President Trump: "I think its going very well. It was an operation, like when a when a patient gets operated on. It's a big thing. I said this would exactly be the way it is. We have six or seven trillion dollars coming into our country...the markets are going to boom."

The Dow dropped 1,680 in its biggest fall since 2020. The S&amp;P 500 sinks 4.8%.

President Trump: "I think its going very well. It was an operation, like when a when a patient gets operated on. It's a big thing. I said this would exactly be the way it is. We have six or seven trillion dollars coming into our country...the markets are going to boom."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Trump: &quot;I think its going very well. It was an operation, like when a when a patient gets operated on. It&#39;s a big thing. I said this would exactly be the way it is. We have six or seven trillion dollars coming into our country...the markets are going to boom.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hhrGOFgX2J">pic.twitter.com/hhrGOFgX2J</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1907874672068165724?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Dow dropped 1,680 in its biggest fall since 2020. The S&amp;P 500 sinks 4.8%.

🎥Trump's first statement on stock market drop after tariff announcement

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743626000304.png" alt="President Trump announced global tariffs of 10-49 percent-image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>President Trump announced global tariffs of 10-49 percent-image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Foreign nations will finally be asked to pay for the privilege of access to our market — the biggest market in the world.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GPbf7oITnX">pic.twitter.com/GPbf7oITnX</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907532847704924329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;With today&#39;s actions, we&#39;re also standing up for our great farmers and ranchers who are brutalized by nations all over the world. Canada imposes a 250-300% tariff on many of our dairy products... Australia bans American beef. Yet, we imported $3B of Australian beef just… <a href="https://t.co/6xG6b4IKFw">pic.twitter.com/6xG6b4IKFw</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907531382555029592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;From 1789-1913, we were a tariff-backed nation, and the United States was proportionally the wealthiest it has ever been -- Then in 1913, for reasons unknown to mankind, they established the income tax -- We are going to start being smart and we are going to start being… <a href="https://t.co/Si7gD5KKHm">pic.twitter.com/Si7gD5KKHm</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907531004765679680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: The United States can no longer produce enough antibiotics to treat our sick. We import virtually all of our computers, phones, televisions, and electronics. A single shipyard in China now produces more ships in one year than all the American shipyards combined. Chronic… <a href="https://t.co/CVR7VhBaYY">pic.twitter.com/CVR7VhBaYY</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907532241925722350?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
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See the full list of Trump’s just announced reciprocal tariffs

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump Tuesday signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/preserving-and-protecting-the-integrity-of-american-elections/" target="_blank">sweeping executive order</a>&nbsp;that overhauls the administration of U.S. elections, including requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.

It’s likely to face legal challenges from voting rights groups and Democratic state attorneys general.

The order is an extension of the president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2024/05/06/though-noncitizens-can-vote-in-few-local-elections-gop-goes-big-to-make-it-illegal/" target="_blank">rhetoric on the campaign trail</a>&nbsp;about noncitizens voting in federal elections and his crackdown on immigration since returning to office.

Trump has often pushed back against other issues in elections administration, railing against early voting and vote-by-mail. He falsely claimed the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him through voter fraud.&nbsp;

Tuesday’s order aligns with&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/04/12/trump-supports-u-s-house-speaker-johnson-elections-agenda-in-joint-appearance/" target="_blank">a priority for House Republicans</a>&nbsp;to pass the&nbsp;Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/22" target="_blank">&nbsp;SAVE, Act</a>&nbsp;that would require proof of citizenship in federal elections. That bill, if signed into law, would codify parts of the executive order.

States are responsible for administering elections&nbsp;—&nbsp;even those at the federal level&nbsp;— but the order uses federal funding to compel states to follow it. Those&nbsp;that do not comply with the order will have federal funds revoked, according to the order.

The order directs the federal&nbsp;Election Assistance Commission, which distributes grants to states, within 30 days to start requiring people registering to vote to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport or state-issued identification that indicates citizenship.

The order also prohibits the counting of absentee or mail-in ballots that are received after Election Day. States set their own rules for ballot counting and many allow those that arrive after Election Day but postmarked before.

The order also instructs the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, along with Trump megadonor Elon Musk’s&nbsp;U.S. DOGE Service, to gain access to state voter rolls in order to ensure the voter lists are up to date. Those entities will also have access to immigration databases and states will be allowed to request DHS to verify if any noncitizen is on the state’s list of voters.

The Department of Government Efficiency, which is not actually a federal department, has come under scrutiny for the access it has been given to Americans’ private data housed in other federal departments.

The order instructs DHS Secretary Kristi Noem within 90 days to provide the attorney general “information on all foreign nationals who have indicated on any immigration form that they have registered or voted in a Federal, State, or local election, and shall also take all appropriate action to submit to relevant State or local election officials such information.”

While noncitizens are not allowed to vote in federal elections,&nbsp;certain municipalities in California, Maryland and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia, allow noncitizens to participate in local elections. If someone who is not a U.S. citizen votes, it could lead to a felony charge and subject that person to deportation.

Congressional Republicans and the president have taken aim at noncitizen voting, even though it’s extremely rare. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.heritage.org/voterfraud/search?combine=citizenship&amp;state=All&amp;year=&amp;case_type=All&amp;fraud_type=24491&amp;page=0" target="_blank">conducted an analysis of election conduct</a>&nbsp;from 2003 to 2023 and found 29 instances of noncitizens voting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742940038269.png" alt="Image from White House video of the signing during a Tuesday cabinet meeting" />
 <figcaption>Image from White House video of the signing during a Tuesday cabinet meeting</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump Tuesday signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/preserving-and-protecting-the-integrity-of-american-elections/" target="_blank">sweeping executive order</a>&nbsp;that overhauls the administration of U.S. elections, including requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.It’s likely to face legal challenges from voting rights groups and Democratic state attorneys general.The order is an extension of the president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2024/05/06/though-noncitizens-can-vote-in-few-local-elections-gop-goes-big-to-make-it-illegal/" target="_blank">rhetoric on the campaign trail</a>&nbsp;about noncitizens voting in federal elections and his crackdown on immigration since returning to office.Trump has often pushed back against other issues in elections administration, railing against early voting and vote-by-mail. He falsely claimed the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him through voter fraud.&nbsp;Tuesday’s order aligns with&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/04/12/trump-supports-u-s-house-speaker-johnson-elections-agenda-in-joint-appearance/" target="_blank">a priority for House Republicans</a>&nbsp;to pass the&nbsp;Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/22" target="_blank">&nbsp;SAVE, Act</a>&nbsp;that would require proof of citizenship in federal elections. That bill, if signed into law, would codify parts of the executive order.States are responsible for administering elections&nbsp;—&nbsp;even those at the federal level&nbsp;— but the order uses federal funding to compel states to follow it. Those&nbsp;that do not comply with the order will have federal funds revoked, according to the order.The order directs the federal&nbsp;Election Assistance Commission, which distributes grants to states, within 30 days to start requiring people registering to vote to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport or state-issued identification that indicates citizenship.The order also prohibits the counting of absentee or mail-in ballots that are received after Election Day. States set their own rules for ballot counting and many allow those that arrive after Election Day but postmarked before.The order also instructs the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, along with Trump megadonor Elon Musk’s&nbsp;U.S. DOGE Service, to gain access to state voter rolls in order to ensure the voter lists are up to date. Those entities will also have access to immigration databases and states will be allowed to request DHS to verify if any noncitizen is on the state’s list of voters.The Department of Government Efficiency, which is not actually a federal department, has come under scrutiny for the access it has been given to Americans’ private data housed in other federal departments.The order instructs DHS Secretary Kristi Noem within 90 days to provide the attorney general “information on all foreign nationals who have indicated on any immigration form that they have registered or voted in a Federal, State, or local election, and shall also take all appropriate action to submit to relevant State or local election officials such information.”While noncitizens are not allowed to vote in federal elections,&nbsp;certain municipalities in California, Maryland and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia, allow noncitizens to participate in local elections. If someone who is not a U.S. citizen votes, it could lead to a felony charge and subject that person to deportation.Congressional Republicans and the president have taken aim at noncitizen voting, even though it’s extremely rare. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.heritage.org/voterfraud/search?combine=citizenship&amp;state=All&amp;year=&amp;case_type=All&amp;fraud_type=24491&amp;page=0" target="_blank">conducted an analysis of election conduct</a>&nbsp;from 2003 to 2023 and found 29 instances of noncitizens voting.

