Trump vows to deliver on ‘no tax on tips’ campaign promise during Las Vegas speech: ‘100% yours’
President Trump visited Las Vegas on Saturday afternoon to discuss his agenda for American workers, stressing a “no tax on tips” policy as the first week of his second term wraps up. Speaking from the Circa Resort and Casino, Trump appealed to the myriad of hospitality workers in Sin City during his speech. “Any worker who relies on tips [as] income, your tips will be 100% yours,” Trump said. The Republican, who previously touted the policy as a 2024 campaign promise, also addressed Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo during the speech and bluntly asked him about how important the issue was during the November election. ‘FLOODING THE ZONE’ TRUMP HITS WARP SPEED IN FIRST WEEK BACK IN OFFICE “You think that had an impact on the election?” Trump asked. “What, a half a point? It’s pretty big….nationwide over four million workers depend on tip income, including an estimated 700,000 single moms.” “And here in Nevada…think of it, a quarter of the typical restaurant workers’ pay comes from tips. I didn’t know that,” Trump continued. The president then addressed impacted workers as “some of the very citizens who were hit hard and very hard by the ravages of the Biden economy, which was inflation.” TRUMP TO DECLASSIFY JFK FILES: FAMED DOCTOR WHO INVESTIGATED ASSASSINATION PREDICTS WHAT AMERICANS COULD LEARN “When I think of Biden, I think of incompetence and inflation,” Trump said of his former opponent, who left office on Monday. Earlier this week, Trump said that he would visit Nevada to “thank” voters for electing him in the November election, as the Silver State historically votes blue. “I’m going to Nevada, and I’m really going to thank Nevada for the vote because we won Nevada,” Trump said at the White House earlier this week. “That’s normally a Democratic vote and I just want to go there to thank Nevada for the vote.” During Saturday’s speech, Trump also touted some of the promises his administration has already delivered on, including his dismantling of some federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. “We got rid of the woke crap,” Trump said to a cheering audience. “A lot of crap…you know, these people were petrified of it. I’ll tell you, these companies, they run these big companies, they were petrified of it.” Fox News Digital’s Sophia Compton contributed to this report.
Israeli Columbia professor wants Trump to block certain institutions from receiving federal funding
Universities and colleges across the US have experienced a rise in antisemitic and anti-Israel activity since Hamas’ brutal attacks on Oct. 7. Anti-Israel agitators have staged massive protests, disrupted courses and events, and set up encampments. However, it’s not just the students who are involved, it’s also the faculty. Columbia Business School associate professor Shai Davidai is calling on President Donald Trump to issue an executive order to stop institutions that hire professors who support US-designated terror organizations from receiving federal funds. In a repost from the account Documenting Jew Hatred on Campus at ColumbiaU, Davidai urged Trump to act. “I think it’s time for the president to sign a very simple executive order: no federal funds to private institutions that hire professors who support U.S.-designated terrorist organizations,” Davidai wrote. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TEMPORARILY BANS PRO-ISRAEL PROFESSOR FROM CAMPUS Davidai believes Columbia is in violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and “should not receive federal funding” based on the hiring and elevating of terror group-supporting faculty. “For the past 15 months, we have seen open support for the annihilation of the State of Israel,” Davidai told Fox News Digital. “Not just criticism of the government of Israel, but the existence of Israel and Israelis on university campus both by students but also by professors.” However, Davidai emphasized that this is not just an Israeli issue, it’s an American issue. He notes that the agitators often echo the rhetoric of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps, seeing Israel as “little Satan” and America as “big Satan.” “This is anti-Americanism. They hate America, and they say so, it’s not me putting words in their mouths.” Columbia University became a hotbed of anti-Israel and antisemitic activity following the Oct. 7 attacks, even drawing national attention as then-President Minouche Shafik was grilled by lawmakers about the situation. Despite a change in university leadership, anti-Israel agitators are still active on campus. Last week, anti-Israel agitators disrupted a course called the Modern History of Israel, which was being taught by Avi Shilon, a visiting