In his first televised interview since taking office as the 47th president of the United States, President Donald Trump criticized his opponents on Monday while appearing with Fox News host Sean Hannity. He made pointed remarks about former President Joe Biden and former Representative Liz Cheney from Wyoming.

During the initial days in office, Trump has moved forward with a series of executive actions, including the closure of diversity, equity, and inclusion offices within the executive branch and temporarily placing employees from these offices on leave.

Stay tuned for live updates from the YSL News Network.

Key Republican senator withdraws support for Hegseth

Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska declared on X that she would not support Pete Hegseth, who has been nominated by Trump to serve as Secretary of Defense. She emphasized the importance of character for this role and expressed her concerns about Hegseth’s nomination due to allegations against him, including sexual assault and domestic abuse. Murkowski is among a few Republican senators expressing skepticism about Hegseth’s nomination; if more than three Republicans oppose him, he could be rejected.– Riley Beggin

‘America is back and ready for business,’ declares Trump at World Economic Forum

During a speech on Thursday, Trump proclaimed that America has entered a “Golden Age” and is “back and ready for business” at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Speaking via video link from the White House, Trump mentioned proclaiming a national energy emergency as one of his first presidential actions to harness the country’s abundant energy resources and expedite new energy infrastructure projects.

“The United States has more oil and gas reserves than any other country in the world, and we intend to utilize it,” said Trump.

Additionally, he stated that he would ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to lower oil prices.

Trump’s selections for Veterans Affairs and Housing get Senate approval

Several nominees for Trump’s Cabinet advanced closer to confirmation on Thursday morning.

The Senate Banking Committee voted along party lines to approve Scott Turner as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He had previously served as the executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s earlier term and also played nine seasons in the NFL.

Doug Collins, a former GOP representative and Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, received nearly unanimous backing from the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, which voted 15-1, with only Senator Mazie Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, opposing him.

It is not yet clear when the Senate will conduct a final vote on these Cabinet nominations.

– Marina Pitofsky

RFK Jr.’s confirmation hearing scheduled for next week

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., one of Trump’s controversial nominees, will face scrutiny from senators starting January 29.

The confirmation hearing is expected to be intense, as Democratic and Republican lawmakers on the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees will question him about his history of advocating vaccine skepticism and promoting conspiracy theories.

It is unclear when the Senate plans to vote on RFK Jr.’s nomination.

– Marina Pitofsky

Trump to address World Economic Forum, signs more executive orders

President Donald Trump is set to deliver remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos via video on Thursday morning. Following his speech, he will have an intelligence briefing and then sign more executive orders in the Oval Office.

Additionally, he is expected to speak with the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, and later record a video message while swearing in senior staff members.

— Francesca Chambers

Trump’s choice for Energy Secretary moves to the Senate floor

On Thursday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved Trump’s nominee for the Department of Energy, Chris Wright, with a vote of 15-5. The committee’s decision sends Wright’s nomination to the full Senate for a final vote, with some senators from both parties supporting him.

When Wright, who is an oil industry leader, will face a vote in the full Senate remains uncertain.

– Marina Pitofsky

Doug Burgum, a prominent Trump supporter, receives Senate backing

Doug Burgum, a former governor of North Dakota and a strong advocate for Trump on the 2024 campaign trail, appears to be on track to become the Secretary of the Interior.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 18-2 to endorse his nomination, with only Senators Ron Wyden from Oregon and Mazie Hirono from Hawaii voting against it.

The full Senate will soon consider Burgum’s nomination. If confirmed, he will play a key role in Trump’s goals of enhancing American energy production and reducing energy sector regulations.

– Marina Pitofsky

Trump’s EPA nominee overcomes critical confirmation challenge

Lee Zeldin, a former GOP representative nominated by Trump to head the Environmental Protection Agency, passed a significant hurdle on Thursday with approval from the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which sent his nomination to the entire Senate for a vote.

Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, was the only Democrat to support Zeldin’s nomination. If confirmed, Zeldin is expected to implement extensive deregulation for the fossil fuel sector, likely leading to immediate pushback from environmental advocacy groups.

– Marina Pitofsky

Trump claims reversing Biden’s policies will require significant effort

When asked about returning to the Oval Office, the president mentioned it would take considerable effort to undo the actions taken during Biden’s administration and stated that several situations that arose should not have occurred under Biden’s leadership.

“We wouldn’t be facing inflation, the disaster in Afghanistan wouldn’t have happened, we wouldn’t have seen the tragic events on October 7 in Israel, and the Ukraine conflict would not be ongoing,” Trump asserted.

While he promised to restore “national unity” in his inaugural speech, Trump has spent considerable time criticizing his political rivals, labeling former Representative Liz Cheney a “crying lunatic.”

–Phillip M. Bailey and Francesca Chambers

Trump issues executive order limiting birthright citizenship; states challenge

On Monday, Donald Trump signed an executive order that seeks to end automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to foreign national parents, regardless of their immigration status.

In response, on Tuesday, a group of 18 states filed a lawsuit against Trump and the federal government in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, alleging that this order violates the Constitution. The ACLU also filed a legal challenge in New Hampshire on behalf of several immigrant advocacy organizations, arguing that it undermines a fundamental principle of the U.S.: that anyone born here is entitled to citizenship.

The executive order, named “Protecting the Value and Meaning of American Citizenship,” would restrict federal agencies from issuing Social Security cards, passports, or welfare benefits to children born in the U.S., representing a significant reinterpretation of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship for those born in the U.S.

−Lauren Villagran

Understanding executive orders and how they differ from other presidential actions

Donald Trump began issuing a wave of executive orders and directives shortly after he assumed office.

With a Sharpie, Trump signed a large number of executive orders, many of which he had previously committed to, including declaring a national emergency at the southern border and granting pardons to approximately 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol insurrection.

But what exactly is an executive order? It is a written directive from the U.S. president outlining how they want the federal government to function.

These orders can range from establishing federal employee holidays to enacting major national policies. A president may utilize an executive order to create a new initiative or implement a policy that applies across the government.

−Anthony Robledo and Cybele Mayes-Osterman