Trump makes gaffe during press conference with Japan’s PM; revokes Biden’s security clearance: Live updates

Donald Trump has said that Elon Musk will be taking a look at spending in the military and on education, having taken a hatchet to USAID,

Thousands of employees of the agency were set to be purged at midnight on Friday, but a federal judge stepped in and ordered a temporary pause on plans to send them packing. Trump’s buyout offer to federal employees has also been temporarily blocked, in a separate hearing.

The president made the statement during a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at which the two leaders spoke of defense, trade, steel, and energy cooperation.

During remarks concerning Japanese interest in U.S. Steel, Trump mistakenly referred to “Nissan,” the carmaker, not Nippon Steel. Trump said the firm would look at investing in the American company rather than the planned merger, which he opposed.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, Trump said he was “immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings.” Four years ago, Biden instructed U.S. intelligence officials to cease any briefings with Trump, pointing to the then-former president’s “erratic behavior” after the 2020 election.

Key Points

• Trump says Musk will be targeting military and education next

• Musk says he will bring back DOGE staffer who resigned over racist tweets scandal

• Trump’s resignation offers are blocked by judge hours before buyouts were set to expire

• Judge temporarily blocks purge of USAID staff

• Trump turns on Time magazine after new cover shows Musk sitting behind his Resolute desk

‘The price of groceries went through the roof,’ Trump says

03:35 , Gustaf Kilander

Indonesia halts development of ‘Trump Community’

02:41 , Oliver O’Connell

Indonesian authorities have halted development of a tourism project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump.

The project, covering over 3,000 hectares, is a collaboration between Trump’s business partner, Indonesian billionaire Hary Tanoesoedibjo, and the Trump Organization.

Tanoesoedibjo attended Trump’s inauguration in Washington last month. His association with Trump began in 2014 when his group company, MNC, was looking for an operator for sprawling “six star” resorts, one to be built on the tourist island of Bali and the other near Jakarta.

Continue reading…

Indonesia halts development of ‘Trump Community’ on tourist island

Neo-Nazi group sued by Springfield, Ohio

01:40 , Oliver O’Connell

The Ohio city that became a flashpoint of the immigration debate during the 2024 presidential election after Donald Trump amplified false rumors of Haitian immigrants “eating the pets” is suing a neo-Nazi group for unleashing a “campaign of hate and harassment” against residents who defended the city’s migrant population.

Justin Baragona has the story.

Springfield, Ohio, sues neo-Nazi group for ‘campaign of hate and harassment’

Federal health workers brace for layoffs as White House instructs HHS to rank staff

01:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Employees at the Department of Health and Human Services are bracing for layoffs across the vast public health agency, as Donald Trump’s administration instructs federal health officials to rank their essential workers and those who are deemed less essential.

Agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could be forced to cut a certain percentage of employees under the directive, gutting critical public health agencies under the sprawling cabinet-level department.

Leaders were also asked to justify why certain employees should be retained.

Alex Woodward reports.

Federal health workers brace for layoffs as White House instructs HHS to rank workers

Unemployment drops and wages rise – but hiring is lower than expected

00:40 , AP

The first job report of Donald Trump’s second presidency suggested that he inherited a labor market that is solid but unspectacular – but experts have warned his policies could change that.

U.S. employers added just 143,000 jobs last month, but the jobless rate slipped to 4% to start 2025 and the government revised November and December payrolls higher. January job creation was down from 307,000 in December and 263,000 in November. Economists had expected about 170,000 new jobs in January.

Read on…

January jobs report: Unemployment drops and wages rise – but hiring falls

19 states sue to stop DOGE accessing Americans’ personal data

00:28 , AP

Nineteen Democratic attorneys general sued President Donald Trump on Friday to stop Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Treasury Department records that contain sensitive personal data such as Social Security and bank account numbers for millions of Americans.

The case, filed in federal court in New York City, alleges the Trump administration allowed Musk’s team access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system in violation of federal law.

The payment system handles tax refunds, Social Security benefits, veterans’ benefits and much more, sending out trillions of dollars every year while containing an expansive network of Americans’ personal and financial data.

Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, was created to discover and eliminate what the Trump administration has deemed to be wasteful government spending. DOGE’s access to Treasury records, as well as its inspection of various government agencies, has ignited widespread concern among critics over the increasing power of Musk, while supporters have cheered at the idea of reining in bloated government finances.

In a statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose office filed the lawsuit, said DOGE’s access to the Treasury Department’s data raises security problems and the possibility for an illegal freeze in federal funds.

“President Trump does not have the power to give away Americans’ private information to anyone he chooses, and he cannot cut federal payments approved by Congress,” said James, a Democrat who has been one of Trump’s chief antagonists. “Musk and DOGE have no authority to access Americans’ private information and some of our country’s most sensitive data.”

Also on the lawsuit are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

The View hosts praise Travis Kelce’s ‘classy’ response to Trump Super Bowl appearance

00:25 , Oliver O’Connell

The View co-hosts Alyssa Farah Griffin and Ana Navarro have praised Travis Kelce for his “classy” response to the news that President Donald Trump may attend this weekend’s Super Bowl.

Earlier this week, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end told reporters that he considered Trump’s appearance to be “a great honor.”

Kevin E G Perry has the story.

The View hosts praise Travis Kelce’s ‘classy’ response to Trump Super Bowl appearance

Pardoned Jan 6 felon heckles former Capitol police officer

00:10 , Oliver O’Connell

A former police officer attacked during the January 6 insurrection was heckled outside the Capitol by a rioter pardoned by Donald Trump.

Former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn was confronted after a gathering on the Capitol steps Wednesday honoring fellow fallen officer Brian Sicknick, who died after suffering two strokes the day after he was attacked and sprayed with bear mace during the riot.

Mary Papenfuss has the story.

Pardoned Jan 6 felon heckles former Capitol police officer Harry Dunn

Trump ‘immediately’ revokes Biden’s security clearance and daily briefing in act of revenge against predecessor

00:08 , Andrew Feinberg

President Donald Trump on Friday said he would be denying former president Joe Biden any access to classified information and the courtesy briefings traditionally provided to former presidents as needed.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he was “immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings,” following a precedent Biden had set four years earlier when he instructed U.S. intelligence officials to halt any briefings to Trump, citing the then-former president’s “erratic behavior” in the wake of his 2020 election loss.

As elected officials, presidents do not hold security clearances but they have traditionally been given courtesy briefings on an as-needed basis, such as when traveling abroad or when meeting with foreign government officials.

Read more:

Trump revokes Biden’s security clearance in act of revenge against predecessor

‘Hallmarks of government censorship’ seen in FCC’s latest investigation of radio station

Friday 7 February 2025 23:55 , Oliver O’Connell

The Trump-appointed chairman of the Federal Communications Commission announced this week that the FCC is investigating San Francisco-based radio station KCBS over its coverage of the administration’s mass deportation raids in San Jose, prompting First Amendment experts to express concerns about authoritarian-style censorship.

“This effort to control media content – a foundational trait of dictatorships – contains the hallmarks of government censorship,” Joseph Russomanno, professor emeritus at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, told The Independent.

