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.
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.
President Donald Trump is making good on promises made to voters in the last election that he would unleash American energy after four years of stagnation under former President Joe Biden.
Trump has signed multiple executive orders taking a sledgehammer to burdensome regulations on the coal industry created by the previous administration, which waged a "war on coal" in the name of the climate change agenda.
An executive order signed earlier this month exempted several coal plants from Biden-era regulations while slashing regulations to allow the industry to surge and lower the price of energy, which was squeezing Americans' already strained budgets.
Amy Cooke, the director of the Energy and Environmental Policy Center, told The Daily Caller that, "When utility bills are skyrocketing or blackouts are happening in winter, people are going to want reliable power back. The beauty of coal is that it allows for affordable, reliable power, which is absolutely crucial to economic prosperity, and in particular, innovation."
The previous administration didn't care about the economic impact of shutting down coal power and as a result millions of Americans suffered. However, those days are over, and under Trump, the coal industry is set to flourish.
Under Trump's new orders, over 70 coal power plants are no longer required to meet extreme air quality regulations created by the Biden administration.
A statement from the EPA explained that the new order would "bolster coal-fired electricity generation, ensuring that our nation’s grid is reliable, that electricity is affordable for the American people, and that EPA is helping to promote our nation’s energy security."
While critics pointed out that coal doesn't provide a majority of energy, Cooke was quick to point out that, because of extreme demand, Americans need maximum supply, especially from cheaper and more stable sources like coal.
Cooke stated, "We can lead the world in innovation,” Cook told the DCNF, referencing developments in natural gas and nuclear power as beneficial. “But you have to have coal. It has to be part of the mix. It’s insane that we would shut down any base load power right now, when the demand for power is so high."
The increasing demand for energy has not been matched with an increasing supply, heightening the possibility of rolling blackouts, a situation that is unthinkable for Americans who only experience rolling blackouts in third-world countries.
The Biden administration could have moved to increase American energy supply, but due to harmful leftist ideology, the Biden administration instead went to war with American energy.
For many states, Trump's cessation of hostilities against the coal industry is a much-needed relief. The coal industry provides thousands of stable and well-paying jobs to average Americans.
Furthermore, Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated, "The American people need more energy, and the Department of Energy is helping to meet this demand by unleashing supply of affordable, reliable, secure energy sources – including coal."
Lowering the cost of energy will have a domino effect on the economy, spurring economic growth as Americans have more discretionary spending power.
While there is a lot of work to be done to undo the damage caused by Joe Biden, the Trump administration is wasting no time in unleashing the American energy industry and empowering regular Americans.
Kevin Hassett, chair of the White House National Economic Council, has confirmed that the Trump administration is looking to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
Speaking to reporters on Friday at the White House, Hassett confirmed that the Trump administration is exploring their options to remove Powell despite the legal obstacles preventing President Donald Trump from outright dismissing him.
Trump has been unhappy with Powell and wants him gone to complete the removal of elements from former President Joe Biden's time in the White House.
Powell is not in alignment with Trump's goals and has refused to cooperate with the White House on economic policy.
Speaking to reporters, Hassett stated that, “The president and his team will continue to study" the options available to give Powell the boot and replace him with someone who will support Trump's agenda.
The Federal Reserve and the White House have been bound for conflict ever since President Donald Trump's confirmation as President back in January.
The Federal Reserve's independence from the executive branch means that Trump has less power to unilaterally effect change.
Trump has gone on a firing spree, removing executive officials appointed by Joe Biden by the dozen. The Trump administration has made it a priority to purge former Biden officials, and that includes Powell, who was the architect of many of Biden's disastrous economic policies.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, President Trump tore into Powell, saying he couldn't wait for his "termination" after Powell refused to cut interest rates, which are still holding back economic activity.
Powell is protected by a Supreme Court precedent that has existed nearly as long as the Federal Reserve has. Trump can't dismiss Powell unless he's found to have committed misconduct or severe neglect of office.
But that isn't stopping the White House from exploring their options to get rid of the defiant Powell, who shows no signs of stepping down from his position.
The Federal Reserve has enjoyed a level of unearned independence and weilds an incredible amount of power for not being either elected by the people or under the rule of the president elected by the American people.