Trump signs broad elections order requiring proof of citizenship

More are dying from flu as the Trump administration postpones planning for next fall.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">TIM HENDERSON</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Americans are facing the highest death toll from influenza since 2018, just as more people become vulnerable because of growing vaccine skepticism taking hold in statehouses and the Trump administration.

Flu-related deaths hit a seven-year high in January and February, the two months that usually account for the height of flu season, according to a Stateline analysis of preliminary federal statistics. There were about 9,800 deaths across the country, up from 5,000 in the same period last year and the most since 2018, when there were about 10,800.

Despite that, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has canceled or postponed meetings to prepare for next fall’s flu vaccine, when experts talk about what influenza strains they expect they’ll be battling.

The cancellations raised protests from medical professionals and state and federal officials. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/news/press/release/amid-the-worst-influenza-season-in-a-decade-gillibrand-demands-answers-on-cancellation-and-postponement-of-advisory-committee-meetings-on-vaccinations/" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;that her state is having its worst flu season in at least 15 years, with more deaths from flu and other causes as the state’s health care system struggles under the strain of flu patients.

Some experts say putting off vaccine planning will only feed false narratives that discourage lifesaving vaccinations.

“These delays not only weaken pandemic preparedness but also undermine public confidence in vaccination efforts,” said Dr. Akram Khan, an Oregon pulmonologist and associate professor at Oregon Health &amp; Science University who has studied attitudes toward vaccines.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/health/rfk-jr-vaccines-autism-video.html?unlocked_article_code=1.s04.B7NS.rhrHUA_r4ZKf&amp;smid=url-share" target="_blank">expressed doubt</a>&nbsp;about the need for vaccines, including flu vaccines, despite evidence that they reduce deaths and hospitalizations.

Deaths fluctuate naturally from year to year depending on the severity of current flu strains and the effectiveness of that year’s vaccines. But some see a hesitancy to use any vaccine, fed by misinformation and political mistrust of government, already taking a toll on lives.

“It’s been a bad winter for viral respiratory infections, not just in the United States but across the Northern Hemisphere,” said Mark Doherty, a vaccine scholar and former manager for GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, a vaccine manufacturer.

“The U.S. does appear to be hit a bit harder, and it’s possible lower vaccination coverage is contributing to that,” Doherty said.

Flu vaccine distribution in the United States has been declining in recent years, and as of the first week of 2025 was down 16% from 2022, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluvaxview/dashboard/vaccine-doses-distributed.html" target="_blank">federal statistics</a>.

The flu was a factor in 9,800 deaths in January and February, according to the analysis, using provisional data collected by states and compiled by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The highest death rates were in Oklahoma, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Kentucky, all at about four deaths per 100,000 population so far this year. Some counties in Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as Oklahoma and Kentucky, were even higher — at about six deaths per 100,000.

The highest rates have been among older people. Statistics show the deaths hit white people and American Indians especially hard.

Tragedies are happening across the country to people of all ages and races, however. A 43-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/jeff-gregorys-family?attribution_id=sl:b469a277-193c-47ae-92b7-1f10b7b2f863&amp;lang=en_US&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_content=amp13_c-amp14_t1&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank">Indiana father</a>&nbsp;died after a brief bout of the flu, according to family members. After two 10-year-olds died in Prince George’s County, Maryland, area schools&nbsp;<a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/flu-shot-student-deaths-prince-georges-county-madison-middle-school-hospitalized-fever-henos-eskender-public-schools-minka-greene" target="_blank">drew crowds</a>&nbsp;to vaccine clinics.

Doug Sides, a pastor at Yulee Baptist Church in northern Florida, has held funerals for three congregation members who died from flu — all within one month, all of them over 70 years old. That compares with only one victim of COVID-19 from his congregation during the pandemic, he said.

“Flu death is a reality,” Sides told Stateline on a phone call from a Jacksonville hospital, where he was visiting another 84-year-old congregation member who was rescued from her home with severe pneumonia from an unknown cause.

“I encourage my church members to keep their hands clean, use hand sanitizer and to stay home if they’re feeling sick,” he said. He said he hasn’t personally gotten a flu vaccine recently because he gets conflicting advice about it — some doctors tell him to avoid them because he and some family members have cancer, while another “rides me all the time about getting a flu shot.”

“We’re all getting conflicting advice. We’re living in strange-o times,” he said. (The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/side-effects/infections/vaccination-during-cancer-treatment.html" target="_blank">American Cancer Society</a>&nbsp;says vaccination for people with cancer may or may not be recommended depending on individual circumstances.)

Many states are&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/02/28/vaccination-rates-are-declining-they-might-get-worse-as-states-relax-rules/">relaxing vaccine requirements</a>&nbsp;as public skepticism rises. But many are taking action to warn residents and reassure them that vaccinations are safe and can help prevent deaths, despite misinformation to the contrary.

Burlington County, New Jersey, has had the highest flu-associated death rate of any county this year, according to the analysis, with 31 deaths among fewer than 500,000 people. The county held 30 free vaccine clinics from September to January, then extended them into February because of the severity of the flu season, said Dave Levinsky, a spokesperson for the county health department.

In Oklahoma, death rates are&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahoma.gov/health/health-education/acute-disease-service/viral-view/influenza.html" target="_blank">highest in the eastern part of the state</a>&nbsp;where the Cherokee Nation is centered. A&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahoma.gov/health/services/personal-health/immunizations/fight-flu.html" target="_blank">state publicity campaign</a>&nbsp;stresses that flu shots are safe, effective and free at many community health centers. However, vaccination rates in the state are low compared with other states as of December, according to federal statistics: Only about 16% of Oklahoma residents had gotten flu vaccinations by then. Rates were even lower in Louisiana (just under 16%), Mississippi (12%) and Texas (10%).

States with the highest flu vaccination rates by December were Maine (37%), Connecticut and Vermont (33%), and Wisconsin and Minnesota (31%). But even those were down since 2022.

People have become less likely to get vaccinated in recent years, a phenomenon researchers call “vaccine hesitancy.”

