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Category: Politics
February 11, 2025
Breaking
Politics

BREAKING: Trump Signs Executive Order Implementing Major Federal Workforce Reduction.

President Donald J. Trump issued a new executive order on Tuesday, instructing federal agencies to collaborate with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to reduce staff levels and restrict hiring. The directive—which outlines a “workforce optimization initiative” led by DOGE’s Elon Musk—aims to significantly reduce the size of the federal government.

According to a Trump White House fact sheet, the directive tasks agency heads with working alongside DOGE to decrease federal workforce numbers and limit hires to roles deemed “essential.” Additionally, the order includes provisions for agencies to craft plans for “large-scale reductions in force” while evaluating non-essential functions not mandated by law.

The fact sheet notes that with specific exceptions—such as law enforcement, national security, public safety, and immigration enforcement—the hiring policy would permit only one new hire for every four employees who leave.

This initiative marks a continuation of policies following the conclusion of Trump’s initial hiring freeze implemented on his first day in office. The expectation set by the order is to impose substantial constraints on workforce numbers throughout various federal agencies, which aligns with Trump’s long-standing goal of streamlining government operations.

Meanwhile, President Trump’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) continues to push forward with a buyout offer for career government workers. As of Monday, it is believed that over 65,000 federal employees had accepted a buyout despite a federal judge pausing last week’s acceptance deadline while the policy is being litigated in federal court.

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President Donald J. Trump issued a new executive order on Tuesday, instructing federal agencies to collaborate with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to reduce staff levels and restrict hiring. The directive—which outlines a "workforce optimization initiative" led by DOGE's Elon Musk—aims to significantly reduce the size of the federal government. show more
February 11, 2025
News
Politics

Showdown: FEMA Official Orders Grant Funding Freeze Despite Court Ruling.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is freezing funding for several programs despite a federal judge telling President Donald J. Trump’s administration not to. On Monday, Stacey Street, the director of FEMA’s Office of Grant Administration, issued a directive halting funding for multiple grant programs.

The directive calls for freezing all open awards from fiscal years 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. The action allegedly violates a court order by U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell, who claims that federal grants are being blocked contrary to his earlier restraint.

Amid these events, four FEMA officials have been dismissed. Tricia McLaughlin, spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), attributed the dismissals to unauthorized financial decisions linked to New York grants. She indicated these payments were for luxurious accommodations for migrants in hotels, contravening one of President Trump’s executive orders.

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk criticized FEMA via social media, alleging misuse of funds in temporary housing programs for migrants. He reported that $59 million had been improperly allocated for high-end hotel rooms for migrants, which should have supported American disaster relief efforts.

Under the former Biden-Harris regime, FEMA spent around a billion dollars on housing migrants. This led to the agency demanding extra funds for “disaster relief” last year.

Image by Bill Koplitz.

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is freezing funding for several programs despite a federal judge telling President Donald J. Trump's administration not to. On Monday, Stacey Street, the director of FEMA’s Office of Grant Administration, issued a directive halting funding for multiple grant programs. show more
February 11, 2025
William Upton
Health
Politics

Science Confirms: Trump Makes Dems Feel Defeated and Is Driving Them Nuts.

President Donald J. Trump‘s fast and furious actions during his first weeks in office are leaving many of his political opponents—especially those in the Democratic Party—feeling frazzled, stressed, and even depressed. According to medical professionals in the Washington, D.C. area, the energetic implementation of Trump’s agenda appears to have sparked an influx of individuals identifying as Democrats seeking therapy and psychology services.

“There is an element of chaos right now, a sense of not knowing what’s coming and not being able to control what’s coming is really hard on the stress response,” says Dr. Andrea Bonior, a Georgetown University psychology professor who also maintains a patient practice in the capital region. She adds: “As humans, we don’t love uncertainty. It’s something that we don’t tend to tolerate well. And then when we’re anxious, it’s excruciating.”

Dr. Sanam Hafeez—a New York neuropsychologist—agrees, stating in a recent interview: “I think we can take so much of something before the human brain just like peters out and says, ‘I can’t keep up.'”

“It feels, no matter which way you go, you’re like, ‘Oh, my God, I’m being ruled by a very different system that I thought I was living in,'” Dr. Hafeez added.

Medicinal research suggests political stress can have real-world impacts on an individual’s health. A 2020 study by UC Irvine found election stress directly contributed to a 10 percent increase in adverse health outcomes, including instances of cancer, stroke, and heart disease.

