Bishop pleads with Trump to ‘have mercy’ on migrants, LGBT+; 22 states sue to stop bid to end birthright citizenship: Live

Donald Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship has been legally challenged as unconstitutional by 22 states.

The new president has already signed a deluge of executive orders after being sworn into office, promising a new “golden age of America.”

On immigration alone — in addition to undermining birthright citizenship — Trump moved to declare a national emergency at the southern border, designate cartels as terrorist organizations, reinstate his “Remain in Mexico” policy, and end “catch and release” practices.

He also pardoned 1,500 “J6 hostages”, withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization and Paris Climate Accord, affirmed that the government recognizes only two genders, renamed the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Mount Denali, overturned 78 Biden-era regulations, froze federal hiring and postponed the implementation of the TikTok ban for 75 days.

billionaire ally Elon Musk has responded after being accused of performing a Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration celebrations on Monday, dismissing the accusations as “tired” and “dirty tricks”.

On Tuesday morning at the National Prayer Service, the Bishop of Washington urged him to show mercy towards migrants and LGBT+ children.

Later, the president will announce $500 billion in private sector investment in AI infrastructure.

Key Points

• Bishop urges Trump to ‘have mercy’ on ‘scared’ immigrants and LGBT+ youth

• Trump sued by 22 states and pregnant women over ‘flagrantly illegal’ birthright citizenship order

• Trump pardons more than 1,500 Capitol rioters

• Elon Musk forced to respond over inauguration ‘Nazi salute’

• What we know about Trump’s day one executive orders

Exclusive: Insiders claim Trump has Starmer ‘over a barrel’ on trade deal

22:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump’s new administration believes it has Sir Keir Starmer’s government “over a barrel” on trade as Britain becomes increasingly reliant on a US deal, insiders have told The Independent.

Senior sources in the president’s team said the UK had no choice but to seek a trade agreement after the prime minister said his government’s success would be judged primarily on economic growth.

David Maddox, The Independent’s political editor, reports from Washington, D.C.

Trump has Starmer ‘over a barrel’ on trade deal, insiders claim

Watch: Highlights from Elise Stefanik’s confirmation hearing to be Trump’s UN amabassador

21:58 , Oliver O’Connell

Number of state suing Trump over ‘flagrantly illegal’ birthright citizenship order grows to 22

21:50 , Oliver O’Connell

A pregnant woman living in Massachusetts with temporary protected status is expected to give birth in March. But under the terms of Donald Trump’s executive order that unilaterally redefines the Constitution, upending federal law and decades of established Supreme Court precedent, her baby will not be a citizen.

She is the lead plaintiff in a federal lawsuit against the newly inaugurated president and members of his administration, accused of mounting a “flagrantly illegal” attempt to “strip citizenship from millions of Americans with a stroke of a pen.”

Alex Woodward reports.

Trump sued by pregnant women over ‘flagrantly illegal’ birthright citizenship order

Trump keep saluting during the national anthem but the flag code says he shouldn’t

21:45 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump has made a habit of saluting during the national anthem despite the flag code indicating that he should simply place his hand over his heart.

Gustaf Kilander explains why.

Why does Trump keep saluting during the national anthem?

Watch: Trump confronted by bishop over migrants and LGBT+ children

21:35 , Oliver O’Connell

Watch: Bishop confronts Trump over ‘mercy’ for LGBT+ children

Eric Adams once said he doesn’t need ‘racist’ Tucker Carlson’s support — guess who just interviewed him…

21:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Eric Adams, the embattled New York City mayor who seems to be desperately angling for a pardon from President Donald Trump, recently sat down for a lengthy interview with MAGA podcaster and trusted Trump allyTucker Carlson.

The friendly chat, which will air in full on Carlson’s network and X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday night, comes less than three years after Adams rejected the former Fox News star’s apparent endorsement of him in the New York mayoral race.

Justin Barangoa has the story.

Eric Adams sits down with Tucker Carlson — who he once called a ‘racist’

Watch LIVE: January 6 rioters leave prison after Trump pardon

21:26 , Oliver O’Connell

Reproductive rights and Spanish-language White House pages removed

21:15 , Oliver O’Connell

The president has since been busy signing off on his orders with his signature Sharpie while his staff have been redecorating the White House and revamping its website in accordance with his values.

However, the changes introduced to the latter so far appear to mean that visitors searching for pages that once provided information on reproductive rights or offered Spanish language content will only get “Error 404” messages for their trouble.

Joe Sommerlad reports.

Reproductive rights and Spanish-language White House webpages removed

Bolton ‘disappointed but not surprised’ after Trump removes Secret Service protection

21:08 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump has removed John Bolton’s Secret Service protection despite the ongoing threat of assassination from Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in retaliation for the killing of Qassem Soleimani in 2020.

