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AP Photo
Trump moves with dizzying speed on his to-do list. But there are warning signs in his first month
By WILL WEISSERT, JOSH BOAK and LINDSAY WHITEHURST
Updated 9:02 AM CST, February 15, 2025
WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump approaches the first-month mark in his second term, he has moved with dizzying speed and blunt force to reorder American social and political norms and the economy while redefining the U.S. role in the world.
At the same time, he has empowered Elon Musk, an unelected, South African-born billionaire, to help engineer the firing of thousands of federal employees and potentially shutter entire agencies created by Congress.
Those efforts have largely overshadowed Trump’s crackdowns on immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border, and his efforts to remake social policy by wiping out diversity, equity and inclusion programs and rolling back transgender rights.
The president has also imposed scores of new tariffs against U.S. trade partners and threatened more, even as economists warn that will pass costs on to U.S. consumers and feed inflation. ...
READ THE FULL STORY - AP
Justice Department fires 20 immigration judges from backlogged courts amid major government cuts
A union official says the Trump administration has fired 20 immigration judges without explanation amid sweeping moves to shrink the size of the federal government.
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'We're under attack by billionaires': Fired federal workers speak out on terminations
Hanna Hickman, a now-terminated worker for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, told ABC News the last four days have been a roller coaster.
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Mapping Elon Musk's support for far-right politics across the world
The world’s richest man is trying to sway politics on six continents.
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Finnish leader urges Europe to firm up Ukraine's hand for U.S.-sought talks with Russia to end war
Finland’s president has urged the rearming of Ukraine and putting “maximum pressure on Russia” in the run-up to possible peace negotiations sought by the U.S.
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Major storm in Eastern US brings bring severe flash floods
Major storm in the east bringing snow, ice, flooding rain, severe thunderstorms.
Trump tours Boeing plane to highlight aircraft maker's delay in delivering a new Air Force One
President Donald Trump has toured a Boeing airplane to check out new hardware and technology features and highlight the aircraft maker's delay in delivering updated versions of the Air Force One presidential aircraft.
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European leaders plan emergency summit as US and Russia prepare for Ukraine peace talks
Donald Trump said earlier this week he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed talks could start "immediately" after their phone call.
www.bbc.com
McConnell tests the strengths and limits of his power opposing a trio of Trump's Cabinet nominees
No longer in charge, Sen. Mitch McConnell has been speaking his mind. The long-serving former Republican leader rejected President Donald Trump’s more high-profile Cabinet nominees.
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‘Salute and execute’: A new generation of military veterans takes center stage as Trump remakes US foreign policy | CNN Politics
At the start of his first term, President Donald Trump filled several top jobs with retired generals — high-ranking veterans who served in leadership positions during the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Fired federal workers say 'cold and cruel' cuts upended their lives
Fired workers worried about making rent and paying student loans. Many talked about going into government work because they value public service.
www.usatoday.com
IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season
The IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season, according to two sources familiar with the agency’s plans, and cuts could come as soon as next week.
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McConnell's mental acuity targeted by Trump after ex-Senate leader joins Dems against Cabinet nominees
The GOP's recent and longest-serving Senate party leader has stood in opposition to his conference multiple times, demonstrating the party’s significant transformation in the age of Trump.
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Trump administration’s mixed messaging on foreign policy leaves world guessing
Different narratives from senior US officials on the future of Ukraine have sown confusion in Europe - but was that perhaps the point?
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Trump bars federal funding to schools with COVID vaccine mandates
The executive order applies to students and not to teachers or staff.
Hungary's transformation into an 'electoral autocracy' has parallels to Trump's second term
U.S. conservatives have looked to Hungary's Viktor Orbán as an inspiration for a right-wing America, and the prime minister has become a close ally of President Donald Trump.
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Thousands of probationary federal health agency workers fired by letter this weekend. Here's what it said.
