Trump pardons former DC police officers convicted in death of man during deadly pursuit
Two police officers convicted in the death of a man riding a moped in Washington, D.C., have received pardons from President Donald Trump, the White House announced Wednesday. Former Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Lt. Andrew Zabavsky, 56, who was convicted of conspiracy and obstruction of justice, was sentenced in September in the 2020 death of Karon Hylton-Brown. Another former MPD officer, Terence Sutton Jr., 40, was also convicted and sentenced in the case. In a statement, the White House said Trump granted Zabavsky and Sutton full and unconditional pardons. On Tuesday, the DC Police Union said it was working with the Trump administration to ensure pardons for Zabavsky and Sutton. That same day, Trump said he approved pardons for both men. TRUMP PARDONS NEARLY ALL JAN. 6 DEFENDANTS ON INAUGURATION DAY “I just approved it,” Trump said during a press conference. “They arrested the two officers to put them in jail for going after a criminal.” In a statement Tuesday, the union said both men were wrongly convicted and maliciously prosecuted. DOJ’S ‘EXCESSIVE’ TREATMENT OF JAN. 6 RIOTERS ‘UNDERMINED’ THE PROSECUTIONS, TURLEY SAYS AFTER PARDONS “These officers — men of integrity and dedication — were targeted by corrupt prosecutors who weaponized the legal system against them,” the union said. Sutton was convicted and sentenced to 66 months in prison for Hylton-Brown’s death, while Zabavsky was sentenced to a 48-month prison term. Hylton-Brown was riding a moped without a helmet on a sidewalk Oct. 23, 2020, when Sutton tried to pull him over in an unmarked car, authorities said. A chase ensued, reaching speeds of more than double the speed limit on residential streets, the Justice Department said. Hylton-Brown was eventually struck by a vehicle in an alley during the pursuit. He sustained severe head trauma and died two days later. The pursuit appeared to violate the Metropolitan Police Department’s policy prohibiting chases. High-speed chases are barred over minor traffic offenses. Prosecutors alleged both officers conspired to hide the events that led to Hylton’s death, such as failing to tell superior officers about the seriousness of his injuries. Prosecutors also claimed the officers deactivated their body cameras minutes after the collision and failed to take statements from witnesses.
Trump nominates head of his personal security detail, Sean Curran, to lead Secret Service: ‘A Great Patriot’
Trump formally nominated Sean Curran, the head of his personal Secret Service security detail, to serve as director of the U.S. Secret Service on Wednesday. Curran, one of the several quick-thinking agents who rushed on stage to protect Trump during the July 13 assassination attempt, was already expected to be named to the position. In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump wrote that it was an “honor” to appoint Curran. “Sean is a Great Patriot, who has protected my family over the past few years, and that is why I trust him to lead the Brave Men and Women of the United States Secret Service,” the president wrote. Trump went on to call Curran a “brilliant leader, who is capable of directing and leading operational security plans for some of the most complex Special Security Events in the History of our Country, and the World.” WHO IS SEAN CURRAN? HEAD OF TRUMP’S PERSONAL DETAIL TO BE NOMINATED FOR SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR “He proved his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassin’s bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump said. “I have complete and total confidence in Sean to make the United States Secret Service stronger than ever before.” President Trump announced other nominees on Wednesday, including Andrew F. Puzder, who is the Republican leader’s pick for U.S. ambassador to the European Union. Puzder is the former CEO of CKE Restaurants, which owns Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. In a post, Trump called the nominee “a successful attorney, businessman, economic commentator, and author.” “During his 17-year tenure as CEO, Andy led the company out of serious financial difficulty, allowing it to survive, become financially secure, and grow,” Trump said. “Andy will do an excellent job representing our Nation’s interests in this important region.” SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR CHEATLE RESIGNS AFTER MOUNTING PRESSURE IN WAKE OF TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT In a separate statement on Wednesday, Trump announced that conservative writer L. Brent Bozell III has been named to run the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Trump said that “few understand the Global Media landscape in print, television, and online” better than Bozell. “He and his family have fought for the American principles of Liberty, Freedom, Equality, and Justice for generations, and he will ensure that message is heard by Freedom-loving people around the World,” Trump wrote. “Brent will bring some much needed change to the U.S. Agency for Global Media.” Bozell has worked in