By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Property tax issues frustrate lawmakers who struck out in 2026 regular session

TOPEKA — Kansas governor candidate Philip Sarnecki wants fellow Republicans to call a special session of the Legislature to address the state’s property tax crisis.

Sarnecki, a businessman seeking the GOP nomination in August, said the Legislature’s failure to find consensus during the just-completed 2026 regular session required extraordinary action. During the regular session, the House and Senate held to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/04/14/the-people-of-kansas-lost-last-ditch-attempt-at-property-tax-relief-devolves-into-finger-pointing/">distinct ideas for moderating growth in property taxation</a>. In April, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/04/28/kansas-governor-rejects-legislatures-property-tax-bill-as-a-false-promise/">vetoed the Legislature’s last-ditch bill</a>&nbsp;that would have aggressively restricted spending increases by cities and counties and theoretically reduced pressure on property taxes.

“It’s time to get property tax reform done in special session,” Sarnecki said. “Seniors are getting taxed out of their homes, working families are having trouble making ends meet and young people can’t afford a house.”

Since the Legislature adjourned in April, several Republican senators raised the idea of a special session devoted to elimination of the 20-mill property tax collected by the state to fund K-12 public education. Property tax revenue for education would be replaced — in the middle of an election year — by adoption of a 0.75-cent increase in the statewide sales tax. Kansas’ current retail sales tax stands at 6.5%.

Instead of assessing property taxes on Kansans able to afford home ownership, public school funding would rely on a sales tax that disproportionately impacted low-income households.

The governor could call the Legislature into special session, which she did in 2024 for the purpose of cutting state income taxes. In the alternative, the House and Senate could gather signatures from two-thirds of members to force a special session at the Capitol. That would require signatures from 84 of 125 representatives and 27 of 40 senators.

It would be up to Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican running for governor, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican running for state insurance commissioner, to secure those signatures.

“Fixing the property tax crisis is a priority for President Masterson,” said Garrett Henson, a spokesman for Masterson. “That’s why the Senate passed legislation dealing with it this session with veto-proof margins. We’ll say it again: If the House has the votes to call a special session, the Senate stands ready to act.”

Hawkins didn’t address the option of rallying his partisan majority for a special session, but he encouraged the governor to use her power to call all 165 legislators back to Topeka.

“While the 2026 legislative session is over, it’s never too late to take action,” Hawkins said in his May 1 newsletter. “Governor Kelly could call a special session at any moment if she wants to get serious about addressing the property tax crisis in our state.”

Hawkins added: “Republicans remain ready to deliver real action on property taxes, not the dismissive, half-hearted proposal put forth by the governor and her Democrat colleagues.”

In April, Kelly proposed the Legislature deliver property tax relief for vehicle owners, incentivize local governments to moderate spending and replace a portion of property tax collected for public education with dollars drawn from the state treasury.

The package included a proposal endorsed by Sen. Ethan Corson, a Johnson County Democrat running for governor, that offered a one-time $250 tax credit to vehicle owners. Cash for the tax credit would be withdrawn from the state’s budget stabilization fund, Kelly said.

She proposed creation of a $60 million fund to incentivize cities and counties to hold spending increases to no more than 3% annually. The funds would be distributed to local governments meeting the cap.

Finally, the governor wanted to raise the exemption on a home’s appraised value when determining property tax obligations under the 20-mill tax for public schools. The idea would be to double the current exemption to $150,000. Lost revenue would be made up with transfers from the general state fund so school financing met constitutional standards, she said.

Portions of Kelly’s recommendation were debated by the House and Senate, but none of it was passed by the Legislature.

Before adjourning the regular session, the House and Senate approved a property tax bill that would have limited local government spending increase to 3% or the rate of inflation. Kelly vetoed the measure and recommended the Legislature find a way to “partner with our city and county officials to develop a strategy to reduce the property tax burden on their constituents.”

During a special legislative session, there would be no boundary on what ideas could be considered by the House and Senate.

House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, said members of the House sent multiple property tax bills to the Senate that would have delivered meaningful relief. He expressed frustration with the Senate’s unwillingness to seriously compromise.

“Senate Republicans are panicking after campaigning on property tax relief and returning home empty-handed for their constituents two years in a row,” he said. “Calling a special session with no agreed-upon solution and pushing the same failed approach yet again is the definition of insanity.”

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat seeking the nomination for state insurance commissioner, said demands for a special session came less than one month after Republicans adjourned the shortest regular session in recent Kansas history.

“This newest attempt for a special session … is another push by select Republicans to force through their unpopular, half-baked policies that will bankrupt our local communities,” Sykes said. “Perhaps if we had not rushed through the legislative session, we could have had time to develop quality legislation that would have truly helped Kansans.”

“After using this issue to prop up their campaigns in 2024, the Republican supermajority has had two full sessions to address this problem, yet all they have to show for it is pointed fingers and excuses,” she said.

In October 2025, Senate leadership secured a supermajority of signatures to call a special session devoted to gerrymandering congressional districts for benefit of GOP candidates and to undermine the reelection of U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat. That special session didn’t occur because about 10 Republican representatives refused to sign the petition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/5/1778283937317.png" alt=" Republican gubernatorial candidate Philip Sarnecki, who wants the Kansas Legislature to convene in special session to address rising property taxes, chats with former U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder during a Jan. 30, 2026, GOP candidate forum in Wichita. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Republican gubernatorial candidate Philip Sarnecki, who wants the Kansas Legislature to convene in special session to address rising property taxes, chats with former U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder during a Jan. 30, 2026, GOP candidate forum in Wichita. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Property tax issues frustrate lawmakers who struck out in 2026 regular session</h2>TOPEKA — Kansas governor candidate Philip Sarnecki wants fellow Republicans to call a special session of the Legislature to address the state’s property tax crisis.Sarnecki, a businessman seeking the GOP nomination in August, said the Legislature’s failure to find consensus during the just-completed 2026 regular session required extraordinary action. During the regular session, the House and Senate held to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/04/14/the-people-of-kansas-lost-last-ditch-attempt-at-property-tax-relief-devolves-into-finger-pointing/">distinct ideas for moderating growth in property taxation</a>. In April, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/04/28/kansas-governor-rejects-legislatures-property-tax-bill-as-a-false-promise/">vetoed the Legislature’s last-ditch bill</a>&nbsp;that would have aggressively restricted spending increases by cities and counties and theoretically reduced pressure on property taxes.“It’s time to get property tax reform done in special session,” Sarnecki said. “Seniors are getting taxed out of their homes, working families are having trouble making ends meet and young people can’t afford a house.”Since the Legislature adjourned in April, several Republican senators raised the idea of a special session devoted to elimination of the 20-mill property tax collected by the state to fund K-12 public education. Property tax revenue for education would be replaced — in the middle of an election year — by adoption of a 0.75-cent increase in the statewide sales tax. Kansas’ current retail sales tax stands at 6.5%.Instead of assessing property taxes on Kansans able to afford home ownership, public school funding would rely on a sales tax that disproportionately impacted low-income households.The governor could call the Legislature into special session, which she did in 2024 for the purpose of cutting state income taxes. In the alternative, the House and Senate could gather signatures from two-thirds of members to force a special session at the Capitol. That would require signatures from 84 of 125 representatives and 27 of 40 senators.It would be up to Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican running for governor, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican running for state insurance commissioner, to secure those signatures.“Fixing the property tax crisis is a priority for President Masterson,” said Garrett Henson, a spokesman for Masterson. “That’s why the Senate passed legislation dealing with it this session with veto-proof margins. We’ll say it again: If the House has the votes to call a special session, the Senate stands ready to act.”Hawkins didn’t address the option of rallying his partisan majority for a special session, but he encouraged the governor to use her power to call all 165 legislators back to Topeka.“While the 2026 legislative session is over, it’s never too late to take action,” Hawkins said in his May 1 newsletter. “Governor Kelly could call a special session at any moment if she wants to get serious about addressing the property tax crisis in our state.”Hawkins added: “Republicans remain ready to deliver real action on property taxes, not the dismissive, half-hearted proposal put forth by the governor and her Democrat colleagues.”<h2>Alternative package</h2>In April, Kelly proposed the Legislature deliver property tax relief for vehicle owners, incentivize local governments to moderate spending and replace a portion of property tax collected for public education with dollars drawn from the state treasury.The package included a proposal endorsed by Sen. Ethan Corson, a Johnson County Democrat running for governor, that offered a one-time $250 tax credit to vehicle owners. Cash for the tax credit would be withdrawn from the state’s budget stabilization fund, Kelly said.She proposed creation of a $60 million fund to incentivize cities and counties to hold spending increases to no more than 3% annually. The funds would be distributed to local governments meeting the cap.Finally, the governor wanted to raise the exemption on a home’s appraised value when determining property tax obligations under the 20-mill tax for public schools. The idea would be to double the current exemption to $150,000. Lost revenue would be made up with transfers from the general state fund so school financing met constitutional standards, she said.Portions of Kelly’s recommendation were debated by the House and Senate, but none of it was passed by the Legislature.Before adjourning the regular session, the House and Senate approved a property tax bill that would have limited local government spending increase to 3% or the rate of inflation. Kelly vetoed the measure and recommended the Legislature find a way to “partner with our city and county officials to develop a strategy to reduce the property tax burden on their constituents.”During a special legislative session, there would be no boundary on what ideas could be considered by the House and Senate.<h2>Democrats’ response</h2>House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, said members of the House sent multiple property tax bills to the Senate that would have delivered meaningful relief. He expressed frustration with the Senate’s unwillingness to seriously compromise.“Senate Republicans are panicking after campaigning on property tax relief and returning home empty-handed for their constituents two years in a row,” he said. “Calling a special session with no agreed-upon solution and pushing the same failed approach yet again is the definition of insanity.”Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat seeking the nomination for state insurance commissioner, said demands for a special session came less than one month after Republicans adjourned the shortest regular session in recent Kansas history.“This newest attempt for a special session … is another push by select Republicans to force through their unpopular, half-baked policies that will bankrupt our local communities,” Sykes said. “Perhaps if we had not rushed through the legislative session, we could have had time to develop quality legislation that would have truly helped Kansans.”“After using this issue to prop up their campaigns in 2024, the Republican supermajority has had two full sessions to address this problem, yet all they have to show for it is pointed fingers and excuses,” she said.In October 2025, Senate leadership secured a supermajority of signatures to call a special session devoted to gerrymandering congressional districts for benefit of GOP candidates and to undermine the reelection of U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat. That special session didn’t occur because about 10 Republican representatives refused to sign the petition.