The move comes amid a government-wide effort to cut probationary workers by the Department of Government Efficiency task force led by billionaire Elon Musk.
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US presented Ukraine with a document to access its minerals but offered almost nothing in return
Zelenskyy says he directed his ministers not to sign off on a proposed agreement to give US access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals because the document was too focused on U.S. interests.
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Netanyahu to convene security cabinet after release of 3 hostages
Hamas militants released three more Israeli hostages on Saturday as part of the ceasefire agreement.
Anger, chaos and confusion take hold as federal workers face mass layoffs
Federal workers were responding with anger and confusion Friday as they grappled with the Trump administration’s latest effort to shrink the size of the federal workforce by ordering agencies to lay off probationary employees who have yet to qualify for civil service protections.
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Watchdogs support Musk’s goal of tackling fraud — but question the way DOGE is doing it
The Department of Government Efficiency has needlessly politicized the urgent issue of improper spending and could make real changes harder, several experts said.
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Steve Bannon is playing MAGA enforcer from the outside. Is the White House listening? | CNN Politics
Through blunt conversations with staff and his popular podcast, Steve Bannon is trying to steer the early direction of the new Trump administration. Whether he’s having much impact inside the White House is a subject of debate.
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Shattering the 'iron' ceiling: New series 'Guerrera' explores vital role of US female troops in combat
A new series released on Amazon, YouTube nd Google TV uncovers the little-known details about the team of women who tasked to special forces during the War on Terror and helped change the course of U.S. history.
Trump's reciprocal tariffs will overturn decades of trade policy
President Donald Trump is taking a blowtorch to the rules that have governed world trade for decades.
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McConnell, free from leadership constraints, bucks Trump and the evolving GOP | CNN Politics
Sen. Mitch McConnell was a generational force for the Republican Party — using procedural tactics and political will to stymie much of former President Barack Obama’s agenda, hand President Donald Trump key first-term political victories and deliver a 6-3 conservative Supreme Court majority. Now...
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Dangerous flooding hits US Southeast as snow and frigid cold forecast for Northeast and Plains
Heavy rains and dangerous flooding have struck the Southeast U.S. as much of the East endured a renewed round of harsh, soggy weather, with at least one fatality reported in Kentucky.
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Your questions about Trump 2.0 — inflation, ignoring court orders, Medicaid and more — answered | CNN Politics
When we asked you, readers of CNN.com and the What Matters newsletter, for your questions about the whirlwind of news that has been Trump 2.0, thousands rolled in.
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Small businesses struggle to find their footing one month into Trump 2.0
Uncertainty is running high on Main Street after a deluge of economic policy changes, with some entrepreneurs reporting unpaid invoices and other funding worries.
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Where US adults think the government is spending too much, according to AP-NORC polling
Many U.S. adults believe the federal government is overspending. But polling also shows many Americans, including Republicans, think the country is spending too little on major government programs like Social Security.
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Louisiana health department says it will stop promoting mass vaccination. Here's what that could mean
Louisiana’s surgeon general announced late Thursday that the state health department "will no longer promote mass vaccination." Here's what that could mean.
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Taiwan detects dozens of Chinese aircraft near island
Chinese jets tell Canadian warship transiting through the Taiwan Strait to change course.
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Which agencies have been hit by federal layoffs? What to know about NPS, NIH, IRS, more
Over the last week, thousands of federal employees were fired or laid off as part of President Trump's cost-cutting plan.
www.usatoday.com
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GOP rep who returned to Congress after eight-year break credits Trump with unifying party
Rep. Marlin Stutzman spoke with Fox News Digital about returning to Congress after an eight-year hiatus.
Trump Media says it lost more than $400 million last year
The parent company of President Donald Trump’s social networking site Truth Social says it lost $400.9 million last year and its annual revenue declined 12% to $3.6 million.
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New York police charge five with 'disturbing' murder of trans man
Police said the victim suffered "prolonged physical and psychological abuse at the hands of multiple individuals" before his death.