conservative media for decades. The nephew of National Review founder William F. Buckley, Jr., Bozell founded the Media Research Center in 1987. Last fall, Bozell penned a supportive Fox News Digital op-ed about Trump’s chances against then-Vice President Kamala Harris. “Trump has something Harris doesn’t: a winning record, a winning agenda and a winning vision,” Bozell wrote. “She avoids her record because it’s not only radioactive politically, but socialism has a rich history of utter failure everywhere.” “All Donald Trump needs to do is tell his story, remind people what was accomplished during his presidency. State simply he will do it again, both at home where so many are suffering, but also abroad where the world nears a boiling point. Lay out his vision of his city on the hill. “ The USAGM, which was previously known as the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) until 2018, controls Voice of America as well as other state-funded media outlets. According to the agency’s website, USAGM’s purpose is to “to inform, engage and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy.” Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to a probable weekend session to confirm Trump nominees
We’re quickly approaching the fourth weekend of 2025. And the Senate is already running behind. This could trigger weekend Senate sessions as Senate Republicans try to accelerate the process on some of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees. Senators failed to forge a time agreement to expedite the confirmation of CIA Director nominee John Ratcliffe. SEN. THUNE SUGGESTS STAYING THROUGH WEEKEND TO CONFIRM TRUMP PICKS AFTER DEMS DELAY VOTES: ‘SHOULDN’T BE HARD’ So, here are some Senate vocabulary terms for you. Cloture, filibuster and ripen. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., filed “cloture” Tuesday to break filibusters on three nominees, starting with Ratcliffe. “Invoking cloture” is the parliamentary means to break a filibuster. A filibuster is in the eyes of the beholder. A filibuster could be a way to hold something up via a lengthy speech. It could be a way to just object and sidetrack the Senate’s course. Or, it could be implied that senators who plan to deploy either option. Thus, the Senate Majority Leader gets the joke. He knows he must “file cloture” to terminate the “filibuster.” Democrats appear dug in on Ratcliffe. So Thune took the procedural step of filing cloture petitions to overcome a filibuster on the the Ratcliffe nomination, but also for Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary nominee Kristi Noem. By rule, once cloture is filed, it must “ripen” for a day before the Senate may consider it. Thune filed cloture on Ratcliffe Tuesday. Therefore Wednesday serves as the intervening day. The Senate could vote to break the filibuster one hour after the Senate meets on Thursday at 10 am et. By rule, the cloture vote can begin at 11 am et. That will only need 51 yeas to break the filibuster. SECOND ACTS: PRESIDENT TRUMP MAKES HISTORIC COMEBACK CIA Director is not recognized as a full-level cabinet position. So the “post cloture” time is limited to only two hours – not the full 30 hours of debate allowed for all cabinet level slots. Thus, if the Senate breaks the filibuster on Thursday, a vote to confirm Ratcliffe as CIA Director could come just two hours later. Confirmation only needs 51 votes. Next in the queue is the Hegseth nomination. And the process starts all over again. Fox has learned that unless there is a time agreement to accelerate debate on nominees, it is possible that the confirmation vote on Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth could come late Friday night or in the wee hours of Saturday morning. So let’s say the Senate clears the filibuster on Ratcliffe by late morning. It debates his nomination for a couple of hours. That means the Senate could vote by 3 or 4 p.m. ET to confirm Ratcliffe. Once Ratcliffe is confirmed, Hegseth is next. The Senate could then vote to break the filibuster on Hegseth on Thursday afternoon. If the Senate breaks the filibuster, that would then trigger up to 30 hours of debate. If all time is used, final confirmation on Hegseth could come late Friday night or early Saturday morning. HEGSETH LAWYER SLAMS ‘FLAWED AND QUESTIONABLE AFFIDAVIT’ FROM EX-SISTER-IN-LAW Regardless, this is where things get interesting: Fox is told it’s possible there could be a tie on the confirmation vote for Hegseth. It’s about the math. Republicans have 53 members. Fox is told to keep an eye on Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. All have played their cards close to the vest as to their opinions on Hegseth. If they vote nay, Vice President Vance could need to come to the Capitol to break the tie and confirm Hegseth as Defense Secretary. No vice president had ever broken a tie to confirm a cabinet secretary until former Vice President Mike Pence did so to confirm Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary on February 7, 2017. Pence also broke ties to confirm former Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., as ambassador for religious freedom in 2018. He also broke a tie