monetizing early access to Trump's market-moving “truths,” selling it to Wall Street banks and trading firms. Outrage at the mind-boggling scheme was instantaneous. Sen.
Georgia GOP Silent Amid Revelations About Senate Nominee’s White Nationalist Son-in-Law
U.S. Politics 2 hours ago Reflecting Pool peeling probably caused by application flaws, experts say The Washington Post - Jarrett Ley, Meg Kelly, Klara Auerbach, Maura Judkis • 2h President Donald Trump has blamed vandals, but a Washington Post analysis finds that the peeling tracks closely with stages of the renovation process. The lining of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool peeled away in at least seven places along seams that were created when the material was applied …
Georgia GOP Silent Amid Revelations About Senate Nominee’s White Nationalist Son-in-Law Original
Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) speaks to supporters of President Donald Trump at an event hosted by Vice President JD Vance on August 21, 2025 in Peachtree City, Georgia. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images) GOP Senate hopeful Rep. Mike Collins’ flirtations with antisemitism now extend beyond his social media posts, past several of his former staffers and strategists, and reach directly into his immediate family according to a new report from CNN K-File published Thursday morning.
Trump Administration May Add Immigration Status Question on Census to Influence Apportionment, Experts Warn Original
President Donald Trump may have learned from his last go at manipulating the decennial census to include a citizenship question: His administration looks poised to try something different in order to target undocumented immigrants during the 2030 count, experts said in a briefing call this week.
Right-Wing Groups Just Got a Big Win on the Census
4 hours ago Image source: Getty Images If you drop a $100 bill on the sidewalk, it's gone for good. That's the whole case for why a credit card is usually safer than cash. Fraud on a credit card can get disputed and reversed. Lost or stolen cash almost never comes back. The one place cash wins is privacy. It …
Right-Wing Groups Just Got a Big Win on the Census Original
A new Trump administration prohibition on privacy protections at the Census Bureau appears to be teeing up a fight that touches on everything from government data to political representation, immigration to redistricting — and even opens the door to a world in which federal data used for everything from disaster planning to school enrollment may all but disappear.
SCOTUS’ narrow protection of the Fed means Cook, and Fed independence, still at risk
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SCOTUS’ Narrow Protection of the Fed Means Cook, and Fed Independence, Still at Risk Original
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and attorney Abbe Lowell leave the U.S. Supreme Court on January 21, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) Even though the Supreme Court ruled Monday, in Cook v. Trump, that the president couldn’t remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook before her employment case was resolved, the outcome may be deceiving.
Census Bureau Quietly Scraps Plan for Improved Data Collection on Race and Ethnicity
World News 6 hours ago Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its ‘Suez moment’—and history says what comes next could end an empire Fortune - Nick Lichtenberg • 6h “Watch out for allies and creditors losing confidence, the loss of its reserve currency status, the selling of its debt assets, and the weakening of … Politics 2 hours ago Here Come Trump’s ‘Freedom Trucks’ The Atlantic - By Kelsey Ables • 2h A fleet of mobile museums is touring the country with a version of American history the...
Census Bureau Quietly Scraps Plan for Improved Data Collection on Race and Ethnicity Original
Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought attends an event with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on June 22, 2026. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) The Census Bureau is walking back plans to unveil a new, more inclusive way to document race and ethnicity, delaying updates that would have affected policy about everything from SNAP benefits uptake to redistricting.
Georgia Republicans See Writing on the Wall
Georgia Republicans Drop Gerrymandering — At Least Til November The official reason that Georgia Republican leaders cite in their letter to Gov. Brian Kemp (R) announcing their decision to drop plans to redraw the state's congressional district lines for 2028 ahead of the midterms is pending litigation in the state. Republican officials expected the map re-draw to target at least two House districts currently held by Democrats, at least one of which is a majority-Black district.
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Heads to First Rate Decision Under a Cloud of Distrust About His Independence Original
U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Kevin Warsh as they arrive to Warsh's swearing-in ceremony to be the new Chairman of the Federal Reserve in the East Room of the White House on May 22. (Photo by Anna Mon... U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Kevin Warsh as they arrive to Warsh's swearing-in ceremony to be the new Chairman of the Federal Reserve in the East Room of the White House on May 22.
