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mental health

Trump administration to restart LGBTQ+ 988 hotline, may exclude Trevor Project

Trump administration to restart LGBTQ+ 988 hotline, may exclude Trevor Project
  • The Trump administration is moving to restart the specialized LGBTQ+ "press 3" option on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline after ending it in July 2025.
  • Congress directed $33 million toward LGBTQ+-specific youth suicide prevention, prompting the administration to aim for a restart by the end of 2026.
  • The Trevor Project, which handled about half of the 1.6 million contacts the program fielded while in operation, may be excluded because it is not a current active member of the 988 network.
  • Senator Tammy Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat, called on the administration to restore the service "without needless limitations and with the most qualified, experienced people answering the phone calls and text messages."
 2026-06-26 · 3 MIN READ

Graham Platner wins Maine Democratic Senate primary despite controversies

Illustration accompanying article: Graham Platner wins Maine Democratic Senate primary despite controversies
  • Graham Platner, a Marine veteran and oyster farmer who has never held elected office, won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Maine on Tuesday with about 75% of the vote.
  • Platner overcame a series of controversies, including sexually explicit text messages, a former partner’s abuse accusation, a covered-up Nazi-associated tattoo, and past online comments that included homophobic slurs and dismissive remarks about sexual assault.
  • Platner attributed the conduct to a “very dark period” of untreated PTSD and alcohol abuse following combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his wife Amy Gertner publicly dismissed the coverage as “gossip.”
  • Key progressive figures including Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Rep. Ro Khanna remained behind Platner, while some Democrats such as Rep. Josh Gottheimer called on him to step aside.
  • Platner will face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November in a race that could decide control of the Senate, where Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority.
 2026-06-10 · 4 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: Unlawful firings leave federal workers with PTSD-like symptoms, survey finds