professor from Israel’s Tel-Hai Academic College. Tel-Hai has faced the threat of Hezbollah attacks due to its location near Israel’s northern border. “Just like Hezbollah would not let him teach his class in Israel, the Hezbollah supporters here in New York City just barged into his class and would not let him teach,” Davidai said. COLUMBIA STUDENTS CONFRONT ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS WHO STORMED CLASSROOM WITH ANTISEMITIC FLYERS Columbia did not respond to a request for comment. However, after the incident, interim President Katrina Armstrong issued a statement. “Today a History of Modern Israel class was disrupted by protesters who handed out fliers. We strongly condemn this disruption, as well as the fliers that included violent imagery that is unacceptable on our campus and in our community. No group of students has a right to disrupt another group of students in a Columbia classroom. Disrupting academic activities constitutes a violation of the Rules of University conduct and the nature of the disruption may constitute violations of other University policies,” the statement reads. “We will move quickly to investigate and address this act. We want to be absolutely clear that any act of antisemitism, or other form of discrimination, harassment, or intimidation against members of our community is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
Trump fires 17 government watchdogs at various federal agencies
President Donald Trump fired 17 independent watchdogs at various federal agencies late Friday, a Trump administration official confirmed to Fox News, as he continues to reshape the government at a blistering pace. Trump dismissed inspector generals at agencies within the Defense Department, State Department, Energy Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department of Veterans Affairs and more, notifying them by email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office, the Washington Post first reported. “It’s a widespread massacre,” one of the terminated inspector generals told the Post. “Whoever Trump puts in now will be viewed as loyalists, and that undermines the entire system.” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that Trump’s action may violate federal law that requires the president to give 30 days’ notice to Congress of his intent to fire any independent watchdog, the Associated Press reported. ‘FLOODING THE ZONE’ TRUMP HITS WARP SPEED IN FIRST WEEK BACK IN OFFICE “There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so,” Grassley said in a statement. “I’d like further explanation from President Trump. Regardless, the 30 day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress.” The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Inspector generals at federal agencies are called on to investigate government waste, fraud and abuse. They operate independently and can serve in multiple administrations. The mass firing is Trump’s latest attempt to force the federal bureaucracy into submission after he shut down diversity, equity and inclusion programs, rescinded job offers and sidelined more than 150 national security and foreign policy officials. Trump began his second term with the intent of purging any opponents of his agenda from the government and replacing them with officials who would execute his orders without hesitation. TRUMP TO DECLASSIFY JFK FILES: FAMED DOCTOR WHO INVESTIGATED ASSASSINATION PREDICTS WHAT AMERICANS COULD LEARN Among those spared from Trump’s wrath was Department of Justice inspector general Michael Horowitz, the New York Times reported. Horowitz led the investigation of the FBI’s Russian collusion probe, which exposed at least 17 “significant inaccuracies and omissions” in the FBI’s application for a FISA warrant in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., slammed Trump’s firings, calling them a “purge of independent watchdogs in the middle of the night.” TRUMP MEETS WITH CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO SEE LA WILDFIRE DAMAGE FIRST HAND “President Trump is dismantling checks on his power and paving the way for widespread corruption,” Warren posted on X. During his first term, Trump fired five inspectors general in less than two months in 2020. This included the State Department, whose inspector general had played a role in the president’s impeachment proceedings. Last year, Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden fired the inspector general of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, after an investigation found the official had created a hostile work environment. In 2022, Congress passed reforms that strengthened protections for inspectors general and made it harder to replace them with political appointees, requiring the president to explain their removal.
