First lady Melania Trump was not present at a baby shower thrown in honor of her stepdaughter, Tiffany Trump, People reported. President Donald Trump and Melania Trump began dating when the youngest Trump daughter was only 5 years old.

The president and first lady were nearby in Palm Beach, where the baby shower was being held on Sunday, April 6. Donald Trump was in Miami and at his Mar-a-Lago residence and golf club in Palm Beach for the LIV Golf fundraiser tournament that weekend.

Neither attended Tiffany Trump's event, but it would be unexpected for the president since the baby shower was primarily a women-only event. A source close to the matter said that it wasn't "surprising" for Melania Trump not to be there.

The source said Melania Trump believed there wasn't "any reason" for her to attend but added that she "has her own schedule, even on weekends." The source said that Melania Trump was busy with her son, 19-year-old Barron Trump, over the weekend.

The Joyous Event

According to The Hill, Ivanka Trump, Tiffany Trump's older stepsister, hosted the soiree to celebrate the impending birth of her baby boy. The theme was Peter Rabbit as 31-year-old Tiffany Trump and her husband, 27-year-old Michael Boulos, eagerly await the arrival of their first child.

Tiffany Trump is the daughter of Donald Trump and Marla Maples, but it's clear that she's close to her stepsister. On Tuesday, Ivanka Trump posted about the baby shower on X, formerly Twitter.

"Every detail was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s world — from bunny tails to garden treats — to celebrate the little boy she’s about to welcome into her life. It was the sweetest day — filled with so much love, laughter, and excitement for everything ahead," Ivanka Trump wrote.

"Tiff, you’re going to be the most wonderful mama. Your baby boy is already so loved — and so lucky to have you! Love you!" she added.

Family Ties

In a report from E! News, the parents-to-be were spotted on a dinner date the night before the baby shower. Although they didn't make a public appearance with the president and first lady, it's quite possible they met up with them sometime over the weekend.

While the leftist media attempted to make something of Melania Trump's absence, the Trump family is stronger than ever. In fact, it was her father, who was a presidential candidate at the time, who let the cat out of the bag in October.

Donald Trump was speaking about the people attending his campaign stop when he pointed out Michael Boulos' father, Massad Boulos. "He happens to be the father of Tiffany’s husband, Michael, who’s a very exceptional young guy," Donald Trump said.

"And she’s an exceptional young woman. And she’s going to have a baby. So that’s nice," he added. Tiffany Trump later confirmed that she was pregnant in a post on Instagram in December.

The Trump family is constantly under scrutiny by journalists who don't care for the president. The birth of a new grandchild is surely a happy time for the first couple whether Melania Trump celebrates it publicly or not.

Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, who was arrested for federal public corruption last year, has accepted a plea deal, the UK Daily Mail reported. The Democratic politician known for her brashness gave interviews only to two favorable news outlets to announce her resignation.

Fernandes Anderson was implicated in a "complicated kickback scheme" that netted her some $7,000. She funneled a $13,000 inflated bonus from city funds to a relative who works as a staff member for her.

Prosecutors say Fernandes Anderson took the majority of that bonus. She has agreed to plead guilty to one count of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds and another count of wire fraud.

By accepting the deal, Fernandes Anderson avoided four additional charges of wire fraud that each carried a possible 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. This puts an end to a fraught stint in government, which began in 2021 when she was elected as the first Muslim and African immigrant to serve on the city council.

Media Maneuvering

At first, Fernandes Anderson refused to resign after she was arrested for the scheme in December 2024 and wouldn't speak to the media except those who were gentle with her. This week, she told Boston Magazine in an exclusive that she would be stepping down.

The news outlet did not disappoint in glowing coverage of the politician accused of corruption. It ran a piece, "The Rise and Fall of Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson," published on Wednesday that attempted to spin her legal woes in the most favorably.

"From raising her siblings to serving her district to handing out city jobs to loved ones, the city's first African immigrant councilor built her life around helping others at any cost. And that, it turned out, was precisely the problem," the subheading explained.

Meanwhile, Fernandes Anderson also spoke to NBC10 for more gentle treatment. "I'm not just a mom to two boys, as you know, I have actually four sons, with my stepsons. I'm soon to be a grandma," Fernandes Anderson told the news outlet.

