Let Me Start: Syria ‘game changer’

President Obama continues his tour in the Middle East, the House expected to pass Rep. Ryan's budget, the latest on the assault weapons ban, and more political stories that are driving our day.

President Obama continues his tour in the Middle East, saying in Jerusalem on Wednesday that the U.S. is investigating if the Syrian military is using chemical weapons (The Israeli government has concluded it has). The commander-in-chief said he was “deeply skeptical” but noted it would be a “game changer” in American involvement in the ongoing civil war there.

On Thursday, Obama will be in the West Bank, where he’ll hold meetings with Palestinian leaders, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. He plans to push peace talks and insist the creation of a Palestinian state remains a priority for him.

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Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, the Republican-led House is expected to vote and pass GOP Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget plan. It seeks to balance the budget by 2023, would rely on major spending cuts, including the elimination of expanding healthcare coverage under Obamacare. It’s unlikely it would pass in the Senate.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

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FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

Although the assault weapons ban got nixed from a gun control bill, Vice President Joe Biden has not given up. He told NPR News that “attitudes are changing. The president and I are going to push.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics now says a stable relationship between parents regardless of sexual orientation contributes to a child’s health and well-being. Most Republicans, however, are not changing their tune.