In a statement, Bolton — Trump’s National Security Adviser in his first term — said: “I am disappointed but not surprised that President Trump has decided to terminate the protection previously provided by the United States Secret Service. Notwithstanding my criticisms of President Biden’s national security policies, he nonetheless made the decision to extend that protection to me in 2021. The Justice Department filed criminal charges against an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official in 2022 for attempting to hire an assassin to target me. That threat remains today, as also demonstrated by the recent arrest of someone trying to arrange for President Trump’s own assassination. The American people can judge for themselves which President made the right call.”

Republicans conveniently dodge questions on Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons

21:05 , Oliver O’Connell

Senate Republicans were mostly evasive when asked about President Donald Trump’s pardon of both violent and non-violent offenders who stormed the US Capitol on January 6 four years ago.

On the first day of his second term in office, Trump, who had repeatedly said that he would pardon people who committed crimes on January 6, and who called them hostages while onstage with hostages recently freed by Hamas as part of a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza, issued pardons for 1,500 people criminally charged with the violent assault on the US Capitol in attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election results.

Eric Garcia reports from the US Capitol.

Republicans conveniently dodge questions on Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons

MAGA lawmaker calls for Bishop to be deported over sermon urging Trump to show mercy

20:57 , Oliver O’Connell

If you thought MAGA would let the Bishop of Washington’s sermon urging President Donald Trump to show mercy to migrants and LGBT+ children pass them by, then you would be very wrong.

Rep Mike Collins of Georgia called for Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, an American citizen, to be “added to the deportation list.”

Here’s what happened this morning at the National Prayer Service:

Trump looks awkward as bishop urges him to ‘have mercy’ on ‘scared’ immigrants, LGBT

After ex Musk’s salute controversy, Grimes says she’s ‘happy to denounce Nazi-ism’

20:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Grimes has said she’s “happy to denounce Nazi-ism” after her former partner Elon Musk was accused of giving a “Nazi salute” during an inauguration celebration for Donald Trump.

The world’s richest man was hit with a wave of immediate outrage online after he made a salute that many felt resembled the infamous Nazi gesture during his speech at the Capitol One Arena on Monday (January 20).

That outrage extended to his former partner Grimes. The Canadian musician, 36, shares three children with the 53-year-old Tesla and SpaceX CEO.

Kevin E G Perry reports from Los Angeles.

Grimes ‘happy to denounce Nazi-ism’ after ex Elon Musk’s salute controversy

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson called out by fans over wild inaugural ball scenes

20:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson have made it clear that they are “best friends” despite having fans believe otherwise last year when they faced off in the ring for the first time.

On Monday night (January 20), the two boxers attended President Donald Trump’s Starlight Ball — one of the three inaugural presidential balls typically attended by major donors.

Inga Parkel has the story.

‘Best friends’ Jake Paul and Mike Tyson called out over wild inaugural ball scenes

Trump sets date for when he will put tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada

20:33 , Oliver O’Connell

Tariffs of 25 percent could hit goods from Mexico and Canada entering the U.S. as soon as next month, Donald Trump announced on Monday while signing executive orders, signaling the beginning of a potential trade war that could have major effects on the U.S. economy.

Trump claimed in the Oval Office that Mexico and Canada are “allowing vast numbers of people” and fentanyl to cross their borders into the U.S.

Josh Marcus has the details.

Trump reveals date he expects tariffs on China and Canada to start

Trump admin ‘trusts’ ICE to use ‘common sense’ after revoking Biden era rule about arrests near ‘sensitive locations’

20:22 , Oliver O’Connell

As part of the Trump administration’s shake-up of immigration enforcement, a Biden-era memo has been revoked that prohibited ICE from arresting unauthorized immigrants at or near “sensitive locations.” This includes areas around schools, places of worship, healthcare sites, shelters, and relief centers.

The administration says it “trusts” ICE to “use common sense.”

The new Department of Homeland Security team has also instructed officials to begin the process of phasing out programs that allowed certain immigrants to stay in the U.S. under the immigration parole authority.

The Independent’s Josh Marcus wrote about the possibility of this happening in December:

Trump will revoke policy shielding migrants from deportation arrests in churches

Trump to introduce ‘Stargate’, a newly formed partnership investing $500bn in AI

20:18 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump on Tuesday is announcing investments worth up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank.

The new entity, Stargate, will start building out projects needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House.

Read on…

Trump to announce newly formed partnership investing $500B in AI

India to take back 18,000 illegal immigrants identified by US authorities

20:14 , Oliver O’Connell

Bloomberg reports that the Indian government is prepared to work with Donald Trump’s administration to identify and take back all its citizens residing illegally in the US.

This is being read as an early signal from New Delhi that it’s willing to comply with the new president and avoid a trade war.

Per the report:

The US has identified some 18,000 illegal Indian migrants to be sent back home, for which India will verify and start the process of deportation, according to people familiar with the matter. The figure could be much higher than that, though, given that it’s unclear how many illegal Indian migrants live in the US, the people added, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private.

Youth from western India, in particular the states of Punjab and Gujarat, are believed to constitute a majority of the illegal immigrants in the US, the people said.

