Page 7 - White House

Trump names Dan Scavino to lead White House presidential personnel office

US President Donald Trump has appointed Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino to head the White House Presidential Personnel Office, the president announced on Sunday. Scavino replaces Sergio Gor, who was confirmed by the Senate as the next US Ambassador to India. Gor is currently on a six-day India visit. Trump announced Scavino's appointment in a post on Truth Social. "I am pleased to announce that the great Dan Scavino, in addition to remaining Deputy Chief of Staff of the Trump Administration, will head the White House Presidential Personnel Office, replacing Sergio Gor, who did a wonderful job in that position, and will now become the Ambassador to India." Scavino will be responsible for the selection and appointment of almost all positions in government, "a very big and important position", Trump said. "Congratulations Dan, you will do a fantastic job!!!" he added. The Presidential Personnel Office oversees the selection process for presidential appointments and works to recrui

WIC food programme gets $300 mn to keep running during US govt shutdown

A food aid program that supports millions of low-income mothers and their young children received a USD 300 million infusion from the Trump administration this week, alleviating some anxiety that it would run out of money during the government shutdown. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children helps more than 6 million low-income mothers, young children and expectant parents to purchase nutritious staples like fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk and infant formula. The program, known as WIC, was at risk of running out of money this month because of the government shutdown, which occurred right before it was slated to receive its annual appropriation. This week, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt posted on X that said that the White House had found a creative solution to use tariff revenues to keep the program afloat. By Thursday, at least some states were receiving WIC money. Alaska and Washington said they received enough federal funds to keep

'Politics over peace': White House's snark on Trump's Nobel Prize loss

The White House criticised the Nobel Committee after Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the 2025 Peace Prize, saying the decision "places politics over peace"

Trump asks cabinet to consider declaring Antifa a foreign terrorist group

Last month, the president signed an order designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist group and directed agencies to investigate and dismantle its illegal operations

Canadian PM Carney to meet Trump amid strained ties between longtime allies

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday at a time when one of the world's most durable and amicable alliances has been fractured by Trump's trade war and annexation threats. Carney's second visit to the White House comes ahead of a review next year of the free trade agreement, which is critical to Canada's economy. More than 77 per cent of Canada's exports go to the US. Trump's talk of making Canada the 51st state and his tariffs have Canadians feeling an undeniable sense of betrayal. Relations with Canada's southern neighbour and longtime ally haven't been worse. We've had ups and downs, but this is the lowest point in relations that I can recall, said Frank McKenna, a former Canadian ambassador to the United States and current deputy chairman of TD Bank. Canadians aren't being instructed what to do; they are simply voting with their feet," he said. "I talk every day to ordinary citizens who are changing their vacatio

Trump to host Canadian PM, Finland President at White House meeting

US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, during her press briefing, also congratulated Japan's PM-in-waiting, Sanae Takaichi on her win

Mass layoffs will start if shutdown talks 'going nowhere': White House

Trump described the potential job cuts on Sunday as 'Democrat layoffs,' telling reporters, Anybody laid off that's because of the Democrats

Who works, who waits: What the latest US government shutdown means

The US government shutdown affects over 750,000 federal employees, halting some services, delaying salaries, and raising questions about the impact on essential programmes and daily life

US government shuts down after Congress fails to cut deal on funding

The shutdown came as both Republicans and Democrats are locked in a stalemate, insisting the other would be responsible if Congress fails to extend government funding

White House commences shutdown plans as Democrats block funding package

Trump and congressional leaders showed no outward signs of working toward a deal or a face-saving off-ramp

US government is headed towards a shutdown: Here's all you need to know

Members of the Democratic party want a short extension of funding so they can also push for healthcare tax breaks that keep insurance costs lower for 24 million US citizens

Donald Trump to meet top Democrats as both sides dig in on shutdown

The bill at issue would only fund the government until mid-November and must pass before Oct. 1

Datanomics: How Indians became globally vital to US STEM workforce

Foreign-born STEM workers now make up nearly a quarter of the US workforce, with Indians leading both in employment and student enrollment in STEM fields

White House tells federal agencies to prepare for job cuts in shutdown

The move would represent a substantial escalation beyond normal shutdown protocols in recent years

H-1B visa new rules: White House says $100,000 fee only for new applicants

The H1-B visa fee of USD 100,000 would be applicable only to new applicants, a White House official clarified on Saturday, a day after President Donald Trump signed a proclamation raising the fee on the visas used by companies to hire workers, including from India, to live and work in the US. The H-1B fee is likely to face legal challenges. But if it survives, companies that hire skilled international workers would have to pay USD 100,000 each year for any employee working on the visa, for up to six years. The fee applies only to new applicants, a White House official said, according to a report in the New York Times. In a sudden move that will hugely impact skilled Indian professionals in the US, President Donald Trump ordered a steep hike in the annual H-1B non-immigrant visa fee to USD 100,000. As the Presidential proclamation that takes effect at 12.01 am EDT on September 21 sparked panic and outcry, immigration attorneys and companies asked the H-1B visa holders or their family

Vance hosts Kirk's radio show from White House to honour his 'friend'

Vice President JD Vance on Monday hosted the radio programme of Charlie Kirk, the influential conservative activist who was assassinated last week, telling listeners that the best way he knows how to honour his friend is to be a better husband and father. Vance hosted The Charlie Kirk Show from his ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House. The livestream of the two-hour programme was broadcast in the White House press briefing room and featured a series of appearances by White House and administration officials who knew the 31-year-old Kirk. Vance, who transported Kirk's body home to Arizona aboard Air Force Two last week, opened by saying he was filling in for somebody who cannot be filled in for, but I'll do my best. The Republican vice president, 41, was especially close to Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, one of the nation's largest political organisations with chapters on high school and college campuses. The two began a friendshi

White House seeks $58 million security boost after Charlie Kirk shooting

The request to include the extra funding in an upcoming stopgap bill comes ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline when the current federal spending law runs out

Trump downplays his letter to Epstein released by Dems; calls it 'nonsense'

The document, shared on House Democrats' X account, reignited an uproar against the Trump administration for its handling of the Epstein case

Democrats release Trump's allegedly signed letter to sex offender Epstein

White House denied that Trump wrote the letter or created a drawing of a woman inside which the lewd note was written. It called the report false, malicious, and defamatory

Hot mic catches Zuckerberg admitting his $600 bn vow to Trump was a guess

At a White House dinner, Mark Zuckerberg pledged $600 bn US investment but a hot mic later caught him telling Trump he had guessed the number, sparking viral reactions