California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that any California university accepting the Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” would immediately lose state funding. The proposed compact, offered to select universities, mandates the closure of departments deemed hostile to conservative ideas, restricts international student enrollment, enforces a specific definition of gender, and bans the consideration of race or sex in hiring and admissions in exchange for federal grants. Newsom’s office characterized the compact as a “hostile takeover,” citing concerns about government-mandated ideology and the potential for academic freedom erosion. The compact, which includes stipulations such as tuition freezes and restrictions on political speech, would lead to a loss of billions of dollars in state funding, including Cal Grants, for any participating California university.
Read More
During a Valdai Club meeting, Vladimir Putin responded to Donald Trump’s “paper tiger” assessment of Russia by suggesting Trump “go and deal with it.” Putin asserted Russia’s confidence in its military capabilities, highlighting its current conflict with NATO-backed forces in Ukraine. Putin’s remarks followed Trump’s statement on Truth Social, where the former US president questioned Russia’s strength after meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
Read More
A recent poll indicates that 47 percent of Americans hold Republicans accountable for the government shutdown, contrasting with the 30 percent who blame Democrats. The poll, conducted by The Washington Post, surveyed 1,010 Americans and found that the most common sentiment regarding the shutdown was “somewhat concerned.” Despite President Trump’s efforts to assign blame to Democrats, including the use of artificial intelligence and government messaging, the majority of Americans place responsibility on the GOP, particularly given their control of all branches of government. This shutdown affects federal workers, who face unpaid leave, and also impacts essential services such as the military and TSA.
Read More
A bronze statue titled “Best Friends Forever,” depicting Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, resurfaced on the National Mall. The statue, which shows the figures holding hands, was originally installed last week and removed before its reappearance. The National Park Service and the White House have not commented on the installation due to the government shutdown. The statue’s appearance follows controversy surrounding the Trump administration’s handling of Epstein-related documents, and Trump’s prior relationship with Epstein.
Read More
The survey revealed that 47% of respondents held Republicans primarily responsible for the government shutdown, while 30% blamed Democrats. In the open-ended responses, those faulting Republicans cited their control of government and inability to negotiate, while those blaming Democrats pointed to perceived unreasonable funding requests. Partisan divides were stark, with the majority of Republicans blaming Democrats and the vast majority of Democrats blaming Republicans.
Read More
Robert Morris, the former senior pastor of Gateway Church and a member of Donald Trump’s Evangelical Advisory Board, pleaded guilty to five felony counts of child sexual abuse. These charges stemmed from abuse that began in 1982 and continued for several years, perpetrated while Morris was a traveling evangelist. Morris received a 10-year suspended sentence, which included six months in jail, and will be required to register as a sex offender. This case is significant, sparking dialogue regarding abuse within religious organizations and the justice faced by survivors.
Read More
Former Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library director Todd Arrington was reportedly told to resign after refusing to provide a historic sword from the museum’s collection for a gift to King Charles III, as requested by the Trump administration. Arrington, who had worked with the State Department to find a suitable replacement, said his superior informed him of the order, citing untrustworthiness due to the sword disagreement. The abrupt resignation also mentioned an issue related to the Eisenhower Foundation. This is not the first time employees have been fired from presidential libraries, with previous cuts affecting the Eisenhower Library and the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston.
Read More
Google’s AI Overview tool appears to be selectively providing information on cognitive decline queries related to former President Joe Biden, while not offering responses for similar queries about President Donald Trump. When searching for information regarding Trump’s cognitive abilities, the AI tool displayed a message stating that no overview was available, whereas a summary was generated for Biden. A Google spokesperson explained that the tool’s responses are not always consistent and depend on the query. This comes after Google’s CEO praised Trump’s AI initiatives at a White House dinner and following YouTube, which is owned by Google, agreeing to a settlement with Trump.
Read More
Former President Trump announced a meeting with Russ Vought, known for Project 2025, to discuss potential cuts to Democrat-led agencies. Trump framed this as an unexpected opportunity to “Make America Great Again.” Reports suggest mass layoffs of federal employees could begin imminently following a government shutdown, as indicated by Vought in a private call with GOP members.
Read More
World leaders were caught on camera openly mocking Donald Trump for his repeated misstatements and claims of brokering peace deals. During a summit, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and French President Emmanuel Macron joked about Trump’s consistent confusion of Armenia with Albania, a gaffe he has made while boasting of resolving conflicts. Trump has often taken credit for settling conflicts, even citing peace deals between countries that have never been at war, such as Armenia and Cambodia. These incidents have added to the criticism surrounding Trump’s age and accuracy in public statements.
Read More
John Q. Hosedrinker