Trump directs administration to "pause" military aid to Ukraine after contentious Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, two White House officials said.
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Today's Political News Compilation - Thursday, February. 20, 2025
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Trump loyalist Kash Patel is confirmed as FBI director by the Senate despite deep Democratic doubts
By ERIC TUCKERUpdated 3:25 PM CST, February 20, 2025
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Thursday narrowly voted to confirm Kash Patel as director of the FBI, moving to place him atop the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency despite doubts from Democrats about his qualifications and concerns he will do Donald Trump’s bidding and go after the Republican president’s adversaries.
“I cannot imagine a worse choice,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told colleagues before the 51-49 vote by the GOP-controlled Senate. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were the lone Republican holdouts.
A Trump loyalist who has fiercely criticized the agency he will now lead, Patel will inherit an FBI gripped by turmoil as the Justice Department over the past month has forced out a group of senior bureau officials and made a highly unusual demand for the names of thousands of agents who participated in investigations related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Patel has spoken of his desire to implement major changes at the FBI, including a reduced footprint in Washington and a renewed emphasis on the bureau’s traditional crime-fighting duties rather than the intelligence-gathering work that has come to define its mandate over the past two decades as national security threats have proliferated. ...
READ THE FULL STORY - AP
Trump says federal government should 'take over' DC, backing congressional GOP push
President Donald Trump is throwing his support behind congressional efforts for a federal takeover of the nation’s capital, saying he approves putting the District of Columbia back under direct federal control.
apnews.comWhy a full federal takeover of DC would require an act of Congress
The moment that local officials in our nation’s capital have been dreading for months is finally here.
apnews.com
More than 6,000 IRS employees fired in middle of tax season - Washington Examiner
The union representing IRS workers has asked a judge to halt the firings.
www.washingtonexaminer.comUS official says Trump's frustration with Zelenskyy is 'multifold' and blasts 'insults' from Ukraine
A top White House official says President Donald Trump's increasingly tough criticism of Volodymyr Zelenskyy reflects the administration’s growing frustration with what they see as the Ukrainian leader creating roadblocks to finding an endgame to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
apnews.com
How each senator voted on the Kash Patel nomination | CNN Politics
The US Senate on Thursday voted to approve Kash Patel as FBI director in a mostly party-line vote, clearing the way for one of President Donald Trump’s most controversial appointments.
www.cnn.com
CPAC pushes Trump to run for an unconstitutional third term- Washington Examiner
The Third Term Project is pushing to reform presidential term limits to allow Trump to run for a third term in 2028.
www.washingtonexaminer.comSenate ready to stay up all night to pass GOP budget over objections from Democrats
Senators are launching a budget “vote-a-rama” in a crucial, if dreaded, step toward President Donald Trump's agenda.
apnews.com
Trump administration hasn't complied with order to halt foreign aid freeze, judge says
The administration was ordered last week to continue the disbursement of foreign aid after Trump ordered a pause on nearly all U.S. foreign assistance.
www.nbcnews.comTrump says he's considering buying used planes to serve as Air Force One amid Boeing delays
President Donald Trump says he's considering buying used Boeing aircraft — perhaps from an overseas seller — to use as Air Force One when he’s aboard, as he fumes over the U.S. plane-maker’s delays in producing two specially modified ones for presidential use.
apnews.com
Top FDA food safety official's resignation letter warns firings will backfire on RFK Jr.
James Jones resigned as FDA deputy commissioner and said the Trump administration's "indiscriminate" job cuts show "disdain for the very people necessary to implement your agenda."
www.cbsnews.comUS Justice Department cuts database tracking federal police misconduct
The U.S. Justice Department has removed a database tracking misconduct by federal law enforcement, a list proposed by Republican President Donald Trump during his first term and formally created by Democratic former President Joe Biden. The removal was reported first by the Washington Post...
Georgia Republican faces town hall backlash over DOGE's 'chainsaw approach' to federal cuts
Rep. Rich McCormick, who represents a safe GOP district, came under harsh criticism that focused on the Trump administration’s moves to slash federal jobs and budgets.
www.nbcnews.com
Mexico's president warns U.S. against invading to fight cartels after Washington designates them as terrorist groups
President Claudia Sheinbaum also said Mexico will expand its legal action against U.S. gun manufacturers following the decision to designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations.
www.cbsnews.com
Elon Musk’s private security detail gets deputized by US Marshals Service | CNN Politics
The US Marshals Service has deputized members of Elon Musk’s private security detail, giving them certain rights and protections of federal law enforcement agents, three law enforcement officials familiar with the matter told CNN.
www.cnn.com
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Senate trying to advance Trump's agenda
Congressional Republicans intend to enact President Donald Trump’s core agenda of cutting taxes and reducing federal spending.
GOP lawmakers concerned about impact of DOGE cuts on constituents, but most support effort
"To me, this is all about saving American taxpayers money, and so I fully support pauses in these programs," Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall said.
www.cbsnews.com
'We've lost a partner and a friend': Ukrainians somber as U.S. partnership disintegrates
Ukrainians “couldn’t cope without American weapons and support,” Yuliya Antonyuk, a 42-year-old real estate agent, told NBC News.
www.nbcnews.com[URL...
Latest Political News Feed
Scorpion stings woman at Boston baggage claim after flight from Mexico
A passenger at Boston Logan was stung by a scorpion yesterday while retrieving her luggage in the baggage claim area of customs, according to police.