President Trump is currently enjoying the highest approval ratings among Americans since he first took office in 2017. Even so, among Democrats, Trump continues to see high negative ratings—though the intensity of Democratic resistance to his second term is observably more muted than it was during his first four years in office.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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President Donald J. Trump's fast and furious actions during his first weeks in office are leaving many of his political opponents—especially those in the Democratic Party—feeling frazzled, stressed, and even depressed. According to medical professionals in the Washington, D.C. area, the energetic implementation of Trump's agenda appears to have sparked an influx of individuals identifying as Democrats seeking therapy and psychology services. show more
February 11, 2025
William Upton
Lawfare
Politics

GOP Congressman Moves to Impeach Judge Blocking DOGE Access to Govt Payment System.

Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) is poised to introduce articles of impeachment against U.S. District Court Judge Paul Engelmayer over the latter’s order blocking the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and—arguably—Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent from accessing the Treasury Department’s federal payments system. The order, issued this past Saturday, has been the target of intense criticism from some in the legal community who argue it is a gross breach of the separation of powers, with the judicial branch interfering in actions purely under the purview of the executive.

“I’m drafting articles of impeachment for U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer. Partisan judges abusing their positions is a threat to democracy,” Rep. Crane announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter). The Arizona Republican added: “The left has done ‘irreparable harm’ to this country. President Trump and his team at [DOGE] are trying to fix it.”

“This is obviously judicial overreach. Judge Engelmayer is attempting to stop White House employees from accessing the very systems they oversee,” Rep. Crane continued, concluding: “Where in the constitution does it say a President and his team cannot root out obvious waste, fraud and abuse?”

The Arizona Congressman is not alone in his opinion that Judge Engelmayer’s order, enjoining DOGE employees and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent from accessing the payment system, is judicial overreach. Professor Adrian Vermeule—the Ralph S. Tyler, Jr. Professor of Constitutional Law at Harvard Law School—wrote in a post on X, reacting to the ruling: “Judicial interference with legitimate acts of state, especially the internal functioning of a co-equal branch, is a violation of the separation of powers.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) is poised to introduce articles of impeachment against U.S. District Court Judge Paul Engelmayer over the latter's order blocking the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and—arguably—Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent from accessing the Treasury Department's federal payments system. The order, issued this past Saturday, has been the target of intense criticism from some in the legal community who argue it is a gross breach of the separation of powers, with the judicial branch interfering in actions purely under the purview of the executive. show more
February 11, 2025
Data
Politics

Trump’s Approval Rating Hits All-Time High in New Poll.

President Donald J. Trump‘s approval rating has now hit a historic high in polling by the Pew Research Center, reflecting other surveys showing similar peak results. The Pew Research data has Trump’s approval currently sitting at 47 percent, higher than at any point during his first term in office from 2017 until 2021.

Notably, 28 percent of adults surveyed say President Trump is exceeding their expectations. Meanwhile, 36 percent say the America First leader is doing about as well as they thought he would. Conversely, 35 percent of respondents say Trump is doing worse than they expected.

Views on how Trump will impact the federal government’s functions are statistically evenly split, with 41 percent saying he will make things function better and 42 percent saying they will function worse. Trump enjoys strong approval among Republicans, with 76 percent saying Trump will improve federal government operations. Among Democrats, 78 percent say he will make federal government operations worse.

Including those who lean Republican, 67 percent say they support some or all of Trumop’s policies so far. Among those who lean Democrat, 84 percent say they don’t support some or all of Trump’s actions.

The first three weeks of Trump’s second term in the White House have seen a fast and furious push to implement his presidential agenda. President Trump has signed a bevy of executive orders that have closed the U.S. border with Mexico, authorized a major crackdown on illegal immigration, the mass deportation of illegal immigrants, the imposition of tariffs on foreign goods like steel and aluminum, and the abolition of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in the federal government and among federal contractors.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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President Donald J. Trump's approval rating has now hit a historic high in polling by the Pew Research Center, reflecting other surveys showing similar peak results. The Pew Research data has Trump's approval currently sitting at 47 percent, higher than at any point during his first term in office from 2017 until 2021. show more
February 11, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Politics
World

European President in Country Where Courts Canceled Elections Quits After Populists Move to Impeach Him.

The president of a European Union (EU) country that saw its top court overturn the last presidential election has decided to resign rather than face impeachment led by populist parties. Romania‘s President Klaus Iohannis announced his resignation on Monday, February 10, stating that he wished to avoid a crisis.

