Live updates: Vance to helm White House’s press briefing; House slices 2 weeks off DC schedule

Vance Steps Into White House Briefing Role as Press Secretary Seat Remains Empty

Provpnadvice.com – The vice president will take the podium Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. EDT to deliver what amounts to the first full White House press briefing in six weeks, filling a gap left by the departure of the administration’s former communications chief. The appearance marks a notable shift in how the Trump White House handles its daily media obligations, with the second-in-command absorbing a duty typically reserved for a dedicated press secretary.

The vacancy at the briefing desk traces back to Karoline Leavitt, who stepped away from the role in late April for maternity leave. During her absence, a small rotation of senior officials handled the daily press interactions. Leavitt returned to the post in July but announced her departure at the close of August, choosing to devote more time to her family. She simultaneously moved into a leadership position with President Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., a transition that underscores how the administration’s communications apparatus is being restructured around campaign-adjacent priorities.

As of Thursday, no successor has been formally announced. Speculation has centered on two names: Anna Kelly, who serves as principal deputy press secretary and has already managed briefings during earlier gaps, and Scott Jennings, a conservative commentator based at CNN who has been floated as a potential candidate. The prolonged vacancy — now stretching past six weeks — raises practical questions about continuity in messaging, institutional memory, and the day-to-day management of a newsroom that routinely fields dozens of questions per session.

Congressional Calendar: Two-Week September Recess Confirmed

Separately, the House of Representatives will observe its originally planned two-week break in September, with no chamber votes anticipated during the weeks beginning September 21 and September 28. The majority whip’s office issued the advisory Thursday, confirming that the legislative calendar will proceed as initially mapped out despite the compressed schedule surrounding the midterms.

The recess, which begins Friday and runs until the next session convenes on September 14, aligns the House with the Senate’s own calendar. For members of Congress, the two-week window offers a rare stretch of uninterrupted district work, constituent outreach, and campaign activity ahead of the November elections.

Democratic Caucus Fracture Over Procedural Vote

The recess arrives amid internal tension within the House Democratic ranks. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is scheduled to address reporters at 10:30 a.m. EDT Thursday, a briefing prompted by an unusual episode on Tuesday when two members of the Democratic Caucus crossed the aisle and voted alongside Republicans on a procedural motion. The vote split leadership’s expectations and triggered a Wednesday caucus meeting devoted to discussing the fallout and the broader question of party discipline in a chamber where margins are razor-thin.

For readers tracking the dynamics: procedural votes in the House often determine whether a bill or amendment reaches the floor for a full debate. A small number of cross-party votes on such measures can reshape the legislative agenda, which is why even a two-member defection draws immediate leadership attention and a formal caucus session.

Stopgap Funding Bill Clears Final Hurdle

Before adjourning for the recess, the House completed its legislative business for the week by passing a short-term funding measure on Tuesday. The bill had already cleared the Senate the previous month, meaning the chamber action was largely a formality. President Trump signed the legislation Wednesday, locking in government operations through December 11 — a date that falls squarely within the midterm election cycle.

The stopgap nature of the funding means no new appropriations bills will take effect before the November elections. Agencies will continue operating under existing authority levels, a situation that has become increasingly common in recent years as Congress struggles to pass full-year spending packages before the calendar year ends.

Trump’s Schedule and the Midterm Ramp-Up

The president has no public events listed for Thursday. On Wednesday, however, he hosted a Rose Garden dinner for vulnerable Republican candidates, a gathering timed to coincide with the Labor Day weekend that traditionally marks the full ignition of midterm campaign machinery. The dinner signals the administration’s intent to pair its legislative agenda with active electoral support for down-ballot candidates in competitive districts.

Courtroom Watch: Clancy Jury Enters Sixth Deliberation Day

In the judicial sphere, the jury in the Lindsay Clancy trial entered its sixth day of deliberations Thursday. The presiding judge has issued instructions urging the panel to continue working toward a verdict, a directive that typically follows when deliberations extend beyond the initial days without reaching consensus.

“Members are advised that votes are not expected in the House during the weeks of September 21st and September 28th.”

The convergence of a vacant press secretary post, a fractured minority caucus, a stopgap funding regime, and a jury locked in extended deliberation gives Thursday’s news cycle an unusually layered texture. For the White House, the immediate question is whether Vance’s briefing will be a one-time intervention or the opening of a more sustained arrangement while the administration searches for a permanent communications leader. For Congress, the recess offers a brief pause before the final legislative sprint of the year — a sprint that will be watched as closely by voters as by colleagues in the chamber.