WASHINGTON — On his first full day in office Tuesday, President Donald Trump continued to implement significant changes, including the closure of all diversity, equity, and inclusion offices in the executive branch and placing all employees in those offices on leave.

Additionally, Trump revoked Secret Service protection for former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, who had served as his national security adviser during his first term. He also announced plans for private sector investments of up to $500 million to enhance artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Stay informed with updates from the YSL News team:

Trump selects former Labor secretary nominee for EU ambassador role

On Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump announced his nomination of former fast-food executive Andrew Puzder as his ambassador to the European Union.

Puzder was initially nominated for Labor secretary in 2017 but withdrew his candidacy after facing opposition from senators from both parties. This was due to revelations that he had hired a housekeeper without legal work authorization. He was also criticized for allowing practices that infringed on workers’ rights, leading to the cancellation of his confirmation hearing.

Now, eight years later, Trump has nominated Puzder again, this time for the prominent role of EU ambassador. Puzder’s appointment will require approval from the Senate, and he will need to testify before the Foreign Relations Committee.

– Francesca Chambers

VA cautions against concealing DEI programs set for elimination

The acting head of the Department of Veterans Affairs has instructed staff to report any efforts to disguise the diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that are being eliminated by the Trump administration. This information comes from an email obtained by YSL News.

In the email, Todd Hunter, Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs, expressed his concern about attempts by some officials to obscure these programs using unclear language.

Employees have been told to report any such actions within 10 days, or they may face negative consequences.

This message follows President Donald Trump’s executive order terminating DEI programs throughout the federal government.

– Tom Vanden Brook

Houthis reclassified as a foreign terrorist organization

In a significant policy change, President Donald Trump has officially reclassified the Houthis, a Shia Islamist group that has operated in Yemen for years, according to a news release.

Trump issued an executive order on Wednesday designating Ansar Allah, known as the Houthis, once again as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Previously, he had classified the group as a terrorist organization in the closing days of his last term in January. However, former President Joe Biden reversed that designation shortly after taking office to facilitate humanitarian aid to Yemen. The State Department classified it as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group last year due to its ongoing assaults on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

Republicans had encouraged Trump to reclassify the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization prior to his inauguration, as they were delisted under the Biden administration.

This designation will take effect in 30 days.

“Under President Trump, the United States aims to work with regional allies to disrupt the Houthis’ capabilities, cut off their resources, and put an end to their attacks on U.S. personnel, civilians, U.S. allies, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea,” the announcement reads.

The Trump administration will also cease any cooperation with groups that “have financially supported the Houthis or opposed international efforts to combat them while ignoring their acts of terrorism and abuses,” the statement adds.

– Gabrielle Banks and Francesca Chambers

Senate Democrats request private meetings with Pete Hegseth amid new claims

Democratic senators on the Armed Services Committee have requested that Pete Hegseth meet privately with each member of the committee after his former sister-in-law made serious allegations against him in a sworn statement. These claims include that he intimidated his ex-wife and drank excessively to the point of vomiting and passing out, among other accusations.

The Senate has yet to take a vote on Hegseth’s nomination for Secretary of Defense, although the committee approved it on Monday by a narrow 14-13 vote along party lines.

“We are asking Mr. Hegseth to meet privately with interested lawmakers on the committee before the Senate votes on his nomination to allow for candid discussions about the new information that has emerged,” the group, led by Senator Elizabeth Warren, stated in a joint message. “It would be irresponsible and against our constitutional duty for the Senate to confirm this nomination before these meetings have taken place.”

In her testimony, the former wife of Hegseth’s brother claimed that Hegseth’s ex-wife used to hide in a closet and had established a code word to signal when he threatened her. According to her statement, Hegseth was forcibly removed from a strip club while in military uniform and drank to the extent of vomiting and passing out. She also accused him of making racist and sexist remarks disparaging Hispanic individuals and Muslims.

Hegseth’s attorney, Timothy Parlatore, dismissed all allegations as unfounded.

– Cybele Mayes-Osterman

Johnson establishes new subcommittee to examine the Jan. 6 attack

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced a new select subcommittee on Wednesday to continue House Republicans’ investigations into the January 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol.