Last month, three populist and conservative opposition parties filed a motion to impeach Iohannis. The Romanian parliament was set to vote on the issue, and there is speculation that other parties may support the motion and grant it a majority vote due to Iohannis’s unpopularity.

Senate speaker Ilie Bolojan, leader of the Romanian Liberal Party, will serve as interim president until the presidential election is rerun in May.

The resignation and threats of impeachment come after the Romanian Constitutional Court annulled last year’s presidential election, which saw populist Călin Georgescu, a critic of NATO, advance toward a second-round victory. Romanian intelligence claimed that Georgescu had benefitted from an influence campaign on the social media platform TikTok, leaving speculation that the campaign may have been linked to Russia.

Romania’s new presidential elections will be held on May 4 and May 18, and polling shows Georgescu leading with 37 percent of the votes in the first round—far ahead of the 22.94 percent he won in the first round of the annulled election.

Image by European Union 2018 – European Parliament.

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The president of a European Union (EU) country that saw its top court overturn the last presidential election has decided to resign rather than face impeachment led by populist parties. Romania's President Klaus Iohannis announced his resignation on Monday, February 10, stating that he wished to avoid a crisis. show more
February 11, 2025
Raheem J. Kassam
Politics

VP Vance Bangs Drum for Bias-Free, Uncensored American AI Surge.

PARIS, France—Vice President JD Vance, speaking at a major Artificial Intelligence (AI) summit in the French capital, has urged European leaders to oppose heavy-handed regulations, warning that restrictive policies would “not only unfairly benefit incumbents in the space, it would mean paralyzing one of the most promising technologies we have seen in generations.”

Addressing the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit, Vance pressed for an approach that prioritizes innovation over bureaucracy, taking particular aim at the EU’s Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act, calling them “onerous international rules” that have hampered progress and imposed unnecessary obstacles on American firms.

His comments come amid growing concerns from European AI companies, many of whom argue that Brussels’ regulatory stance is stifling the industry, with the speech (below) focusing on maintaining America’s world leadership in the industry, red-tape, opposition to political bias and censorship, and how AI can help ordinary American workers.

“I like to see that deregulatory flavor making its way into a lot of conversations,” he said. French President Emmanuel Macron has positioned the summit as a moment to focus on AI’s opportunities rather than on regulatory issues.

The Vice President also sounded the alarm on China’s AI ambitions, warning of “hostile foreign adversaries” using artificial intelligence to manipulate narratives and suppress dissent.

“From CCTV to 5G equipment, we’re all familiar with cheap tech in the marketplace that’s been heavily subsidized and exported by authoritarian regimes,” Vance said. “Should a deal seem too good to be true, just remember the old adage that we learned in Silicon Valley—if you aren’t paying for the product, you are the product.”

WATCH: 

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PARIS, France—Vice President JD Vance, speaking at a major Artificial Intelligence (AI) summit in the French capital, has urged European leaders to oppose heavy-handed regulations, warning that restrictive policies would “not only unfairly benefit incumbents in the space, it would mean paralyzing one of the most promising technologies we have seen in generations.” show more
February 10, 2025
Politics
World

Greenland’s Mineral Riches Will Elude EU Without U.S. Influence.

President Donald J. Trump’s push for the United States to purchase Greenland will likely have the added benefit of forcing the Arctic island’s socialist government to relax its resistance to American and European mineral exploration. Beneath the island’s icy surface lies an array of valuable rare earth minerals considered essential for artificial intelligence (AI), next-generation technology, and renewable energy projects.

Trump’s recent overtures regarding an American purchase of Greenland have sparked renewed discussions about mineral exploitation rights, especially the entrance of U.S.-based mining and extraction firms. Meanwhile, the American leader continues to assert his interest in Denmark transferring control of the island to the United States—an action Trump has floated since his first term in office.

Despite being a dominion of Denmark, Greenland maintains authority over its mineral resources. Since 2009, when the island obtained self-rule, its government has managed everything beneath its surface, once actively issuing permits to foster a mining industry and diversify its economy, which currently leans on fishing, tourism, and construction. At the time, a Memorandum of Understanding, signed with the first Trump administration, opened Greenland to U.S. investment opportunities.

However, mining activity has recently been scarce—with only one U.S. firm currently operating on the Arctic island. This is partly due to Greenland’s current socialist government being hostile to mining operations, with Premier Múte B. Egede halting many projects, notably uranium mining. Additionally, the harsh Arctic environment is challenging for even the most well-funded minting outfits, and the operation of a new mine involves extensive infrastructure development, which can take up to 16 years, adding significant risk for investors.

