U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts intervened Monday in a case involving President Donald Trump's firings of two federal agency board members, preventing their reinstatement until the full case can be heard.
An appeals court ruled 7-4 that Cathy Harris and Gwynne Wilcox should be reinstated to their positions on the Merit Systems Protection Board and National Labor Relations Board respectively, arguing that Trump did not have constitutional authority to fire them without cause because their agencies were independent.
The full court ruling overturned the initial three-judge panel, which upheld the firings 2-1.
The appeals court said in its decision, “The Supreme Court has repeatedly told the courts of appeals to follow extant Supreme Court precedent unless and until that court itself changes it or overturns it.”
Judge Karen Henderson wrote, “Only the Supreme Court can decide the dispute and, in my opinion, the sooner, the better.”
Seems like that has now happened with Roberts' ruling, at least on the temporary stay.
A previous Supreme Court precedent said that agency heads independent agency heads could not be fired without cause, but opponents of that precedent say that it limits executive authority more than the Constitution allows.
Government attorneys said, “Reinstatement works a grave harm to the separation of powers and undermines the President’s ability to exercise his authority under the Constitution.”
Both Wilcox and Harris were appointed by the Biden administration to specific terms, and Wilcox's term was just renewed recently.
Due to court decisions, Wilcox and Harris have been fired and reinstated five times since Trump took office.
Without Wilcox, the NLRB does not have a quorum to make certain decisions.
Without Harris, the MSPB only has one board member.
This is not Trump's fault; if the courts would let him do his job, he would be able to fill the vacant positions and resolve these issues in a timely manner.
If the powers that be really wanted these agencies to be independent, then it seems like they should not give presidents the power to appoint members at all.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
President Donald Trump unleashed an attack on his own chairman of the Federal Reserve on Monday, calling Jerome Powell "a major loser" and "Mr. Too Late."
His verbal assault on Truth Social focused on the possibility of cuts in interest rates.
"'Preemptive Cuts' in Interest Rates are being called for by many," Trump began.
"With Energy Costs way down, food prices (including Biden's egg disaster!) substantially lower, and most other 'things' trending down, there is virtually No Inflation.
"With these costs trending so nicely downward, just what I predicted they would do, there can almost be no inflation, but there can be a SLOWING of the economy unless Mr. Too Late, a major loser, lowers interest rates, NOW.
"Europe has already 'lowered' seven times. Powell has always been 'To Late,' except when it came to the Election period when he lowered in order to help Sleepy Joe Biden, later Kamala, get elected. How did that work out?" Trump concluded.
With a history in investment banking, Powell became a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors after being nominated to the post by Barack Obama in 2012.
During his first term, President Trump elevated Powell to chairman of the Fed in 2018, succeeding Janet Yellen, and Powell was renominated to the position by Joe Biden.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland has chosen to fight President Donald Trump's national security and closed border campaign by advocating for a state resident who has been in the United States illegally for a number of years, and was subject to deportation.
The illegal, Kilmar Garcia, was actually removed to El Salvador's famed anti-gang prison, and Trump critics have claimed he was not supposed to be sent to that country.
So Van Hollen went to El Salvador and hung around until officials let him have margaritas with the inmate, and came home to make a weekend-long round of talk shows on television.
So now four additional Democrats have made the trip, demanding to meet with Garcia, who El Salvador's president says is not being returned to the U.S.
A report revealed that one of them, Maxine Dexter, says "she's NOT LEAVING without the MS-13 gang member" who also has been suspected of human trafficking and accused of abusing his wife.
Dexter said in a video that promotes her own agenda: "Congresswoman Maxine Dexter here coming to you from El Salvador. I flew here last night with three of my colleagues to demand that Kilmar Abrego Garcia be released. He is being held in violation of a Supreme Court order, expressly telling the Trump administration to effectuate and facilitate his coming home."
Actually, while the U.S. Supreme Court can issue orders to the administration, those statements have virtually no weight in El Salvador, which is not under its jurisdiction.
Dexter continued, "This is being ignored. This is not just a threat to all people in the United States who could be illegally abducted detained and transported internationally against their will but it is a fact that our president does not recognize the branches of government and the balance of power. This is what we all have been calling a constitutional crisis."
Social media reacted with: "We should send more Democrats down to El Salvador" and "Let her stay."
