Donald Trump said Tuesday morning’s prayer service at the National Cathedral was “not too exciting” after the Bishop of Washington urged him to show mercy towards migrants and LGBT+ children. Her sermon has enraged the right, with one lawmaker saying the New Jersey native should be deported.
Meanwhile, across the country, 22 states are now challenging the president’s executive order to end birthright citizenship as unconstitutional.
In addition to undermining birthright citizenship, Trump moved this week to declare a national emergency at the southern border, designate cartels as terrorist organizations, reinstate his “Remain in Mexico” policy, and end “catch and release” practices.
He also pardoned 1,500 “J6 hostages,” withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization and Paris Climate Accord, affirmed that the government recognizes only two genders, renamed the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Mount Denali, froze federal hiring and postponed the implementation of the TikTok ban for 75 days.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk has responded after being accused of performing a Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration celebrations on Monday, dismissing the accusations as “tired” and “dirty tricks”.
After giving TikTok a second chance, can Trump actually save the app from its ban?
On Sunday, the 170 million Americans who use TikTok saw the same message when they opened the app.
But can Trump really save the app?
Katie Hawkinson investigates.
Oliver O’Connell22 January 2025 05:45
Exclusive: Insiders claim Trump has Starmer ‘over a barrel’ on trade deal
Donald Trump’s new administration believes it has Sir Keir Starmer’s government “over a barrel” on trade as Britain becomes increasingly reliant on a US deal, insiders have told The Independent.
Senior sources in the president’s team said the UK had no choice but to seek a trade agreement after the prime minister said his government’s success would be judged primarily on economic growth.
David Maddox, The Independent’s political editor, reports from Washington, D.C.
Oliver O’Connell22 January 2025 04:45
Ariana Grande ‘likes’ post mocking Carrie Underwood’s inaugural performance
Brittany Miller reports on what happened next.
Oliver O’Connell22 January 2025 03:45
Amid fears of first Trump deportation raid, Chicago immigrant hub neighborhood goes quiet
Immigration czar Tom Homan said Monday that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement had “pulled back” a reported Chicago operation, after news of the potential plan leaked over the weekend, but that Americans will see the agency in action “real soon.”
The looming threat of an ICE raid, whenever it comes, has already impacted the Little Village area, according to local business owners and officials.
Oliver O’Connell22 January 2025 03:15
ICYMI: Trump looks awkward as bishop urges him to ‘have mercy’ on ‘scared’ immigrants and LGBT+ youth
Oliver O’Connell22 January 2025 02:45
Comedian Theo Von slams the Paul brothers over inauguration prank
In an X/Twitter video posted by 29-year-old Logan Paul and captioned: “MAKE CHAIRS GREAT AGAIN,” Von is seen sitting directly in front of the YouTuber when his chair suddenly collapses.
Oliver O’Connell22 January 2025 02:15
Homeland Security orders employees back to office ahead of expected mass deportations
Department of Homeland Security employees have been ordered back to the office as the agency follows through with new President Donald Trump’s executive order and ahead of his expected mass deportations of illegal migrants.
In a memo shortly after the inauguration, Acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman said the amount of hours being spent in the office throughout the agency was “unacceptable.”
Madeline Sherratt has the details.
Oliver O’Connell22 January 2025 01:45
Watch: ‘QAnon Shaman’ adopts bizarre English accent
‘QAnon Shaman’ adopts bizarre English accent when confronted on Jan 6
“QAnon Shaman” Jacob Chansley spoke in a bizarre English accent when BBC Newsnight presenter Victoria Derbyshire confronted him over the January 6 US Capitol riot. Chansley is a former believer and disseminator of the QAnon conspiracy theories and self-described shamanic practitioner. In 2021, he and other Trump supporters descended on the historic building in an attempt to overturn the then-incumbent president’s 2020 election defeat to Joe Biden. His distinct appearance rocketed the far-right conspiracy theorist as a worldwide symbol for the insurrection. A judge later said he “literally spearheaded” the movement into the chamber. On Monday (20 January) he was one of the 1,500 individuals charged with crimes connected to the riot whose convictions were quashed in Donald Trump’s pardons.
Oliver O’Connell22 January 2025 01:15
Legal challenges expand against Trump birthright citizenship ban
She is the lead plaintiff in a federal lawsuit against the newly inaugurated president and members of his administration, accused of mounting a “flagrantly illegal” attempt to “strip citizenship from millions of Americans with a stroke of a pen.”
The lawsuit was filed by Boston-based Lawyers for Civil Rights on behalf of Brazilian Worker Center and La Colaborativa, which have “numerous members who are either currently pregnant or planning to grow their families in the future, and whose children will be among the targeted citizens,” according to the complaint.
A lawsuit in Maryland from CASA and the Asylum Seeker Advocacy is seeking to overturn Trump’s order on behalf of five pregnant women who “fear that their children will be denied United States citizenship” based on their immigration status “and that of their children’s fathers.”
Alex Woodward has the story.
Josh Marcus22 January 2025 01:00
Trump supporters slam bishop urging Christian tolerance for migrants, LGBTQ people
At the service, Episocal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde called on Trump to “have mercy” for the “scared” LGBT+ children and immigrant families across the country.
“There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families — some who fear for their lives,” Budde pointedly said directly to Trump.
Katie Hawkinson has the story.
Josh Marcus22 January 2025 00:55