20:09 , Oliver O’Connell

Full story: Trump’s Mar-a-Lago judge just made sure Jack Smith’s final report won’t see the light of day

20:05 , Oliver O’Connell

Top members of Congress won’t be able to privately review Jack Smith’s final report on Donald Trump’s possession of classified documents, virtually guaranteeing that the full results of his investigation will never be released while Trump is president.

Alex Woodward reports.

Judge Cannon just made sure Jack Smith’s final report won’t see the light of day

Why did Trump pull the US out of the World Health Organization?

20:00 , Katie Hawkinson

President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the World Health Organization via executive order Monday evening to the shock of some.

Trump cited the organization’s “mishandling” of the COVID-19 pandemic and the funds contributed by the U.S. in his executive order ending the country’s membership. The order came amid dozens of others during the first hours of Trump’s second term in the White House.

Here’s what we know about the decision:

Trump pulled the US out of the World Health Organization, again. Here’s why

Hegseth’s behavior made second wife ‘fear for her safety,’ former sister-in-law claims

19:47 , Oliver O’Connell

Pete Hegseth’s behavior made his second wife fear for her safety, his former sister-in-law has claimed in a new affidavit handed to senators ahead of the vote on his confirmation, according to NBC News.

Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, has rejected the claims and his second wife has stated that “there was no physical abuse in my marriage.”

Senators received the affidavit on Tuesday after staffers at the Senate Armed Services Committee had been in touch with the former sister-in-law for a number of days.

Gustaf Kilander has the latest.

Hegseth’s behavior made second wife ‘fear for her safety,’ ex-sister-in-law claims

It’s almost tax season — could Trump’s freeze on IRS hiring impact your return?

19:45 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump has issued an indefinite hiring freeze for the Internal Revenue Service.

Trump issued an executive order Monday night ordering a 90-day hiring freeze for all federal agencies — except for the Internal Revenue Service, which will remain under the freeze until his administration determines “that it is in the national interest” to hire again.

With tax season set to begin on January 27 and the filing deadline less than four months away, how will this impact your tax return?

Katie Hawkinson takes a look:

Will Trump’s IRS hiring freeze affect your tax return?

What did Trump ask US troops in South Korea?

19:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump asks US troops surprising question about South Korea

‘You’ll figure it out’: Trump seems to confuse Spain with South Africa

19:15 , AP

President Donald Trump has left some in Spain confused after seeming to get the S in the acronym ‘Brics’ confused.

On his first day, the president said Spain is a member of the Brics bloc of developing economies, causing some head-scratching and jitters over possible tariffs in Madrid.

Read on…

Donald Trump seems to confuse Spain with South Africa: ‘You’ll figure it out’

What did Trump and Biden discuss in their limo ride — Amy Klobuchar tells all… (ish)

19:00 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump and former president Joe Biden spent some of their limousine ride from the White House to the Capitol being normal and discussing sports, it has been revealed by Senator Amy Klobuchar, who was with them.

Ariana Baio has the story:

Amy Klobuchar reveals what Trump and Biden discussed on their limo ride

Bust of Sir Winston Churchill moved back into Oval Office

18:52 , Oliver O’Connell

After returning to the White House, Donald Trump quickly reinstated a bust of Britain’s Second World War Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, in the Oval Office, a move he also made in 2017.

Joe Sommerlad reports.

Trump moves bust of Sir Winston Churchill back into Oval Office

‘Very troublesome’: Newsmax legal analyst scorches Trump’s birthright citizenship order

18:41 , Oliver O’Connell

Newsmax judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano strayed from the MAGA media narrative on Tuesday by blasting President Donald Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship as “troublesome,” warning it could lead to Trump attempting to “nullify” other parts of the Constitution.

Justin Barangoa reports.

Newsmax analyst scorches Trump’s ‘very troublesome’ birthright citizenship order

Explained: Elon Musk’s gesture has drawn comparisons to Roman salutes by right-wing fans. But, what exactly is one?

18:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Elon Musk has been slammed online after his gesture at Trump’s inauguration was compared to a “Nazi salute.” However, some of his biggest fans rushed to his defense calling it a Roman salute and trying to downplay the connection to World War II Germany.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO dismissed the comparison to the Nazi and wrote on X that his critics “need better dirty tricks.”

“The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired,” he added.

Gustaf Kilander explains.

Elon Musk’s gesture has drawn comparisons to roman salutes. But, what exactly is one?

ICE enforcement begins today with targeted operations, says Homan

18:28 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, says ICE enforcement begins today: “Not roundups — targeted enforcement operations. When we target public safety threats, we know exactly who we’re looking for. Pretty good idea where they’re at, we even know sometimes who is living in the household with them.”

Fox News’s Jacqui Heinrich reports that Homan says this will be happening today all over the country but does not say where specifically, citing safety concerns.

“ICE Officers throughout the country were told today ‘go make arrests of those who are here illegally that are public safety threats. So they developed target sheets, an operational plan — they’re out there right now.”