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Several people killed after a stampede at New Delhi railway station in India
Many of the victims were Hindu pilgrims who were traveling to the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj in northern India - the stampede occurred after some passengers slipped and fell on others while coming down from a footbridge that connects train platforms, authorities said.
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Rubio to meet with Russian officials to discuss Ukraine peace negotiations
The meeting comes days after President Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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Wisconsin governor floats plan to close 19th-century prison and overhaul corrections system
Wisconsin’s second-oldest prison that was built in the 1800s would finally be shuttered under a new plan from Gov. Tony Evers.
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Student asks Supreme Court to say he can wear T-shirt saying 'There are only two genders'
An appeals court said the school reasonably concluded the message would negatively impact the classroom.
www.usatoday.com
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DOJ fires 20 immigration judges: Reports - Washington Examiner
A union president said the firings included 13 new judges and five assistant chief immigration judges, while the two others were fired earlier this week.
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Agency data shared by DOGE online sparks concern among intelligence community
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has sparked concerns within the intelligence community after it posted information about an agency to its website.
Rubio kicks off Mideast trip in Israel as Arab leaders reel from Trump's Gaza proposal
Arab leaders are reeling from Trump’s proposal to transfer the Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip to other countries and redevelop it under U.S. ownership.
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Palestinians in Gaza waiting for mobile homes, aid after captive release
Palestinian detainees say Israeli forces assaulted and insulted them until the moment of their release.
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#TeslaTakeover protests take aim at Elon Musk
Protesters organized small #TeslaTakeover demonstrations on BlueSky, the rival to Musk's platform X.
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Legislative immunity is a privilege in most states. A speeding ticket could change that in Arizona
The majority of state constitutions shield lawmakers from arrests, lawsuits and low-level infractions like traffic tickets during legislative sessions.
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Top Trump administration officials to head to Saudi Arabia for Russia-Ukraine peace talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that he had not been invited and warned that his country “will never accept deals made behind our backs.”
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Democrats confront their powerlessness as Trump flexes authority | CNN Politics
Amid Democrats’ shock and bickering over how much to respond to President Donald Trump is a deeper question rippling through leaders across the Capitol and across the country: How much should they rely on the same institutional and procedural maneuvers they used during the first Trump term, and...
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Trump performs jiujitsu flip on judge’s order, sends Guantánamo rejects back to Venezuela
The Trump administration has sent three illegal immigrants back to Venezuela after a judge blocked their transfer to the migrant detention center at Guantánamo Bay.
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Graham charts out potential pathway for Ukraine NATO membership - Washington Examiner
Graham, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, made the comments in an interview at the Munich Security Conference.
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Fast-moving Trump DOGE policies and court challenges leave Justice Department lawyers twisting in the wind | CNN Politics
Attorneys tasked with defending Trump’s agenda over the past few weeks have been put in an extremely challenging position, often showing up to court proceedings not fully prepared or with incorrect information
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Would you want to see Canada become 51st U.S. state? Americans weigh in
Niagara Falls visitors react to Trump’s proposal of Canada becoming 51st U.S. state.
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Another New York federal prosecutor resigns over DOJ order to dismiss Eric Adams case
The battle between New York federal prosecutors and the Justice Department continued Friday following another resignation over the order to end Eric Adams' bribery case.
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New York's last mayor, Bill de Blasio, defends successor Eric Adams amid scandal
Adams is at the center of a controversy over a directive by the Justice Department to drop corruption charges against him.
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EEOC seeks to drop transgender discrimination cases, citing Trump's executive order
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has moved to dismiss its own lawsuit on behalf of a worker allegedly fired for his sexual orientation and gender identity.
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Federal judge hands Musk’s DOGE a win on data access at 3 agencies
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency can continue to access sensitive records from at least three federal agencies, a judge ruled.