"How do I do the right thing to ensure that my family is safe, is stable?" Fernandes Anderson added. This was the same news outlet she let exclusively follow her into her government office after her arrest.

Constituents Speak Out

Regardless of the type of media coverage she receives, the Boston Globe reported that her constituents are not happy with Fernandes Anderson's antics. For 59-year-old Carmen Thomas-Jones, the arrest was an eye-opening experience.

“You’re here to serve the people, not serve your purpose. To get a kickback from somebody? No, that’s not how we do things, and it’s a bad representation of the Black community. ... I’m very appalled at her behavior," Thomas-Jones said.

Another Bostonian, 56-year-old Marijke Simmons, was "disappointed" in Fernandes Anderson. "I don’t like thieves, period. That’s what it comes down to. ... [I’m] very disappointed," Simmons said.

Her alleged crimes were by no means the first time Fernandes Anderson embarrassed her constituents. A 2022 obscenity-laced race-baiting rant went viral on social media when she said during official proceedings, "What the f--- do I have to do in this f---ing council in order to get respect as a Black woman?"

Fernandes Anderson has the presumption of innocence under American law, including for this alleged corruption. However, the accusations are serious and would undermine her integrity if they prove to be true, and Bostonians won't be pleased.

World Series champion pitcher Octavio Dotel perished after the roof caved in at a Dominican Republic nightclub Tuesday, the Associated Press reported. The freak tragedy took the lives of at least 200 people, including the 51-year-old ex-Major League Baseball player.

Dotel's career spanned more than 15 years and brought him many accolades. This week, the news from the Dominican Republic has instead brought condolences.

Tony Clark, MLB Association executive director, said in a statement that the players' union was with the Dominican community "amid incomprehensible sadness." Clark also extended condolences for other victims, including Tony Blanco, who played for the Washington Nationals, and former MLB player Nelson Cruz, whose sister Nelsy was also at the nightclub that evening, ABC News reported.

"We grieve for all the victims and send a special message of support to the families of Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, who leave an unspeakable void with their passing, and to Nelson Cruz, whose family lost a shining light with the death of his sister, Nelsy," Clark added. The MLB community mourned its losses as the death toll continued to rise.

Storied Career

During his storied career, Dotel passed through many MLB franchises and helped propel them to victory along the way. In a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday, the MLB summed up the highlights of his time in the league.

"We are shocked and saddened by the sudden and tragic death of former Major League pitcher Octavio Dotel. Dotel appeared in 758 games for 13 teams over his 15-year career, including parts of five seasons with the Houston Astros from 2000-2004," the post noted.

"On June 11, 2003, he was one of six Astros pitchers who combined to throw a no-hitter against the Yankees in New York. Dotel helped the St. Louis Cardinals to the 2011 World Series championship, going 2-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 12 appearances in the Postseason run," it went on.

"He saved 109 games, with a career-high 36 in 2004. Dotel’s 13 teams are tied with Rich Hill for the 2nd-most in MLB history, trailing only Edwin Jackson’s 14. Dotel was 51 years old," MLB concluded.

Unspeakable Carnage

The tragedy is marked by unspeakable carnage and loss of life among patrons at the Jet Set nightclub located in the capital city of Santo Domingo. Just after 12:34 a.m., the roof unexpectedly caved in and revelers became trapped after concrete rained down on them.

The collapse only took seconds but killed hundreds and injured another 155 people. There's no word on what the cause was though a 2023 fire damaged part of the building. Crews continue to work to free trapped individuals and recover bodies.

Authorities are using biometric systems to identify the dead as the nation grapples with this tragedy. "We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub," a social media post from Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader said.

"We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred. All relief agencies have provided the necessary assistance and are working tirelessly in the rescue efforts. Our prayers are with the affected families," Abinader added.

These people were out to have a nice time at a nightclub when the unthinkable happened. Whether it was the MLB players, musicians, or guests, every life lost in this way is unfathomably tragic.

A new book pulled back the curtain on former President Joe Biden's mental decline that led Democrats to lose the 2024 presidential election, Fox News reported. In one excerpt, ABC News host George Stephanopoulos recounted how it was "heartbreaking up close" to interview the then-president after his disastrous campaign-ending debate.

The book, "Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History" by Chris Whipple, was released this week. It paints a picture of the Democratic Party's frenzied maneuvering to try to hide how poor Biden's mental acuity was.

