Page 70 - Donald Trump Administration

Associated Press sues three White House officials, seeks to restore access

In a suit filed in Washington federal court, the AP asked for an emergency hearing and a court order that would declare the prohibition unconstitutional and allow its journalists to regain access

Trump directs CFIUS to restrict Chinese investments in strategic US sectors

Trump asked to use "all necessary legal instruments" to bar Chinese affiliates from investing in US technology, critical infrastructure, health care, agriculture, energy, raw materials

New FBI director Kash Patel to relocate 1,500 employees to field offices

New FBI Director Kash Patel has told senior officials that he plans to relocate 1,000 employees at FBI headquarters to field offices around the country and move an additional 500 to a bureau facility in Huntsville, Alabama, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions. The plans were communicated Friday, the same day Patel was sworn in at the White House. They reflect his long-stated determination to reduce the FBI's footprint in Washington and have more of a presence in offices in other cities. The person who discussed Patel's vision did so on condition of anonymity to describe plans that have not been made public. At his swearing-in ceremony, Patel called the opportunity to lead the nation's premier federal law enforcement agency the "greatest honour" of his life. Patel was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday by a 51-49 margin, with two Republican lawmakers, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, breaking party ranks and voting against him. "I think he'l

Kash Patel sworn in at WH as new FBI director, calls it 'greatest honour'

Kash Patel was sworn in as the FBI director and he called the opportunity to lead the nation's premier federal law enforcement agency the "greatest honour" of his life. Patel was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday by a 51-49 margin, with two Republican lawmakers, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, breaking party ranks and voting against him. "I think he'll go down as the best ever at that position," President Donald Trump told reporters Friday ahead of the White House swearing-in on Friday, which was conducted by Attorney General Pam Bondi and attended by Republican supporters in Congress, including Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. Trump added that the "agents love this guy". Patel will inherit an FBI gripped by turmoil as the Justice Department over the past month has forced out a group of senior bureau officials and made a highly unusual demand for the names of thousands of agents who participated in investigations related to the January 6, .

Here's how Trump govt's mass layoffs raise risk of wildfires in US West

The termination letters that ended the careers of thousands of US Forest Service employees mean fewer people and less resources will be available to help prevent and fight wildfires, raising the spectre of even more destructive blazes across the American West, fired workers and officials said. The Forest Service firings on the heels of deadly blazes that ripped through Los Angeles last month are part of a wave of federal worker layoffs, as President Donald Trump's cost-cutting measures reverberate nationwide. Workers who maintained trails, removed combustible debris from forests, supported firefighters and secured funds for wildfire mitigation say staffing cuts threaten public safety, especially in the West, where drier and hotter conditions linked to climate change have increased the intensity of wildfires. I'm terrified of that, said Tanya Torst, who was fired from her position as a US Forest Service partnership coordinator in Chico, California, on February 14. Torst, whose ...

US Senate pulls all-nighter to push GOP budget amid Democrats' objections

Senators kept chugging through an all-night budget vote-a-rama, a crucial, if dreaded, step toward unleashing a USD 340 billion package President Donald Trump's team says it needs for mass deportations and security measures that top the Republican agenda. If ever there was a time to watch Congress in action, this might be it. Or not. Senators have been voting for hours, as late Thursday night turned into early Friday, on one amendment after another, largely from Democrats trying to halt the package. The result will be a final push by the Republicans to use their majority power to pass it on a party-line vote, likely by morning. What we're doing today is jumpstarting a process that will allow the Republican Party to meet President Trump's immigration agenda, Senate Budget Committee chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said while opening the debate. Graham said Trump's top immigration czar, Tom Homan, told senators that the administration's deportation operations are out of money and need mo

Republican senators push for border security bill without Trump's tax cuts

Senate Republicans are seeking to bypass Democratic opposition in that chamber and secure an early legislative win for Trump