Kansas contemplates special legislative session to rekindle debate on property taxes

JoAnne Bray, of Collyer, Kansas, passed from this Earth and
entered our Heavenly Father’s arms on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at the
beautiful age of 92. What a joyous time it must have been for her to see her
Heavenly Father and Jesus early that morning, along with being reunited with
her husband, Keith, and other family members who had passed before her.
Halleluiah!

She went to sleep peacefully only a few hours after sharing
a prayer with Grace, director and owner of her long-term care facility, her
last words on Earth being “Amen.”

JoAnne was a beloved and devoted wife, mom, grandma,
great-grandma, and great-great-grandma. She was born in the family home on the
family farm in Nolan, Texas, on January 7, 1934, to her parents, Samuel Griffin
Hanks III and Savannah (McCoy) Hanks. JoAnne graduated from Nolan High School
in May 1952 and then attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

In the summer of 1953, she met the love of her life, Keith
Bray. It must have been love at first sight, as they were married approximately
90 days later, on September 11, 1953, at St. John’s Methodist Church in
Lubbock, Texas.

JoAnne had a remarkable career in education. She earned her
Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics from Texas Tech University in
1956, obtained her Special Education Certification from Wichita State
University in 1973, and also earned certification in Gifted Education. She
taught in several communities throughout her career and retired after 17 years
of service with the Quinter School District.

JoAnne and Keith shared 70 years of marriage before Keith’s
passing on October 28, 2023. Over those years, they made homes in Ackerly,
Texas; Quinter, Kansas; and later Collyer, Kansas. During Keith’s military
service, he was stationed in Baumholder, Germany, for 11 months, where JoAnne
joined him. During that time, they traveled throughout Europe, visiting Paris,
France; Garmisch, Germany; Holland during the Tulip Festival; and Switzerland.

During their busy lives and teaching careers, they raised
three children: Gene Keith, Kim, and Allen. JoAnne was also very active in her
local, school, and church communities. At the Quinter Methodist Church, she
served as Sunday school superintendent, was a member of the women’s group, and
served in many other capacities. She was known for generously providing
desserts, casseroles, ice cream, and meals for church gatherings and events.

JoAnne often said of her teaching and service, “There is
never a dull moment, and each day brings many new delights and some heartaches
along the way. So glad that there were more delights than heartaches.”

JoAnne is survived by her children: Gene Keith (Bev) Bray of
Maysville, Oklahoma; Kim (Larry Joe) Jacobs of Kiowa, Colorado; and Allen
(Kelly) Bray of Olathe, Kansas; grandchildren: Wes Adams of Lawton, Oklahoma;
Pam (Jerry) Gardner of Gering, Nebraska; Sam (Malerie) Bray of Gooding, Idaho;
KaSara (Shaun) of St. George, Utah; KaSaundra (Nate) Meade of Casper, Wyoming;
Jake Jacobs of Kiowa, Colorado; Addy (Ever) Hernandez of Olathe, Kansas; and
Savannah, Thomas, and Joseph Bray, all of Olathe, Kansas; great-grandchildren:
Leuna, Rehna, Treuen, and Tessin Meade; Alexa Hayes; Nathan (Danika) Adams;
Ryan (Jennifer) Gardner; Livee and Lexi Bray; and Aspen and Amalia Hernandez;
great-great-grandchildren: four; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and extended
family members.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Keith Bray; her
parents, Samuel Griffin Hanks III and Savannah Hanks; grandson, Jarman Joe
Jacobs; and siblings, Samuel Richard “Dick” Hanks, Dorcus Allegra “Sissy”
Rhodes, Martha Mae “Babe” Bowan, Gene Benjamin “Gene B.” Hanks, and Izadora
Belle “Dody” Gibbs.

JoAnne leaves behind a legacy of enduring love, wisdom
shared with hundreds of students, and a passion for cooking and education that
will forever be remembered. She had a profound impact on the many lives she
touched and will continue to influence generations to come.

A Celebration of Life and Memorial Service will be held at
the Quinter Methodist Church on Friday, May 22, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Inurnment
will follow at 1:00 p.m. at the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery in WaKeeney, Kansas,
where her cremated remains will be laid to rest beside her husband.

May JoAnne’s spirit rest in peace as she enters the gates of
Heaven and rests in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Quinter Methodist
Church or GraceHealth Senior Homes. Please make checks payable to one of
these organizations and include “JoAnne Bray” in the memo line.
Contributions may be sent in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 N. 12th St.,
WaKeeney, KS 67672.

To share memories or leave condolences, please visit
www.schmittfuneral.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/5/1778277565375.png" alt="JoAnne Bray" />
 <figcaption>JoAnne Bray</figcaption>
 </figure>JoAnne Bray, of Collyer, Kansas, passed from this Earth and
entered our Heavenly Father’s arms on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at the
beautiful age of 92. What a joyous time it must have been for her to see her
Heavenly Father and Jesus early that morning, along with being reunited with
her husband, Keith, and other family members who had passed before her.
Halleluiah!She went to sleep peacefully only a few hours after sharing
a prayer with Grace, director and owner of her long-term care facility, her
last words on Earth being “Amen.”JoAnne was a beloved and devoted wife, mom, grandma,
great-grandma, and great-great-grandma. She was born in the family home on the
family farm in Nolan, Texas, on January 7, 1934, to her parents, Samuel Griffin
Hanks III and Savannah (McCoy) Hanks. JoAnne graduated from Nolan High School
in May 1952 and then attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.In the summer of 1953, she met the love of her life, Keith
Bray. It must have been love at first sight, as they were married approximately
90 days later, on September 11, 1953, at St. John’s Methodist Church in
Lubbock, Texas.JoAnne had a remarkable career in education. She earned her
Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics from Texas Tech University in
1956, obtained her Special Education Certification from Wichita State
University in 1973, and also earned certification in Gifted Education. She
taught in several communities throughout her career and retired after 17 years
of service with the Quinter School District.JoAnne and Keith shared 70 years of marriage before Keith’s
passing on October 28, 2023. Over those years, they made homes in Ackerly,
Texas; Quinter, Kansas; and later Collyer, Kansas. During Keith’s military
service, he was stationed in Baumholder, Germany, for 11 months, where JoAnne
joined him. During that time, they traveled throughout Europe, visiting Paris,
France; Garmisch, Germany; Holland during the Tulip Festival; and Switzerland.During their busy lives and teaching careers, they raised
three children: Gene Keith, Kim, and Allen. JoAnne was also very active in her
local, school, and church communities. At the Quinter Methodist Church, she
served as Sunday school superintendent, was a member of the women’s group, and
served in many other capacities. She was known for generously providing
desserts, casseroles, ice cream, and meals for church gatherings and events.JoAnne often said of her teaching and service, “There is
never a dull moment, and each day brings many new delights and some heartaches
along the way. So glad that there were more delights than heartaches.”JoAnne is survived by her children: Gene Keith (Bev) Bray of
Maysville, Oklahoma; Kim (Larry Joe) Jacobs of Kiowa, Colorado; and Allen
(Kelly) Bray of Olathe, Kansas; grandchildren: Wes Adams of Lawton, Oklahoma;
Pam (Jerry) Gardner of Gering, Nebraska; Sam (Malerie) Bray of Gooding, Idaho;
KaSara (Shaun) of St. George, Utah; KaSaundra (Nate) Meade of Casper, Wyoming;
Jake Jacobs of Kiowa, Colorado; Addy (Ever) Hernandez of Olathe, Kansas; and
Savannah, Thomas, and Joseph Bray, all of Olathe, Kansas; great-grandchildren:
Leuna, Rehna, Treuen, and Tessin Meade; Alexa Hayes; Nathan (Danika) Adams;
Ryan (Jennifer) Gardner; Livee and Lexi Bray; and Aspen and Amalia Hernandez;
great-great-grandchildren: four; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and extended
family members.She was preceded in death by her husband, Keith Bray; her
parents, Samuel Griffin Hanks III and Savannah Hanks; grandson, Jarman Joe
Jacobs; and siblings, Samuel Richard “Dick” Hanks, Dorcus Allegra “Sissy”
Rhodes, Martha Mae “Babe” Bowan, Gene Benjamin “Gene B.” Hanks, and Izadora
Belle “Dody” Gibbs.JoAnne leaves behind a legacy of enduring love, wisdom
shared with hundreds of students, and a passion for cooking and education that
will forever be remembered. She had a profound impact on the many lives she
touched and will continue to influence generations to come.A Celebration of Life and Memorial Service will be held at
the Quinter Methodist Church on Friday, May 22, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Inurnment
will follow at 1:00 p.m. at the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery in WaKeeney, Kansas,
where her cremated remains will be laid to rest beside her husband.May JoAnne’s spirit rest in peace as she enters the gates of
Heaven and rests in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.Memorial contributions are suggested to Quinter Methodist
Church or GraceHealth Senior Homes. Please make checks payable to one of
these organizations and include “JoAnne Bray” in the memo line.
Contributions may be sent in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 N. 12th St.,
WaKeeney, KS 67672.To share memories or leave condolences, please visit
www.schmittfuneral.com.

JoAnne Bray, 92

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon has begun releasing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufos-uap-aliens-pentagon-records-investigation-a46e3de873e25fe2222de040a8e0242b">new files on UFOs</a>, saying members of the public can draw their own conclusions on “unidentified anomalous phenomena.”

<a href="https://www.war.gov/UFO/">Click here to see </a>governments new UFO website

In addition to the Pentagon, the effort is led by the White House, the director of national intelligence, the Energy Department, NASA and the FBI.

The Pentagon said Friday in a post on X that while past administrations sought to discredit or dissuade the American people, President Donald Trump “is focused on providing maximum transparency to the public, who can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files.” The Pentagon says additional documents will be released on a rolling basis.