Pete Hegseth sworn in as defense secretary: ‘An honor of a lifetime’
Pete Hegseth was sworn in as defense secretary Saturday morning, declaring it an “honor of a lifetime,” and he promised to put America first by bringing peace through strength. Hegseth, 44, a former Minnesota National Guard officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, secured the role to lead the Pentagon following weeks of intense political drama surrounding his nomination and public scrutiny into his personal life. “All praise and glory to God. His will be done and we’re grateful to be here,” an ecstatic Hegseth said after taking the oath of office, surrounded by his wife Jenny and children. PETE HEGSETH CONFIRMED TO LEAD PENTAGON AFTER VP VANCE CASTS TIE-BREAKING VOTE “And as I said in my hearing, it was Jesus and Jenny. I would not be here without you, sweetheart. Thank you so much.” “I want to thank the President of the United States, our commander-in-chief, Donald Trump. We could not have a better commander-in-chief than him. It is the honor of a lifetime, sir, to serve under you. We look forward to having the backs of our troops and having your back in executing peace through strength, in putting America first and in rebuilding our military.” Hegseth, a former Fox News host, also thanked Vice President JD Vance, who oversaw the swearing-in ceremony and whose deciding vote on Friday got his nomination over the line. The Senate was deadlocked at 50-50 with three Republicans — Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. — joining the Democrats in opposing Hegseth’s confirmation. The stalemate forced Vance to cast the tie-breaking vote, securing his confirmation. “It’s not the first time the headline reads, ‘Junior enlisted marine bails out junior Army officer,’” Hegseth joked to laughter from attendees. Republicans React To Pete Hegseth’s Confirmation As Defense Secretary: ‘He Is The Change Agent’ Vance, the first vice president to have served as a Marine, was a combat correspondent from 2003 to 2007, including a tour in Iraq, before transitioning to civilian life and attending Ohio State University. Trump congratulated Hegseth on Truth Social on Friday and said he “will make a great” defense secretary. Other Republicans praised his confirmation, predicting he will bring transformative change to the Pentagon. Hegseth went on to praise veterans and those who served alongside him in the past, as well as the 1.3 million active-duty service members and the nearly 1 million civilians who work for the military which he now leads. “The first thing that goes through my head are the guys that I served with on the battlefield, the men and women who I locked shields with, who put my life on the line with, who never get the spotlight, who never had the cameras, who people don’t know what they did in dark and dangerous places,” Hegseth said. “At the Pentagon, we’re going to remember, and we’re going to think about those warriors with every single decision that we make.” “We will put America first. We will bring peace through strength.” He outlined three principles that he said he will bring to the Pentagon. “Restore the warrior ethos in everything that we do, rebuild our military and reestablish deterrence. We don’t want to fight wars, we want to deter them,” Hegseth said. “We want to end them responsibly but if we need to fight them, we’re going to bring overwhelming and decisive force to close with and destroy the enemy and bring our boys home. And to my other family that’s here as well, who I love, it’s the honor of a lifetime.” Shortly after he was sworn in, Hegseth released a statement via the defense department website addressing members of the Pentagon. The statement addressed his three principles. “All of this will be done with a focus on lethality, meritocracy, accountability, standards and readiness,” the statement reads. “I have committed my life to warfighters and their families. Just as my fellow soldiers had my back on the battlefield, know that I will always have your back. We serve together at a dangerous time. Our enemies will neither rest nor relent. And neither will we. We will stand shoulder to shoulder to meet the urgency of this moment.” “Like each of you, I love my country and swore an oath to defend the Constitution. We will do that each and every day, as one team. Together, we will accomplish the President’s mission to deter war and, if necessary, defeat and destroy our enemies. Godspeed!” Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Senate confirms Kristi Noem as Trump’s Department of Homeland Security secretary
The Senate on Saturday voted to confirm South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, making her the fourth of President Donald Trump’s nominees to win approval from the chamber. The vote was 59–34, with all Republicans present voting yes and seven Democrats voting yes. Noem had been expected to be confirmed comfortably, having faced no significant issues during her confirmation hearing. Her nomination advanced out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee by a vote of 13–2. Only two Democrats voted against her there. Noem becomes the fourth of President Donald Trump’s picks to be confirmed, behind Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. KRISTI NOEM BEATS SENATE CONFIRMATION HURDLE, ADVANCING TO FINAL VOTE FOR DHS ROLE Noem will lead the department at a time when securing the border and tackling illegal immigration are top priorities for the new administration. The administration has taken a number of actions to secure the border, including deploying the military, restarting wall construction and ending Biden-era parole programs. Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been launching deportation operations throughout the country to fulfill Trump’s promise of a “historic” operation. The Department of Homeland Security has issued a slew of memos since Trump’s inauguration, ordering reviews of parole and expanding the ability of officials to quickly deport illegal immigrants from the U.S. who have recently arrived. Those memos have been signed by Acting Secretary Benjamine Huffman. TRUMP DHS PICK NOEM PLEDGES TO END CONTROVERSIAL APP USED BY MIGRANTS ON ‘DAY ONE’ At her confirmation hearing, Noem pointed to other parts of the Homeland Security mission, including cybersecurity, disaster relief and counterterrorism. “We must be vigilant and proactive and innovative to protect the homeland,” she said. “The challenges in front of us are extremely significant, and we must secure our borders against illegal trafficking and immigration. We must safeguard our critical infrastructure to make sure that we’re protected against cyber attacks, respond to natural disasters and also terrorism.” However, she emphasized that border security is a “top priority.” “As a nation, we have the right and the responsibility to secure our borders against those who would do us harm. And we must create a fair and lawful immigration system that is efficient and is effective, and that reflects our values,” she said. As governor, she pledged in 2021 not to take any more migrants from the Biden administration and also deployed the National Guard to the border in Texas. She also had experience with disaster response, working with federal officials to tackle floods that hit the state in June. At her hearing, Noem was also asked about how she would work with border czar Tom Homan, who has been tapped to lead the deportation effort and secure the border. Noem responded by saying that she and Homan “work very well together and talk and communicate all the time. And we’ll be working together on a daily basis when we’re in our positions under the new administration. And I would say there’s no authority being planned to be taken away from the department or myself if I’m in the role.” Fox News’ Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
Padma Awards 2025: Complete list of winners
On the eve of Republic Day, the central government has announced the complete list of Padma award winners.
Deadly drone attack targets hospital in Sudan’s Darfur
Attacks on healthcare facilities rampant in besieged el-Fasher, where army-aligned militias are pushing back RSF fighters. Dozens of patients have been killed in a drone attack on one of the last functioning hospitals in el-Fasher in Sudan’s Darfur region. While it was not immediately clear who targeted the Saudi Hospital on Friday, medical sources quoted by AFP news agency said the same building was hit by a Rapid Support Forces (RSF) drone “a few weeks ago”. Friday’s attack killed at least 30 patients in the emergency department, the report added. Regional governor Mini Minawi posted graphic images of bloodied bodies on his X account on Saturday, saying that the attack “exterminated” more than 70 patients, including women and children. The Sudanese army has been at war with the paramilitary RSF, who have seized nearly the entire vast western region of Darfur, since April 2023. The RSF has besieged el-Fasher, the state capital of North Darfur, since May, but army-aligned armed groups have repeatedly pushed its fighters back, preventing them from claiming the city. Attacks on healthcare facilities have been rampant in el-Fasher, where medical charity Doctors Without Borders said this month the Saudi Hospital was “the only public hospital with surgical capacity still standing”. Advertisement Across the country, up to 80 percent of healthcare facilities have been forced out of service, according to official figures. The war, which broke out after disputes on the integration of the two forces, has killed tens of thousands of people, driven millions from their homes and plunged half of the population into hunger. In the area around el-Fasher, famine has already taken hold in three displacement camps – Zamzam, Abu Shouk and Al-Salam – and is expected to expand to five more areas including the city itself by May, according to a UN-backed assessment. The attack on the hospital in el-Fasher occurred as the Sudanese army claimed to have broken an RSF siege of its headquarters in Khartoum, in place since the war broke out. In a statement, the army said troops in Bahri [Khartoum North] and Omdurman had “merged with our forces stationed at the General Command of the Armed Forces”. Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, comprises three main cities – Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri – separated by the Nile River and collectively referred to as the triangular capital. The army added that it had “expelled” the RSF from the strategically important al-Jili oil refinery north of the capital, the country’s largest. The RSF said in a statement that it rejected the Sudanese army’s claims as “propaganda” designed to boost morale, and accused it of spreading falsehoods through doctored videos. Adblock test (Why?)
