The Department of Defense is set to send about 1,500 active duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border as the crackdown on immigration begins.
The armed forces will join the 2,500 National Guard and Reserve forces already stationed at the border. Currently, there are no active duty troops working at the border.
The forces are expected to back up border patrol agents with logisitics, transportation, and barrier construction.
They have done similar things in the past when both Trump during his first term and former President Joe Biden sent active duty troops to the border with Mexico.
This comes the president orders all government staff working on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives be put on administrative leave immediately.
The White House has stated that all DEI staffers would be put on leave by 5pm ET on Wednesday.
Trump called for the end to the “dangerous, demeaning and immoral” intitiatives in an executive order issued on Tuesday.
The president repeatedly attacked DEI programs on the campaign trail, claiming that they were discriminatory.
DEI programs aim to push participation in workplaces by people from all backgrounds.
Key Points
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Trump sits down with Sean Hannity at 9pm ET
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Stewart Rhodes visits Capitol Hill and meets with lawmakers
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Trump reveals what Biden wrote in ‘very nice’ letter
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The most notorious Jan 6 rioters pardoned by Trump
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Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio calls for retribution in chilling new Alex Jones interview
‘I just don’t think you understand’: Billy Ray Cyrus says ‘you just had to be there’ in defense of panned inauguration performance
23:20 , Graig Graziosi
Billy Ray Cyrus has defended his widely-panned performance at Donald Trump’s Liberty Ball, saying: “You just had to be there.”
On Monday (January 20) evening, the 63-year-old country star took the stage in Washington DC after Trump’s inauguration to perform his hit tune “Achy Breaky Heart” and his Lil Nas X collaboration “Old Town Road.”
The gig was beset by technical difficulties. At one point during his performance, Cyrus was unable to hear his guitar. “Is my guitar still on?” he asked the stage crew. “I think they cut me off. I don’t hear my guitar anymore.”
READ MORE:
Billy Ray Cyrus says ‘you just had to be there’ in defense of panned inauguration gig
New pictures show massive shelter being built in Mexico to cope with possible Trump deportations
23:15 , Graig Graziosi
Mexico is readying emergency facilities in multiple cities to house the thousands of people Donald Trump is expected to return to the country as part of his planned nationwide campaign of mass deportations.
Government officials, including the Mexican navy, have begun erecting the facilities in the cities of Matamoros and Ciudad Juárez, Reuters reports.
“It’s unprecedented,” Enrique Licon, a municipal official in Juárez, told the outlet.
In Tijuana, meanwhile, state officials declared a state of emergency last week ahead of Trump’s deportation plans and have readied their own facilities in preparation for a surge.
READ MORE:
Pictures show shelters being built in Mexico to cope with possible Trump deportations
Pregnant women are ‘sad, anxious and confused’ after Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship
23:10 , Graig Graziosi
Monica and her husband arrived in the United States from Venezuela six years ago. They’ve been “building a life” and “trying to do everything” to make their home here while in the process of seeking asylum.
“Working, paying taxes — we were able to buy a home,” she said. “We had reached a point of stability in this country and wanted to have a child.”
She is now 12 weeks pregnant.
“I should be worried about the health of my child, I should be thinking about that,” she said.
Instead, she is stressed, anxious and “depressed,” facing a “reality that my child might not be able to become a U.S. citizen.”
READ MORE:
Pregnant women are ‘sad, anxious and confused’ after Trump’s citizenship order
Watch live: Capitol police react to Donald Trump’s Jan 6 pardons
23:00 , Graig Graziosi
Watch live as former US Capitol police officer Harry Dunn and Metropolitan Police officer Daniel Hodges are expected to react to Donald Trump’s sweeping pardons of people criminally charged for participating in the Jan 6 riot in 2021.
On his first day back in office on Monday, 20 January, the 47th president granted clemency to more than 1,500 supporters charged with crimes connected to the attack on the historic building.
Before he was elected, the Republican had vowed on his Truth Social platform that his first acts as president would be “Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned.”
READ MORE:
Watch live: Capitol police react to Donald Trump’s January 6 pardons
IRS is cracking down on your online income. What to know
22:45 , Katie Hawkinson
Have an online side hustle? Making thousands on eBay or Etsy?
Be careful this filing season: the Internal Revenue Service is cracking down on unreported online income.