Despite the obstacles, the United States is best positioned to provide the investment capital to access Greenland’s extensive mineral wealth. Additionally, a large American presence would benefit Europe, allowing their mining firms to piggyback on the work of U.S. companies.

Image by NordForsk/Terje Heiestad.

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President Donald J. Trump's push for the United States to purchase Greenland will likely have the added benefit of forcing the Arctic island's socialist government to relax its resistance to American and European mineral exploration. Beneath the island's icy surface lies an array of valuable rare earth minerals considered essential for artificial intelligence (AI), next-generation technology, and renewable energy projects. show more
February 10, 2025
William Upton
Immigration
Politics

DHS Says FEMA Workers Who Violate Trump Order Suspending Migrant Hotel Funding Will Be Fired.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it will fire the individual—or individuals—responsible for paying $59 million to New York City for illegal immigrant housing in contravention of an executive order issued by President Donald J. Trump. According to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which revealed the illegal payments on Monday, one of the hotels receiving the FEMA money is the Roosevelt Hotel, which the Pakistani government owns through the state-run Pakistani Airlines.

“Individuals who circumvented leadership and unilaterally made this payment will be fired and held accountable,” DHS spokesman Tricia McLaughlin said, responding to the revelations posted on X (formerly Twitter) by DOGE chief Elon Musk.

The money given by FEMA is just a small percentage of the overall cash spent to house migrants in luxury New York City hotels. According to reports last July, hotel bosses in the city have amassed over a billion dollars by converting their properties into migrant shelters.

In total, New York City has spent over $4.8 billion on the illegal migrant influx, with just under $2 billion spent on housing.

DOGE, under Musk’s direction, has spearheaded an effort to identify and cut $2 trillion from the $7 trillion federal budget. So far, the agency’s work has resulted in an order placing nearly all USAID staff on leave and a buyout offer, authorized by President Trump, to all federal workers granting several months of paid leave in exchange for their voluntary resignation.

Image by Bill Koplitz.

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it will fire the individual—or individuals—responsible for paying $59 million to New York City for illegal immigrant housing in contravention of an executive order issued by President Donald J. Trump. According to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which revealed the illegal payments on Monday, one of the hotels receiving the FEMA money is the Roosevelt Hotel, which the Pakistani government owns through the state-run Pakistani Airlines. show more
February 10, 2025
William Upton
Politics

Trump Admin Ends Bizarre $2.3 MILLION Virtual Reality DEI Training Program for Soldiers.

President Donald J. Trump‘s administration is canceling a $2.3 million contract to provide virtual reality (VR) diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training for members of the U.S. military. The program allegedly uses a VR avatar, with a “trained individual” behind it, to simulate difficult conversations and differences of opinion military personnel might encounter—ostensibly to teach de-escalation strategies.

“It is an opportunity to have a difficult conversation when it comes to DEIA [DEI]. There is an avatar, and behind that avatar, there is a trained individual who is going to have a conversation, and he or she will be able to either elevate the difficulty of the conversation or back down and understand,” Hugo Escobar—a Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator for the U.S. Space Force—explains in a video. He continues: “The time that we’re living in, is we have conversations that are difficult, specifically dealing with people or differences of opinions.”

Identified by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as government waste, the $2.3 million contract was ended pursuant to an executive order signed by President Trump last month barring DEI programs for federal employees and contractors. The order instructs “all executive departments and agencies… to terminate all discriminatory and illegal preferences, mandates, policies, programs, activities, guidance, regulations, enforcement actions, consent orders, and requirements.”

In addition, Trump’s order calls for a review and overhaul of federal contracting processes to block companies from implementing diversity quotas, affirmative action mandates, and other DEI-style policies, stating: “[T]he employment, procurement, and contracting practices of Federal contractors and subcontractors shall not consider race, color, sex, sexual preference, religion, or national origin in ways that violate the Nation’s civil rights laws,” and every contract or grant award shall include a term requiring the recipient “to certify that it does not operate any programs promoting DEI that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws.”

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President Donald J. Trump's administration is canceling a $2.3 million contract to provide virtual reality (VR) diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training for members of the U.S. military. The program allegedly uses a VR avatar, with a "trained individual" behind it, to simulate difficult conversations and differences of opinion military personnel might encounter—ostensibly to teach de-escalation strategies. show more