The U.S. government has begun firing thousands of people at multiple agencies as Donald Trump and Elon Musk accelerated their purge of America’s federal bureaucracy.
The Department of Veterans Affairs said it had let go of more than 1,000 employees in their probationary period, while the U.S. Forest Service is set to terminate more than 3,000. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been instructed to fire 1,300 staffers.
Termination emails have reportedly been sent to workers across the government at agencies such as the Department of Education, the Small Business Administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the General Services Administration.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference on Friday to discuss how to bring Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine to a close. Vance told reporters: “We want the killing to stop, but we want to achieve a durable, lasting peace.”
President Trump signed two more executive orders in the Oval Office on Friday lunchtime. One halting federal funding for schools that mandate vaccination against Covid-19, and another establishing the Energy Dominance Council led by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Key points
- Donald Trump and Elon Musk overseeing thousands as federal layoffs
- Justice Department asks court to drop corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams
- CDC to lose 10% of staff under Trump's DOGE job cuts
- Trump signs executive order to pull funding from schools with Covid-19 vaccine mandates
- AP reporter pulled from Trump's travel pool over 'Gulf of America' dispute
- Vance and Zelensky meet in Munich: 'We need a plan for how to stop Putin'
UK PM on collision course with Trump over VAT and future of Ukraine
14:30 , Oliver O'ConnellUK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is on a collision course with Donald Trump over the future of Ukraine and the president’s latest threat to impose tariffs on the UK, as the two leaders face their first major test since the Republican took office.
The US president announced on Thursday that he would impose “reciprocal tariffs” on all other countries, charging the same amount as levies imposed on American exports – claiming such a move was “fair to all”.
The policy published by the White House included VAT as a target – which analysts have suggested could knock around £24bn off UK GDP over the next two years.
Millie Cooke reports from London.
Starmer on collision course with Trump over VAT and future of Ukraine
Two-thirds of Americans still believe climate change is impacting the Earth, despite what Trump contends
14:00 , Oliver O'ConnellAs the Trump administration works to dismantle and erase any mention of climate change on a federal level, a new report has found that the majority of Americans believe the Earth’s warming is affecting weather across the country.
Two-thirds of those recently surveyed by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication said they think global warming is impacting U.S. weather. Those who believe global warming is happening outnumber those who believe it is not by a ratio of more than five to one, the survey also found.
Julia Musto reports.
Two-thirds of Americans think global warming is affecting weather in the U.S.
Watch: Trump confirms call with UK PM
13:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump confirms call with Keir Starmer to plan ‘friendly meeting next week’
DOJ leader Emil Bove pushed other lawyers to drop Eric Adams case. Why didn’t he just do it himself?
12:30 , Oliver O'ConnellFederal prosecutors faced an ultimatum on Friday, agree to dismiss the charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s criminal case – or else.
Emil Bove III, the No. 2 in the Justice Department and President Donald Trump’s former criminal defense attorney, issued the directive after being stonewalled a day earlier on the same request. He had pushed for dropping the bribery case, but Manhattan federal prosecutors resigned instead of signing it themselves. That led to the Friday showdown.
What is unclear is why Bove, a lawyer, didn’t just sign them himself.
While it is uncommon for the acting deputy attorney general to do so, nothing prevents him from taking action.
Ariana Baio has the story.
Why didn’t DOJ Leader Emil Bove drop Eric Adams case himself?
Judge orders Trump administration to temporarily lift funding freeze on US foreign aid
11:30 , Oliver O'ConnellA judge has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily lift the funding freeze that shut down U.S. aid and development programs abroad.
In another setback for President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, Judge Amir Ali issued the order Thursday in a lawsuit brought by companies that receive U.S. funding for the programs.
Trump froze almost all foreign aid in late January, a decision that has devastated foreign aid contractors and recipients.
Rhian Lubin reports.
Judge orders Trump administration to lift funding freeze on US foreign aid
Vance says Germany should work with the far right AfD
10:30 , Oliver O'ConnellVice president JD Vance has said he will implore Berlin to work with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to curb migration, despite an unofficial ban on collaborating with the group.
Mr Vance is speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Friday against the backdrop of president Donald Trump blindsiding Europe and Kyiv by organising a one-to-one with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
Tom Watling reports.
JD Vance says Germany should work with far right and not ignore ‘will of the people’
After call with Putin, Trump says Russia should rejoin G7
09:30 , Oliver O'ConnellA decade after Russia was expelled from the Group of Eight for invading and illegally annexing Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, President Donald Trump says he wants to reverse the decision and permit Russia to rejoin the group of the world’s major industrialized democracies, while also slashing America’s defense budget by 50 percent.
Andrew Feinberg has the story.
Trump wants to halve US defense spending and let Russia back into G7 after Putin call
Will DOGE being at the IRS delay your tax refund?
08:30 , Oliver O'ConnellOregon Senator Ron Wyden said that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has moved on to examining the Internal Revenue Service, fuelling fears over access and the potential handling of highly sensitive data.
“My office is hearing that DOGE is now at the IRS. That means Musk’s henchmen are in a position to dig through a trove of data about every taxpayer in America,” the Democrat tweeted Thursday. “And if your refund is delayed, they could very well be the reason.”
James Liddell reports.
DOGE at the IRS could delay your tax refund, Democrat senator says
Beef tallow — why RFK Jr wants America to use it
07:30 , Oliver O'ConnellRobert F. Kennedy Jr stirred controversy last Thanksgiving with a social media video showcasing his preferred cooking method: deep-frying a turkey in beef tallow.
"This is how we cook the MAHA way," Kennedy declared in the video, referencing his "Make America Healthy Again" slogan.
Kennedy, recently confirmed as head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has consistently promoted beef tallow, rendered beef fat, as a healthier alternative to canola and other seed oils.
This stance has resonated with some social media influencers, but beef tallow’s nutritional values remain contested.
Read on...
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Another judge steps in to serve as a roadblock to Trump
06:30 , Oliver O'ConnellA federal judge blocked President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive order restricting health care for transgender youth in the latest example of the judiciary halting the president’s actions.
Trump’s order signed last month refers to gender-affirming care as “mutilation” and would have restricted this care for those under 19 years old.
Kelly Rissman reports.