Continue reading...Zoe Saldaña responds to criticism that 'Emilia Pérez' is 'hurtful' to Mexicans
Zoe Saldaña responded to criticism about "Emilia Pérez" in the press room after her best supporting actress win at the 2025 Oscars.
Continue reading...Can Europe fill the gap now the US has paused military support for Ukraine?
America has withdrawn its military support for Ukraine, how big of a hole does it leave?
Continue reading...Stay or go? Gazans face tough choices as their future is debated on the global stage
Their fate is the discussion of Arab leaders in Egypt but what do Gazans want for their future?
Continue reading...Gaza ceasefire in peril as Israel and Hamas hit impasse
Concern grows after Israel said it would block aid to Gaza unless Hamas accepted a new US proposal.
Continue reading...Trump's 25% tariffs against Canada and Mexico, 20% on China, are now in effect
President Donald Trump’s long-threatened tariffs against Canada and Mexico finally went into effect Tuesday, putting global markets on edge and setting up costly retaliations by the United States’ North American allies.
Starting just past midnight, imports from Canada and Mexico are now to be taxed at 25%, with Canadian energy products getting tariffed at 10%. In addition, the 10% tariff that Trump placed on Chinese imports in February is doubling to 20%.
In response, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country would slap tariffs on...
Continue reading...Starting just past midnight, imports from Canada and Mexico are now to be taxed at 25%, with Canadian energy products getting tariffed at 10%. In addition, the 10% tariff that Trump placed on Chinese imports in February is doubling to 20%.
In response, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country would slap tariffs on...
Trump announces $100 billion investment in U.S. from TSMC, calls it ‘most powerful company' in world
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing will pour $100 billion into bolstering chip manufacturing in the U.S., President Donald Trump announced Monday.
The president called the investment a "tremendous move by the most powerful company in the world." The new capital brings TSMC's total investment in the U.S. to $165 billion and will go toward building five new fabrication facilities in Arizona.
The announcement from TSMC, which supplies semiconductors to the likes of Nvidia and Apple for artificial intelligence use, supports the Trump administration's...
Continue reading...The president called the investment a "tremendous move by the most powerful company in the world." The new capital brings TSMC's total investment in the U.S. to $165 billion and will go toward building five new fabrication facilities in Arizona.
The announcement from TSMC, which supplies semiconductors to the likes of Nvidia and Apple for artificial intelligence use, supports the Trump administration's...
NYC gives migrants more ways to obtain city ID making it easier for them to get benefits, housing: report
New York City officials are making it easier for illegal aliens to acquire a city residency ID card, in turn making it easier for them to obtain housing and free healthcare, according to reports.
City Council members passed a change backed by Mayor Eric Adams that opens up 23 additional types of IDs that immigrants can provide to obtain a New York City residency card.
The New York Post reported that some of the examples of identification that immigrants can provide include an expired driver’s license; documents from U.S. Immigration and Customs...
Continue reading...City Council members passed a change backed by Mayor Eric Adams that opens up 23 additional types of IDs that immigrants can provide to obtain a New York City residency card.
The New York Post reported that some of the examples of identification that immigrants can provide include an expired driver’s license; documents from U.S. Immigration and Customs...
Dolly Parton's husband, Carl Dean, dies aged 82
The "9-5" singer met Dean outside a laundromat on the first day she arrived in Nashville as an 18-year-old aspiring singer.
Continue reading...Rising egg prices in the US spark chicken rental trend
The service provides hens, feed, and support for six months, allowing customers to collect fresh eggs at home.
Continue reading...Why detecting methane is difficult but crucial work
From handheld to space-based, new methane detectors are making it easier to track the greenhouse gas.
Continue reading...What is the designated survivor? Here's how the process works ahead of Trump's address
One chair inside the U.S. Capitol will be empty Tuesday.
The cabinet member who typically occupies it will be nowhere near the building or its surrounding area as Donald Trump delivers his joint address to Congress.
He or she will watch the speech from afar, representing the doomsday president in waiting, a title informally known as the "designated survivor."
One person is selected to sit out high-profile events like the State of the Union, inaugurations, and presidential speeches to joint sessions of Congress to preserve the Constitutional line...
Continue reading...The cabinet member who typically occupies it will be nowhere near the building or its surrounding area as Donald Trump delivers his joint address to Congress.
He or she will watch the speech from afar, representing the doomsday president in waiting, a title informally known as the "designated survivor."
One person is selected to sit out high-profile events like the State of the Union, inaugurations, and presidential speeches to joint sessions of Congress to preserve the Constitutional line...
Jay-Z sues former accuser for defamation
Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter filed a defamation suit Monday against an Alabama woman who claimed he raped her when she was 13 in a since-withdrawn civil lawsuit.
Continue reading...DOGE initial findings on Defense Department DEI spending could save $80M, agency says
The Department of Defense could save up to $80 million in wasteful spending by cutting loose a handful of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, the agency said Monday.
The Defense Department has been working with the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in slashing wasteful spending, DOD spokesman Sean Parnell said in a video posted to social media.
Parnell listed some of the initial findings flagged by DOGE, much of it consisting of millions of dollars given to support various DEI programs, including $1.9 million for...
Continue reading...The Defense Department has been working with the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in slashing wasteful spending, DOD spokesman Sean Parnell said in a video posted to social media.
Parnell listed some of the initial findings flagged by DOGE, much of it consisting of millions of dollars given to support various DEI programs, including $1.9 million for...