Justin Baragona has the story.

Experts see ‘hallmarks of government censorship’ in FCC’s latest investigation

Visas and deportation of Indian migrants on agenda as Modi prepares to visit Trump

Friday 7 February 2025 23:40 , Oliver O’Connell

Narendra Modi is visiting Washington DC next week to meet Donald Trump amid concerns over trade tariffs and visas for Indian skilled workers.

The Indian prime minister is only the second foreign leader, after Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, to be invited by the White House since Mr Trump started his second term last month.

The trip comes as anger is growing in India over the humiliating deportation by the US of over a hundred illegal migrants back to the South Asian country this week.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports.

What Indian prime minister Modi is looking to get out of his impending US visit

Trump ‘fires’ Biden and revokes security clearance

Friday 7 February 2025 23:29 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has revoked security clearances from former president Joe Biden.

The president wrote on Truth Social:

There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information. Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings. He set this precedent in 2021, when he instructed the Intelligence Community (IC) to stop the 45th President of the United States (ME!) from accessing details on National Security, a courtesy provided to former Presidents. The Hur Report revealed that Biden suffers from “poor memory” and, even in his “prime,” could not be trusted with sensitive information. I will always protect our National Security — JOE, YOU’RE FIRED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

Watch: Trudeau comments on Trump accidentally broadcast over loudspeaker

Friday 7 February 2025 23:20 , Oliver O’Connell

Per Reuters:

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said U.S. President Donald Trump’s talk about absorbing Canada “is a real thing” and is linked to the country’s rich natural resources, a government source said.

Trudeau made the remarks during a closed-door session of business and labor leaders on how best to respond to Trump’s threats of tariffs on Canadian imports.

His comments were first reported by the Toronto Star, which said they were mistakenly carried by a loudspeaker.

Trump has repeatedly suggested Canada would be better off if it agreed to become the 51st U.S. state.

“They’re very aware of our resources, of what we have and they very much want to be able to benefit from those,” the Star quoted Trudeau as saying.

“But Mr. Trump has it in mind that one of the easiest ways of doing that is absorbing our country. And it is a real thing.”

The government source confirmed that the Star’s account of the remarks was accurate.

Friday 7 February 2025 23:00 , Oliver O’Connell

I’ll fire some of them because some of them were corrupt. I have no doubt about that. I got to know a lot about that world. We had some corrupt agents. And those people are gone or they will be gone. And it will be done quickly and very surgically.

President Donald Trump confirms he will purge certain FBI agents who worked on January 6 cases

Trump turns on Time magazine after new cover shows Musk sitting behind his Resolute desk

Friday 7 February 2025 22:50 , Oliver O’Connell

Attempting to shrug off a recent Time cover showing Elon Musk sitting behind the Resolute Desk as president, Donald Trump mockingly asked whether the magazine was “still in business” while claiming he hadn’t seen the latest issue.

The president’s dismissive snipe at Time comes just weeks after he boasted about being named the magazine’s 2024 Person of the Year, an honor he’s long coveted and first received after winning the presidential election in 2016.

Justin Baragona reports.

Trump turns on Time after new cover shows Musk sitting behind his Resolute desk

Trump orders review of gun regulations

Friday 7 February 2025 22:42 , AP

Trump has signed an executive order calling for a broad review of all of President Joe Biden’s executive actions on guns, along with other federal government rules, plans, reports and lawsuits, to “assess any ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights” of Americans.

The order calls for Attorney General Pam Bondi to conduct the review within 30 days and come up with an action plan for protecting the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment.

Trump confirms he terminates Kennedy Center board, makes himself chairman

Friday 7 February 2025 22:38 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has terminated “multiple individuals,” including the chairman, from the board of trustees of the Kennedy Center.

The president said in a Truth Social post that they “do not “share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”

He has appointed himself chairman.

Full story: Judge puts brakes on Trump’s plan to fire USAID staff hours before midnight purge

Friday 7 February 2025 22:30 , Oliver O’Connell

A federal judge has put the brakes on Donald Trump’s plan to gut the United States Agency for International Development workforce.

District Judge Carl Nichols in Washington, D.C., granted a “limited” temporary restraining order Friday that blocks the Trump administration from placing roughly 2,200 USAID workers on administrative leave, hours before the administration was set to send them packing at midnight.

Unions representing nearly 2,000 USAID employees filed a lawsuit against Trump and administration officials Thursday night following an unprecedented attack against the global aid agency, which supports dozens of life-saving missions in more than 100 countries.

Alex Woodward has been following the story.

Judge puts brakes on Trump’s plan to fire USAID workforce hours before midnight purge

Trump slips up on name of Japanese suitor for US Steel at White House press conference

Friday 7 February 2025 22:12 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump mistakenly referred to Nippon Steel as Nissan, the Japanese automaker, during a press conference with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House this afternoon.

The president announced that Japan’s Nippon Steel would not buy U.S. Steel as planned but would instead invest in the company. This dramatically reshaped the $15 billion merger bid that had been in negotiation for more than a year.

Trump did not give additional details but said “[Nippon Steel] is going to be doing something very exciting about U.S. Steel. They’ll be looking at an investment rather than a purchase.”

The president said he would be meeting with the head of the Japanese company next week and would be involved “to mediate and arbitrate.”

Previously, Trump said: “I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan.”

In separate remarks on Friday, Trump told reporters he had not changed his mind about his opposition to the deal.

United Steelworkers President David McCall said the union, which opposes the deal, has had no contact with either company or the administration regarding Nippon’s investment in U.S. Steel.

“Our concerns regarding Nippon’s continued interest in U.S. Steel remain unchanged,” he said in a statement.

A $14.9 billion bid for the American company was blocked last month, by former President Joe Biden.

On Thursday, Trump met U.S. Steel Chief Executive David Burritt at the White House to discuss the deal.

With reporting from Reuters

Watch: Trump agrees with Vance on DOGE staffer who quit over racist tweets

Friday 7 February 2025 22:10 , Oliver O’Connell

More US troops deploying to the southern border

Friday 7 February 2025 22:00 , Oliver O’Connell

The Pentagon will send approximately 1,500 more active-duty soldiers to the southern border to support Trump’s expanding crackdown on immigration, a U.S. official said Friday. This would eventually increase the total to about 3,600 active-duty troops at the border, where they are expected to set up concertina wire barriers and provide transportation, intelligence, and other assistance to the Border Patrol.

The official stated that the order to deploy a logistics brigade from the 18th Airborne Corps at Fort Liberty in North Carolina had been approved. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the deployment has not yet been publicly announced.

The Pentagon has been working swiftly to implement Trump’s executive orders. The first 1,600 active-duty troops are already stationed at the border, and nearly 500 more from the 10th Mountain Division will be arriving in the coming days. Some of the 500 Marines directed to go to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have already reached their destination to prepare for an influx of migrants.