Biden's June 27 debate performance against then-candidate Donald Trump made it impossible to continue on as if nothing happened. The author noted that Stephanopoulos was given the task of interviewing Biden on This Week on July 5, which all but sealed the deal for him.

Whipple recounted that the interview with Stephanopoulos was meant to "staunch the bleeding" of Democrats who wanted Biden out. The author noted that Biden was "hoarse and semi-coherent" throughout the interview, which bothered the host.

Undeniable truth

Rather than smoothing things over, the appearance cemented the notion that Biden was finished. "Stephanopoulos questioned the president gently, like a grandson," Whipple noted.

"Afterward, when I asked the ABC anchor by email for his impressions, he replied: ‘Heartbreaking up close,'" Whipple wrote. Stephanopoulos would later say when asked about it that he didn't think Biden could "serve four more years."

This was after Biden tried to assert his competence during the softball sitdown with Stephanopoulos. "Look, I have a cognitive test every single day," Biden told the host.

"Every day, I’ve had tests. Everything I do. You know, not only am I campaigning, I’m running the world. And that’s not — it sounds like hyperbole, but we are the central nation of the world."

Clear deficits

Biden insisted that he was in top campaign shape, but Whipple said the truth behind the scenes was far different. "He was absolutely exhausted," Whipple wrote, according to NPR.

"He was unable really to follow what was happening in the campaign. He was tuned out. Early on, he walked out of a [debate preparation] session in the Aspen Lodge, the president's cabin, went over to the pool, sank into a lounge chair, and just fell sound asleep," Whipple wrote.

It was less than a month before he would turn his campaign over to then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost the White House in a crushing defeat. Whipple blames those around Biden for not getting him out sooner.

"I think that it's unquestionable that there was just an abdication of leadership starting within that inner circle. The inability of any of those [staffers] to sit the president down and say, 'Look, you need to look at this clear eyed and realize that you're going to be 86 years old and you're not up to this and everybody knows it.' That never happened," Whipple wrote.

It was crystal clear that Biden was suffering from cognitive impairment, but his campaign tried to cover it up. In the end, they couldn't even fool their allies in the leftist media, let alone the voting public.

Tiffany Trump, youngest daughter of President Donald Trump, revealed that she is having a baby boy, the UK Daily Mail reported. The 31-year-old expectant mother was honored Sunday with a baby shower hosted by her older sister, Ivanka Trump.

Tiffany Trump stunned in her elegant baby blue empire waist dress, which showed off her bump, at the Palm Beach celebration. In a post to Instagram, she shared that it was "one month" until the birth of the first child for her and her 27-year-old husband, Michael Boulos.

Donald Trump, then-presidential candidate, announced Tiffany Trump's pregnancy in October while recognizing her father-in-law, Massad Boulos, during a speech at the Detroit Economic Club. "He happens to be the father of Tiffany's husband, Michael, who's a very exceptional young guy," Donald Trump said.

"And she's an exceptional young woman. And she's going to have a baby. So that's nice," he added.

Family affair

Ivanka Trump organized a beautiful baby shower for her sister and posted about the special day on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. "This Sunday, I had so much fun hosting a Peter Rabbit-themed baby shower for my sweet sister Tiffany!" Ivanka Trump wrote.

"We showered her with love and had the best time celebrating her and baby-to-be! Every detail was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s world — from bunny tails to garden treats — to celebrate the little boy she’s about to welcome into her life," she added of the Peter Rabbit theme.

"It was the sweetest day — filled with so much love, laughter, and excitement for everything ahead. Tiff, you’re going to be the most wonderful mama," Ivanka Trump wrote to her sister in the post.

"Your baby boy is already so loved — and so lucky to have you! Love you," Ivanka Trump concluded. The post included photos of the sisters with Lara Trump, who is married to their brother Eric Trump, along with themed delicacies from the party.

The Grandchildren

Donald Trump is eager to meet his newest grandson, who will be grandchild number 11 for the 78-year 0ld president, Today reported. His eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., accounts for five of them.

The president's namesake and his then-wife Vanessa Haydon share Kai, Donald III, Tristan, Spencer and Chloe. Kai is a wonderful golfer like her grandfather and plays for the University of Miami. "I would like to thank my Grandpa for giving me access to great courses and tremendous support," Kai said when she first announced her commitment.