Any person who earned more than $5,000 on selling tickets, instruments and other goods and services online in 2023 will receive a 1099-K tax form this month. Online platforms including Etsy and eBay typically only sent these forms to users who earned more than $20,000 in previous years, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Read more:
IRS is cracking down on your online income. What to know
‘One flag policy’: Trump admin tells US embassies they can’t fly the Pride, BLM flags
22:39 , Graig Graziosi
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued an order stating U.S. facilities can only fly the American flag outside their buildings, according to a new report.
Rubio issued the order Tuesday night soon after he was sworn into office, according to The Free Beacon. The order states “only” the U.S. can be flown at U.S. facilities domestic and abroad, the outlet reports. The only exceptions are the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action emblem and the Wrongful Detainees Flag.
Rubio, formerly a Republican senator from Florida, similarly introduced a bill to last year to “place restrictions on the official display of flags, seals, or emblems other than the United States flag.”
READ MORE:
Trump admin tells US embassies they can’t fly the Pride, BLM flags
22:08 , Alex Woodward
The Laken Riley act passed the House, 263-156, with 46 Democrats voting in support.
Trump executive order: What will the ‘two sexes’ policy change for LGBTQ+
22:00 , Ariana Baio
The federal government will only recognize a person’s gender as it is defined by their biological sex at birth per an executive order signed by President Donald Trump – a policy that is expected to have consequences on all people and faces major legal challenges
Reversing several Biden administration policies, Trump has directed federal agencies to define gender as only male or female and reject a person’s preferred gender identity or pronouns.
Federal agencies have 120 days to implement the new policy meaning there could be big changes to protections in education, healthcare, the military and more.
Read more:
Trump executive order: What will the ‘two sexes’ policy change for LGBTQ+
Stewart Rhodes visits Capitol Hill and meets with lawmakers
21:52 , Gustaf Kilander
Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the rightwing militia the Oath Keepers, has visited Capitol Hill and met with lawmakers, according to the Associated Press.
Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2023 for seditious conspiracy following his actions helping to lead a plot to stop the certification of the 2020 election results.
Trump commuted his sentence this week.
What did Trump not do on Day 1 that he promised?
21:30 , Katie Hawkinson
President Donald Trump promised a slew of reforms on day one of his second term in the White House.
He kept many of these guarantees: Trump pardoned some 1,500 people convicted of crimes related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots; he ended birthright citizenship after he “clarified” the Constitution “does not recognize” the citizenship of those born in the U.S. to parents who do not have legal permission to be in the country; and he denied the existence of transgender, nonbinary and intersex people throughout government.
But Trump still didn’t achieve everything he told the American people he would on day one.
Read more:
What did Trump not do on Day 1 that he promised?
Trump says it’s ‘sad’ Biden didn’t pardon himself
21:09 , Gustaf Kilander
Michael Fanone tells Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes to ‘go f*** himself’ live on CNN
21:00 , Holly Patrick
Michael Fanone, a former police officer injured in the January 6 US Capitol riot, told Stewart Rhodes to “go f*** himself” live on CNN after the founder of the far-right Oath Keepers group said he had “no regrets” over the 2021 insurrection.
Mr Fanone suffered burns, heart attack and traumatic brain injuries while defending Congress.
Rhodes, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy and sentenced to 18 years in prison — was released from prison after Trump commuted his sentence.
More than 1,500 people were criminally charged in connection with the Capitol riot. Trump issued “full pardons” for virtually all of them on January 20, and commuted the sentences of 14 convicted members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers to time served. Pending cases are being dismissed.
Watch:
Michael Fanone tells Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes to ‘go f*** himself’
Border agents ordered to deport migrants without allowing to request asylum
20:51 , Gustaf Kilander
Bishop Mariann Budde explains why she publicly confronted Donald Trump
20:30 , Holly Patrick
Bishop Marianne Budde has defended pleading with Donald Trump to show mercy on vulnerable people in the United States after he was sworn in as the 47th president.
The religious leader, 65, spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday (21 January) at the National Cathedral in Washington, publicly asking the president to have mercy on LGBT+ children and to understand that immigrants are not all criminals and that many are afraid of what he might do to them.
One of Trump’s first acts was to issue an executive order declaring that only two genders exist.
Budde told The View: “I was trying to counter the narrative that is so divisive and polarising.”
Watch:
Bishop Mariann Budde explains why she publicly confronted Donald Trump
Vivek ditched DOGE over ‘deep philosophical rift’ about how it should operate, report says
20:00 , Ariana Baio
Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur turned failed presidential candidate, reportedly backed away from co-chairing the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency due to “deep philosophical differences” over how the advisory board should function.