“House Republicans take pride in our efforts thus far to reveal the misinformation spread by the politically motivated January 6 Select Committee during the 117th Congress, but there’s more work to accomplish,” Johnson stated.

According to Johnson, the new subcommittee is focused on “discovering the complete truth” surrounding the riot.

Even though a bipartisan select committee was formed in 2021 to investigate the incident, Republicans have criticized its conclusions. The select committee issued a final report in 2022, claiming that Donald Trump was the “primary cause” of the attack, influencing many others.

In response to Johnson’s announcement, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., who led the bipartisan committee, remarked that one cannot “unwrite history.”

“I stand by the work we conducted,” he stated.

– Sudiksha Kochi

Murkowski criticizes Trump’s pardons related to Jan. 6

Lisa Murkowski, one of the more centrist politicians in Congress, criticized Trump’s pardons and commutations for more than 1,500 individuals charged and convicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot.

“The Capitol Police officers are the backbone of Congress— they protect and serve the halls of democracy daily,” the Alaska Republican expressed on X. “I strongly condemn the blanket pardons issued to the violent offenders.”

who attacked these courageous individuals in uniform.

Murkowski voted in favor of impeaching Trump during his second impeachment trial, where he was accused of inciting the Capitol riot.

– Marina Pitofsky

Trump’s nominee for transportation secretary advances

Sean Duffy, chosen by Trump to oversee the Transportation Department, successfully passed a major milestone on Wednesday. The Senate Commerce Committee voted unanimously to forward his nomination to the full Senate for a final vote.

Duffy, formerly a lawmaker in Wisconsin and a reality television star, informed senators that he believes Boeing needs “tough love” from federal authorities. He also stated he would support the continuation of a safety investigation into Elon Musk’s Tesla if he gains confirmation.

– Marina Pitofsky

Woman convicted in Capitol riot declines Trump’s pardon offer

One of Donald Trump’s initial actions when taking office was to offer pardons or commutations to nearly 1,600 individuals charged or convicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot.

However, at least one person is refusing the offer. Pamela Hemphill from Boise, Idaho, pleaded guilty and received a 60-day jail sentence related to the riot. She mentioned that her attorney informed her on Tuesday about receiving a pardon, but she turned it down.

“Accepting the pardon would disrespect the Capitol Police, the rule of law, and our country,” Hemphill expressed to the Idaho Statesman. “Those involved in January 6 are attempting to alter history by claiming it wasn’t a riot or insurrection. I do not want to partake in their efforts to change the narrative of that day.”

− Marina Pitofsky

Division between Democrats and GOP over billionaire acquisition of TikTok

On Tuesday, Trump indicated openness to the idea of billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, or Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, purchasing TikTok, which has raised concerns among Democratic lawmakers.

“This is so predictable. Whenever he can use his influence to benefit wealthy friends, he does,” stated Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., who voted for the bipartisan legislation.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, expressed that the thought of Musk acquiring TikTok has always been a worry for her.

Conversely, Republicans have generally welcomed the notion.

“Someone must take control of this from the Chinese Communist Party, and if that’s a U.S. citizen, all the better,” said Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo. TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance, is based in Beijing.

− Sudiksha Kochi

‘We all taste like chicken’: GOP senator commends Trump’s anti-DEI action

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., praised Trump’s directive to place federal DEI personnel on leave.

“The most effective way to stop discrimination based on race or gender is to cease discrimination against people for those reasons,” Kennedy remarked to reporters on Wednesday.

“The reality is, American citizens do not dwell on race or gender as much as certain individuals in Washington would like to suggest,” he added.

Kennedy expressed his preference for more impartial hiring practices and anticipates this under Trump’s administration.

“To a bear, we all taste like chicken,” Kennedy concluded.

– Savannah Kuchar

Musk questions Trump-backed AI initiative Stargate

Elon Musk, a billionaire supporter of Donald Trump, cast doubt on a project announced by the president on Tuesday, which involves a private sector investment of up to $500 billion to establish artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Trump introduced the concept, named Stargate, stating it would be a collaboration between OpenAI, Softbank, and Oracle, with each contributing $100 billion for immediate deployment.

