Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is using his bully pulpit to call for an end to the death penalty in his state. Announcing his decision Tuesday, the 79-year-old Republican cited his expertise as a former county prosecutor, member of both chambers of Congress and as Ohio's attorney general. But DeWine's support for a policy change is far from assured to make waves, even in a state controlled by his own party. DeWine is moderate in comparison to younger Republicans whose political aspirations rely on endorsements from President Donald Trump, a staunch death penalty supporter.

A divided panel of appeals court judges has ruled that a Trump administration policy illegally banned transgender troops from military service. Monday's majority opinion by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit upholds a March 2025 ruling by U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington. Reyes concluded that President Donald Trump’s executive order to exclude transgender troops from military service likely violates their constitutional rights. The administration appealed after Reyes issued a preliminary injunction requested by attorneys for six transgender people who are active-duty service members and two others seeking to join the military.