The nation's high court appears to be leaning in favor of some parents from the state of Maryland who are asking for a change in some of the materials taught to their kids.
The Tuesday hearing before the Supreme Court seemed to show the majority of conservative judges offering questions that supported the parents who object to books with gay and transgender characters for primary school kids, as Breitbart News reported.
The 2½-hour oral argument centered around the parents' religious beliefs. Given that the conservative justices are in favor of religious liberty, the parents' case against the Montgomery County Board of Education was strong.
The parents are not requesting that the materials not be present in their children's school, just that they have an opt-out option for those whose religious beliefs preclude the materials' morals.
Some justices expressed concern that the board's refusal to provide an opt-out was due to religious bias.
A debate has been ongoing in Montgomery County, English language arts textbooks, since 2022, when the school board in the diverse region outside of Washington requested additional LGBTQ storybooks to more accurately represent its residents.
Muslims and Orthodox Christians objected to the content on religious grounds, citing the First Amendment, contending that their children should have the right to opt out.
Justice Neil Gorsuch, one of the more conservative members of the bench, was one of several who offered his concern about statements about the school board in question.
The school representative stated in a media interview that a student who objected to the books was "parroting dogma" from her parents, as per court documents.
She also compared their complaints to those of white supremacists who opposed civil rights laws.
“Does that suggest a hostility toward religion?” Gorsuch asked in his questioning, harkening back to a 2018 ruling in which the court ruled in favor of JackPhillips, a Christian baker who refused to make a wedding cake to celebrate a gay couple.
Several conservative justices seemed surprised by the school board's decision to make providing an opt-out too difficult for most parents to effectively do for their children, as well as the wisdom of the curriculum at all.
“Why isn’t that feasible?” Justice Samuel Alito asked.
Similarly, Justice Brett Kavanaugh questioned, “I’m not understanding why it’s not feasible."
Although the school board maintained that the policy did not mandate that students affirm or support the books' content, Chief Justice John Roberts appeared doubtful: "Is that a realistic concept when you are talking about a 5-year-old?" he asked.
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.
While families like the Clintons, Bidens, and Obamas seem to have a lot in common, former first lady Michelle Obama will not follow in her husband's footsteps and try to run for the presidency.
Another former first lady, Hillary Clinton, who, like Obama, holds a law degree in her own right, famously pursued that endeavor to disastrous ends in 2016 when she squared off against President Donald Trump before his first term in office.
Because Obama was so well-liked within her husband's party, many campaign strategists have been aware that she could usher in a third Obama administration if she ran for president.
However, Obama said in a recent interview that a presidential run is "never gonna happen" and insisted she just doesn't want to move back to the White House.
“When people ask me would I ever run, the answer is no,” Obama told Kylie Kelce, wife of retired NFL star Jason Kelce, on a recent episode of the Not Gonna Lie podcast.
“If you ask me that, then you have absolutely no idea the sacrifice that your kids make when your parents are in that role.”
“Not only am I not interested in politics in that way, but the thought of, like, putting my girls back into that, you know, spotlight when they are just now establishing themselves. It’s like, you know, okay. I think we’ve done enough.”
Michelle Obama says she has zero intention of ever running for president, says she has already done enough.
The comment came on Kylie Kelce's podcast.
"And so when people ask me would I ever run, the answer is no."
"If you ask me that [question], then you have absolutely no… pic.twitter.com/CquJDY1WIe
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 25, 2025
The daughters of former president Barack Obama, Sasha and Malia, grew up at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and were seven and ten years old, respectively, when they moved into the White House.
“The day-to-day kind of challenges that any parent has with teenagers, we had it on 100,” the former first lady said.
“I longed for the days when, you know, just write on the wall. …We can wash that off.”
“I was so glad when we got out of the White House,” she added. “I wanted them to have the freedom of not having the eyes of the world on them. I mean, they still are dealing with paparazzi and being who they are and trying to carve out their own identity.”
Even though Kelce's podcast featuring the ex-first lady had over 277,000 listeners, many wondered if Obama would really not run for the office that her husband had held.