Trump’s Pick for Georgia Governor Loses Original
After a tight May primary election that saw Trump-endorsed Georgia Lt. Governor Burt Jones leading billionaire Rick Jackson by a mere six percentage points, Jackson turned the tables and prevailed in Tuesday’s runoff election. Unlike the GOP Senate race, which saw an ultra-MAGA election denier face off against a conservative election affirmer (who still wanted to make it more difficult for Georgians to vote), both Republican hopefuls for governor profess to believe that the election was stolen.
Ossoff Will Go Up Against a Right-Winger Known For His Extreme Social Media Commentary Original
Georgia’s Senate election will be a key race this November as Democrats aim to retake the chamber, and a runoff election Tuesday determined Sen. Jon Ossoff’s (D) challenger: Mike Collins (R), an extremely pro-Trump Republican whose office personnel issues are dwarfed only by the congressman’s own prolific social media presence, which is steeped in radical far-right rhetoric and violent anti-immigrant ideology.
Election Denier Vernon Jones Fails in Bid to Become Georgia’s Secretary of State Original
As Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger (R) famously fought to protect the 2020 presidential election from Trump’s attempt to steal it. The events of December 2020 and January 2021, when Trump demanded the state “find” the votes he needed to win, prompted a host of Trump-aligned conspiracy theorists to attempt to seek Raffensperger’s office themselves. On Tuesday, one of the most prominent of those candidates, Vernon Jones (R), lost to state Rep.
Trump Endorses Ossoff Challenger Who Is Extreme Even by MAGA Standards Original
There’s a particular genre of Georgia political reporting with which Americans nationwide might soon become much better acquainted. These stories often begin with some variation of a common refrain: “Mike Collins is once again under fire for…” For hiring a chief of staff accused of various violent acts. For replacing said staffer with someone caught in a white nationalist group chat.
What’s Really Going on With All the Celebrities Trying to Pinkwash AI
Allegra Kirkland, Layla A. Jones and Derick Dirmaier Sat, June 13, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC 11 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Gwyneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon are promoting AI technology to women as a lifestyle accessory and tool for convenience. The marketing of AI to women is seen as patronizing and faux feminist, aiming to shift perception of AI from existential risk to a helpful and creative tool.
Trump Demonstrates His Willful Ignorance About How Basic Vote Counting Works
President Trump misunderstands election counting trends and falsely believes his social media posts can influence vote counting in California. The Southern Poverty Law Center warns of the danger of President Trump's pardoning of Jan. 6 defendants and his shift towards favoring hard-right extremists in federal policy. Trump Thinks He Is Changing Votes?
2022’s Midterms Have a Warning for the GOP in 2026 Original
So far, a clear media narrative has emerged from the 2026 midterm election primaries: Trump’s unprecedented reshaping of the Republican Party in his image over the last decade is nearly complete, and his influence remains as strong as ever. He’s repeatedly succeeded in unseating his political enemies in Congress and in state legislatures. He vanquished state legislators who defied his redistricting push in Indiana, defeated now-outgoing Sen. Bill Cassidy in Louisiana, and booted Rep.
‘Ugly Language’ and Nervous Funders: Inside the Trump Administration’s Attack on Harm Reduction Original
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks quietly to President Donald Trump during a news conference on September 22, 2025 inside the Roosevelt Room at The White House in Washington. (Photo by ... Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks quietly to President Donald Trump during a news conference on September 22, 2025 inside the Roosevelt Room at The White House in Washington.
Tariff Refunds Are Going Well. Trump’s DOJ Wants to Make Them Harder. Original
President Donald Trump answers questions during a press briefing held at the White House on February 20 in Washington, DC after the Supreme Court ruled against Trump's use of emergency powers to implement internation...
What’s Going on With Trump’s Big Fascistic Arch Near the National Mall?
[Essay] Arc de Triomphe Trump Memorial Day heralds the unofficial start of summer, and this summer will also be the zenith of the Trump administration’s Christian nationalist Freedom 250 events celebrating the country’s semiquincentennial. So it seems like a good moment to check in on Trump’s plans to build a giant triumphal arch near the National Mall.
