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    Senate Democrats Introduce Bill to Block Trump From Putting Face on Dollar Coin

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

    Democratic Senators Jeff Merkley (Ore.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.) introduced legislation Tuesday aimed at preventing President Trump—or any sitting or living former president—from appearing on U.S. currency. Their proposal, titled the Change Corruption Act, comes as the U.S. Treasury considers issuing a commemorative $1 coin featuring Trump’s image in recognition of America’s 250th anniversary.

    The bill, cosponsored by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), states plainly: “No United States currency may feature the likeness of a living or sitting President.” The lawmakers argue that the measure reflects historical practice, noting that U.S. currency has traditionally featured only deceased presidents and statesmen.

    A Preemptive Strike on a Potential Semiquincentennial Honor

    The U.S. Mint is reportedly close to announcing whether it will release a limited-run Trump coin as part of the nation’s celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026. Commemorative coins—distinct from circulating coins—are historically used to honor major anniversaries, public achievements, and historic figures. Past presidents, including Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, have been featured posthumously on such special-issue coins.

    A draft image circulating within the Treasury Department shows Trump’s profile above the word “Liberty,” a standard placement for American coinage.

    Democrats Frame the Coin as a Threat to Democratic Norms

    In unusually heated language for a discussion about commemorative currency, Merkley compared Trump’s potential appearance on a coin to the behavior of authoritarian regimes:

    “President Trump’s self-celebrating maneuvers are authoritarian actions worthy of dictators like North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, not the United States of America,” Merkley said in a statement.

    He argued Congress must take action to limit the executive branch’s influence over commemorative designs:

    “We must reject his efforts to dismantle our ‘We, The People’ republic and replace it with a strongman state by demanding strong accountability to prevent further abuse of taxpayer dollars.”

    Cortez Masto echoed Merkley’s claims, asserting that any depiction of a living president on U.S. coinage would resemble an outdated monarchical tradition:

    “While monarchs put their faces on coins, America has never had and never will have a king.”

    She added:

    “Our legislation would codify this country’s long-standing tradition of not putting living presidents on American coins. Congress must pass it without delay.”

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    Trump Threatens Perjury Charge Against Former U.S. President

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is nullifying all documents allegedly signed by former President Joe Biden using an autopen device.

    In a Truth Social post, Trump claimed that 92% of documents signed during Biden’s presidency were executed using an autopen, a tool that mechanically reproduces a person’s signature.

    “The Autopen is not allowed to be used if approval is not specifically given by the President of the United States,” Trump wrote. “The Radical Left Lunatics circling Biden around the beautiful Resolute Desk in the Oval Office took the Presidency away from him.”

    Trump said he is canceling all executive orders and “anything else that was not directly signed by Crooked Joe Biden, because the people who operated the Autopen did so illegally.” He also threatened to charge Biden with perjury if Biden claims he personally approved the signatures.

    Joe Biden via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Background on the Autopen Issue

    The autopen, used by the U.S. government since the Truman administration, holds a real pen and signs documents using a template of the signer’s handwriting. Its use is widespread for routine presidential correspondence, and critically, the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel has affirmed that autopen signatures on legislation and executive actions are legal, provided the president authorizes them.

    Trump’s accusation hinges on his claim that Biden did not give such authorization — an assertion for which no verification has yet been provided. Historically, multiple presidents, including George W. Bush and Barack Obama, used the autopen for official documents without controversy. Biden’s use was consistent with this longstanding practice.

    Scope of the Impact

    During his presidency, Biden issued 162 executive orders and signed hundreds of memoranda, proclamations, and notices. While Trump already rescinded nearly 80 Biden-era orders in January, his new declaration suggests a broader cancellation effort. Policies that could now be subject to invalidation include:

    • Executive Order 14087, aimed at lowering U.S. prescription drug costs
    • Executive Order 14096, focused on environmental justice
    • Executive Order 14110, addressing the development and regulation of artificial intelligence

    It remains unclear which authority or process will be used to determine the authenticity or validity of signatures on documents Biden approved.

    Trump’s move marks an escalation in his ongoing effort to question the legitimacy of Biden’s presidential actions, extending a line of criticism he frequently employed during and after Biden’s term.