Another judge serves as a roadblock to Trump - this time with his transgender order
ANALYSIS: Why we should be worried about Elon Musk’s siege of the US government
04:30 , Oliver O'ConnellLee Morgenbesser writes:
Many Americans have watched in horror as Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, has been permitted to tear through various offices of the United States government in recent weeks. Backed by President Donald Trump, and supported by a small team of true believers, he has successfully laid siege to America’s vast federal bureaucracy.
On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order giving Musk even more power. It requires federal agencies to cooperate with his “Department of Government Efficiency” (known as DOGE) in cutting their staffing levels and restricting new hires.
In his first comments to the media since joining the Trump administration as a “special” government employee, Musk also responded to criticism that he’s launching a “hostile takeover” of the US government.
Read on...
Elon Musk denies a ‘hostile takeover’ of Government. But how does state capture work?
Trump’s infamous mugshot now hangs just outside of the Oval Office
03:30 , Oliver O'ConnellDonald Trump appears to have hung his own mugshot along a hallway just outside of the Oval Office.
The infamous booking photo, which appears to be a New York Post front page, was spotted hanging proudly in an ornate gold frame as the president welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House.
James Liddel reports.
Donald Trump’s infamous mugshot now hangs just outside of the Oval Office
Yosemite on the verge of a ‘catastrophic’ staffing shortage thanks to Trump’s hiring freeze
03:05 , Rhian LubinYosemite National Park is facing a “catastrophic” staffing shortage because of the Trump administration’s hiring freeze and attempt to slash federal spending.
In recent weeks the White House has rescinded hundreds of job offers and layoffs are incoming as the park is set to enter its busiest season, according to reports. It comes as Yosemite Superintendent Cicely Muldoon is on the brink of retirement.
Current and former National Park Service staffers, nonprofit leaders and other experts told SFGATE that the park’s efforts, decades in the making, to protect its ecosystems are going awry.
Yosemite National Park is on the verge of a ‘catastrophic’ staffing shortage
Just days after prisoner exchange, Russia detains another US citizen on drugs charges
02:30 , Oliver O'ConnellRussia has detained another U.S. citizen, after customs officials found cannabis-laced marmalade in his luggage, Russian media said Friday, days after a Moscow-Washington prisoner swap that the White House called a diplomatic thaw and a step toward ending the fighting in Ukraine.
Russian police said the 28-year-old American had attempted to smuggle a “significant amount” of drugs into the country, the Interfax agency reported, citing Russia’s Federal Customs Service. The agency said the American was detained at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport after flying in from Istanbul last Friday.
Read on...
Russia detains another US citizen on drugs charges days after swap, reports say
UK PM on collision course with Trump over VAT and future of Ukraine
02:00 , Oliver O'ConnellUK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is on a collision course with Donald Trump over the future of Ukraine and the president’s latest threat to impose tariffs on the UK, as the two leaders face their first major test since the Republican took office.
The US president announced on Thursday that he would impose “reciprocal tariffs” on all other countries, charging the same amount as levies imposed on American exports – claiming such a move was “fair to all”.
The policy published by the White House included VAT as a target – which analysts have suggested could knock around £24bn off UK GDP over the next two years.
Millie Cooke reports from London.
Starmer on collision course with Trump over VAT and future of Ukraine
Trump takes aim at cars with next round of tariffs
01:30 , ReutersPresident Donald Trump on Friday kept alive his drumbeat of tariff threats, saying levies on automobiles would be coming as soon as April 2, the day after members of his cabinet are due to deliver reports to him outlining options for a range of import duties as he seeks to reshape global trade.
"Maybe around April 2," Trump said in response to a question about when auto tariffs might be coming during an executive order signing session in the Oval Office. "I would have done them on April 1 ... But we're going to do it on April 2."
It was the latest in a litany of trade actions Trump has unveiled after taking office for the second time on January 20.
Since his inauguration, he has imposed a 10% tariff on all imports from China, on top of existing levies; announced and then delayed for a month 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and nonenergy imports from Canada; set a March 12 start date for 25% tariffs on all imported steel and aluminum; and on Thursday directed his economics team to devise plans for reciprocal tariffs on every country that taxes U.S. imports.
Watch: Trump defends Vance speech
01:00 , Oliver O'ConnellAOC says Trump’s border czar should ‘learn to read’
00:30 , Oliver O'ConnellRepresentative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fired back at President Donald Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan after he suggested she would be in “trouble” for hosting a webinar explaining migrants’ rights in the U.S.
Ocasio-Cortez shared a clip of Homan’s remarks on Blue Sky Thursday, with a caption mocking his words.
Katie Hawkinson has the story.
AOC fires back at Trump’s border czar as she becomes latest Democrat he threatened
Watch: Trump confirms call with Starmer
00:10 , Oliver O'ConnellNEW: Justice Department asks court to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams
Friday 14 February 2025 23:51 , Rhian LubinThe Justice Department formally asked a court Friday to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
The move, which comes after Adams was accused of cosying up to President Donald Trump, which he denies, was expected but fiercely opposed by the federal prosecutors in Manhattan who brought the case.
Acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General Emil Bove and lawyers from the department's public integrity section and criminal division in Washington filed paperwork seeking to end the case.
Read more below.
Justice Department asks court to drop corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams
Victoria Canal will perform as scheduled at Kennedy Center after others canceled appearances
Friday 14 February 2025 23:50 , APSinger-songwriter Victoria Canal has decided to perform as scheduled at the Kennedy Center on Saturday, but she will donate all of her proceeds to Trans Equality Now.
Since Trump fired the board of directors and was elected board chair of the center, numerous officials and performers have quit or canceled appearances, including the actor Issa Rae.
In a statement issued Friday through her manager, Canal noted that she had been recognized at the Kennedy Center during the Obama administration as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, a “memory I still cherish.”
“After learning about the changes in leadership at the Kennedy Center, including Trump becoming self-appointed Chairman, I was debating whether or not to perform,” she said.
“I am a proud queer, Latina, disabled woman and ally to the unprotected and vulnerable trans community in the United States,” she added. “I figured if the new guys want to eliminate DEI, I’ll let them decide to cancel the show if they want to — otherwise, see you February 15th.”