With reporting from the Associated Press

Judge grants limited temporarily blocks purge of USAID staff

Friday 7 February 2025 21:49 , Alex Woodward

A judge in Washington, D.C., overseeing a lawsuit from government workers’ unions, is temporarily blocking the Trump administration from firing 2,200 USAID workers who were going to be placed on leave at midnight tonight.

An extremely skeptical District Judge Carl Nichols will grant a “limited” temporary restraining order that blocks the administration from moving ahead with that purge, but he seemed to be enormously frustrated with government lawyers.

“Frankly, there’s essentially zero harm to the government” in pausing its plans to place hundreds of workers on leave, he said.

Nichols could also possibly force Secretary of State Marco Rubio to recall the 500 workers who were already let go.

Trump signs executive order targeting South Africa

Friday 7 February 2025 21:40 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting South Africa, a White House official told Reuters on Friday, saying the order will tackle human rights issues in the African nation.

Trump has threatened to withdraw funding from the country. On Sunday, he claimed without evidence that “South Africa is confiscating land” and that “certain classes of people” were being treated “very badly.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa defended South Africa’s land policy in response to Trump’s threat, stating that the government had not confiscated any land and that the policy was intended to ensure equitable public access to land.

Trump postpones call with Panama leader

Friday 7 February 2025 21:34 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump postponed a call with Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulin due to schedule changes.

Mulino has accused the U.S. of spreading “lies and falsehoods” with claims that its vessels would be able to pass through the Panama Canal without paying.

He also rejected accusations that China now controls the canal. Trump has said he wants to take the canal back for the U.S.

Here’s the latest:

Marco Rubio forced into embarrassing walk back on Panama Canal claim

DOGE staffer amplified white supremacists in social media posts

Friday 7 February 2025 21:28 , Oliver O’Connell

Reuters reports that one of the people working with billionaire Elon Musk in his efforts to overhaul the U.S. government is a Berkeley-educated computer scientist who has boosted white supremacists and misogynists online.

Gavin Kliger is listed on LinkedIn as “Special Advisor to the Director” at the Office of Personnel Management, which has been spearheading Musk’s efforts to shrink the federal workforce.

A USAID email address in his name was copied on a message sent to agency staffers on Monday, which Reuters reviewed. The message urged them to stay home while the agency was shut down.

Kliger is one of about a dozen men identified by Reuters and other news outlets who have been recruited by Musk and his DOGE office to reshape the federal government. Reuters could not determine the importance of Kliger’s role at OPM.

In social media posts between October 2024 and January, Kliger has voiced controversial views and reposted content from white supremacist Nick Fuentes and self-described misogynist Andrew Tate.

Another DOGE staffer, Marko Elez, quit on Thursday amid questions from The Wall Street Journal about links to a deleted social-media account that advocated for racism and eugenics.

Musk has since said he would reinstate him after Vice President JD Vance weighed in with support for Elez.

Friday 7 February 2025 21:21 , Oliver O’Connell

Full story: Trump says he’s bringing back plastic straws in new executive order

Friday 7 February 2025 21:16 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump said Friday that he would sign an executive order “ending the ridiculous Biden push for paper straws, which don’t work.”

“BACK TO PLASTIC!” he posted on his social media platform Truth Social.

Last summer, the Biden administration announced an initiative to reduce single-use plastics in federal operations.

Julia Musto has the story.

Trump says he’s bringing back plastic straws in new executive order

In pictures: Trump and Japanese PM hold press conference

Friday 7 February 2025 21:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump says Musk will be targeting military and education next

Friday 7 February 2025 20:58 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump on Friday said he’s letting the Elon Musk-helmed Department of Government Efficiency dig into the budgets of the Pentagon and the federal Department of Education to find wasteful spending in need of cutting.

Trump told reporters at a joint press conference alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba that the billionaire’s cost-cutting initiative, which has rampaged through multiple federal agencies, would be taking a look at the $842 billion defense department ledger along with the 4,000-person Department of Education, which Trump has said he would like to eliminate from the executive branch.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, D.C.

Trump says Musk will be targeting military and education next: ‘Everything’s fertile’

Musk says he will bring back DOGE staffer who resigned over racist tweets scandal

Friday 7 February 2025 20:54 , Oliver O’Connell

After Trump sanctions, dozens of countries vow support for International Criminal Court

Friday 7 February 2025 20:39 , Oliver O’Connell

Dozens of countries have expressed their “unwavering support” for the International Criminal Court (ICC) a day after Donald Trump signed off sanctions against the court’s staff.

“We reaffirm our continued and unwavering support for the independence, impartiality and integrity of the ICC,” a group of almost 80 countries said in a joint statement.

Chris Stevenson reports.

Dozens of countries vow ‘unwavering’ support for ICC in wake of Trump sanctions

Trump DOJ reverses government position on Supreme Court trans youth case

Friday 7 February 2025 20:15 , Alex Woodward

After the United States went to the Supreme Court in the legal fight against Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth, a case that is now in the hands of the justices after December’s oral arguments, the Trump administration wrote to the court to say that its position is reversed. Trump’s Justice Department is now telling the court that it does not believe the state’s ban violates equal protections. But the administration is not asking to dismiss the appeal, and a decision is expected within the coming weeks and months.

The court’s ruling will have national impact, and could defy Trump’s executive order.

Read the letter here

Trump plans to ‘quickly and very surgically’ remove ‘corrupt’ FBI agents from bureau

Friday 7 February 2025 20:02 , Alex Woodward

After the Justice Department earlier today agreed not to publish the names of FBI agents involved in January 6 cases, Donald Trump said he plans to “quickly and very surgically” purge many of them from the bureau.

“Some of them were corrupt, no doubt about that,” he said. “Those people are gone, or they will be gone.”

Watch: Trump says DOGE can get Americans’ personal information because of of poor security

Friday 7 February 2025 19:58 , Oliver O’Connell

Full story: Trump calls Gaza takeover plan a ‘real estate transaction’ as he previews new tariffs

Friday 7 February 2025 19:55 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump on Friday continued to push his plan for the United States to take control of the Gaza Strip and threatened a host of new tariffs against American allies to be rolled out at a press conference next week.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office during a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Trump said he’d be announcing the trade actions — which amount to a unilateral tax increase on Americans — as part of his program for ensuring what he has called “reciprocal” trade with American allies.

Andrew Feinberg reports from the White House.

Trump calls Gaza takeover plan a ‘real estate transaction’ as he previews new tariffs

Ishiba says being able to import U.S. LNG ‘wonderful’

Friday 7 February 2025 19:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said it was “unfortunate” that the previous Biden administration didn’t allow Japan to buy liquified natural gas, during the White House press conference alongside President Donald Trump.

He says the Trump administration allowing them to import LNG again is “wonderful.”

They also want to buy bioethanol, ammonia, and other energy items “at a reasonable price.”

Watch: Trump says he agrees with Vance on DOGE staffer who resigned over racist posts

Friday 7 February 2025 19:42 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump says Japan will drop bid to purchase US Steel and instead invest in company

Friday 7 February 2025 19:38 , Oliver O’Connell

Speaking at a joint press conference at the White House, President Donald Trump, standing beside Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, said that rather than purchasing US Steel, a Japanese conglomerate will instead invest in the company.