Trump, a Republican, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufos-uap-aliens-pentagon-records-investigation-a46e3de873e25fe2222de040a8e0242b">teasing the announcement</a>&nbsp;since February. He has previously released records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. that revealed little beyond what was already known.

The Pentagon has been working on declassifying documents related to UFOs for years, and Congress created an office in 2022 to declassify material. Its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ufos-extraterrestrials-aliens-pentagon-congress-5638be273b753253713a478546849e46">2024 debut report</a>&nbsp;revealed hundreds of new UAP incidents but found no evidence that the U.S. government had ever confirmed a sighting of alien technology.

Congress ordered the Pentagon to begin releasing decades of files on UFO sightings in 2022 as some members of the military shared encounters with unexplained aircraft.

A small group of Republicans in Congress has pressed for further transparency, accusing the Pentagon of holding documents back. A March letter from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna demanded 46 UAP videos identified by whistleblowers. On social media on Friday, Luna said those videos are expected to be released in a later Pentagon release.

Rep. Tim Burchett thanked Trump for “keeping his word” on transparency and disclosure.”

“I would like to remind people that transparency won’t all happen at once, it will take some time,” Burchett said in a statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/4/1775350238415.png" alt="UFO image courtesy U.S. Department of Defense Naval Air System Command" />
 <figcaption>UFO image courtesy U.S. Department of Defense Naval Air System Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon has begun releasing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufos-uap-aliens-pentagon-records-investigation-a46e3de873e25fe2222de040a8e0242b">new files on UFOs</a>, saying members of the public can draw their own conclusions on “unidentified anomalous phenomena.”<a href="https://www.war.gov/UFO/">Click here to see </a>governments new UFO website<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/5/1778258958725.png" alt="Image from DOW video" />
 <figcaption>Image from DOW video</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition to the Pentagon, the effort is led by the White House, the director of national intelligence, the Energy Department, NASA and the FBI.The Pentagon said Friday in a post on X that while past administrations sought to discredit or dissuade the American people, President Donald Trump “is focused on providing maximum transparency to the public, who can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files.” The Pentagon says additional documents will be released on a rolling basis.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">From the <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofWar</a> a real alien!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/disclosure?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#disclosure</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/whitehouse?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#whitehouse</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/deptofwar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#deptofwar</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/aliendisclosure?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#aliendisclosure</a> <a href="https://t.co/v56XaVUpaF">pic.twitter.com/v56XaVUpaF</a>&mdash; Jon Stewart (@JonStewartIL) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonStewartIL/status/2052749670212919311?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Below is the video I revealed in our <a href="https://twitter.com/GOPoversight?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GOPoversight</a> UAP hearing today, made available to the public for the first time. October 30th, 2024: MQ-9 Reaper allegedly tracking orb off coast of Yemen. Greenlight given to engage, missile appears to be ineffective against the target.… <a href="https://t.co/jxJwl0e00S">pic.twitter.com/jxJwl0e00S</a>&mdash; Rep. Eric Burlison (@RepEricBurlison) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepEricBurlison/status/1965438792493355291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump, a Republican, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufos-uap-aliens-pentagon-records-investigation-a46e3de873e25fe2222de040a8e0242b">teasing the announcement</a>&nbsp;since February. He has previously released records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. that revealed little beyond what was already known.The Pentagon has been working on declassifying documents related to UFOs for years, and Congress created an office in 2022 to declassify material. Its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ufos-extraterrestrials-aliens-pentagon-congress-5638be273b753253713a478546849e46">2024 debut report</a>&nbsp;revealed hundreds of new UAP incidents but found no evidence that the U.S. government had ever confirmed a sighting of alien technology.Congress ordered the Pentagon to begin releasing decades of files on UFO sightings in 2022 as some members of the military shared encounters with unexplained aircraft.A small group of Republicans in Congress has pressed for further transparency, accusing the Pentagon of holding documents back. A March letter from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna demanded 46 UAP videos identified by whistleblowers. On social media on Friday, Luna said those videos are expected to be released in a later Pentagon release.Rep. Tim Burchett thanked Trump for “keeping his word” on transparency and disclosure.”“I would like to remind people that transparency won’t all happen at once, it will take some time,” Burchett said in a statement.

Decide for yourself: See the U.S. Dept. of War's new UFO website

SALINE COUNTY —A Kansas woman who was arrested for a fatal hit-and-run crash on a rural Saline County road in August of 2025 entered a no contest plea during a court appearance on Monday..

Kayla Errebo, 33, Lorraine, did not admit to the guilt, but accepted the conviction of Second-Degree Murder and Aggravated Battery.

The murder charge was for killing&nbsp;Deanna "June" Sommerfeld, and the aggravated battery charge was for seriously injuring Mark Sommerfeld after the&nbsp;head-on collision&nbsp;on August 8, 2025.&nbsp;

Charges such as Improper Driving on a laned roadway, Violation of duty as a driver,&nbsp;Circumvention of ignition interlock device and Reckless Driving were reportedly dropped as part of the plea.

Moreover, Errebo's grandfather Dennis Katzenmeier was accused with Obstruction, after he picked up Errebo from the deadly crash scene. Charges against him were dismissed in April.

Errebo' sentencing is scheduled for&nbsp;July 10&nbsp;at&nbsp;9:00 am.

Errebo also plead guilty back on October 2024 for&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/fca0f97b-593e-429a-8d0d-ebba84210fe7">fleeing and eluding law enforcement, driving under the influence (DUI) and leaving the scene of an accident.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755894450725.jpeg" alt="Errebo photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Errebo photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —A Kansas woman who was arrested for a fatal hit-and-run crash on a rural Saline County road in August of 2025 entered a no contest plea during a court appearance on Monday..Kayla Errebo, 33, Lorraine, did not admit to the guilt, but accepted the conviction of Second-Degree Murder and Aggravated Battery.The murder charge was for killing&nbsp;Deanna "June" Sommerfeld, and the aggravated battery charge was for seriously injuring Mark Sommerfeld after the&nbsp;head-on collision&nbsp;on August 8, 2025.&nbsp;Charges such as Improper Driving on a laned roadway, Violation of duty as a driver,&nbsp;Circumvention of ignition interlock device and Reckless Driving were reportedly dropped as part of the plea.Moreover, Errebo's grandfather Dennis Katzenmeier was accused with Obstruction, after he picked up Errebo from the deadly crash scene. Charges against him were dismissed in April.Errebo' sentencing is scheduled for&nbsp;July 10&nbsp;at&nbsp;9:00 am.Errebo also plead guilty back on October 2024 for&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/fca0f97b-593e-429a-8d0d-ebba84210fe7">fleeing and eluding law enforcement, driving under the influence (DUI) and leaving the scene of an accident.</a>

Plea deal for Kansas woman in deadly head-on crash

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said on Saturday that the U.S. will significantly reduce its troop presence in Germany, escalating a dispute with Chancellor Friedrich Merz as he seeks to scale back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-nato-trump-germany-troops-merz-5ec29eb64e4b786d8f69d3521875b6df">America’s commitment to European security</a>.

The Pentagon on Friday had initially announced it would pull some 5,000 troops out of Germany, but when asked Saturday about the reason for the move, Trump didn't offer an explanation and said an even bigger reduction was coming.

“We’re going to cut way down. And we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000," Trump told reporters in Florida.

Earlier on Saturday, Germany's defense minister appeared to take in stride the news that 5,000 U.S. troops would be leaving his country.

Boris Pistorius said the drawdown, which Trump has threatened for years, was expected, and he said European nations needed to take on more responsibility for their own defense. But he also emphasized that security cooperation benefited both sides of the trans-Atlantic partnership.

“The presence of American soldiers in Europe, and especially in Germany, is in our interest and in the interest of the U.S.,” Pistorius told the German news agency dpa.

The planned withdrawal faced bipartisan resistance in Washington, with swift criticism from Democrats and concern from Republicans that it would send the “wrong signal” to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose full-scale invasion of Ukraine recently entered its fifth year.

Trump's decision comes as he seethes at European allies over their unwillingness to join his campaign with Israel against Iran. He has lashed out at leaders like Merz,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sanchez-lula-trump-sheinbaum-progressive-summit-e67096a2138f55f3b63d5c24a3b32789">Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://google.com/search?q=apnews+trump+starmer&amp;oq=apnews+trump+starmer&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDQzNTVqMGo0qAIAsAIB&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">British Prime Minister Keir Starmer</a>.

Merz last week criticized the war in Iran, saying the U.S. is being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and calling out Washington’s lack of strategy.

In another sign of friction, Trump accused the European Union of not complying with its U.S. trade deal and announced plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">increase tariffs</a>&nbsp;next week on cars and trucks produced in the bloc to 25%, a move that would be particularly damaging to Germany, a major automobile manufacturer.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-eu-autos-trade-800e6ed469b73cd4c144edb65e40ba72">At least one EU lawmaker</a>&nbsp;called the tariff hike “unacceptable” and accused Trump of breaking yet another U.S. commitment on trade.

US increased troops after Russian invasion of Ukraine

A pullout of 5,000 soldiers from Germany would amount to about one-seventh of the 36,000 American service members stationed in the country. The Pentagon offered few details about which troops or operations would be affected. When contacted after Trump's announcement of more cuts on Saturday, the Pentagon did not offer any additional details and referred back to its earlier statement.

The withdrawal of the 5,000 troops is scheduled to take place over the next six to 12 months, according to the Pentagon. Trump previously said he would pull 9,500 troops from Germany during his first term, but he didn’t start the process and Democratic President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-military-facilities-europe-lloyd-austin-ff57f288a1bb3e5a38e3253ea0b94d80">formally stopped the planned withdrawal</a>&nbsp;soon after taking office in 2021.

More broadly, around 80,000-100,000 U.S. personnel are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-government-shutdown-europe-military-bases-ad614d5a9214bccf3343aba74a3b90f4">usually stationed in Europe</a>&nbsp;— depending on operations, exercises and troop rotations. The U.S. increased its European deployment after Russia launched its full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022. NATO allies like Germany have expected for over a year that these troops would be the first to leave.