Exploring the ethics behind ‘true crime’
Today on The Stream: We examine the global obsession with ‘true crime’ and whether it hurts or helps communities. “True crime” is one of the most consumed genres from podcasts to television series. When depicting real crimes and real victims, questions have been raised about the ethics of this type of content. We examine the psychology behind its popularity and tackle some concerns held by people close to the stories. Presenter: Anelise Borges Guests: Amanda Vicary – Illinois Wesleyan UniversityTerra Newell – Survivor, podcast host and media coachCelene Beth Olsen – Podcast host, producer and filmmakerBill Thomas – Mind Over Murder podcast producer and co-host Adblock test (Why?)
Ceasefire in Gaza while the West Bank burns
With a ceasefire in force in Gaza, the Israeli army and settlers have intensified their attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank. Amid the exchange of captives, images showing legions of Hamas reinforcements puncture the narratives in Israeli media. Contributors:Dalal Iriqat – Associate professor, Arab American University PalestineDaniel Levy – President, US/Middle East ProjectTahani Mustafa – Senior Palestine analyst, Crisis GroupSarah Leah Whitson – Executive director, DAWN On our radar A video surfaced this week showing a Hamas commander alive in northern Gaza, despite Israeli media having widely reported his “killing” 8 months ago. Tariq Nafi reports. The Pervasiveness of Hindutva Pop In India, Hindu nationalism, or “Hindutva”, has spread onto a variety of media platforms. Meenakshi Ravi explores its musical subgenre, Hindutva pop, and speaks to one of its biggest names. Featuring:Kanhiya Mittal – MusicianKunal Purohit – Author, The Secretive World of Hindutva Pop StarsSamriddhi Sakunia – Journalist and current affairs Instagrammer Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Why Trump’s holding weekend rally in Las Vegas less than a week into new admin
President Trump is back in Nevada on Saturday to thank his supporters for helping him win the state, which has traditionally supported Democrats for president over the last couple of decades. Trump will wrap up his first trip of his second administration with a rally Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas. “I’m going to Nevada, and I’m really going to thank Nevada for the vote because we won Nevada,” Trump said at the White House earlier this week. “That’s normally a Democratic vote and I just want to go there to thank Nevada for the vote.” HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON PRESIDENT TRUMP’S FIRST 100 DAYS Trump carried Nevada by three points in November’s presidential election after narrowly losing the Silver State in 2016 and 2020. He became the first Republican presidential nominee to win the state in 20 years, since then-President George W. Bush carried the state in his 2004 re-election. TRUMP UNPLUGGED: WHAT THE NEW PRESIDENT IS DOING THAT BIDEN RARELY DID The president is expected to offer details on his campaign trail promise – which he first made during a rally in Las Vegas last June – to exclude tips from federal taxes. “Can you remember that little statement about tips?” the president said during one of his inauguration day speeches. “Anybody remember that little statement? I think we won Nevada because of that statement.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, aboard Air Force One on Friday, told reporters the rally in Las Vegas would have “an economy focused message.” “President Trump will be talking about promises that he intends to keep, that he made to the American people on the campaign trail,” she added. TRUMP’S FIRST 100 HOURS BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE: ‘SHOCK AND AWE’ The economy in Nevada’s two largest cities – Las Vegas and Reno – is dominated by the hospitality and service industry. And many workers – from restaurant waiters to hotel clerks and maids to car park valets – rely on tips for much of their income. But exempting tips from federal taxes will require Congress to pass legislation, which won’t be easy to accomplish. But a bill to do just that – which was first introduced last summer – was re-introduced into the new 119th Congress earlier this month by Democratic Sen. Jackie Rosen of Nevada and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. Trump arrived in Las Vegas on Friday night. The president’s stop in Nevada follows Trump’s trip to California on Friday where he toured the devastation of the Los Angeles fires with residents who were personally impacted, met with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and participated in a roundtable with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other state officials.