However, Musk quickly dismissed the announcement made by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on X, saying, “They don’t actually have the money.” He added shortly after, “SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have credible information.”

Musk has been an outspoken critic of Sam Altman since OpenAI shifted to a profit-driven model.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Trump says he doesn’t want to harm Russia… but

President Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday to “stop this absurd” war with Ukraine or be prepared to face repercussions.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned he would impose “high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on everything sold by Russia” to the U.S.

“I’m not aiming to harm Russia. I have a deep appreciation for the Russian people and have always had a great relationship with President Putin,” he stated, calling the warning a “favor” to Russia, which he claims is “failing economically.”

“Let’s end this war, which would never have commenced if I were President,” he urged.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

House Speaker Johnson doesn’t question Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on Wednesday that he would not question President Donald Trump’s choice to pardon nearly 1,600 individuals connected with the January 6 Capitol attack in 2021.

Johnson asserted that peaceful protests should never be penalized and that the Justice Department had been weaponized against Trump’s supporters. However, the pardons also included many who were found guilty of assaulting law enforcement and other acts of violence.

“It was a dreadful time and a dark chapter in America’s history. The president has made his decision, and I don’t question that,” Johnson stated. “We believe in redemption and second chances.”

– Bart Jansen

House Speaker Johnson calls Biden’s pardons for family members ‘shocking’

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., criticized former President Joe Biden for pardoning his son Hunter, brother James, and other family members just before leaving office, and mentioned potential legislative actions.

“It was astonishing,” Johnson commented. “It left us in disbelief.”

He noted that Democrats had previously condemned President Donald Trump for suggesting he might pardon friends before exiting office. Johnson claimed these pardons affirm GOP suspicions regarding “the Biden crime family.”

House Republicans conducted an impeachment investigation into Biden, thoroughly examining Hunter and James Biden for their overseas business dealings. The former president denied any wrongdoing and stated he never profited from those dealings. Hunter Biden was found guilty of several charges related to gun and tax issues, leading lawmakers to call for an investigation into James Biden.

The former president issued pardons to Hunter and James Biden and other relatives on his final day in office.

“For us, it is repugnant,” Johnson expressed. “This will draw considerable scrutiny and we will also be looking into it.”

– Bart Jansen

Law enforcement groups say Trump pardons for Jan. 6 ‘send a troubling signal’

Two law enforcement organizations, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police, asserted that President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon individuals charged in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, “sends a troubling signal,” emphasizing that those individuals should have fully served their sentences.

“When offenders of crimes, particularly serious offenses, are not held accountable, it communicates a concerning message regarding the repercussions of attacking law enforcement.”

The two organizations stated in a joint message on Tuesday that the lack of strict consequences for violent actions might encourage others to engage in similar behavior.

The Fraternal Order of Police had backed Trump in September, and both organizations noted that they have had positive long-term ties with him. However, they expressed discontent over Trump’s decision to pardon nearly 1,600 individuals, including many convicted of assaulting police, and to shorten the sentences of 14 others.

“The IACP and FOP strongly feel that those found guilty of such offenses deserve to complete their full sentences,” the organizations stated.

– Bart Jansen

Trump to speak to global leaders at Davos

On Thursday, President Donald Trump will address leaders attending the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, through video link, as reported by organizers.

The speech is set to begin at 11 a.m. and will last approximately 45 minutes.

The first day of the conference coincided with Trump’s inauguration, and it is anticipated that his administration will be a significant discussion point, given that his policies will influence the global economy in various ways.

“These include implementing high tariffs on other major economies, reevaluating longstanding military and diplomatic alliances, reforming multilateral entities, and retracting numerous U.S. regulations,” the organizers noted.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Sen. Sanders supports Gabbard, Trump’s DNI nominee

Senator Bernie Sanders defended Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump’s choice for director of national intelligence, during a CNN interview on Tuesday evening.