Another pointed out Garcia actually is a "citizen of El Salvador and "is currently 'home.'"
"Maxine Dexter's El Salvador stunt is peak Democrat delusion. The Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act (H.R. 1050) explicitly bars MS-13 affiliates from asylum or residency—yet she's fighting to smuggle a deported gang member with domestic abuse allegations back into the U.S.," said another.
While Van Hollen was praised by leftists across America for the stunt he pulled in having taxpayers pay for his politically linked trip to visit Garcia, he also is the target of those requesting he be investigated for violating the Logan Act, which bars those who are not president from engaging in foreign policy actions with other nations.
A report at Fox said the three other Democrats joining Dexter were Reps. Robert Garcia of California, Maxwell Frost of Florida and Yassamin Ansari of Arizona.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer told Fox News: "We're not gonna spend a penny of taxpayer dollars for liberal Democrats to continue their stunts to try to appease the radical left-wing base when the American people spoke loud and clear on Election Day. They want our southern border secured, and they want criminal illegals deported, and that's exactly what Donald Trump's doing."
Trump's response? "Radical Lunatic Democrats and their Comrades in the Fake News Media are falsely making Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia out to be a very sweet and innocent person, which is a total, blatant, and dangerous LIE. Garcia has been found by two separate Courts to be a member of the violent, killer gang MS-13, was in our Country illegally, and is under a Deportation Order.
He continued, "It is despicable and unAmerican for Liberals and the Mainstream Media to hate our Country so much, and be obsessed with protecting criminals, instead of working to keep our Border, streets, and families safe. Those lying to the American People on behalf of violent criminals have to be held responsible by the Agencies and the Courts. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
The report explained Garcia, 29, was deported to El Salvador "in what it described in court filings as an 'administrative error,' and has since said that it is up to El Salvador whether Abrego Garcia returns to the U.S. Meanwhile, a federal court and the Supreme Court have instructed the Trump administration to coordinate Abrego Garcia's return so that proper deportation hearings can occur."
The report also noted the Department of Justice has revealed domestic violence allegations that Garcia's wife, Jennifer Vasquez, included in a court filing in 2021.
And a 2022 Homeland Security Investigations report charge Garcia was suspected of human trafficking.
The town of Ada, Oklahoma was hit with a second destructive tornado in only two months on Saturday night as severe thunderstorms moved through the area.
The EF-1 tornado was spawned from high winds and caused damage to homes and businesses in its path.
A local Quality Inn hotel had to be evacuated because of the dangerous conditions, and the North Hills Shopping Center was heavily damaged in the storm.
Debris was reportedly carried eight miles into the air during the tornado and windows at the shopping center were blown in.
Because it was night, no one was in the mall when the damage occurred, authorities said.
Emergency operators in Pontotoc County even lost power when the tornado brought down power lines in the area.
An estimated 1,200 residents were still without power on Sunday, but some resident had already regained their power.
One person was reported injured, but no fatalities were reported.
The tornado on Saturday is less than two months after a March 4 storm also spawned an EF-1 tornado that also damaged the town, which has a population of 16,000.
The earlier tornado injured one person and displaced two dozen families. Recovery efforts from that tornado were still underway when the second one hit.
Residents wasted no time on Sunday helping to clear the debris with chainsaws and helping each other in any way they could.
A shelter has been set up at the Ada Arts and Heritage Center to provide water, food and lodging for people who need it.
Oklahomans call helping and supporting each other the "Oklahoma Standard," and it is in full force in Ada right now.
Democrat Judge Jose "Joel" Cano resigned from his bench last month after an illegal immigrant with alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua gang was arrested in his New Mexico home, where the migrant was living.
Federal prosecutors arrested 23-year-old Cristhian Ortega-Lopez on February 28 during a search of Cano's home that occurred after a detention hearing where evidence was presented that he was a member of Tren de Aragua.
Ortega-Lopez entered the country at Eagle Pass, Texas in December 2023 and was released on a parole program due to overcrowding.
He lived in El Paso, Texas for a while after his release and eventually met the judge's wife Nancy Cano while doing handyman jobs. She offered him a place to live on her property.
Prosecutors showed images of Ortega-Lopez with other migrants at a shooting range with multiple weapons including AR-15s.