Trump also said that all trade will be done in “fairness and reciprocity.”

He added that the U.S. has over a $100 billion trade deficit with Japan, which Japan has pledged to close by importing American liquified natural gas.

Trump said the two nations were working on a joint venture linked to Alaska oil and gas.

Taliban tell Trump they want to reset relationship with US

Friday 7 February 2025 19:35 , Oliver O’Connell

The Taliban have signalled their willingness to start afresh with the US administration of Donald Trump but claimed ownership of the military equipment and vehicles the American and Nato forces left behind.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the Taliban’s spokesperson for the foreign ministry, spoke to CBS News on Wednesday and said that the group controlling Afghanistan was ready to establish a new diplomatic chapter on engagement with the US.

“We would like to close the chapter of warfare and open a new chapter,” Mr Balkhi.

Arpan Rai has the story.

Taliban say they can reset ties with Trump – but don’t expect to get Humvees back

Full story: Vance wants Musk to rehire DOGE staffer who quit after racist social media posts exposed

Friday 7 February 2025 19:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Vice President J.D. Vance wants to rehire a staffer with Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency who quit after his openly racist social media posts were exposed.

Marko Elez, a 25-year-old programmer, posted his support for a “eugenic immigration policy” and called to “normalize Indian hate,” among other racist statements uncovered by The Wall Street Journal on Thursday.

“Just for the record, I was racist before it was cool,” Elez posted on his X account in July, according to WSJ’s review of archived posts.

Alex Woodward reports.

J.D. Vance wants DOGE staffer to get his job back after racist social media posts

Watch LIVE: Trump and Japanese Prime Minister hold press conference

Friday 7 February 2025 19:03 , Oliver O’Connell

Indonesia halts development of ‘Trump Community’

Friday 7 February 2025 18:55 , AP

Indonesian authorities have halted development of a tourism project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump.

The project, covering over 3,000 hectares, is a collaboration between Trump’s business partner, Indonesian billionaire Hary Tanoesoedibjo, and the Trump Organization.

Tanoesoedibjo attended Trump’s inauguration in Washington last month.

Read on…

Indonesia halts development of ‘Trump Community’ on tourist island

Zelensky to Trump on rare earths and minerals: ‘Let’s do a deal’

Friday 7 February 2025 18:47 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump, who campaigned claiming he could bring about a rapid end to Russia’s war on Ukraine, said on Monday he wanted Ukraine to supply the U.S. with rare earths and other minerals in return for financially supporting its war effort.

In an exclusive interview with Reuters on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded: “If we are talking about a deal, then let’s make one. We are only for it.”

Last autumn, Ukraine proposed opening its critical minerals to investment from allies, presenting a “victory plan” aimed at putting it in the strongest position for negotiations and compelling Moscow to engage in talks.

Zelensky said less than 20 percent of Ukraine’s mineral resources, including about half its rare earth deposits, were under Russian occupation.

Rare earths are crucial in producing high-performance magnets, electric motors, and consumer electronics. Zelensky suggested that Moscow could share these resources with its allies, North Korea and Iran, both of whom are staunch enemies of the U.S.

“We need to stop Putin and protect what we have — a very rich Dnipro region, central Ukraine,” he said.

Zelensky told Reuters that Ukraine has Europe’s largest reserves of titanium, which is essential for the aviation and space industries, and uranium, which is used for nuclear energy and weapons.

Many of the titanium deposits were marked in northwestern Ukraine, far from the fighting.

Ukraine has rapidly recalibrated its foreign policy approach to align with the transactional worldview of President Trump, Ukraine’s most important ally.

However, Zelenskiy emphasized that Kyiv was not proposing “giving away” these vital resources, but instead was interested in offering a mutually beneficial partnership to develop them jointly: “The Americans helped the most, and therefore the Americans should earn the most. And they should have this priority, and they will. I would also like to talk about this with President Trump.”

Reporting by Reuters

Trump criticizes controversial NFL rule ahead of Super Bowl Sunday

Friday 7 February 2025 18:35 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has criticized the NFL’s controversial kickoff rule ahead of his attendance at the Super Bowl on Sunday.

On Friday, the president praised the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles via his Truth Social account. He also shared his thoughts on the NFL’s dynamic kickoff rule implemented last year to decrease injuries by limiting high-speed collisions and incentivizing returns.

Amber Raiken reports.

Donald Trump criticizes controversial NFL rule ahead of Super Bowl Sunday

Hearing set for restraining order filed USAID workers

Friday 7 February 2025 18:30 , Alex Woodward

Just now: There will be a hearing on USAID workers’ motion for a temporary restraining order at 3 p.m.

Here’s what you need to know about the case:

Government workers union sues Trump for shutting down USAID

Not just the Super Bowl…

Friday 7 February 2025 18:27 , Oliver O’Connell

USAID nameplate being covered up

Friday 7 February 2025 18:21 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump expects to speak with Zelensky next week

Friday 7 February 2025 18:18 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump said that he expects to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky next week and wants to discuss the security of their assets, such as rare earths.

Amid Trump immigration raid fears, Latino churches lock their doors

Friday 7 February 2025 18:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Bishop Ebli De La Rosa, overseeing Church of God of Prophecy congregations across nine southeastern states, is bracing for the worst.

His motto, he says, is “to prepare for the worst and pray for the best,” as the Trump administration’s rescission of policies protecting immigrants in sensitive locations, including churches, has put dozens of his pastors at risk.

Continue reading…

Latino churches lock their doors amid Trump immigration raid fears

Trump asked about TIME magazine’s Elon Musk cover

Friday 7 February 2025 18:08 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump was also asked about TIME’s new cover showing Elon Musk sitting behind the Resolute desk from the Oval Office.

The president, who was thrilled to be named TIME Person of the Year in December, asked whether the publication was still in business.

Perhaps in an attempt to mollify the president should the cover infuriate him, Musk posted on X:

Trump was also asked whether Musk, given his role at the center of the administration, might take questions from the media.

The president responded: “Sure. He’s not shy. Elon is not shy.”

Trump teases ‘reciprocal tariffs’ to be announced next week

Friday 7 February 2025 18:03 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has teased an announcement next week on reciprocal tariffs to match those imposed on U.S. goods abroad.

The president told the press this lunchtime:

I’ll be announcing that next week, reciprocal trade so that we’re treated evenly with other countries. We don’t want anymore, any less. So I’ll be announcing that next week, and many other things having to do, not even with trade, but other things. But I’ll be talking about reciprocal trade sometime next week, we’ll have a news conference, and we’ll lay it out.

The move would fulfill a Trump campaign promise to impose tariffs on American imports equal to the rates that trading partners impose on American exports. It was not immediately clear which countries would be affected, as details of the proposal were not known.

Trump told Republican lawmakers of his plans during budget discussions at the White House on Thursday, sources told Reuters. Trump and top aides have said they plan to use higher tariffs on foreign imports to help pay for extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, which independent budget analysts say could add trillions of dollars to the U.S. debt.

