Travis J. Tritten

Read the latest stories and analysis from Travis J. Tritten.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday confirmed and condemned North Korea's test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile and called for "global action" to cut off the rogue regime. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

National Security

Tillerson confirms North Korea ICBM test, calls for ‘global action’

Travis J. Tritten · July 4, 2017 10:42 pm

President Trump said the price of gasoline is the lowest it has been for more than a decade. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Trump touts low gas prices on Fourth of July

Travis J. Tritten · July 4, 2017 8:47 pm

Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto of the fiscal 2018 budget came just hours after the Democrat-controlled state Senate hastily passed the $36 billion legislation and $5 billion income tax hike. (Ted Schurter/The State Journal-Register via AP, File)

Illinois Senate overrides governor’s veto of budget in financial crisis showdown

Travis J. Tritten · July 4, 2017 8:00 pm

North Korea claimed to have tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile in a launch Tuesday, a potential game-changing development in its push to militarily challenge Washington. (KRT via AP Video)

National Security

US officials confident North Korea fired ICBM: Report

Travis J. Tritten · July 4, 2017 6:57 pm

The Illinois Senate sent 2018 spending bills to the governor Tuesday in an effort to end a budget impasse that threatens to ruin the stateâs credit rating. (Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP)

Illinois moves on budget bill to avert financial crisis

Travis J. Tritten · July 4, 2017 6:27 pm

Trump tells troops in Fourth of July speech: I have your back

Travis J. Tritten · July 4, 2017 6:15 pm

Sen. John McCain, center, speaks during a press conference at the Resolute Support headquarters in Afghanistan. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, left, and Lindsey Graham are seen in the background. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

National Security

McCain, senators visit troops in Afghanistan for Fourth of July

Travis J. Tritten · July 4, 2017 6:03 pm

Commander of the Russian forces in Syria speaks with a map of Syria projected on the screen in the back. Russia could begin deploying military police to security zones in Syria after the zones are finalized in two to three weeks, the country's TASS news service reported Tuesday. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

National Security

Russia says it’s set to deploy security forces to Syria

Travis J. Tritten · July 4, 2017 5:33 pm

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, right, uses the beach with his family and friends at the governor's summer house at Island Beach State Park in New Jersey. Beaches and parks reopened for the Fourth of July holiday after the state reached a budget deal (Andrew Mills/NJ Advance Media via AP)

Christie reopens New Jersey beaches, doesn’t apologize

Travis J. Tritten · July 4, 2017 4:36 pm

The Russian embassy reminded Americans in a tweet Tuesday that a Fourth of July musical staple was actually written about Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, one of that country's own wars.

National Security

Russia trolls US, Trump with Fourth of July tweet

Travis J. Tritten · July 4, 2017 4:01 pm

The United States should have "no illusions" that Russia and China will end the threat of North Korea's missile program, Sen. Deb Fischer said. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

National Security

Republican Sen. Deb Fischer to Trump: Don’t listen to Russia, China on North Korea threat

Travis J. Tritten · July 4, 2017 3:16 pm

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow on Tuesday. Russia and China agreed Tuesday that North Korea should halt missile tests and the United States should not deploy a missile shield or conduct large-scale military exercises with South Korea. (Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool photo via AP)

National Security

China, Russia combine to challenge Trump on North Korea

Travis J. Tritten · July 4, 2017 2:32 pm