EDITORIAL: The unlikely Trump-Starmer partnership must flourish. Britain – and the rest of Europe – is depending on it
Friday 14 February 2025 23:30 , Oliver O'ConnellThe prime minister has broken ranks with US over Ukraine and Nato, as the US president set his sights on VAT – and JD Vance singled out the UK in a bizarre attack on Europe for its attitudes to migration and free speech. Early signs of a fragile, unusual alliance were good – but not any more.
Read on...
The Trump-Starmer partnership must flourish. Europe is depending on it
Two-thirds of Americans still believe climate change is impacting the Earth, despite what Trump contends
Friday 14 February 2025 23:10 , Oliver O'ConnellAs the Trump administration works to dismantle and erase any mention of climate change on a federal level, a new report has found that the majority of Americans believe the Earth’s warming is affecting weather across the country.
Two-thirds of those recently surveyed by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication said they think global warming is impacting U.S. weather. Those who believe global warming is happening outnumber those who believe it is not by a ratio of more than five to one, the survey also found.
Julia Musto has the details.
Two-thirds of Americans think global warming is affecting weather in the U.S.
Judge pauses Trump's effort to dismantle CFPB
Friday 14 February 2025 23:05 , Oliver O'ConnellA federal judge has temporarily paused President Donald Trump’s effort to dismantle the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB), ordering it not to “delete, destroy, remove, or impair any data” or other CFPB records, or fire any employees.
A hearing on a longer-lasting preliminary injunction is scheduled for March 4.
Read the full court order here
And here’s why the CFPB is so important to the American public:
Elon Musk is killing the agency protecting Americans from bad banking
DOJ leader Emil Bove pushed other lawyers to drop Eric Adams case. Why didn’t he just do it himself?
Friday 14 February 2025 22:55 , Oliver O'ConnellFederal prosecutors faced an ultimatum on Friday, agree to dismiss the charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s criminal case – or else.
Emil Bove III, the No. 2 in the Justice Department and President Donald Trump’s former criminal defense attorney, issued the directive after being stonewalled a day earlier on the same request. He had pushed for dropping the bribery case, but Manhattan federal prosecutors resigned instead of signing it themselves. That led to the Friday showdown.
What is unclear is why Bove, a lawyer, didn’t just sign them himself.
While it is uncommon for the acting deputy attorney general to do so, nothing prevents him from taking action.
Ariana Baio has the story.
Why didn’t DOJ Leader Emil Bove drop Eric Adams case himself?
Trump administration terminates 388 EPA staff
Friday 14 February 2025 22:45 , ReutersThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday said it has terminated 388 employees hired over the last two years to align its workforce with President Donald Trump's "energy dominance" policy agenda.
The agency said it did a "thorough review" of its probationary staff, which are employees who have worked in their roles for less than two years.
“EPA has terminated 388 probationary employees after a thorough review of agency functions in accordance with President Trump’s executive orders," EPA spokesperson Molly Vaseliou said in a statement.
Trump and Musk to make joint appearance with Hannity
Friday 14 February 2025 22:40 , Oliver O'ConnellDonald Trump and Elon Musk are set to make a joint appearance on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show on Tuesday evening, the network has announced.
It’s the first televised sit-down together for the president and the billionaire “first buddy” and comes as Musk leads Trump’s effort to slash the size and scope of the government, with efforts to freeze spending and fire federal workers proceeding in earnest.
We’ll be covering it live on Tuesday…
Joe Rogan is still complaining about Kamala Harris not going on his podcast
Friday 14 February 2025 22:30 , Oliver O'ConnellPodcaster Joe Rogan is still complaining about former Vice President Kamala Harris not appearing on his show during the 2024 campaign months later.
“They just got scared. They could have put her in. I would have held her hand. We would have had a conversation. Not that I need to hold, you know, the vice president’s hand,” Rogan said on his podcast this week, four months after the scrapped interview.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Joe Rogan is still complaining about Kamala Harris not going on his podcast
New VA secretary plans 1,000-plus layoffs, promises no harm to veteran care or benefits
Friday 14 February 2025 22:10 , APTop Republicans say they trust Doug Collins. Democrats have no such faith that cutting $98 million through dismissals won’t harm veterans.
“I take Secretary Collins at his word when he says there will be no impact to the delivery of care, benefits, and services for veterans with this plan,” said Rep. Mike Bost, the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
The ranking Democrat, Rep. Mark Takano, said the firings show a shocking disregard. The terminated include disabled veterans, military spouses and medical researchers.
America under Trump is not coming to help, senators warn Europe
Friday 14 February 2025 22:00 , Oliver O'ConnellEric Garcia writes:
After confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary and Brooke Rollins as agriculture secretary, many senators high-tailed it to Germany for the Munich Security Conference.
Historically, the Munich Security Conference is a highly anticipated event for senators, who are attending this year as part of the bipartisan “CODEL McCain” delegation, named after the late Senator John McCain, under the leadership of U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
McCain looms large over the Munich conference. In 2017, when Donald Trump first took office, McCain spoke about international cooperation at the conference, as if to push back on Trump’s brand of America First isolationism.
Continue reading...
Senators warn Europe: America under Trump is not coming to help
Watch: Trump asked why he blames for Russia's war on Ukraine
Friday 14 February 2025 21:42 , Oliver O'ConnellReporter: Who do you blame for the war? Ukraine or Russia?
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 14, 2025
Trump: There are a lot of people to blame. pic.twitter.com/IGRJ8ieZJ6
Trump praises Vance's speech in Munich
Friday 14 February 2025 21:34 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident Trump reacts to Vice President Vance's speech in Europe: "They're losing their wonderful right of freedom of speech. I see it. I thought he made a very good speech actually. A very brilliant speech. Europe has to be careful." pic.twitter.com/EHjm0oQjoT
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 14, 2025
During the executive order signing event in the Oval Office, a reporter asked Donald Trump about JD Vance’s speech about migration and freedom of speech ruffling feathers in Europe.
The president said it was a “very good speech, actually very brilliant.”
“In Europe … they're losing their wonderful right of freedom of speech,” he added.
