Trump demands that Hamas release all hostages by Saturday

Trump boosts his 2018 steel and aluminum tariffs to 25%

President Trump is boosting steel and aluminum tariffs. The president removed the exceptions and exemptions from his 2018 tariffs on steel, meaning that all steel imports will be taxed at a minimum of 25%. He also increased his 2018 aluminum tariffs. Canada is the largest source of steel imports and criticized the move as destabilizing for the global economy.

Trump: Palestinians would not return to redeveloped Gaza

Trump fires top ethics officer and whistleblower protector

President Trump has fired two officials in government watchdog positions. The president dismissed the federal government’s top ethics official as well as the leader of the agency dedicated to protecting whistleblowers. These are the latest moves in the administration’s government overhaul. The president has been pushing out civil service employees and replacing them with political appointees. Hampton Dellinger, who led the Office of Special Counsel, filed a lawsuit on Monday claiming he was illegally removed from his job.

A 3rd federal judge blocks Trump’s birthright citizenship order

Christian relief groups hurt by Trump’s USAID slashing

Christian relief groups are feeling the pain of President Trump’s dismantling of the U-S Agency of International Development. The Trump administration’s gutting of USAID is directly affecting the work and ministry of many faith-based organizations, including Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, World Relief, and Catholic Relief Services. As Christianity Today reports, most of USAID’s budget goes to grants for projects, including local Christian health clinics and orphan care. On its website, World Relief says the federal funding cuts are putting its refugee outreach and lifesaving programs at risk.

Trump to announce reciprocal tariffs this week

President Trump plans to announce new tariffs this week. During his campaign, Donald Trump pledged to match tariffs with trading partners who impose tariffs on American exports. And this week, he said he’d be unveiling details on reciprocal trade. The president believes “that’s the only fair way to do it.”

Trump wants to fire FBI agents who worked Jan. 6 cases

President Trump says he will fire some FBI agents who worked on January 6th U-S Capitol riot cases. As the Justice Department reviews how the agency handled investigations into the January 6 attack on the Capitol, the president is vowing that some FBI agents will be fired — “quickly and very surgically.” Critics fear the president is carrying out a purge of FBI and Justice Department officials who not only played roles in the January 6 prosecutions, but in criminal cases against Donald Trump.

Government agencies told to make lists of underperforming workers

The Trump administration is trying to identify underperforming workers in the federal government. All federal departments and agencies have been ordered to provide lists of employees who are underperforming, as the administration seeks to shrink the workforce. Agencies have one month to submit names of every employee who has received less than a “fully successful” performance rating in the past three years. The memo also emphasized that the agencies report any obstacles to making sure they have “the ability to swiftly terminate poor performing employees who cannot or will not improve.”

Trump announces several religion-related actions

President Trump announced several religion-related actions in recent days. During an appearance at last week’s National Prayer Breakfast, the president announced he was creating a Commission on Religious Freedom. Later that day, he signed an executive order aimed at stopping “anti-Christian bias” in the federal government. And on Friday, the president established a White House Faith Office. He also raised some eyebrows at the prayer breakfast when he said his Democratic opponents “oppose religion” and “oppose God.”

Musk’s DOGE effort to expand to Pentagon

President Trump is defending the work of Elon Musk’s government efficiency office. When it comes to slashing government jobs and agencies, Trump supporters are thrilled while critics are up in arms. The president says he’s pleased with Musk’s efforts so far and there’s more to come. Musk’s team has gained access to internal databases, some of which include private financial information on Americans. That access by political appointees has stirred privacy concerns.

Super Bowl security extra tight with Trump attending

Security at the Super Bowl will be extra tight with President Trump being there. Donald Trump will be at the Superdome in New Orleans to watch the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles — making him the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl in person. The Secret Service says “security measures have been further enhanced this year.” Ahead of the game, the president wouldn’t predict a winner, but he made an apparent reference to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Trump looks to slash trade deficit with Japan

President Trump discussed trade and other issues with Japan’s visiting prime minister.  After his first meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba, the president said he wants to slash the U.S. trade deficit with Japan. Tariffs are a possibility, but he expects an easy resolution. At a press conference, Ishiba said Trump looks “frightening” on TV. But after holding face-to-face talks, he found the president to be “sincere.”