Increased tariffs could offset some of that cost, though they have only accounted for about 2% of annual revenues in recent years.

Trump triples down on Gaza ‘real estate transaction’

Friday 7 February 2025 17:57 , Andrew Feinberg

Asked about his statements about taking ownership of Gaza earlier this week that were condemned around the world, especially in the Middle East, Donald Trump tripled down on his plan.

It’s been very well received where, basically the United States would view it as a real estate transaction, where we’ll be an investor in that part of the world. And no rush to do anything. We would need anybody there. It would be supplied and given to us by Israel. They’ll watch it in terms of security. We’re not talking about boots on the ground or anything, but I think we’ll the fact that we’re there, that we have an investment there, I think would go a long way to creating peace. We don’t want to see everybody move back and then move out in 10 years. This has been going on for 50 years. Much more than that. We just want to see stability that would be having us have that particular piece in that particular location. I think it would show great stability and would lead to great stability in the area for very little money, very little price, and we wouldn’t need soldiers at all; that will be taken care of by others, and the investments are taken care of by others also.

So, for no investment. I mean, virtually no investment whatsoever. It would bring stability to the area, and others can invest in it later on but we’re no rush on it. It’s absolutely no rush.

Melania and Ivanka Trump actively promoted USAID — now the president calls it a massive ‘fraud’

Friday 7 February 2025 17:55 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump’s administration is working to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development — the very agency that the president’s wife and daughter promoted seven years ago.

The president has threatened to end USAID, which provides humanitarian assistance around the globe. Earlier this week, Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency and Trump’s “First Buddy,” took aim at the agency, calling it a “criminal organization.”

Kelly Rissman reports.

How Melania and Ivanka promoted federal agency Trump now calls a massive ‘fraud’

Trumps says Musk ‘doing a great job’ finding ‘fraud and corruption’

Friday 7 February 2025 17:53 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump took questions from the press ahead of his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

On Elon Musk’s attacks on USAID, the president said:

Elon is doing a great job. He’s finding tremendous fraud and corruption and waste. You see it with the USAID, but you’re going to see it even more so with other agencies and other parts of government. He’s got a staff that’s fantastic. He’s wanted to be able to do this for a long time, and everybody else knew it was existent but I think never so much when you look at USAID. That’s a, that’s a fraud. The whole thing is a fraud, very little, very little being put to good use.

Every single line that I look at in terms of events and transactions is either corrupt or ridiculous, and we’re going to be doing that throughout government. And I think we’re going to be very close to balancing budgets for the first time in many years. I think we’re going to be very close to in addition to monies coming in from tariffs, etc, etc. But he’s doing a very good job. I’m very happy with it.

DOJ agrees not to release names of agents who worked on Jan 6 cases

Friday 7 February 2025 17:48 , Oliver O’Connell

The Department of Justice has agreed not to release the names of FBI agents who worked on the January 6 cases and the Trump investigations. The order, following a lawsuit from FBI employees, applies to the whole of government — not just the Justice Department — and will stick while the case plays out.

Following days of resistance, the acting head of the FBI turned over a list of the names of FBI employees who worked on those investigations to the DOJ.

Emil Bove, a former defense lawyer for President Donald Trump who now holds a senior role at the Justice Department, had demanded the information from the FBI as part of what he called a review of misconduct surrounding the probes, which led to nearly 1,600 criminal cases against Trump supporters for their actions during the Capitol riot.

Here’s the background to the case from Alex Woodward:

FBI agents file class action suit against Trump’s DOJ over ‘retribution’

In pictures: Trump welcomes Ishiba to Oval Office

Friday 7 February 2025 17:35 , Oliver O’Connell

ANALYSIS: Critics say the Trump administration is on a ‘lawbreaking spree.’ Can the courts stop him?

Friday 7 February 2025 17:27 , Oliver O’Connell

Alex Woodward writes:

President Donald Trump’s unprecedented power grabs within his first three weeks in office have provoked an opposite and equal reaction in the form of an avalanche of lawsuits.

Now, how far the president can plunge the United States into a constitutional crisis could depend on a handful of federal judges.

Americans should be prepared for the administration to ignore them, “unless and until there’s real enforcement, either by law enforcement or by the Supreme Court,” says Ty Cobb, a former White House counsel during Trump’s first administration.

“The real question is, will Trump honor those orders?” Cobb tells The Independent.

Read on…

Critics say Trump is on a ‘lawbreaking spree.’ Can the courts stop him?

Hegseth says dumbest phrase in military history is ‘diversity is our strength’

Friday 7 February 2025 17:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth chided past celebrations of the U.S. military’s diversity in a broad address to Pentagon staff on Friday.

In it, he also promised a tough approach to NATO and accountability over the war in Afghanistan.

“I think the single dumbest phrase in military history is our diversity is our strength,” Hegseth told the audience, adding that under his watch, “We will treat everyone with fairness.”

The official motto of the United States, “E pluribus unum,” celebrates diversity as a strength. The Latin phrase translates to “out of many, one.”

Neo-Nazi group sued by Springfield, Ohio, for relentless ‘campaign of hate and harassment’ over Haitian migrants

Friday 7 February 2025 17:05 , Oliver O’Connell

The Ohio city that became a flashpoint of the immigration debate during the 2024 presidential election after Donald Trump amplified false rumors of Haitian immigrants “eating the pets” is suing a neo-Nazi group for unleashing a “campaign of hate and harassment” against residents who defended the city’s migrant population.

Justin Baragona reports.

Springfield, Ohio, sues neo-Nazi group for ‘campaign of hate and harassment’

Friday 7 February 2025 16:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Vance wants DOGE staffer who resigned over racist posts reinstated

Friday 7 February 2025 16:51 , Oliver O’Connell

After Elon Musk posted a poll on X asking whether Marko Elez, the DOGE staffer who resigned after racist posts advocating eugenics were uncovered, should be reinstated, JD Vance chimed in.

The vice president posted on X:

Here’s my view:

I obviously disagree with some of Elez’s posts, but I don’t think stupid social media activity should ruin a kid’s life.

We shouldn’t reward journalists who try to destroy people. Ever.

So I say bring him back.

If he’s a bad dude or a terrible member of the team, fire him for that.

Musk has also said that the journalist who uncovered Elez’s posts should be “fired immediately.”

Here’s what you need to know about the scandal that broke yesterday:

Staffer for Musk’s DOGE quits over racist social media posts that advocated eugenics

Fetterman reveals which way he’ll vote on RFK Jr and Tulsi Gabbard

Friday 7 February 2025 16:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman, who has shown an increasing willingness to break with his party in recent months, has revealed that he will not be supporting the nominations of two of Donald Trump’s most controversial cabinet nominees: Robert F Kennedy Jr and Tulsi Gabbard.

Kennedy is the president’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services and Gabbard has been tapped as America’s next Director of National Intelligence but both have endured fiery confirmation hearings in front of the Senate’s committees this month and been dogged by unease about some of their controversial past statements and policy positions.

Joe Sommerlad reports.