A&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39569234/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;published last year in the medical journal Cureus found three-quarters of patients in a rural New York state community refused flu vaccine with comments such as “I do not trust vaccines” or “I do not believe in vaccines.” The most common reasons cited were that earlier vaccinations made them feel sick, that they got the flu anyway, or that they thought they shouldn’t need a new shot every year. (Doctors recommend flu vaccinations annually and note that even vaccinated patients who get the flu usually face less severe forms.)

And in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264410X25001033" target="_blank">paper</a>&nbsp;published in February in the journal Vaccine, researchers found that people refuse flu vaccinations for many of the same reasons they refused COVID-19 shots: a feeling of “social vulnerability” that leads to distrust of government and medical guidance. One hopeful sign, the report noted, is that vaccine recommendations from trusted health care professionals can turn around such attitudes.

“Unfortunately, vaccine hesitancy is deeply entangled with misinformation, political rhetoric and public distrust,” said Khan, the Oregon pulmonologist and the study’s author. “Scientific data alone may not be enough to shift public perceptions, as many vaccine decisions are driven by gut feelings and external influences rather than evidence.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742732863479.png" alt=" A woman receives a flu vaccination at a recent clinic in Cambridge, Mass., conducted by health care providers from the Cambridge Health Alliance. Flu-related deaths are at a seven-year high as vaccination levels fall, according to a Stateline analysis. (Courtesy of the City of Cambridge)" />
 <figcaption> A woman receives a flu vaccination at a recent clinic in Cambridge, Mass., conducted by health care providers from the Cambridge Health Alliance. Flu-related deaths are at a seven-year high as vaccination levels fall, according to a Stateline analysis. (Courtesy of the City of Cambridge)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>More are dying from flu as the Trump administration postpones planning for next fall.</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">TIM HENDERSON</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>Americans are facing the highest death toll from influenza since 2018, just as more people become vulnerable because of growing vaccine skepticism taking hold in statehouses and the Trump administration.Flu-related deaths hit a seven-year high in January and February, the two months that usually account for the height of flu season, according to a Stateline analysis of preliminary federal statistics. There were about 9,800 deaths across the country, up from 5,000 in the same period last year and the most since 2018, when there were about 10,800.Despite that, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has canceled or postponed meetings to prepare for next fall’s flu vaccine, when experts talk about what influenza strains they expect they’ll be battling.The cancellations raised protests from medical professionals and state and federal officials. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/news/press/release/amid-the-worst-influenza-season-in-a-decade-gillibrand-demands-answers-on-cancellation-and-postponement-of-advisory-committee-meetings-on-vaccinations/" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;that her state is having its worst flu season in at least 15 years, with more deaths from flu and other causes as the state’s health care system struggles under the strain of flu patients.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742732798762.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Some experts say putting off vaccine planning will only feed false narratives that discourage lifesaving vaccinations.“These delays not only weaken pandemic preparedness but also undermine public confidence in vaccination efforts,” said Dr. Akram Khan, an Oregon pulmonologist and associate professor at Oregon Health &amp; Science University who has studied attitudes toward vaccines.U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/health/rfk-jr-vaccines-autism-video.html?unlocked_article_code=1.s04.B7NS.rhrHUA_r4ZKf&amp;smid=url-share" target="_blank">expressed doubt</a>&nbsp;about the need for vaccines, including flu vaccines, despite evidence that they reduce deaths and hospitalizations.Deaths fluctuate naturally from year to year depending on the severity of current flu strains and the effectiveness of that year’s vaccines. But some see a hesitancy to use any vaccine, fed by misinformation and political mistrust of government, already taking a toll on lives.“It’s been a bad winter for viral respiratory infections, not just in the United States but across the Northern Hemisphere,” said Mark Doherty, a vaccine scholar and former manager for GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, a vaccine manufacturer.“The U.S. does appear to be hit a bit harder, and it’s possible lower vaccination coverage is contributing to that,” Doherty said.Flu vaccine distribution in the United States has been declining in recent years, and as of the first week of 2025 was down 16% from 2022, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluvaxview/dashboard/vaccine-doses-distributed.html" target="_blank">federal statistics</a>.The flu was a factor in 9,800 deaths in January and February, according to the analysis, using provisional data collected by states and compiled by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The highest death rates were in Oklahoma, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Kentucky, all at about four deaths per 100,000 population so far this year. Some counties in Florida, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as Oklahoma and Kentucky, were even higher — at about six deaths per 100,000.The highest rates have been among older people. Statistics show the deaths hit white people and American Indians especially hard.Tragedies are happening across the country to people of all ages and races, however. A 43-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/jeff-gregorys-family?attribution_id=sl:b469a277-193c-47ae-92b7-1f10b7b2f863&amp;lang=en_US&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_content=amp13_c-amp14_t1&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank">Indiana father</a>&nbsp;died after a brief bout of the flu, according to family members. After two 10-year-olds died in Prince George’s County, Maryland, area schools&nbsp;<a href="https://wjla.com/news/local/flu-shot-student-deaths-prince-georges-county-madison-middle-school-hospitalized-fever-henos-eskender-public-schools-minka-greene" target="_blank">drew crowds</a>&nbsp;to vaccine clinics.Doug Sides, a pastor at Yulee Baptist Church in northern Florida, has held funerals for three congregation members who died from flu — all within one month, all of them over 70 years old. That compares with only one victim of COVID-19 from his congregation during the pandemic, he said.“Flu death is a reality,” Sides told Stateline on a phone call from a Jacksonville hospital, where he was visiting another 84-year-old congregation member who was rescued from her home with severe pneumonia from an unknown cause.“I encourage my church members to keep their hands clean, use hand sanitizer and to stay home if they’re feeling sick,” he said. He said he hasn’t personally gotten a flu vaccine recently because he gets conflicting advice about it — some doctors tell him to avoid them because he and some family members have cancer, while another “rides me all the time about getting a flu shot.”“We’re all getting conflicting advice. We’re living in strange-o times,” he said. (The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/side-effects/infections/vaccination-during-cancer-treatment.html" target="_blank">American Cancer Society</a>&nbsp;says vaccination for people with cancer may or may not be recommended depending on individual circumstances.)Many states are&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/02/28/vaccination-rates-are-declining-they-might-get-worse-as-states-relax-rules/">relaxing vaccine requirements</a>&nbsp;as public skepticism rises. But many are taking action to warn residents and reassure them that vaccinations are safe and can help prevent deaths, despite misinformation to the contrary.Burlington County, New Jersey, has had the highest flu-associated death rate of any county this year, according to the analysis, with 31 deaths among fewer than 500,000 people. The county held 30 free vaccine clinics from September to January, then extended them into February because of the severity of the flu season, said Dave Levinsky, a spokesperson for the county health department.In Oklahoma, death rates are&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahoma.gov/health/health-education/acute-disease-service/viral-view/influenza.html" target="_blank">highest in the eastern part of the state</a>&nbsp;where the Cherokee Nation is centered. A&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahoma.gov/health/services/personal-health/immunizations/fight-flu.html" target="_blank">state publicity campaign</a>&nbsp;stresses that flu shots are safe, effective and free at many community health centers. However, vaccination rates in the state are low compared with other states as of December, according to federal statistics: Only about 16% of Oklahoma residents had gotten flu vaccinations by then. Rates were even lower in Louisiana (just under 16%), Mississippi (12%) and Texas (10%).States with the highest flu vaccination rates by December were Maine (37%), Connecticut and Vermont (33%), and Wisconsin and Minnesota (31%). But even those were down since 2022.People have become less likely to get vaccinated in recent years, a phenomenon researchers call “vaccine hesitancy.”A&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39569234/" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;published last year in the medical journal Cureus found three-quarters of patients in a rural New York state community refused flu vaccine with comments such as “I do not trust vaccines” or “I do not believe in vaccines.” The most common reasons cited were that earlier vaccinations made them feel sick, that they got the flu anyway, or that they thought they shouldn’t need a new shot every year. (Doctors recommend flu vaccinations annually and note that even vaccinated patients who get the flu usually face less severe forms.)And in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264410X25001033" target="_blank">paper</a>&nbsp;published in February in the journal Vaccine, researchers found that people refuse flu vaccinations for many of the same reasons they refused COVID-19 shots: a feeling of “social vulnerability” that leads to distrust of government and medical guidance. One hopeful sign, the report noted, is that vaccine recommendations from trusted health care professionals can turn around such attitudes.“Unfortunately, vaccine hesitancy is deeply entangled with misinformation, political rhetoric and public distrust,” said Khan, the Oregon pulmonologist and the study’s author. “Scientific data alone may not be enough to shift public perceptions, as many vaccine decisions are driven by gut feelings and external influences rather than evidence.”

