Trump threatens federal unions
Unions acknowledge they are facing a 'setback' and must rethink aspects of their strategy for survival under Trump.
Unions had argued Trump was using national security as a pretext to go after organizations that have been vocal in challenging many other administration policies.
But a panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to a Trump administration request to lift the last of several lower court injunctions that broadly blocked implementation of the order.
The panel rejected arguments that Trump's order and an accompanying fact sheet blaming 'hostile' unions for trying to 'obstruct agency management' were a sign of the true aim of the order.
'Even accepting for purposes of argument that certain statements in the Fact Sheet reflect a degree of retaliatory animus toward Plaintiffs' First Amendment activities, the Fact Sheet, taken as a whole, also demonstrates the President's focus on national security,' the court determined.
In the two weeks since, the Trump administration has quietly terminated collective bargaining agreements at the Department of Veterans Affairs; the Environmental Protection Agency; Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Services; the Coast Guard; Citizenship and Immigration Services; and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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New York Post
25 minutes ago
- New York Post
DC Dems safety delusions: Letters to the Editor — Aug. 18, 2025
The Issue: Democrats' opposition to the Trump administration's takeover of Washington, DC, policing. It's actually quite astounding watching Democrats protesting against a safer Washington, DC. They must like the murders, carjackings, robberies and sexual assaults that happen on a daily basis ('$oros DC protests,' Aug. 13). They must also relish victimhood. J.J. Levine Miami Beach, Fla. In response to President Trump dispatching federal officers to the streets of DC, Sen. Chuck Schumer said, 'I feel perfectly safe' walking around the US Capitol grounds and vicinity. Of course, he forgot to mention that he has 24-hour taxpayer-funded security and the use of a car. I bet his younger staffers who don't enjoy around-the-clock security may whisper that they don't share their boss' view. David Tulanian Henderson, Nev. Stating that the statistics prove that DC crime is down, Hillary Clinton has accused Trump of overreacting to Washington's out-of-control crime problem. Perhaps 'Her Majesty' should speak to a large audience comprised solely of crime victims in Washington who haven't a single Secret Service agent assigned to protect them. And when one of them asks her about the agents that are assigned to her, Bill and Chelsea, her answer would surely be enlightening. Could it possibly be: 'Well, our lives are very important and yours aren't?' Myron Hecker Pearl River I guess I was naive to expect Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser to completely agree with Trump's National Guard mobilization to combat crime in DC. She would rather protect the city's autonomy than protect the citizens who get beaten, robbed and carjacked by roving, marauding thugs infesting her district. Joseph Valente Miami Beach, Fla. Of course, we have our usual and typical left-leaning idiots led by Chuck 'Humor,' who continues to be a clown. He had the audacity to go on live TV and say that DC is fine, and he walks around the city every day. What he omits is the fact that he is escorted by Capitol Police while walking and also while roaming the halls of Congress. Ask the people who are beaten and carjacked daily how safe Washington, DC, really is. Lou Bivona Belleville, NJ The Issue: The Toronto International Film Festival's effort to exclude an Oct. 7 documentary. Of course liberals in the Canadian film industry wouldn't have wanted the world to see what Hamas did to innocent civilians on Oct. 7, 2023 ('Backlash at film festival,' Aug. 15). Those who committed such heinous atrocities should not be entitled to any 'legal clearance.' Betsy Flor Putnam Valley As a member of Everything Jewish Toronto, I'm writing to say how pleased many of us are for your front-page coverage of TIFF's initial refusal to show the Oct. 7 movie. It was clear antisemitism, and most of the Canadian media ignored it. Thank you for your great coverage. Arthur Weinreb Toronto, Ontario With individuals and groups around the world minimizing what occurred on Oct. 7 — and frankly, dehumanizing the Israeli victims — it is crucial that this documentary film is included in the Toronto International Film Festival to be released for all to see. Amy Hendel Tarzana, Calif. I wonder, looking back to World War II, if we should have gotten Hitler's permission to use death camp footage in Frank Capra's films on the war atrocities. This is just ridiculous. John Giriat The Bronx Want to weigh in on today's stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to letters@ Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy, and style.
The Hill
25 minutes ago
- The Hill
Russiagate scandal demands prosecutions, overhaul of the FBI and CIA
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Although the intelligence community and its leaders publicly maintained that the notorious dossier played no role in the official assessment concerning ' Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent U.S. Elections,' newly declassified oversight reviews flatly contradict these claims. The record shows that Brennan and Clapper prepared a classified, compartmented version of the assessment specifically for President Obama and senior officials, which cited the dossier to bolster key judgments about Russian election interference. Later, when sanitized versions were released to Congress and the public, all references to the dossier had been scrubbed away. Special Counsel John Durham's investigation verified that Brennan, Clapper, then-Vice President Joe Biden, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and FBI Director James Comey were all briefed, even before the 2016 election, on the Clinton campaign's plan to concoct a false Trump-Russia narrative. 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Politico
26 minutes ago
- Politico
Witkoff claims Trump-Putin meeting victory, says "Article 5-like" security on the table for Ukraine
He continued, saying, 'We got to an agreement that the United States and other European nations could effectively offer Article 5-like language to cover a security guarantee.' Trump spent much of the week ahead of the Alaska meeting issuing threats over what could happen if Russia wasn't serious about a ceasefire. In the end, Trump's confab with Putin, in which the U.S. president feted his Russian counterpart with a red carpet and clapped as he approached, didn't even result in concrete plans for a follow-up meeting. Still, Witkoff is optimistic. 'We're on the path for the first time,' he told Tapper. 'We are seeing accommodation more than we've seen in the past, certainly more than we saw in the last administration. And that's encouraging. Now we have to build on that.' Zelenskyy will travel to Washington — alongside a number of major European leaders — to meet with Trump on Monday. The president has warmed to the idea of playing at least some role in maintaining peace and deterring future Russian invasions into Ukraine after the war, telling European leaders in a virtual meeting last week that he was open to contributing security guarantees to Kyiv in a final settlement. Trump's foreign policy has long been marked by skepticism of NATO allies. He previously balked at the idea of coming to the defense of a NATO country 'if they don't pay,' signaling he would consider abandoning a key part of the NATO security pact if members don't spend more on defense. 'There are numerous definitions of Article 5,' Trump told reporters en route to the NATO summit in June. Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence told Tapper that Witkoff's description of the security guarantees floated during the meeting was 'encouraging.' But he cautioned the White House to 'remember the bad guy here is Putin' throughout its conversations on ending the war. 'I served alongside the president for four years. I know his style in dealing with these dictators,' Pence said. 'It's the velvet glove. But I think the hammer needs to come and it needs to come immediately.'