So far she is the most politically active Trump grandchild and spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention.  "I’m speaking today to share the side of my grandpa that people don’t often see. To me, he’s just a normal grandpa," she added.

The president has three more grandchildren, Arabella, Joseph, and Theodore, from Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner. Finally, Donald Trump's son and daughter-in-law, Eric and Lara Trump, share children, Eric and Carolina.

The Trump family is a tight-knit bunch who clearly love and care for each other. Donald Trump is a blessed man to have nearly a dozen grandchildren, and the gender reveal was indeed a beautiful surprise for him.

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.”

Emergency appeal

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.”

Garcia's claims

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.

DHS claims

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."

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.

Macron lets loose

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.

Grenell weighs in

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.”

What comes next?

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.”

The North Carolina Court of Appeals has ruled that nearly 65,000 ballots from the state Supreme Court race can be challenged, The Guardian reported. The 2-1 decision came as part of a months-long battle over the results.

In November's election, Republican appellate judge Jefferson Griffin lost to Democrat Allison Riggs by just 734 votes. Griffin now sits on the Court of Appeals, where three of his colleagues ruled that his challenge could proceed.

"To permit unlawful votes to be counted along with lawful ballots in contested elections effectively ‘disenfranchises’ those voters who cast legal ballots, at least where the counting of unlawful votes determines an election’s outcome," the majority opinion said. The race remains undecided.

Questionable Ballots

Griffin claims that several ballots counted should not have been due to ineligibility. The 60,000 that are to be challenged come from voters who failed to provide the last four digits of their social security number or North Carolina driver's license number.

In addition, 5,500 ballots were cast by people living abroad and did not include the required ID, including the children of military members who never lived in the state. Despite these concerns, the state board of elections refused to hear Griffin's case.

However, Friday's decision now demands a review of the ballots, which Democratic Judge Toby Hampson said was "directly counter to law" in his dissenting opinion. "The diligent actions these voters undertook to exercise their sacred fundamental right to vote was, indeed, the same as every other similarly situated voter exercising their voting right in the very same election," Hampson wrote.

"Changing the rules by which these lawful voters took part in our electoral process after the election to discard their otherwise valid votes in an attempt to alter the outcome of only one race among many on the ballot is directly counter to law, equity, and the constitution," he added. Hampson also believes it's impractical to have voters respond to eligibility request notices after the fact.

"The proposition that a significant portion of these 61,682 voters will receive notice and timely take curative measures is a fiction that does not disguise the act of mass disenfranchisement the majority’s decision represents," Hampson wrote. Despite requiring the verification points since 2004, the state didn't change its form until 2023 to include them.

Unprecedented Situation

According to the New York Times, the decision to potentially toss votes after the fact is unprecedented. Court challenges almost without fail have erred on the side of upholding election results.

Benjamin Ginsberg, an attorney for the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign and its aftermath, noted the significance of this decision. "By changing the rules of the game after it’s been played to potentially disenfranchise as many as 60,000 voters, this court has gone where no court has gone before," Ginsberg said.

"Until this decision, courts facing challenges to ballots cast in compliance with past practice and election administrators’ instructions had uniformly sided with the voters," he added. This issue in North Carolina could go to the U.S. Supreme Court for resolution.

"If the State Supreme Court affirms the lower court’s decision, that would present a federal constitutional question for consideration by the Supreme Court of the United States," former federal appeals judge J. Michael Luttig, a President George H.W. Bush appointee, said. It's unclear how the conservative-leaning court would rule in that case.

Voter eligibility is a valid concern, especially in races that come down to just a few hundred votes. However, the practicality of overturning election results and dragging out legal battles is questionable and could have a damaging impact on voter confidence.

Vice President J.D. Vance is in no hurry to announce a run for the presidency, Fox News reported. He was asked about his political future on Fox&Friends Thursday but said he was "not focused on politics."

Vance sat for an interview with Fox News' Lawrence Jones, and the host asked him about whether he would run when President Donald Trump's term ends in 2028. "I really am just not focused on politics," Vance said.

"I'm not focused on the midterm elections in 2026, much less the presidential election in 2028. When we get to that point, I'll talk to the president. We'll figure out what we want to do. The way I think about it is, if we do a good job, the politics take care of themselves."

Making Progress

Vance and Trump are currently focused on getting the things they were elected to do done. One of the main priorities is return the U.S. to prosperity.

