The Department of Government Efficiency arrived at the headquarters of the Peace Corps on Saturday, ready to make more cuts wherever it finds waste, fraud and abuse, NBC News reported.
“Staff from the Department of Government Efficiency are currently working at Peace Corps headquarters and the agency is supporting their requests," the Peace Corps' press office said.
While no information is yet available about areas or programs for cuts, the organization reportedly supports DOGE's efforts.
"These visits at other federal agencies have led to major funding cuts," the association said in a post to Facebook. "We don’t yet know the full impact, but we’re watching closely."
The Corps has struggled in recent years to get enough volunteers, with its "fill rate" only at 63% in 2023.
The Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs committees oversee the Corps's activities, which have a $430 million yearly budget.
It's a large number, but it represents only one-tenth of 1% of the federal budget.
There have been attempts to increase the budget by another $40 million or so, but the legislation has not been passed.
The organization's 3,300 volunteers work to develop and assist foreign nations in the areas of education, health, youth development, community economic development, environment and agriculture.
The volunteers do get paid something when they complete their 27 months of volunteering, typically a readjustment allowance of just over $10,000 and student loan forgiveness, among other benefits.
There has traditionally been bipartisan support for its activities, but the cuts have to come from somewhere.
No doubt DOGE and the federal government will be weighing whether the benefits of the Corps outweigh the cost.
It may be something that DOGE determines is not as important as working on balancing the budget and tackling the giant pile of debt that the last few presidents have racked up.
Even if DOGE only identifies some useless cogs in the machine, it will help reach the goal of a balanced budget.
The Trump administration placed a Justice Department lawyer on indefinite paid leave for not arguing strenuously enough against allowing a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador back into the U.S.
Erez Reuveni was placed on leave by Attorney General Pam Bondi for not "zealously advocating" the government's position. Reuveni admitted that the U.S. made a mistake when it deported Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia last month.
At a hearing on Friday, a judge ruled that Garcia must be returned to the U.S. by Monday.
“At my direction, every Department of Justice attorney is required to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States,” Bondi told the New York Times. “Any attorney who fails to abide by this direction will face consequences.”
The Trump administration launched an emergency appeal on Saturday, arguing that U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis doesn't have the ability to force the administration to return Garcia to the U.S.
“Late Friday afternoon, a federal district judge ordered the United States to force El Salvador to send one of its citizens – a member of MS-13, no less – back to the United States by midnight on Monday. If there was ever a case for an emergency stay pending appeal, this would be it,” the government wrote.
The government no longer has "control" over Garcia after he was deported, the DOJ further argued.
Nevertheless, the court’s injunction commands that Defendants accomplish, somehow, Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States in give or take one business day,” the appeal said, calling it “indefensible.”
The DOJ claimed that Garcia was a member of MS-13, but he has denied this, according to other reports.
In fact, an immigration judge ruled five years ago that Garcia could not be deported because he would be in danger from gang activity in El Salvador.
Garcia entered the country in 2011, and at the time of his deportation he was married to an American citizen and had a child. He was also working as a sheet metal fabricator.
He was arrested in front of his son, who was in the car in an IKEA parking lot where he was detained.
In an NPR interview on Monday, Assistant Secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Tricia McLaughlin said that multiple judges had viewed classified information and confirmed that Garcia was an MS-13 gang member.
"I think the bottom line for the American people and for those who are listening today is that this individual in question, who's an MS-13 gang member, he should be behind bars, whether it be in El Salvador or in a U.S. detention facility," she said. "He should not be on the streets of America. And to remind listeners, MS-13 is a gang that murders, rapes, traffics drugs. They maim for sport. These are individuals we do not want in our country, especially those who are here illegally."
Three more people have died in California from hantavirus, the same rare but serious mouse-borne disease that killed Betsy Arakawa, Gene Hackman's wife, in New Mexico in February.
The deaths all occurred in the rural California town of Mammoth Lakes, and public health officials are worried about further illnesses and deaths from the disease.
Mono County Public Health called the deaths both "tragic" and "alarming."
“The occurrence of three cases in a short period has me worried,” Mono County Public Health Officer Dr. Tom Boo said.
When hantavirus is present, it occurs in the urine, droppings and saliva of infected mice, according to the CDC. In America, it infects deer mice.
The disease cannot be passed from person to person, it usually manifests after humans have contact with infected mouse secretions or they inhale vaporized secretions that have gotten into the air.
This often occurs when people clean up mouse-infested areas with a vacuum or a broom. Two of the California deaths happened just this way, officials have determined.
One victim vacuumed rodent droppings, while another had a known mouse infestation in their home.
Hantavirus can manifest in two ways: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which affects the lungs and breathing, and hantavirus fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), which causes kidney failure in some cases.
About 38% of those who contract HPS die from the disease (good thing it's so rare); while 1-15% of those with HFRS die from it.
Police and health officials are puzzled by the third person who died of hantavirus; there was no known infestation or contact with rodents in this case.
Before you start freaking out, hantavirus is rare. There are only 20 to 50 cases of it in the U.S. in a given year, but having this many deaths from it so early in the year is unusual.
There is no known connection between Arakawa's death in New Mexico and the ones in California.
Still, having so many cases so early in the year is unusual; most hantavirus cases occur in later spring and summer, officials said.
At the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023, Prince Harry's candid comments revealed ongoing rifts within the royal family.
The tension among the British monarchy members was palpable as Prince Harry conveyed discontent with his treatment during the ceremony, drawing attention to unresolved family disputes," PageSix reported.
During the highly anticipated coronation of King Charles III, the atmosphere between certain royal family members was tense. Prince Harry, attending the event amid ongoing familial tension, was reportedly observed making critical remarks about the royal family. Noted lip reader Jeremy Freeman identified a series of exchanges between Harry and his cousin Jack Brooksbank, as they sat together during the coronation.
The discord within the family, particularly involving Prince Harry, has roots tracing back several years. Since beginning his relationship with Meghan Markle in 2016, Harry's bond with his father, King Charles, and his brother, Prince William, has been strained.
The couple's exit from royal duties in 2020, followed by their relocation to California, further exacerbated tensions with the monarchy.
The couple's revelations during the Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021 brought additional issues into public view. In Harry’s candid conversation with Brooksbank during the coronation, he reportedly voiced frustration by stating, "I'm fed up with the way they treat me." This exchange with Brooksbank added fuel to the ongoing narrative of familial discord.
The tensions were further explored with the publication of Prince Harry's book, "Spare," earlier in 2023. The book illuminated more personal aspects of his experiences within the royal family and became a point of public intrigue. In his recent exchanges, Harry reportedly expressed feelings of neglect, saying, "They don’t care," to which Brooksbank responded, highlighting his own stance on the situation.
Despite these personal revelations, attempts at mending the fractured familial ties have been made. The Sussexes initiated efforts to reconcile with King Charles in 2023, though no substantial resolution has emerged. Harry's presence at the coronation marked his first public appearance alongside the royal family since Queen Elizabeth II’s passing.
Protocol at the coronation dictated that Harry did not don military dress, as this is traditionally reserved only for those actively serving in the royal duties. Instead, he was situated in the third row, alongside his cousins. Meghan Markle chose to stay in California with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, during the historic occasion.
The coronation, a significant event for the monarchy, brought these longstanding familial issues into the spotlight once again. Historical ruptures simmered beneath the surface, obscurely highlighted by Harry's candid commentary. The situation during the event underscores a lingering discontent within the royal family, most prominently between Harry and the core monarchy.
Despite being a momentous occasion for King Charles, the underlying familial discord was noticeable. Prince Harry's remarks reflect a broader struggle, one drawn from years of unresolved tension and public scrutiny. While his comments carry personal weight, they also spotlight the complexity of navigating familial relationships under the scrutiny of global attention.
Such remarks have captured the fascination of a global audience, emblematic of the tension that runs through the royal lineage. The apparent paucity of resolution continues to generate speculation and interest worldwide.
As the royal family attempts to reconcile, the historical and ongoing turbulence remains of significant public interest.
The turbulence within the monarchy continues to unfold publicly, as family members attempt to navigate internal conflicts amid the expectations of tradition and duty.
Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, will soon be making the rounds in India toward the end of the month.
According to a Politico report that cited sources familiar with the vice president's schedule, "Vice President JD Vance will travel to India later this month alongside Second Lady Usha Vance."
