Territories of the United States

Territories of the United States are subnational geographical and political areas governed as administrative divisions and dependent territories under the sovereignty of the United States. Although all are subject to the constitutional and territorial jurisdiction of the U.S. federal government, territories differ from states and Indian reservations in that they are not inherently sovereign. While states have dual sovereignty and Native American tribes have tribal sovereignty in relation to the federal government, the self-governing powers of territories ultimately derive from the U.S. Congress, as per the Territorial Clause in Article IV of the U.S. Constitution. Territories are classified as “organized” or “unorganized” depending on whether they operate under an organic act, and “incorporated” or “unincorporated” depending on whether the U.S. Constitution applies fully or partially to them. As areas belonging to, but not integral parts of, the U.S., territories are their own distinct nations centered around a collective identity based on their land, history, ethnicity, culture, and language.

Read more on Wikipedia

The Department of Veterans Affairs says it has opened 43 new healthcare clinics across 25 states and Guam since President Trump returned to office in January 2025, part of a broader push to expand veterans' access to care under Trump's May 2025 executive order targeting wait times and service delivery. The VA reports more than 300,000 new enrollees in VA healthcare this year, a record pace of direct-care and community-care appointments, and a reduced benefits claims backlog. However, an Inspector General report found severe staffing shortages at all 139 VHA medical centers nationwide, and a New York Times analysis found thousands of vacant medical positions left unfilled, raising questions about whether expanded facilities can be adequately staffed.

Sources:

Newsweek

Territories of the United States

Emerging News

VA touts 43 new clinics, 300,000 new enrollees amid staffing shortage concerns

VA touts 43 new clinics, 300,000 new enrollees amid staffing shortage concerns

Sources:

Sentiment