The Trump administration ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for all Afghan refugees on Monday, paving the way for the deportation of tens of thousands of Afghans living in the United States.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-terminating-temporary-protected-status-for-afghanistan#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20%E2%80%93%20Secretary%20of%20Homeland%20Security,effective%20on%20July%2012%2C%202025." target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that improving conditions in Afghanistan have made it possible for the refugees to return home. The Biden administration brought in around 76,000 Afghans following the U.S. military&#8217;s disastrous withdrawal from the country in 2021 under the orders of President Joe Biden. Most of the Afghan refugees were <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/afghan-evacuees-resettled-us-texas-california-virginia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resettled</a> in Texas, California, and Virginia.
&#8220;This administration is returning TPS to its original temporary intent,&#8221; Noem said. &#8220;We’ve reviewed the conditions in Afghanistan with our interagency partners, and they do not meet the requirements for a TPS designation. Afghanistan has had an improved security situation, and its stabilizing economy no longer prevent them from returning to their home country.&#8221;
Following the Trump administration&#8217;s move, deportation protections for Afghans will expire in 60 days, which is the minimum time allowed by law after the notice is filed.
Between 2010 and 2022, the Afghan population in the United States skyrocketed from 54,000 to 195,000. It&#8217;s unclear how many of those nearly 200,000 Afghans received legal permanent residency or citizenship in the United States. In 2006, the United States <a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/afghan-immigrants-united-states-2022#:~:text=In%20the%20past%20decade%2C%20the,top%20country%20for%20Afghan%20migrants." target="_blank" rel="noopener">started</a> the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, which sought to help Afghan and Iraqi translators who helped the U.S. military receive their green cards. The federal government expanded the SIV program in 2009 to apply to any Afghan national who was employed by the U.S. government.
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August of 2021 created another crisis for Afghan nationals who sought to quickly flee the country. Immediately after the United States evacuated Afghanistan, the country came under the control of the Taliban, which imposed harsh laws targeting Christians, certain Muslims, and those who were friendly toward the United States. The Taliban also took away any semblance of women&#8217;s rights, severely restricting how women dress and act in public.
Noem&#8217;s reasoning for ending TPS for Afghans cited Chinese tourism returning to the country and reduced warfare. Some remain <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/president-trump-protect-christian-afghan-refugees-who-fled-here-escape-martyrdom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concerned</a>, however, that religious minorities who are forced to return to Afghanistan will face persecution or even martyrdom.
Afghanistan also continues to face widespread food insecurity, but Noem wrote in her <a href="https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-08201.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a>, &#8220;Though humanitarian need remains prevalent, the number of those in need of assistance has declined to 23.7 million this year, a decrease from the more than 29 million Afghan nationals in need reported the previous year.&#8221;

Kristi Noem

Trump Admin Ends Deportation Protections For Tens Of Thousands More Refugees

Afghanistan

Deportations

Donald Trump

Immigration

Politics

Refugees

Trump Administration

President Donald Trump&#8217;s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is on a mission to &#8220;fix&#8221; the despised start/stop technology in newer cars that shuts down a vehicle&#8217;s engine when stopped in traffic or at a red light in the name of conserving fuel and saving the planet.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said on Monday that his agency would begin looking into how it can modify the start/stop feature. The EPA currently incentivizes car manufacturers to make cars with the start/stop system. The technology can give vehicles anywhere between a 3% to 10% fuel economy boost.
&#8220;Start/stop technology: where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy. EPA approved it, and everyone hates it, so we’re fixing it,&#8221; Zeldin wrote on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Start/stop technology: where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy. EPA approved it, and everyone hates it, so we’re fixing it. <a href="https://t.co/zFhijMyHDe">pic.twitter.com/zFhijMyHDe</a>
&mdash; Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin/status/1921894994769575972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Zeldin did not elaborate on specific plans to change the feature.
Start/stop technology was first used by European car manufacturers on hybrids, but over the past decade, most automakers began implementing the system in many of their new vehicles, including SUVs and pickup trucks. By 2019, however, more automakers began giving drivers the option to shut off the start/stop system as people began to complain. Buick first gave drivers that option with its 2019 Envision based on &#8220;customer feedback,&#8221; according to <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a19561461/automakers-increasingly-offer-ways-to-deactivate-stopstart-systems-temporarily/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Car and Driver</a>. Ford, GM, Volvo, and Lincoln also began including the shut-off option in their start/stop vehicles between 2017 and 2018.
While most cars with start/stop technology allow drivers to deactivate the system, they can&#8217;t turn it off permanently, and owners of start/stop cars who don&#8217;t want to use the tech still have to turn it off every time they get back in the car. The EPA’s fuel-economy test results for vehicles with the start/stop system are affected if drivers turn the system off. According to Car and Driver, &#8220;If a vehicle’s stop/start system can be permanently turned off, then the vehicle’s fuel economy is tested both when stop/start is active and when it’s off. The EPA then averages the two tests for a resulting fuel-economy rating found on the car’s window sticker—which is certain to be lower.&#8221;
The response to Zeldin&#8217;s announcement was overwhelmingly <a href="https://x.com/epaleezeldin/status/1921894994769575972/quotes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">positive</a> on social media, with many people calling the objective &#8220;common sense.&#8221;

Traffic

Trump Admin Sets Out To ‘Fix’ Everyone’s Least Favorite Car Feature

Auto Companies

Cars

Lee Zeldin

The United States and China on Monday announced an agreement to significantly reduce tariffs for 90 days while trade negotiations continue after top American and Chinese officials met in Switzerland over the weekend.
The deal means that President Donald Trump&#8217;s 125% reciprocal tariff on China will be reduced to 10%, with a 20% fentanyl tariff still in place, a significant drop from the 145% tariff placed on Chinese goods in the last few weeks. China will drop its retaliatory tariffs on the United States from 125% to 10%. The reductions are to be in place by Wednesday, May 14.
“After taking the aforementioned actions, the Parties will establish a mechanism to continue discussions about economic and trade relations,” said a joint statement from the United States and China. &#8220;These discussions may be conducted alternately in China and the United States, or a third country upon agreement of the Parties. As required, the two sides may conduct working-level consultations on relevant economic and trade issues.&#8221;
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and China Vice Premier of the State Council He Lifeng will continue discussions.
&#8220;I would say one of the big takeaways from this weekend — the United States will continue a strategic rebalancing in many areas that were exposed as supply chain weaknesses during COVID, whether it&#8217;s medicines, whether it&#8217;s semiconductors, steel,&#8221; Bessent said. &#8220;We will continue moving toward U.S. independence or reliable supplies from allies on those — but the consensus from both delegations this weekend is neither side wants a decoupling.&#8221;
China will also suspend non-tariff actions taken against the United States since April 2 such as restrictions on exports of rare earths and penalties for certain American companies.
Bessent added that he would like to see China open to more American goods and said that the two countries now have a mechanism in place to continue trade discussions. He <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/12/treasury-secretary-bessent-says-hes-likely-to-meet-with-china-again-in-next-few-weeks.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">later told</a> CNBC that he expected to meet with Chinese officials again in a few weeks to work toward a more &#8220;fulsome agreement.&#8221;
“We tried to identify shared interest,” he said. “We came with a list of problems that we were trying to solve, and I think we did a good job on that.”
The White House also wants to rebalance trade with China, noting in a release that the trade deficit with the communist country was $295.4 billion in 2024.
Bessent said that the Biden administration had failed to make China abide by previous trade agreements.
&#8220;We had an excellent trade agreement with China — and the Biden Administration chose not to enforce it,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The Chinese delegation basically told us that once President Biden came into office, they just ignored their obligations.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecScottBessent</a>: &#8220;We had an excellent trade agreement with China — and the Biden Administration chose not to enforce it. The Chinese delegation basically told us that once President Biden came into office, they just ignored their obligations.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Sv8pxVrazf">pic.twitter.com/Sv8pxVrazf</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1921896843610403005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Greer noted that Chinese officials had indicated that they would be taking more steps to crackdown on the flow of fentanyl originating in China into the United States.
&#8220;Both the Chinese and the United States agreed to work constructively together on fentanyl and there&#8217;s a positive path forward there as well,&#8221; he told reporters.
Bessent noted that the Chinese Deputy Minister for Public Safety, who he noted was not &#8220;traditionally part of the trade team,&#8221; was present at the talks over the weekend. He said that official had a &#8220;robust and highly detailed&#8221; discussion on the fentanyl issue.
Stock markets worldwide surged due to the temporary agreement, and the U.S. stock futures also jumped.

SWITZERLAND-US-CHINA-DIPLOMACY-TARIFF-TRADE

U.S., China Release Details Of Agreement To Dramatically Slash Tariffs

China

Economy

Scott Bessent

trade

Trade War

The Trump administration is suspending all U.S. Interior Department grants to Maine, due to discriminatory sex-based quotas from the state&#8217;s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
The move follows the Trump administration&#8217;s decision to freeze other federal dollars in the state over investigations into <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bondi-unleashes-on-maine-announces-new-lawsuit-against-state-for-violating-title-ix" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Democrat Gov. Janet Mills&#8217; refusal to protect girls&#8217; sports</a>, in apparent violation of Title IX rules.
“The MDIFW’s policy discriminates in the composition of hiring panels by requiring a quota based on sex,” a letter from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Director Paul Souza to MDIFW Commissioner Judy Camuso said, as first <a href="https://www.themainewire.com/2025/05/trump-admin-freezes-maine-wildlife-agencys-funds-over-sex-based-hiring-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by The Maine Wire.
The letter, dated Thursday, told Camuso that all federal grant funding to MDIFW will stop by May 15.
“Accordingly, MDIFW is not in compliance with 20 U.S.C. § 1681 which prohibits discrimination based on sex and is therefore also out of compliance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200,” Souza wrote. “The Department has therefore given this notice that MDIFW is out of compliance with applicable law. However, MDIFW has an opportunity to comply with applicable Federal law before further action is taken.”
The MDIFW policy in question forces hiring panels in the department to have half of its members be women.
“All hiring panels assembled for the review and selection of IFW employees will be comprised of 50% women,&#8221; the state&#8217;s website reads. &#8220;In the event there is an uneven number of panelists, organizers shall make every effort to include more women.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Trump Admin has informed Maine&#8217;s wildlife commissioner that it will suspend all Interior Dept. grants next week unless the state ends a sex-based quota policy for hiring.
Here&#8217;s the policy: <a href="https://t.co/zkG3pYdSqO">pic.twitter.com/zkG3pYdSqO</a>
— Steve Robinson (@BigSteve207) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigSteve207/status/1920985364061155747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
Maine-based investigative reporter and The Maine Wire Editor-in-Chief Steve Robinson noted that Camuso is the first female commissioner of the agency, and more than doubled her salary since 2018 while working for the Maine government.
&#8220;Judy Camuso, the first female commissioner of DIFW, went from making $102,352.88/year as Director of the Bureau of Wildlife in 2018 to $207,807.84/year as DIFW Commissioner, according to state payroll records,&#8221; Robinson said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
Judy Camuso, the first female commissioner of DIFW, went from making $102,352.88/year as Director of the Bureau of Wildlife in 2018 to $207,807.84/year as DIFW Commissioner, according to state payroll records.
— Steve Robinson (@BigSteve207) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigSteve207/status/1920985758015316240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
Back in February, Gov. Mills got into a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-spars-with-maines-dem-governor-over-men-in-womens-sports-at-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public spat with President Trump</a> when she refused to comply with the president’s order barring males from girls’ sports, <a href="https://x.com/TheMaineWire/status/1904334942999363625" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arguing</a> that she was following state law. The battle was sparked over males in the state of Maine taking away trophies and opportunities from young women, as reported by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boy-wins-girls-pole-vault-championship-in-maine-days-after-state-pledged-to-defy-trump-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>.
The state has since had federal dollars frozen and, last month, Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bondi-unleashes-on-maine-announces-new-lawsuit-against-state-for-violating-title-ix" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced a civil lawsuit</a> against Maine over the trans sports policies.
A copy of the lawsuit, which was obtained by Daily Wire reporter Mary Margaret Olohan, says the United States is suing Maine over its Department of Education “openly and defiantly flouting federal anti-discrimination law by enforcing policies that require girls to compete against boys in athletic competitions designed exclusively for girls.”
The suit is seeking to get Maine to stop its noncompliance with federal law and also seeks to grant females who were passed over by males their appropriate awards.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/f-fascism-maine-teacher-calls-for-murder-of-trump-supporters-top-officials-in-unhinged-rants?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘F***+Fascism’%3A+Maine+Teacher+Calls+For+Murder+Of+Trump+Supporters%2C+Top+Officials+In+Unhinged+Rants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘F*** Fascism’: Maine Teacher Calls For Murder Of Trump Supporters, Top Officials In Unhinged Rants</a>

MixCollage-26-Mar-2025-01-37-PM-9289

Trump Suspending More Maine Funds — This Time Over Discriminatory Quotas

Gender

Maine

Social Issues

Title IX

President Donald Trump on Saturday morning announced that the United States has mediated a &#8220;full and immediate ceasefire&#8221; between India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed rivals.
&#8220;After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE,&#8221; Trump posted to Truth Social. &#8220;Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Over the past 48 hours, <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/1921175185836708140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
Secretary of State Marco Rubio provided more details on the matter via X, writing that he and Vice President JD Vance were able to get both sides to agree to a ceasefire and to &#8220;start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site.&#8221;
&#8220;Over the past 48 hours, [Vice President] Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik,&#8221; Rubio said. &#8220;I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site.&#8221;
&#8220;We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace,&#8221; the secretary of state added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Over the past 48 hours, <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio/status/1921175185836708140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
The recent conflict started over a terror attack in the Indian regions of Jammu &amp; Kashmir on April 22 that left 26 civilians dead. According to India, a few of the terrorists, who are accused of specifically targeting Hindus, were from Pakistan. Pakistan denies involvement in the terror attack.
Tensions between the longtime rivals further escalated with cross-border small arms fire, the suspension of a river water-sharing treaty, the canceling of visas on both sides, and other measures, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/india-launches-airstrikes-on-pakistan-as-tensions-explode-over-terror-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
The Indian military then said it struck nine sites where “terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed,” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cwyneele13qt?page=2">reported BBC</a>. Pakistan denied the claim, alleging that Indian strikes hit civilian areas and killed numerous children, according to its military.
Kassy Akiva contributed to this report.

Trump Admin Announces Major Development In India-Pakistan Conflict: ‘Choosing The Path Of Peace’

Global Politics

India

Pakistan

World

The Trump administration is &#8220;actively&#8221; considering suspending habeas corpus as it seeks to continue its mass deportation efforts that are being hindered by federal judges.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said on Friday that the Constitution makes it &#8220;clear&#8221; that the writ of habeas corpus, which allows a person to petition a court to review the legality of their detention, can be &#8220;suspended in a time of invasion.&#8221;
“So, it’s an option we’re actively looking at,&#8221; Miller said, adding that &#8220;it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.”
Multiple federal judges have stopped Trump from carrying out his deportation agenda by blocking the administration&#8217;s use of the Alien Enemies Act. The Trump administration was using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to quickly deport Venezuelan illegal immigrants that it said were violent criminals and gang members. The president <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114466868060900843" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blasted</a> &#8220;activist judges&#8221; on Wednesday, calling on them to allow the deportation of &#8220;murderers, and other criminals who have come into our Country illegally, WITHOUT DELAY!!!
&#8220;Our Court System is not letting me do the job I was Elected to do,&#8221; Trump added.
Miller also argued on Friday that the Immigration and Nationality Act, which was passed by Congress in 1965, strips the judicial branch&#8217;s jurisdiction &#8220;from overruling a presidential determination or a secretarial determination on TPS [temporary protected status].&#8221;
&#8220;So when Secretary [Kristi] Noem terminated TPS for the illegals that Biden flew into the country, when the courts stepped in, they were violating explicit language that Congress had enacted. &#8230; So the courts aren’t just at war with the executive branch, the courts are at war — these radical, rogue judges — with the legislative branch as well. So all of that will inform the choices the president ultimately makes,&#8221; Miller said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Stephen Miller says the White House is looking into suspending habeas corpus, which protects people from unlawful detentions: &quot;A lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AZLhFy79oZ">pic.twitter.com/AZLhFy79oZ</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1920911944866808017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
If the White House attempts to suspend habeas corpus by arguing that the United States is being invaded, the move would likely be challenged, creating another battle between the courts and the president. Habeas corpus has been <a href="https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/articles/article-i/clauses/763" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspended</a> four times throughout U.S. history. The first time was during the Civil War, and then again during Reconstruction while the federal government was going after the Ku Klux Klan. It was also suspended in the Philippines in 1905 during an insurrection and in Hawaii after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
Trump rebuffed an order from Judge James Boasberg on March 15 after the judge said the administration must return deportation flights carrying Venezuelans to El Salvador. The deportation fight eventually made its way up to the Supreme Court, which blocked Trump from deporting suspected Tren de Aragua gang members under the Alien Enemies Act &#8220;until further order of this Court.&#8221;

Stephen Miller

Stephen Miller: White House ‘Actively Looking At’ Suspending Habeas Corpus Over Border ‘Invasion’

Illegal Immigation

Judges

China’s President Xi Jinping sent his top security official to Switzerland on Friday for critical trade talks with the U.S., underscoring Beijing&#8217;s recognition of the fentanyl crisis as a key issue amid ongoing tariff tensions with the Trump administration.
The Chinese delegation, led by Vice Premier He Lifeng, includes Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong, who is considered &#8220;the point person in Beijing’s recent discussions with Washington over how to address President Trump’s concerns about China’s role in the fentanyl trade,&#8221; <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/china/china-sends-xis-security-czar-to-trade-talks-with-u-s-a763826d?mod=hp_lead_pos1">according</a> to The Wall Street Journal. They will meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Switzerland on Saturday and Sunday.
The meeting will be aimed at addressing China&#8217;s role in the U.S. fentanyl crisis and tariff policies, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.
Previously, Chinese officials had accused the U.S. of using the fentanyl problem as a pretext to escalate tariffs.
Now, the Chinese government appears to recognize that it must present cooperative gestures in response to significant American concerns about the fentanyl crisis, as shown by Wang Xiaohong&#8217;s anticipated presence.
“Wang’s presence means one thing: Fentanyl is not only on the table, but also a key piece in the U.S.-China trade talks at this stage,” said Yun Sun, China program director at the D.C. Stimson Center, per the WSJ. “How willing China is to cooperate will illustrate how eager they are to make the trade deal.”
Sources close to the discussions told the Wall Street Journal that the Chinese delegation has been given a clear list outlining steps the Trump administration expects Beijing to take on fentanyl.
These recommendations reportedly include stricter law enforcement measures targeting domestic suppliers of fentanyl precursor chemicals and harsher penalties for criminal organizations involved in narcotics trafficking.
President Donald Trump, who imposed 145% tariffs on Chinese goods in part due to China&#8217;s connection with the fentanyl crisis — which claims tens of thousands of American lives each year — posted Friday on Truth Social that he is open to lowering tariffs to 80%, placing the decision in the hands of Treasury Secretary Bessent.
“CHINA SHOULD OPEN UP ITS MARKET TO USA — WOULD BE SO GOOD FOR THEM!!! CLOSED MARKETS DON’T WORK ANYMORE!!!” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114477610338144415">posted</a> on Truth Social Friday morning.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-calls-for-china-to-open-its-markets-floats-major-tariff-reduction">Trump Calls For China To Open Its Markets, Floats Major Tariff Reduction</a>

CHINA-US-DIPLOMACY

China Dispatches Top Security Chief To Face Trump Team Over Fentanyl Crisis, Tariffs

Fentanyl

Switzerland

Tariffs

Xi Jinping

A new bipartisan proposal would significantly overhaul FEMA and ensure that there is no political discrimination in the distribution of emergency aid.
The proposal, from Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Rep. Rick Larson (D-WA), would make FEMA an independent agency that directly reports to the president, transfer significant responsibility to the states for handling natural disaster responses, and officially prohibit political discrimination. Graves, the chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, released a <a href="https://transportation.house.gov/uploadedfiles/fema_discussion_draft_text.pdf?utm_campaign=198289-345" target="_blank" rel="noopener">draft</a> of the bill on Thursday.
&#8220;We have clearly seen that FEMA is not working as it should for Americans who’ve been impacted by disasters. Congress has passed FEMA reforms over the years, but it simply hasn’t been enough,&#8221; Graves said. &#8220;This draft bill includes substantive changes that will transform FEMA and our emergency programs to be much more state and locally driven – not micro-managed into ineffectiveness by the federal government.&#8221;
One of the key components of the draft legislation is that it would add &#8220;political affiliation&#8221; as a protected status under current federal law. Senator James Lankford (R-OK) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-senator-vows-to-stop-fema-from-discriminating-against-republicans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously introduced</a> legislation in the Senate that would do the same thing.
This proposal comes after The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fema-official-ordered-relief-workers-to-skip-houses-with-trump-signs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> in November that FEMA supervisor Marn&#8217;i Washington ordered relief workers in Lake Placid, Florida, to skip the homes of people &#8220;advertising Trump.&#8221; Washington and three other FEMA employees were fired over the instructions, which caused over 20 homes to be skipped by FEMA workers.
The draft legislation would also seek to return more agency to the states &#8220;by replacing the slow and bureaucratic rebuilding process with faster, project-based grants&#8221; and reducing &#8220;their dependence on costly consultants,&#8221; according to the committee. The lawmakers also hope to streamline the application process for requesting assistance by reducing paperwork and providing quicker responses.
Graves and Larson also want to incentivize states to make their own investments in mitigation, robust state rainy day funds, and private insurance policies.
The proposal comes as President Donald Trump has called for dramatic reforms to FEMA and floated the idea of getting rid of the agency completely. In an executive order, he called for the creation of a federal council to look at the possibility of getting rid of FEMA and shifting over responsibility to the states.
On Thursday, Acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton was fired and replaced with Department of Homeland Security official David Richardson. Hamilton&#8217;s ouster comes one day after he said that he personally didn&#8217;t think that it would be a good idea to get rid of FEMA.

Storm Helene Causes Massive Flooding Across Swath Of Western North Carolina

Lawmakers Renew Efforts To Protect Disaster Victims From Political Discrimination

Congress

FEMA

Natural Disaster

U.S.

President Donald Trump named Fox News host and former prosecutor Jeanine Pirro to fill in as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia on Thursday.
Trump announced Pirro’s new role in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114474584669905764" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on Truth Social. Pirro will take the place of acting U.S. Attorney Ed Martin, whose nomination to serve in the role under Trump was withdrawn.
“I am pleased to announce that Judge Jeanine Pirro will be appointed interim United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. Jeanine was Assistant District Attorney for Westchester County, New York, and then went on to serve as County Judge, and District Attorney, where she was the first woman ever to be elected to those positions,” Trump said.
“In addition to her Legal career, Jeanine previously hosted her own Fox News Show, Justice with Judge Jeanine, for ten years, and is currently Co-Host of The Five, one of the Highest Rated Shows on Television,” he continued. “Jeanine is incredibly well qualified for this position, and is considered one of the Top District Attorneys in the History of the State of New York. She is in a class by herself. Congratulations Jeanine!”
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-teases-new-great-pick-for-d-c-u-s-attorney-after-withdrawing-ed-martin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> earlier Thursday that he was withdrawing Martin’s nomination for the role after struggling for Republican support in the Senate.
“He is a terrific person,” Trump said in comments from the White House. “He wasn’t getting the support from people that I thought.”
“And he wasn’t rejected, but we felt it would be very – it would be hard. And we have somebody else that we’ll be announcing over the next two days who’s going to be great,” he added. Trump said that he would look at Martin for a possible position elsewhere in the Department of Justice.
Martin’s nomination ran into a snag after he met with GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina on Monday. On Tuesday, Tillis told reporters that he broke with Martin over comments the former nominee made on the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
“I have no tolerance for anybody that entered the building on Jan. 6, and that’s probably where most of the friction was,” the Republican senator said.
Tillis said he has recommended that Trump tap SEC Chair Jay Clayton for the role.
“If you take a look at his tenure as SEC … he’s a rock solid, smart guy,” Tillis said. “So all I’ve said was: ‘Look, if we’ve got to find another nominee, I wouldn’t count him out if he would be willing to serve.’”

Fox News’ “The Five”

Trump Taps Former DA And Fox News Host For Acting D.C. U.S. Attorney: ‘In A Class By Herself’

Courts

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Jeanine Pirro

One of the most commonly prescribed abortion pharmaceuticals in the United States today is one of the most dangerous substances in the world, according to groundbreaking new research. Sadly, it&#8217;s not as polarizing a product as Ozempic or vaccines.
According to a <a href="https://eppc.org/news/largest-ever-study-of-abortion-pill-reveals-shocking-number-of-adverse-events/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bombshell new study</a> using real-world data, the abortion pill is physically wounding thousands of women per year.
When the Food &amp; Drug Administration approved the abortion pill – mifepristone or Mifeprex – it was on the basis that clinical trials had shown a serious adverse event rate of less than 0.5%.
But the new research, which analyzed 865,727 mifepristone abortions between 2017-2023, found a serious adverse event rate of 11%. That&#8217;s twenty-two times higher than the figure cited on the drug label.
These adverse events are not mere side effects. Hemorrhage, sepsis, infection, cardiac distress, and incomplete abortions are part of the laundry list of complications suffered by women within 45 days of taking the abortion pill.
The figures come from an all-payer health claims database. Insurance companies don&#8217;t pay for things that didn&#8217;t happen. The research was published by the Ethics &amp; Public Policy Center, which has promised more is to come.
If these serious adverse events were caused by a common antibiotic or a diabetes medication, media outrage and mass public uproar would ensue. 
Reckless conduct in the service of political ideology got us here. In the final year of the Obama administration, the Department of Health and Human Services watered down safety regulations. They allowed the abortion pill to be prescribed by non-physicians, taken at home away from the watchful eye of medical professionals, and extended the maximum gestational age at which a child could be aborted from seven weeks to ten weeks.
The Biden administration took this ghoulish crusade a step further. In 2023, they removed virtually all safeguards to the extent that a woman can now order abortion pills online, take them at home, risk bleeding out, flush her aborted child down the toilet, and go it alone, all without ever seeing a doctor.
It is up to the new Trump administration to restore some sanity. President Trump has been notoriously fickle on abortion, as has his HHS secretary, Robert F. Kennedy.
<a href="https://catholicvote.org/catholicvote-joins-urges-trump-admin-to-reevaluate-abortion-pill/?mkt_tok=NDI3LUxFUS0wNjYAAAGaJQObGcXkcfyZbJ7FjQNwks_nKJ9XiOo9VXl6pBbxneaC7Ri29G__kqN2XupSy1lr5nuPJN-ynFfzQylzGOSa83kCwwhMt68zcxRRaMq0ww">Just this week,</a> CatholicVote joined a coalition of 30 other pro-life organizations urging President Trump to re-evaluate the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone in light of the study’s disturbing discoveries.
Both Kennedy and newly-installed FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary have expressed a commitment to prioritizing women&#8217;s safety in regard to the abortion pill. Upon questioning from Sen. Steve Daines of Montana during his confirmation hearings, Kennedy promised to study the abortion pill and take action on any new developments. Dr. Makary has expressed similar rhetoric, although he <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/04/24/2025/fdas-marty-makary-no-plans-to-pull-abortion-pill-mifepristone">stated</a> in late April that he had &#8220;no plans&#8221; to restrict the pill until the data could be examined thoroughly.
The question now is whether health and safety will take priority over abortion absolutism. There are too many women suffering silently for the administration to do nothing.
* * *
Tommy Valentine is the Director of the Catholic Accountability Project at CatholicVote.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Daily Wire.

Wyoming’s Only Abortion Clinic Forced To Stop Administering Abortions Due To New State Law