The trip will mark Second Lady Vance's second overseas trip, as many speculate that she could potentially fill a more traditional first lady role since First Lady Melania Trump is staying largely out of the spotlight this time around.
The trip will be Vice President Vance's second trip abroad, first having gone to France and Germany, which was more or less his introduction to the world stage.
Notably, Usha Vance's parents emigrated from India, and the trip will mark her first visit to her ancestral country as the second lady. The trip has been described as a sort of "homecoming" for the second lady.
The trip will reportedly span four days, and the two are expected to engage in both diplomacy and take in Usha Vance's Indian heritage.
JD Vance will travel to India with his Hindu wife, Usha, for a “largely private” heritage tour.
They will stay there for 4 days and PM Modi will host them for dinner.
Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/UmVrEL03A7
— AF Post (@AFpost) April 5, 2025
Vice President Vance's first trip abroad, when he spoke at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, set off global fireworks, as he was highly critical of several European governments.
Politico noted:
The vice president’s first foreign trip was marked by a fiery speech at the Munich Security Conference where he criticized European governments for their handling of illegal migration, ignoring religious freedoms, and overturning elections.
U.S. allies were reportedly "shaken" by VP Vance's fiery rhetoric and criticism -- something they probably weren't used to under former President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Users across social media reacted to the news of the upcoming trip for the Vance's.
"People will criticise this whilst at the same time ignoring that the US is currently negotiating a trade deal with India which could serve to undercut Chinese dominance of manufacturing in the short to medium term," one X user wrote.
Another X user wrote, "Part of negotiating a new trade deal after the massive tariffs we just hit them with. Smart to use Usha as an asset."
Many others wished the couple well on their trip. Hopefully, everything goes as planned.
President Donald Trump snagged a massive Supreme Court victory this week after taking several losses at the hands of federal judges in recent months.
According to Breitbart, the high court "allowed the Trump administration to freeze roughly $65 million in teacher training grants that reportedly promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies."
The move came as one of the major cost-cutting measures led by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The Supreme Court's decision "lifts a lower order that ordered" the Department of Education to resume the grants across eight different states.
The cost-cutting measure carried out Trump's mission to essentially end every trace of DEI-related funding by the American taxpayer, but like many other cost-cutting measures, met immediate legal resistance.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court just ruled 5-4 that the Trump admin can block teacher development grants which may be promoting DEI.
This ruling lifts a lower judge’s order that forced the Education Department to resume these grants.
BIG WIN pic.twitter.com/zXBBz3MXpY
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 4, 2025
The high court explained its reasoning for the decision in a statement.
"Respondents have represented in this litigation that they have the financial wherewithal to keep their programs running,” the court wrote in its ruling. “So, if respondents ultimately prevail, they can recover any wrongfully withheld funds through suit in an appropriate forum."
The Hill noted that "the decision is not a final ruling in the case, and the dispute could ultimately return to the Supreme Court."
Breitbart added:
Breitbart News’s Katherine Hamilton reported in February that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, “slashed 29” DEI teacher training grants totalling $101 million.
Users across social media weighed in on the high court's backing of Trump's ability to slash the programs, and many questioned why it was only a 5--4 decision.
"5-4 is way too freaking close man. Huge win, but still. That needs to be like 7-2," one X user wrote.
Another X user wrote, "1 down, 50 million more judges orders to remove to go."
Hopefully, Trump's luck with the Supreme Court will continue as he battles Democrat-appointed federal judges across the country who are putting political activism ahead of the law.
America's enemies are quickly learning, once again, that President Donald Trump isn't messing around, especially in his second term.
According to Breitbart, the president posted a video of a U.S. military strike against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, and his video caption became an instant classic.
The Houthi terrorists that were eliminated in the video were reportedly responsible for attacking U.S. ships in the Red Sea and other areas where American ships patrol.
The Houthis have launched multiple attacks against U.S. ships since 2023, and only now, under Trump, is America finally saying "enough is enough."
The president, in his usual fashion, held nothing back when describing the video, which showed a large group of Houthi rebel terrorists being taken out by a U.S. air strike.
"These Houthis gathered for instructions on an attack. Oops, there will be no attack by these Houthis! They will never sink our ships again!" Trump captioned the video, which was posted across his social media accounts.