Trump says Nippon Steel will invest in U.S. Steel, not buy it

President Trump says U.S. Steel will not be sold to a Japanese company. Standing alongside Japan’s prime minister, the president said Nippon Steel would no longer buy U.S. Steel as planned. He said Nippon would make an investment instead of a purchase. No details of the investment were provided. Both President Trump and President Biden opposed the purchase of U.S. Steel by a foreign company and vowed to block any merger.

After Trump executive order, NCAA reverses transgender policy

Trump creates “anti-Christian bias” task force

President Trump has created a task force aimed at stopping “anti-Christian bias” in the United States.
Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast, the president announced the task force, which will be led by Attorney General Pam Bondi. He faulted the Biden administration for engaging in an “egregious pattern of targeting peaceful Christians, while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses.” The president said his administration will not tolerate such conduct.

Judge blocks Trump’s buyout plan for federal workers

A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Trump’s buyout plan for federal employees. Federal workers had until Thursday midnight to accept the administration’s offer to resign with pay through the end of September. But a judge in Massachusetts put the plan on hold and has scheduled a hearing for Monday. Several labor unions sued over the “deferred resignation” plans, which were orchestrated by Trump adviser Elon Musk, who’s spearheading efforts to downsize and reshape the federal workforce.

At National Prayer Breakfast, Trump says “bring God back into our lives”

At the 73rd annual National Prayer Breakfast, President Trump called on Americans to “bring God back” into their lives. The president spoke at two prayer breakfast events — one hosted by a private group and one at the U-S Capitol. He said “we have to bring religion back.” Trump also reflected on last summer’s assassination attempt, saying he “believed in God, but I feel much more strongly about it. Something happened.” The president announced the creation of a Religious Liberty commission, a Justice Department task force aimed at eradicating anti-Christian bias” inside the federal government, and a White House faith-based office.

With new order, Trump declares “war on women’s sports is over”

President Trump has taken action to prevent transgender athletes from participating in girls’ or women’s sports. Surrounded by women and girl athletes at a signing ceremony, the president delivered on one of his campaign’s key promises. He said boys and men can no longer compete in girls’ and women’s events and that any violations will lead to a loss in federal funding. The president decried transgender ideology as “lunacy” and said his actions were restoring “common sense.”

Second judge puts hold on Trump’s birthright citizenship order

White House: U.S. won’t pay for rebuilding of Gaza

The White House is defending President Trump’s plan to take over Gaza and rebuild it. A day after the president revealed his breathtaking vow to “own” Gaza, press secretary Karoline Leavitt provided some clarifying details, saying Trump has not committed to sending U.S. troops or dollars. Leavitt, however, contradicted her boss. The president said residents of the Gaza Strip could be permanently relocated elsewhere, but she told reporters that Palestinians would be removed “temporarily.”

Trump says U.S. will “own” Gaza and redevelop the land

President Trump envisions the removal of Palestinians from Gaza and the United States owning the land. In a remarkable declaration, the president said the U-S should take ownership of the Palestinians’ homeland. He claimed there’s broad support for the redevelopment plan. The president offered no specifics on where Palestinians would be “permanently” resettled and he refused to rule deploying U-S troops to secure.

Netanyahu heaps praise on Trump during White House visit

Trump suggests Gazans be “permanently” resettled elsewhere

President Trump says Palestinians from Gaza should “permanently” resettle somewhere else. Sitting with Israel’s prime minister in the Oval Office, the president said the Israel-Hamas war has laid waste to Gaza. And he proposed permanently moving Gazans to a new location. The president has suggested that Palestinians could be relocated to neighboring Egypt and Jordan, but those countries have rejected the idea.