He also has tattoos consistent with Tren de Aragua membership. Images of dead and mutilated bodies were found on his phone.
Police found additional weapons at the home of Nancy Cano's daughter, and images showed Ortega-Lopez with several of the firearms.
Ortega-Lopez is charged with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms. He is being held in the Dona Ana County Detention Center.
Jose Cano had been a local magistrate judge in Dona Ana County since 2011.
It was not clear whether the judge or his wife would be charged with harboring an illegal immigrant.
Cano apparently allowed Ortega-Lopez to file for immigration relief using his address.
Social media posts show the two posing together in photos.
With their lives having intertwined in this way, it is unclear whether Cano or his wife knew that Ortega-Lopez had alleged gang ties or participated in gang activities.
President Donald Trump designated Tren de Aragua and other foreign gangs as terrorist organizations, which make the consequences of the Canos' actions more serious.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Rules its schemes violate the Sherman Act and have harmed consumers
In a blow to tech giant Google, a move that could be a prelude to a breakup of the giant money-making machine, a federal judge has concluded that it operates an illegal monopoly over two markets related to digital advertising tech.
The ruling from U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia found that Google is in violation of the Sherman Act because it dominates the online publisher ad server market and the ad-exchange market that connects ad buyers to sellers.
A report from New York Post said the judge found that the corporation's antics "substantially harmed" customers.
The judge wrote, "Google further entrenched its monopoly power by imposing anticompetitive practices on its customers and eliminating desirable product features."
The ruling continued, "In addition to depriving rivals of the ability to compete, this exclusionary conduct substantially harmed Google's publisher customers, the competitive process, and, ultimately, consumers of information on the open web."
The report explained the Department of Justice has expressed the desire for the court to force Google to sell of its digital advertising operations, including Google Ad Manager.
"Remedies" will be taken up in a second phase of the trial.
Explained the Post, "The ruling is another major legal blow for Google. Last year, a federal judge ruled in a separate case that Google has an illegal monopoly over the online search market."
A controversial letter aimed at reforming Harvard University has sparked significant conflict between the Trump administration and the esteemed institution.
The White House staff later indicated that the letter was sent accidentally, yet still held firm on its demands, further escalating tensions by freezing federal funding to Harvard, the Daily Mail reported.
The letter, authored by the White House's task force on anti-Semitism, sought major changes at Harvard, including merit-based admissions and strict hiring protocols. These demands came unexpectedly, following a two-week negotiation period between Harvard and the task force. The administration described the letter as unauthorized but backed its contents, revealing internal confusion regarding its management.
Harvard officials swiftly responded, criticizing the letter and highlighting its audacity. They argued the communication reflected a concerning level of governmental overreach, potentially infringing on constitutional freedoms. The institution declared its autonomy would not be compromised, with Harvard President Alan Garber asserting that private universities must remain free to determine their educational paths without governmental dictates.
In reaction to Harvard's resistance, the Trump administration imposed a freeze on $2.2 billion in federal funding to the university. This fiscal pressure was compounded by threats jeopardizing Harvard's tax-exempt status. Alongside these developments, former South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem warned of consequences related to Harvard's enrollment of international students.
The situation echoes prior conflicts faced by Ivy League schools, notably Columbia University, which also encountered federal pushback leading to eventual changes. Harvard has planned financial strategies to mitigate potential losses, announcing the issuance of $750 million in taxable bonds to counteract the funding cuts.
Harvard’s official statements emphasized the importance of distinguishing genuine governmental intentions amid the turmoil. Despite labeling the letter as a mistake, Harvard noted the real-world impact of the administration's actions on students and the broader landscape of American higher education. This sentiment underscores the ongoing complexities and potential repercussions of the White House's engagement with academia.
May Mailman, a senior policy strategist at the White House, criticized Harvard for its handling of negotiations and public response. She argued that Harvard should have contacted the antisemitism task force directly rather than adopting a stance of victimization. Mailman emphasized the administration's commitment to ensuring that entities that receive taxpayer dollars comply with civil rights laws.
Amidst these tensions, Noem issued additional demands requiring Harvard to provide documentation of its foreign student visa holders' activities by the end of April. She flagged potential non-compliance with federal reporting requirements as a threat to the university's ability to enroll international students. The administration's firm stance highlights its determination to enforce its authority over institutions benefiting from public funds.