Pistorius, in his comments to dpa, said, “We Europeans must take on more responsibility for our security,” while stressing recent efforts by Germany to boost its armed forces, accelerate procurement and develop infrastructure.

NATO spokesperson Allison Hart, in a post Saturday on X, said the trans-Atlantic alliance was “working with the U.S. to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany.”

“This adjustment underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in defense and take on a greater share of the responsibility for our shared security,” she added, noting “progress” toward a target among NATO allies to each invest 5% of their economic output to defense.

A ‘thorough review’ prompted drawdown decision

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement that the “decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground.”

A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said the branches of the U.S. military didn’t have prior knowledge of the decision to draw down the 5,000 troops and learned about it “in real time.”

In response, the Defense Department reiterated that it conducted a thorough review of its force posture in Europe.

“The decision to withdraw troops in Germany follows a comprehensive, multilayered process that incorporates perspectives from key leaders in EUCOM and across the chain of command,” acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez wrote in an email, using the abbreviation for U.S. European Command.

Most U.S. troops in Germany come from the Army and Air Force.

Germany hosts several American military facilities, including the headquarters of the U.S. European and Africa commands, Ramstein Air Base and a medical center in Landstuhl, where casualties from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were treated. U.S. nuclear missiles are also stationed in the country.

Withdrawal of 5,000 troops — the size of a brigade combat team — from Germany would likely have limited impact on combat power, but “in terms of messaging of U.S. commitment though, it’s very different,” another U.S. defense official said.

The only permanent brigade combat team in Germany is the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, alongside an aviation brigade and other assets, which is considered to have an important role in America's — and NATO's — ability to deter threats.

GOP lawmakers voice concern about withdrawal plan

After swift pushback from Democrats on Friday, Republican leaders of both armed services committees in Congress said Saturday they were “very concerned” about the troop withdrawal.

Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama said the decision risked “undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin.”

They also said the Pentagon had decided to cancel the planned deployment of the Army's Long-Range Fires Battalion. Parnell's statement made no mention of that.

Wicker and Rogers said any significant change to the U.S. force posture in Europe warrants review and coordination with Congress.

“We expect the Department to engage with its oversight committees in the days and weeks ahead on this decision and its implications for U.S. deterrence and trans-Atlantic security,” they said in a joint statement.

They also noted that Germany has heeded Trump’s call to shoulder more of the burden of defense spending in Europe, while giving U.S. forces access to its bases and airspace in the war against Iran.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany in the next six to 12 months, the Pentagon said Friday, fulfilling President Donald Trump's threat as he clashes with the German leader over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-hegseth-congress-trump-updates-04-29-2026">the U.S. war with Iran</a>.

Trump had threatened to withdraw some troops from the NATO ally earlier this week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/germany-state-election-merz-greens-afd-e859c4752715f0c7fdc5d51fbbd30ba6">Chancellor Friedrich Merz</a>&nbsp;said the U.S. was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized Washington’s lack of strategy in the war.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that the “decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground.”

Germany hosts several U.S. military facilities, including the headquarters of its European and Africa commands, Ramstein Air Base and a medical center in Landstuhl, where casualties from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were treated. U.S. nuclear missiles are also stationed in the country.

The number of troops leaving Germany would be 14% of the 36,000 American service members stationed there.

News of the troop withdrawal drew swift pushback from Democrats in Congress as well as a hawkish Washington think tank. They said the move will benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin and weaken U.S. security interests.

The withdrawal “suggests American commitments to our allies are dependent on the president’s mood," said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"The president should immediately cease this reckless action before he causes irreversible consequences for our alliances and long-term national security,” Reed said.

Bradley Bowman, a scholar at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the U.S. military's presence in Germany and elsewhere in Europe “not only strengthens deterrence against additional Kremlin aggression but also facilitates the projection of American military power into the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Africa.”

Trump ignored questions from reporters about the withdrawal on Friday as he boarded Air Force One in Ocala, Florida, following a rally to tout his economic agenda.

Trump made a similar threat in his first term, saying he would pull about 9,500 of the roughly 34,500 U.S. troops who were then stationed in Germany, but he didn’t start the process and Democratic President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-military-facilities-europe-lloyd-austin-ff57f288a1bb3e5a38e3253ea0b94d80">formally stopped the planned withdrawal</a>&nbsp;soon after taking office in 2021.

The mercurial U.S. leader has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b4ac0b046a6be385b583a816e98f2240">mused for years</a>&nbsp;about reducing the American military presence in Germany, and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-rutte-iran-war-981d250a7265774a4913b63d8797fc34">railed against NATO</a>&nbsp;for its refusal to assist Washington in the war, which began on Feb. 28 with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Trump wrote Wednesday on social media that the U.S. was reviewing possible troop reductions in Germany, with a “determination” to be made soon. On Thursday, he was still thinking about Merz, posting that the German leader should “spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine” and “fixing his broken Country” than concerning himself with Iran.

American allies in NATO have braced for a U.S. troop withdrawal since Trump took office, with Washington warning that Europe would have to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-us-europeans-ukraine-security-russia-hegseth-d2cd05b5a7bc3d98acbf123179e6b391">look after its own</a>&nbsp;security, including that of Ukraine, in the future.

Depending on operations, exercises and troop rotations, around 80,000-100,000 U.S. personnel are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-government-shutdown-europe-military-bases-ad614d5a9214bccf3343aba74a3b90f4">usually stationed in Europe</a>. NATO allies have expected for more than a year that the U.S. troops deployed after Russia launched its all-out war on Ukraine in February 2022 would be first to leave.

Ed Arnold, an expert in European security at the Royal United Services Institute, or RUSI, in London, said Europe is more concerned about issues like a U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/patriot-missile-europe-iran-middle-east-ukraine-29a199d083318ed8610f11dbdd0288f2">redeployment of Patriot missile systems</a>&nbsp;and ammunition from Germany to the Middle East.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-eastern-flank-us-troops-drawdown-russia-40a1c731a866ce84d5c7721fe12c380e">In October</a>, the U.S. confirmed that it would reduce its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-nato-security-troops-manpower-trump-defense-6773a507c8a9f7a382240b3bda3ff281">troop presence</a>&nbsp;on NATO’s borders with Ukraine. The move to cut 1,500-3,000 troops came on short notice and unsettled NATO ally Romania, where the military organization runs an air base.

Madhani reported from West Palm Beach, Florida.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/4/1777513421639.png" alt="=File image-President Trump answered reporters questions Wednesday- White House video" />
 <figcaption>=File image-President Trump answered reporters questions Wednesday- White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said on Saturday that the U.S. will significantly reduce its troop presence in Germany, escalating a dispute with Chancellor Friedrich Merz as he seeks to scale back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-nato-trump-germany-troops-merz-5ec29eb64e4b786d8f69d3521875b6df">America’s commitment to European security</a>.The Pentagon on Friday had initially announced it would pull some 5,000 troops out of Germany, but when asked Saturday about the reason for the move, Trump didn't offer an explanation and said an even bigger reduction was coming.“We’re going to cut way down. And we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000," Trump told reporters in Florida.Earlier on Saturday, Germany's defense minister appeared to take in stride the news that 5,000 U.S. troops would be leaving his country.Boris Pistorius said the drawdown, which Trump has threatened for years, was expected, and he said European nations needed to take on more responsibility for their own defense. But he also emphasized that security cooperation benefited both sides of the trans-Atlantic partnership.“The presence of American soldiers in Europe, and especially in Germany, is in our interest and in the interest of the U.S.,” Pistorius told the German news agency dpa.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699821775651.png" alt="U.S. European Command" />
 <figcaption>U.S. European Command</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The plan faces bipartisan resistance</h2>The planned withdrawal faced bipartisan resistance in Washington, with swift criticism from Democrats and concern from Republicans that it would send the “wrong signal” to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose full-scale invasion of Ukraine recently entered its fifth year.Trump's decision comes as he seethes at European allies over their unwillingness to join his campaign with Israel against Iran. He has lashed out at leaders like Merz,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sanchez-lula-trump-sheinbaum-progressive-summit-e67096a2138f55f3b63d5c24a3b32789">Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://google.com/search?q=apnews+trump+starmer&amp;oq=apnews+trump+starmer&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDQzNTVqMGo0qAIAsAIB&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">British Prime Minister Keir Starmer</a>.Merz last week criticized the war in Iran, saying the U.S. is being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and calling out Washington’s lack of strategy.In another sign of friction, Trump accused the European Union of not complying with its U.S. trade deal and announced plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">increase tariffs</a>&nbsp;next week on cars and trucks produced in the bloc to 25%, a move that would be particularly damaging to Germany, a major automobile manufacturer.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-eu-autos-trade-800e6ed469b73cd4c144edb65e40ba72">At least one EU lawmaker</a>&nbsp;called the tariff hike “unacceptable” and accused Trump of breaking yet another U.S. commitment on trade.<h2>US increased troops after Russian invasion of Ukraine</h2>A pullout of 5,000 soldiers from Germany would amount to about one-seventh of the 36,000 American service members stationed in the country. The Pentagon offered few details about which troops or operations would be affected. When contacted after Trump's announcement of more cuts on Saturday, the Pentagon did not offer any additional details and referred back to its earlier statement.The withdrawal of the 5,000 troops is scheduled to take place over the next six to 12 months, according to the Pentagon. Trump previously said he would pull 9,500 troops from Germany during his first term, but he didn’t start the process and Democratic President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-military-facilities-europe-lloyd-austin-ff57f288a1bb3e5a38e3253ea0b94d80">formally stopped the planned withdrawal</a>&nbsp;soon after taking office in 2021.More broadly, around 80,000-100,000 U.S. personnel are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-government-shutdown-europe-military-bases-ad614d5a9214bccf3343aba74a3b90f4">usually stationed in Europe</a>&nbsp;— depending on operations, exercises and troop rotations. The U.S. increased its European deployment after Russia launched its full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022. NATO allies like Germany have expected for over a year that these troops would be the first to leave.Pistorius, in his comments to dpa, said, “We Europeans must take on more responsibility for our security,” while stressing recent efforts by Germany to boost its armed forces, accelerate procurement and develop infrastructure.NATO spokesperson Allison Hart, in a post Saturday on X, said the trans-Atlantic alliance was “working with the U.S. to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany.”“This adjustment underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in defense and take on a greater share of the responsibility for our shared security,” she added, noting “progress” toward a target among NATO allies to each invest 5% of their economic output to defense.<h2>A ‘thorough review’ prompted drawdown decision</h2>Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement that the “decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground.”A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said the branches of the U.S. military didn’t have prior knowledge of the decision to draw down the 5,000 troops and learned about it “in real time.”In response, the Defense Department reiterated that it conducted a thorough review of its force posture in Europe.“The decision to withdraw troops in Germany follows a comprehensive, multilayered process that incorporates perspectives from key leaders in EUCOM and across the chain of command,” acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez wrote in an email, using the abbreviation for U.S. European Command.Most U.S. troops in Germany come from the Army and Air Force.Germany hosts several American military facilities, including the headquarters of the U.S. European and Africa commands, Ramstein Air Base and a medical center in Landstuhl, where casualties from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were treated. U.S. nuclear missiles are also stationed in the country.Withdrawal of 5,000 troops — the size of a brigade combat team — from Germany would likely have limited impact on combat power, but “in terms of messaging of U.S. commitment though, it’s very different,” another U.S. defense official said.The only permanent brigade combat team in Germany is the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, alongside an aviation brigade and other assets, which is considered to have an important role in America's — and NATO's — ability to deter threats.<h2>GOP lawmakers voice concern about withdrawal plan</h2>After swift pushback from Democrats on Friday, Republican leaders of both armed services committees in Congress said Saturday they were “very concerned” about the troop withdrawal.Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama said the decision risked “undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin.”They also said the Pentagon had decided to cancel the planned deployment of the Army's Long-Range Fires Battalion. Parnell's statement made no mention of that.Wicker and Rogers said any significant change to the U.S. force posture in Europe warrants review and coordination with Congress.“We expect the Department to engage with its oversight committees in the days and weeks ahead on this decision and its implications for U.S. deterrence and trans-Atlantic security,” they said in a joint statement.They also noted that Germany has heeded Trump’s call to shoulder more of the burden of defense spending in Europe, while giving U.S. forces access to its bases and airspace in the war against Iran.------------------WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany in the next six to 12 months, the Pentagon said Friday, fulfilling President Donald Trump's threat as he clashes with the German leader over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-hegseth-congress-trump-updates-04-29-2026">the U.S. war with Iran</a>.Trump had threatened to withdraw some troops from the NATO ally earlier this week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/germany-state-election-merz-greens-afd-e859c4752715f0c7fdc5d51fbbd30ba6">Chancellor Friedrich Merz</a>&nbsp;said the U.S. was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized Washington’s lack of strategy in the war.Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that the “decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground.”Germany hosts several U.S. military facilities, including the headquarters of its European and Africa commands, Ramstein Air Base and a medical center in Landstuhl, where casualties from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were treated. U.S. nuclear missiles are also stationed in the country.The number of troops leaving Germany would be 14% of the 36,000 American service members stationed there.News of the troop withdrawal drew swift pushback from Democrats in Congress as well as a hawkish Washington think tank. They said the move will benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin and weaken U.S. security interests.The withdrawal “suggests American commitments to our allies are dependent on the president’s mood," said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee."The president should immediately cease this reckless action before he causes irreversible consequences for our alliances and long-term national security,” Reed said.Bradley Bowman, a scholar at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the U.S. military's presence in Germany and elsewhere in Europe “not only strengthens deterrence against additional Kremlin aggression but also facilitates the projection of American military power into the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Africa.”Trump ignored questions from reporters about the withdrawal on Friday as he boarded Air Force One in Ocala, Florida, following a rally to tout his economic agenda.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/WA2V287tyh">pic.twitter.com/WA2V287tyh</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2049607102088327223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump made a similar threat in his first term, saying he would pull about 9,500 of the roughly 34,500 U.S. troops who were then stationed in Germany, but he didn’t start the process and Democratic President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-military-facilities-europe-lloyd-austin-ff57f288a1bb3e5a38e3253ea0b94d80">formally stopped the planned withdrawal</a>&nbsp;soon after taking office in 2021.The mercurial U.S. leader has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b4ac0b046a6be385b583a816e98f2240">mused for years</a>&nbsp;about reducing the American military presence in Germany, and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-rutte-iran-war-981d250a7265774a4913b63d8797fc34">railed against NATO</a>&nbsp;for its refusal to assist Washington in the war, which began on Feb. 28 with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.Trump wrote Wednesday on social media that the U.S. was reviewing possible troop reductions in Germany, with a “determination” to be made soon. On Thursday, he was still thinking about Merz, posting that the German leader should “spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine” and “fixing his broken Country” than concerning himself with Iran.American allies in NATO have braced for a U.S. troop withdrawal since Trump took office, with Washington warning that Europe would have to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-us-europeans-ukraine-security-russia-hegseth-d2cd05b5a7bc3d98acbf123179e6b391">look after its own</a>&nbsp;security, including that of Ukraine, in the future.Depending on operations, exercises and troop rotations, around 80,000-100,000 U.S. personnel are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-government-shutdown-europe-military-bases-ad614d5a9214bccf3343aba74a3b90f4">usually stationed in Europe</a>. NATO allies have expected for more than a year that the U.S. troops deployed after Russia launched its all-out war on Ukraine in February 2022 would be first to leave.Ed Arnold, an expert in European security at the Royal United Services Institute, or RUSI, in London, said Europe is more concerned about issues like a U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/patriot-missile-europe-iran-middle-east-ukraine-29a199d083318ed8610f11dbdd0288f2">redeployment of Patriot missile systems</a>&nbsp;and ammunition from Germany to the Middle East.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nato-eastern-flank-us-troops-drawdown-russia-40a1c731a866ce84d5c7721fe12c380e">In October</a>, the U.S. confirmed that it would reduce its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-nato-security-troops-manpower-trump-defense-6773a507c8a9f7a382240b3bda3ff281">troop presence</a>&nbsp;on NATO’s borders with Ukraine. The move to cut 1,500-3,000 troops came on short notice and unsettled NATO ally Romania, where the military organization runs an air base.——Madhani reported from West Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump: U.S. will significantly reduce its troop presence in Germany

Connie
Lynn Klein, 75, of Russell, Kansas, passed away, Sunday, April 26, 2026, at the
Russell Regional Hospital in Russell.

Connie
was born October 30, 1950, in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp;
She was one of two children born to Louis A. and Lillian K. (Bauer)
Rusch.&nbsp; She grew up in Russell, and
graduated from Russell High School in the Class of 1968.

Connie
was united in marriage to David Anderson in 1968, they later divorced. Then Connie
was united in marriage to John D. Klein on October 19, 1987.&nbsp; They made their home in Russell.&nbsp; John Preceded her in death on March 24, 2010.

Connie
was a passionate and caring Caregiver to many individuals in the Russell area
at their homes.&nbsp; Earlier in life, she was
a Secretary for John O’Farmer Inc, DSNWK, and Koch Oil.&nbsp; She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic
Church.&nbsp; She was the CEO of Gentle Giants
Therapeutic Riding. She raised and sold Doberman dogs for many years that later
evolved into her desire for animal rescue.&nbsp;
She enjoyed working with John doing Chuckwagon cooking for Black Powder
Shoots and Cowboy Gatherings. Anytime doing antique shopping was a good
time.&nbsp; The main thing that brought a
smile to her face and put a sparkle in her eye, was her grandchildren and great
grandchildren.&nbsp; She was always ready to
attend their activities at the drop of a hat.&nbsp;
She will be dearly missed by family and her special group of friends.

Connie’s
surviving family include her two daughters, Tiffinie Mai (Monty) of Russell,
Kansas, and Tammie Schultz (Kris) of Russell, Kansas; brother, Alan Rusch of
Russell, Kansas; three grandchildren, Lane Mai (Alex), Braden Mai and Bailey
Kilian (Sam); and six great grandchildren, Brantley, Oaklynn, Emery, Ryker,
Ella, and Eli.

Connie
was preceded in death by her parents and husband John.

Celebration
of Connie’s Life will be held at 10:30 AM, Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at
Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell.&nbsp;
Burial of Ashes will follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Russell.&nbsp; Visitation will be held from 9:00 AM to 8:00
PM, Monday, May 4, 2026, at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, with the family
present to greet friends from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.&nbsp; A memorial has been established as the Connie
Klein Memorial.&nbsp; Contributions and
condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, who are in charge of
these arrangements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/4/1777566557507.png" alt="Connie Lynn Klein" />
 <figcaption>Connie Lynn Klein</figcaption>
 </figure>Connie
Lynn Klein, 75, of Russell, Kansas, passed away, Sunday, April 26, 2026, at the
Russell Regional Hospital in Russell.Connie
was born October 30, 1950, in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp;
She was one of two children born to Louis A. and Lillian K. (Bauer)
Rusch.&nbsp; She grew up in Russell, and
graduated from Russell High School in the Class of 1968.Connie
was united in marriage to David Anderson in 1968, they later divorced. Then Connie
was united in marriage to John D. Klein on October 19, 1987.&nbsp; They made their home in Russell.&nbsp; John Preceded her in death on March 24, 2010.Connie
was a passionate and caring Caregiver to many individuals in the Russell area
at their homes.&nbsp; Earlier in life, she was
a Secretary for John O’Farmer Inc, DSNWK, and Koch Oil.&nbsp; She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic
Church.&nbsp; She was the CEO of Gentle Giants
Therapeutic Riding. She raised and sold Doberman dogs for many years that later
evolved into her desire for animal rescue.&nbsp;
She enjoyed working with John doing Chuckwagon cooking for Black Powder
Shoots and Cowboy Gatherings. Anytime doing antique shopping was a good
time.&nbsp; The main thing that brought a
smile to her face and put a sparkle in her eye, was her grandchildren and great
grandchildren.&nbsp; She was always ready to
attend their activities at the drop of a hat.&nbsp;
She will be dearly missed by family and her special group of friends.Connie’s
surviving family include her two daughters, Tiffinie Mai (Monty) of Russell,
Kansas, and Tammie Schultz (Kris) of Russell, Kansas; brother, Alan Rusch of
Russell, Kansas; three grandchildren, Lane Mai (Alex), Braden Mai and Bailey
Kilian (Sam); and six great grandchildren, Brantley, Oaklynn, Emery, Ryker,
Ella, and Eli.Connie
was preceded in death by her parents and husband John.Celebration
of Connie’s Life will be held at 10:30 AM, Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at
Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell.&nbsp;
Burial of Ashes will follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Russell.&nbsp; Visitation will be held from 9:00 AM to 8:00
PM, Monday, May 4, 2026, at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, with the family
present to greet friends from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.&nbsp; A memorial has been established as the Connie
Klein Memorial.&nbsp; Contributions and
condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, who are in charge of
these arrangements.

Connie Lynn Klein, 75

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jerome Powell said Wednesday he plans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-trump-economy-4c26310b28f64178a1f521d27d0c8db5">to remain</a>&nbsp;on the board of the Federal Reserve after his term as chair ends next month “for an undetermined period of time,” saying the “unprecedented” legal attacks by the Trump administration have put the independence of the nation's central bank at risk.

“I worry these attacks are battering this institution and putting at risk the things that really matter to the public,” Powell said in remarks at a press conference after the Fed announced its decision to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged.

Powell’s decision to stay — the first time a Fed chair will remain on the board as a governor since 1948 — denies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;a chance to fill a seat on the central bank’s seven-member governing board with his own appointee. The Senate Banking Committee earlier approved Powell’s successor as chair, Trump appointee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-warsh-powell-513775b602b05b33b3d71c975cb62209">Kevin Warsh</a>, on a party-line vote. Powell will continue as a Fed governor, possibly until January 2028. Warsh, if confirmed, will take a seat currently held by Stephen Miran, a previous Trump appointee, whose term ended in January.

Powell's move could make it a bit harder for Warsh to engineer the rate cuts that Trump has demanded, and Warsh advocated for last year, economists say.

“It probably means it will take Warsh a little bit longer to build the consensus he is trying to build,” said David Seif, chief economist for developed markets at Nomura, an investment bank.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said on X Friday that her office was ending its probe into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-jerome-powell-145b0189a8c7acaab9fcfb097dc376c9">the Fed’s extensive building renovations</a>&nbsp;because the Fed’s inspector general would scrutinize them instead. But she added that her office could reopen the investigation if “the facts warrant doing so.”

Apparently that didn't bring Powell the closure he felt is needed.

“I’m waiting for the investigation to be well and truly over with finality and transparency," he said. "I’m waiting for that and I will leave when I think it appropriate to do so.”

The Fed Wednesday left its benchmark interest rate unchanged for the third straight meeting but signaled it could still cut rates in the coming months, moves that attracted the most dissents since October 1992. Three officials dissented in favor of removing the reference to a future cut, while a fourth, Miran, dissented in favor of an immediate rate cut.

The dissents underscore the level of division on the Fed's 12-member rate-setting committee ahead of the end of Powell's term as chair on May 15.

“Developments in the Middle East are contributing to a high level of uncertainty about the economic outlook,” the Fed said in a statement after its two-day meeting. “Inflation is elevated, in part reflecting the recent increase in global energy prices.”

Warsh has promised “regime change” at the central bank and may make sweeping changes to its economic models, communications strategies, and balance sheet. He has argued in favor of rate cuts, as Trump has demanded, but he will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-federal-reserve-warsh-bcaac06bfee8bb92a900366b2d03ce01">likely find it harder to implement them</a>&nbsp;with inflation topping 3%, above the Fed’s target of 2%.

When asked if he believed Warsh would stand up to political pressure from Trump, Powell answered, “He testified very strongly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-kevin-warsh-jerome-powell-dd88a3f06eddcada4db555fe11e547eb">at his hearing</a>, and I take him at his word.”

The three officials who dissented against hinting that the Fed may reduce borrowing costs were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-de214f6eb7853bef424967f6d1caf11d">Beth Hammack</a>, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland; Neel Kashkari, president of the Minneapolis Fed; and Lorie Logan, president of the Dallas Fed. The regional Fed bank presidents have historically been more likely to dissent, while the Washington-based governors more often support the chair.

The dissents could renew tension between the Trump administration and the bank presidents, who White House officials have previously criticized.

Beth Ann Bovino, chief economist at US Bank, said the dissents demonstrated that Fed policymakers are “very independent" and will likely be on hold for months longer. She has forecast a rate cut in December but now isn't sure. Wall Street investors on average don't expect a reduction until well into next year, according to futures pricing.

Powell's decision to stay on could worsen tensions with the Trump administration and would create what some analysts refer to as a “two Popes” scenario, with a chair and former chair both on the Fed’s board. In that case, divisions among policymakers could increase, if some decided to follow Powell's lead rather than Warsh's.

Powell dismissed the notion that his staying on could cause dissension, saying, “My intention is not to interfere," later adding that, “I’m not looking to be a high profile dissident or anything like that."

Still, Powell said he remained concerned about the Fed's independence from the White House, which he said is essential to its ability to set rates to benefit the public, rather than in response to political pressure. When the Fed raises or cuts its short-term rate, over time it affects the cost of mortgages, auto loans, and business borrowing.

Fed independence remains “at risk,” he said. "We’re having to resort to the courts to enforce our ... ability to make monetary policy without political considerations. We’ve had to do that and we’ve been successful so far, but that’s not over, none of that has concluded yet.”

The unusual situation comes while the economic picture remains unusually murky, putting the Fed in a difficult spot. Inflation has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-gas-federal-reserve-trump-bf00c3105d5da88a0b01d9107ed4ecee">jumped to 3.3%</a>, a two-year high, as the war has sharply raised gas prices. That makes it harder for the central bank to reduce rates. The Fed typically leaves rates unchanged, or even raises them, if inflation is worsening.

At the same time, hiring has ground almost to a halt, leaving those without jobs frustrated by the difficulty of finding new ones. Typically, the Fed cuts rates when the job market is weak, to spur more spending and job gains.

But layoffs also remain low, as employers appear to be following a “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-economy-c48fd84dfaa71eee962feb3a88fd8575">low-hire, low-fire</a>&nbsp;” strategy. Many Fed officials have suggested that as long as the unemployment rate is low, the central bank doesn't need to cut rates to spur more spending and hiring. Unemployment&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-war-iran-oil-01c14a0e7ecbfb65925ba66c530f0834">declined to 4.3%</a>&nbsp;in March, from 4.4%.

AP Writer Alex Veiga contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jerome Powell said Wednesday he plans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-trump-economy-4c26310b28f64178a1f521d27d0c8db5">to remain</a>&nbsp;on the board of the Federal Reserve after his term as chair ends next month “for an undetermined period of time,” saying the “unprecedented” legal attacks by the Trump administration have put the independence of the nation's central bank at risk.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/federalreserve?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FederalReserve</a> Chair Jerome Powell: &quot;Today the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> decided to leave our policy rate unchanged.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/dTGGgmI60R">pic.twitter.com/dTGGgmI60R</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2049560399129756000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell: &quot;I welcomed the announcement last Friday by the U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia that she had closed the criminal investigation...I&#39;ve said that I will not leave the board until this investigation is well and truly over with transparency and finality… <a href="https://t.co/6rrlSLI49w">pic.twitter.com/6rrlSLI49w</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2049562941436187038?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell denies staying on Fed Board due to political reasons. <a href="https://t.co/dVcl7XWawb">pic.twitter.com/dVcl7XWawb</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2049563073661313237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I worry these attacks are battering this institution and putting at risk the things that really matter to the public,” Powell said in remarks at a press conference after the Fed announced its decision to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged.Powell’s decision to stay — the first time a Fed chair will remain on the board as a governor since 1948 — denies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;a chance to fill a seat on the central bank’s seven-member governing board with his own appointee. The Senate Banking Committee earlier approved Powell’s successor as chair, Trump appointee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-warsh-powell-513775b602b05b33b3d71c975cb62209">Kevin Warsh</a>, on a party-line vote. Powell will continue as a Fed governor, possibly until January 2028. Warsh, if confirmed, will take a seat currently held by Stephen Miran, a previous Trump appointee, whose term ended in January.Powell's move could make it a bit harder for Warsh to engineer the rate cuts that Trump has demanded, and Warsh advocated for last year, economists say.“It probably means it will take Warsh a little bit longer to build the consensus he is trying to build,” said David Seif, chief economist for developed markets at Nomura, an investment bank.U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said on X Friday that her office was ending its probe into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-jerome-powell-145b0189a8c7acaab9fcfb097dc376c9">the Fed’s extensive building renovations</a>&nbsp;because the Fed’s inspector general would scrutinize them instead. But she added that her office could reopen the investigation if “the facts warrant doing so.”Apparently that didn't bring Powell the closure he felt is needed.“I’m waiting for the investigation to be well and truly over with finality and transparency," he said. "I’m waiting for that and I will leave when I think it appropriate to do so.”The Fed Wednesday left its benchmark interest rate unchanged for the third straight meeting but signaled it could still cut rates in the coming months, moves that attracted the most dissents since October 1992. Three officials dissented in favor of removing the reference to a future cut, while a fourth, Miran, dissented in favor of an immediate rate cut.The dissents underscore the level of division on the Fed's 12-member rate-setting committee ahead of the end of Powell's term as chair on May 15.“Developments in the Middle East are contributing to a high level of uncertainty about the economic outlook,” the Fed said in a statement after its two-day meeting. “Inflation is elevated, in part reflecting the recent increase in global energy prices.”Warsh has promised “regime change” at the central bank and may make sweeping changes to its economic models, communications strategies, and balance sheet. He has argued in favor of rate cuts, as Trump has demanded, but he will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-federal-reserve-warsh-bcaac06bfee8bb92a900366b2d03ce01">likely find it harder to implement them</a>&nbsp;with inflation topping 3%, above the Fed’s target of 2%.When asked if he believed Warsh would stand up to political pressure from Trump, Powell answered, “He testified very strongly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-kevin-warsh-jerome-powell-dd88a3f06eddcada4db555fe11e547eb">at his hearing</a>, and I take him at his word.”The three officials who dissented against hinting that the Fed may reduce borrowing costs were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-de214f6eb7853bef424967f6d1caf11d">Beth Hammack</a>, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland; Neel Kashkari, president of the Minneapolis Fed; and Lorie Logan, president of the Dallas Fed. The regional Fed bank presidents have historically been more likely to dissent, while the Washington-based governors more often support the chair.The dissents could renew tension between the Trump administration and the bank presidents, who White House officials have previously criticized.Beth Ann Bovino, chief economist at US Bank, said the dissents demonstrated that Fed policymakers are “very independent" and will likely be on hold for months longer. She has forecast a rate cut in December but now isn't sure. Wall Street investors on average don't expect a reduction until well into next year, according to futures pricing.Powell's decision to stay on could worsen tensions with the Trump administration and would create what some analysts refer to as a “two Popes” scenario, with a chair and former chair both on the Fed’s board. In that case, divisions among policymakers could increase, if some decided to follow Powell's lead rather than Warsh's.Powell dismissed the notion that his staying on could cause dissension, saying, “My intention is not to interfere," later adding that, “I’m not looking to be a high profile dissident or anything like that."Still, Powell said he remained concerned about the Fed's independence from the White House, which he said is essential to its ability to set rates to benefit the public, rather than in response to political pressure. When the Fed raises or cuts its short-term rate, over time it affects the cost of mortgages, auto loans, and business borrowing.Fed independence remains “at risk,” he said. "We’re having to resort to the courts to enforce our ... ability to make monetary policy without political considerations. We’ve had to do that and we’ve been successful so far, but that’s not over, none of that has concluded yet.”The unusual situation comes while the economic picture remains unusually murky, putting the Fed in a difficult spot. Inflation has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-gas-federal-reserve-trump-bf00c3105d5da88a0b01d9107ed4ecee">jumped to 3.3%</a>, a two-year high, as the war has sharply raised gas prices. That makes it harder for the central bank to reduce rates. The Fed typically leaves rates unchanged, or even raises them, if inflation is worsening.At the same time, hiring has ground almost to a halt, leaving those without jobs frustrated by the difficulty of finding new ones. Typically, the Fed cuts rates when the job market is weak, to spur more spending and job gains.But layoffs also remain low, as employers appear to be following a “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-economy-c48fd84dfaa71eee962feb3a88fd8575">low-hire, low-fire</a>&nbsp;” strategy. Many Fed officials have suggested that as long as the unemployment rate is low, the central bank doesn't need to cut rates to spur more spending and hiring. Unemployment&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-war-iran-oil-01c14a0e7ecbfb65925ba66c530f0834">declined to 4.3%</a>&nbsp;in March, from 4.4%.___AP Writer Alex Veiga contributed to this report.