ANALYSIS: Trump treated Inauguration Day like an episode of reality TV. It’s why Biden got fired

18:22 , Oliver O’Connell

Andrew Feinberg writes:

With a stroke of a giant Sharpie, Donald Trump on Monday began the work of systematically dismantling anything and everything that his predecessor built over the previous four years — and he turned it into reality TV.

Continue reading…

Trump treated his inauguration like reality TV. It’s why Biden got fired

Report: Trump’s sweeping deportation raids are on hold to maintain ‘element of surprise’

18:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Mass deportation raids that were expected to begin on Tuesday in Chicago may be on hold because too much information about the operation was made public, border czar Tom Homan hinted on Monday.

Hours after President Trump was inaugurated on Monday, Homan told Fox News that he and his team had “pulled back” on the plan to send 100 to 200 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to arrest undocumented immigrants with criminal records after the Wall Street Journal reported it on Friday.

Ariana Baio reports.

Trump’s sweeping deportation raids on hold to maintain ‘element of surprise’: report

Abortion rights hang in the balance as Trump yet to declare stance on ‘Global Gag’ policy

18:06 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump announced a flurry of explosive executive orders Monday during his inaugural address as he returned to the Oval Office – two of which included initiating the withdrawal of the U.S. from the World Health Organization and the policy of recognizing only two sexes.

As he signed over 100 executive orders in a move that broke away from his predecessors, reproductive rights activists waited anxiously for Trump’s next move would be regarding abortion rights and sexual health information.

Madeline Sherratt reports.

Abortion rights hang in balance as Trump yet to declare stance on ‘Global Gag’ policy

Watch LIVE: Marco Rubio addresses State Department for first time as secretary

17:57 , Oliver O’Connell

Watch live: Rubio addresses State Department as Trump’s Secretary of State

Trump infrastructure announcement concerns private sector investment in AI, report says

17:54 , Oliver O’Connell

CBS News reports that President Donald Trump’s announcement this afternoon concerns billions of dollars of private sector investment in building artificial intelligence infrastructure.

The network reports that OpenAI, Softbank, and Oracle are planning a joint venture called Stargate, according to multiple people familiar with the deal.

Watch: New Jersey AG leading 18 states to stop Trump form ending birthright citizenship

17:51 , Oliver O’Connell

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin is leading a coalition of 18 states in suing to stop Donald Trump executive order ending birthright citizenship because it attempts to overrule the Constitution.

“When we say we will fight for the rule of law, we mean it.”

Read the complaint from 18 state attorney generals challenging Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship

Bishop of Washington makes plea to Trump during national prayer service

17:47 , Oliver O’Connell

During the sermon here at Washington National Cathedral, with President Donald Trump in attendance, the Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde urged Trump, “Let me make one final plea, Mr. President,” to have mercy on vulnerable groups including LGBT+ kids and undocumented migrants.

Here’s that moment:

Trump warned over plan to designate drug cartels as terrorists

17:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Fears have been raised that President Donald Trump‘s executive order saying that the United States would designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations could open doors to military operations in Mexico.

Designating them as terrorist organizations could allow the government to place economic and social sanctions on cartels. But it also bolsters the president’s authority to carry out military operations on those involved with a terrorist organization, including foreign states suspected of supporting such organizations. The president can also preemptively deploy military force against terrorist organizations.

Vanda Felbab-Brown, an organized crime expert for the Brookings Institution, said the order could have “huge implications from trade to migrants.”

Continue reading…

Donald Trump warned over plan to designate drug cartels as terrorists

After ‘Nazi salute’ accusations, Elon Musk says his critics need ‘better dirty tricks’

17:29 , Oliver O’Connell

Elon Musk is now responding to the controversy he sparked when he delivered back-to-back gestures during his speech at Donald Trump’s inauguration celebration, which many saw as him performing a “Nazi salute.”

Rather than outright deny that he was emulating a fascist salute when he shot his right arm in an angular direction with the palm facing down, the Tesla CEO and “first buddy” instead said his critics needed “better dirty tricks” because attacking their political opponents as Adolf Hitler is “sooo tired.”

Justin Barangoa reports.

Elon Musk says his critics need ‘better dirty tricks’ after ‘Nazi salute’ accusations

Watch: Rubio covers for Trump when asked about promise to end war in Ukraine on day one of presidency

17:25 , Oliver O’Connell

Full story: Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes released from prison after Trump pardons

17:15 , Oliver O’Connell

More than 1,500 people were criminally charged in connection with a mob’s assault on the Capitol, fuelled by Trump’s bogus narrative that the 2020 presidential election was rigged and stolen from him.

Trump issued “full pardons” for virtually all of them on January 20, and commuted the sentences of 14 convicted members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers to time served. Pending cases are being dismissed.

Alex Woodward has the details.

Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes released following Trump clemency

GOP lawmakers have little to say about Trump pardoning violent Jan 6 offenders

17:10 , Oliver O’Connell

The Independent’s Eric Garcia has been talking to Republican lawmakers about what they think about President Donald Trump pardoning both violent and non-violent January 6 offenders.