“She has zero intention but at any time it can become ‘I’m saving democracy this isn’t my choice’ lmao,” one user posted to X.
“Retirement’s overrated – bet she’ll change her mind!” another listener commented.
“[This] sounds like ‘let’s make it more dramatic when I finally say yes’; good plan,” according to one post.
In her first public comments since her husband's inauguration, First Lady Melania Trump spoke out on Monday about the release of sexually explicit pictures created of minors.
She described the effects for victims as "heartbreaking" and referred to the climate on the internet as "toxic," as The Associated Press reported.
"It’s heartbreaking to witness young teens, especially girls, grappling with the overwhelming challenges posed by malicious online content, like deepfakes," said Melania Trump.
Trump was holding an event on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., where she was joined by lawmakers and victims of digital abuse in support of the Take it Down Act, which was unanimously passed by the Senate earlier this month.
"We must prioritize robust security measures and uphold strict ethical standards to protect individual privacy," added Trump,
The first lady announced Tuesday that she would be joining President Donald Trump for his first joint congressional address of his second term.
The bill was passed by the Senate and proposed in August by Senators Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, and Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota.
The legislation makes it illegal to publish "non-consensual, sexually exploitative images, including deepfakes, including AI-generated deepfakes."
This law encompasses "digital forgeries" that are generated using AI software and necessitates that technology platforms eliminate reported content within 48 hours of receiving a valid request.
On Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., a fervent Trump supporter who was present at the first lady's roundtable discussion, expressed his desire to see legislation passed that would address the subject.
"As the dark side of technology advances, these unspeakable evils become part of the culture. The law has to keep up," Johnson said.
"We are anxious to put it on the floor in the House to get it to President Trump's desk for signature cause we've gotta do what we can to stop this.”
Elliston Berry, a 15-year-old who was seated next to the first lady, recounted her experience of being "violated" on social media.
At the age of 14, a classmate utilized an AI application to affix a nude body to an Instagram photo of her, which was subsequently shared on social media.
"Fear, shock and disgust were just some of the many emotions I felt," Berry said. "I felt responsible and began to blame myself and was ashamed to tell my parents despite doing nothing wrong."
As a result of the high winds that swept throughout Southwest Washington and the majority of Oregon on Monday night, tens of thousands of houses were left without electricity.
Following the issuance of a succession of thunderstorm and high wind warnings by forecasters with the National Weather Service on Monday afternoon, the power outages occurred as Fox 13 reported.
Wind gusts of up to fifty miles per hour could cause damage in certain regions, including portions of the Willamette Valley and the wider Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area, according to a warning issued by the National Weather Service (NWS).
When everything is taken into consideration, Portland General Electric (PGE) estimated that there were more than 1,000 active outages that affected about 100,000 people as of Monday evening at eight o'clock.
“PGE crews are out right now assessing damage and making repairs and will work as quickly as safety allows to restore service,” said John Farmer, a PGE spokesperson.
“We encourage customers to stay prepared for potential outages this evening as forecasted windy weather conditions continue.”
There were also large and dispersed power disruptions at Pacific Power. After midnight on Monday, the electric utility company stated that there were at least 200 current outages that affected more than 30,000 consumers.
The majority of the power outages are still being investigated, but officials with Pacific Power have stated that it is highly likely that many of the power outages are the result of trees that have fallen or branches that have fallen on power lines.
Clark Public Utilities reports that over 8,000 consumers in Clark County are currently without electricity.
Officials are advising individuals to refrain from traveling if feasible due to numerous downed trees and utility lines. Additionally, electric utilities advise individuals who encounter a downed powerline to keep away.
This outage comes just a few weeks after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee made his formal request for a federal disaster declaration in mid-Janurary following "bomb cyclone" storms that impacted the area.
Damage totaling millions of dollars was caused over the region by the storms, which featured hurricane-force winds.
Damage to public infrastructure in King County alone exceeded $11 million, according to King County Emergency Management.
This level of damage caused there to be serious debris and cleanup still underway when the more recent storms crashed into the area, furthering the damage.