🎥 Bad news for borrowers and Powell says he'll stay on the board

TOPEKA, KAN. –A Salina man is going to prison after a&nbsp;&nbsp;Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigation into reports of child sexual abuse material.

According to court documents, Douglas Harpster, 53, of Salina pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child sexual abuse material. &nbsp;

Harpster was sentenced to 78 months in prison and a ten-year term of supervised release.

In October of 2022, the FBI received a tip that a computer IP address with a geolocation in Salina was downloading known Child Sex Abuse Material files using an Internet file sharing platform. The user was identified as Harpster. FBI agents executed a search warrant on Harpster’s home and seized multiple electronic devices and electronic storage devices. &nbsp;A review confirmed his files contained over 1,500 thumbnails or cached images depicting minors, including those under the age of 12, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724072117714.png" alt="Harpster was held in Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Harpster was held in Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, KAN. –A Salina man is going to prison after a&nbsp;&nbsp;Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigation into reports of child sexual abuse material.According to court documents, Douglas Harpster, 53, of Salina pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child sexual abuse material. &nbsp;Harpster was sentenced to 78 months in prison and a ten-year term of supervised release.In October of 2022, the FBI received a tip that a computer IP address with a geolocation in Salina was downloading known Child Sex Abuse Material files using an Internet file sharing platform. The user was identified as Harpster. FBI agents executed a search warrant on Harpster’s home and seized multiple electronic devices and electronic storage devices. &nbsp;A review confirmed his files contained over 1,500 thumbnails or cached images depicting minors, including those under the age of 12, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Prison: Kansas man had 1,500 images of child sex abuse

Wichita—&nbsp;Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, announced on Monday the opening of its Wichita Assembly Center (WAC) for the MV-75 Cheyenne fuselage assembly in Wichita.

Bell began fuselage manufacturing operations at the facility in October of 2025, as a part of the acceleration initiative directed by the U.S. Army. &nbsp;

“Monday's celebration marks a significant milestone for the Air Capital of the World and underscores the critical role Kansans play in supporting our national security. Wichita has deep roots in aviation and defense, and Bell Textron’s presence in the community will further strengthen that legacy as Kansas workers help produce the next generation of military aircraft,” said Sen. Jerry Moran. “This facility represents a new chapter of Army aviation and of Bell’s investment into Kansas. I have long supported this critical program and the Army’s efforts to accelerate its production. I am pleased that Bell Textron has chosen Kansas for this investment, a decision that will strengthen our national security while expanding opportunities for Wichita’s highly skilled workforce.”

In addition to manufacturing the MV-75 fuselage at the WAC, work is ongoing at several of Bell’s other advanced manufacturing facilities in Texas, including Bell’s Advanced Composite Center in Fort Worth, and final assembly in Amarillo.

"As Bell moves through the assembly of the MV-75 test aircraft and into accelerated production, we are committed to investing in advanced manufacturing to ensure we deliver exceptional performance at an affordable cost to our customer,” said Danny Maldonado, President and CEO, Bell. “Textron has a rich history with the state of Kansas as well as the city of Wichita, and we are proud to deepen that relationship as we establish this new facility.”

The MV-75 Cheyenne is a revolutionary capability for the U.S. Army flying twice as far and twice as fast as the current fleet and has a game-changing digital backbone and open architecture that ensures it remains on the technological forward-edge throughout its lifecycle. Bell will continue to invest in its manufacturing capability and capacity to ensure it delivers the most reliable and high-performing long-range assault aircraft to the Army, on time and at an affordable cost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/4/1777333598074.png" alt="MV-75 Cheyenne -image from Bell video" />
 <figcaption>MV-75 Cheyenne -image from Bell video</figcaption>
 </figure>Bell TextronWichita—&nbsp;Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, announced on Monday the opening of its Wichita Assembly Center (WAC) for the MV-75 Cheyenne fuselage assembly in Wichita.Bell began fuselage manufacturing operations at the facility in October of 2025, as a part of the acceleration initiative directed by the U.S. Army. &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/4/1777332529042.png" alt="Photo courtesy Bell&nbsp; Textron" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Bell&nbsp; Textron</figcaption>
 </figure>“Monday's celebration marks a significant milestone for the Air Capital of the World and underscores the critical role Kansans play in supporting our national security. Wichita has deep roots in aviation and defense, and Bell Textron’s presence in the community will further strengthen that legacy as Kansas workers help produce the next generation of military aircraft,” said Sen. Jerry Moran. “This facility represents a new chapter of Army aviation and of Bell’s investment into Kansas. I have long supported this critical program and the Army’s efforts to accelerate its production. I am pleased that Bell Textron has chosen Kansas for this investment, a decision that will strengthen our national security while expanding opportunities for Wichita’s highly skilled workforce.”In addition to manufacturing the MV-75 fuselage at the WAC, work is ongoing at several of Bell’s other advanced manufacturing facilities in Texas, including Bell’s Advanced Composite Center in Fort Worth, and final assembly in Amarillo."As Bell moves through the assembly of the MV-75 test aircraft and into accelerated production, we are committed to investing in advanced manufacturing to ensure we deliver exceptional performance at an affordable cost to our customer,” said Danny Maldonado, President and CEO, Bell. “Textron has a rich history with the state of Kansas as well as the city of Wichita, and we are proud to deepen that relationship as we establish this new facility.”The MV-75 Cheyenne is a revolutionary capability for the U.S. Army flying twice as far and twice as fast as the current fleet and has a game-changing digital backbone and open architecture that ensures it remains on the technological forward-edge throughout its lifecycle. Bell will continue to invest in its manufacturing capability and capacity to ensure it delivers the most reliable and high-performing long-range assault aircraft to the Army, on time and at an affordable cost.

Fuselage for new U.S. Army aircraft now being built in Kansas      

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV prayed Monday in the Vatican with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/anglican-church-of-england-archbishop-of-canterbury-cb6217f75fbef58e2a22088033248717">the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally</a>, and vowed to keep working to overcome differences “no matter how intractable they may appear,” in a historic meeting with the first female leader of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion.

The encounter between Christianity’s two most famous religious figures would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, given the divisions between their two churches over women’s ordination in general and Mullally's appointment in particular.

Leo acknowledged that “new problems” in their relationship had been added onto “historically divisive issues.” But he nevertheless vowed to continue the tradition of past popes to continue to try to reunite the churches.

Anglicans split from Rome in 1534, when English King Henry VIII was refused a marriage annulment. Despite a formal theological dialogue that began in the 1960s, big differences remain, especially over the Church of England’s decision to ordain women. The Roman Catholic Church reserves the priesthood for men.

Leo quoted the late Pope Francis as telling Anglican primates that “it would be a scandal if, due to our divisions, we did not fulfil our common vocation to make Christ known.”

“For my part, I add that it would also be a scandal if we did not continue to work towards overcoming our differences, no matter how intractable they may appear,” Leo said.

Mullally, whose appointment has split the already divided Anglican Communion, arrived an hour early to meet with Leo. She thanked him for welcoming her on her first foreign visit since she was installed last month.

After meeting in Leo's library, the two then prayed together in the Urban VIII Chapel inside the Apostolic Palace for what the Vatican said was a “moment of prayer.” Mullally’s office said Leo presided but that they both “said the grace together.” The Vatican released photos and video of the meeting and prayer, both of which were closed to the press.