Here’s a selection of their comments:

Trump pardons: Oath Keepers founder now a free man

17:02 , Richard Hall

Stewart Rhodes, founder of the far-Right Oath Keepers militia, received one of the longest sentences of anyone charged in connection to the attack on the US Capitol.

This morning, thanks to a pardon from Donald Trump, he is a free man.

Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison in May 2023 for seditious conspiracy following an eight-week trial.

During that trial, jurors were played an interview conducted by The Independent following the November presidential election, when the Stop the Steal movement was just gathering steam.

At a rally in Washington D.C. on November 14, 2020, Rhodes told The Independent that his militia would refuse to recognize Joe Biden as president because they believed the election had been stolen.

“I think about half this country won’t recognize Biden as legitimate. They won’t recognize this election,” Rhodes said.

“What that means is that everything that comes out of his mouth will be considered not of any force or effect, anything he signs into law we won’t recognize as legitimate. We’ll be very much like the founding fathers. We’ll end up nullifying and resisting,” Rhodes said.

Rhodes’ ex-wife, Tasha Adams, described him as a paranoid man who is good at manipulating people in an interview with The Independent.

She shared images of “escape tunnels“ and other protections in their backyard built by Rhodes “in case the feds ever came” to his door.

Nine warnings from history about the rise of the Nazis that already strike a chord

16:45 , Oliver O’Connell

In his new book, acclaimed historian of the Nazis Laurence Rees takes a forensic look at how the authoritarian regime rose to power and the ordinary citizens who let it happen. Nine of the 12 warnings have a contemporary relevance, says Robert McCrum, and in the age of Trump 2.0, it is compulsive reading.

Nine warnings from history about the rise of the Nazis that already strike a chord

PREMIUM: After Maga, will Trump now spark ‘Mega’… and Make Europe Great Again?

16:41 , Oliver O’Connell

Mary Dejevsky writes:

The inauguration of Donald Trump gave every appearance of ushering in a new special relationship – and not the one between the returning US president and the British prime minister.

Rather, all eyes were on the political bromances blossoming between Trump and select foreign dignitaries, among them Britons and Europeans, from a variegated spectrum of the political right.

The presence of highly placed foreign guests marked a bit of a departure in itself. Unlike state funerals, inaugurations have been traditionally treated as primarily domestic events. There also seemed little consistency, ideologically or institutionally, about precisely who received an invitation, but nationalist, far-right groups within the European Parliament were well represented.

Continue reading…

After Maga, will Trump now spark ‘Mega’… and Make Europe Great Again?

Watch: Jimmy Fallon pokes fun at Melania’s inauguration hat as he compares new presidency to Squid Games

16:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Jimmy Fallon pokes fun at Melania’s inauguration hat in Tonight Show spoof

In pictures: Trumps and Vances attend National Prayer Service

16:25 , Oliver O’Connell

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are at the National Prayer Service at Washington, D.C.’s National Cathedral, alongside their family and Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance.

Birthright citizenship: Trump sued by pregnant women and civil rights groups over ‘flagrantly illegal’ order

16:15 , Oliver O’Connell

A pregnant woman living in Massachusetts with temporary protected status is expected to give birth in March. But under the terms of Donald Trump’s executive order that unilaterally redefines the Constitution, upending federal law and decades of established Supreme Court precedent, her baby will not be a citizen.

She is the lead plaintiff in a federal lawsuit against the newly inaugurated president and members of his administration, accused of mounting a “flagrantly illegal” attempt to “strip citizenship from millions of Americans with a stroke of a pen.”

Alex Woodward has the details.

Trump sued by pregnant women over ‘flagrantly illegal’ birthright citizenship order

ICYMI: Trump dances holding huge sword

16:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Watch: Donald Trump dances on stage with giant military sword

Watch LIVE: President Trump and Vice President Vance attend national prayer service

15:55 , Oliver O’Connell

‘QAnon Shaman’ to celebrate Trump pardon by buying ‘some motha f***in guns’

15:45 , Oliver O’Connell

The spear-wielding, bare-chested Jan 6 rioter known as the “Qanon Shaman” has been pardoned by Donald Trump and says he plans to “buy some motha f***in’ guns” in order to celebrate his freedom.

James Liddell has the story.

‘QAnon Shaman’ Jacob Chansley is pardoned by Trump

Bessent treasury nomination advances out of committee

15:42 , Oliver O’Connell

The Senate Finance Committee has voted 16-11 to advance Scott Bessent’s nomination to be Donald Trump’s treasury secretary.

All the Republicans on the committee voted yes. Majority Leader John Thune, who remained a Finance member, attended today’s meeting in person to vote for Bessent. Two Democratic members — Mark Warner and Maggie Hassan — also voted yes, with the remainder opposing the nomination.

Bessent was chosen by Trump to be his treasury secretary during a flurry of cabinet announcements on a Saturday night in late November.

Trump picks Scott Bessent for treasury as he announces flurry of cabinet picks

Watch LIVE: Elise Stefanik grilled at Senate confirmation hearing to be Trump’s UN amnbassador

15:23 , Oliver O’Connell

Gen. Mark Milley’s portrait removed from Pentagon as Trump takes office

15:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Yesterday, General Mark Milley’s portrait — which was only unveiled on January 12 — was removed from a wall at the Pentagon as Donald Trump took office for his second term.

Today, the wall received a fresh coat of paint, as if the portrait had never been there…

Milley, formerly Trump’s chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was a fierce critic of the president and received a preemptive pardon from former President Joe Biden as he left office:

Biden issues pre-emptive pardons to Dr. Fauci and other Trump targets

Judge Cannon blocks lawmakers from reviewing Jack Smith report into classified documents case

15:07 , Oliver O’Connell

One day after Donald Trump’s inauguration, Judge Aileen Cannon, whom he appointed in his first term, blocks the Justice Department from allowing four members of Congress to review Volume 2 of special counsel Jack Smith’s final report into the Mar-a-Lago classified documents investigation.

Read her full ruling here.

Judge Cannon earlier allowed the release of Volume 1 of Smith’s final report, which covered Trump’s involvement in the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021.

Here’s Alex Woodward’s earlier report:

Justice Department can publish Jack Smith report on Trump’s Jan. 6 case, judge rules

Watch: Rubio’s got jokes at his swearing in ceremony

14:59 , Oliver O’Connell

Vice President JD Vance swore in Marco Rubio as secretary of state this morning, making him Donald Trump’s first Senate-confirmed cabinet member.

Giving remarks in Spanish after the ceremony, Rubio couldn’t help but make a joke…

Why is Trump changing Alaska’s Denali to ‘Mount McKinley’?

14:45 , Joe Sommerlad

Why indeed.

Here’s Io Dodds with the official explanation.

Denali: Why is Donald Trump renaming Alaska peak ‘Mount McKinley’?

Watch: GOP lawmaker says U.S. is ‘dominant predator’ in quest to acquire Greenland

14:40 , Oliver O’Connell

JD Vance swears in Marco Rubio as Trump’s secretary of state

14:35 , Oliver O’Connell

Ivanka Trump’s inauguration day outfit inspires comparisons with Handmaid’s Tale

14:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Along similar lines to the Melania mockery, Trump’s daughter’s outfit for the big day also attracted a deeply unfortunate parallel.

Ivanka Trump’s inauguration day outfit earns comparisons to Handmaid’s Tale wives

Watch: Trump to make ‘massive’ infrastructure announcement this afternoon

14:19 , Oliver O’Connell

Karoline Leavitt, the new White House press secretary, spoke to Fox & Friends Tuesday morning and said President Donald Trump will make a “massive” infrastructure announcement at 4 p.m. when he speaks with the press.

Trump meeting with Republican congressional leadership on Tuesday

14:15 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s what the president is up to today:

Watch: Donald Trump issues warning to Vladimir Putin on first day in office

14:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Musk responds to ‘Nazi salute’ controversy

13:45 , Joe Sommerlad

This is how the tech boss responded to the outcry over his iffy gesture, replying to a commenter on his social media platform on X by saying:

“Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.”

Meanwhile, here’s James Liddell on whether or not he’ll be granted an office in the West Wing to carry out his DOGE activities.

Will Elon Musk have an office in the West Wing?

Melania Trump’s inauguration hat spawns hilarious memes: ‘She looks like the Hamburglar’

13:30 , Joe Sommerlad

The first lady’s broad-brimmed hat inevitably inspired plenty of ridicule on social media yesterday.

Here’s Kayleigh Werner with the best of the reaction.

Melania Trump’s inauguration hat spawns hilarious memes online

Watch: Jon Stewart offers generous interpretation of Elon Musk’s inauguration ‘Nazi salute’

13:15 , Joe Sommerlad

Jon Stewart gives his generous opinion Elon Musk’s ‘Nazi salute’

Billy Ray Cyrus gives ‘disaster’ performance at Trump’s Liberty Ball

13:00 , Joe Sommerlad

It was by no means smooth sailing for everyone yesterday, with the 63-year-old country star suffering a set described as an “epic disaster” riddled with technical glitches.

Amber Raiken reports.

Billy Ray Cyrus gives ‘epic disaster’ of a performance at Trump’s Liberty Ball

Marco Rubio confirmed by Senate as Trump’s secretary of state

12:45 , Joe Sommerlad

The former Florida Republican Senator became the first of the president’s cabinet picks to be given the greenlit by the upper chamber of Congress yesterday.

Io Dodds has the story.

Marco Rubio confirmed by Senate as Trump’s secretary of state

Truth Social: Trump announces purge of Biden administration personnel

12:30 , Joe Sommerlad

As you might imagine, the president had little time for social media yesterday but did put up a couple of choice videos of himself signing off on executive orders.

He did announce this firing of Biden personnel late on, however.

Chef Jose Andres has already responded to Trump in mocking fashion, revealing that he submitted his resignation last week:

Here’s more from Holly Evans.

José Andrés, Linda Fagan, among those culled in Trump’s purge of Biden’s White House

Trump orders hiring freeze and end to remote work for federal employees

12:15 , Joe Sommerlad

“Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis,” Trump’s order states.

But department and agency heads will be allowed to “make exemptions they deem necessary,” it adds, seemingly defeating the point.

Mary Papenfuss has this on the president’s first moves to rein in the federal government.

Trump orders hiring freeze, end to remote work for federal employees

Trump seeks to designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations

12:00 , Joe Sommerlad

The president’s move to designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations in a move that could push a militarized agenda for the border and Latin America.

The order highlighted Mexican drug cartels and other Latin American criminal groups like Venezuela gang Tren de Aragua and Salvadoran gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), which it said “threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere.”

Donald Trump warned over plan to designate drug cartels as terrorists

Trump signs order delaying TikTok ban for 75 days

11:45 , Joe Sommerlad

It’s easy to forget now that the president initially called for a ban on TikTok during his first term in 2020.

He told reporters at the White House on Monday that he had changed his mind as he “got to use” the platform, adding that he aimed to give its parent company ByteDance more time to find a suitable American buyer.

Dismissing initial privacy concerns, he said: “TikTok is largely about kids, young kids.

“If China is going to get information about young kids out of it, to be honest, I think we have bigger problems than that.”

Trump’s revisionist attitude comes after he credited the platform with helping him to secure the support of younger voters in last year’s election, which it may or may not have actually done.

Vishwam Sankaran reports.

Trump signs order delaying TikTok ban for 75 days

Trump pledges to overturn Biden’s progress on climate change

11:30 , Joe Sommerlad

The newly sworn-in president vowed yesterday to overturn climate-focused policy, promising once again to “drill, baby, drill” for the “liquid gold” largely responsible for the world’s life-threatening warming.

“Today I will sign a series of historic executive orders. With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense,” he told his inauguration attendees.

Included in his calls for a return to “common sense”, Trump declared a national energy emergency, tying energy costs to inflation.

He said that America would be a manufacturing nation, stating that the country has the “largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth.”

“And, we are going to use it,” he said, adding that the US would fill strategic reserves up “right to the top.”

“We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it,” he declared.

Here’s more from our climate correspondent Julia Musto.

Trump pledged to overturn Biden’s progress on climate change. What will that mean?

‘Enormous mistake’: Experts condemn Trump’s decision to withdraw from World Health Organization

11:15 , Joe Sommerlad

“World Health ripped us off,” Trump said in the Oval Office as he signed his order initiating a US withdrawl from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations global health body that monitors pandemics and supports vaccinations efforts around the world.

Monday’s action starts a one-year countdown clock until the final exit, as WHO members are required to give one year’s notice and fulfill existing funding obligations before leaving the group.

Here’s Josh Marcus on the aghast reaction of healthcare professionals.

Health experts condemn Trump decision to withdraw U.S. from World Health Organization

Trump ‘gender ideology’ orders seek to deny existence of trans people and end DEI

11:00 , Joe Sommerlad

During his address yesterday, Trump claimed his administration would “end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life.”

The White House has described the orders as part of its immediate priorities to “protect women from radical gender ideology” and “bring back American values.”

One of the planned orders deals with gender, holding that there are two immutable sexes, male and female, defined by whether an individual is born with eggs or sperm, officials told the Associated Press.

This definition is at odds both with the lived experience of the estimated nearly 2 million people who are trans in America, as well as the determinations of expert groups like the American Medical Association, which holds that gender identity exists along a spectrum, rather than an immutable male-female binary.

Josh Marcus has more.

Trump executive orders seek to deny existence of trans people and end DEI

Trump pardons more than 1,500 Capitol rioters

10:45 , Joe Sommerlad

Trump signed full pardons for roughly 1,500 people charged with crimes related to their involvement in the January 6 2021 Capitol riots yesterday.

He also issued six commutations.

“I hope they come out tonight,” he said as he flourished his customary Sharpie.

Some 1,583 individuals have been charged criminally in federal court as of January 6 2025, according to the Department of Justice.

Here’s Alex Woodward’s report on the overturning of Tarrio’s 22-year prison sentence for seditious conspiracy.

Imprisoned Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio to be released following Trump pardon

Trump returns with boast of golden age for America built on oil and tariffs

10:30 , Joe Sommerlad

In his inaugural address yesterday, Donald Trump boasted his second term in office marks the beginning of “a golden age” for the United States and declared that God had saved him from an assassin’s bullet “to make America great again”.

In a characteristically bombastic speech from the Capitol in Washington DC, the 47th President of the United States laid out a radical right-wing domestic and foreign agenda.

Surrounded by members of Congress, former presidents and Supreme Court justices, he pledged: “Every single day… I will very simply put America first.”

Here’s a full report on an often shocking speech from David Maddox.

Donald Trump returns with boast of golden age for America built on oil and tariffs

Recap: Trump seals extraordinary comeback with return to the White House as supporters celebrate

10:15 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s a handy video reminder of yesterday’s pomp and ceremony from Washington DC in what was truly a whirlwind day.

Here’s Richard Hall to attempt to make sense of it all.

The last time this many red MAGA hats descended on the capital, American democracy faced a mortal threat, he observes.

Four years later, and many believe the same may be true again.

Confusion, revenge and Proud Boys on the march: Inside the weirdest Inauguration ever

Watch: Donald and Melania Trump share first dance at inauguration ball

10:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Before we take a closer look at the new president’s blitz of executive ordes, let’s recap the events of last night, beginning with the first couple’s dance to Elvis Presley’s “An American Trilogy” at the Commander-In-Chief Inaugural Ball.

Here’s Amber Raiken on the praise for Melania’s custom Herve Pierre dress and the night’s sartorial choices.

Melania’s ‘gorgeous’ dress praised as she shares first dance with Trump at ball

What we know about Trump’s day one executive orders

09:40 , Joe Sommerlad

After being inaugrated as commander-in-chief at the US Capitol rotunda and delivering an address that both chastized Joe Biden’s outgoing administration and promised a new “golden age of America”, Trump set to work, as he had promised, on signing a stack of executive orders.

On immigration alone, the commander-in-chief moved to declare a national emergency at the southern border, end birthright citizenship, designate Mexico’s cartels terrorist organizations, reinstate his old “Remain in Mexico” policy and ended “catch and release” practices.

He also pardoned 1,500 “J6 hostages”, withdrew the US from the World Health Organization and Paris climate accord, affirmed that US government recognizes only two genders, renamed the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Mount Denali, overturned 78 Biden-era regulations, froze federal hiring and postponed the implementation of a law banning Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok for 75 days.

Here’s Alex Woodward, Andrew Feinberg, Kelly Rissman and Katie Hawkinson with an overview of everything Trump signed yesterday.

Trump’s day one executive orders take aim at immigration, trans rights and oil

Donald Trump rolls out death penalty laws amid initial deluge of executive orders

09:20 , Joe Sommerlad

Good morning!

Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order on the death penalty on Monday, hours after being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, that directs the US attorney general to “take all necessary and lawful action” to ensure that states have enough lethal injection drugs to carry out executions.

Trump’s order compels the Justice Department to not only seek the death penalty in appropriate federal cases but also to help preserve capital punishment in states that have struggled to maintain adequate supplies of lethal injection drugs.

Trump had been expected to restart federal executions, which have been on hold since a moratorium was imposed by former attorney general Merrick Garland in 2021.

Only three defendants remain on federal death row after Democratic President Joe Biden recently converted 37 of their sentences to life in prison.

Trump directed his new attorney general – likely to be former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi, assuming she is confirmed by the Senate – to pursue federal jurisdiction and seek the death penalty “regardless of other factors” when the case involves the killing of a law enforcement officer or capital crimes “committed by an alien illegally present in this country.”

He’s also instructing the attorney general to seek to overrule Supreme Court precedents that “limit the authority of State and Federal governments to impose capital punishment.”

“The government’s most solemn responsibility is to protect its citizens from abhorrent acts, and my administration will not tolerate efforts to stymie and eviscerate the laws that authorize capital punishment against those who commit horrible acts of violence against American citizens,” Trump’s order said.

Trump’s administration carried out 13 federal executions during his first term, more than under any president in modern history, and the president has spoken frequently of expanding executions. In a speech announcing his 2024 campaign, Trump called for those “caught selling drugs to receive the death penalty for their heinous acts.”

He later promised to execute drug and human smugglers and even praised China’s harsher treatment of drug peddlers.

In photos: The Commander-in-Chief Ball

09:00 , Kelly Rissman

Elon Musk accused of giving ‘Nazi salute’ at Trump inauguration celebration

08:00 , Kelly Rissman

Tesla CEO and “first buddy” Elon Musk was hit with a wave of immediate outrage online and on cable news after he made a salute that many felt was fascist during his speech at the Capitol One Arena on Monday to celebrate President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

While getting extremely excited about the prospect of landing a man on Mars and planting an American flag, the X (formelyTwitter) owner pounded his chest and shot his right arm in an angular motion toward the sky, saying he felt it in his “heart.” He also turned his back to the audience and repeated the gesture towards the American flag hanging over the stage.

“Standing ovation for Elon Musk. By far the biggest reception of the day,” CNN anchor Erin Burnett noted. “You saw him come out with that odd-looking salute.”

Justin Baragona has the story.

Elon Musk accused of giving ‘Nazi salute’ at Trump inauguration celebration

A list of Trump’s inauguration promises that he can (and can’t) keep

07:00 , Kelly Rissman

Welcome to the second Donald Trump era in Washington, although in practice, the first never really ended.

A majority of Republicans in the House Representatives voted to overturn the 2020 election results. Much of the party referred to him as “President Trump,” even after he left D.C.

Now back as president, Trump delivered a dark and heavily partisan inaugural address Monday. He used it to rehash plenty of his old scores, from arguing that he had been politically persecuted to promising that “the violent and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end.”

Eric Garcia has the story.

A list of Trump’s inauguration promises that he can (and can’t) keep