Judge Alsup denied the Trump administration’s request to stay his order reinstating thousands of unlawfully fired probationary federal employees. The judge cited the increasing difficulty of reinstatement with each passing day and the government’s attempts to obstruct the legal process. Alsup deemed the administration’s mass firings a sham, designed to circumvent statutory requirements, and rejected the DOJ’s arguments regarding administrative burdens and speculative harm claims. He emphasized that OPM cannot direct agencies to fire employees under the guise of guidance, and the administration’s refusal to provide testimony further demonstrated its obstructive tactics. The DOJ intends to appeal the ruling to the Ninth Circuit.
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A lawsuit filed by a Cornell professor and two students, with the support of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), alleges that the Trump administration unconstitutionally suppressed free speech through executive orders. The plaintiffs claim these orders, enforced via deportation and other means, target individuals expressing pro-Palestinian views, citing the detainment of a Columbia University student as an example. This chilling effect has led plaintiffs to self-censor and limit public engagement for fear of government retaliation. The ADC seeks a temporary restraining order to block enforcement of the relevant executive orders, arguing they violate the First and Fifth Amendments.
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President Trump authorized a significant wave of US air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, citing their attacks on Red Sea shipping as justification. The strikes, resulting in numerous Houthi casualties, followed months of escalating attacks by the group, which claims to support Palestinians and has targeted vessels allegedly linked to the US, UK, and Israel. Despite the US action, the Houthis vowed continued attacks on shipping and retaliatory action. Trump warned of further, even more forceful, responses if the attacks continued, while Iran condemned the US actions and called for an end to Israeli actions in Gaza.
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Nervous about Trump, international tourists are scrapping their U.S. travel plans. It’s a significant trend, fueled by concerns about potential mistreatment and arbitrary detention. The perception of increased risks, particularly for those from minority backgrounds or non-European countries, is deterring many from visiting.
This isn’t just a matter of “nervousness”; it’s a widespread feeling of distrust and apprehension. Reports of tourists being detained by ICE, sometimes for extended periods without access to legal counsel or basic necessities, are circulating widely. These accounts paint a picture of an increasingly unpredictable and potentially hostile environment for visitors.
The fear isn’t merely theoretical; the experiences of some tourists confirm these fears.… Continue reading
Republican opposition to the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), citing burdensome requirements for small businesses, resulted in a federal court halting its beneficial ownership rule enforcement. The CTA, enacted by the Biden administration to combat tax evasion and corporate favoritism, directly contradicts Trump administration policies. Trump’s broader efforts to weaken financial regulations, including the recent executive order freezing enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, suggest a prioritization of deregulation benefiting corporate interests. This ultimately reduces scrutiny of businesses with questionable practices.
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Following Russian objections to his involvement, General Keith Kellogg’s role as special envoy has been adjusted. He will now focus solely on Ukraine, maintaining his direct relationship with President Zelenskyy. Russian officials reportedly deemed Kellogg overly sympathetic to Kyiv, leading to his exclusion from recent high-level discussions, including a Saudi Arabia meeting where a 30-day ceasefire was tentatively agreed upon. Despite this agreement, Russian President Putin subsequently expressed reservations about the ceasefire proposal.
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A new Quinnipiac University poll reveals widespread disapproval of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), with 60% of registered voters disapproving of its handling of federal employee job cuts. A majority (54%) believe DOGE is causing more harm than good, while only 36% support Musk’s actions. This discontent coincides with low approval ratings for President Trump’s handling of the economy and the Ukraine war. DOGE’s job cuts, projected to reach 300,000, are significantly larger than previous major layoff events and have prompted internal conflict within the Trump administration.
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These actions collectively hinder Ukrainian efforts to reunite children separated from their families and to investigate Russian war crimes, due to funding freezes and the dismantling of USAID. Furthermore, the Trump administration’s actions, including installing Pete Marocco and a rebuke of President Zelenskyy, demonstrate a potential shift towards aligning with Russian interests, as evidenced by the suspension (and later reinstatement) of vital intelligence sharing. Marocco’s past meetings with pro-Russian separatists further underscore this concerning trend.
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Fox News host Jesse Watters, while publicly supporting the Trump administration’s cuts to federal programs, expressed personal concern over the impact on his family. His sister’s employment at Johns Hopkins University is threatened by the resulting layoffs stemming from reduced funding for international aid programs. This follows previous comments regarding a friend impacted by the cuts. Watters’s conflicted stance highlights the human consequences of these policy decisions.
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The Department of Education launched investigations into over 50 universities for alleged racial discrimination, spurred by President Trump’s efforts to eliminate diversity initiatives deemed discriminatory against white and Asian American students. These probes focus primarily on partnerships with the PhD Project, which assists underrepresented minority students, and on race-based scholarships. Secretary McMahon stated that merit, not race, should determine student assessment. The investigations follow a February memo expanding a Supreme Court ruling against race-based admissions to encompass all aspects of higher education.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood