Trump's idea to ‘take over' the Gaza strip is widely rejected. Follow live updates.
Russian ally hails suspension of US foreign aid — 10:24 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
The president of a Serb-dominated part of Bosnia says US funding has inflicted 'serious evil' around the world for years.
Milorad Dodik was sanctioned by the Biden administration over allegations of corruption and separatist policies that are undermining the US-brokered peace agreement that ended the 1992-95 war in Bosnia.
In an interview with The Associated Press, he praised Trump's election as 'a magnificent event in the new political history.' He also claimed that the US Agency for International Development has been used to destabilize nations.
The FAFSA federal student aid form will no longer offer 'nonbinary' as a gender option — 10:12 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
The Education Department says 'male' and 'female' will be the only options on the form from now on, in response to Trump's order for the federal government to use only binary definitions for sex.
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Other planned updates aim to make the 2026-27 FAFSA form more user-friendly — especially the way students 'invite' parents to fill out their portion. Sending the invite was a major source of trouble in last year's botched FAFSA overhaul, which became a black eye for the Biden administration.
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Congress demanded an overhaul to simplify the form in 2020, but delays and glitches marred the Biden administration's rollout last year. It meant students had to wait months to find out how much financial aid they would be offered for college, and advocates fear it may have deterred some students from going to college at all.
DeSantis battles Florida Republicans to align with Trump — 9:46 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
With an open presidential primary coming in 2028, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is launching an offensive to win back Trump supporters as he prepares for a potential second try for the presidency. But Florida Republicans think they know Trump better.
When DeSantis ordered a special legislative session to pass his border-related proposals, legislators swiftly tossed out his ideas and presented their own bill to move gubernatorial power on immigration enforcement to the agriculture commissioner. They named it the Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy, or TRUMP, Act.
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Republican political consultant Jamie Miller said DeSantis appears to be winning the war on social media and conservative airwaves for now, 'but we all know that that microphone can be taken away with one tweet.'
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference Sept. 16, 2024, in Orlando, Fla.
John Raoux/Associated Press
What does the removal of USAID workers mean? — 9:43 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
The mass removal of thousands of staffers overseas and in Washington would doom billions of dollars in projects in some 120 countries, including security assistance to partners such as Ukraine as well as development work for clean water, job training and education, including for schoolgirls under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
The US is the world's largest humanitarian donor by far. It spends less than 1 percent of its budget on foreign assistance, a smaller share of its budget than some countries.
Health programs like those credited with helping end polio and smallpox epidemics and an acclaimed HIV/AIDS program that saved more than 20 million lives in Africa already have stopped. So have monitoring and deployments of rapid-response teams for contagious diseases such as an Ebola outbreak in Uganda.
Hundreds of millions of dollars of food and medication already delivered by U.S. companies are sitting in ports because of the administration's sudden shutdown of the agency.
Democratic lawmakers and others say the USAID is enshrined in legislation as an independent agency, and cannot be shut down without congressional approval. Supporters of USAID from both political parties say its work overseas is essential to countering the influence of Russia, China and other adversaries and rivals abroad, and to cementing alliances and partnerships.
The decision to withdraw direct-hire staff and their families earlier than their planned departures will likely cost the government tens of millions of dollars in travel and relocation costs.
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Senator Chuck Schumer decries a 'hostile takeover'. Elon Musk calls him 'hysterical' — 9:40 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Congress is proving little match for DOGE. Lacking the votes as Republicans largely remain silent, they're supporting a rush of lawsuits demanding court interventions to stop the Republican president's team from unilaterally gutting government. And protests are erupting outside government agencies and clogging the congressional phone lines.
'Whatever DOGE is doing, it is certainly not — not — what democracy looks like or has ever looked like in the grand history of this country,' Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said.
'An unelected shadow government is conducting a hostile takeover of the federal government,' Schumer posted on Musk's social media site X.
Musk responded on his platform: 'Hysterical reactions like this is how you know that DOGE is doing work that really matters.'
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer holding hands with Representative Maxine Waters accompanied by other members of Congress, speaks during a rally against Elon Musk outside the Treasury Department in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2025.
Jose Luis Magana/Associated Press
Trump's administration is pulling almost all USAID workers off the job worldwide — 9:34 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
The Trump administration said that it is pulling almost all US Agency for International Development workers off the job and out of the field worldwide, moving to all but end a six-decade mission to shore up American security by fighting starvation, funding education and working to end epidemics.
The administration notified USAID workers in emails and a notice posted online, the latest in a sudden dismantling of the aid agency by returning political appointees from President Trump's first term and billionaire Elon Musk's government-efficiency teams who call much of the spending on programs overseas wasteful.
The order takes effect just before midnight Friday and gives direct hires of the agency overseas — many of whom have been frantically packing up households in expectation of the announcement — 30 days to return home unless they are deemed essential. The notice said contractors not determined to be essential also would be fired.
Wednesday, Feb. 5
Catching up on Trump's comments from yesterday? Start here. — 9:30 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Trump's suggestion for the US to 'take over' the Gaza strip came at a White House news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu smiled several times as the president detailed a plan to build new settlements for Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip, and for the U.S. to take 'ownership' in redeveloping the war-torn territory into 'the Riviera of the Middle East.'
Saudi Arabia, an important American ally, weighed in quickly on Trump's idea in a sharply worded statement, noting that its long call for an independent Palestinian state was a 'firm, steadfast and unwavering position.'
The prime ministers of Australia and Ireland, foreign ministries from China, New Zealand and Germany, and a Kremlin spokesman all reiterated support for a two-state solution.
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Gizmodo
6 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
MAGA Freaks Out as Man Arrested for Allegedly Handing Out ‘Bionic' Face Shields to Protesters
Chaos has been happening in isolated areas of Los Angeles, where federal forces and the LAPD are clashing with angry protesters and rioters. The Trump administration claims it is maintaining public order against lawlessness. California's governor, Gavin Newsom, meanwhile, says that the White House is engaged in an authoritarian power grab. As the drama in the city continues, a recent arrest would seem to be yet another opportunity for both sides to bicker with one another about who is right. A man named Alejandro Theodoro Orellana was arrested by the FBI on Thursday morning and is now expected to face a charge of conspiracy to commit civil disorders. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, who was appointed by Trump's Attorney General Pam Bondi in April, announced Orellana's arrest on social media, writing, 'Alejandro Theodoro Orellana was arrested this morning by @FBILosAngeles on an allegation of Conspiracy to Commit Civil Disorders (18 USC 371) for distributing face shields to suspected rioters on Tuesday.' He added: 'We are moving quickly to identify and arrest those involved in organizing and/or supporting civil disorder in Los Angeles.' In case you missed that, it would appear that Orellana has been arrested because he helped distribute gas masks to protesters. Pictures of the supposed masks that have circulated on social media seem to show that they are a 'bionic' face shield designed to protect against tear gas. Orellana's arrest is now being used by authorities to bolster a claim made by President Trump, which is that the protests in LA are being funded and organized by outside groups. 'These are radical left lunatics that you're dealing with. They're tough. They're smart. They're probably paid many of them. As you know, they're professionals,' Trump said during a press conference on Wednesday. Relatedly, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted Orellana's arrest on social media on Thursday. 'Once again, President Trump was right,' Leavitt wrote on X. 'The President rightfully raised the important question of who is organizing and funding these dangerous riots in Los Angeles. This morning, the FBI arrested Alejandro Theodoro Orellana for conspiracy to commit civil disorders after handing out face shields to anti-ICE rioters.' This whole thing is bizarre for many reasons, but perhaps the most bizarre is that, despite the fact that cars have been set on fire and federal buildings have been attacked, one of the only people whose arrest has been actively platformed by the Trump administration is a guy whose sole alleged crime (as far as we know) is helping to hand out protective face coverings so that people's eyes don't get burned by tear gas. Also, handing out gas masks is not a crime, so what are officials even really talking about? It's not totally clear. It's easy to feel like they just arrested this guy for nothing. Many other things about the incident remain unclear. The Daily Mail reports that Orellana was not the person who actually handed out the masks, and was only driving the vehicle that delivered them. Another, so far unidentified woman, is said to have actually handed out the masks. When reached for comment by Gizmodo, a public information officer for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California did little to clarify the situation. They said, 'Mr. Orellana was arrested today. We expect his initial appearance will be scheduled for tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. PDT in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.' The officer added that the office anticipates that Orellana will be charged with conspiracy to commit civil disorders and aiding and abetting civil disorders. There have been over 350 arrests in recent days, and the LA district attorney is expected to begin bringing cases soon, so Orellana is unlikely to be the last protester to grace the headlines. Still, right-wingers have been having a field day with his arrest and have used the incident to spin a larger conspiratorial narrative. The usual cast of MAGA voices have jumped into the fray to imply that Orellana is associated with some sort of vast conspiracy to 'fund' and coordinate the protests in LA. 'This militant and his network are part of the conspiracy to raise cash to buy riot gear,' MAGA influencer Any Ngo posted on Thursday. 'Who is funding and supplying the insurgents in Los Angeles and in other cities? The FBI has arrested the insurgency leader observed handing out $60 'bionic shield' face masks to rioters,' another frequent conspiracy poster with over 600,000 followers wrote. The Daily Signal, a conservative news site that was originally created by the Heritage Foundation, recently ran a news article entitled: 'Who Organized the LA Anti-ICE Protests That Escalated Into Riots?' It's incredibly unclear who is doing what in LA, so—hypothetically—it's not totally out of the realm of possibility that someone is giving supplies to some of the activists. But, last I checked, that's not a crime—nor is not wanting to get hit in the face with tear gas.
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
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8 minutes ago
As legal fight over Guard deployment plays out, Noem vows to continue Trump's immigration crackdown
LOS ANGELES -- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem pledged to carry on with the Trump administration's immigration crackdown despite waves of unrest across the U.S. Hours after her comment Thursday, a judge directed the president to return control to California over National Guard troops he deployed after protests erupted over the immigration crackdown, but an appeals court quickly put the brakes on that and temporarily blocked the order that was to go into effect on Friday. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals scheduled a hearing on the matter for Tuesday. The federal judge's temporary restraining order said the Guard deployment was illegal and both violated the Tenth Amendment and exceeded President Donald Trump's statutory authority. The order applied only to the National Guard troops and not Marines who were also deployed to the LA protests. The judge said he would not rule on the Marines because they were not out on the streets yet. Gov. Gavin Newsom who had asked the judge for an emergency stop to troops helping carry out immigration raids, had praised the order before it was blocked saying 'today was really about a test of democracy, and today we passed the test" and had said he would be redeploying Guard soldiers to 'what they were doing before Donald Trump commandeered them.' White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the president acted within his powers and that the federal judge's order 'puts our brave federal officials in danger. The district court has no authority to usurp the President's authority as Commander in Chief." The developments unfolded as protests continued in cities nationwide and the country braced for major demonstrations against Trump over the weekend. Noem said the immigration raids that fueled the protests would move forward and agents have thousands of targets. 'This is only going to continue until we have peace on the streets of Los Angeles,' she said during a news conference that was interrupted by shouting from U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, a California Democrat who was forcibly removed from the event. Newsom has warned that the military intervention is part of a broader effort by Trump to overturn norms at the heart of the nation's democracy. He also said sending Guard troops on the raids has further inflamed tensions in LA. So far the protests have been centered mostly in downtown near City Hall and a federal detention center where some immigrants are being held. Much of the sprawling city has been spared from the protests. On the third night of an 8 p.m. curfew, Los Angeles police arrested several demonstrators who refused orders to leave a street downtown. Earlier in the night, officers with the Department of Homeland Security deployed flash bangs to disperse a crowd that had gathered near the jail, sending protesters sprinting away. Those incidents were outliers. As with the past two nights, the hourslong demonstrations remained peaceful and upbeat, drawing a few hundred attendees who marched through downtown chanting, dancing and poking fun at the Trump administration's characterization of the city as a 'war zone.' Elsewhere, demonstrations have picked up across the U.S., emerging in more than a dozen major cities. Some have led to clashes with police and hundreds have been arrested. The immigration agents conducting the raids in LA are 'putting together a model and a blueprint' for other communities, Noem said. She pledged that federal authorities 'are not going away' even though, she said, officers have been hit with rocks and bricks and assaulted. She said people with criminal records who are in the country illegally and violent protesters will 'face consequences.' 'Just because you think you're here as a citizen, or because you're a member of a certain group or you're not a citizen, it doesn't mean that you're going to be protected and not face consequences from the laws that this country stands for," she said. Noem criticized the Padilla's interruption, calling it "inappropriate.' A statement from her agency said the two met after the news conference for about 15 minutes, but it also chided him for 'disrespectful political theater.' Padilla said later that he was demanding answers about the 'increasingly extreme immigration enforcement actions' and only wanted to ask Noem a question. He said he was handcuffed but not arrested. 'If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question, I can only imagine what they are doing to farmworkers, to cooks, to day laborers throughout the Los Angeles community,' he said. The administration has said it is willing to send troops to other cities to assist with immigration enforcement and controlling disturbances — in line with what Trump promised during last year's campaign. Some 2,000 Guard soldiers were in the nation's second-largest city and were soon to be joined by 2,000 more, along with about 700 Marines, said Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, who is in charge of the operation. About 500 of the Guard troops deployed to the Los Angeles protests have been trained to accompany agents on immigration operations, Sherman said Wednesday. The Guard has the authority to temporarily detain people who attack officers, but any arrests must be made by law enforcement. With more demonstrations expected over the weekend, and the possibility that Trump could send troops to other states for immigration enforcement, governors are weighing what to do. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has put 5,000 National Guard members on standby in cities where demonstrations are planned. In other Republican-controlled states, governors have not said when or how they may deploy troops. A group of Democratic governors earlier signed a statement this week calling Trump's deployments 'an alarming abuse of power.' There have been about 470 arrests since Saturday, the vast majority of which were for failing to leave the area at the request of law enforcement, according to the police department. There have been a handful of more serious charges, including for assault against officers and for possession of a Molotov cocktail and a gun. Nine officers have been hurt, mostly with minor injuries. ___ Rodriguez reported from San Francisco and Seewer from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Julie Watson in San Diego, Jesse Bedayn in Denver, and Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed.