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    Trump Announces He Will Pardon Ex-Honduran President

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Image via Pixabay

    President Donald Trump announced Friday on Truth Social that he intends to grant a full pardon to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who is currently serving a 45-year sentence in U.S. federal prison on drug trafficking and weapons charges.

    Hernández, who led Honduras from 2014 to 2022, was arrested in Tegucigalpa in February 2022 following a U.S. extradition request. He was transferred to New York two months later to face charges that federal prosecutors said stemmed from years of cooperation with major drug cartels. Prosecutors accused him of turning Honduras into a “narco-state,” alleging that during his presidency he leveraged political power to help move more than 400 tons of cocaine toward the United States in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes. Among those he allegedly interacted with was notorious Mexican cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

    A federal jury convicted Hernández in March 2024 on three counts related to drug-trafficking and firearms conspiracies. On June 26, 2024, he was sentenced to 45 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay an $8 million fine.

    In his Friday post, Trump criticized the prosecution’s handling of the case and suggested Hernández had been treated more harshly than warranted. “I will be granting a Full and Complete Pardon to Former President Juan Orlando Hernandez who has been, according to many people that I greatly respect, treated very harshly and unfairly,” Trump wrote. “This cannot be allowed to happen, especially now, after Tito Asfura wins the Election, when Honduras will be on its way to Great Political and Financial Success.”

    The message reflects Trump’s increasingly vocal support for Nasry “Tito” Asfura, the conservative National Party candidate in Honduras’ presidential election. Earlier this week, Trump used Truth Social to praise Asfura, writing that the two “can work together to fight the Narcocommunists, and bring needed aid to the people of Honduras.”

    Trump’s Friday post escalated that endorsement further, urging Hondurans to “VOTE FOR TITO ASFURA FOR PRESIDENT, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO JUAN ORLANDO HERNANDEZ ON YOUR UPCOMING PARDON. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE HONDURAS GREAT AGAIN!”

    He also warned that future U.S. assistance to Honduras could hinge on the election’s outcome, stating that if Asfura loses, “the United States will not be throwing good money after bad, because a wrong Leader can only bring catastrophic results to a country, no matter which country it is.”

    Context: Trump’s Recent Use of the Pardon Power

    The announcement comes amid renewed attention to Trump’s approach to pardons and commutations, which he has described as an important tool for correcting what he views as systemic unfairness in the U.S. justice system and in politically sensitive prosecutions. In recent months, Trump has signaled his willingness to revisit high-profile cases involving allies, military personnel, and others he says were treated wrongly by federal authorities.

    During his first term, Trump issued several controversial pardons, including for former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, former adviser Roger Stone, and several U.S. military service members involved in war-related prosecutions. He also pardoned political figures such as former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and longtime conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza, citing prosecutorial excess in those cases.

    More recently, Trump has publicly floated pardons for individuals prosecuted for actions related to border security and drug enforcement, arguing that some federal cases—particularly those involving international cooperation or politically volatile regions—deserve closer scrutiny.

    Hernández’s case now appears to be the latest example of Trump’s willingness to intervene where he believes U.S. prosecutors overstepped or failed to account for broader geopolitical considerations.

    A Sign of Trump’s Foreign Policy Priorities

    Trump’s strong backing of Asfura and criticism of the U.S. prosecution of Hernández reflect his broader emphasis on building alliances with conservative governments in Latin America. Throughout his presidency and afterward, Trump has framed left-wing governments in the region as destabilizing forces aligned with organized crime, while praising leaders who adopt pro-business and anti-corruption platforms.

    By tying Hernández’s pardon to Honduras’ political future, Trump is signaling that he views Asfura’s victory—and Honduras’ alignment with the United States—as strategically important.

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    New York AG Letitia James Hit With Bar Complaint

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    Alec Perkins from Hoboken, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    A conservative-aligned watchdog organization has filed a bar complaint accusing New York Attorney General Letitia James of professional misconduct related to her mortgage on a Norfolk, Virginia, property—issues that were also central to federal criminal charges recently dismissed in court.

    The Center to Advance Security in America (CASA) submitted the complaint to New York’s Attorney Grievance Committee, alleging that James engaged in “illegal and dishonest conduct” when she obtained the mortgage, according to reporting by the New York Post. CASA argues that James’ actions potentially violate New York’s Rules of Professional Conduct, which set ethical standards for practicing attorneys in the state.