Flu deaths rise as anti-vaccine disinformation takes root

WASHINGTON— President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a high-stakes phone call Tuesday on the Ukraine-Russia war.

Shortly after the call, the White House released a brief summary of the conversation. It is below.

&nbsp;Today, President Trump and President Putin spoke about the need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Both leaders agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace. They also stressed the need for improved bilateral relations between the United States and Russia.

The blood and treasure that both Ukraine and Russia have been spending in this war would be better spent on the needs of their people.
 
This conflict should never have started and should have been ended long ago with sincere and good faith peace efforts.

The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace.

These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East. 
 
The leaders spoke broadly about the Middle East as a region of potential cooperation to prevent future conflicts. They further discussed the need to stop proliferation of strategic weapons and will engage with others to ensure the broadest possible application.

The two leaders shared the view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel. 
 
The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742207940676.png" alt="File photo President Trump discussed calling Putin during a flight from Florida to Washington on Sunday-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo President Trump discussed calling Putin during a flight from Florida to Washington on Sunday-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON— President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a high-stakes phone call Tuesday on the Ukraine-Russia war.Shortly after the call, the White House released a brief summary of the conversation. It is below.&nbsp;Today, President Trump and President Putin spoke about the need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Both leaders agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace. They also stressed the need for improved bilateral relations between the United States and Russia. The blood and treasure that both Ukraine and Russia have been spending in this war would be better spent on the needs of their people.
 
This conflict should never have started and should have been ended long ago with sincere and good faith peace efforts. The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace. These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East. 
 
The leaders spoke broadly about the Middle East as a region of potential cooperation to prevent future conflicts. They further discussed the need to stop proliferation of strategic weapons and will engage with others to ensure the broadest possible application. The two leaders shared the view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel. 
 
The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.

See the readout : Trump and Putin discuss Ukraine-Russia ceasefire deal 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday said it’s cutting a substantial number of the agency’s staff through a “<a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/reductions-in-force-rif/" target="_blank">reduction in force</a>” process, bringing the department’s workforce to roughly half the number in place when President Donald Trump took office.

According to senior department officials speaking on background to reporters Tuesday evening, roughly 1,315 employees are subject to the initiative. The officials said the employees will get, starting Tuesday, 90 days full pay and benefits and will telework from Wednesday until March 21, when they are placed on administrative leave. &nbsp;

The sweeping cuts are part of a government-wide effort by Trump and billionaire White House adviser Elon Musk to reduce the federal workforce in an effort to slash government spending and reduce what they see as waste.

When Trump took office, the department had 4,133 employees. Following Tuesday’s announcement, the agency said it will have roughly 2,183 workers remaining. In the past several weeks, nearly 600 workers took voluntary resignation opportunities or retirement, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force" target="_blank">Tuesday evening press release</a>.

The department also terminated 63 probationary employees in February, according to senior department officials.

The senior officials clarified that this staffing reduction will not impact the department’s ability to deliver on civil rights investigations, the rollout of the federal student aid application, Title I funding for low-income school districts and other statutorily mandated functions Congress has given the agency.

The senior officials confirmed earlier reporting that the department’s Washington-area office buildings would close Tuesday evening for safety reasons and would reopen Thursday.

“Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement Tuesday.

“I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the Department. This is a significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States education system.”

Congressional Democrats and labor union leaders blasted the cuts Tuesday.

“Today’s staff eliminations are illegal, and they are a slap in the face to the dedicated public servants who work to make sure American children have access to a quality education,” Connecticut U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said. “No president or member of the executive branch has the authority to end public education, violate the law, and unilaterally steal dollars promised to students.”

Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington state Democrat who is the vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the cuts were meant to sidestep the legislative difficulty of eliminating the department itself.

“Donald Trump and Linda McMahon know they can’t abolish the Department of Education on their own but they understand that if you gut it to its very core and fire all the people who run programs that help students, families, and teachers, you might end up with a similar, ruinous result,” she said.

“Ultimately, what they want to do is clear: fire the people who help our kids and gut funding for our students, teachers, and schools. This is about breaking government for working families — and enriching billionaires like themselves in the process.”

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said “denuding an agency so it cannot function effectively is the most cowardly way of dismantling it.”&nbsp;

“The massive reduction in force at the Education Department is an attack on opportunity that will gut the agency and its ability to support students, throwing federal education programs into chaos across the country,” said Weingarten, who leads one of the largest teachers unions in the country.

Trump has targeted the Education Department specifically in the spending cuts initiative, repeatedly pledging to shutter the 45-year-old agency in his quest to move education “back to the states.”

The department had already seen dramatic shifts in the weeks since Trump took office — from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/elon-musks-doge-targets-us-department-education-millions-funding-cuts" target="_blank">major contract cuts</a>, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/28/education-department-quit-00206765" target="_blank">staff buyouts</a>.

Other departments and agencies,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/vets-worry-trump-cuts-va-workforce-will-interrupt-benefits&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1741740543665052&amp;usg=AOvVaw2OZuQ95exTw4F_s_yKUi7E" target="_blank">including the Department of Veterans Affairs</a>, have also seen broad staffing decreases under Trump.

Last week, McMahon&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/new-secretary-linda-mcmahon-unveils-final-mission-us-department-education" target="_blank">sent an email to department employees</a>&nbsp;regarding the agency’s “final mission,” where she detailed her plans to “overhaul” the federal agency.

The former World Wrestling Entertainment executive told employees that the department’s “role in this new era of accountability is to restore the rightful role of state oversight in education and to end the overreach from Washington.”

McMahon said “this restoration will profoundly impact staff, budgets, and agency operations here at the Department.”

Even if Trump were to sign an executive order on dismantling the department, only Congress has the authority to shut it down. Any bill to close down the agency would face extreme difficulties getting through the narrowly GOP-controlled Senate, with at least 60 senators needed to advance past the filibuster.

