Sam Gauntt

Sam Gauntt

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Sam Gauntt is an intern for States Newsroom’s Washington bureau through the Dow Jones News Fund internship program. He is a senior journalism major at the University of Maryland and editor in chief of The Diamondback, the university’s independent student newspaper. He has contributed to several enterprise reporting projects through the Capital News Service, a student-run newswire operated through the university, covering everything from youth mental health to climate change to the impact of federal layoffs on Maryland. He previously interned with Maryland Matters, an affiliate of States Newsroom.

Maryland lawmakers continue push against USDA plan to ‘uproot’ Beltsville research center
National

USDA union leaders rally against proposed DC downsizing

Jul 24, 2026
Sam Gauntt
A group of current and former U.S. Department of Agriculture employees are calling on the Trump administration to halt the mandated relocation of more than 2,500 employees from its Washington, D.C., headquarters to five regional offices across the country. In...
The White House on June 11, 2026. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)
National

Democratic panel recommends South Carolina lead 2028 presidential nominating calendar

Jul 24, 2026
Sam Gauntt
WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee voted Friday that South Carolina should hold the party’s first primary in the 2028 presidential election cycle. The recommendation came after a competitive 26-19-4 vote in South Carolina’s favor over...
A sign advertises that SNAP benefits are accepted at a Hornbacher’s in north Fargo, North Dakota, on July 7, 2026. (Photo by Ceilidh Kern/For the North Dakota Monitor)
National

Food assistance advocates ask Congress to delay GOP megabill shift of SNAP costs to states

Jul 22, 2026
Sam Gauntt
WASHINGTON — Advocates and public health experts urged Republicans in Congress on Wednesday to implement a two-year delay on requiring states to begin sharing the costs for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Provisions of the Republican-backed law that President Donald...
The main entrance of Food and Drug Administration Building 1 on the FDA campus in Silver Spring, Maryland. (Photo by Michael J. Ermarth/FDA)
National

FDA: Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce sample produced a false positive for cyclospora

Jul 20, 2026
Sam Gauntt
WASHINGTON — A top U.S. Food and Drug Administration official said Monday that a false positive report for the parasite cyclospora from a Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce sample does not change the basis for an ongoing agency investigation. FDA had...
President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with newly sworn in Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin during a ceremony in the Oval Office at the White House on March 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. Mullin takes the helm of DHS during a challenging time as it has been partially shut down since February 14 while lawmakers negotiate reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
National

DHS boss Mullin warns of possible prosecution for election officials over voter roll access

Jul 17, 2026
Sam Gauntt
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin threatened on Friday to prosecute election officials in states that don’t “participate in securing the elections” ahead of the November midterms. Election officials who do not comply with administration directives to enhance security of voting...
President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Saul Loeb/Getty Images)
National

Trump cites potential hack of US elections in speech slammed for stoking voter fears

Jul 16, 2026
Jacob Fischler Sam Gauntt
The nation’s election infrastructure is vulnerable to cyberattacks by foreign actors, President Donald Trump said during a primetime address Thursday night, citing a batch of documents he declassified — but providing no proof broad interference actually occurred or affected an...
President Donald Trump tours East Potomac Golf Links on June 28, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Trump has announced a plan to renovate the golf course. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Getty Photos)
National

Trump plan to overhaul historic D.C. golf course troubles Maryland, Virginia senators

Jul 09, 2026
Sam Gauntt
WASHINGTON — Four senators from Maryland and Virginia, all Democrats, said Thursday they have sent a letter to the Department of the Interior, demanding answers on the Trump administration’s plan to redevelop the East Potomac Golf Links. The senators had...
People cool off with their dogs at the dog-friendly section of Montrose Beach on June 30, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. High humidity and temperatures in the 90s with heat indices above 100 degrees are expected to remain in the city for the next several days. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
National

A sweaty Fourth of July ahead for the US as extreme heat descends on 20 states

Jul 01, 2026
Sam Gauntt
WASHINGTON — As outdoor celebrations and events marking the nation’s 250th anniversary and the World Cup reach their peak, local officials across the country are urging caution amid a heat wave blanketing many East Coast and Midwestern states. The National...
There were few crowds as attendees explored different exhibits at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on June 30, 2026. (Photo by Sam Gauntt/States Newsroom)
National

Come on down to the Great American State Fair — there’s plenty of room

Jun 30, 2026
Sam Gauntt
WASHINGTON — The Great American State Fair on the National Mall has all the trappings of a classic state fair: food vendors, merchandise, a Ferris wheel and scores of activities. But on Tuesday, just days before the nation’s 250th anniversary...
At left, Patti Gordon, 71, of Atlanta, Georgia, walks with her friend from Texas at the Freedom 250 kick-off event in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)
National

Trump refashions campaign rhetoric for Freedom 250 kickoff

Jun 24, 2026
Ashley Murray Sam Gauntt
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump kicked off his administration’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary Wednesday night with a rally speech nearly mirroring his days on the 2024 presidential campaign trail to a crowd of loyal supporters waving American flag placards...
Advocates for transgender rights rallied outside the Statehouse in Trenton, New Jersey, on Jan. 5, 2026, to demand lawmakers pass a bill that would protect gender-affirming care in New Jersey. (Photo by Dana DiFilippo / New Jersey Monitor)
National

FTC, 4 states sue trans healthcare nonprofit over gender-affirming treatment

Jun 17, 2026
Sam Gauntt
WASHINGTON — The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against a transgender healthcare nonprofit Wednesday, accusing it of misleading and coercing parents over gender-affirming treatment for their children. The FTC’s complaint against the World Professional Association of Transgender Health is...
Damaged signpost from Hurricane Ian in North Port, Florida, on Sept. 30, 2022. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix)
National

Calmer hurricane season expected in Atlantic as worries over federal response persist

Jun 16, 2026
Sam Gauntt
WASHINGTON — The Atlantic Ocean is predicted to have a tamer-than-usual hurricane season this year, but experts say it’s necessary to remain vigilant as it can take only one serious storm to cause significant damage. But with many of the...