    Curtis Schube, CASA’s director of research and policy, emphasized those standards in the group’s four-page filing. “Fraud, misrepresentation, honesty and trustworthiness are all factors that the Rules of Professional Conduct expressly consider when weighing whether to discipline an attorney,” he wrote. Schube urged the committee to investigate and, “if by ‘preponderance of the evidence’ the allegations are substantiated, she should be disciplined accordingly.”

    The bar complaint comes just days after a federal judge dismissed criminal indictments against both James and former FBI Director James Comey. Judge Cameron Currie threw out the charges—including bank fraud allegations against James—after determining they were improperly brought by an unqualified U.S. attorney. The dismissal was issued without prejudice, allowing the Department of Justice to pursue the charges again if it chooses.

    The White House signaled that such a move is likely. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum that the DOJ plans to appeal the judge’s ruling. “We believe the attorney in this case, Lindsey Halligan, is not only extremely qualified for this position, but she was in fact legally appointed,” Leavitt said. “And I know the Department of Justice will be appealing this in very short order.”

    Judge Currie, a Clinton appointee from South Carolina, was assigned to the case because Virginia’s federal judges faced a conflict of interest in ruling on the authority of Halligan, who had brought the indictments. The challenges from both James and Comey regarding Halligan’s appointment were consolidated due to their overlapping legal questions.

    The dispute centers on whether Halligan had the authority to act as interim U.S. attorney. After President Trump removed the previous interim U.S. attorney, Erik Siebert, he urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to install Halligan, a former White House aide and insurance lawyer, in the role. Bondi followed that recommendation. However, Currie determined that Siebert’s interim term had already expired, which meant that under federal law, Virginia’s judges—not the attorney general—were responsible for appointing a temporary U.S. attorney until the Senate confirmed a permanent replacement.

    James was indicted on October 9 for allegedly falsifying mortgage documents to secure a $109,600 loan on the Norfolk property and for allegedly making false statements to a financial institution. Prosecutors claimed she improperly designated the Virginia house as her primary residence in 2023 despite serving full-time as New York’s attorney general.

    James, a second-term Democrat, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. She has said the issue stemmed from an error on a form during the home-buying process—an error she corrected—and emphasized that she “never tried to deceive the lender.”

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    Trump Announces ‘Permanent Pause’ On Migration From ‘Third World Countries’ After DC Shooting

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

    President Donald J. Trump announced Thursday that he will “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries” after two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot in Washington, D.C., earlier this week. “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover,” he wrote on his social-media platform.

    Earlier on Thursday, the administration revealed plans to re-examine green cards issued to immigrants from 19 countries. The June memo lists these countries — including Afghanistan, Burma, Cuba, Somalia, Venezuela and others — as of concern.

    The sharper policy response comes after the suspect in this week’s attack was identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national. He entered the U.S. in 2021 under the humanitarian resettlement program launched following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

    The Washington, D.C. Shooting: What Happened

    On Wednesday afternoon near the White House, Lakanwal allegedly ambushed two West Virginia National Guard members. The victims, 20-year-old Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, were shot during what prosecutors are calling a “brazen, targeted attack.”

    Beckstrom died from her injuries late Thanksgiving Day, President Trump said. Wolfe remains in critical condition.

    According to prosecutors, Lakanwal drove cross-country from Washington state for the sole purpose of carrying out the ambush. He allegedly fired 10–15 rounds from a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver, striking one Guardsman, then leaning over to shoot a second time, and then firing on the other. Authorities said the remaining National Guard member then returned fire, and Lakanwal was apprehended.

    This horrific attack unfolded while hundreds of National Guard troops remain deployed across D.C., under Mr. Trump’s 2025 strategy to restore public safety in the capital.

    Administration Response: Immigration Crackdown

    In response to the ambush, President Trump not only called for a complete halt to migration from unspecified “Third World Countries,” but late Thursday the administration also announced an indefinite pause on Afghan immigration. Officials said they would conduct a sweeping review of green card approvals tied to the 19 countries flagged in June.

    In his statement, Trump did not list which additional countries would be subject to the pause — though the 19-country list already includes several nations the administration deemed high risk.