Some officials considering the idea of a plan that would "delete entire agencies," as the government transitions to a new administration.
This idea comes from tech billionaire and Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk, who made the recent comments as part of his overarching mission to push toward government that is cost and efficiency-driven, as The Associated Press reported.
The technology tycoon reportedly wants to leave a legacy that will last beyond the term of the current president.
"I think we do need to delete entire agencies, as opposed to leave part of them behind. ... It's kind of like leaving a weed," Musk said.
The new head of the Department on Government Efficiency went on to say that there has to be systemic change if this is to be more than just a passing phase in government.
"If you don't remove the roots of the weed, then it's easy for the weed to grow back," Musk said.
"But if you remove the roots of the weed — it doesn't stop weeds from ever going back, but it makes it harder."
While participating in a discussion moderated by Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s minister of artificial intelligence, Musk—who also created SpaceX and owns the social media platform X—made the remarks while speaking to an audience at Dubai’s annual World Governments Summit via video link.
"So we have to really delete entire agencies, many of them," Musk said.
"And that's not to say there won't be an increase over time of bureaucracy in some new administration, but it will be from a much lower baseline. So certainly it's a step in the right direction."
"Nothing's forever," he added, "but I think we can strengthen the foundations of the United States substantially."
Trump named the South African-born engineer and internet entrepreneur a "special government employee" and head of the Department of Federal Efficiency.
Musk stated on Thursday that his efforts to streamline government and cut red tape may cut the federal budget by $1 trillion by 2026, which would significantly decrease the national debt.
Musk attacked the budget line by line for the U.S. Agency for International Development and in the process moved his agenda forward by furloughing most workers and withholding financing internationally.
In early February, the Trump administration announced that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) would be disbanding as an independent agency and relocating to the State Department, a move that would necessitate the approval of Congress.
A bill that would give Greenland a new name has been filed to the House of Representatives by a Republican congressman from Georgia.
This comes at a time when President Donald Trump is continuing his efforts to acquire the island, Fox News reported.
The measure, which has been given the name "Red, White, and Blueland Act of 2025," was proposed by Representative Earl "Buddy" Carter. The purpose of the bill is to rename the island from Greenland to a more colorful name, red, white, and blueland.
Under the act, the newly appointed Interior Secretary, Doug Burgum, would be given the responsibility of overseeing the transition and ensuring that it is reflected on official papers and maps so that Greenland is referred to by its new name.
“America is back and will soon be bigger than ever with the addition of Red, White, and Blueland,” Carter said in a press release.
“President Trump has correctly identified the purchase of what is now Greenland as a national security priority, and we will proudly welcome its people to join the freest nation to ever exist when our Negotiator-in-Chief inks this monumental deal.”
Despite Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede's repeated statements that the island is not for sale, Trump is pushing for the acquisition of Greenland from Denmark, which is why the bill is being proposed.
Trump has maintained an interest in purchasing the island for what he claims are "national security purposes" since his win in November.
Trump has also questioned whether Denmark, which has controlled Greenland since 1814, has a "legal right" to the territory and predicted that Greenland's people will vote to join the U.S. He warned that if Denmark does not give up Greenland, the U.S. will "tariff Denmark at a very high level."
Additionally, Trump has not explicitly said that acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal via military means is not an option.
"No, I can't assure you of either of those two. But I can say this: We need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for our military,” Trump said during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago home.
A majority of Greenlanders, as much as 85%, do not want their Arctic island, which is a semi-autonomous Danish colony, to join the United States. Almost half of those Greenlanders consider Trump's interest in the island as a danger.
According to a poll conducted by pollster Verian and funded by the Danish newspaper Berlingske and the Greenlandic daily Sermitsiaq, just 6% of Greenlanders are in favor of their island becoming a U.S. territory, while 9% are still uncertain.
According to the results, 45% of respondents saw Trump's interest in Greenland negatively, 43% positively, and 13% were unsure.
Ivanka Trump volunteered in Los Angeles for hours, helping those affected by the recent California disasters with practical necessities and offering moral support, as Page Six reported.