John Fetterman reveals which way he’ll vote on RFK Jr and Tulsi Gabbard

Democratic lawmaker says she became ‘voluntarily sterile’ over Trump policies

Friday 7 February 2025 16:35 , Oliver O’Connell

A Michigan state legislator became “voluntarily sterile” to avoid navigating a pregnancy under President Donald Trump’s second term, she revealed.

Democratic state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky told a crowd in Lansing on Wednesday: “Just under two weeks ago, I underwent surgery to ensure that I would never have to navigate a pregnancy in Donald Trump’s America,” Pohutsky said. “I refuse to let my body be treated as currency by an administration that only sees value in my ability to procreate.”

Kelly Rissman has the story.

Democratic lawmaker says she became ‘voluntarily sterile’ over Trump policies

Federal health employees brace for layoffs as White House orders HHS to rank workers

Friday 7 February 2025 16:25 , Oliver O’Connell

Employees at the Department of Health and Human Services are bracing for layoffs across the vast public health agency, as Donald Trump’s administration instructs federal health officials to rank their essential workers and those who are deemed less essential.

Agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could be forced to cut a certain percentage of employees under the directive, gutting critical public health agencies under the sprawling cabinet-level department.

Leaders were also asked to justify why certain employees should be retained.

Alex Woodward reports.

Federal health workers brace for layoffs as White House instructs HHS to rank workers

COMMENT: A British Trump tribute act could snatch power in the UK – and wreak similar chaos

Friday 7 February 2025 16:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Alan Rusbridger writes:

The return of Trump has brought a slew of outrageous statements and a bold bid to reshape America. We may be shocked – but without a constitution to protect us, British politics is vulnerable to its own version of extremism.

Read on…

Could a Donald Trump tribute act sweep to power in the UK – and wreak similar chaos?

Nearly 11,000 migrants deported to Mexico since Trump took office

Friday 7 February 2025 15:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Since January 20, when U.S. President Donald Trump assumed office, Mexico has taken in almost 11,000 deported migrants from the United States, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday.

She added that the figure included about 2,500 non-Mexicans.

Earlier this week, Sheinbaum struck a deal with Trump to pause the threatened tariffs on Mexican goods in exchange for deploying thousands of National Guard troops to the northern border with the United States to further reduce the flow of migrants heading to the U.S.

During her regular morning press conference, Sheinbaum stated that Mexico has also repatriated deported migrants to Honduras using both flights and ground transportation. She stressed that the repatriations were not forced.

“It’s voluntary,” she told reporters. “We will accompany them so they can go to their home countries.”

January jobs report: Unemployment drops and wages rise – but hiring is lower than expected

Friday 7 February 2025 15:46 , Oliver O’Connell

The first job report of Donald Trump’s second presidency suggested that he inherited a labor market that is solid but unspectacular – but experts have warned his policies could change that.

U.S. employers added just 143,000 jobs last month, but the jobless rate slipped to 4% to start 2025 and the government revised November and December payrolls higher. January job creation was down from 307,000 in December and 263,000 in November. Economists had expected about 170,000 new jobs in January.

Read on…

January jobs report: Unemployment drops and wages rise – but hiring falls

Here’s the White House spin from press secretary Karoline Leavitt:

“Today’s jobs report reveals the Biden economy was far worse than anyone thought, and underscores the necessity of President Trump’s pro-growth policies. During his first weeks in office, President Trump declared a national energy emergency to Make America Energy Dominant Again, pledged to cut ten regulations for every new regulatory action, and outlined a plan to deliver the largest tax cut in history for hardworking Americans. President Trump is delivering on his promise to restore our broken economy, revive small business optimism, create jobs, and ignite a new Golden Age for America.”

Iran’s supreme leader says proposed talks with U.S. ‘not intelligent, wise or honorable’

Friday 7 February 2025 15:40 , Oliver O’Connell

Iran’s supreme leader asserts that negotiations with America “are not intelligent, wise or honorable” following President Donald Trump’s proposal for nuclear talks with Tehran, the Associated Press reports.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also indicated that “there should be no negotiations with such a government,” but he refrained from explicitly ordering against engagement with Washington.

On Wednesday, Trump said he would like to establish a verified nuclear peace agreement with Iran. Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said it would be straightforward.

“Verifying [our nuclear program] is an easy task, they have come and verified every time they wanted to do so and they can come verify a hundred more times,” Pezeshkian said during a televised meeting with foreign ambassadors in Tehran.

He also said that Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon as the mass killing of innocent people is prohibited in the Islamic Republic’s doctrine.

In 2018, during his previous term in office, Trump withdrew the U.S. from Tehran’s 2015 nuclear pact with world powers and reinstated sanctions that have severely impacted the country’s economy.

On Wednesday, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran is ready to give the U.S. a chance to resolve disputes between the two countries.

With reporting from agencies

Bad news for turtles…

Friday 7 February 2025 15:22 , Oliver O’Connell

What will Trump and Japan’s Ishiba discuss in first meeting?

Friday 7 February 2025 15:20 , Oliver O’Connell

According to a senior Trump administration official, President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will discuss training exercises and enhancing cooperation in defense technology and equipment, foreign investment, and energy, during their White House meeting today.

Additionally, they will address topics such as cybersecurity, space initiatives, and collaborative business ventures within the fields of artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

The same official said that the Trump administration continues to support trilateral efforts involving the U.S., Japan, and South Korea.

Ishiba is the second foreign leader to visit Trump after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week.

With reporting from Reuters

Awkward Rubio clip resurfaces from 2016 Republican primaries

Friday 7 February 2025 15:10 , Joe Sommerlad

The future secretary of state rebuking the future president here for treating the Middle East as one big property venture.

At least one of them remains entirely consistent in their outlook.

Vance to visit France and Germany

Friday 7 February 2025 14:58 , Oliver O’Connell

The White House has announced that Vice President JD Vance will undertake his first international trip next week, leading the U.S. delegations to the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, France, and the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany.

The vice president will deliver remarks at each event and will hold bilateral meetings with world leaders.

Trump revels in chaos of shutting down USAID

Friday 7 February 2025 14:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump took to Truth Social this morning to gloat about his push to shut down USAID and the reaction of the left in one of his trademark all-caps screeds.

The president wrote:

USAID IS DRIVING THE RADICAL LEFT CRAZY, AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE WAY IN WHICH THE MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT, SO MUCH OF IT FRAUDULENTLY, IS TOTALLY UNEXPLAINABLE. THE CORRUPTION IS AT LEVELS RARELY SEEN BEFORE. CLOSE IT DOWN!

He then attacked Eugene Robinson of The Washington Post for defending the work of USAID.

Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post is INCOMPETENT! So sad to see him trying to justify the waste, fraud, and corruption at USAID with his pathetic Radical Left SPIN. He should be fired immediately!!!

Why Trump has forced Americans to stockpile Prosecco

Friday 7 February 2025 14:50 , Joe Sommerlad

U.S. imports of Italian wine – 90 percent of it Prosecco – reportedly skyrocketed by 41 percent in November, following Trump’s election, far exceeding expected consumer demand. Why?