In her remarks to Leo, Mullally said both of them were called to preach the Gospel with “renewed clarity.”

“In the face of inhuman violence, deep division, and rapid societal change, we must keep telling a more hopeful story: that every human life has infinite value because we are precious children of God; that the human family is called to live as sisters and brothers,” she said. “We must therefore work together for the common good — always building bridges, never walls; that the poorest among us are closest to the heart of God.”

Mullally is on what she has called a four-day pilgrimage to Rome that has included visits to the main pontifical basilicas, where she has prayed at the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul and met with top Vatican officials.

Lambeth Palace says her visit is designed “to strengthen Anglican–Roman Catholic relations through prayer, personal encounter, and formal theological dialogue. It aims to deepen bonds of communion, affirm a shared witness, and encourage ongoing collaboration at both global and local levels.”

The first female Anglican priests were ordained in 1994, its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-afc00953b45d43fa82b1491cd2d6fac6">first female bishop</a>&nbsp;in 2015, and now Mullally as the first archbishop of Canterbury.

Leo and Mullally have already exchanged greetings, with Leo congratulating her on her installation last month but acknowledging she was taking over at a “challenging” time and that differences still divide the Anglican and Catholic churches.

He nevertheless vowed to continue dialogue, and in October&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-king-charles-visit-21d45caccfa4d06cbd975cca542e2cb4">Leo welcomed King Charles III</a>&nbsp;and Queen Camilla to the Vatican, where they prayed in the Sistine Chapel. Charles is the titular head of the Church of England.

That event, Oct. 25, marked the first time since the Reformation that the heads of the two Christian churches had prayed together.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the first formal ecumenical statement between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches, signed in 1966 at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls basilica by Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope Paul VI.

Mullally for her part has expressed solidarity with Leo’s peace message, after the American-born pope was harshly criticized by President Donald Trump for his calls for peace in Iran.

Popes past have met with female Christian bishops and archbishops: Francis met in 2015 with Archbishop Antje Jackelén, the first woman to lead the Lutheran Church of Sweden. Francis also invited the female Anglican bishop, Jo Bailey Wells, into a private meeting of his cardinal advisers in 2024 to discuss the role of women in the Catholic Church.

An historic meeting that follows the king's visit

George Gross, an expert on theology and the monarchy at King’s College London, said Monday's meeting was historic, particularly given the Vatican doesn't recognize the female priesthood.

“If we were to go back several hundred years, it’s unthinkable,” he said. “It’s the fact that the pope is willing to meet, but in itself it also shows the difference, the gap.”

Gross said the prayer was clearly an attempt to show the two churches united, especially in confronting the global conflicts and projecting a message of unity. Such optics, he said, were in continuity with the visit to the Vatican in October by the king.

“It’s a doubling down of togetherness,” he said.

An appointment that divides the Anglican communion

Mullallay's appointment though has split the Anglican Communion, whose 100 million members in 165 countries are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/anglican-church-lgbtq-issues-4f635708fdb24df166ac8237f9473f00">deeply divided</a>&nbsp;over issues such as the role of women and the treatment of LGBTQ+ people. Many in England and other Western countries hailed her appointment as a historic breaking of a stained-glass ceiling.

But the communion’s largest and fastest-growing churches in Africa belong to a conservative group called the Global Anglican Future Conference, or Gafcon, which has sharply criticized her appointment and threatened a final break. In the U.S., the conservative Anglican Church in North America formed in a break from the more liberal U.S. and Canadian Episcopal churches and has signed onto the Gafcon statement opposing Mullally’s appointment.

Mullallay told Leo, who has just returned from a four-nation African voyage, that she would soon be following in his footsteps with a visit to Cameroon and Ghana in July.

"Your pilgrimage to Africa was full of life and joy," she said. “It reminded us that despite our sufferings, people long for life in all its fullness, and countless people are working each day for this vision of the common good.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1774464649061.jpeg" alt="File photo =Sarah Mullally waves as she leaves after the Enthronement Ceremony installing her as archbishop of Canterbury in Canterbury, England, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, the first woman ever to lead the Church of England. ( File photo AP Photo/Alastair Grant)" />
 <figcaption>File photo =Sarah Mullally waves as she leaves after the Enthronement Ceremony installing her as archbishop of Canterbury in Canterbury, England, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, the first woman ever to lead the Church of England. ( File photo AP Photo/Alastair Grant)</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV prayed Monday in the Vatican with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/anglican-church-of-england-archbishop-of-canterbury-cb6217f75fbef58e2a22088033248717">the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally</a>, and vowed to keep working to overcome differences “no matter how intractable they may appear,” in a historic meeting with the first female leader of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion.The encounter between Christianity’s two most famous religious figures would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, given the divisions between their two churches over women’s ordination in general and Mullally's appointment in particular.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/4/1777309376078.png" alt="Pope Leo XIV hosted the new Archbishop of Canterbury in historic meeting- image from Associated Press video" />
 <figcaption>Pope Leo XIV hosted the new Archbishop of Canterbury in historic meeting- image from Associated Press video</figcaption>
 </figure>Leo acknowledged that “new problems” in their relationship had been added onto “historically divisive issues.” But he nevertheless vowed to continue the tradition of past popes to continue to try to reunite the churches.Anglicans split from Rome in 1534, when English King Henry VIII was refused a marriage annulment. Despite a formal theological dialogue that began in the 1960s, big differences remain, especially over the Church of England’s decision to ordain women. The Roman Catholic Church reserves the priesthood for men.Leo quoted the late Pope Francis as telling Anglican primates that “it would be a scandal if, due to our divisions, we did not fulfil our common vocation to make Christ known.”“For my part, I add that it would also be a scandal if we did not continue to work towards overcoming our differences, no matter how intractable they may appear,” Leo said.Mullally, whose appointment has split the already divided Anglican Communion, arrived an hour early to meet with Leo. She thanked him for welcoming her on her first foreign visit since she was installed last month.After meeting in Leo's library, the two then prayed together in the Urban VIII Chapel inside the Apostolic Palace for what the Vatican said was a “moment of prayer.” Mullally’s office said Leo presided but that they both “said the grace together.” The Vatican released photos and video of the meeting and prayer, both of which were closed to the press.In her remarks to Leo, Mullally said both of them were called to preach the Gospel with “renewed clarity.”“In the face of inhuman violence, deep division, and rapid societal change, we must keep telling a more hopeful story: that every human life has infinite value because we are precious children of God; that the human family is called to live as sisters and brothers,” she said. “We must therefore work together for the common good — always building bridges, never walls; that the poorest among us are closest to the heart of God.”<h2>A pilgrimage to Rome amid challenges</h2>Mullally is on what she has called a four-day pilgrimage to Rome that has included visits to the main pontifical basilicas, where she has prayed at the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul and met with top Vatican officials.Lambeth Palace says her visit is designed “to strengthen Anglican–Roman Catholic relations through prayer, personal encounter, and formal theological dialogue. It aims to deepen bonds of communion, affirm a shared witness, and encourage ongoing collaboration at both global and local levels.”The first female Anglican priests were ordained in 1994, its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-afc00953b45d43fa82b1491cd2d6fac6">first female bishop</a>&nbsp;in 2015, and now Mullally as the first archbishop of Canterbury.Leo and Mullally have already exchanged greetings, with Leo congratulating her on her installation last month but acknowledging she was taking over at a “challenging” time and that differences still divide the Anglican and Catholic churches.He nevertheless vowed to continue dialogue, and in October&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-king-charles-visit-21d45caccfa4d06cbd975cca542e2cb4">Leo welcomed King Charles III</a>&nbsp;and Queen Camilla to the Vatican, where they prayed in the Sistine Chapel. Charles is the titular head of the Church of England.That event, Oct. 25, marked the first time since the Reformation that the heads of the two Christian churches had prayed together.This year marks the 60th anniversary of the first formal ecumenical statement between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches, signed in 1966 at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls basilica by Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope Paul VI.Mullally for her part has expressed solidarity with Leo’s peace message, after the American-born pope was harshly criticized by President Donald Trump for his calls for peace in Iran.Popes past have met with female Christian bishops and archbishops: Francis met in 2015 with Archbishop Antje Jackelén, the first woman to lead the Lutheran Church of Sweden. Francis also invited the female Anglican bishop, Jo Bailey Wells, into a private meeting of his cardinal advisers in 2024 to discuss the role of women in the Catholic Church.<h2>An historic meeting that follows the king's visit</h2>George Gross, an expert on theology and the monarchy at King’s College London, said Monday's meeting was historic, particularly given the Vatican doesn't recognize the female priesthood.“If we were to go back several hundred years, it’s unthinkable,” he said. “It’s the fact that the pope is willing to meet, but in itself it also shows the difference, the gap.”Gross said the prayer was clearly an attempt to show the two churches united, especially in confronting the global conflicts and projecting a message of unity. Such optics, he said, were in continuity with the visit to the Vatican in October by the king.“It’s a doubling down of togetherness,” he said.<h2>An appointment that divides the Anglican communion</h2>Mullallay's appointment though has split the Anglican Communion, whose 100 million members in 165 countries are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/anglican-church-lgbtq-issues-4f635708fdb24df166ac8237f9473f00">deeply divided</a>&nbsp;over issues such as the role of women and the treatment of LGBTQ+ people. Many in England and other Western countries hailed her appointment as a historic breaking of a stained-glass ceiling.But the communion’s largest and fastest-growing churches in Africa belong to a conservative group called the Global Anglican Future Conference, or Gafcon, which has sharply criticized her appointment and threatened a final break. In the U.S., the conservative Anglican Church in North America formed in a break from the more liberal U.S. and Canadian Episcopal churches and has signed onto the Gafcon statement opposing Mullally’s appointment.Mullallay told Leo, who has just returned from a four-nation African voyage, that she would soon be following in his footsteps with a visit to Cameroon and Ghana in July."Your pilgrimage to Africa was full of life and joy," she said. “It reminded us that despite our sufferings, people long for life in all its fullness, and countless people are working each day for this vision of the common good.”___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.___