In her statement, DeLauro dared Republican lawmakers to try to eliminate the department through legislation.

“To my Republican colleagues: if you want to eliminate the Department of Education, then put your name on a bill to do that,” she said. “Let your constituents see it. Let us debate it. Let us and the American people deliberate. Do not yield our authority, and the rule of law, to unchecked billionaires.”

Trump’s push to move education “back to the states” also comes as much of the funding and oversight of schools already occurs at the state and local levels. Legally, the department cannot control the curriculum of schools across the country.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741729690736.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday said it’s cutting a substantial number of the agency’s staff through a “<a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/reductions-in-force-rif/" target="_blank">reduction in force</a>” process, bringing the department’s workforce to roughly half the number in place when President Donald Trump took office.According to senior department officials speaking on background to reporters Tuesday evening, roughly 1,315 employees are subject to the initiative. The officials said the employees will get, starting Tuesday, 90 days full pay and benefits and will telework from Wednesday until March 21, when they are placed on administrative leave. &nbsp;The sweeping cuts are part of a government-wide effort by Trump and billionaire White House adviser Elon Musk to reduce the federal workforce in an effort to slash government spending and reduce what they see as waste.When Trump took office, the department had 4,133 employees. Following Tuesday’s announcement, the agency said it will have roughly 2,183 workers remaining. In the past several weeks, nearly 600 workers took voluntary resignation opportunities or retirement, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force" target="_blank">Tuesday evening press release</a>.The department also terminated 63 probationary employees in February, according to senior department officials.The senior officials clarified that this staffing reduction will not impact the department’s ability to deliver on civil rights investigations, the rollout of the federal student aid application, Title I funding for low-income school districts and other statutorily mandated functions Congress has given the agency.The senior officials confirmed earlier reporting that the department’s Washington-area office buildings would close Tuesday evening for safety reasons and would reopen Thursday.“Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement Tuesday.“I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the Department. This is a significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States education system.”<h2>Layoffs gut department, Dems say</h2>Congressional Democrats and labor union leaders blasted the cuts Tuesday.“Today’s staff eliminations are illegal, and they are a slap in the face to the dedicated public servants who work to make sure American children have access to a quality education,” Connecticut U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said. “No president or member of the executive branch has the authority to end public education, violate the law, and unilaterally steal dollars promised to students.”Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington state Democrat who is the vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the cuts were meant to sidestep the legislative difficulty of eliminating the department itself.“Donald Trump and Linda McMahon know they can’t abolish the Department of Education on their own but they understand that if you gut it to its very core and fire all the people who run programs that help students, families, and teachers, you might end up with a similar, ruinous result,” she said.“Ultimately, what they want to do is clear: fire the people who help our kids and gut funding for our students, teachers, and schools. This is about breaking government for working families — and enriching billionaires like themselves in the process.”Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said “denuding an agency so it cannot function effectively is the most cowardly way of dismantling it.”&nbsp;“The massive reduction in force at the Education Department is an attack on opportunity that will gut the agency and its ability to support students, throwing federal education programs into chaos across the country,” said Weingarten, who leads one of the largest teachers unions in the country.<h2>Department overhaul</h2>Trump has targeted the Education Department specifically in the spending cuts initiative, repeatedly pledging to shutter the 45-year-old agency in his quest to move education “back to the states.”The department had already seen dramatic shifts in the weeks since Trump took office — from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/elon-musks-doge-targets-us-department-education-millions-funding-cuts" target="_blank">major contract cuts</a>, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/28/education-department-quit-00206765" target="_blank">staff buyouts</a>.Other departments and agencies,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/vets-worry-trump-cuts-va-workforce-will-interrupt-benefits&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1741740543665052&amp;usg=AOvVaw2OZuQ95exTw4F_s_yKUi7E" target="_blank">including the Department of Veterans Affairs</a>, have also seen broad staffing decreases under Trump.Last week, McMahon&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/new-secretary-linda-mcmahon-unveils-final-mission-us-department-education" target="_blank">sent an email to department employees</a>&nbsp;regarding the agency’s “final mission,” where she detailed her plans to “overhaul” the federal agency.The former World Wrestling Entertainment executive told employees that the department’s “role in this new era of accountability is to restore the rightful role of state oversight in education and to end the overreach from Washington.”McMahon said “this restoration will profoundly impact staff, budgets, and agency operations here at the Department.”<h2>Congressional action would be tough</h2>Even if Trump were to sign an executive order on dismantling the department, only Congress has the authority to shut it down. Any bill to close down the agency would face extreme difficulties getting through the narrowly GOP-controlled Senate, with at least 60 senators needed to advance past the filibuster.In her statement, DeLauro dared Republican lawmakers to try to eliminate the department through legislation.“To my Republican colleagues: if you want to eliminate the Department of Education, then put your name on a bill to do that,” she said. “Let your constituents see it. Let us debate it. Let us and the American people deliberate. Do not yield our authority, and the rule of law, to unchecked billionaires.”Trump’s push to move education “back to the states” also comes as much of the funding and oversight of schools already occurs at the state and local levels. Legally, the department cannot control the curriculum of schools across the country.

U.S. Education Department to Cut Hundreds of Staff Members

This recall involves Igloo 90 Qt. Flip &amp; Tow Rolling Coolers manufactured prior to January 2024. The date of manufacture is imprinted on the bottom of the cooler in a circular pattern with an arrow pointing to the month of manufacture and the last two digits of the year of manufacture inside the circle, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The recalled coolers have a tow handle. “IGLOO” is printed on the side of the coolers. The coolers were sold in multiple body and lid color combinations, some of which are pictured above. The following cooler models with tow handles are included in the recall. The model number is located on labels affixed to the bottom of the cooler.

<a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Igloo-Recalls-More-Than-One-Million-90-Quart-Rolling-Coolers-Due-to-Fingertip-Amputation-and-Crushing-Hazards">Click here </a>for more details.

Igloo toll-free at 888-943-5182 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:igloo90qt@sedgwick.com">igloo90qt@sedgwick.com</a>, or online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.igloo90qtrecall.expertinquiry.com/">www.igloo90qtrecall.expertinquiry.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.igloocoolers.com/">http://www.igloocoolers.com</a>&nbsp;and click on “Recall Information” at the top of the page for more information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739468534690.png" alt="Image igloo" />
 <figcaption>Image igloo</figcaption>
 </figure>This recall involves Igloo 90 Qt. Flip &amp; Tow Rolling Coolers manufactured prior to January 2024. The date of manufacture is imprinted on the bottom of the cooler in a circular pattern with an arrow pointing to the month of manufacture and the last two digits of the year of manufacture inside the circle, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.The recalled coolers have a tow handle. “IGLOO” is printed on the side of the coolers. The coolers were sold in multiple body and lid color combinations, some of which are pictured above. The following cooler models with tow handles are included in the recall. The model number is located on labels affixed to the bottom of the cooler.<a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Igloo-Recalls-More-Than-One-Million-90-Quart-Rolling-Coolers-Due-to-Fingertip-Amputation-and-Crushing-Hazards">Click here </a>for more details.Igloo toll-free at 888-943-5182 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:igloo90qt@sedgwick.com">igloo90qt@sedgwick.com</a>, or online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.igloo90qtrecall.expertinquiry.com/">www.igloo90qtrecall.expertinquiry.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.igloocoolers.com/">http://www.igloocoolers.com</a>&nbsp;and click on “Recall Information” at the top of the page for more information.