These Houthis gathered for instructions on an attack. Oops, there will be no attack by these Houthis!
They will never sink our ships again! pic.twitter.com/lEzfyDgWP5
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 4, 2025
Breitbart noted:
Since 2023, the Houthis have shot at United States warships at least 174 times and commercial vessels at least 145 times in the Suez Canal, Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden, according to the White House.
The situation escalated once again last month after ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas broke down. Trump launched Operation Rough Rider in response to the increased attacks, and began launching strikes against the terrorist group.
Reports indicated that most of the strikes against the Houthi rebels have been carried out by the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, which is current stationed in the Red Sea.
Not surprisingly, people went nuts over Trump's post, and his supporters cheered him on for taking care of business as it should have been done for years now.
"America is getting its safety! Thank you Mr. President" one X user wrote.
Another X user wrote, "Lesson of the day: Don’t touch our ships."
One would think that it won't take too much longer for the terrorists who take shots at U.S. ships to learn their lesson.
Few criminal offenses are more jarring than those committed against minors, a scenario made all the more appalling when the person accused of committing them has been a prominent member of the legal and political communities.
As the Daily Caller reports, it was revealed this week that Robert LeBlanc of Methuen, Massachusetts, a longtime attorney, public official, and now-resigned member of the Democratic State Committee, has been charged with multiple sex offenses after years of rumors regarding inappropriate conduct.
The charges leveled against LeBlanc, 80, were announced on Wednesday by the Essex County Office of the District Attorney.
According to a prosecution press release, LeBlanc was arraigned in Salem's Superior Court on multiple counts related to “child rape and indecent assault.”
LeBlanc has been charged with “rape of a child, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older and attempt to commit crime -- indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older.”
For his part, LeBlanc pleaded not guilty to the aforementioned charges.
As NBC 10 in Boston noted, prosecutors did not ask that monetary terms of bail be imposed, though they did ask for a series of conditions related to LeBlanc's status to which his defense attorney agreed.
According to the Eagle-Tribune, LeBlanc has a lengthy history of public-facing roles, including his work as an attorney.
LeBlanc was the Methuen town manager from 1976-1981, served two terms as an at-large city councilor in the 1980s, and he also worked as a lawyer for the Massachusetts Democratic Party.
Though he sought an at-large councilor spot again in 2013, LeBlanc was defeated as sexual misconduct allegations began to surface.
Allegations against LeBlanc included claims that he “stalked” and propositioned a student at Greater Lawrence Technical School, resulting in a ban on his return to campus property.
In 2002, LeBlanc was sent a letter informing him of a similar ban at a Barnes & Noble bookstore stemming from an incident in which a customer said he was followed into a restroom by the former public official, who was alleged to have stationed himself near a urinal and touched himself inappropriately.
After the aforementioned charges were issued, LeBlanc was ordered to report to the Methuen Police Department for booking, and he was also instructed not to have any contact with victims or witnesses in the case or any unsupervised contact with individuals under the age of 18.
A pretrial hearing for LeBlanc is now scheduled for May 20, when additional details of the accusations against him are likely to emerge.
President Donald Trump took a dramatic step toward fulfilling a key campaign promise last week when he implemented sweeping tariffs on a host of countries as a means to rectify massive trade deficits and increase revenue.
French President Emmanuel Macron was among the world leaders outraged by Trump's move, declaring that harsh retaliation was in order, a statement that prompted Ric Grenell, White House special envoy for special missions, to suggest that the U.S. halt loan guarantees that benefit France, as Breitbart reports.
According to Reuters, it was on Thursday that Macron called on companies in Europe to halt planned investments in America as a means of response to Trump's tariffs.
Speaking to a group of industry representatives from his own country, Macron stated, “Investments to come or investments announced in recent weeks should be suspended until things are clarified with the United States.”
The French president further declared Trump's tariff initiative to be “brutal and unfounded, and he vowed that the response would be “more powerful” than prior reactions to American tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Macron's reaction comes in the wake of an announcement made weeks ago by French shipping firm CMA CGM in which plans to invest $20 billion in America were announced and another made by French electrical equipment supplier Schneider Electric pledging an investment of $700 million in the U.S.