Ramaswamy was tapped to co-chair DOGE with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. They aimed to slash federal spending by trillions of dollars through budget cuts and mass firings.
Read more:
Vivek ditched DOGE over ‘deep philosophical rift’ about how it should operate
Live: Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio arrives in Miami after Trump pardon
19:56 , The Independent
Trump sits down with Sean Hannity
19:43 , Gustaf Kilander
Trump is sitting down for an interview with Fox News’s Sean Hannity today to be broadcast this evening.
The president is likely to speak about his plans for his first 100 days and the barrage of executive orders.
Hannity, a friendly interviewer to Trump, may also ask about immigration, the shutting down of diversity initiatives, and the fate of TikTok.
Trump reveals what Biden wrote in ‘very nice’ letter
19:23 , Andrew Georgeson
It didn’t take long for Trump to reveal what Biden wrote in his farewell letter.
The president released the letter – in full – to Fox News. A very different approach was taken by Biden who, while describing it as “very generous,” never disclosed Trump’s message in 2021.
Read the letter in full.
Trump reveals what Biden wrote in ‘very nice’ letter left in Oval Office desk
John Fetterman reveals truth about party-switch rumors
17:50 , Joe Sommerlad
The be-shorted Pennsylvania Democratic senator has dismissed the rumours that he could be about to go MAGA, calling the speculation “amateur hour ****” and conceding: “I would make a pretty bad Republican.”
Madeline Sherratt reports.
Sen. John Fetterman reveals truth about party-switch rumors
Barron Trump’s tailor gushes over ‘hospitable’ first son’s ‘dry sense of humor’
17:35 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s Kelly Rissman with some lavish praise for the youngest Trump, who towered over everyone at Monday’s inauguration ceremony and continues to be a figure of fascination in certain quarters.
Barron Trump’s tailor gushes over ‘hospitable’ first son’s ‘dry sense of humor’
The most notorious Jan 6 rioters pardoned by Trump
17:20 , Joe Sommerlad
After being confirmed as the Republican Party’s presidential nominee in March 2024, Donald Trump made a promise.
“My first acts as your next president will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned,” he wrote at the time on his Truth Social platform.
On his first day back in office on Monday, Trump stayed true to his word on the rioters and granted clemency to more than 1,500 supporters charged with crimes connected to the January 6 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
While an overwhelming majority of defendants were issued full pardons, five members of the far-right Proud Boys and nine members of the Oath Keepers militia had their sentences commuted.
Trump has also issued full pardons for two Proud Boys members.
Here’s James Liddell on the highest-profile Proud Boys and Oath Keeper members – and the most memorable insurgents – who received clemency from Trump, and a reminder of the crimes they committed.
From Proud Boys to QAnon Shaman: The most notorious Jan. 6 rioters Trump pardoned
White House’s Office of Gun Violence webpage latest to be taken down
17:05 , Joe Sommerlad
More of the US government’s web pages are displaying useless “Error 404” messages, as in the image below, after its reproductive rights and Spanish language pages were taken offline yesterday.
The homepage, meanwhile, now runs a video montage of Trump in commander-in-chief mode, a dramatic collage of military aircraft, patriotic bald eagles and personalized Sharpie pens – all very on brand.
An ‘Error 404’ message shown on the White House website (The White House)
Top Senate Democrat says new Pete Hegseth allegations reveal ‘disturbing pattern of abuse and misconduct’
16:50 , Joe Sommerlad
The Senate Armed Services Committee’s ranking Democrat Jack Reed has issued the following statement on the latest affidavit regarding Trump’s nominee for defense secretary:
“As I have said for months, the reports of Mr Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation. I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this affidavit confirms that fact.
“My number one priority is the safety and security of our nation. This has and must always include serious oversight of the US military and its leaders.
“The sworn affidavit from this courageous woman, provided at enormous personal risk and with nothing to gain, documents a disturbing pattern of abuse and misconduct by Mr Hegseth.
“This behavior would disqualify any servicemember from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the Secretary of Defense.”
Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio calls for retribution in chilling new Alex Jones interview
16:35 , Joe Sommerlad
The now-former leader of the extremist gang who was just granted clemency by Trump, celebrated his release from prison on Tuesday by calling into conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’s show and calling for retribution.