    Why This Matters — and What It Signals for National Security

    Supporters of the president’s crackdown argue that the D.C. ambush underscores the danger of lax vetting under previous administrations. The suspect in this case reportedly worked in a CIA-backed unit during the U.S. war in Afghanistan, then obtained resettlement under a program from the prior administration.

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    Trump Signs Bill Ending Longest Government Shutdown In US History

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    President Donald Trump has signed legislation to reopen the federal government, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history and ensuring federal workers return to their jobs with full pay.

    The measure, approved by Congress with bipartisan support, funds the government through January 30, 2025, maintaining current spending levels while lawmakers negotiate a longer-term appropriations package for fiscal year 2026.

    Funding Key Programs and Federal Workers

    The bill also extends funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through September, supporting more than 42 million Americans who depend on the program for groceries. It additionally restores pay to government employees affected by the shutdown and reverses layoffs initiated earlier in October.

    Shutdown Impact and Resolution

    The 40-day lapse in funding began October 1, as Republicans and Democrats clashed over healthcare policy provisions. The Senate voted 60–40 to pass the funding measure late Monday night, with eight Democrats joining Republicans in support. The House followed suit Wednesday, sending the bill to the President’s desk.

    The shutdown had caused growing ripple effects, including delayed air travel due to air traffic controller and TSA staffing shortages, as many employees were forced to work without pay or take on second jobs.

    President Trump signaled earlier this week that a deal was close, saying he wanted to “get America back to work” and ensure vital services continued while protecting taxpayers from bloated spending proposals.

    Partisan Dispute Over Healthcare

    At the heart of the stalemate were disagreements over healthcare spending. Republicans, led by President Trump, opposed Democratic proposals they said would extend benefits to illegal immigrants and unwind parts of the President’s signature tax and domestic policy package—his so-called “big, beautiful bill.” That legislation had reduced Medicaid eligibility for non-citizens and was credited by Republicans with strengthening the economy and restoring fiscal discipline.

    Democrats countered that they sought to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire in 2025. While the short-term spending bill does not include those extensions, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R–S.D.) agreed to hold a separate vote in December on whether to continue those subsidies.

    A Step Toward Stability

    With the government back open, federal employees are being paid retroactively, and critical operations are resuming across the country. The White House described the bill as a “temporary but responsible solution” while broader negotiations continue.

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    Federal Judge Resigns To Speak Out Against Trump’s ‘Assault On The Rule Of Law’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    8

    A federal judge appointed by former President Ronald Reagan has resigned his lifetime post to speak publicly against what he describes as a dangerous politicization of the justice system under Donald Trump. Mark L. Wolf, who served on the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts since 1985, announced his decision in an op-ed published in The Atlantic, saying he could no longer remain silent as he believes the former president uses the law to reward allies and target adversaries.

    Wolf, 78, said that stepping down would allow him to speak freely after decades of being constrained by judicial ethics rules.

    “President Donald Trump is using the law for partisan purposes, targeting his adversaries while sparing his friends and donors from investigation, prosecution, and possible punishment,” he wrote. “This is contrary to everything that I have stood for in my more than 50 years in the Department of Justice and on the bench. The White House’s assault on the rule of law is so deeply disturbing to me that I feel compelled to speak out. Silence, for me, is now intolerable.”

    A Massachusetts native and Harvard Law graduate, Wolf began his public service career in the Department of Justice in 1974, joining just after the Watergate scandal. He served under Attorney General Edward Levi during President Gerald Ford’s administration—a formative experience that, he said, shaped his views on nonpartisan justice and the importance of public trust in the legal system. He later became a top federal prosecutor in Boston before Reagan nominated him to the bench. Over nearly four decades as a judge, Wolf became known for handling high-profile corruption cases and for his work to strengthen judicial ethics and transparency.

    Wolf took senior status in 2013, meaning he already had a reduced caseload and his seat was filled the following year by Judge Indira Talwani. His resignation, therefore, does not create a new vacancy for any administration to fill. Instead, it marks his formal departure from a system he says is under siege from political manipulation.

    “I decided all of my cases based on the facts and the law, without regard to politics, popularity, or my personal preferences,” Wolf wrote. “That is how justice is supposed to be administered—equally for everyone, without fear or favor. This is the opposite of what is happening now.”