Igloo recall: Cooler handle hazard causes fingertip amputation injuries

IRAQ—&nbsp;Iraqi Security Forces enabled by U.S. forces, conducted precision airstrikes in the vicinity of Kirkuk, Iraq, killing two ISIS operatives on Monday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

An initial post-strike clearance found the dead ISIS operatives, an explosive suicide belt, explosive material, and components of weapons destroyed in the strike.

"The Iraqi Security Forces-led operation is part of the ongoing Defeat-ISIS campaign to disrupt and degrade ISIS' capabilities, dismantle their attack networks, and ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. Coalition Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CTF-OIR) enabled ISF during the operation by providing technical support and intelligence."

IRAQ—&nbsp;Iraqi Security Forces enabled by U.S. forces, conducted precision airstrikes in the vicinity of Kirkuk, Iraq, killing two ISIS operatives on Monday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.An initial post-strike clearance found the dead ISIS operatives, an explosive suicide belt, explosive material, and components of weapons destroyed in the strike."The Iraqi Security Forces-led operation is part of the ongoing Defeat-ISIS campaign to disrupt and degrade ISIS' capabilities, dismantle their attack networks, and ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. Coalition Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CTF-OIR) enabled ISF during the operation by providing technical support and intelligence."

U.S. forces help with deadly attack on ISIS operatives

WASHINGTON —Google has officially changed the 'Gulf of Mexico' on Google Maps to the 'Gulf of America' following Trump's order.

While flying to the Super Bowl, President Trump signed a proclamation declaring February 9, as "Gulf of America Day."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739228935257.png" alt="Google Map 5p.m. Monday February 10" />
 <figcaption>Google Map 5p.m. Monday February 10</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Google has officially changed the 'Gulf of Mexico' on Google Maps to the 'Gulf of America' following Trump's order.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">HAPPY GULF OF AMERICA DAY! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/hFGMBRKh4S">pic.twitter.com/hFGMBRKh4S</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1888707846000570775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🔊&quot;Air Force One is currently in international waters, the first time in history flying over the recently renamed Gulf of America.&quot; 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/XHXXrvtYzf">pic.twitter.com/XHXXrvtYzf</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1888705072562929894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>While flying to the Super Bowl, President Trump signed a proclamation declaring February 9, as "Gulf of America Day."

Google officially changes maps from Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>&nbsp;

WASHINGTON — The largely partisan clash over whether to abolish the<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/demonstrators-us-capitol-rally-against-trumps-direct-attack-education" target="_blank">&nbsp;U.S. Department of Education</a>&nbsp;came to the forefront at a Wednesday hearing by a U.S. House education panel, as rumors continue to circulate over President Donald Trump’s plans to dismantle the federal agency that’s just four-and-a-half decades old.

Trump campaigned heavily on a pledge to get rid of the department, which, among many responsibilities, administers funding for key programs, including for low-income school districts and special education, and also administers federal student aid.

Trump is reported&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/03/trump-education-department-dismantling-executive-order-draft/?utm_campaign=wp_the7&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F40e0f46%2F67a1feefb7704a156351bc82%2F64c1c5704dae0764a1593f12%2F32%2F103%2F67a1feefb7704a156351bc82" target="_blank">possibly issue some sort of executive order</a>&nbsp;that seeks to diminish the department internally and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-executive-order-8519eaa465385cc13f4ddcae90228dd3" target="_blank">calls on Congress to abolish the agency</a>. He alone does not have the authority to close the department, and the effort would require congressional approval.

Lawmakers clashed at a House Committee on Education and Workforce hearing focused on “the state of American education,” particularly school choice, parental rights in education and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

The president’s sweeping plan outlined throughout his campaign to “save American education” has already burst out of the floodgates since he took office last month.

He issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-orders-education-department-guide-states-use-federal-funds-school-choice" target="_blank">series of education-related executive orders</a>&nbsp;last week focused on prioritizing school choice funding, ending what the administration sees as “radical indoctrination in K-12 schooling” and taking “additional measures to combat anti-semitism.”

Trump also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-puts-dei-staff-paid-leave-guts-environmental-justice-offices-across-government" target="_blank">signed executive orders</a>&nbsp;in January that gut DEI programs and activities across the federal government.

Rep. Tim Walberg, chair of the House education panel, said he is “pleased to see that the Trump administration is taking excellent steps to restore common sense, personal responsibility and parental choice through our education system.”

“In K-12 education, there’s much work that needs to be done,” the Michigan Republican said, pointing to the latest data from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/" target="_blank">National Assessment of Educational Progress</a>.

The report found that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/supporting-files/summary-of-results.pdf" target="_blank">average math and reading scores in 2024</a>&nbsp;for pupils in fourth grade and eighth grade were lower compared to before the coronavirus pandemic, in 2019.

Nicole Neily, president and founder of Parents Defending Education, a parents’ rights group, said “American education is in crisis.”

“For far too long, U.S. schools have focused on everything but educating children, and as last week’s NAEP scores have shown, our children are bearing the brunt of these bad decisions,” she said.

Meanwhile, Democrats on the panel warned over the repercussions of dismantling the Education Department.

“The irony is not lost on me that we’re here to discuss the state of American education while the current administration is actively discussing how to dismantle the main federal agency responsible for ensuring safe, quality education for all students,” said Rep. Bobby Scott, ranking member of the panel.

“We will fight any attempt to dismantle the department, and so, we don’t know what the plan will be, but count on our opposition to any plan that will abolish the Department of Education and the programs in it,” the Virginia Democrat added.

Connecticut Democratic Rep. Jahana Hayes noted that since being created in 1979, the Education Department “has been committed to ensuring high-quality education for children across the country.”

“As (Chairman Walberg) noted, there are about 1 million children who participate in private school choice programs, but 49.6 million children participate in public school education — what about them? Who is advocating for them?” Hayes said.

Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said Trump’s executive orders to “restrict teaching and learning in inclusive and supportive environments and his threats to dismantle the Department of Education and upend critical enforcement of federal civil rights laws will demolish the very foundation of good citizenship.”