It’s Long Past Time To Re-Evaluate Chemical Abortion Pills

It's Long Past Time to Re-Evaluate Chemical Abortion Pills

Abortion

Abortion Drug

Biden Administration

Catholics

Department of Health and Human Services

Drugs

Obama Administration

Opinion

Pregnancy

The acting administrator of FEMA has been ousted one day after he said that he disagreed with the Trump administration&#8217;s push to dismantle the agency and return emergency response authority back to the states.
Acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton was fired on Thursday and replaced with another senior Department of Homeland Security official. DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin confirmed to The Daily Wire that David Richardson, currently the assistant secretary for DHS&#8217; Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, would be taking on the role of senior official performing the duties of administrator.
Hamilton&#8217;s firing comes after he testified before the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Homeland Security and said he did not support eliminating FEMA.
“As the senior advisor to the president on disasters and emergency management, and to the Secretary of Homeland Security, I do not believe it is in the best interest the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” he said on Wednesday. “Having said that, I am not in a position to make decisions and impact outcomes on whether or not a determination as consequential as that should be made. That is a conversation that should be had between the President of the United States and this governing body.”
President Donald Trump formed a government council earlier this year intended to evaluate FEMA and potentially consider its elimination.
“I am proud to announce the formation of the FEMA Review Council, comprised of Top Experts in their fields, who are Highly Respected by their peers,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/1916943942156734688">posted</a> on Truth Social last week. “I know that the new Members will work hard to fix a terribly broken System, and return power to State Emergency Managers, who will help, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN. Congratulations to all!”
That came after he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-promises-overhaul-of-fema-floats-getting-rid-of-agency?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Promises+Overhaul+Of+FEMA%2C+Floats+‘Getting+Rid+Of’+Agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in January that he was looking at potentially &#8220;getting rid&#8221; of FEMA and giving states more control over their response to natural disasters. Under Trump&#8217;s plan, the federal government would still provide funding for emergency operations.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-dem-no-evidence-fema-discriminated-against-trump-supporters-under-biden?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=House+Dem%3A+‘No+Evidence’+FEMA+Discriminated+Against+Trump+Supporters+Under+Biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Tuesday that Trump believed that FEMA had largely failed the American people.
“President Trump has been very clear since the beginning that he believes that FEMA and its response, in many, many circumstances, has failed the American people and that FEMA, as it exists today, should be eliminated and empowering states to respond to disasters with federal government support,” she said.
FEMA has come under fire in recent months after it was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-fema-official-ordered-relief-workers-to-skip-houses-with-trump-signs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> to have skipped the homes of Trump supporters in Florida for political reasons. The agency was also criticized over its sluggish response to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.

Acting Director Of FEMA Cam Hamilton Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee

Top FEMA Official Fired After Saying He Doesn’t Think Agency Should Be Dismantled

Department of Homeland Security

Executive

President Donald Trump, joined by representatives from the United Kingdom in the Oval Office, announced on Thursday that the two countries will cut back on trade barriers in the first major trade deal for the president.
The agreement will allow the United States to gain increased market access in the United Kingdom — the sixth-largest economy in the world — for billions of dollars worth of American exports, according to Trump. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who spoke to the president over the phone, told Trump he is &#8220;really pleased&#8221; with the deal between the two allies. The final details are still being worked out, but Trump will keep some tariffs in place on British imports. The president emphasized that the deal would boost both countries&#8217; industrial bases and help protect steel.
&#8220;Both countries have agreed that economic security is national security and will be working together as allies to ensure that we have a strong industrial base and appropriate export controls and protections for key technologies and industries like steel,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Steel was a big factor. Both countries will become stronger with steel.&#8221;
Shortly after announcing the deal, President Trump posted a chart on social media, showing that Britain&#8217;s tariffs on U.S. goods will drop to 1.8% while &#8220;reciprocal tariffs&#8221; on the United Kingdom will remain at 10%. Trump said other nations should not view the 10% tariff on Britain as a template for how the administration will negotiate future deals.
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&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1920494982282064090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Asked by Daily Wire White House Reporter Mary Margaret Olohan if the trade deal includes any assurances from Britain to protect free speech and freedom of religion, Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the agreement is solely focused on the economy.
Lutnick added that the deal will also allow the United Kingdom to export up to 100,000 vehicles to the United States for a 10% tariff. Lutnick said the agreement will enable the U.K. to maintain access to the U.S. market while also protecting American jobs. The United States will be able to gain more access to U.K. markets to sell agricultural products such as “ethanol, beef, [and] machinery,&#8221; according to Lutnick. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the deal will &#8220;exponentially increase our beef exports&#8221; to the United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom will also be allowed to export Rolls-Royce engines and airplane parts to the United States tariff-free, and Britain will purchase $10 billion worth of Boeing airplanes from the United States, Lutnick added.
Starmer praised Trump and his trade team for working out the trade deal.
&#8220;Really important deal,&#8221; Starmer said. &#8220;This is going to boost trade between and across our countries. It&#8217;s not only going to protect jobs, but create jobs, opening market access.&#8221;
The deal is a significant step for the Trump administration as it seeks to negotiate new trade agreements with dozens of countries worldwide following the president&#8217;s &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs rollout last month.

‘Both Countries Will Become Stronger’: Trump’s Trade Deal Will Give U.S. More Access To U.K. Economy

Free Trade

Howard Lutnick

Keir Starmer

U.K.

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