WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump says he’s replacing his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and will nominate in her place Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin. Trump made the announcement on social media on Thursday, two days after Noem faced a grilling on Capitol Hill from GOP members as well as Democrats.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) – The North Dakota Highway Patrol’s newest recruit has floppy ears, four legs and an amazing knack for finding people. Beau, a 12-week-old puppy, is joining a band of bloodhounds who are in demand for difficult cases across the upper Midwest. They trail missing children, people with dementia and criminal suspects.

WASHINGTON (AP) – JD Vance was supposed to be spending the week promoting his new book, the kind of event a potential presidential candidate like the vice president typically uses to speak to a wide audience about his life and values ahead of a campaign.

RANDOLPH, Minn. (AP) – When Donald Trump promised new tariffs while running for president, Gene Stehly worried that trade disputes would jeopardize his international sales of corn, soybeans and wheat.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Republicans in Congress have spent most of the year acquiescing to President Donald Trump’s demands – they’ve quickly confirmed his Cabinet nominees, passed his ” big beautiful bill ” of tax and spending cuts and kept his broad tariffs in place despite deep reservations.

The Agriculture Department will reopen about 2,100 county offices all across the country Thursday despite the ongoing government shutdown to help farmers and ranchers get access to $3 billion of aid from existing programs.

PARIS (AP) – French President Emmanuel Macron offered Donald Trump a glitzy dinner in Versailles – and the U.S. president seized the opportunity to sign an initial deal with Iran inside the palace.