“We must reject these proposals out of the Project 2025 playbook and approach public education with common sense and common purpose, not separatism and self-dealing,” Nelson said.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>&nbsp;WASHINGTON — The largely partisan clash over whether to abolish the<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/demonstrators-us-capitol-rally-against-trumps-direct-attack-education" target="_blank">&nbsp;U.S. Department of Education</a>&nbsp;came to the forefront at a Wednesday hearing by a U.S. House education panel, as rumors continue to circulate over President Donald Trump’s plans to dismantle the federal agency that’s just four-and-a-half decades old.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739206873043.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump campaigned heavily on a pledge to get rid of the department, which, among many responsibilities, administers funding for key programs, including for low-income school districts and special education, and also administers federal student aid.Trump is reported&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/03/trump-education-department-dismantling-executive-order-draft/?utm_campaign=wp_the7&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F40e0f46%2F67a1feefb7704a156351bc82%2F64c1c5704dae0764a1593f12%2F32%2F103%2F67a1feefb7704a156351bc82" target="_blank">possibly issue some sort of executive order</a>&nbsp;that seeks to diminish the department internally and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-executive-order-8519eaa465385cc13f4ddcae90228dd3" target="_blank">calls on Congress to abolish the agency</a>. He alone does not have the authority to close the department, and the effort would require congressional approval.Lawmakers clashed at a House Committee on Education and Workforce hearing focused on “the state of American education,” particularly school choice, parental rights in education and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.The president’s sweeping plan outlined throughout his campaign to “save American education” has already burst out of the floodgates since he took office last month.He issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-orders-education-department-guide-states-use-federal-funds-school-choice" target="_blank">series of education-related executive orders</a>&nbsp;last week focused on prioritizing school choice funding, ending what the administration sees as “radical indoctrination in K-12 schooling” and taking “additional measures to combat anti-semitism.”Trump also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-puts-dei-staff-paid-leave-guts-environmental-justice-offices-across-government" target="_blank">signed executive orders</a>&nbsp;in January that gut DEI programs and activities across the federal government.<h2>Restoring ‘common sense’</h2>Rep. Tim Walberg, chair of the House education panel, said he is “pleased to see that the Trump administration is taking excellent steps to restore common sense, personal responsibility and parental choice through our education system.”“In K-12 education, there’s much work that needs to be done,” the Michigan Republican said, pointing to the latest data from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/" target="_blank">National Assessment of Educational Progress</a>.The report found that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/supporting-files/summary-of-results.pdf" target="_blank">average math and reading scores in 2024</a>&nbsp;for pupils in fourth grade and eighth grade were lower compared to before the coronavirus pandemic, in 2019.Nicole Neily, president and founder of Parents Defending Education, a parents’ rights group, said “American education is in crisis.”“For far too long, U.S. schools have focused on everything but educating children, and as last week’s NAEP scores have shown, our children are bearing the brunt of these bad decisions,” she said.<h2>‘We will fight any attempt’</h2>Meanwhile, Democrats on the panel warned over the repercussions of dismantling the Education Department.“The irony is not lost on me that we’re here to discuss the state of American education while the current administration is actively discussing how to dismantle the main federal agency responsible for ensuring safe, quality education for all students,” said Rep. Bobby Scott, ranking member of the panel.“We will fight any attempt to dismantle the department, and so, we don’t know what the plan will be, but count on our opposition to any plan that will abolish the Department of Education and the programs in it,” the Virginia Democrat added.Connecticut Democratic Rep. Jahana Hayes noted that since being created in 1979, the Education Department “has been committed to ensuring high-quality education for children across the country.”“As (Chairman Walberg) noted, there are about 1 million children who participate in private school choice programs, but 49.6 million children participate in public school education — what about them? Who is advocating for them?” Hayes said.Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said Trump’s executive orders to “restrict teaching and learning in inclusive and supportive environments and his threats to dismantle the Department of Education and upend critical enforcement of federal civil rights laws will demolish the very foundation of good citizenship.”“We must reject these proposals out of the Project 2025 playbook and approach public education with common sense and common purpose, not separatism and self-dealing,” Nelson said.

U.S. House members battle over eliminating Dept. of Education 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;

WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. moved one step closer to becoming Health and Human Services secretary on Tuesday after a Senate committee favorably reported his nomination to the floor.

The Finance Committee’s 14-13 party-line vote doesn’t necessarily guarantee Kennedy will receive Senate confirmation, though it signals he does have the chance despite decades of spreading false information about vaccine safety.

Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who backed Kennedy in committee, said during a floor speech later Tuesday he had received hundreds of messages personally and thousands into his office expressing strong support from some and dismay from others about the prospect of Kennedy gaining Senate confirmation.

“The most notable opponents of Mr. Kennedy were pediatricians on the front lines of our children’s health, who regularly have to combat misinformation,” Cassidy said. “They are aware that children are now contracting diseases that they would not have contracted if the child was vaccinated.”

Cassidy, who worked as a physician for decades before becoming a senator, said Kennedy and the Trump administration have assured him they will protect “the public health benefit of vaccination.”

“Mr. Kennedy and the administration committed that he and I would have an unprecedentedly close, collaborative, working relationship if he is confirmed,” Cassidy said. “We will meet or speak multiple times a month.”

Cassidy said Kennedy and the Trump administration committed that if confirmed, Kennedy would:&nbsp;

“If Mr. Kennedy is confirmed, I will use my authority of the Senate committee with oversight of HHS to rebuff any attempt to remove the public’s access to life-saving vaccines without ironclad causational scientific evidence that can be accepted and defended before the mainstream scientific community and before Congress,” Cassidy said. “I will watch carefully for any effort to wrongly sow public fear about vaccines between confusing references of coincidence and anecdote.”

Cassidy said that if Kennedy is confirmed as HHS secretary by the full Senate, he expects Kennedy would support overhauls Cassidy has planned for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.

“We also need to reform institutions, like FDA and NIH, and those, as has already been indicated, are my priorities as chairman of the HELP Committee. I look forward to his support in accomplishing this,” Cassidy said.

Democrats raised their concerns about how Kennedy’s confirmation would impact the country’s public health system, just before the committee voted.

Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock said that Kennedy is “manifestly unqualified for the job he seeks.”

“We need a serious person at the helm of the HHS, an agency responsible for the health of about half of all Americans,” Warnock said. “Mr. Kennedy appears more obsessed in chasing conspiracy theories than chasing solutions to lower health care costs for working families in Georgia and to make sure that we are protected.

“The last thing we need is a dilettante dabbling in conspiracy theories at HHS.”

North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said that he believes Kennedy will “go wild” as HHS Secretary.

“I hope he goes wild and actually finds a way to reduce the cost of health care,” Tillis said. “I hope he goes wild and instead of having the discussions that we have had for the 10 years that I’ve been in the Senate of making Medicaid work and making people on Medicaid healthier, I hope he goes wild and figures out how to do it because the status quo has not achieved much in the way of gain.