Speaking to Jones, a Proud Boys sympathizer who was a key figure in planning the January 6 rally, Tarrio heaped praise on Trump for freeing him and other Proud Boy members from jail.
He also expressed no regrets about the Capitol riots, even though he previously apologized for his role in the events.
“I’d like to thank again President Donald J Trump for helping us through these difficult times and releasing me, Joe Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola. Right? And all the J6ers,” he declared.
“We went through hell, and I’m gonna tell you, it was worth it, because what we stood for and what those guys stood for was what we’ve been fighting for and what we saw yesterday on the inauguration stage.
“I can’t tell you it’s been easy, but I will tell you it’s been worth it.”
Here’s more from Justin Baragona.
Enrique Tarrio calls for retribution in chilling interview with Alex Jones
Trump gives the OK for ICE agents to raid churches and schools looking for undocumented migrants
16:20 , Joe Sommerlad
Donald Trump’s administration has rescinded long-standing policy that prohibits federal immigration authorities from enforcement actions in places like schools, daycare centers, hospitals, churches and other so-called “sensitive areas” as the president lays the groundwork for his “mass deportation” agenda.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement.
“The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”
For more than a decade, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents had been restricted from arrests in “sensitive” sites without approval from more senior officials.
The latest directive under Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman rescinds previous guidance under Joe Biden’s administration, which further established “protected areas,” including places where “children gather, disaster or emergency relief sites, and social services establishments.”
The changes have drawn sharp rebukes and warnings from faith leaders, teachers unions, school districts and immigrant advocacy groups, with state and local leaders in so-called “sanctuary” policies pledging to defend their jurisdictions in court.
And speaking of ICE…
Here’s more from Alex Woodward.
ICE drops policy against raiding churches and schools
Trump urges Putin: ‘Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War!’
16:00 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s the president throwing down the gauntlet to Vladimir Putin, warning him he will target Russia with tariffs, taxes and sanctions if it does not agree a deal to end the war in Ukraine:
‘F*** it, release ’em all’: Inside Trump’s decision to issue blanket Jan 6 pardons
15:55 , Joe Sommerlad
In one of the first acts of his second administration, the new president pardoned nearly all of the 1,500 people charged over their roles in the attempted insurrection at the US Capitol four years ago.
Now, fresh details are emerging that reveal the spur-of-the-moment nature of the decision that led to the move.
“Trump just said: ‘F*** it: Release ’em all,’” an adviser familiar with the discussions told the Axios.
Meanwhile, it’s worth noting that the aforementioned Speaker Johnson has been making it abundantly clear just now that this is the president’s call and, ideally, not something he wants to be associated with:
Here’s Kelly Rissman with the inside story behind a highly divisive act of clemency.
‘F*** it, release em all:’: Inside Trump’s decision to issue blanket Jan 6 pardons
Trump celebrates 20th wedding anniversary with lazy reposts and AI lion meme
15:35 , Joe Sommerlad
The president’s first social media activity of the morning finds him wishing the first lady a “Happy Anniversary!” by, er, reposting a load of old pictures and fan art from his supporters in pretty half-assed fashion.
He also threw up this AI lion meme because why not?
Also on MAGA social media, House Speaker Mike Johnson has posted this video of Vice President Vance, jaw agape, being shown the Oval Office for the first time by Trump.
Prominent Republican demands Trump deport bishop who preached mercy
15:15 , Joe Sommerlad
The man was sworn in as president 46 hours ago and we’re already seeing headlines like the above… It is going to be a LONG four years.
Here’s the latest on bishop-gate from James Liddell.
Georgia Republican demands Trump deport bishop who preached mercy
Trump orders federal ‘DEI staff’ be put on paid leave
14:55 , Joe Sommerlad
The president has been advancing his “culture wars” agenda by ordering that all federal employees hired under diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs be put on paid leave with a view to their ultimate dismissal.
It is not yet known precisely how many people the order applies to but agencies have been told to put relevant on leave “immediately,” according to an executive order signed by Trump on Tueday night.
Employers are instructed to notify their staff by 5pm Wednesday.
The order also asks federal agencies for a plan to be submitted by January 31 on dismissing its diversity hires.
Here’s more.
Trump puts all federal DEI workers on leave – and plans to fire them: What to know
Sarah McBride laughs off Trump’s anti-trans executive order
14:35 , Joe Sommerlad
The Delaware Representative, the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, brushed off Trump’s anti-transgender executive order Tuesday evening, which declared that there are only two genders and attempted to define them on a biological level.