Some lawmakers have characterized Gabbard, a former congresswoman from Hawaii, as a potential “Russian asset,” citing concerns over her 2017 visit to Syria, where she met with former President Bashar Assad.

Gabbard, who served in Congress from 2013 to 2021 as a Democrat, had previously supported Sanders during his presidential campaign in 2016.

Sanders remarked that Gabbard “faced a lot of backlash” for her endorsement of him instead of Hillary Clinton.

He expressed that he was not concerned about her meeting with Assad.

“The notion that one should avoid discussions with adversaries—whether it’s Iran, China, North Korea, or Syria—is not a valid argument,” he remarked. He also commended Trump for his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2018.

“Donald Trump did the right thing. Occasionally, he does,” he stated.

He added that he had yet to decide how he would vote regarding Gabbard during the upcoming Senate confirmation hearings.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Trump directs FAA to halt diversity hiring practices

On Tuesday evening, President Donald Trump signed an order mandating that the Federal Aviation Administration discontinue its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices, specifically targeting methods used to hire people with disabilities.

“The previous administration … led the FAA to prioritize dangerous discrimination over excellence,” the president claimed. He criticized the hiring of “individuals with serious disabilities” as part of the disability hiring efforts.

For at least a decade, the aviation authority has used expedited disability hiring, including during Trump’s first term. Those programs allowed managers to bypass the competitive hiring process to appoint qualified candidates with disabilities.

In his order, Trump asserted that pro-diversity hiring policies “[penalize] hardworking Americans eager to serve in the FAA but who lack the necessary disability or skin color.”

However, the agency faces significant shortages of air traffic controllers, who must meet strict medical standards that cannot be bypassed by disability hiring initiatives.

This action is one among numerous executive orders focused on reshaping the federal workforce since Trump took office earlier on Monday. Other actions included a hiring freeze in most executive departments and a directive for many federal employees to return to in-person work.

– Davis Winkie

Trump rolls back civil rights hiring protections

President Donald Trump rescinded a civil rights executive order from 1965 on Tuesday, reversing measures that historically prevented employment discrimination among federal contractors and grant recipients. He also instructed agencies to consider civil rights investigations against private entities that adopt diversity hiring practices.

In his own executive order, Trump criticized these policies as “dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences disguised as ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion.’”

His order argues that affirmative action measures amount to illegal discrimination. Federal agencies are now required to “enforce longstanding civil rights laws and address unlawful DEI practices in the private sector.”

– Davis Winkie

What does President Trump have planned for today?

Today, Trump will have an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, marking his first interview from the Oval Office, according to Politico. The interview is set to air at 9 p.m.

Additionally, the president is scheduled to meet with a group of “centrist Republicans” at the White House, as reported by the outlet.

The White House has not yet released Trump’s public agenda. The in-town press pool has been instructed to report at 9 a.m.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Justice Department staff reorganized to support Trump’s immigration goals

Following President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, officials in the Justice Department were rapidly reassigned to align the department’s objectives with the new administration’s focus, particularly on immigration, according to a department source familiar with the situation.

In a speech to supporters on Monday, Trump labeled immigration as his “top priority.”

The swift personnel changes in the Justice Department, implemented by Tuesday, indicate the administration’s determination to pursue its immigration agenda at the departmental level.

– Aysha Bagchi

Trump pardons Silk Road creator

On Tuesday night, President Trump announced that he has granted a “full and unconditional” pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, an online marketplace that facilitated the buying and selling of illegal drugs.

The announcement came via Truth Social.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Trump unveils private-sector AI investments

On Tuesday, President Trump revealed a private-sector investment plan amounting to $500 billion aimed at building artificial intelligence infrastructure, with the goal of surpassing rival countries in this important technological sector.

Named Stargate, the joint project will establish data centers and generate over 100,000 jobs in the U.S. Initial funding commitments of $100 billion have come from various stakeholders, including OpenAI, Softbank, and Oracle, with additional investments expected over the next four years.

CEOs Masayoshi Son of SoftBank and Sam Altman of OpenAI, as well as Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison, were present with Trump at the White House for the project’s launch.

– Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy