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NPR, Public Radio Stations Sue Trump Over ‘Unconstitutional’ Defunding

By
Madeleine Jackson
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The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

NPR and three Colorado public radio stations have sued President Donald Trump and his administration over an executive order stripping away public funds for NPR and PBS.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this month instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies “to cease Federal funding for NPR” and other public media outlets. NPR has vowed to challenge the order “by all means available,” and CEO Katherine Maher took action. 

The radio stations joining NPR in the suit are Colorado Public Radio, Aspen Public Radio, and KSUT.

“The Executive Order is a clear violation of the Constitution and the First Amendment’s protections for freedom of speech and association, and freedom of the press. It is an affront to the rights of NPR and NPR’s 246 Member stations, which are locally owned, nonprofit, noncommercial media organizations serving all 50 states and territories. Today, we challenge its constitutionality in the nation’s independent courts,” Maher said in a lengthy statement. 

“Public media was established to inform the American public and uphold American democratic values,” Maher continued. “The President’s Executive Order is directly counter to Congress’s long standing intent, as expressed in the Public Broadcasting Act, to foster vibrant institutions that achieve that mission, serving all Americans independent of political influence.”

The lawsuit names White House budget director Russel Vought, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and National Endowment for the Arts chair Maria Rosario Jackson as defendants, along with President Trump.

Maher said Trump “has repeatedly expressed his disapproval of editorial decisions reflected in programming offered by NPR and PBS,” and “disparaged NPR’s news and other content as ‘left-wing propaganda.’”

“His Executive Order states that our coverage is not ‘fair, accurate, or unbiased,’ building on prior statements making clear the President’s disapproval of NPR’s news coverage and editorial choices. The intent could not be more clear — the Executive Order aims to punish NPR for the content of news and other programming the President dislikes,” Maher said. 

“This is retaliatory, viewpoint-based discrimination in violation of the First Amendment. The Supreme Court has ruled numerous times over the past 80 years that the government does not have the right to determine what counts as ‘biased,’” she continued.” NPR will never agree to this infringement of our constitutional rights, or the constitutional rights of our Member stations, and NPR will not compromise our commitment to an independent free press and journalistic integrity.”

Maher said NPR has a First Amendment right to be “free from government attempts to control private speech as well as from retaliation aimed at punishing and chilling protected speech,” and believes the executive order “seeks to force NPR to adapt its journalistic standards and editorial choices to the preferences of the government if it is to continue to receive federal funding

NPR is asking for Trump’s executive order to be deemed unlawful and unconstitutional, along with reasonable costs, attorney’s fees and “any other relief that the Court deems just and proper.”

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Biden Doctor Ordered To Testify On President’s Mental Decline

By
Donny Ferguson
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1
Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

President Joe Biden’s White House physician, along with Biden’s top aides, have been ordered to testify to Congress on Biden’s mental decline and whether top decisions were made by Biden or by unelected figures.

“As part of the investigation into the cover-up of President Joe Biden’s mental decline and potentially unauthorized use of autopen for sweeping pardons and other executive actions, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) today sent letters to President Biden’s physician and former White House aides demanding they appear for transcribed interviews,” the committee announced in a statement.

“The cover-up of President Biden’s obvious mental decline is a historic scandal. The American people deserve to know when this decline began, how far it progressed, and who was making critical decisions on his behalf. Key executive actions signed by autopen, such as sweeping pardons for the Biden Crime Family, must be examined considering President Biden’s diminished capacity. Today, we are calling on President Biden’s physician and former White House advisors to participate in transcribed interviews so we can begin to uncover the truth. In the last Congress, the Biden White House blocked these individuals from providing testimony to the Oversight Committee as part of the effort to cover-up Biden’s declining health. Any continued obstruction will be met with swift and decisive action. The American people demand transparency and accountability now,” said Comer. 

The committee reports:

Last Congress, Chairman Comer subpoenaed three key White House aides – Annie Tomasini, Anthony Bernal, and Ashley Williams – who ran interference for President Biden and also requested a transcribed interview with his physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor. 

The Biden White House obstructed the Committee’s investigation and refused to make the aides available for depositions or interviews. Chairman Comer also subpoenaed the audio recordings related to Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into President Biden’s mishandling of classified documents, but Attorney General Merrick Garland defied the subpoena. 

According to a new book, Original Sin, one person familiar with the internal dynamic at the White House stated, “Five people were running the country, and Joe Biden was at best a senior member of the board.”  

Comer reports he is continuing “the investigation into the cover-up of Biden’s mental decline and use of autopen for key decisions.”

President Trump’s Memorial Day Messages: A Legacy of Honor and Respect

By
Madeleine Jackson
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2
Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

This Memorial Day, as we gather with family, fire up the grill, or visit our local cemeteries and memorials, it’s worth remembering the leaders who never lost sight of the true meaning behind the day. President Donald J. Trump has always placed America’s fallen heroes at the center of his message, offering powerful words and sincere gestures that reflect deep respect for our military and their families.

Throughout his presidency, President Trump used Memorial Day not for politics—but for patriotism. Year after year, he stood before veterans, Gold Star families, and active-duty troops with one purpose: to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for this nation.

Here’s a look back at some of his most moving Memorial Day tributes:

2017 – Arlington National Cemetery

President Trump delivered his first Memorial Day address at Arlington National Cemetery, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and offering a solemn promise:

“Words cannot measure the depth of their devotion, the purity of their love, or the totality of their courage.”

It was a speech that reminded the country—and the world—that America remembers.

2018 – Arlington Again, and a Call for Prayer

Returning to Arlington in 2018, President Trump spoke of sacred ground and permanent peace:

“We are gathered here on the sacred soil of Arlington National Cemetery to honor the lives and deeds of America’s greatest heroes.”

That year, he issued a proclamation declaring Memorial Day a Day of Prayer for Permanent Peace, calling on Americans to pause at 11:00 a.m. for a national moment of prayer.

2019 – Speaking from the USS Wasp in Japan

While abroad visiting troops, President Trump addressed sailors aboard the USS Wasp in Yokosuka, Japan:

“Today, the unbreakable resolve of our great American heroes is inspiring our nation to achieve new heights.”

Even halfway around the world, the president made sure Memorial Day was observed with honor, reflection, and gratitude.

2020 – Fort McHenry Amid Crisis

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, while others canceled public observances, President Trump stood tall at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, honoring the brave and the fallen:

“We remember the young Americans who never got the chance to grow old, but whose legacy will outlive us all.”

He reminded us that even in times of hardship, we must continue to honor the past and those who gave everything for our freedom.

A President Who Never Forgot

In every one of these speeches, President Trump put America’s heroes first—not soundbites, not political spin. His words carried the weight of gratitude and the clarity of purpose. Whether in Arlington, Baltimore, or aboard a Navy vessel, he stood firm in his belief that our nation owes eternal respect to those who served and sacrificed.

This Memorial Day, let’s take a moment to reflect—not only on the brave men and women who gave their lives—but also on the kind of leadership that never forgets them.

President Trump didn’t just speak about honoring our military. He lived it. And millions of Americans still remember.

Trump Touts ‘Major’ Prisoner Swap Between Ukraine And Russia

By
Madeleine Jackson
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1
Kremlin.ru, via Wikimedia Commons

President Trump is on the verge of a huge accomplishment…

President Donald Trump announced on Friday morning that Ukraine and Russia were completing a “major” prisoner exchange as the United States continues its push for peace between the two warring countries.

The deal, which was agreed to last week, swaps 1,000 prisoners each between Ukraine and Russia, making it the largest prisoner exchange of the war, The New York Times reported. Trump congratulated the countries on the agreement and hinted that it “could lead to something big.”

“A major prisoners swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine. It will go into effect shortly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social early Friday morning. “Congratulations to both sides on this negotiation. This could lead to something big???”

Earlier this week, Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine, adding that the talks could be held at the Vatican. Trump made the announcement after a two-hour phone call with the Russian despot.

“Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War,” Trump said on Monday. “The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.”

During recent talks in Turkey, Ukraine and Russia agreed to the prisoner swap, but Russian officials reportedly said they would not agree to a ceasefire unless Ukraine withdraws from four regions in eastern Ukraine that Russian forces took over in 2022.

“The agreement to release 1,000 of our people from Russian captivity became perhaps the only tangible result of the meeting in Turkey,” Zelensky said following the meeting. “We are working to ensure this result is delivered.”

Peace talks between the countries, however, have hit multiple roadblocks, and the Trump administration has suggested that it is willing to walk away from further negotiations if Ukraine and Russia don’t make progress soon.

Harvard Sues Trump Admin. Over Foreign Student Ban

By
Madeleine Jackson
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4
PaWikiCom, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over its decision to terminate the university’s student visa program. 

Harvard said the policy will affect more than 7,000 visa holders and is a “blatant violation of the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act,” per its court filing.

On Thursday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem ordered Harvard to be taken off the Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification. The order effectively bans Harvard from enrolling international students and forces current ones, who make up roughly a quarter of the school’s student population, to transfer. 

DHS moved to terminate the program after Harvard allegedly failed to provide it with the extensive behavioral records of student visa holders the department requested. DHS offered Harvard 72 hours on Thursday to come into compliance with the request. 

As of now, Harvard may no longer enroll foreign students in the 2025–2026 school year, and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status to reside in the U.S. before the next academic year begins. International students made up 27 percent of Harvard’s student body in the 2024-2025 academic year. 

The records requested include any footage of protest activity involving students on visas and the disciplinary records of all students on visas in the last five years. 

Requested records also include footage or documentation of illegal, dangerous or violent activity by student visa holders, any records of threats or the deprivation of rights of other students or university personnel.

Harvard President Alan Gerber announced the suit in a letter to the Harvard community.

“Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” the complaint reads. 

The administration has launched a multi-front pressure campaign against the school for refusing to bow to its demands for changes to its admissions and hiring policies, as well as getting rid of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and a stronger stance against antisemitism.  

Last month, the school sued the administration for freezing more than $2 billion in federal funding unless it complies with various demands. 

House Conservative Explains Why Big Beautiful Bill Was Big Ugly Spending Spree

By
Donny Ferguson
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2

A leading House conservative and member of the Budget Committee used his time in a committee hearing on the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” spending package to explain that the bill does little to reform spending and the supposed spending cuts are pushed to future years, giving future congresses and the next president time to repeal them.

Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy explained that while the bill does deliver tax relief it dramatically increases budget deficits by putting off spending reform:

“I appreciate my friend from Texas, the chairman, and you know, my Democratic colleagues keep telling things that are not true. The vast majority of Americans will get tax benefits under this bill. It’s just simply false to say that that’s not true. Hardworking Americans who will benefit from the standard deduction increase, hardworking Americans who will benefit from child tax credits and lower tax rates—stop saying things that aren’t true. Those things are true. The fact is, we have money in here for the border to undo the damage of Joe Biden. We have more money in here for defense to undo the damage of Joe Biden, but we also address Medicaid and Medicaid spending goes up. Stop lying. Medicaid spending goes up. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle are profoundly unserious when it comes to being real about what’s happening with the numbers. I applaud Chairman Arrington. I applaud my colleagues on this side of the aisle for taking a step forward in dealing with the spending problem in this town.

But I have to now admonish my colleagues on this side of the aisle: this bill falls profoundly short. It does not do what we say it does with respect to deficits. The fact of the matter is, on the spending, what we’re dealing with here is tax cuts and spending a massive front-loaded deficit increase. That’s the truth. That’s the truth. Deficits will go up in the first half of the 10-year budget window. And we all know it’s true, and we shouldn’t do that. We shouldn’t say that we’re doing something we’re not doing.

The fact of the matter is, this bill has back-loaded savings and front-loaded spending, nowhere near the Senate Budget top line, by the way. The Senate Budget top line of six and a half trillion dollars, which, by the way, is what we were pre-COVID, inflation-adjusted, on interest, on Medicare and Social Security. And if we would reform Medicaid, we could actually get to the core of the problem, but we refuse to do it. And I’m not going to sit here and say that everything is hunky-dory when this is the Budget Committee. This is the Budget Committee. We are supposed to do something to actually result in balanced budgets, but we’re not doing it. Look at what happens under deficits… Only in Washington are we expected to bet on the come that in five years, everything will work, then we will solve the problem.

We have got to change the direction of this town, and to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: yes, that means touching Medicaid. It went from $400 billion in 2019 to $600 billion this year. It’ll be over a trillion in the 2030s. We are making promises that we cannot keep. We do need to reform it. We need to stop giving seven times as much money to the able-bodied over the vulnerable. Why are we sticking it to the vulnerable population, the disabled and the sick, to give money to single able-bodied male adults? We shouldn’t do that. We should reform it. But guess what? That message needs to be delivered to my colleagues on this side of the aisle too.

We are writing checks we cannot cash, and our children are going to pay the price. So I am a no on this bill unless serious reforms are made today, tomorrow, Sunday. We’re having conversations as we speak, but something needs to change, or you’re not going to get my support.”

Judge Blocks Trump Order To Shutter Dept. Of Education

By
Madeleine Jackson
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3

Just in…

A district judge on Thursday blocked President Trump’s executive order calling for the closure of the Department of Education — as well as against the reduction in force that laid off half of the agency’s workers.

U.S. District Judge Myong Joun’s order blocks the Trump administration from carrying out the mass-firing at the DOE announced in March and orders that any employees who were already fired be reinstated.

The ruling is a blow to Trump’s efforts to eliminate the department and the quick actions taken by Education Secretary Linda McMahon to make that campaign pledge a reality.  

The plaintiffs “have provided an in-depth look into how the massive reduction in staff has made it effectively impossible for the Department to carry out its statutorily mandated functions,” District Judge Myong Joun said.  

“Defendants do acknowledge, as they must, that the Department cannot be shut down without Congress’s approval, yet they simultaneously claim that their legislative goals (obtaining Congressional approval to shut down the Department) are distinct from their administrative goals (improving efficiency). There is nothing in the record to support these contradictory positions,” his ruling continues.

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The ruling comes just a day after another federal judge blocked Trump’s administration from firing two Democrat members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board on Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton found that allowing unilateral firings would prevent the board from carrying out its purpose.

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

Trump, Officials Condemn Murder Of Israeli Staffers In D.C.

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Police image via Pixabay free images

    The brazen murder of a young Jewish couple in Washington, D.C. has stunned the world.

    The victims, Sarah Lynn Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, were fatally shot outside of the Capital Jewish Museum by a male suspect who shouted “free Palestine” before opening fire.

    Milgrim and Lischinsky — who were a couple on the verge of engagement, according to police — were gunned down after the American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) annual Young Diplomats Reception. Lischinsky was preparing to return to Israel to spend the Jewish holiday of Shavuot with his family prior to being killed.

    Trump administration officials were quick to denounce Wednesday evening’s shooting in Washington, which left two Israeli Embassy staffers dead outside of a museum.

    President Trump condemned the killings in a post on his Truth Social platform early Thursday.

    “These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA,” he wrote. “Condolences to the families of the victims.”

    Trump’s comment was later echoed by several Cabinet members and Jewish organizations across the country. 

    Attorney General Pam Bondi said she was on the scene hours after the crime took place and is praying for the family of victims. 

    “I am on the scene of the horrible shooting outside the Washington, DC Capital Jewish Museum with @USAttyPirro. Praying for the victims of this violence as we work to learn more,” Bondi wrote on X. 

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said he spoke with Bondi, also weighed in on the shooting, adding that he was “outraged” by the deaths.

    “We are witness to the terrible cost of the antisemitism and wild incitement against the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “Blood libels against Israel have a cost in blood and must be fought to the utmost.”

    House Passes Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ By One Vote

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    House Republicans succeeded in pushing through President Donald Trump’s sprawling fiscal package on Thursday, which passed by the narrowest of possible margins – one vote.

    The 215–214 vote followed a turbulent 48 hours that saw late-night committee sessions, procedural skirmishes, and lobbying by House Speaker Mike Johnson to get Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” over the line.

    In the end, just two Republicans — Reps. Thomas Massie (Ky.) and Warren Davidson (Ohio) — opposed the legislation. House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.) voted “present.”

    Republicans on the House floor erupted in cheers and applause when Johnson slammed the gavel just before 7 a.m. to close the successful vote.

    The bill — titled the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” adopting Trump’s slogan for the measure — extends the tax cuts enacted by the president in 2017; boosts funding for border, deportation, and national defense priorities; imposes reforms, like beefed-up work requirements, on Medicaid that are projected to result in millions of low-income individuals losing health insurance; rolls back green energy tax incentives; and increases the debt limit by $4 trillion, among many other provisions.

    It also does away with taxes on tips and overtime — two of Trump’s campaign promises — among other provisions.

    Its passage marks a massive victory for Johnson, who successfully cajoled scores of Republican holdouts — from hardline conservatives to vulnerable moderates — to support the bill before his self-imposed Memorial Day deadline, muscling it through his razor-thin majority.

    “This is a big day,” Johnson said at a press conference surrounded by GOP leadership after the vote. “We said on the House floor, it’s finally morning in America again.”

    “Today the House has passed generational, truly nation-shaping legislation to reduce spending and permanently lower taxes for families and job creators, secure the border, unleash American energy dominance, restore peace through strength and make government work more efficiently and effectively for all Americans,” he added.

    Report: Trump Administration Secures Release Of US Veteran Held In Venezuela

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    President Donald J. Trump is presented with a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade challenge coin following an air assault and gun rain demonstration at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. The demonstration was part of President Trump's visit to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to sign the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which increases the Army's authorized active-duty end strength by 4,000 enabling us to field critical capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-010

    An American patriot is coming home…

    The family of a U.S. Air Force veteran who was wrongfully detained in Venezuela since November 2024, on Tuesday, said he was released.

    St. Clair served four tours in Afghanistan. He was honorably discharged in 2019, however struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression while trying to reenter civilian life. He sought treatment in South America, and was arrested by Venezuelan authorities on the border of Venezuela and Columbia in October.

    “This news came suddenly, and we are still processing it—but we are overwhelmed with joy and gratitude,” said Scott and Patti St. Clair, Joseph’s parents.

    The details surrounding St. Clair’s release were not disclosed.

    The family also thanked President Donald Trump, as well as his administration, for securing St. Clair’s release. Trump, Ambassador Ric Grenell, Adam Boehler and Sebastian Gorka, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, had worked to secure Joseph’s release.

    “We remain in prayer and solidarity with the families of those who are still being held,” the St. Clairs added per Fox News. “We will never stop loving and supporting them as they continue their fight to be reunited with their loved ones.”

    “Joe St. Clair is back in America,” Grenell posted to social media along with photos of himself and the Air Force veteran. “I met Venezuelan officials in a neutral country today to negotiate an America First strategy. This is only possible because @realDonaldTrump puts Americans first.”

    In February, St. Clair’s father got a call from the Colombian consulate telling him neighboring Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro’s regime had his son hostage.

    St. Clair is the seventh American to be released from Venezuela since January. Six others were released from the South American nation on Jan.31, 2025, after Grenell met with Maduro.

    Nine other Americans remain in Venezuelan custody. St. Clair and eight of the remaining prisoners were declared wrongfully detained by the U.S. State Department on March 3. The ninth is expected to be designated wrongfully detained soon, WSJ reports.

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