Why Donald Trump has made Americans stockpile Prosecco

Dozens of countries speak out against Trump’s ICC sanctions

Friday 7 February 2025 14:35 , Oliver O’Connell

On Friday, dozens of countries warned that U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of sanctions on the International Criminal Court could “increase the risk of impunity for the most serious crimes and threaten to erode the international rule of law.”

“Sanctions would severely undermine all situations currently under investigation, as the Court may have to close its field offices,” stated the 79 countries, which represent about two-thirds of the court’s members.

With reporting from Reuters

Exclusive: Texas lawmaker explains why he’s moving to impeach Trump

Friday 7 February 2025 14:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Representative Al Green announced this week he wants to introduce impeachment articles against President Donald Trump – and now, the lawmaker says he won’t lobby a single person to push it through.

Green, a firebrand Democrat from Texas, spoke on the House floor on Wednesday announcing he plans to “bring articles of impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed, and dastardly deeds done.”

If successful, Trump would be the first president to be impeached three times – after he already became the first president to be impeached twice during his first term.

Here’s what Green had to tell Katie Hawkinson.

Democrat explains why he’s trying to impeach Trump – even if others won’t back him

TIME unveils new cover: ‘Inside Elon Musk’s war on Washington’

Friday 7 February 2025 14:20 , Oliver O’Connell

In a move that will likely infuriate Donald Trump, TIME has revealed its latest cover — a picture of Elon Musk sitting behind the Oval Office’s Resolute Desk for the cover story “Inside Elon Musk’s war on Washington.”

Analysis: Democrats lost the optics war with Biden. They haven’t learned a thing

Friday 7 February 2025 14:10 , Joe Sommerlad

Democrats failed to recognize the seriousness of Joe Biden’s physical frailty until it was too late – and already appear to be making the same mistake by foregrounding older lawmakers like Chuck Schumer and Maxine Waters as the face of the resistance to Trump, writes Andrew Feinberg.

Dems lost the optics war with Biden. They’re making the same mistakes all over again

Trump getting excited for Super Bowl

Friday 7 February 2025 13:50 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s what we’ve had from the president on Truth Social so far this morning.

His first post of the day literally just reads:

“BALANCED BUDGET!!! DJT”

The second sees him getting excited about the Super Bowl in on Sunday and promoting his pre-game interview with Fox’s Bret Baier:

“Two great Quarterbacks in this game. Also, an unbelievable running back, and the absolute best tight end in football (Ever!). Incredible coaching! If they would only get rid of that really weird looking new Kickoff ‘deal,’ which actually makes football more dangerous, they would be doing everybody, especially the fans, a big favor. ANYWAY, IT WILL BE A GREAT GAME!!! I’ll be doing the interview, before the game, at 3:00 P.M. There hasn’t been one in four years (Gee, I wonder why?).”

Trump hosting Japanese PM on Friday

Friday 7 February 2025 13:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Before jetting home to Mar-a-Lago and then on to New Orleans for the Super Bowl on Sunday, the president will be holding a bilateral meeting with Shigeru Ishiba at the White House today.

Ishiba, over for a three-day visit, will be hoping to conjure some of the same chemistry that his late predecessor Shinzo Abe enjoyed with Trump during his first term and will seek familiar reassurances from the American on regional stability in Asia.

“We have a lot of topics to discuss,” Ishiba told Japanese MPs this week.

“I hope to set priorities and get results in the limited time we have.”

Judge accuses Trump of ‘ignoring’ law in rebuke of citizenship order

Friday 7 February 2025 13:10 , Joe Sommerlad

A federal judge has once again blocked Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to redefine the Constitution’s birthright citizenship clause, delivering a powerful rebuke from the bench to accuse the president of treating the rule of law as an “impediment to his policy goals.”

District Judge John C Coughenour, who was appointed by Ronald Reagan, issued a preliminary injunction on Thursday that blocks the order from taking effect nationally while the legal case plays out in Washington state.

Alex Woodward reports.

Judge accuses Trump of ‘ignoring’ law in rebuke of birthright citizenship order

Marco Rubio forced into embarrassing walk back on Panama Canal claim

Friday 7 February 2025 12:50 , Joe Sommerlad

The Secretary of State has been forced to admit that his claim that Panama would allow American ships to use its canal for free is not true.

Alexander Butler has the details.

Marco Rubio forced into embarrassing walk back on Panama Canal claim

Trump cabinet members talk tech infrastructure and ‘weaponization’ of justice on Sean Hannity’s show

Friday 7 February 2025 12:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Sean Duffy and Pam Bondi were both on the Fox News big beast’s primetime show last night, with the former reporting that Elon Musk had promised to upgrade America’s outmoded air traffic control tech infrastructure within a year and the latter hinting darkly about the upcoming persecution of Justice Department employees by the new administration.

House Democrats urge security investigations into Elon Musk’s team

Friday 7 February 2025 12:10 , Joe Sommerlad

The opposition have begun pushing for investigations into possible national security threats posed by Musk’s unvetted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee sent a letter on Thursday urging deputy inspectors general at a number of federal agencies to investigate possible security breaches by the billionaire’s team.

The Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO is in charge of DOGE, an advisory panel tasked with finding severe cuts to the federal budget that has already led the charge to nearly fully dismantle the aforementioned United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

USAID is just one of the agencies Democrats are calling for security investigations in relation to, as well as the Treasury, the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Education, the General Services Administration and the Small Business Administration.

Gustaf Kilander has the latest.

House Democrats urge security investigations into Elon Musk’s team

First of Trump’s ‘high threat’ deportees arrive at Guantanamo Bay

Friday 7 February 2025 11:54 , Joe Sommerlad

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth posted footage on X of shackled immigrants being led from a military helicopter at the Cuban naval base, with a Department of Defence statement subsequently claiming that all 10 deportees were part of “Tren de Aragua,” a transnational organized crime group with roots in Venezuela that was recently designated as a terrorist organization by the White House.

First of Trump’s ‘high threat’ US deportees arrive at Guantanamo Bay

Watch: Tom Homan threatens activists who warned of immigration raid with prosecution

Friday 7 February 2025 11:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Trump’s border czar has hit out after details of a recent ICE operation appeared to be leaked to its targets.

Trump received golden pager gift from Netanyahu amid White House visit

Friday 7 February 2025 11:10 , Joe Sommerlad

It has emerged that the president received a golden beeper from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to the White House on Tuesday – in an apparent nod to the deadly attack on Hezbollah operatives last year that also killed children and healthcare workers.

Trump reportedly received the gift from Netanyahu on the same day he claimed the U.S. plans to “take over” Gaza.

The golden pager’s screen reads: “Press with both hands.”

Below the device, which is mounted on a wooden background, is a plaque that reads: “To President Donald J. Trump, Our greatest friend and ally. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.”

Katie Hawkinson has more.

Trump received morbid gift from Netanyahu during White House visit

Trump jokes about a third term – for the third time since inauguration

Friday 7 February 2025 10:50 , Joe Sommerlad

This is already getting more than a little eerie.

Here’s Gustaf Kilander on the president’s most recent hint about attempting to alter the Constitution to stay in power.