Powell himself has shown himself to be a political actor, as many of his stances have changed since the election of Donald Trump. After years of acting like massive spending wasn't an issue, Powell suddenly decided to criticize Trump's tariff plans that will supposedly cost too much, unlike Biden's insane and reckless spending.
Hassett called Powell out on this by saying, "Having everybody that refused to warn about the runaway spending out there, saying, ‘Oh, this is going to be a catastrophe for inflation because of the tariffs,’ means that people need to improve their models and improve their messaging."
Powell is an actor of the establishment and will fight Trump's attempts to effect genuine reform, and as such, must be removed, even if it means overturning decades of legal precedent.
As President Donald Trump brags to friendly media about his recent physical and claims his health is great, the more unfriendly media outlets are speculating about a persistent bruise on his right hand that has appeared in images spanning from October to earlier this week.
The Daily Mail showed several close-up photos of the bruise, which looks like it has been covered with makeup to make it less noticeable.
Trump, who is 78, has not mentioned the bruise, but it was last seen on Tuesday as he presented the Commander-in-Chief trophy to the Navy Midshipmen football team.
Back in February, a White House official asked about the bruise and said it was from shaking hands with hundreds of people during the campaign and as Trump has completed his duties as president.
A British doctor told Daily Mail online that the bruise could be a minor contusion from bumping the hand or from a blood draw.
This type of bruising is "more prominent" in older adults because of "thinning skin" and "more fragile blood vessels," Dr Ola Otulana said.
That was the most generous explanation given, though it was probably the most likely.
On the left, many would love to catch Trump trying to hide negative health information, such as a chronic illness, since it would derail similar criticisms of former President Joe Biden and put them on an even footing--even if it was too late to affect the election.
Other speculation was that it could be from an IV, suggesting that Trump might have undergone chemotherapy or other infusions because of a chronic illness.
A vitamin deficiency was also mentioned, given the president's propensity for fast food and diet soda.
Finally, some said that Trump might have been dehydrated and needed fluids by IV, which could have caused the bruise.
Some of these explanations sound plausible, and it makes sense that Trump wouldn't want the public to know if he had a chronic illness.
There is no evidence that anything is seriously wrong with Trump; sadly, it is wishful thinking on the part of his haters that this would be the case.
The official word on Trump's health according to his physician, Capt. Sean Barbabella, is as follows: "President Trump exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State."
Layoffs haven't let up yet in the nation's capital as the Trump administration nears its 100th day in office.
President Donald Trump's second term started with a bang on many fronts, not the least of which was determining which of the million-plus executive employees should stay and which should go.
Among those who saw a lighter turnover were members of the Department of Defense, considering that the military isn't supposed to be a partisan branch of the federal government.
However, in recent weeks, three top officials from the Pentagon have been relieved of their duties, due to the mishap surrounding the leak of classified information.
As POLITICO reported, a wide-ranging investigation led to Colin Carroll's suspension as the chief of staff to the deputy defense secretary, Stephen Feinberg.
Feinberg was one of three political appointees who were placed on leave due to a probe into the leak of sensitive information.
Among the information that was leaked was military operational plans for the Panama Canal, a military carrier headed to the Red Sea, Elon Musk's controversial visit to the Pentagon, and a pause in the collection of Ukrainian intelligence.
Carroll, who is a Marine Corps Reserve officer, was serving most recently as an employee of Anduril, a defense contractor that specializes in autonomous systems.
The Biden administration reportedly terminated him as chief operating officer of the Pentagon's former Joint Artificial Intelligence Center due to his creation of a hostile environment.
The official stated that security officers escorted Dan Caldwell, who was a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Darin Selnick, the Defense Department's deputy chief of staff, out of the Pentagon and suspended their building access pending further investigation.
Caldwell and Selnick were both previously employed at Concerned Veterans for America, the nonprofit organization that Hegseth previously served as the director.
The incidents reinforced the demands for Hegseth's resignation from Democrats, as this comes close after the head of the Pentagon disclosed classified information in a Signal conversation with other high-ranking officials regarding American military operations in Yemen, several called for his resignation.
“This is now the second major breach of classified information by the most senior political appointees in [Hegseth’s] two months of leadership at DOD,” Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.) wrote in a post on X.
“He should never have been appointed based on merit alone, but now he is a national security threat. Hegseth must resign.”