As Elon Musk eyes Defense Department, conflicts of interest, accounting issues loom
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Elon Musk was 'welcome' to the Pentagon. How will he approach its deep budget problems?
www.usatoday.com
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Males detained by ICE to be housed in federal prisons, new memo says
Males detained by ICE to be housed in federal prisons, new memo says
Abortions to resume in Missouri after a judge blocks restrictions
Abortions are set to resume in Missouri after a judge blocked regulations that had restricted providers even after voters approved enshrining abortion rights into the state’s constitution.
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Nuclear agency struggles to rescind firings of important staff - Washington Examiner
The National Nuclear Security Administration faced difficulties reaching recently fired employees to inform them that their terminations had been reversed.
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EEOC seeks to drop transgender discrimination cases, citing Trump's executive order
The requests by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission mark a major departure from its prior interpretation of civil rights law.
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AP reporter and photographer barred from Air Force One over 'Gulf of Mexico' terminology dispute
The Trump administration has blocked The Associated Press from traveling with President Trump on Air Force One and also from covering an Oval Office event.
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Vance eviscerates 'Soviet'-style European censorship in address to Munich Security Conference
In a speech to European leaders, Vice President JD Vance said the continent's recent record of censorship was a bigger threat to its existence than Russian meddling.
Israel and Hamas complete their latest exchange as ceasefire's first phase has just 2 weeks left
Israel is expected to release 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including 36 serving life sentences over deadly attacks.
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Vance, Rubio scramble to sell Trump's half-formed Ukraine peace plan: ANALYSIS
VP Vance and Secretary of State Rubio are meeting with Ukraine's Zelenskyy.
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Trump administration wants to un-fire nuclear safety workers but can’t figure out how to reach them
The workers, whose agency oversees the nation’s nuclear stockpile, had been fired on Thursday and lost access to their federal government email accounts.
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Biden's focus on confirming judges reshaped courts as Democrats challenge Trump agenda
Courts have become Democrats' best chance of thwarting President Donald Trump's efforts to significantly downsize and reshape the federal government.
www.usatoday.com
Trump creates council for 'energy dominance,' boosts natural gas exports and offshore drilling
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order formally creating a National Energy Dominance Council and directed it to drive up already record-setting domestic oil and gas production.
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Children among 18 killed in crush at New Delhi train station in India
Indian officials said the accident happened amid a surge of passengers waiting for trains to a Hindu religious festival.
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Munich Security Conference: JD Vance 's blast on Europe ignores Ukraine and defence agenda
Instead, US Vice President JD Vance shocked delegates by roundly attacking Washington's allies, accusing them of censorship.
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In Ukraine, a potential arms-for-minerals deal inspires hope and skepticism
Ukraine boasts vast reserves of ilmenite, a key element used to produce titanium, in the heavy mineral sands that stretch for miles along the country’s embattled east.
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Trump administration cuts US efforts to support democracy at home and abroad | CNN Politics
In less than a month in office the Trump administration has simultaneously dismantled foreign aid programs that support fragile democracies abroad and put on leave federal workers who protect US elections at home in a move that current and former officials say abandons decades of American...
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The Pentagon moves to take back troops discharged over COVID-19 vaccine refusals
The Pentagon says the military services must again ask troops who were forced out or who voluntarily left the military due to the COVID vaccine whether they want to reenlist.
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Emmanuel Macron calls 'emergency meeting' for European leaders to discuss Trump: report
French President Emmanuel Macron has allegedly planned an "emergency meeting" to discuss President Donald Trump on Monday, according to a Polish official.
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ACLU steps up the Left’s war on biological reality - Washington Examiner
Transgender adults deserve the freedom to live their lives in whatever way makes them happiest. However, activists cannot demand that we deny basic reality and expect us to go along with it.
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Prosecutors file motion to drop corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams
The Justice Department's motion to drop charges against Mayor Adams ends a days-long public over the decision to abandon the case.