"I just want America to be wealthy again. I want our communities to be safe again. I want us to be opening factories rather than closing down factories," Vance told Jones.

"I want people of my generation to be able to afford a home, to raise a family. And I want to stop all the ridiculous wars that were started by the previous administrations. There's so much to do, man," Vance continued.

Biden left office with a legacy of record inflation, a tattered economy, out of control immigration, and other domestic woes. Vance said he's focused on taking care of those problems first.

"If I do a good job, if the president does good for the American people, and I know that we will, the politics will take care of itself. Let's just do a good job," Vance said.

The Road Ahead

Trump's tariffs went into effect this week, and Jones asked Vance about the consequences ordinary Americans may face. "What I’d ask folks to appreciate here is that we are not going to fix things overnight," Vance told Jones.

The vice president said that Biden left the "largest peacetime debt and deficit in the history of the United States of America" that also comes with untenable interest rates. Vance said that the "right deregulation" will take the heat off of workers while ensuring foreign nations "can't take advantage of us anymore."

Vance also talked up the Department of Government Efficiency run by Tesla billionaire Elon Musk for cutting spending. "Elon came in, and we said, ‘We need you to make government more efficient. We need you to shrink the incredible, vast bureaucracy that thwarts the will of the American people, but also costs way too much money.’" Vance recalled.

"And we said that’s going to take about six months, and that’s what Elon signed up for," he added. The vice president cautioned that it won't "happen all in six months" but instead will be "a long and committed effort."

Trump and Vance were elected to fix what's wrong with the nation's economy right now. If their novel strategies of implementing tariffs and making cuts through DOGE are effective, Vance is correct that he will be set up to run for president in 2028.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell has concluded that the $500 million U.S. Institute of Peace headquarters may be transferred to the General Services Administration at no cost, Wired reported. This was decided even as legal battles continued.

The fight over the building came after the Department of Government Efficiency dismissed 10 USIP board members on March 14. When DOGE workers tried to enter the building, the USIP staffers physically prevented it.

Since then, DOGE received a physical key and took over the space, which Howell has acknowledged in the decision not to stop them at the moment. "Ambiguity persists given the paucity of apposite law regarding USIP's proper classification as an ‘independent establishment’ or ‘Government corporation’ that rests outside of or within the executive branch and whether it qualifies as an agency," she wrote.

However, the judge indicated there would be further review and had previously denied USIP's request to reinstate the board. "This issue will be more fully addressed in the expedited summary judgment briefing being prepared by the parties," Howell said.

The Battle Continues

As of Saturday, the building and its contents were turned over to the GSA. Howell's decision Tuesday took that fact into account, though it doesn't mean it's a final determination of what's to become of the property.

"The deal is no longer merely ‘proposed’ but done, rendering plaintiffs’ requested relief moot as to that property," Howell wrote. This is a measured approach, but USIP general counsel George Foote took issue with Howell's rationale.

"That’s like letting a burglar break into your house, steal your TV, and have the court say, well, there’s no TV to adjudicate, so I can’t do anything about it," he said. However, USIP was the party in the wrong when staffers engaged in a standoff after being ordered out.

According to Fox News, President Donald Trump's executive order in February demanded that USIP, which was established in 1984 and funded by Congress, would have to cut staff to a bare minimum. After refusing to do so, the Trump administration moved as it had warned.

"Rogue bureaucrats will not be allowed to hold agencies hostage. The Trump administration will enforce the president’s executive authority and ensure his agencies remain accountable to the American people," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said.

Missing Data

Amid the row over the building and contents, another issue has emerged regarding what the USIP was doing, according to the Washington Times. In an exchange on X, formerly Twitter, a user posted a headline claiming that a USIP contract for $1.3 million went to "Taliban and Iraqi leaders" for Iraqi League for Youth.

This implied that the USIP was funding America's enemies, though there was no evidence given to back it up. However, Elon Musk, the outgoing head of DOGE, further insinuated that the agency covered its tracks.

"They deleted a terabyte of financial data to cover their crimes, but they don’t understand technology, so we recovered it," Musk posted. It remains to be seen if any of this is verified to date.

The pushback against DOGE is at a fever pitch as Musk seeks to streamline the government. These employees at USIP and other taxpayer-funded government agencies are used to their cushy jobs and bloated salaries, and they won't give up without a fight.

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