Former Republican Rep. Mayra Flores made headlines when it was announced that was hospitalized hours after she announced a run for embattled Rep. Henry Cuellar‘s (D-TX) House seat in Texas.
Flores’s team did not provide much detail about the illness when announcing it on social media, only asking for “prayers and support," as the Washington Examiner reported.
“We pray that Mayra will return stronger than ever, ready to continue her unwavering commitment to serving our country,” the Flores campaign said in its statement.
After confirming the illness, the campaign went on to speak to the former lawmakers' grit and intention going forward.
“Mayra’s passion for building a brighter future for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come is at the heart of everything she does. Guided by faith and determination, she remains steadfast in her mission during this critical moment,” the statement added.
Former and future Congresswoman Mayra Flores, a devoted conservative fighting corruption in Texas's 28th District, has been hospitalized.
During this challenging time, we humbly ask for your prayers and support. We pray that Mayra will return stronger than ever, ready to continue…— Mayra Flores (@MayraFlores4TX) April 15, 2025
Flores flipped the Texas 34th Congressional district just a few years ago, taking it red for the first time in more than a decade.
She made history for another reason, however, as she was the first Mexico-born female member of Congress.
She served only briefly, though. Her tenure in the House of Representatives lasted from late June 2022 to early January 2023 after winning a special election to replace former Democratic Rep. Filemon Vela Jr.
Flores lost to Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) twice, as she lost once in the election for a full term to the 34th District in 2022 and then again in the 2024 elections.
Finally, she challenged Cuellar in the 28th District, which should have been a more reasonable endeavor, considering he was indicted by the Justice Department for bribery and money laundering. Cuellar is one of House Democrats' most vulnerable candidates in 2026.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Flores voiced her desire to represent the Spanish-speaking community and make sure they're appropriately informed about President Trump's administration's remarkable work.
“And that’s something that I feel I’m obligated to do, because there’s a lot of misinformation being spread from the left, and they’re trying to instill fear and hate in the Hispanic community,” the former congresswoman said.
Flores faces a challenging race as Cuellar's seat is a "lean Democrat," while Gonzalez's seat is a toss-up and perceived as a Republican pickup opportunity.
Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers launched his campaign Monday, declaring exclusively to Breitbart News that he was "ready to rumble" this time around.
Rogers won the primary in 2024 for Michigan's other Senate seat but narrowly lost to then-Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D).
He plans to focus on manufacturing jobs and bolstering the middle class--issues that have traditionally been Democrat talking points.
“Our polling shows us that Michigan is tracking to the right,” Rogers said. “They understand that those Liberal Democrat policies aren’t working. Matter of fact, the last four years, Michigan alone, under Governor [Gretchen] Whitmer and Joe Biden, lost 27,000 manufacturing jobs.”
“We’re a manufacturing state here,” he continued. “That is the middle class of Michigan just being evaporated. They get it’s not working. And so, you know, the whole message for us is to stop the bleeding and turn this thing around.”
Rogers blamed his 2024 loss on being underfunded from getting into the race late.
“We were underfunded. We got in late,” he said. “Seventy percent of our money came in after the primary. And if you look at all of those pieces of information, matter of fact, 500,000 people voted in early voting before we had the chance to talk to them. Getting in early is a key component to eliminate those shortcomings.”
He plans to fix that problem this time and is already traveling around the state talking to lots of people including independents.
“We are very aggressively getting around the state, talking to coalitions, talking to not only our base, but expanded base and independents, about the future of Michigan and future of the country,” he said. “And so time allows us to do those things that we just didn’t have last time.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), chairman of the National Republicans Senatorial Committee have already endorsed Rogers, which will certainly give his campaign a boost.
“It’s huge, because the Democrats are already pouring money into Michigan, and so having that unified [support] — Tim Scott being the chairman of the NRSC and the majority leader at the same time — is significant,” he said. “And I think it sends a very clear message to national donors, to Michigan donors, hey, we’re united, and we’re going to win this race in next year.”
Trump had endorsed Rogers in 2024, and he hopes to have that same endorsement next year.
He was critical of Michigan Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) for hiding behind a folder to avoid having her picture taken while at the White House for a meeting about disaster aid following a ice recent storm in the state.