Here’s more on the vice president’s speech:
The only people applauding JD Vance’s blathering are the far right – and Russia
Poll: More Democrats want to see party push to the political middle in wake of election losses
Friday 14 February 2025 21:30 , Oliver O'ConnellAccording to a new Gallup poll, more Democratic voters want to see their party shift to a more moderate position after emphatically losing the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump.
The desire to see the Democratic Party adjust its policies and stance toward the middle of the political spectrum is up 11 percentage points from 2021, an indication that much of the United States' voting population is shifting to a more conservative ideology.
Ariana Baio reports.
More Democrats want to see party push to the middle after election losses, poll finds
New York doctor hit with heavy fine for prescribing Texas woman abortion-inducing drugs
Friday 14 February 2025 21:00 , Oliver O'ConnellA Texas judge ordered a New York doctor to be fined $100,000 after she prescribed abortion pills to a Texas woman in a ruling that could challenge the Democratic state’s shield law.
In December, the state of Texas accused Dr. Maggie Carpenter, a family medicine doctor who practices in New York, of violating Texas law by providing abortion-inducing drugs to Texans via telehealth. The southern state bans abortion in almost all cases and also bans abortion pills from being prescribed through telemedicine.
Kelly Rissman reports.
New York doctor fined $100k for prescribing Texas woman abortion-inducing drugs
Trump heads to Mar-a-Lago
Friday 14 February 2025 20:48 , Oliver O'ConnellPresident Donald Trump is on his way to Mar-a-Lago for the Presidents’ Day holiday weekend.
He briefly spoke with pool reporters before boarding Air Force One, including The Independent’s Andrew Feinberg.
The president said: “I just wanted to let you know that the recruitment numbers are getting to be records that they’re at levels that we haven’t seen in many many years for the Army the Navy, Air Force, Marines, the whole thing. The recruitment numbers you’re probably hearing, they’re at records, so we’re very happy about that.”
He did not take further questions.
After a brief taxi, Air Force One was wheels up at 3:31 p.m.
Watch: Trump signs more executive orders as president orders end to school Covid-19 vaccine mandates
Friday 14 February 2025 20:35 , Oliver O'ConnellCOMMENT: The only people applauding JD Vance’s blathering are the far-right – and Russia
Friday 14 February 2025 20:30 , Oliver O'ConnellThe Independent’s world affairs editor, Sam Kiley, writes that by taking aim at America’s closest allies in his keynote Munich address, Trump’s vice president has made clear his country’s global security priorities – and that Europe should no longer consider the US to be a staunch ally.
The only people applauding JD Vance’s blathering are the far-right – and Russia
Watch: Zelensky warns NATO about Putin's preparations for war
Friday 14 February 2025 20:10 , Oliver O'Connell
Watch: Zelensky warns Putin is preparing for war against Nato
U.K. PM Starmer to visit Trump soon
Friday 14 February 2025 19:58 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump told the White House press pool that he spoke with U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday and that they will meet soon. Possibly as soon as next week.
Said the president: “I think he wants to come next week or the weekend and we'll be able to discuss. I don't know it, was his request, not mine, but, you know, I met him twice already. We get along very well. Very nice guy.”
Second federal judge pauses Trump’s order against gender-affirming care for youth
Friday 14 February 2025 19:38 , APA second federal judge on Friday paused Trump’s executive order halting federal support for gender-affirming care for transgender youth under 19.
U.S. District Court Judge Lauren King granted a temporary restraining order after the Democratic attorneys general of Washington state, Oregon and Minnesota sued the Trump administration last week. Three doctors joined as plaintiffs in the suit, which was filed in the Western District of Washington.
The decision came one day after a federal judge in Baltimore temporarily blocked the executive order in response to a separate lawsuit filed on behalf of families with transgender or nonbinary children.
Judge Brendan Hurson’s temporary restraining order will last 14 days but could be extended, and essentially puts Trump’s directive on hold while the case proceeds. Hurston and King were both appointed by former President Joe Biden.
New law would allow Nazi and Confederate flags in Utah schools but not Pride flag
Friday 14 February 2025 19:30 , Oliver O'ConnellThe bill allows for “a historic version of a flag…that is temporarily displayed for educational purposes,” which Republican lawmaker Trevor Lee says will include Nazi and Confederate flags, according to the Tribune.
Katie Hawkinson reports.
Utah law would allow for Confederate flags to be shown in schools but not Pride flag
Watch: Trump signs order ending school Covid-19 vaccine mandates
Friday 14 February 2025 19:27 , Oliver O'Connell“OK, that solves that problem,” the president says.
NOW: President Trump signs an EO halting federal funding for schools that mandate the COVID vaccine. pic.twitter.com/qlzZMGMHRU
— Daniel Baldwin (@baldwin_daniel_) February 14, 2025
Trump now signing executive orders
Friday 14 February 2025 19:18 , Oliver O'ConnellWhite House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tweeted that President Donald Trump is now signing two executive orders — one on ending Covid-19 vaccination mandates in schools, and the other establishing the Energy Dominance Council led by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Leavitt makes a point of saying that the Associated Press was not invited into the Oval Office.
🚨HAPPENING NOW: President Trump is signing TWO Executive Orders
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) February 14, 2025
1. Ending COVID Vax Mandates in Schools
2. Establishing the Energy Dominance Council led by @SecretaryBurgum and @SecretaryWright
(The @AP was not invited.) pic.twitter.com/jcV5Xq5SNL
Reporters now assembling for executive order signing
Friday 14 February 2025 19:14 , Oliver O'ConnellAnd just like that...
Reporters at the White House are assembling to cover President Trump signing of executive orders in the Oval Office.
— Matt Viser (@mviser) February 14, 2025
An AP reporter attempted to join the pool.
“No, sorry,” a White House official said, barring the news organization once again.
Via pooler @ddiamond
Blog readers may have noticed that the 1 p.m. executive order signing has not yet taken place, given it is now 2:11 p.m., more than ten minutes after the president was set to depart the White House.
The White House pool has been advised that the executive order signing is now be opened to the press, but no word yet on when it will take place.
Based on this morning’s schedule, Trump will now not arrive at Mar-a-Lago until around 7 p.m.
Trump’s government layoffs could affect economic numbers
Friday 14 February 2025 18:48 , APTrump’s mass layoffs of federal workers and spending freezes could come back to bite him in the economic data.