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Top commander with UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon is injured by protesters
The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon says the outgoing deputy commander of the force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL was injured when protesters attacked a convoy taking peacekeepers to the Beirut airport.
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Key Musk DOGE adviser meets with leaders of Medicare agency
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services oversee coverage for 160 million.
Hundreds march in Boston to support democracy and protest policies of Trump, Musk
Hundreds of people have protested in Boston against the policies of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
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Deputy archivist of the U.S. to retire following Trump firing of National Archives chief
President Trump last week fired the head of the National Archives and Records Administration and installed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as her acting replacement.
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Trump's drive to reshape government threatens bird flu response
Disruptions to funding and public communication at health agencies come at a potentially perilous time.
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Teachers fear shuttering Department of Education will diminish vital programs
If the Department of Education is dismantled, as some Republican lawmakers are hoping to do, public school K-12 educators fear what programs could be impacted.
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White House forcing out top leadership at National Archives in major shakeup | CNN Politics
The Trump administration is forcing out senior leadership at the National Archives and Records Administration in a major shakeup, according to a source familiar. President Donald Trump has been highly critical of the archives since the agency asked the Department of Justice to investigate...
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Your immigration questions answered: What has changed under Trump, what hasn't and what's next
The Associated Press' U.S. immigration news editor, Elliot Spagat, was joined by Rebecca Santana, who covers the Department of Homeland Security, and Christopher Sherman, who is the news director for Mexico and Central America, to talk about their coverage during an Ask-Me-Anything conversation on R
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RSF escalates attacks on Sudan’s famine-stricken Zamzam refugee camp
The paramilitary group is trying to tighten its grip on Darfur, a traditional stronghold.
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America must win AI race against 'great competitor' China, Condoleezza Rice warns
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice explains her stance on the AI race, praising Vice President JD Vance for championing deregulation on the world stage.
Zelenskyy to Vance: Ukraine wants 'security guarantees' as Trump seeks to end Ukraine-Russia war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country wants “security guarantees” before any talks to end the Ukraine-Russia war.
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Thousands of DHS agents shift to deportation instead of drugs, weapons and human trafficking
Redeploying Homeland Security Investigations agents is part of a broader Trump effort. But some fear many serious transnational crimes will go unprobed.
www.usatoday.com
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Donald Trump name changes from the Gulf of America to Fort Bragg
Donald Trump's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico and other landmarks suggests his greater vision for America
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Vivek Ramaswamy will kick off his bid for Ohio governor in Cincinnati on Feb. 24
Republican Vivek Ramaswamy will launch his bid for Ohio governor on Feb. 24 in his native Cincinnati, with ensuing events in the Columbus, Toledo and Cleveland areas.
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‘It was never going to be me’: How Trump’s DOJ sparked a crisis and mass resignations over the Eric Adams case | CNN Politics
The morning after the mass resignation of prosecutors sparked a crisis inside the Trump Justice Department, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove led a meeting with the Justice Department’s public integrity section. His message: they had to choose one career lawyer to file a dismissal of the...
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'Pro-China' Musk using DOGE to target anti-CCP group - Washington Examiner
A federally funded organization that counters Chinese influence abroad is facing the axe under Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.
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Netanyahu will reportedly hold a security meeting at Trump's deadline
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to hold a security meeting at 12 p.m. eastern, President Trump's deadline for Hamas to release the remaining hostages.
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3 men claiming to be from DOGE show up at San Francisco City Hall, demand records
San Francisco city officials are investigating after three men who claimed to be from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) showed up at City Hall on Friday demanding records from offices before fleeing.
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Latino Republicans walk tightrope between supporting Trump and advocating for 'law-abiding' immigrants
Florida Republicans sent letters to Trump officials over deportation worries for some immigrants but did not oppose the policies, “which in Washington is equivalent to a wink and a nod,” one strategist said.