to confirm current Budget Director nominee Russ Vought as Deputy Budget Director in 2018. Once the Senate dispenses with the Hegseth nomination, it’s on to a procedural vote for Noem. The Senate would need to break a filibuster on Noem’s nomination. If that vote comes late Friday/early Saturday, the Senate could vote to confirm Noem midday Sunday if they burn all time. If the vote to break the filibuster on Noem comes at a “normal” hour Saturday (say 10 or 11 am et), the Senate doesn’t vote to confirm Noem until Sunday night or Monday if all time is required. Thune also filed cloture on the nomination of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent late Thursday. So that’s up once Noem is confirmed. If all time is used, Bessent isn’t confirmed until early next week. And so it goes. TRUMP NOMINEES COLLINS, STEFANIK TO FACE SENATE GRILLING AS VA, UN PICKS; BESSENT GETS COMMITTEE VOTE “Do you all have your sleeping bags and cots?” asked Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss. Everyone is settling in for a slog. “Right now it appears there’s every indication that votes will be taking place through Saturday. We’ll see if that goes into Sunday or Monday without any days in between. But right now, I’m planning on being there for the weekend for votes,” said Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M. “I’m happy to be here all weekend, if that’s what it takes,” said Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo. That said, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., cautioned that things sometimes accelerate in the Senate. Especially when there’s chatter of late-night votes and weekend sessions. “I think I’ve seen this game before,” said Durbin Tuesday. “I think it ends with an accommodation and a bipartisan agreement. So I wouldn’t jump too quickly now to reach a conclusion.” DEM WHO CALLED TRUMP ‘EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO DEMOCRACY’ NOW BLOCKING HIS NOMINEES That said, there are two factors afoot: Democrats want to make a point about their reservations Trump nominees – especially those with whom they
Bill to detain undocumented immigrants accused of even minor crimes passes with some Texas Democratic help
The bill, named for Laken Riley, a Georgia student killed by an immigrant, adds legislative muscle to President Trump’s immigration enforcement push.
Trump re-designates Iranian-backed Houthis as terrorists: ‘Threatens security of American civilians’
President Trump re-designated the Houthis as a terrorist group on Wednesday, according to the White House. In an executive order signed on Wednesday, Trump said that the terrorist group “threaten[s] the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade.” “Supported by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF), which arms and trains terrorist organizations worldwide, the Houthis have fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times since 2023, endangering American men and women in uniform,” the order noted. DOGE CAUCUS PLANS FOR BIGGEST IMPACT, EYEING KEY TOOLS TO EXPEDITE CUTTING WASTE “Since seizing most Yemeni population centers by force from the legitimate Yemeni government in 2014-2015، the Houthis have launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure, including multiple attacks on civilian airports in Saudi Arabia, the deadly January 2022 attacks on the United Arab Emirates, and more than 300 projectiles fired at Israel since October 2023.” This is a breaking news story. Check back with us for updates.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: One People, ‘One Flag’
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Bureau of Prisons director out as Trump’s Justice Department reforms take shape -Republican leaders still at odds on reconciliation debate after Trump meeting -Trump DHS expands expedited deportation powers as operations ramp up The U.S. State Department has adopted a new policy under the Trump administration that effectively blocks U.S. embassies and outposts from flying Pride and Black Lives Matter flags, a report said Tuesday. The Washington Free Beacon first reported that it obtained a copy of the “One Flag Policy” order, which permits only the American flag to be flown at U.S. facilities at home and abroad, with two notable exceptions: the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) emblem and the Wrongful Detainees Flag. “Starting immediately, only the United States of America flag is authorized to be flown or displayed at U.S. facilities, both domestic and abroad, and featured in U.S. government content,” the memo states, according to the outlet. “The flag of the United States of America united all Americans under the universal principles of justice, liberty, and democracy. These values, which are the bedrock of our great country, are shared by all American citizens, past and present.”