Trump Administration

Wired reports: The United States government has collected DNA samples from upwards of 133,000 migrant children and teenagers—including at least one 4-year-old—and uploaded their genetic data into a national criminal database used by local, state, and federal law enforcement, according to documents reviewed by WIRED. The records, quietly released by the US Customs and Border Protection earlier this year, offer …

Just in via press release: The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) filed a lawsuit today to compel the White House to immediately resume providing American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters during broadcasts of their press briefings to make them accessible to deaf and hard of hearing people. Two deaf individuals—Derrick Ford and Matthew Bonn—join NAD in this lawsuit. This is …

The Huffington Post reports: The White House deepened its attacks on the judiciary on Wednesday as it hit back at a federal court decision striking down President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs. “[Trade] deficits have created a national emergency that has decimated American communities,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai told HuffPost in a statement. “It is not for unelected judges to …

Fox News reports: FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino stated Wednesday evening that the bureau is examining issues related to the origin of COVID-19, though he did not confirm the existence of a formal investigation into a cover-up. Bongino made the remarks in a post on X amid growing media attention on a newly identified COVID-19 strain. He did not identify …

First, a reminder from yesterday’s ruling: A judge on Wednesday blocked the U.S. Transportation Department from withholding federal funding from New York as the Trump administration seeks to stop Manhattan’s congestion pricing program. U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman, who a day earlier had issued a temporary restraining order, issued a preliminary injunction preventing the federal government from withholding approval of …

The New York Times reports: Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday evening that the Trump administration would work to “aggressively revoke” visas of Chinese students, including those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or who are studying in “critical fields.” He added that the State Department was revising visa criteria to “enhance scrutiny” of all future applications …

CNBC reports: With his official stint in government coming to an end, Elon Musk thanked President Donald Trump on Wednesday for “the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending.” As a so-called special government employee, Musk can work for the administration for 130 days in a calendar year. The end of May marks 130 days since Trump’s inauguration. A White House official …

ABC News reports: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday pushed for Karol Nawrocki to be president of Poland while speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Warsaw, decrying his opponent as a “train wreck.” It is an extraordinary move for a sitting member of the U.S. Cabinet to advocate for a political candidate in a foreign country. Noem …

Politico reports: All remaining staff at Voice of America are expected to receive reduction-in-force notices this week, likely closing the book on the network founded 80-plus years ago to combat Nazi disinformation during World War II. Employees are anticipating termination notices to go out this week to all full-time staff at the embattled news network, according to four VOA employees …

CNBC reports: The Trump administration on Wednesday relaxed barriers in 401(k) plans to buying cryptocurrency and related digital assets like NFTs and meme coins. The Labor Department rescinded guidance put in place by the Biden-era Labor Department in 2022 that aimed to safeguard 401(k) investors from such digital assets. At the time, the Biden labor officials cautioned employers to exercise “extreme …

Axios reports: The White House is planning to send a $9.4 billion rescissions package to Congress next Tuesday, giving lawmakers the opportunity to codify some of the potential cuts identified by DOGE, according to an administration official. The White House wants a big public fight over funding for NPR, PBS and foreign aid. They are likely to get it. The …

Politico reports: In his first full week as the Justice Department’s pardon attorney, Ed Martin personally reviewed a pardon application for Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes. Peter Ticktin, a lawyer and former classmate of President Donald Trump’s at New York Military Academy, hand delivered a collection of 11 pardon applications to Martin at the Justice Department on Thursday, including one …

Salon reports: Tulsi Gabbard’s latest foray in generating red meat to stoke the paranoia of Trump supporters isn’t just dishonest, but downright dangerous. Late last week, without the mainstream media noticing, Gabbard started pushing the flat-out lie that President Joe Biden was labeling Americans as “terrorists” because they opposed COVID-19 mitigation measures like masks and vaccines. Biden did no such …

Reuters reports: The United States on Wednesday announced a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign nationals who “censor” Americans. “It is unacceptable for foreign officials to issue or threaten arrest warrants on U.S. citizens or U.S. residents for social media posts on American platforms while physically present on U.S. soil,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. He …

The Asheville Citizen-Times reports: The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied North Carolina’s latest request for a 180-day extension of the 100% cost match for eligible Tropical Storm Helene recovery expenses. In a letter to North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, FEMA’s acting administrator David Richardson said the extension was “not warranted” based on a “careful and thorough review.” In April, …

CBS News reports: President Trump said again Tuesday he’s working to take mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public, winding down 17 years of federal control over two central parts of the U.S. housing market — a move that was cheered on by Trump ally and noted Wall Street investor Bill Ackman. Ending the conservatorship of Fannie and Freddie …

The Washington Post reports: Vice President JD Vance will headline a political fundraiser in Las Vegas on Tuesday requiring a $1 million donation per attendee, according to an invitation for the event obtained by The Washington Post. The fundraiser for MAGA Inc., the primary super PAC supporting President Donald Trump, will be held as a “private roundtable & photo opportunity” featuring …

Axios reports: In a tense meeting last week, top Trump aide Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanded that immigration agents seek to arrest 3,000 people a day, according to two sources familiar with the meeting. The new target is triple the number of daily arrests that agents were making in the early days of Trump’s term — …

“The president is more interested in giving that taxpayer money to trade schools and programs and state schools where they are promoting American values but, most importantly, educating the next generation based on skills that we need in our economy and our society. Apprenticeships, electricians, plumbers—we need more of those in our country and less LGBTQ graduate majors from Harvard …

The Hill reports: The Trump administration is suing North Carolina and its State Board of Elections for failing to maintain an accurate voter roll. The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday announced the lawsuit, which accuses the state of not doing enough to prevent voter fraud after using a state voter registration form that did not require individuals to provide …