Senate GOP Doesn’t Like Trump’s Slush Fund So They’re Going Home Instead of Doing Anything About It
Senate Republicans were sent home early for Memorial Day recess after concerns about including $1 billion in additional Secret Service and White House funding tied to Trump’s ballroom project in the reconciliation package that funds immigration enforcement.
Microsoft Cares About Your Privacy Raffensperger, who wouldn't steal election for Trump, loses governor race to two election denialists
In 2020, Georgia stood out: a red state in which top officials bucked President Trump's demand to overturn his election loss. Tuesday's GOP primaries suggested Georgia's relative independence from Trump's reactionary movement may be coming to an end. Election deniers went one and two in the GOP primary for governor, ending the gubernatorial bid for Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
An Ultra-MAGA Rep. and a Kemp-Backed Football Coach Fight to Face Ossoff Original
The winner of Georgia’s GOP Senate primary will be decided in a June 16 runoff after no single candidate received a majority of votes cast in Tuesday’s primary. MAGA election denier Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) will face off against football coach Derek Dooley, who has repeatedly stopped short of saying the 2020 election was stolen and privately admitted Trump lost that election in audio leaked earlier this year.
Raffensperger, Who Wouldn’t Steal Election For Trump, Loses Governor Race to Two Election Denialists Original
In 2020, Georgia stood out: a red state in which top officials bucked President Trump’s demand to overturn his election loss. Tuesday’s GOP primaries suggested Georgia’s relative independence from Trump’s reactionary movement may be coming to an end. Election deniers went one and two in the GOP primary for governor, ending the gubernatorial bid for Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
Black People Worse Off in Trump’s Economy Than Every Other Group, Per the Fed
Black people in America did worse economically in 2025 than at any time since the Federal Reserve began its financial wellbeing survey in 2013, according to some measures published Wednesday. More notable than the depressed financial situation of Black respondents is the gap between Black people and, in some cases, every other racial and ethnic group recorded.
Kevin Warsh Confirmed as Fed Governor as Powell Stays on the Board Original
After what may go down as the most controversy-laden confirmation process in Federal Reserve Bank history, conservative economist Kevin Warsh was confirmed Tuesday to a 14-year term as a Federal Reserve Governor, clearing the way for his appointment as chair. Democrat Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) joined Republicans in a 51-45 vote. Current Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s term ends on Friday.
Court Permanently Blocks Trump’s Newest Tariffs, Orders More Tariff Refunds Original
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House on February 20, 2026 in Washington, D.C. after the U.S. Supreme Court on February 20 ruled against Trump's use of emergency powers to impl... U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House on February 20, 2026 in Washington, D.C. after the U.S. Supreme Court on February 20 ruled against Trump's use of emergency powers to implement international trade tariffs.
U.S. Workers Are Getting Record-Low Compensation for Their Labor
Trump’s anti-immigration crackdown, corporate tax cuts, and anti-labor movement policies are exacerbating a decades-old trend. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February while the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4 percent.
U.S. Workers Are Getting Record-Low Compensation Based on Their Productivity
The widening rift between the haves and the have-nots continues to be borne out in federal data, as a Thursday Bureau of Labor Statistics report revealed U.S. workers are doing more and reaping less. Workers are earning record low wages and other compensation compared to their labor output, according to the BLS productivity and costs report published Thursday.
Fed Nominee Warsh Advances But Powell Says He’ll Stay On, Frustrating Trump’s Bid For Control Original
On the same day that Trump’s nominee for Fed chair advanced after a long stalemate, the current chair made clear that Trump’s bid for control over the central bank still had a long way to go. Kevin Warsh’s nomination for Federal Reserve Chair advanced out of the Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday along party lines after his first nomination hearing before the crucial panel ended without a vote. With a 13-11 vote, Warsh’s nomination was able to move out of committee.
Tillis Ends Blockade of Trump’s Fed Chair Nom After DOJ Drops Powell Investigation Original
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said Sunday he will drop his blockade and get onboard to confirm Kevin Warsh’s nomination to chair the Federal Reserve after the Justice Department dropped an investigation into current central bank chief Jerome Powell.
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