Here’s Eric Garcia on her mockery of the flawed wording of the president’s order.
Sarah McBride laughs off Trump’s anti-trans executive order
Musk furious after Wikipedia page calls his controversial gesture a ‘Nazi salute’
14:15 , Joe Sommerlad
The Tesla, SpaceX and X boss been enraged by the internet encylopaedia’s characterization of his aforementioned gesture and called for the site’s “defunding”, inviting a wry response from its founder Jimmy Wales.
Here’s Madeline Sherratt with more.
Elon Musk furious after Wikipedia page calls his gesture a ‘Nazi salute’
Watch: Piers Morgan recalls bizarre phone call with Trump days before inauguration
13:55 , Joe Sommerlad
Piers Morgan recalls bizarre phone call with Donald Trump days before inauguration
Voices: ‘Yes, Trump 2.0 will reshape the world – but not in the ways you might think’
13:35 , Joe Sommerlad
During his first term, the president didn’t know his way around Washington, writes Jon Sopel.
But this time is different.
This time, he knows exactly what he’s doing – and how to do it.
Yes, Trump 2.0 will reshape the world – but not in the ways you might think
AOC rebukes Elon Musk: ‘In this country, we hate Nazis’
13:15 , Joe Sommerlad
The Democratic congresswoman has offered this pointed response to Musk’s “Roman” salute on Monday:
Musk has denied that his gesture really was a Nazi salute and some debate over the matter erupted on Capitol Hill yesterday at the confirmation hearing for Trump’s choice to be the US ambassador to the United Nations, Elise Stefanik, who hotly denied that it was and fell out with Democratic Senator Chris Murphy on the subject.
For what it’s worth, this is what far-right agitator Nick Fuentes had to say about it:
For more on the radicalization of the world’s richest man, here’s Anthony Cuthbertson.
The radicalisation of Elon Musk can be pinpointed to a single event
India scrambles to appease Trump amid fears over worker visas
12:55 , Joe Sommerlad
The South Asian superpower has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the US to identify and repatriate thousands of its citizens reportedly living illegally in America.
New Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar discussed “irregular migration” on Tuesday after Trump took office, according to the US State Department.
India has committed to helping repatriate as many as 18,000 of its citizens living illegally in the US, Bloomberg News reports, a move which is being interpreted as an attempt by India to placate the new American president and avoid a trade war.
Maroosha Muzaffar reports.
India scrambles to appease Trump amid fears over worker visas
Watch: Trump reacts to bishop’s plea for mercy at prayer service
12:35 , Joe Sommerlad
Cop who survived Capitol riot injuries condemns Trump’s pardons: ‘I feel betrayed’
12:15 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s the other side of the coin.
Graig Grazosi has this on former DC Metropolitan police officer Brian Fanone’s response to the pardons.
Cop who survived Capitol riot injuries condemns Trump’s pardons
Watch: January 6 rioter thanks Trump for pardon and reveals first thing he’s going to do after release
11:55 , Joe Sommerlad
Watch: January 6 rioters react to Trump pardon after release
Trump promotes crypto on social media from the White House
11:35 , Joe Sommerlad
The president has wasted little time in raising conflict of interest concerns by cheerily promoting his latest business venture on Truth Social.
This was his unconvincing justification for doing so when quizzed about it by reporters in the Oval Office yesterday.
Since we’re on the subject, here are a few more of his answers for the press yesterday, which saw him reveal that he removed the security detail for his former national security adviser John Bolton (despite credible threats against his life from Iran) because he is, in Trump’s opinion, “a very dumb person”.
He also failed to answer on why it was appropriate to pardon a Capitol rioter who assaulted a police officer, expressed sympathy for the super-rich preferring powerful showers and got his American economic history wildly wrong.
Trump sued by 22 states and pregnant women over ‘flagrantly illegal’ birthright citizenship order
11:15 , Joe Sommerlad
It’s only the early morning of the new president’s second full day in office and already his actions to tackle illegal immigration are facing strong legal challenges.
Here’s Alex Woodward with the very latest.
Trump sued by 22 states over ‘unlawful’ birthright citizenship order
Trump announces up to $500bn investment in AI project
10:55 , Joe Sommerlad
The president yesterday announced investments worth up to half a trillion dollars for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank.
The new entity, Stargate, will start building out projects needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House.
Here’s more.