The monthly jobs reports could start to show a slowdown in hiring, if not go negative at some point after the February numbers are released. The last time the economy lost jobs during a month was in December 2020, when the United States was still muscling its way out of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Overall, it doesn’t seem that DOGE has managed to actually cut spending substantively yet — instead they’ve just created chaos,” said Martha Gimbel, executive director of the Budget Lab at Yale University. She noted that employers that rely on government grants and contracts would also show declines in hiring, if not worse.
“Given everything that is happening in the federal government, it is very plausible that job growth could turn negative at some point,” Gimbel said. “But it may take a few more reports for the impact to show up.”
AP reporter pulled from Trump's traveling pool over 'Gulf of America' dispute
Friday 14 February 2025 18:36 , Oliver O'ConnellJUST NOW: At Joint Base Andrews, @AP reporter @dsupervilleap — the scheduled wire reporter for today — was just told she’s not traveling with @POTUS at the White House’s direction.
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) February 14, 2025
Prosecutor volunteers to sign DOJ's Eric Adams motion
Friday 14 February 2025 18:29 , Oliver O'ConnellSources briefed on the matter told Reuters that a U.S. federal prosecutor agreed on Friday to file a motion to dismiss the criminal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. This move would protect other career staff from potentially being fired for refusing to do so.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, during a Friday meeting with all of the department's career public integrity prosecutors, instructed them that they had an hour to decide among themselves who would file the motion, the sources said.
A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reuters could not quickly determine the name of the prosecutor, though the names of attorneys filing motions typically appear on those motions when they become public.
Six senior Justice Department officials, including Manhattan's top federal prosecutor, resigned on Thursday rather than comply with Bove's order to dismiss the case.
NEW: A career prosecutor in DOJ's public integrity section volunteered to sign the Adams motion, in a bid to spare colleagues from being possibly fired. The person is viewed by them as a hero, and the decision came after Emil Bove gave them one hour to decide who will file it.
— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) February 14, 2025
Here’s what you need to know about what led up to this:
Mayor Eric Adams tried to get out of his bribery case by offering a bribe: report
New agriculture secretary says avian flu and food prices first focus
Friday 14 February 2025 18:26 , Oliver O'ConnellBrooke Rollins, Donald Trump’s new Agriculture secretary, spoke to reporters outside the White House just now about high food prices and acknowledged the risk of avian flu as a possible contributor.
Agriculture @SecRollins on lowering egg prices: "We are looking at every possible scenario to ensure that we are doing everything we can in a safe, secure manner but also to ensure that Americans have the food that they need...We will be announcing more in the coming days." pic.twitter.com/QnOXCKHCvJ
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 14, 2025
“Clearly, one of the key issues facing all Americans right now is the price of food and grocery prices,” she said. “My very first briefing in my office last night was on this particular issue… was on the avian bird flu.”
She said her department is looking at all possible approaches to fighting the threat of avian flu.
“We are looking at every possible scenario to ensure that we are doing everything we can in a safe, secure manner but also to ensure that Americans have the food that they need...We will be announcing more in the coming days.”
Rollins is heading to Kentucky soon for a major farm show.
On the layoffs sweeping the federal workforce, Rollins says it’s “clearly a new day” in government and that President Trump has a mandate to make the cuts.
“I think the American people spoke on November 5 that they believe that government was too big … that it was no longer, in many respects, serving the people for which our Founders intended.”
She told reporters, “I spoke to about 700 people” at the Department of Agriculture about her vision this morning, giving 10 minutes of remarks.
“To date, I think we have canceled almost 1000 trainings that would be DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion, gender ideology focused.”
On the SNAP, or food stamps, program, Rollins said: “Oftentimes, these government programs have started with the idea … it's not a handout, it's a hand up, and then years later, the programs are even bigger, and you've got more people on them. And are we really giving people a hand up, or is it a handout? So if we can have, you know, a whole other group of really smart people looking at SNAP, and other programs at USDA, that will allow us to ensure what are our metrics for success? Are we meeting those metrics for success?"
Louisiana to end mass vaccine promotion after RFK Jr confirmed
Friday 14 February 2025 18:10 , Oliver O'ConnellLouisiana’s Department of Health (LDH) “will no longer promote mass vaccination” according to a memo sent out by the state’s top health official on Thursday shortly after vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jr was confirmed by the Senate as Donald Trump’s new Health and Human Services Secretary.
Joe Sommerlad reports.
Louisiana to end mass vaccine promotion after RFK Jr confirmation
Cuts spread to National Nuclear Security Administration
Friday 14 February 2025 18:07 , Oliver O'ConnellApproximately 14% of U.S. personnel responsible for safeguarding nuclear weapons were let go just before the Russian military flew an explosive drone into the Chernobyl sarcophagus, CBS News reports.
Sources informed reporters that notifications to some probationary employees began late yesterday afternoon at the National Nuclear Security Administration within the Department of Energy.
🚨 About 14% of US staff who safeguard nuclear weapons were let go just ahead of the Russian military flying an exploding drone into the Chernobyl sarcophagus.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 14, 2025
Notifications to some of the probationary employees began late yesterday afternoon at the National Nuclear Security…
Happy Valentine's Day from the White House
Friday 14 February 2025 17:58 , Oliver O'ConnellHappy Valentine's Day ♥️ pic.twitter.com/6d7qmo7gtz
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 14, 2025
...and The Daily Show:
They're irresistible pic.twitter.com/5OtH9iJz3E
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) February 14, 2025
Today's executive order to pull funding from schools with Covid-19 vaccine mandates
Friday 14 February 2025 17:54 , Oliver O'ConnellA White House official has confirmed that today's executive order will focus on halting federal funds for schools and universities that impose Covid-19 vaccine mandates, as first reported by Breitbart News.
As a candidate, Donald Trump vowed to restrict funding for schools with vaccination mandates.
Sometimes On the campaign trail, Trump specifically referenced rules regarding the coronavirus, but he also spoke more broadly, suggesting the defunding of schools with other vaccine mandates.
ANALYSIS: Can Hakeem Jeffries be the leader the Democrats want?
Friday 14 February 2025 17:50 , Oliver O'ConnellJohn Bowden writes:
A March 14 government funding deadline is bearing down on Congress. Democrats, in the minority in both chambers, still retain the possibility of exacting concessions from Republicans.
The question is, will they use their leverage or play “adults in the room” once more?
Continue reading...
White House deputy chief of staff attacks AP over refusal to say 'Gulf of America'
Friday 14 February 2025 17:48 , Oliver O'ConnellTaylor Budowich, White House deputy chief of staff and cabinet secretary, has doubled down on the banning of Associated Press reporters from more limited spaces, including the Oval Office and Air Force One, but said the agency will retain credentials to the White House complex.
The Associated Press continues to ignore the lawful geographic name change of the Gulf of America. This decision is not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press' commitment to misinformation. While their right to irresponsible and dishonest reporting is protected…
— Taylor Budowich (@Taylor47) February 14, 2025
He wrote on X:
The Associated Press continues to ignore the lawful geographic name change of the Gulf of America. This decision is not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press' commitment to misinformation. While their right to irresponsible and dishonest reporting is protected by the First Amendment, it does not ensure their privilege of unfettered access to limited spaces, like the Oval Office and Air Force One. Going forward, that space will now be opened up to the many thousands of reporters who have been barred from covering these intimate areas of the administration. Associate[d] Press journalists and photographers will retain their credentials to the White House complex.
Zelensky: We need a plan for how to stop Putin
Friday 14 February 2025 17:39 , Oliver O'Connell
Volodymyr Zelensky and US Vice President JD Vance have now spoken publicly following their meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
The Ukrainian president said he had a good conversation with Vance and that more work needed to be done on a plan for ending the war in Ukraine.
“We need to speak more, to work more and to prepare the plan (for) how to stop Putin,” Zelensky said.
Asked how things will move forward if Ukraine is not ready to come to the table with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Vance replied: “It's important for us to get together and start to have the conversations that are going to be necessary to bring this thing to a close.”
Q: "How does this move forward if Ukraine is not ready to come to the table with Putin...will you still negotiate?"
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 14, 2025
VP Vance: "It's important for us to get together and start to have the conversations that are going to be necessary to bring this thing to a close." pic.twitter.com/1JAlX99iLz
Will DOGE being at the IRS delay tax refunds?
Friday 14 February 2025 17:38 , Oliver O'ConnellOregon Senator Ron Wyden said that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has moved on to examining the Internal Revenue Service, fuelling fears over access and the potential handling of highly sensitive data.
“My office is hearing that DOGE is now at the IRS. That means Musk’s henchmen are in a position to dig through a trove of data about every taxpayer in America,” the Democrat tweeted Thursday. “And if your refund is delayed, they could very well be the reason.”
James Liddell reports.
DOGE at the IRS could delay your tax refund, Democrat senator says
Eric Adams tried to get out of his bribery case by offering a bribe, ex-prosecutor says
Friday 14 February 2025 17:27 , Oliver O'ConnellA lawyer for New York City Mayor Eric Adams allegedly offered up the mayor’s power to assist President Donald Trump in carrying out his agenda only if the criminal indictment against him would be dismissed, the former acting head of Manhattan federal court said.
Danielle Sassoon, a Republican, issued the stunning revelation in an eight-page letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi where she pushed back on the Justice Department’s request for her office to dismiss a five-count indictment against Adams that included bribery charges.
Ariana Baio has the details.
Mayor Eric Adams tried to get out of his bribery case by offering a bribe: report
Today's incredible mic-drop moment
Friday 14 February 2025 17:19 , Ariana BaioIn an incredible mic-drop moment, Hagan Scotten, a (now former) Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, criticized the Justice Department for doing Donald Trump’s bidding in axing attorneys who refused to drop criminal charges against Eric Adams.
In a letter addressed to Emil Bove, the Justice Department’s second-in-command, Scotten asserted that any lawyer understands that it is illegal to wield prosecutorial power to influence citizens or elected officials.
“If no lawyer within earshot of the President is willing to give him that advice, then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me,” Scotten wrote in his resignation letter.
“I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me.”
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) February 14, 2025
This guy got two Bronze stars in Iraq and clerked for Roberts before landing at SDNY pic.twitter.com/GvlP4L6Tfe
Scotten was the lead attorney on Eric Adams’s criminal case. Attorney General Pam Bondi made it clear to Danielle Sassoon, the former acting US Attorney in SDNY, that she and anyone else who pursued Adams’s case and then refused to drop the charges would be investigated.
It’s worth noting that Scotten, a veteran of the Iraq War, was a clerk for Trump-appointed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts.
Here’s what you need to know about the wave of resignations the Adams case has caused:
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Manhattan prosecutor quits after being ordered to drop charges against Eric Adams
ICYMI: 14 states sue DOGE, Trump and ‘agent of chaos’ Elon Musk for violating Constitution
Friday 14 February 2025 17:10 , Oliver O'ConnellA group of 14 states sued DOGE, ”agent of chaos” Elon Musk and President Donald Trump on Thursday, arguing that the authority the White House granted the tech billionaire and his Department of Government Efficiency is unconstitutional.
“The founders of this country would be outraged that 250 years after our nation overthrew a king, the people of this country – many of whom have fought and died to protect our freedoms – are now subject to the whims of a single unelected billionaire,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a statement after the lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
Mary Papenfuss reports.
-during-UFC-309-at-Madison-Square-Garden-M.jpeg?trim=0,0,0,0&width=1200&height=800&crop=1200:800)
Watch: Vance attempts joke about Musk and Greta Thunberg
Friday 14 February 2025 17:01 , Oliver O'Connell
JD Vance’s joke about Elon Musk bombs at Munich Security Conference
Grenell says he may challenge Harris for California governor should she run
Friday 14 February 2025 16:55 , Oliver O'ConnellDonald Trump envoy Richard Grenell says he may run for California governor if Kamala Harris becomes the Democratic candidate.
Grenell, who is currently working on special projects for Trump, indicated interest in the 2026 race to succeed Democrat Gavin Newsom should the former vice president enter the race.
“If Kamala Harris runs for governor, I believe that she has such baggage … that it’s a new day in California, and that the Republican actually has a shot,” Grenell told reporters. “And I wouldn’t say no.”
Grenell spoke following his participation in Vice President JD Vance’s meetings with world leaders in Munich.
Harris has not publicly shown interest in the governor’s race, but she would likely be a strong favorite to win the Democratic nomination.
With reporting from the AP
Trump family and library have raked in whopping $80m on return to White House
Friday 14 February 2025 16:50 , Oliver O'ConnellCompanies have spent about $80 million on projects benefitting the Trump family and the Trump presidential library since his return to the White House, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The staggering amount shows how much financial power the Trump name brings. The $80 million comes from various areas including donations and lawsuit settlements. The money will add to the Trump family’s fortune and help cover costs such as his presidential library.
Gustaf Kilander takes a look at the figures.
Trump family and library have raked in $80 million since White House return
After call with Putin, Trump says Russia should be back in G7
Friday 14 February 2025 16:34 , Oliver O'ConnellA decade after Russia was expelled from the Group of Eight for invading and illegally annexing Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, President Donald Trump says he wants to reverse the decision and permit Russia to rejoin the group of the world’s major industrialized democracies, while also slashing America’s defense budget by 50 percent.
Andrew Feinberg filed this report from the White House.
Trump wants to halve US defense spending and let Russia back into G7 after Putin call
U.S. and Ukraine study minerals deal as Vance and Zelensky meet
Friday 14 February 2025 16:30 , Oliver O'ConnellTwo Ukrainian sources told Reuters on Friday that Ukraine has handed the U.S. its proposals for a bilateral minerals deal, as Kyiv tries to win the backing of President Donald Trump in his bid to end Russia’s war on the country.
The two sources from the Ukrainian delegation said the U.S. side requested that the proposals be examined until 5 p.m. local time, as President Volodymyr Zelensky meets Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference.
Kyiv has said it is ready for an agreement to open up its vast resources of key minerals, to U.S. investment as it seeks to obtain security guarantees as part of any deal to end the war with Russia.
When asked if a minerals deal would be agreed upon between Washington and Kyiv on Friday, Vance said in Munich: “Let's see.”
The minerals in question would include the rare earth variety, titanium, uranium, and lithium among others.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent traveled to Kyiv on Wednesday, where the United States presented Ukraine with a draft accord.
Zelensky said Kyiv would study it with a view to reaching an agreement in Munich.
With reporting by Reuters
Alongside Trump, Modi deflects during rare press conference
Friday 14 February 2025 16:10 , Oliver O'ConnellNarendra Modi ducked a question about billionaire Gautam Adani’s fraud indictment in the US during a joint press conference with Donald Trump on Thursday, a rare example of the Indian prime minister facing scrutiny from the media.
Mr Modi was on a state visit to the US to meet Mr Trump for the first time since the Republican re-entered the White House.
The interaction with US and Indian journalists marked a rare unscripted moment for the Indian leader, who has largely avoided interactions with the media throughout his 11 years in power.
Shweta Sharma reports.
Modi deflects during rare press conference alongside Donald Trump at White House
CDC to lose 10% of staff under Trump's DOGE job cuts
Friday 14 February 2025 15:57 , Oliver O'ConnellNearly 1,300 probationary employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—approximately one-tenth of the agency’s workforce—are being let go as part of the Trump administration’s effort to eliminate all probationary positions.
The Atlanta-based agency’s leadership was informed of the decision on Friday morning. The verbal notification came from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during a meeting with CDC leaders, according to a federal official present at the meeting. The official, not authorized to discuss the matter, spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The affected employees are set to receive four weeks of paid administrative leave, the official stated, noting that it remains unclear when individual workers will be notified.
The CDC, with a core budget of $9.2 billion, is responsible for protecting Americans from outbreaks and various public health threats. Prior to the cuts, the agency had about 13,000 employees, including over 2,000 staff members working in other countries.
India slashes bourbon whisky tariffs amid intensifying Trump criticism
Friday 14 February 2025 15:52 , ReutersIndia has slashed tariffs on bourbon whisky to 100% from 150%, a move that will benefit imports of brands like Suntory's Jim Beam, after U.S. President Donald Trump's criticised “unfair” levies in the South Asian market.
Trump, who met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House this week, has railed against the climate for American businesses in India and unveiled a roadmap for reciprocal tariffs on countries that put duties on U.S. imports.
The tariff notification by the Indian government was dated February 13 but gathered media attention only on Friday. It said the basic customs duty on bourbon will be 50%, with an additional levy of 50%, bringing the total to 100%.
Previously, such imports were taxed at 150%.
There will be no change on imports of other liquor products, which are also taxed at 150%.
Call for Trump to declassify Lockerbie bombing files
Friday 14 February 2025 15:50 , Oliver O'ConnellA lawyer who represented British victims of the Lockerbie bombing is urging President Donald Trump to declassify US agency files on the tragedy.
Professor Peter Watson says the families of those killed deserve “transparency, truth, and answers”.
It comes after the president moved to declassify files relating to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr.
Katrine Bussey has the story.
Call for Trump to declassify Lockerbie bombing files held by US agencies
Vance backs UK's Brexit voters amid anti-immigration rant at Munich conference
Friday 14 February 2025 15:33 , Oliver O'ConnellJD Vance has backed Brexit voters during a speech in Munich in which he attacked European leaders over migration and free speech.
The US vice president stunned gathered delegates as he lashed out at governments across the continent for ignoring voters’ concerns over migration and repressing free speech.
Mr Vance said he had witnessed Europe “retreat from some of its most fundamental values” and claimed that freedom is in danger across the continent.
Archie Mitchell reports for The Independent.
JD Vance backs Brexit voters amid anti-immigration rant at Munich conference
Dallas police officers won’t work on ICE raids
Friday 14 February 2025 15:30 , Oliver O'ConnellDallas Police Department has told immigrant communities that they will not partake in any ICE deportation raids despite brash orders made by President Donald Trump.
Officers announced their decision to break against the ultra-conservative views of the Texas red state in a Facebook post after revealing they would be hosting five sessions with the community in a bid to dampen down deportation fears.
Madeline Sherratt reports.
Dallas police officers won’t work on ICE raids, chief tells immigrants
Viral mug shot now part of White House decor
Friday 14 February 2025 15:15 , Oliver O'ConnellEarlier in the week, much was made of a decorating change in the Oval Office, with a portrait of President Ronald Reagan now prominently displayed beside the Resolute desk.
