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Donald Trump’s freeze on federal grants and loans was blocked by a federal judge just hours before he more than two million US government employees eight months’ pay to quit
U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan blocked the action on Tuesday afternoon, just minutes before it was scheduled to take effect, pausing the plan for a week and setting a hearing for Monday morning. A White House official told The Independent that administration officials were still “digesting” the decision before deciding on what – if any – response to the issue.
Late on Tuesday, federal workers received an email with the subject line “A Fork in the Road” from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, as his administration’s attempts to cut $1 trillion from government spending.
With a deadline of February 6, those who were willing to accept the “deferred resignation,” which would be effective immediately with pay and benefits until September 30, would simply have to reply to the email with one word: “Resign.
Robert F Kennedy Jr is the next controversial pick for Donald Trump’s cabinet to be grilled by Senators, as he prepares for his confirmation hearing Wednesday morning as Department of Health and Human Services secretary.
RFK Jr to declare war on chronic disease in Senate confirmation hearing: report
Robert F Kennedy Jr is expected to declare a war on chronic disease in front of a Senate Finance Committee today, as he vies to be confirmed as the Department of Health and Human Services.
“The CDC says 90% of healthcare spending goes toward managing chronic disease, which hits lower-income Americans the hardest. The President’s pledge is not, ‘To Make Some Americans Healthy Again.’ It’s all of us,” RFK Jr is expected to say at his confirmation hearing this morning, according to Fox News.
“There is no single culprit for chronic disease.”
James Liddell29 January 2025 13:52
Just 6% of Greenlanders want to join U.S., poll suggests
A mere 6 percent of Greenlanders want their nation to join the US, according to a new poll.
The survey commissioned by Danish newspaper of record Berlingske and the Greenlandic daily Sermitsiaq suggests that 85 percent of those residing in the Danish territory want to become a part of the U.S.
Six percent were in favor of joining and 9 percent had been left undecided, according to the poll.
Donald Trump has repeatedly said that he wants the U.S. to acquire the Arctic island for national security purposes.
James Liddell29 January 2025 13:31
Voices: Crying shows Selena Gomez is human – but it’ll take more than tears to defeat Trump
When Selena Gomez took to social media on Monday and shared an emotional (now-deleted) clip of her weeping and speaking about the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, which saw over 1,000 people arrested across the US last weekend, it was only a matter of time before Trump supporters and Republican politicians hit back with personal jibes and claims of “woke” nonsense.
The same thing happened when a teary-eyed Billie Eilish spoke out about “someone who hates women so, so deeply” during her concert in Nashville, Tennessee last year. Bruce Springsteen sparked a backlash when he called Donald Trump the “most dangerous candidate for president in my lifetime” in an impassioned speech ahead of polling day – and when late-night talk show host, Jimmy Kimmel, held back tears after a “terrible night”, referring to the 2024 election results.
Criticizing liberal values and sensitivities has become somewhat of a rallying cry (for lack of a better phrase) for the Maga crowd. It’s fashionable to make fun of sentiment.
James Liddell29 January 2025 13:11
Trump invited to Hiroshima and Nagasaki for 80th anniversary of WWII atomic bombings
Donald Trump has been invited to the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki for the 80th anniversary of the World War II atomic bombings.
In a joint letter shared with AFP on Wednesday morning, the mayors from each region urged the president to listen to testimonies from survivors, to “take to heart their fervent wish for peace” and “deepen your understanding of the inhumanity of nuclear weapons”.
The US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and Nagasaki three days later.
It is believed that the combined bombings killed more than 200,000 people, with many more later dying from radiation exposure.
James Liddell29 January 2025 12:51
Patronis wins GOP primary as he moves to clinch Gaetz’s seat
Florida’s chief financial officer won the GOP primary in the Sunshine State’s 1st Congressional district as he looks to replace former congressman Matt Gaetz.
It makes Patronis a favorite to win the general election for the district’s House seat on April 1.
Gaetz, who resigned in November after being tapped as Donald Trump’s attorney general before withdrawing from consideration, easily won re-election for the conservative stronghold, with 66 percent of the vote.
State Senator Randy Fine also easily won his primary in the race to succeed former Rep. Michael Waltz in Florida’s 6th Congressional District.
James Liddell29 January 2025 12:30
Five biggest bombshells from Caroline Kennedy’s open letter about RFK Jr
Robert F. Kennedy is addicted to “attention and power” according to a scathing letter revealing some of his darkest moments, penned by his cousin Caroline Kennedy.
Kennedy, 71, who is Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, is a hypocritical “predator” who is “addicted to attention and power”, his cousin warned senators ahead of the confirmation hearing in the Senate – which will confirm his control over a $1.7 trillion budget as the top health official.
The bombshell letter reveals several shocking accusations about Kennedy’s life, from putting mice in a blender to leading his family members down a path to drug addiction.
Alex Croft lists the five key bombshells from Caroline Kennedy’s blistering criticism of her cousin.
James Liddell29 January 2025 12:09
‘DOGE found $50M worth of condoms were to be sent to Gaza,’ Leavitt says
The US will halt $50 million worth of condoms due to be shipped to Gaza, Donald Trump’s new 27-year-old press secretary said.
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the White House Office for Management and Budget (OMB) found “that there was about to be $50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza”, Karoline Leavitt claimed to reporters at the new-look briefing.
“That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer money. So that’s what this pause is focused on, being good stewards of tax dollars,” Leavitt said in the press briefing, which she told reporters will no longer be reserved for the legacy media but will now include social media influencers and podcasters.
Alex Croft has the story.
James Liddell29 January 2025 11:47
Just in: ‘I am not anti-vaccine,’ RFK Jr expected to tell Senate
Robert F Kennedy Jr is expected to tell senators he is neither “anti-vaccine or anti-industry,” at his confirmation hearing Wednesday, as he vies to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, a new report states.
According to Fox News, RFK Jr will state in his opening remarks that he wants “to make sure the Committee is clear about a few things”.
It continues: “News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. Well, I am neither; I am pro-safety.”
RFK Jr is expected to emphasize that he is not “the enemy of food producers,” adding that: “American farms are the bedrock of our culture and national security.”
The Kennedy scion says he wants to work harmoniously with farmers and food producers to “remove burdensome regulations and unleash American ingenuity,” per the statement obtained by Fox News.
James Liddell29 January 2025 11:28
Hegseth strips Gen. Mark Milley of security detail
On his second full day on the job, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stripped General Mark Milley of his security detail and clearance, the Pentagon revealed on Tuesday.
The former Joint Chiefs of Staff chair – and Donald Trump adversary – could face a review over his so-called “conduct” that may result in a rank demotion, Fox News first reported.
It is not immediately clear what conduct would warrant a demotion.
Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot said that Hegseth also directed the Defense Department inspector general “to conduct an inquiry into the facts and circumstances surrounding Gen. Milley’s conduct so that the Secretary may determine whether it is appropriate to reopen his military grade review determination”.
Donald Trump had once suggested the decorated general should be executed for holding back-channel talks with China.
James Liddell29 January 2025 11:11
President vows to ban gender transition for minors
Donald Trump has issued an executive order that directs federal agencies to rescind policies that support or acknowledge gender-affirming healthcare for transgender Americans.
The sweeping order targets the prescription of puberty blockers, hormone therapies and affirming surgeries for anyone under 19 years old — an age group that includes adult Americans.
“It is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures,” according to the order, which labels gender-affirming care “mutilation.”
Alex Woodward has the story.
James Liddell29 January 2025 10:50