“I thought, well, that tells you, this whole thing, ‘well, I’ll work with anybody,’ and then to show up and put the folder over your face so you don’t get your picture taken? Really? That tells me you’re not all that interested in the future of Michigan and manufacturing here,” he said.
The Pentagon on Thursday removed Col. Susannah Meyers from her command at the U.S. military’s Greenland base Thursday after comments she made that were critical of Vice President J.D. Vance, who visited the base on March 27.
The criticism came in an internal email to Pituffik Space Base personnel that took issue with Vance's criticism of Denmark during the visit.
“I do not presume to understand current politics,” Meyers wrote, according to Military.com. “But what I do know is the concerns of the U.S. administration discussed by Vice President Vance on Friday are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base. I commit that, for as long as I am lucky enough to lead this base, all of our flags will fly proudly — together.”
Vance had accused Denmark of not taking proper care of Greenland's people, of which it is in charge because Greenland is currently a territory of Denmark.
Vance's comments stoked an independence movement that already exists in Greenland and promised that if the icy, mineral-rich nation partnered with the U.S., it would get more help with development in exchange for access to its minerals (to purchase, not just take).
Even before he took office, President Donald Trump talked about purchasing Greenland from Denmark or otherwise acquiring it.
Trump and Vance's comments riled U.S. liberals, who saw them as dictatorial and autocratic.
In reality, though, Trump is looking to prevent China from taking over the territory and controlling even more of the minerals needed to power U.S. electronic devices and electric car batteries.
The Pentagon saw Meyers's comments as an attempt to “subvert President Trump’s agenda" and said any such attempts "will not be tolerated.”
Officially, the military said it had a “loss of confidence in [Meyers’] ability to lead,” which is typical language for a firing/removal after a grave command breach.
“Commanders are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct, especially as it relates to remaining nonpartisan in the performance of their duties,” the statement read.
Meyers was a Biden holdover, and it's pretty clear that Trump and his administration have had enough of being undermined by holdovers and deep state actors who don't agree with him on policies.
While such loyalty demands can smack of authoritarianism, which is incredibly triggering to liberals, it's really just evidence that Trump wants to maximize his productivity in this second term as he tries to undo all the damage caused by Biden.
It's a legitimate concern, and it makes sense for Trump to do everything he can to make sure his officials and staff are willing to work with his team and not against it.
President Donald Trump has reached a deal with five law firms that will allow them to avoid punishing executive orders in exchange for hundreds of millions in free legal services.
The deal represents a massive win for Trump, who has leveraged White House sanctions, which has sent dozens of massive law firms scrambling to kiss the ring and cut deals with the Trump administration.
Law firms Kirkland & Ellis LLP; Allen Overy Shearman Sterling US LLP; Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP; and Latham & Watkins LLP, have all agreed to provide $125 million each in free legal work for causes ranging from representing veterans to fighting antisemitism.
In return for these agreements, the Trump administration will end inquiries from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that were investigating discriminatory hiring practices at those firms.
Another law firm, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, also agreed to provide $100 million in free legal services and also signed agreements not to engage in "illegal" DEI hiring practices and political discrimination.
Trump signed multiple executive orders targeting leftist law firms engaged in illegal hiring practices and political discrimination.
Trump utilized a number of strategies, including stripping the firm's lawyers’ security clearances, barring their employees from access to federal buildings, and terminating law firms' federal contracts.
This onslaught of executive orders with brutal penalties was too much for many of the nation's most prestigious law firms, who quickly caved and agreed to both do away with DEI practices and partisanship in serving clients.
Certain law firms like WilmerHale, Perkins Coie and Jenner & Block have taken the issue to court, but other law firms have seen capitulation as the cheaper and easier option.
Perkins Coie, in particular, has been targeted by the Trump administration due to its involvement with Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and the infamous Russian collusion hoax designed to mislead voters about Trump.
The other law firms who are holding out against Trump have deep connections with the Democrat Party and have been involved in the criminal investigations against Trump, all of which failed.
Those firms that are closely tied to the Democrat Party are going to fight tooth and nail to stop Trump, but their case will be difficult to defend.
The number of law firms that have already made agreements with the Trump administration suggests that there is little recourse to prevent Trump from hamstringing law firms should they resist his requirements for non-partisan behavior and equal hiring practices.
No doubt, this legal battle will form some impactful legal precedents that could reign in powerful law firms that are overwhelmingly leftist.