Tag Archives: Trump administration

The New York Times reports: With a seven-day average of 2,249 deaths, the country broke the previous mark of 2,232 set on April 17 in the early weeks of the pandemic. Seven-day averages can provide a more accurate picture of the virus’s progression than daily death counts, which can fluctuate and disguise the broader trend line. The United States is …

Via press release from the White House: First Lady Melania Trump is pleased to announce the completion of the new White House tennis pavilion. The project included the refurbishment of the White House Tennis Court and Grandchildren’s Garden along with construction of the new building. Planning for the project began in early 2018. In June of 2019, the project was …

Mediaite reports: Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe seemed to make the suggestion that Joe Biden won’t be president despite winning the 2020 Election over Donald Trump. On Sunday, Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo interviewed Ratcliffe and asked for his reaction to the people Biden has picked. After Bartiromo slammed Biden’s picks for their involvement with “the Russia hoax,” she asked …

The New York Times reports: Attorney General William P. Barr is considering stepping down before President Trump’s term ends next month, according to three people familiar with this thinking. One said Mr. Barr could announce his departure before the end of the year. It was not clear whether the attorney general’s deliberations were influenced by Mr. Trump’s refusal to concede …

Roll Call reports: “If President Trump had worn a mask then and urged everyone to wear a mask then back in April the way Joe Biden is right now, wouldn’t we be in much better shape?” Wallace asked. “Well, Chris, I welcome Vice President Biden to the club. Since the middle of April…” Azar started to say. Wallace interjected to …

The Washington Post reports: Two historian groups, an independent archive and a watchdog organization are suing President Trump and other administration officials to ensure compliance with records laws, the groups announced this week. With Trump facing “potential legal and financial exposure once he leaves office,” the groups said, “there is a growing risk that he will destroy records of his …

Bloomberg News reports: A deadline set by the Trump administration for the forced sale of TikTok’s U.S. assets came and went Friday without a final deal. While the deadline has been extended multiple times, TikTok isn’t expected to receive a new one, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the decision isn’t yet public. TikTok is still …

The Hill reports: Public health experts say state and local governments are underfunded and unprepared for what is expected to be the largest vaccination campaign in U.S. history. While the Trump administration has spent more than $10 billion supporting the development of COVID-19 vaccines, just $340 million has been allocated to agencies below the federal level to help with distribution …

It starts with just a trickle: White House communications director Alyssa Farah resigned from her post Thursday after three-and-a-half years in the Trump administration. Farah, 31, began her White House tenure as press secretary under Vice President Pence, before joining the Defense Department as press secretary last September, and returned to the White House as communications director in April. She …

The Associated Press reports: The official serving as President Donald Trump’s eyes and ears at the Justice Department has been banned from the building after trying to pressure staffers to give up sensitive information about election fraud and other matters she could relay to the White House. Heidi Stirrup, an ally of top Trump adviser Stephen Miller, was quietly installed …

Reuters reports: More than 2,800 Covid-19 deaths were reported Wednesday in the United States — the most the country has ever reported in a single day — as health care officials say their staff and facilities are struggling to support burgeoning numbers of patients. The number of Covid-19 patients in US hospitals Wednesday — 100,226, according to the COVID Tracking …

CNN reports: The Justice Department is investigating a potential crime related to funneling money to the White House or related political committee in exchange for a presidential pardon, according to court records unsealed Tuesday in federal court. The case is the latest legal twist in the waning days of President Donald Trump’s administration after several of his top advisers have …

The Associated Press reports: In a veiled swing at President-elect Joe Biden’s education plans, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday blasted the push for free college as a “socialist takeover of higher education” that could damage the nation’s economy. Speaking at an online conference hosted by the Education Department’s Federal Student Aid office, DeVos did not mention Biden by name. …

Fox News reports: Dr. Scott Atlas, President Trump’s special adviser on the coronavirus pandemic, formally resigned from his post on Monday, Fox News has learned. Atlas, who spoke with the president on Monday, joined the administration in August, and was considered a Special Government Employee (SGE), serving a 130-day detail. Atlas’ role is set to expire this week. Fox News …

CNBC reports: Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai will step down from his post on January 20, the day President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated, he announced Monday. The announcement means that the FCC could reach a Democratic majority sooner than it would otherwise be able to. Pai’s term was slated to expire in June 2021, though Biden will be able …

CNN reports: Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will vote Tuesday on the very first people to get a coronavirus vaccine once one gets emergency authorization. The CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices has scheduled an emergency meeting for Tuesday to discuss allocation of Covid-19 vaccines. Members of the committee will discuss who should be in the …

The Hill reports: The number of coronavirus infections in the United States surpassed 13 million on Friday, just six days after the country hit the 12 million threshold. According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. has had at least 13,047,202 infections, with at least 264,624 people dead as a result of the virus. The U.S. maintains the …

The Washington Post reports: The Trump administration published an analysis Friday concluding that its rule easing companies’ liability for killing birds would not cause significant environmental harm, clearing the way for it to finalize a major rollback before the president’s term ends on Jan. 20. The administration, which is racing to lock in a series of regulatory changes before President-elect …

Gothamist reports: The number of people in the United States hospitalized for COVID-19 on Thursday topped 90,000, marking a record high for the 17th day in a row and a grim sign of what lies ahead as infections continue to soar. Around 125,000 new coronavirus cases were reported across the country. However, the full picture of infections and deaths was …

ABC News reports: The Justice Department filed a notice of appeal Wednesday as it seeks to intervene in the defamation lawsuit against President Donald Trump by E. Jean Carroll. Last month, a federal judge in New York rejected the Justice Department’s attempt to substitute for President Trump as the defendant in a suit that claimed he defamed Carroll when he …