The Trump administration's attempt to wield federal funding as leverage marks an aggressive approach to enforcing educational reforms. Steadfastly defending its independence, Harvard faces significant challenges in navigating this confrontation while safeguarding its financial and academic stability.
As the situation unfolds, the academic community and wider public continue to watch closely. The broader implications of this standoff might redefine the boundaries between higher education institutions and government authority. Whether this leads to lasting changes or mere temporary adjustments remains to be seen.
President Trump, adding weight to the discourse, accused Harvard of "supporting sickness" in his posts on Truth Social. This accusation signals a broader critique of Harvard's handling of previous protests, where the administration perceived unchecked antisemitic behavior.
As April 30 approaches, all eyes are on Harvard's next move and the potential consequences of this unprecedented confrontation with the Trump administration. The unfolding developments suggest that tensions between federal oversight and institutional autonomy are far from being resolved.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell doesn't have a whole lot of friends in Washington D.C. -- at least not on the Republican side of the aisle, and especially not President Donald Trump.
According to JustTheNews, it was reported this week that Trump has his people researching potential ways to have Powell removed from his powerful and influential position if he doesn't retire or resign.
Kevin Hassett, Trump's top economic adviser, confirmed the news this week that Trump isn't happy with Powell.
The president has publicly criticized Powell, especially recently, for not cutting interest rates like he wants him to, causing great tension around Washington D.C.
According to a CNBC piece on the subject, Trump is not being shy regarding how he feels about Fed Chair Powell, saying he should have cut interest rates already if "he knew what he was doing."
"If we had a Fed Chairman that understood what he was doing, interest rates would be coming down, too," Trump told reporters this week. "He should bring them down."
The outlet noted:
Trump has long argued that the Fed, which sets monetary policy in the U.S., should cut down interest rates. His latest comments come as the White House has ratcheted up its attacks on Powell in recent days.
It added:
The president and his team will continue to study that matter,” Hassett said at the White House after a reporter questioned if firing Powell “is an option in a way that it wasn’t before,” according to Reuters.
Powell, whose term as Fed Chair ends in May, 2026, strongly contends that he's protected from being fired by the president, though the matter seems like it could soon end up in a legal battle.
Trump seems dead set on making it happen anyway, writing recently in a Truth Social post, "Powell’s termination cannot come fast enough."
Powell doesn't seem to be a fan of Trump's tariffs.
"We may find ourselves in the challenging scenario in which our dual-mandate goals are in tension," Powell said in prepared remarks before the Economic Club of Chicago. "If that were to occur, we would consider how far the economy is from each goal, and the potentially different time horizons over which those respective gaps would be anticipated to close."
The Fed Chair made it clear that the Federal Reserve is waiting for "greater clarity" before it makes any adjustments to rates.
Only time will tell if Trump finds a way to boot Powell from his post. Either way, a legal battle over the matter is coming.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had a meeting with President Donald Trump this week and it reportedly didn't go very well for her, thanks to an awkward mistake by her interpreter.
According to Politico, interpreter Valentina Maiolini-Rothbacher was ultimately cut off by the Italian prime minister after Trump had asked for a translation regarding a questioned PM Meloni had asked him.
The interpreter struggled with the response -- so bad that the prime minister stepped in and was forced to provide her own translation.
The embarrassed interpreter later told an Italian newspaper that the mistake was the "worst thing that can happen to an interpreter, a terrible setback."
The United States president had asked Maiolini-Rothbacher "for a translation of Meloni’s response to a question from an Italian journalist about his position on Ukraine and military spending," and the result was a disaster for the interpreter.
While struggling to provide a translation, she paused several times and was forced to look at her notes.
That's when Meloni jumped in to interpret her own response regarding NATO funding and defense.
"President Meloni was right to interrupt me, it was a very important meeting and every word carried great weight," Maiolini-Rothbacher said. "She wanted to be perfectly understood by Donald Trump."
‘Wait, I will do it’ - Meloni interrupts White House interpreter to translate for herself during Trump meeting pic.twitter.com/cGNyQMKMrL
— Viory Video (@vioryvideo) April 18, 2025
Politico noted:
Maiolini-Rothbacher said in the interview that although she had not been to the White House before, she is an experienced interpreter and has worked at high-level meetings including the G20. She has worked as an interpreter since 1991, according to her LinkedIn profile.