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Trump calls for withholding federal money from schools and colleges that require COVID vaccines
Schools, colleges and states that require students to be immunized against COVID-19 may be at risk of losing federal money under a White House order signed by President Donald Trump.
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'Wasteful and dangerous': DOGE's top five most shocking revelations
The Trump administration's DOGE efforts have found several controversial and highly publicized examples of spending it says are a waste of taxpayer funds.
US retail sales plunged along with temperatures in January after a bustling holiday season
U.S. retail sales dropped sharply last month, in part because cold weather kept more Americans indoors and dented sales at car dealers and most other stores.
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Control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is up for grabs — again — in first big 2025 battleground race
The contest will serve as a barometer of the political environment in the early stages of the new Trump administration.
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Trump border czar and NYC mayor interview with 'Fox & Friends' on immigration commitments
New York City’s Democratic mayor appeared on the “Fox & Friends” show alongside President Donald Trump’s border czar.
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Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events – day 1,088
Here are the key developments on the 1,088th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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New Sen. Jim Justice 'absolutely' shocked by Democrats' response to Elon Musk's DOGE revelations
Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., reacts to Democratic opposition to DOGE and Elon Musk’s government spending cuts on ‘The Faulkner Focus.’
260 foreigners rescued from virtual slavery in Myanmar's online scam centers are being repatriated
Thailand's army says some 260 people believed to have been trafficked and trapped into working in online scam centers are to be repatriated after they were rescued from Myanmar.
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Georgia Jewish leaders turn away from Jon Ossoff, want Brian Kemp - Washington Examiner
A group of Jewish leaders have urged Gov. Brian Kemp to run against Jon Ossoff in the 2026 senate race in protest of Ossoff's stance on Israel.
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Second federal judge pauses Trump’s order against gender-affirming care for youth
A second federal judge has paused President Donald Trump’s executive order halting federal support for gender-affirming care for transgender youth under 19. U.S.
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Here's what's next for Joe Manchin - Washington Examiner
Joe Manchin appears poised to try his hand at lobbying, signing up with Australian firm Bondi Partners.
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Federal workers express shock, anger over mass firings: "You are not fit for continued employment"
The Trump administration is firing thousands of federal workers on probationary status, or those without civil service protections.
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Judge extends order blocking Musk’s DOGE team from Treasury payment system
A federal judge in New York on Friday extended a temporary order blocking the Elon Musk-run Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Treasury Department payment systems.
HHS is losing thousands of workers under Trump administration probationary job cuts
Department of Health and Human Services officials expected most of the agency’s roughly 5,200 probationary employees to be fired.
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US citizen allegedly carrying cannabis detained in Moscow, charged with narcotics smuggling: Russian media
An American was detained in Russia for allegedly bringing cannabis-laced gummies through customs at a Moscow airport, Russian media reports.
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Turkey says it would reconsider its military presence in Syria if Kurdish militants are eliminated
Turkey’s foreign minister says his country would reconsider its military presence in northeastern Syria if that country’s new leaders eliminate a Kurdish militant group designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
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EPA moves to kill off Californian regulation waivers - Washington Examiner
President Donald Trump's Environmental Protection Agency moved to rescind Californian emission regulations that it claims were increasing costs for Americans.
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Trump administration fires over 400 DHS employees as mass firings continue
Officials at DHS said they had fired hundreds of employees across several of its agencies.
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Treasury watchdog begins audit of Musk DOGE team's access to the US government's payment system
The Treasury Department’s Office of Inspector General says it's launching an audit of the security controls for the federal government’s payment system.
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Mother and 2-year-old daughter die days after Munich ramming attack, police say
At least 37 people were injured in the attack on Thursday.
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Doctors order 'absolute rest' for Pope Francis while he's being treated for a respiratory infection
Doctors have prescribed “absolute rest” for Pope Francis to help him recover from a respiratory tract infection.
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