Yesterday, though, eagle-eyed observers noted that a more historically significant portrait (of sorts) had been hung on a wall just outside the Oval.
As Donald Trump sat down with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, possibly the most famous mug shot of modern times was visible through a doorway behind Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
Here’s James Liddell’s report:
Donald Trump’s mugshot hangs just outside of the Oval Office
Trump tariffs: Banks are flying gold from London to New York
Friday 14 February 2025 15:10 , Oliver O'ConnellDeep under London’s Threadneedle Street lies an intricate network of tunnels holding the world’s second-largest depository of gold.
The Bank of England’s nine heavily fortified vaults hold hundreds of tonnes of the precious metal valued at more than £200 billion ($252 billion).
But now, they are slowly being emptied over fears that President Donald Trump is about to start a global trade war.
James Liddell reports.
What's on Trump's agenda today?
Friday 14 February 2025 15:07 , Oliver O'ConnellDonald Trump has a relatively quiet schedule today — though things tend to look calmer in print.
The president will be signing more executive orders in the Oval Office at 1 p.m. ET (more details of those when we have them) and will likely take questions from the assembled pool reporters.
At 2 p.m. Trump is scheduled to depart the White House for Mar-a-Lago, where he is expected to spend the whole of the holiday weekend (Monday is Presidents’ Day). The president should be in his gilded “Winter White House” by 5 p.m. ET.
The Independent’s White House correspondent, Andrew Feinberg, will be traveling with Trump as part of the out-of-town pool today.
HUD to lay off half its workforce, union head says
Friday 14 February 2025 14:56 , Oliver O'ConnellThe US Department of Housing and Urban Development's union president told Bloomberg Law that the agency plans to lay off 50 percent of its workforce.
Antonio Gaines, president of AFGE National Council 222, said the department will reduce staffing in the offices responsible for enforcing civil rights laws, gathering data on the housing market, and funding community rebuilding after disasters. However, Gaines noted that the Federal Housing Administration, which provides mortgage insurance for loans, will not be affected.
HUD offers assistance in housing and community development. According to its website, the agency employs 9,600 individuals.
Can Hakeem Jeffries be the leader the Democrats want?
Friday 14 February 2025 14:50 , Joe SommerladA March 14 government funding deadline is bearing down on Congress.
Democrats, in the minority in both chambers, still retain the possibility of exacting concessions from Republicans.
The question is, will they use their leverage or play “adults in the room” once more?
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Thursday called out his Republican rivals – again – for supposedly walking away from talks with Democrats in both chambers and the Senate GOP.
Can he be the leader his party needs in the post-Biden era?
John Bowden takes a look.
Starmer discusses trip to US with Trump - but no mention of Ukraine
Friday 14 February 2025 14:33 , Alex RossU.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke to Donald Trump on Thursday night to discuss “his forthcoming visit to the U.S.”, Downing Street has said.
Sir Keir discussed the visit when he met Mark Burnett, Washington’s special envoy to the U.K., No 10 revealed.
A spokesperson said: “Mr Burnett and the Prime Minister agreed on the unique and special nature of the UK-US relationship, the strength of our alliance and the warmth of the connection between the two countries.”
However, the readout of the call between the two leaders made no mention of Ukraine.
Earlier today, Sir Keir reaffirmed Ukraine is on an “irreversible path” to becoming a member of the NATO alliance, as Britain, its European allies, and Kyiv all insist they should not be left out in the cold as negotiations to end the war begin.
US defense secretary Pete Hegseth has indicated European NATO allies should give more aid to Ukraine, and cast doubt on whether Kyiv could join the alliance in the future.
Voices: The truth is, Trump isn’t as good at deal-making as he thinks he is
Friday 14 February 2025 14:30 , Joe SommerladDespite positioning himself as an elite dealmaker, Trump has done precisely what he warns against in his latest dealings with Putin – and it would be comical if it didn’t potentially have such catastrophic consequences, writes Guy Walters.
The truth is, Trump isn’t as good at deal-making as he thinks he is
Ukraine must be allowed to join Nato, says PM
Friday 14 February 2025 14:23 , Jane Dalton
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine must be allowed to join NATO.
Both Donald Trump and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week undermined Ukraine's hopes of joining, a process that the alliance said was “irreversible” less than a year ago, or of recovering its territory captured by Russia, which currently occupies close to 20 percent, including Crimea.
“I don't see any way that a country in Russia's position could allow ... them to join NATO,” Trump said on Thursday.
“I don't see that happening.”
Bessent says U.S. looking at currency manipulation as part of tariffs package
Friday 14 February 2025 14:20 , Oliver O'ConnellU.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday that the Trump administration is looking beyond tariffs and non-tariff barriers to examine currency manipulation as it studies the issue ahead of an April deadline.
“We're also looking at currency manipulation,” Bessent said in an interview on Fox Business. “The U.S. has a strong dollar policy, but because we have a strong dollar policy, it doesn't mean that other countries get to have a weak currency policy.”
Yesterday, President Donald Trump directed his economic team to develop plans for reciprocal tariffs on every country that taxes U.S. imports, raising the risk of a global trade war.
Trump's memo stopped short of imposing additional tariffs but instructed his administration to calculate duties that match those imposed by other countries and to counteract non-tariff barriers by April 1.
“We're going to come up with what is the equivalent of ... what I would call a reciprocal index: country by country, the outstanding tariffs, non-tariff, the trade barriers and currency manipulation,” Bessent told FBN.
Trump's planned tariffs could be very substantial if other countries did not reduce their tariffs, he added, with the ultimate tariff policies dependent on how trading partners respond.
With reporting by Reuters
Dallas police officers won’t work on ICE raids
Friday 14 February 2025 22:26 , Oliver O'ConnellDallas Police Department has told immigrant communities that they will not partake in any ICE deportation raids despite brash orders made by President Donald Trump.
Officers announced their decision to break against the ultra-conservative views of the Texas red state in a Facebook post after revealing they would be hosting five sessions with the community in a bid to dampen down deportation fears.
Madeline Sherratt has the story.
Dallas police officers won’t work on ICE raids, chief tells immigrants