    Speaking to The New York Times, Wolf said he hopes to serve as a voice for other judges who feel bound by the Code of Judicial Conduct from speaking candidly about growing public distrust in the courts. “I hope to be a spokesperson for embattled judges who, consistent with the code of conduct, feel they cannot speak candidly to the American people,” he said.

    The White House pushed back sharply on Wolf’s remarks. Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital that judges “who want to inject their own personal agenda into the law have no place on the bench.”

    She added that Trump’s record of legal victories undermines Wolf’s claim of politicization: “With over 20 Supreme Court victories, the Trump Administration’s policies have been consistently upheld by the Supreme Court as lawful despite an unprecedented number of legal challenges and unlawful lower court rulings. Any other radical judges that want to complain to the press should at least have the decency to resign before doing so.”

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    Santos Breaks Silence Following Trump Commutation

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    By U.S. House Office of Photography - https://santos.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/santos.house.gov/files/evo-media-image/rep_santos_george_official.jpg, Public Domain,

    Disgraced former congressman George Santos broke his silence after President Donald Trump unexpectedly commuted his sentence for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

    During an interview on Sunday, Santos said he wanted to make it clear he was not “getting away” with his crimes.

    “I understand people want to make this into ‘He’s getting away with it.’ I’m not getting away with it, I was the first person to ever go to federal prison for a civil violation … I don’t want to focus on trying to rehash the past and want to take the experience and do good and move on with the future. Repentance is an understatement. I have been dealt a second chance,” Santos said.

    As part of his plea deal, Santos agreed to pay nearly $600,000 in restitution and forfeiture.

    Asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” if he planned to pay back donors, Santos said he would “do my best to do whatever the law requires of me.”

    According to the clemency grant, a photo of which was posted on X by U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, Trump granted Santos an “immediate commutation of his entire sentence to time served with no further fines, restitution, probation, supervised release, or other conditions.”

    In an interview on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Santos said, “I do not have any pendencies with the law anymore. I have no restitution. I have no probation.”

    Santos, 37, was less than three months into serving a seven-year sentence in federal prison when President Trump shared the news.

    In announcing the commutation on his social media platform, Trump said Santos had been “horribly mistreated” and called him a “bit of a ‘rogue,'” but “at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!”

    Santos pleaded guilty in August 2024 and admitted to claiming relatives had made contributions to his campaign when, in fact, they had not. Santos conceded he was trying to meet the fundraising threshold to qualify for financial help from the National Republican Congressional Committee.

    He also stipulated that he committed other fraud, including charging donor credit cards without authorization and convincing donors to give money by falsely stating the money would be used for TV ads. He also stipulated he stole public money by applying for and receiving unemployment benefits during the pandemic to which he was not entitled.

    Santos claimed Sunday that others, like former President Joe Biden, had also used their pardon power for politically charged reasons, “So pardon me if I’m not paying too much attention to the pearl-clutching of the outrage of my critics, and of the people, predominantly on the left, who are going to go out there and try to make a big deal out of something like this.”

    “People are going to like me. People are going to hate me. It doesn’t matter whoever gets clemency in the future, or whoever that person might be,” he said. “I’m pretty confident if President Trump had pardoned Jesus Christ  off the cross, he would have had critics. So that’s just the reality of our country.”

    Santos said he wasn’t ruling out future political plans, but said he likely wouldn’t consider it within the”next decade.”

    “I’m 37 years old. I can tell you this, not that I can see in the next decade,” he said. “I am all politicked out.”

    Santos said his time behind bars made him want to focus on prison reform. 

    “America today has 250,000 federal inmates, approximately, and I think it would be much nicer to look at reducing that number. And if I can be a part of helping that, I would, I think that would be a great road to follow in the future,” Santos said.

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    Trump Plans To Capitalize On Schumer Shutdown With Plan To Axe Federal Agencies

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    5

    President Donald Trump announced he is scheduled to meet with Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, to discuss which parts of the government he recommends cutting amid the Schumer Shutdown.

    “I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent,” the president wrote on Truth Social Thursday morning.

    “I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity,” he continued. “They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” 

    Trump Warns of Necessary Cuts as Shutdown Looms

    President Trump said Tuesday that while he would prefer to avoid a government shutdown, it could provide an opportunity to continue his mission of restoring fiscal sanity in Washington and eliminating wasteful spending.