She has not spoken with Meloni since the meeting, she said, adding that she went straight to the airport from the White House after the session. According to Corriere della Sera, she is currently by the sea in the Santa Marinella area.
Users across social media reacted to the situation, with some praising the Italian PM for stepping in.
"Her translator wasn't at 100% today. It happens right? But, Meloni being the absolute boss she is didn't even bat an eye. She stepped in immediately & translated what she said herself for @realDonaldTrump. Queen Energy y'all!," one X user wrote.
Another X user wrote, "Meloni’s translator has almost destroyed everything she wanted to achieve in Washington. Her body language is easy to understand."
Many asked why the PM even needed a translator on hand given how she handled the situation so well.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
It's no secret to millions of Christians that Jesus was put to death in Jerusalem, according to the New Testament gospels.
But many often wonder about a cryptic statement at the end of the Bible indicating He was crucified in "Sodom and Egypt," two other locations, neither of which is Jerusalem.
How can this be? Is the Bible somehow being inconsistent with itself?
The answer is not difficult to discern, once we take the flesh out of our ears, says a best-selling author.
"There is a very simple answer to this which reveals Scripture is completely true and consistent," says Joe Kovacs, author of the inspiring book, "Reaching God Speed: Unlocking the Secret Broadcast Revealing the Mystery of Everything."
"We all need to realize the Word of God is not always broadcasting on the physical, human level. It's often airing its message on a higher level, often called the parable or spiritual level. It's the method in which Jesus exclusively spoke."
Scripture notes: "Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable." (Matthew 13:34 NIV)
"So in addition to the physical meaning, there's that higher parable meaning as well. I call it 'God speed,' as we're all getting up to speed on the way God thinks, operates, and broadcasts His glorious message," Kovacs explains.
To solve the mystery of Sodom and Egypt vs. Jerusalem, the author of the well-known "Shocked by the Bible" series says Scripture itself indicates on which level it's broadcasting in this case.
The verse in question is Revelation 11:8, which mentions, "the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified." (KJV)
The author says: "The Word of God comes right out and tells us in this verse that it's not talking about the physical, geographic locations of Sodom and Egypt. It specifically says 'which SPIRITUALLY IS CALLED Sodom and Egypt.' Other translations use words such as 'figuratively' and 'symbolically' instead of 'spiritually,' but they all mean the same thing."
"It's speaking on the parable or spirit level. It's a metaphor."
"God Himself is a Spirit, as John 4:24 states, and He is training our minds to understand His spirit level of communication. It's not always physical."
So why does Scripture mention Sodom and Egypt as spiritual synonyms for the place where Jesus was crucified?
"The answer is simpler than we think, and emerges when we merely translate the meaning of those words," Kovacs explains.
"The word Sodom means 'burning' or 'flaming' and Egypt is the 'dark place of misery.' Even the Hebrew word for Egypt is MIZRAIM, which looks and even sounds something like its English meaning of MISERY or MISERIES.
"What it's saying is that this world of flesh in which we dwell is a place of darkness, distress and misery where we're being refined in a flaming furnace, the metaphoric 'furnace of affliction,' as God famously calls it in Isaiah 48:10. Hence, spiritually speaking, Jesus was killed in this place where we're all being purified under some serious heat, a place that is quite dark and miserable at times."
"So this mystery about Sodom and Egypt is solved quite easily when we merely open our eyes and ears to see and hear the spiritual message, not just the physical.
"It's stunning in a very good way when we realize the entire Bible is not just full of physical history, but the Creator is voicing additional messages on the spirit level that come to life when we listen at God speed."
Endorsed by Chuck Norris and other Christian champions, "Reaching God Speed" is nothing short of a breakthrough work, as it probes God's hidden messages embedded in popular movies, hit songs from (Adele and the Beatles to Frank Sinatra and Led Zeppelin), the stories we tell our children, everyday phrases we all say, historic news events, famous commercial campaigns, nature itself, and typical life activities such as such as inhaling every breath you take, sleeping, waking up and many more.
It features a myriad of stunning biblical revelations, as the book:
The book rocketed to the #1 position in several Amazon categories even before its official release on Jan. 25.