The Stargate project: Donald Trump announces up to $500bn investment in AI project
Trump pardons imprisoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht
10:35 , Joe Sommerlad
The president announced on Tuesday that he has pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, an underground website for selling illegal drugs and other contraband goods like hacking equipment and stolen passports.
Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 after a high-profile prosecution that highlighted the role of the internet in black markets and ended with him being convicted on seven counts, including conspiracy and money laundering.
The president posted on his Truth Social platform that he had spoken to Ulbricht’s mother on his first full day in office at the White House to deliver the news:
Here’s a little background on Trump’s latest controversial clemency gesture, following the mass pardoning of Capitol rioters.
Trump pardons imprisoned founder of Silk Road underground drug marketplace
Trump threatens China with 10% tariff over fentanyl claims
10:15 , Joe Sommerlad
The president issued a fresh threat against the rival superpower on Tuesday, hinting he could hit Beijing with 10 per cent tariffs on all imports, which can come into force as soon as 1 February, a move coming despite his “very good” call with Chinese Premier Xi Jinping last Friday.
“We’re talking about a tariff of 10 per cent on China, based on the fact that they’re sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada,” Trump said.
“Probably February 1 is the date we’re looking at.”
Here’s more from Shweta Sharma.
Trump threatens China with 10% tariffs on all goods despite ‘very good’ Xi call
Who is the DC bishop that bravely stood up to Trump?
09:55 , Joe Sommerlad
Here’s Bishop Budde explaining her decision to stand up to the new president during yesterday’s prayer service.
Graig Graziosi offers this profile of the Episcopalian who says Trump’s proposed actions are “antithetical” to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Who is the DC bishop that defiantly stood up to Trump?
Angry Trump demands apology from Bishop of Washington over appeal for mercy for ‘scared’ immigrants and trans youth
09:35 , Joe Sommerlad
The new president has meanwhile hit out at the Bishop of Washington, Mariann Budde, who conducted a Tuesday morning prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral he attended, calling her “a Radical Left hard line Trump hater” and saying she had been “ungracious” by calling upon him to show mercy towards LGBT+ children and migrants.
“Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one,” Trump fumed, demanding an apology.
On Fox News last night, Trump cheerleaders Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham likewise attacked the bishop for issuing a “woke tirade” and forcing the president and his entourage to listen to the “rantings of a lunatic”.
Here’s Katie Hawkinson’s report.
Trump slams bishop as ‘nasty’ for urging mercy to immigrants, LGBT+ community
Donald Trump says he’s open to Elon Musk buying TikTok ‘if he wants to’
09:16 , Joe Sommerlad
Good morning!
Donald Trump has said that he would be open to his billionaire ally Elon Musk or Oracle boss Larry Ellison buying the US arm of Chinese social video app TikTok from parent company ByteDance after granting it a 75-day reprieve on being banned in the US.
Asked by reporters at the White House on Tuesday whether he would be happy for Musk to make the acquisition, he answered: “I would be, if he wanted to buy it. I’d like Larry to buy it, too.”
Vishwam Sankaran reports.
Trump says he’s open to Musk buying TikTok
Trump has signed a slew of executive orders — can they be challenged?
08:45 , Ariana Baio
President Donald Trump signed a batch of executive orders on inauguration day to begin implementing his conservative agenda but some of his most ambitious – revoking birthright citizenship and denying the identity of transgender people – are likely to face legal challenges.
Executive orders are mandatory declarations from the president to federal agencies or the military about how they should use resources given to them by Congress or operate within the limits of the U.S. Constitution. It is typical for presidents to sign executive orders upon taking office to display an eagerness to begin working.
But Trump has made it clear, he plans to utilize his presidential authority to carry out his agenda to the fullest extent possible. Already, he has set the record for most executive orders signed on the first day in office.
However, some of his executive orders face legal challenges with lawmakers disputing Trump’s scope of authority. Now, many are left wondering if there is any way to stop or challenge an executive order.
Read on…
Trump has signed a slew of executive orders. But is there any way to challenge them?
Watch: Boebert tells pardoned Jan 6 rioters to come back to US Capitol for tour
08:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Lauren Boebert tells pardoned Jan 6 rioters: ‘Come back to the Capitol for a tour‘
Trump’s inauguration was a ratings dud
07:46 , Josh Marcus
Fox News was the top destination for those who wanted to see President Donald Trump sworn into office for the second time, according to Nielsen’s early data ratings, which were released Tuesday afternoon. On the flip side, though, the early ratings show that Trump’s ceremony pulled in nearly 14 million fewer viewers than Joe Biden’s ceremony back in 2021.