…Read more ROOTING OUT DEI: Trump revokes Biden order allowing transgender troops in bid to rid DEI from military…Read more KEY MEETING: Trump, GOP leaders meet at White House as president plans visit to NC, defends executive orders…Read more ‘DESPERATE ATTEMPTS’: Pastors, conservatives unleash on Episcopal bishop for ‘weaponizing’ the pulpit against Trump…Read more BYE-BYE BIDEN: Biden returns to California vacation spot after leaving office…Read more ‘VERY NICE’: Biden left Trump ‘inspirational’ message in ‘very nice’ letter, new president says…Read more ‘NOT VERY GOOD AT HER JOB!’: Trump excoriates bishop as ‘Radical Left hard line Trump hater’ after politically charged prayer service…Read more TALIBAN FEARS: Trump order puts thousands of Afghan allies waiting for US resettlement in limbo…Read more A NEW HEALTHCARE HORIZON: Trump’s Day One actions reversed Biden-era health policies, including efforts to expand ObamaCare…Read more ODD MAN OUT: Nearly all of D.C. shut down for Trump’s inauguration. So why was there no designated survivor?…Read more ‘DO NOT NEGOTIATE’: UN urges diplomacy as Iran hits nuclear ‘gas pedal,’ conservative commentator tells Trump ‘do not appease’…Read more ‘FIGHTING BACK’: Democrats join DOGE subcommittee, including member seeking ‘good government’…Read more ‘SHOULDN’T BE HARD’: Sen. Thune suggests staying through weekend to confirm Trump picks after Dems delay votes…Read more ‘OPEN YOUR ASIAN EYES’: Dem rising star eyeing elected office has social media littered with vulgar post…Read more LAND GRAB: Senate Republicans launch effort to ban Chinese nationals from buying land in US…Read more ‘HONOR AND BRAVERY’: Vermont Border Patrol agent allegedly killed by German national worked in Pentagon during 9/11…Read more HIGH AND DRY: California water supply crucial for LA wildfire response allowed to run dry months before infernos: lawsuit…Read more ‘BACK IN BUSINESS’: Alaska leaders cheer Trump oil and gas drilling executive order…Read more ‘THE LAW IS CLEAR’: Adams says NYC is coordinating with ICE as mass migrant deportations loom…Read more ‘BREATH OF FRESH AIR’: Mother of missing Marine veteran calls Trump admin a ‘breath of fresh air’ as she continues 12-year search…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Congress sends Laken Riley Act to Trump’s desk as first bill of GOP’s Washington takeover
The Republican Party’s Laken Riley Act is heading to President Donald Trump’s desk to become the first bill he signs into law after the party retook both chambers of Congress and the White House. The House of Representatives passed the bill in a 263 to 156 vote on Wednesday, the second time the lower chamber advanced the bill this month. It passed the House 264 to 159 on Jan. 7. All voting Republicans supported the bill, along with 48 Democrats – two more than the most recent vote. TRUMP ELIMINATING LNG PAUSE TO HAVE ‘QUICKEST EFFECT’ ON ENERGY INDUSTRY: RICK PERRY The GOP-controlled Senate also advanced the bill in a bipartisan 64 to 35 vote, but added measures to deport illegal immigrants who assault a police officer or cause death or “serious bodily injury” of another person. The original bill would direct Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to detain illegal immigrants accused of theft-related crimes. It also would allow states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for harm caused to their citizens because of illegal immigration. The majority of Democrats were against the bill, arguing that allowing people accused but not convicted of crimes to be deported is a slippery slope. But supporters of the bill point out that people here illegally have already run afoul of U.S. law. It’s notable, however, that more Democrats supported the bill when it passed the House this month than when it first came up for a vote in 2024. It’s a marked difference from last year when the then-Democrat-controlled Senate did not even take up the bill for a vote. “Nothing ever happens in this town up here until the American people demand it,” the bill’s leader, Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., told Fox News Digital when asked about the increased support from the left. “And they have been screaming at the top of their lungs for something to happen to fix the border problem.” Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, who led Sarah’s Law, one of the amendments adopted in the bill, told Fox News Digital, “Nearly a decade ago, 21-year-old Sarah Root’s life was tragically cut short when she was killed by an illegal immigrant who was driving while drunk…Sarah’s Law not only delivered justice for the Root family but also ensures that any illegal immigrant who harms or kills an American citizen is swiftly detained and prosecuted.” KAMALA HARRIS MAKES TRUMP’S 2024 PRESIDENTIAL WIN OFFICIAL DURING JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS GOP lawmakers are working to follow through on Trump’s promises to crack down on illegal immigration and border security amid a flurry of executive orders from the president on those same issues. They’re positioning the Laken Riley Act as the first bill to get Trump’s signature as a reflection of their effort to make his agenda permanent. The bill is named after a nursing student who was killed by an illegal immigrant while jogging on the University of Georgia’s campus. Jose Ibarra, who was sentenced to life in prison for Laken Riley’s murder, had previously been arrested but was never detained by ICE.