    “We don’t want it to shut down because we have the greatest economy and investment environment ever,” Trump said from the Oval Office. “We’ve got $17 trillion being invested in this country right now. So the last person who wants a shutdown is us.”

    “But with that being said,” he continued, “a shutdown allows us to make reforms that are otherwise impossible — cutting bloated programs, trimming the fat, and removing layers of bureaucracy that serve no one but Washington insiders.”

    A government funding lapse doesn’t give the president new powers, but it does shift discretion to the White House and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to determine which programs must continue and which can pause. The Antideficiency Act requires agencies to halt nonessential spending when Congress fails to pass appropriations, while preserving core constitutional and national security functions.

    Trump praised OMB Director Russell Vought for his leadership on budget discipline. “Russell Vought has been very popular lately because he knows how to bring the budget under control in ways Congress never would,” Trump said. “Shutdowns have risk for Democrats too — because during them, we can finally cut things they love to spend on, things that waste taxpayer dollars, and no one can reverse it.”

    Later that day, Trump reiterated that he wants a deal but will not ignore the chance to protect taxpayers if Democrats refuse to negotiate responsibly. “A lot of good can come from this,” he said. “We can finally weed out overspending and save Americans’ hard-earned money.”

    Vought, in a memo Tuesday evening, declared that a shutdown appeared unavoidable because of what he called “Democrats’ insane policy demands, including $1 trillion in new spending.” He told federal employees to prepare for an orderly pause in operations.

    Vice President JD Vance: Focus on Essential Services

    On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance joined the White House press briefing to emphasize that while the administration expects the shutdown to be brief, some workforce reductions are unavoidable.

    “We’re going to have to make things work,” Vance said. “That means prioritizing essential functions and, unfortunately, letting go of some nonessential positions. Our goal is to make sure the American people feel as little pain as possible.”

    Vance pushed back on criticism that the administration is using the shutdown for partisan targeting: “We’re not going after agencies because of politics. We’re trying to keep critical services running, even when Democrats refuse to fund the government responsibly.”

    The Drive to Make Government Leaner

    These measures are part of Trump’s larger effort to make the federal government lean, accountable, and responsive to voters — not entrenched bureaucrats. In January, the administration offered voluntary buyouts for employees ready to step aside and avoid deeper cuts. Those were followed by reduction-in-force (RIF) plans across agencies with low performance or duplication of services.

    In his March address to Congress, Trump pledged to “reclaim power from unaccountable bureaucracy and return it to the American people.”

    “Any federal bureaucrat who resists this change will be removed from office,” Trump said. “We’re draining the swamp. The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.”

    DOGE and the Push Against Waste

    Central to this reform is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), created to root out waste, fraud, and abuse. Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk was tapped to lead DOGE’s oversight efforts — leveraging innovation and private-sector discipline to expose costly, ineffective programs.

    DOGE has flagged millions in questionable foreign aid and pet projects that have little to do with serving Americans, including:

    • $25 million for “biodiversity and socially responsible behavior” in Colombia
    • $40 million to “improve the social and economic inclusion of sedentary migrants”
    • $42 million for “social and behavior change” initiatives in Uganda
    • $10 million for circumcision programs in Mozambique

    “Why are we paying for these things abroad when our own border is wide open and Americans are struggling?” Trump asked at CPAC, highlighting the findings.

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    Supreme Court Intervenes In Trump Plan To Fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    The Supreme Court stopped President Donald Trump from firing Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook on Wednesday, pausing her removal until the court can hear the case.

    The Supreme Court denied Trump’s request and said Cook can remain in her position through January, when the court is likely to make a final ruling on the issue.

    Trump fired Cook from her position after his Federal Housing Finance Agency chief, Bill Pulte, accused her of mortgage fraud

    The update comes roughly two weeks after Trump officials appealed the case to the high court for emergency review. 

    Oral arguments are expected to be closely watched, given the unprecedented nature of the case, and the seismic shift that any ruling could have on U.S. economic decisions. 

    In appealing the case to the Supreme Court, lawyers for the Trump administration argued that the Fed’s “uniquely important role” in the U.S. economy only heightens the government’s and public’s interest in reviewing the case.

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

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