Between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET, which encompassed Trump’s swearing-in ceremony and first address as president, Fox News drew 10.3 million total viewers, and 2 million in the coveted advertising demographic of adults aged 25-54. The total, if it stands, would be the second-highest-rated inauguration in the channel’s history.
CNN pulled in just 1.7 million viewers overall, and a demo audience of 534,000, which is the second-lowest inauguration in the network’s history if the numbers hold up. MSNBC, meanwhile, delivered its lowest-rated inauguration day, averaging just 848,000 total viewers and 104,000 in the key demographic group.
Among the broadcast networks, ABC led in total viewers with 4.7 million, while NBC pulled ahead in the demographic with 1.2 million. On Monday, 26.3 million viewers watched Trump take the oath of office across seven different networks, including Fox Business Network. Roughly 5.9 million tuned in from the key demographic group.
Justin Baragona has the story.
Trump inauguration pulls in just 26 million viewers, way down from Biden in 2021
Trump looks awkward as bishop urges him to ‘have mercy’ on ‘scared’ immigrants and LGBT+ youth
07:45 , Oliver O’Connell
As he celebrated the second day of his presidency, Donald Trump heard “one final plea” from the pulpit at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday.
Hours after the president signed a series of executive orders that upend immigration policy and seek to remove transgender Americans from public life, Episocal Bishop Mariann Budde urged the president to “have mercy” for the “scared” LGBT+ children and immigrant families across the country
Alex Woodward reports on the awkward moment.
Trump looks awkward as bishop urges him to ‘have mercy’ on ‘scared’ immigrants, LGBT
ANALYSIS: Trump’s whirlwind first day
07:15 , Oliver O’Connell
John Bowden writes:
Donald Trump is back in Washington. So is the Trump Show: a 24-hour, nonstop spectacle of governance and politicking that runs both his critics and the media (sometimes one and the same) ragged.
After taking the oath of office at noon on Monday, the new president sprinted through his first day. Issuing more than 200 executive orders and other actions, Trump began his administration’s assault on birthright citizenship, environmental protections, and parts of Joe Biden’s legacy with directives targeting a staggering scope of issues.
This was all carefully calculated: a “Day One” agenda that captured Americans’ attention in a way that Biden and his former running mate/replacement Kamala Harris never could.
Continue reading…
With a whirlwind first day, Trump upends government and brings back the spectacle
After giving TikTok a second chance, can Trump actually save the app from its ban?
05:45 , Oliver O’Connell
On Sunday, the 170 million Americans who use TikTok saw the same message when they opened the app.
“As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.”
But can Trump really save the app?
Katie Hawkinson investigates.
Trump has given new life to TikTok in the US…but can he actually save the app?
Exclusive: Insiders claim Trump has Starmer ‘over a barrel’ on trade deal
04:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump’s new administration believes it has Sir Keir Starmer’s government “over a barrel” on trade as Britain becomes increasingly reliant on a US deal, insiders have told The Independent.
Senior sources in the president’s team said the UK had no choice but to seek a trade agreement after the prime minister said his government’s success would be judged primarily on economic growth.
David Maddox, The Independent’s political editor, reports from Washington, D.C.
Trump has Starmer ‘over a barrel’ on trade deal, insiders claim
Ariana Grande ‘likes’ post mocking Carrie Underwood’s inaugural performance
03:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Ariana Grande may have accidentally revealed her opinion on Carrie Underwood’s performance during Donald Trump’s inauguration.
On Monday (January 20) the “Before He Cheats” singer sang her rendition of “America the Beautiful” a cappella after experiencing some technical difficulties.
Brittany Miller reports on what happened next.
Ariana Grande ‘likes’ post mocking Carrie Underwood’s inauguration performance
Amid fears of first Trump deportation raid, Chicago immigrant hub neighborhood goes quiet
03:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, home to a large population of Latin American immigrants, has reportedly gone quiet, as the city waits to see whether it becomes the first target of Donald Trump’s plan to carry out mass deportations immediately upon taking office.
Immigration czar Tom Homan said Monday that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement had “pulled back” a reported Chicago operation, after news of the potential plan leaked over the weekend, but that Americans will see the agency in action “real soon.”
The looming threat of an ICE raid, whenever it comes, has already impacted the Little Village area, according to local business owners and officials.
Josh Marcus reports.
