Elon Musk’s attempts to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development through his so-called Department of Government Efficiency “likely violated the Constitution in multiple ways,” according to a federal judge’s ruling.
District Judge Theodore Chuang granted a preliminary injunction that temporarily blocks DOGE from access to any USAID systems and from doing “any work” related to shutting down the agency.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s Department of Justice asked a federal appeals court to replace District Court Judge James Boasberg for allegedly engaging in an “inappropriate exercise of jurisdiction” as he oversees a case challenging the administration’s deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members.
Judge Boasberg attempted to block Trump’s deportation flights carrying hundreds of people linked to the Tren de Aragua gang to El Salvador over the weekend, disputing the invocation of the wartime Alien Enemies Act 1798 and have the planes turned around.
On Monday, he demanded answers as to why that was not done as Trump allies, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and advisers Alina Habba and Stephen Miller accused the judge for overstepping his authority.
This morning, Trump called for Boasberg’s impeachment and then found himself on the receiving end of a rare rebuke from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
Chief Justice John Roberts hits back after Trump calls for impeaching judge who ruled against him
Chief Justice John Roberts has hit back against in a rare public statement after President Donald Trump on Monday claimed a federal judge lacks the authority to review his administration’s attempts to bypass due process rights when deporting migrants who are alleged to be gang members — and called for the judge to be impeached.
In a statement issued by the court, Roberts said that impeachment isn’t an appropriate response to disagreements with judges’ rulings.
Andrew Feinberg and Gustaf Kilander report from Washington, D.C.
Like Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy wants to rename a body of water
The biotech entrepreneur was speaking to the Lucas County Republican Party last week when he pitched the idea to rename Lake Erie, one of the five Great Lakes, to “Lake Ohio.”
Katie Hawkinson has the story.
Here’s why Ramaswamy might reconsider:
‘Beat a Republican, and then I will have respect for you’
Gustaf Kilander reports from Washington, D.C.
Putin agrees to halt strikes on Ukraine energy targets in high-stakes Trump call – but no full ceasefire
Chris Stevenson reports.
Can Tucker Carlson talk Trump down from escalating war with Iran?
Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News star who is deeply embedded within Donald Trump’s inner circle, warned the president this week that a strike on Iran “would certainly result” in a war that would cost billions of dollars and lead to “thousands of American deaths” in the region.
Justin Baragona has the story.
Trump administration may make major cuts to domestic HIV prevention, report says
The Health and Human Services Department is weighing plans to drastically cut the federal government’s funding for domestic HIV prevention, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing people familiar with the matter.
The plans could be announced within a day, according to sources, but they haven’t been finalized and could be pulled back or adjusted.
The discussions arise as the Trump administration prepares for significant personnel cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, part of an agency reorganization, people familiar with the planning said.
The cuts and reorganization aim to exploit a weakness in the agency’s legal framework: No single law defines its purposes and authorizes its various programs.
The CDC has a department focused on preventing HIV and other infectious diseases. This department funds state and local surveillance programs for HIV, syringe services, and community outreach initiatives.
The agency reported spending approximately $1.3 billion on preventing HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, and tuberculosis during the 2023 fiscal year, as stated on its website.
The Health Department said it is following the administration’s guidance and taking a careful look at all divisions to see where there is overlap that could be streamlined to support the president’s broader efforts to restructure the federal government.
“No final decision on streamlining CDC’s HIV Prevention Division has been made,” a department spokesman to the Journal.
Judge says Elon Musk and DOGE ‘likely violated the Constitution’ by shutting down USAID
Elon Musk’s attempts to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development through his so-called Department of Government Efficiency have “likely violated the Constitution in multiple ways,” according to a federal judge’s ruling.
District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland granted a preliminary injunction that temporarily blocks DOGE from access to any USAID systems and from doing “any work” related to shutting down the agency.
Alex Woodward reports.
Plunging stock market and recession fears are a ‘media creation’, complains Fox host
Amid a multi-week Wall Street sell-off that has seen the major stock market indexes approach correction territory over economic uncertainty largely spurred by President Donald Trump’s chaotic trade war, Fox Business anchor Charles Payne grumbled that this was all the media’s fault.
With the Dow Jones index down hundreds of points on Tuesday afternoon, breaking a brief two-day comeback, Payne appeared on Fox News’ America Reports to discuss investors’ continued apprehension and the White House’s attempts to tout the “success” of its economic policies.
Justin Baragona reports.
Report: Bill Gates warns he can’t make up funding difference after US government stripped global health payments
Billionaire Bill Gates is reportedly appealing to the White House to keep funding global health programs – and warning that his own foundation is unable to fill in gaps.
The Microsoft co-founder recently met with the National Security Council and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, Reuters reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.
Julia Musto has the story.
Putin offered to stage ice hockey games between US and Russian players during Trump call
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed holding ice hockey games featuring U.S. and Russian players during his call with President Donald Trump today.
This suggestion, which reflects the Russian leader’s attempts to foster friendly relations with Trump, emerged during their discussion centered on finding a peaceful resolution to the situation in Ukraine.
The Kremlin shared in a readout of the call that Putin suggested American and Russian players from the NHL and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) could participate in these matches. The Kremlin noted that Trump supported the idea.
The KHL is a championship dominated by Russia, which also includes clubs from Belarus, China, and Kazakhstan.
Putin, a passionate amateur ice hockey player, has supported the KHL since its establishment on his initiative in 2008.
The NHL told the Associated Press it was aware of the Trump-Putin conversation but had no immediate comment.
Source: independent.co.uk