Talks with US envoy 'restore hope' for strong deal on security: Zelenskyy

In his comments on X, Zelenskiy also said his discussion with Kellogg focused on the battlefield situation, the security guarantees that Ukraine is seeking and the return of prisoners of war

Trump can continue mass firings despite disruption and chaos: US judge

Unions are instead likely required to file complaints with the Federal Labor Relations Authority, which hears disputes between federal agencies and unions that represent their workers, the judge said

Kash Patel gets Bollywood-style welcome as Trump aide shares 'Malhari' meme

Indian-origin Trump ally Kash Patel has been confirmed as FBI director in a 51-49 Senate vote, with the White House calling it a step toward restoring integrity and upholding justice

We see no need for special deal to avoid US tariffs, says BMW executive

BMW's plant in South Carolina is its biggest worldwide by output and a major exporter to markets including China, Germany, and Britain

Trump's steel tariffs raise concerns, may worsen glut of metal in Asia

Steelmakers from Asia to Europe and Latin America are already reeling from a flood of cheap Chinese steel, with the nation's 2024 exports touching a nine-year high above 110 million tonnes

Apple's CEO Tim Cook to meet Donald Trump as tariffs threaten iPhones

Cook is among the tech industry leaders who have sought to nurture a close relationship with the president since his reelection

Republican lawmaker defies Trump, vows to stand against concession to Putin

We will use every lever and every vote at our disposal, to prevent Communist Dictator Vladimir Putin from being rewarded for his illegal invasion, Fitzpatrick said

Trump admin defying order to pause freeze on foreign aid, says judge

The Trump administration has kept withholding foreign aid despite a court order and must at least temporarily restore the funding to programmes worldwide, a federal judge has said. Judge Amir H. Ali on Thursday declined a request by nonprofit groups doing business with the US Agency for International Development to find Trump administration officials in contempt of his order, however. The Washington, D.C., district court judge said administration officials had used his February 13 order to temporarily lift the freeze on foreign aid to instead "come up with a new, post-hoc rationalisation for the en masse suspension" of funding. Despite the judge's order to the contrary, USAID Deputy Secretary Pete Marocco, a Trump appointee, and other top officials had "continued their blanket suspension of funds", Ali said. The ruling comes in a lawsuit by the nonprofit groups challenging the Trump administration's month-old cutoff of foreign assistance through USAID and the State Department, whic

Kash Patel confirmed to lead restructuring of FBI under Donald Trump

Patel, who was approved on a 51-49 mostly party line vote, takes over the Federal Bureau of Investigation at a turbulent time

Musk, joined by Argentine President Javier Milei, wields chainsaw at CPAC

Musk, dressed in a black "Make America Great Again" cap and sunglasses, was joined by Argentine President Javier Milei, who handed him a chainsaw at the CPAC

China opposes US State Dept's revised fact sheet, alleges misrepresentation

Changes made by the US State Department on its 'US-China Relations' page and 'US Relations With China' fact sheet misrepresent the facts, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said

Trump's frustration with Zelenskyy's approach 'multifold', says US NSA

A top White House official has said that President Donald Trump's increasingly tough criticism of Volodymyr Zelenskyy reflects the administration's growing frustration with what they see as the Ukrainian leader creating roadblocks to finding an endgame to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The comments from White House national security adviser Mike Waltz on Thursday came a day after Trump described Zelenskyy as a "dictator" and warned that he "better move fast" to negotiate an end to the war or risk not having a nation to lead. Zelenskyy earlier Wednesday had said Trump was living in a Russian-made "disinformation space". "His frustration with President Zelenskyy that you heard is multifold," Waltz said Thursday of Trump. "There needs to be a deep appreciation for what the American people and the American taxpayer, what President Trump did in his first term and what we've done since. There's some of the rhetoric coming out of Kyiv, frankly, and insults to President Trump (that) were ...

Donald Trump signs commission to confirm Kash Patel as ninth FBI Director

Trump also spoke about the upcoming 250th anniversary of the nation's founding, expressing a commitment to recognising the contributions of Black Americans in protecting and expanding freedom