Page 21 - Trump Administration

Appeals court keeps block on Trump admin's downsizing of federal workforce

An appeals court on Friday refused to freeze a California judge's order halting the Trump administration from downsizing the federal workforce, which means that DOGE-led cuts remain on pause for now. The Republican administration had sought an emergency stay of an injunction issued by US Judge Susan Illston of San Francisco in a lawsuit brought by labour unions and cities, including San Francisco and Chicago. The judge's order questioned whether Trump's administration was acting lawfully in trying to pare the federal workforce. Trump has repeatedly said voters gave him a mandate to remake the federal government, and he tapped billionaire Elon Musk to lead the charge through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Tens of thousands of federal workers have been fired, have left their jobs via deferred resignation programmes or have been placed on leave. There is no official figure for the job cuts, but at least 75,000 federal employees took deferred resignation, and thousands

Elon Musk's legal battles expected to outlast his time in White House

At least three lawsuits are pending that accuse Trump of unconstitutionally handing the Tesla Inc. and SpaceX chief executive officer the equivalent of a cabinet-level post over the past four months

Lack of social-media profile could prompt visa denial, says Marco Rubio

Rubio's cable, sent to embassies worldwide, marked the latest salvo by the Trump administration against Harvard, the foreign students who go there and elite universities more broadly

US pauses exports of airplane and semiconductor technology to China

The new limits are pushing the world's largest economies a step closer toward supply chain warfare, as Washington and Beijing try to flex their power over essential economic components

Without Elon Musk, DOGE likely to fizzle out, says former staffer

Tesla CEO Musk announced on Wednesday evening that he was ending his time as a special government employee but vowed that DOGE would continue without him

15% tariff for 150 days: Trump admin prepares 'Plan B' after court ruling

Provisions under the rarely used US Trade Act of 1974 allow the Trump administration to impose short-term tariffs of up to 15% for 150 days to address trade imbalances

China slams US govt for revoking student visas, says will damage its image

The remarks by the Chinese spokesperson came hours after Marco Rubio announced that the Trump administration would work to aggressively revoke visas of Chinese students

US formally moves to dismiss prosecution against Boeing over deadly crashes

The US Justice Department has formally moved to dismiss a criminal fraud charge against Boeing and has asked a judge to cancel an upcoming trial connected to two plane crashes that killed 346 people off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia, according to court documents filed Thursday. The deal, announced last week, will allow the American aircraft manufacturer to avoid criminal prosecution for allegedly misleading US regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before the planes crashed less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019. The agreement in principle will require the company to pay and invest more than USD 1.1 billion, including an additional USD 445 million for the crash victims' families, in return for dismissing the criminal case, according to court documents. Dismissing the fraud charge will allow the manufacturer to avoid a possible criminal conviction that could have jeopardised the company's status as a federal contractor, experts said. US District Judge Reed O'Connor in

Harvard reprieve from Trump's foreign student ban extended by judge

The US maintains that Harvard has failed to comply with the terms of its certification for enrolling foreign students

Obscure tax item in Trump bill sparks concern across Wall Street circles

Section 899 of the House-passed bill seeks higher US tax rates on individuals and firms from countries with tax policies deemed "discriminatory" under the "Unfair Foreign Taxes" enforcement clause

Trump to hold press conference at White House with Musk as he departs DOGE

The event will unfold after Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc. and SpaceX, criticised Trump's biggest legislative priority, the tax cut proposal known as the 'One Big Beautiful Bill'

Trump admin reverses planned closures of 3 dozen US mine safety offices

The Donald Trump administration is dropping plans to terminate leases for 34 offices in the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the agency responsible for enforcing mine safety laws, the Department of Labour said Thursday. Earlier this year, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), created by President Donald Trump and run by Elon Musk, targeted federal agencies for spending cuts, including terminating leases for three dozen MSHA offices. Seven of those offices were in Kentucky alone. Ending the MSHA leases had been projected to save USD 18 million. Musk said this week that he's leaving his job as a senior advisor to the Trump administration. A statement released by a Labour Department spokesperson said it has been working closely with the General Services Administration "to ensure our MSHA inspectors have the resources they need to carry out their core mission to prevent death, illness, and injury from mining and promote safe and healthy workplaces for American ..

Trump admin tightens China chip curbs by targeting design software

The Trump administration this year banned Nvidia from selling its H20 chips to Chinese customers, the third round of such restrictions since 2022

Hope US gives Indian students visa on merit: MEA on US visa interview pause

While acknowledging that visas are a part of the US' sovereign rights, the Ministry of External Affairs urged the US to process student visas for deserving Indian students in a timely manner

What is TACO trade and how 'Trump chickening out' helps investors profit

US President Donald Trump says what critics call 'chickening out' on tariffs is really strategic negotiation, but investors are profiting from the volatility

Explainer: What Musk's 130-day DOGE tenure achieved, and what it didn't

Elon Musk is stepping down just 130 days into his 180-day appointment as a 'special employee' by US President Donald Trump to lead DOGE in cutting $2 trillion in federal spending

Trump admin uses India-Pak ceasefire to justify 'Liberation Day' tariffs

Members of the Trump administration told the court that India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire only after Trump interceded and offered both nations trading access with the US to avert a full-scale war

Harvard to hold graduation as Trump-linked court battle casts long shadow

Harvard's commencement day will be observed amid a federal court hearing on Trump-era measures targeting the university's foreign student programme, funding, and academic independence

Musk exits DOGE, thanks Trump for chance to 'reduce wasteful spending'

Elon Musk called Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' a 'massive spending bill' that raises the deficit and undercuts DOGE's cost-cutting work

White House says America needs more electricians, not 'LGBTQ Harvard grads'

White House escalates criticism of Harvard, says federal funds should support trade schools producing electricians and plumbers, not LGBTQ graduate majors from elite institutions