Danish lawmaker addressing EU tells Trump to ‘f— off’ over Greenland bid
A Danish Member of European Parliament (MEP) seethed at U.S. President Donald Trump amid his bid to have Greenland sold or ceded to the United States. MEP Anders Vistisen, a member of the right-wing Danish People’s Party, addressed Trump’s efforts at an EU session in Strasburg, France. “Dear President Trump, listen very carefully: Greenland has been part of the Danish kingdom for 800 years. It is an integrated part of our country. It is not for sale,” Vistisen said. Appearing to cue into the American president’s occasional salty language, Vistisen said he would put his remarks in “words you might understand.” GREENLAND PM SAYS ARCTIC ISLAND DOESN’T WANT TO BE PART OF US “Mr. Trump, f— off,” said Vistisen. The remark drew a formal reprimand from European Parliament Vice President Nicolae Ștefănuță, who, however, suggested he too has reservations about Trump. “If the translation was correct, the term you used is not allowed in this House, and there will be consequences to the message you have used,” said Ștefănuță, who represents Romania. “It is not OK in this House of Democracy. Regardless of what we think of Mr. Trump, it is not possible to use such language.” First son Donald Trump Jr. led a small delegation to Nuuk — the Greenlandic capital — prior to the inauguration and met with members of the public and reportedly held a luncheon. Both Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute Egede and Danish PM Mette Frederiksen have said the landmass is not for sale. TRUMP PLANS NC VISIT AS HE DEFENDS EXECUTIVE ORDERS The island enjoys relative autonomy in domestic affairs and relies on Copenhagen for foreign policy and support. The U.S. does, however, retain a U.S. Space Force presence on Greenland — at Pituffik (formerly Thule) Air Base near Savissivik. Just over 100 years ago, the U.S. did successfully purchase Danish lands from Copenhagen. King Christian X of Denmark and the U.S. Senate both ratified a 1916 treaty that led to the purchase of what are now the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) — St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. Then-President Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat, approved the treaty. Wilson’s Secretary of State Frank Polk said the island chain’s people would have American nationality but not the “political status of citizens,” according to the State Department’s archives. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Residents were, however, later given full citizenship through a 1932 act of Congress. With its roots as the Danish West Indies and originally home to British expatriates, it is also the only U.S. territory where driving on the left side of the road is the law.