The again-first daughter came to the devastated area just days after her newly-reelected father once again took up his residence in the White House.
She helped fire-affected families at the LA Dream Center and Expressions Church as part of her work with the charity group CityServe.
Trump, like the rest of her family, is no stranger to the glitz and glamour of life in the Golden State. With their considerable wealth and connections, the line between the Trumps and Los Angeles has traditionally been strong.
Ivanka was seen working with volunteers during her visit in casual clothes consisting of jeans, sneakers, and a black windbreaker jacket.
Wearing an apron and disposable gloves, she distributed emergency supplies like diapers and food while also seen providing hot meals to fire victims in the kitchen.
One photo even shows her helping to load a carton of supplies into cars for low-income households.
In a recent statement, CityServe’s co-founder, Dave Donaldson, highlighted the significant impact of Ivanka’s efforts.
It was noted that she dedicated significant time to connecting with victims, providing them with support and attentively listening to their accounts, proving an outstanding level of empathy.
“Many of the families Ivanka helped have lost everything,” Donaldson said in a statement posted on Instagram.
“Their needs are desperate. Ivanka wrapped her arms around them and listened to their stories with enormous empathy.”
Donaldson commended Ivanka for her commitment and the extensive time she devoted to community service.
The statement continued, "She spent hours encouraging volunteers and first responders and distributing emergency supplies to families at Expression Church and the LA Dream Center.”
On the same day, actor Ben Affleck was spotted lending a hand at a homeless encampment alongside a team of staffers.
The Palisades Fire has devastated more than 23,000 acres in Pacific Palisades, while the Eaton Fire has impacted the Altadena area, resulting in numerous individuals being left homeless or compelled to evacuate their residences.
President Donald Trump has been clear that he believes the mismanagement of resources is what caused the intense devastation.
Among the notable figures affected by recent events are Paris Hilton, Heidi Montag, and Spencer Pratt, all of whom have reported losing their homes.
As early as February 1st, President Trump's team is considering imposing a 10% tariff on China, according to Trump's statements, as Reuters reported.
“We’re talking about a tariff of 10% on China based on the fact that they’re sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada,” the president said, speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday evening. “Probably Feb. 1 is the date we’re looking at,” he added.
The addictive synthetic opioid fentanyl causes tens of thousands of U.S. overdose deaths each year.
Washington and Beijing have agreed to collaborate on reducing illicit drug supplies, primarily generated in China and Mexico.
Trump reported a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday over fentanyl and trade. The Chinese statement said Xi advocated for collaboration and positive economic relations between the two countries.
China's Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang reported that a trade war has no winners at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday (official translation). He urged international support for “economic globalization” and “distribute it better.”
The offshore Chinese yuan rose before falling to 7.2796 per dollar.
Leading Chinese state-run and financial media ignored the planned tariffs and focused on other Trump announcements, including his EU tariff threat.
China trades most with the U.S. Official data from Wind Information shows China's dollar imports from the U.S. dipped 0.1% last year while exports rose 4.9%.
In 2024, China's trade surplus with the U.S. was $361 billion, up from $316.9 billion in 2020, Trump's last full year.
The White House hiked duties on Chinese goods to stimulate imports and address U.S. firms' worries in China. Beijing reacted with its own duties.
“If the US imposed an additional 10 percent tariff on China and China responded in kind, US GDP would be $55 billion less over the four years of the second Trump administration, and $128 billion less in China,” the U.S.-based Peterson Institute for International Economics said in a Jan. 17 report.
On Tuesday, Trump mentioned that his team was discussing the possibility of imposing a tariff of "approximately 25%" on Mexico and Canada.
He made similar comments the day before, saying that taxes on Mexico and Canada may be implemented as soon as February.
“We’re thinking in terms of 25% (levies) on Mexico and Canada, because they’re allowing a vast number of people” over the border, he said on Monday.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump vowed to impose tariffs of more than 60% on commodities from China. According to a post on his social media network Truth Social, he advocated for "an additional 10% Tariff" on China as late as November.