Chicago immigrant hub neighborhood goes quiet amid fears of Trump deportation raid
Comedian Theo Von slams the Paul brothers over inauguration prank
02:15 , Oliver O’Connell
Theo Von has set the record straight about his viral accident during President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
In an X/Twitter video posted by 29-year-old Logan Paul and captioned: “MAKE CHAIRS GREAT AGAIN,” Von is seen sitting directly in front of the YouTuber when his chair suddenly collapses.
Inga Parkel reports.
Theo Von slams Paul brothers for collapsing his chair during Trump’s inauguration
Homeland Security orders employees back to office ahead of expected mass deportations
01:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Department of Homeland Security employees have been ordered back to the office as the agency follows through with new President Donald Trump’s executive order and ahead of his expected mass deportations of illegal migrants.
In a memo shortly after the inauguration, Acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman said the amount of hours being spent in the office throughout the agency was “unacceptable.”
Madeline Sherratt has the details.
DHS orders employees back to work following Trump mandate
Watch: ‘QAnon Shaman’ adopts bizarre English accent
01:15 , Oliver O’Connell
‘QAnon Shaman’ adopts bizarre English accent when confronted on Jan 6
Trump supporters slam bishop urging Christian tolerance for migrants, LGBTQ people
00:55 , Josh Marcus
Allies of President Donald Trump furiously criticized the bishop who pleaded with the Republican to show “mercy” towards migrants and the LGBT+ community.
Trump and his family attended a National Prayer Service at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Tuesday. Hours prior, he signed a slew of executive orders, many of which included hard-line immigration policies — such as ending birthright citizenship — while another denied the existence of transgender, nonbinary and intersex people throughout the government.
At the service, Episocal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde called on Trump to “have mercy” for the “scared” LGBT+ children and immigrant families across the country.
“There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families — some who fear for their lives,” Budde pointedly said directly to Trump.
Katie Hawkinson has the story.
Trump supporters slam bishop urging Christian tolerance for migrants, LGBTQ community
Bannon: Trump ‘broke’ Musk and Zuckerberg — who don’t really believe in MAGA movement
00:45 , Oliver O’Connell
Donald Trump’s former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon has fired a fusillade of heavy blows at the Silicon Valley tech triad arguing that the Trump 2.0 era will “break all these guys eventually.”
Speaking about the three richest men in the world, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk, and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, who all attended Trump’s inauguration, Bannon said an era of “techno-feudalism” had arisen but that the tech “oligarchs” would undoubtedly falter in the new Trump era.
Madeline Sherratt reports.
Steve Bannon says Trump ‘broke’ tech bros Musk and Zuckerberg
What do the polls say about Trump’s support?
00:35 , Josh Marcus
A new poll has revealed how Americans feel about President Donald Trump after his first two days in office — and the results are both good and bad news for the Republican.
Some 47 percent of respondents approved of Trump’s administration, a higher rating than he earned during much of his first term, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in the first 24 hours of his presidency.
But Trump’s specific policy actions in the last day have seen lower approval ratings.
Fifty-eight percent of Americans said Trump should not pardon all people convicted of crimes related to their involvement in the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection, according to Reuters. But the president has done nearly exactly that, signing pardons Monday for some 1,500 people involved in the riots.
Katie Hawkinson reports.
Poll shows how America feels about Trump after his first two days in office
Trump media stock takes a nose dive as he returns to Oval Office
00:25 , Josh Marcus
The stock price of Trump Media & Technology Group plummeted during the first full day of President Donald Trump’s second term, dropping more than 11 percent in a single day.
A share of Trump Media, which sells under the ticker “DJT,” was worth just over $35 on Tuesday afternoon.
On Friday, it was worth more than $40, about the same as after the assassination attempt that saw Trump get shot in the ear in July last year. The share price has dropped more than 28 percent over the course of the last year.
Trump Media, the parent company of Truth Social, isn’t the only Trump-connected entity seeing its price drop. Trump launched a crypto coin just days before taking office, the price of which dropped on Tuesday after initially rallying.
Gustaf Kilander has the details.
Trump media stock takes a nose dive as he returns to Oval Office
Judges begin signing off on Trump January 6 pardons
00:21 , Josh Marcus
Courts are beginning to approve Donald Trump’s sweeping pardons of his supporters who were convicted of storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Here’s more on how those who lived through January 6 feel about the pardons.
Cop who survived Capitol riot injuries condemns Trump’s pardons