Notably, neither firm offered an immediate response to Macron's recommendation that such injections of capital be halted, according to Reuters.
During a Friday appearance on Greg Kelly Reports on Newsmax TV, Grenell wasted little time in responding to Macron's tough talk on Trump's tariffs.
Grenell stated that if Macron moves forward with urging a halt on European investments in America, the U.S. should stop guaranteeing loans made via the Export-Import Bank or the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).
Such a move is justified, Grenell said, “if they're going to try to manipulate the tariff process so that they always have one up on us.”
Grenell stated, “Well, look, what President Macron is doing and what the French are doing and what some other countries are doing is trying to retaliate against President Trump trying to make tariffs equal. … President Trump is the first one to actually step out and make it so that it would be equal. But the French have decided to respond, and they are going to increase tariffs.”
The Trump administration official added, “But what the French don't realize is that there [are] a whole bunch of programs, whether it's through one of the entities of the United States called the DFC or the [Export-Import] Bank, where we have guaranteed loans, the American taxpayer has guaranteed loans for the French on some big infrastructure projects. And we shouldn't be doing that.”
Much debate has emerged in recent days as to whether Trump's tariffs are intended to be permanent or are simply a tool of negotiation, and on Thursday, the president indicated his belief that they offer him “great power” to develop deals with foreign leaders, noting that “if somebody said that we're going to give you something that's so phenomenal,” he is open to discussions.
Whether that was Trump's plan all along remains an open question, but on Sunday morning, White House Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told ABC News, “More than 50 countries have reached out to the president to begin negotiations,” seemingly vindicating that notion that the president's decisive action has, as he put it, placed him firmly in the "driver's seat.”
President Donald Trump's recent imposition of massive tariffs on dozens of foreign countries has been a huge win for many American industries, most notably the seafood harvesting industry.
Despite the impact that Trump's tariffs have had on the U.S. stock market, many industries are happy with the situation and are praising Trump for fighting for American workers after decades of "free trade" eroding American industries and destroying blue-collar jobs.
Leann Borsarge, the COO of Bosarge Boats, went on Fox News to praise Trump's tariffs saying, "The U.S. domestic shrimp industry has been on a downward trajectory for decades now as a direct result of the unfair trade in the overseas aquaculture industry for growing shrimp overseas and these tariffs threw us a lifeline that we needed to hopefully live to fight another day in our industry in this country."
For decades, American industries have been devastated, thanks to having to compete with cheaper foreign labor or, in some cases, outright slave labor.
Trump is the first President in modern American history to recognize that we are getting ripped off and has dropped the hammer hard. These new tariffs are leveling the playing field and allowing American companies to compete while paying living wages to American workers.
In a massive move on Wednesday, Trump put a baseline levy of 10 percent on imports from foreign countries and “individualized reciprocal higher” tariffs on certain countries that Trump wants to target as countries that have taken advantage of the U.S.
Over the past few decades, U.S. seafood harvesters have been eaten alive by foreign competitors employing cheaper labor and having to meet much less stringent environmental and conservation standards.
The shrimp industry in particular has been mauled with nearly 95% of shrimp consumed in the United States imported from foreign countries like India, Ecuador, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Argentina.
In just two years, under the leadership of President Joe Biden, the shrimp industry's value plummeted from $522 million in 2021 to $269 million in 2023.
The Southern Shrimp Alliance praised the Trump administration's actions in addressing this sharp decline, stating that subsidies and forced labor in foreign countries made it impossible for them to compete, leading to the industry's downfall.
A statement from the organization explained that the tariffs "are expected to slow imports and prevent Americans from becoming completely dependent on foreign shrimp producers while the administration addresses harmful trade policies and enforcement deficiencies."
Trump's tariffs follow up on his promises to protect the American worker and uphold American interests over the interests of our "allies" that have been taking advantage of an unequal trade partnership for decades.
Of course, these tariffs are terrible news for the ultrawealthy and massive corporations that exploit cheap foreign labor and lax environmental standards to create cheaper goods that are sold for higher profits to Americans.
Unequal trade relationships have devastated entire regions of the nation and destroyed our manufacturing industries. Trump wanted to fix that in his first term and is still committed to tackling the problem in his 2nd term.