California enclave declares itself a ‘non-sanctuary’ city, will work with immigration officials, Trump admin
Leaders in one Southern California city fed up with the state’s immigration policies have voted to become a “non-sanctuary” city and ignore the state’s sanctuary laws. The resolution was approved by the Huntington Beach City Council Tuesday night by a unanimous 7-0 vote. Mayor Pat Burns, who introduced the legislation, “Non-Sanctuary City for Illegal Immigration for the Prevention of Crime,” said the move was a matter of public safety. “This is in the best interest of our community, Huntington Beach, to make sure that we utilize every facet of law enforcement we can to make it the best place to live,” Burns, a former law enforcement officer, said during Tuesday’s meeting alongside a small bust sculpture of President Donald Trump. The move directs the city’s police officers to work with federal immigration authorities and notify immigration officials when they are about to release an illegal immigrant from jail. TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS ARRESTED IN NYC APARTMENT NEXT TO DAYCARE FACILITY The resolution “deliberately sidestep[s] the Governor’s efforts to subvert the good work of federal immigration authorities and to announce the city’s cooperation with the federal government, the Trump Administration and Border Czar Tom Homan’s work,” the city said in a news release. Sanctuary cities prohibit their law enforcement personnel from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. The practice has come under scrutiny for shielding criminal illegal immigrants from being deported. In addition to the resolution, Huntington Beach is suing the state over its sanctuary state laws, which it claims are unconstitutional. Before the vote, Councilman Chad Williams chided state lawmakers for enacting policies to protect illegal immigrants, including those convicted of violent crimes. “If we want to voluntarily cooperate with federal authorities to protect our community, that is absolutely our prerogative,” he said. “It’s just basic common sense. Why wouldn’t you want to use every tool available to keep your community safe?” TRUMP ADMIN HITS BACK AS ACLU LAUNCHES LAWSUIT ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: ‘READY TO FACE THEM’ The resolution text mentions crimes committed by illegal immigrants on behalf of criminal gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, which gained widespread attention after its members allegedly terrorized residents at a Colorado apartment complex. Tuesday’s vote came weeks after California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a “Trump-proof” legal defense fund of up to $25 million for California’s justice department. Trump has promised to target criminal illegal immigrants for deportation. “In California in particular, fighting crime is difficult enough with the relaxed criminal laws and lack of enforcement. The State should get out of the way of local law enforcement, stop handcuffing our police officers and California’s cities, and get back to the business of protecting innocent citizens,” Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates said in a press release. “Emphatically, the State should not take a position of violating federal immigration laws or encouraging cities to violate federal immigration laws.”
Trump puts higher education on notice for ‘dangerous, demeaning, and immoral’ DEI teachings
President Donald Trump’s latest executive order seeks to water down diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices in federally funded higher-education institutions in an effort to restore “merit-based opportunity,” according to the White House. During his first two days in office, Trump issued a slew of executive orders, including ordering that all federal agencies close their DEI offices by Wednesday and put employees in those units on paid leave. To further his effort to deter DEI, the president is launching a federal review of such teachings and practices in educational institutions receiving federal funding. “Institutions of higher education have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion,’” reads the White House order, published on Tuesday. The order requires that the attorney general and secretary of education identify potential civil compliance investigations among institutions of higher education with endowments over $1 billion dollars and, accordingly, develop action plans to “deter DEI programs or principles that constitute illegal discrimination or preferences.” CONSERVATIVE GROUP REVEALS HOW TRUMP CAN CLEAN HOUSE AT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, LISTS TO BUREAUCRATS TO FIRE Within 120 days, the AG and the secretary of education will issue guidance to state and local educational institutions that receive federal funds or grants or that participate in the student loan program. The focus will be on ensuring compliance with the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, a landmark case that held that race-based admissions practices violate the Fourteenth Amendment. “Illegal DEI and DEIA policies not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity, as they deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system,” the memo reads. The executive order noted that it will not prevent educational institutions or agencies from engaging in “First Amendment-protected” speech. WHITE HOUSE OPM ORDERS ALL DEI OFFICES TO BEGIN CLOSING BY END OF DAY WEDNESDAY Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., who chairs the House Education and the Workforce Committee, applauded Trump for pushing back against the controversial practice. “For too long, social justice warriors crusaded to mandate DEI in every corner of America. Instead of merit, skills and ability, DEI devotees pushed policies that are antithetical to American exceptionalism,” Walberg said. “From the classroom to the boardroom, Americans have felt the negative effects. DEI has bloated education budgets while telling students what to think instead of how to think.” Jonathan Turley, a Fox News contributor and the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, suggested in an analysis of the executive order that it “will send a shock wave through higher education and the resulting agency actions are likely to trigger a tsunami of lawsuits.” Meanwhile, one education expert suggested that universities could begin to pre-comply with new DEI measures. “It seems very plausible that higher-education institutions will pre-comply, even before the Department of Education or the National Science Foundation writes it into specific projects,” Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith America, told the Chronicle of Higher Education. “Universities will adopt the spirit of the executive order.” Nearly 10 states, including one with a Democrat governor, have already either banned or prohibited the use of DEI initiatives in public colleges and universities.