Trump jokes about a third term – for the third time since his inauguration

Trump DOJ ending task force targeting Kremlin oligarchs with sanctions

Friday 7 February 2025 10:30 , Joe Sommerlad

The president’s administration is ending a task force focused on enforcing sanctions against Russian oligarchs, which was formed in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 to target wealthy businessmen with close ties to Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin to exert pressure in the hope of bringing the war to an end.

It was one of a raft of orders issued by new Attorney General Pam Bondi on her first day in office on Wednesday.

A memo stated that the group, called Task Force KleptoCapture, would come to an end as the agency’s focus moves on to going after drug cartels and international gangs.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Trump DOJ ending task force targeting Kremlin oligarchs with sanctions

Trump’s resignation offers are blocked by judge hours before buyouts were set to expire

Friday 7 February 2025 13:50 , Joe Sommerlad

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Donald Trump’s government buyout offer, giving hundreds of thousands of federal workers more time to decide to take eight months of pay in exchange for their resignation or early retirement.

Hoping to reduce the workforce by 5 to 10 percent, the Office of Personnel Management sent an email, entitled “Fork in the Road,” to much of the federal workforce – with some exceptions – last week offering to pay them through September 30 if they agreed to resign by Thursday.

However, hours before the original deadline was set to expire, District Judge George O’Toole Jr. temporarily blocked it, saying the court needed time to review the legality offer.

Ariana Baio reports.

Trump’s buyout offers are blocked by judge hours before deadline

USAID to be hacked from 14,000 workers to just 294 as Trump team shreds humanitarian agency

Friday 7 February 2025 10:10 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s more from Alex Woodward on the hacking and slashing of the poor old United States Agency for International Development, which has been branded a “criminal organization” by Elon Musk and targeted for death by a thousand cuts.

USAID workforce to be slashed to just 294 employees: report

Iran denounces ‘bullying’ U.S. after first Trump sanctions target its ships

Friday 7 February 2025 09:50 , Joe Sommerlad

Tehran has accused Washington of acting illegitimately and bullying it after Donald Trump’s administration began imposing sanctions on its ships in order to stifle its oil trade.

The U.S. blacklisted three ships, an Indian master, shipowners and managers on Thursday, according to TradeWinds, in the first targeting of Iranian shipping under Trump.

The listing came after the new president signed an executive order calling for the revival of his first-term policy of imposing “maximum pressure” on Iran.

Trump announces sanctions on International Criminal Court for ‘targeting’ U.S. and Israel

Friday 7 February 2025 09:30 , Joe Sommerlad

The president has signed an executive order issuing sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

The president’s order accuses the ICC of “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel” and imposes visa and financial sanctions on anyone working on court probes of U.S. citizens or allies.

Gustaf Kilander has more.

Trump announces sanctions on International Criminal Court for ‘targeting’ US, Israel

Project 2025 architect confirmed as head of powerful Office of Management and Budget

Friday 7 February 2025 09:10 , Joe Sommerlad

The Senate yesterday confirmed Russell Vought to lead the powerful Office of Management and Budget, welcoming an official who has plotted the massive expansion of Donald Trump’s power into one of the most influential positions in the government.

Vought, the architect of the controversial right-wing playbook Project 2025, was confirmed on a party-line vote of 53-47.

With the Senate chamber full, Democrats repeatedly tried to speak as they cast their “no” votes to give their reasons for voting against Vought. But they were relentlessly gavelled into silence.

The vote came after Democrats had exhausted their only remaining tool to stonewall a nomination – holding the Senate floor throughout the previous night and day with a series of speeches in which they warned that Vought was Trump’s “most dangerous nominee.”

Project 2025 architect Russell Vought confirmed to head of powerful Budget Office

Donald Trump sued by USAID workers union for shutting down global aid agency

Friday 7 February 2025 08:50

Good morning!

Donald Trump is being sued by unions representing United States Agency for International Development (USAID) workers, following an unprecedented attack against the humanitarian agency, which supports dozens of life-saving missions in more than 100 countries.

Thousands of USAID employees are imminently expected to lose their jobs as Trump’s administration, under Elon Musk’s guidance, makes visceral cuts across government agencies.

Here’s Alex Woodward’s report.

Government workers union sues Trump for shutting down USAID

Americans stockpile eggs as stores are left with empty shelves amid bird flu outbreaks

Friday 7 February 2025 08:30 , Oliver O’Connell

With fewer shells on shelves, customers are scrambling for new ways to get their egg fix.

Due to the bird flu outbreak, there are millions fewer hens, meaning way fewer eggs. Frustrated shoppers across the country have even started posting videos of empty shelves where eggs once lay.

Kelly Rissman reports.

Americans stockpile eggs as stores are left with empty shelves amid bird flu outbreak

Indiana looks to add 33 counties from Illinois that voted to leave the state

Friday 7 February 2025 08:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Indiana has looked at adding 33 counties from Illinois that signaled they want to leave the state – which could lead to whole new maps of the U.S.

Indiana House Republicans have listed embracing the counties from neighboring Illinois as one of their top 2025 legislative session priorities. House Speaker Todd Huston said Thursday that Republicans are considering the proposal after roughly a third of counties in the Prairie state voted to break away.

If successful, it will drastically alter the map for Illinoisans.

Rhian Lubin reports.

Indiana looks to add 33 counties from Illinois that voted to leave the state

Staffer for Musk’s DOGE resigns over racist social media posts

Friday 7 February 2025 07:30 , Oliver O’Connell

One of the two staffers for Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency who was granted access to the US Treasury’s sensitive payment system has resigned from his post after the White House was asked about his history of racist social media posts, including advocating for repealing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Marko Elez, a 25-year-old programmer who was brought into government service by the world’s wealthiest man, had a profile on X (formerly Twitter), the social media site owned by Musk, featuring posts in which he said he supported a “eugenic immigration policy” and made other racist statements.

Andrew Feinberg has the latest from Washington, D.C.

Staffer for Musk’s DOGE quits over racist social media posts that advocated eugenics

Report: USAID to be hacked from 14,000 workers to just 294 as Trump team shreds humanitarian agency

Friday 7 February 2025 06:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Only 294 employees with the United States Agency for International Development have been deemed essential among 14,000 global staff members, according to CBS News.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly said that crucial health and humanitarian aid will continue, following threats from Donald Trump and Elon Musk to dissolve the entire agency, but the administration intends to decimate its size, including limiting staff to only 12 people in Africa.

Alex Woodward reports.

USAID workforce to be slashed to just 294 employees: report

ICYMI: Trump says he’s ordering attorney general to target ‘anti-Christian bias’

Friday 7 February 2025 05:30 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he’s ordering Attorney General Pam Bondi to stand up a “task force” to “eradicate anti-Christian bias” within the United States and prosecute instances of “anti-Christian violence and vandalism.”

Speaking at a bipartisan National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington, DC Hilton hotel, Trump said the task force will be ordered to “immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government,” including at the Department of Justice, the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, D.C.

Trump rails against ‘anti-Christian bias’ and appoints new task force

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent’s website