“I hope he goes wild on food safety discussions so that we can actually approve our food safety supply.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734473282160.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall and Kennedy during a meeting in December- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall and Kennedy during a meeting in December- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. moved one step closer to becoming Health and Human Services secretary on Tuesday after a Senate committee favorably reported his nomination to the floor.The Finance Committee’s 14-13 party-line vote doesn’t necessarily guarantee Kennedy will receive Senate confirmation, though it signals he does have the chance despite decades of spreading false information about vaccine safety.Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who backed Kennedy in committee, said during a floor speech later Tuesday he had received hundreds of messages personally and thousands into his office expressing strong support from some and dismay from others about the prospect of Kennedy gaining Senate confirmation.“The most notable opponents of Mr. Kennedy were pediatricians on the front lines of our children’s health, who regularly have to combat misinformation,” Cassidy said. “They are aware that children are now contracting diseases that they would not have contracted if the child was vaccinated.”Cassidy, who worked as a physician for decades before becoming a senator, said Kennedy and the Trump administration have assured him they will protect “the public health benefit of vaccination.”“Mr. Kennedy and the administration committed that he and I would have an unprecedentedly close, collaborative, working relationship if he is confirmed,” Cassidy said. “We will meet or speak multiple times a month.”<h2>Pledges by Kennedy</h2>Cassidy said Kennedy and the Trump administration committed that if confirmed, Kennedy would:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Work within the current vaccine approval and safety monitoring systems and not establish parallel systems;</li><li>Maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee on immunization practices recommendations without changes;</li><li>Keep statements on the CDC’s website that state vaccines do not cause autism;</li><li>Provide at least 30 days notice to the HELP Committee if HHS wants to make changes to any of the federal vaccine safety monitoring programs;</li><li>Allow the HELP Committee chairman to choose a representative on any board or commission formed to review vaccine safety; and</li><li>Appear before the HELP Committee on a quarterly basis if requested.</li>
 </ul>“If Mr. Kennedy is confirmed, I will use my authority of the Senate committee with oversight of HHS to rebuff any attempt to remove the public’s access to life-saving vaccines without ironclad causational scientific evidence that can be accepted and defended before the mainstream scientific community and before Congress,” Cassidy said. “I will watch carefully for any effort to wrongly sow public fear about vaccines between confusing references of coincidence and anecdote.”Cassidy said that if Kennedy is confirmed as HHS secretary by the full Senate, he expects Kennedy would support overhauls Cassidy has planned for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.“We also need to reform institutions, like FDA and NIH, and those, as has already been indicated, are my priorities as chairman of the HELP Committee. I look forward to his support in accomplishing this,” Cassidy said.<h2>‘Manifestly unqualified’</h2>Democrats raised their concerns about how Kennedy’s confirmation would impact the country’s public health system, just before the committee voted.Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock said that Kennedy is “manifestly unqualified for the job he seeks.”“We need a serious person at the helm of the HHS, an agency responsible for the health of about half of all Americans,” Warnock said. “Mr. Kennedy appears more obsessed in chasing conspiracy theories than chasing solutions to lower health care costs for working families in Georgia and to make sure that we are protected.“The last thing we need is a dilettante dabbling in conspiracy theories at HHS.”<h2>‘Go wild’</h2>North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said that he believes Kennedy will “go wild” as HHS Secretary.“I hope he goes wild and actually finds a way to reduce the cost of health care,” Tillis said. “I hope he goes wild and instead of having the discussions that we have had for the 10 years that I’ve been in the Senate of making Medicaid work and making people on Medicaid healthier, I hope he goes wild and figures out how to do it because the status quo has not achieved much in the way of gain.“I hope he goes wild on food safety discussions so that we can actually approve our food safety supply.”&nbsp;

RFK Jr. Nomination as Health Secretary Approved by Key U.S. Senate Panel

ARLINGTON, VA., January 31, 2025 — Gerber Products Company is initiating a recall and discontinuation of all batches of GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS due to a potential choking hazard for babies and young children, according to a statement from the Food and Drug Administration.

GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS were distributed nationwide via the internet and to distribution centers and retail stores in the following states and territories:

Recalled products can be identified as follows:

This recall and discontinuation is isolated to GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – STRAWBERRY APPLE and GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA.

The recall was initiated after receiving consumer complaints of choking incidents. To date, one emergency room visit has been reported to the firm.

Consumers who may have purchased GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS should not feed this product to their child and can return the product to the retailer where it was purchased for a refund. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a health care provider. For any additional support needed, Gerber is available 24/7 at 1-800-4-GERBER (1-800-443-7237).

We are working with the U.S. Food &amp; Drug Administration (FDA) on this recall and will cooperate with them fully.

For more information, consumers could call 1-800-4-GERBER (1-800-443-7237)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738595746534.png" alt="Image FDA" />
 <figcaption>Image FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>ARLINGTON, VA., January 31, 2025 — Gerber Products Company is initiating a recall and discontinuation of all batches of GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS due to a potential choking hazard for babies and young children, according to a statement from the Food and Drug Administration.GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS were distributed nationwide via the internet and to distribution centers and retail stores in the following states and territories:Recalled products can be identified as follows:<ul>
 <li>GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – STRAWBERRY APPLE, Net Wt. 3.2 Oz (90g), with UPC 0 15000 04618 7, all lot codes</li><li>GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA, Net Wt. 3.2 Oz (90g), with UPC 0 15000 04608 8, all lot codes</li><li>GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA, Net Wt. 1.59 Oz (45g), with UPC 0 15000 01015 7, all lot codes</li>
 </ul>This recall and discontinuation is isolated to GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – STRAWBERRY APPLE and GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA.The recall was initiated after receiving consumer complaints of choking incidents. To date, one emergency room visit has been reported to the firm.Consumers who may have purchased GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS should not feed this product to their child and can return the product to the retailer where it was purchased for a refund. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a health care provider. For any additional support needed, Gerber is available 24/7 at 1-800-4-GERBER (1-800-443-7237).We are working with the U.S. Food &amp; Drug Administration (FDA) on this recall and will cooperate with them fully.For more information, consumers could call 1-800-4-GERBER (1-800-443-7237)

Gerber recalls baby teething sticks over possible choking hazard

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738207177867.png" alt="Image from Kennedy Center web camera at the time of the collision&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Image from Kennedy Center web camera at the time of the collision&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fire &amp; EMS Chief John Donnelly: &quot;We are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. At this point we don&#39;t believe there are any survivors from this accident. We have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/422JqoEiVO">pic.twitter.com/422JqoEiVO</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1884965008783667498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Fire Chief: No survivors after collision of jet from Kansas and Army Helicopter

&nbsp;President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp; discussed his campaign promise to eliminate taxes on tips during a rally Saturday in Las Vegas. (Click below to watch)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737846846313.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp; discussed his campaign promise to eliminate taxes on tips during a rally Saturday in Las Vegas. (Click below to watch)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OXo-XBvMAUQ?si=mFg7mkE_gLDGmNoX&amp;start=8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

🎥President Trump in Las Vegas discussed No Tax on Tips policy 

WASHINGTON —Vice President JD Vance has sworn in Rubio as Secretary of State. Rubio, a Senator from Florida becomes the first of Trump’s Cabinet nominees to get to work.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The U.S. Senate confirmed Rubio by a unanimous 99-0 vote Monday evening.

WASHINGTON —Vice President JD Vance has sworn in Rubio as Secretary of State. Rubio, a Senator from Florida becomes the first of Trump’s Cabinet nominees to get to work.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Vice President Vance swears in Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. Full video here: <a href="https://t.co/hzNSC919DE">https://t.co/hzNSC919DE</a> <a href="https://t.co/Cdh76lakDa">pic.twitter.com/Cdh76lakDa</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1881717644291653784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S. Senate confirmed Rubio by a unanimous 99-0 vote Monday evening.

First Trump cabinet member sworn in to begin work

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>

WASHINGTON — Just hours into his second term, President Donald Trump signed some of his first executive orders as an arena crowd of thousands cheered a U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/return-to-in-person-work/" target="_blank">mandate</a>&nbsp;for federal workers to return to the office full-time.

Trump scrawled his signature on nearly 10 portfolio-bound documents at a desk on the floor of the Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C., following an indoor inauguration parade at the 20,000-seat venue. Monday’s ceremonies were moved indoors because of cold temperatures.

The orders included rescinding&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/initial-rescissions-of-harmful-executive-orders-and-actions/" target="_blank">78</a>&nbsp;Biden administration actions, freezing federal hiring and new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/regulatory-freeze-pending-review/" target="_blank">regulations</a>, and “<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/restoring-freedom-of-speech-and-ending-federal-censorship/" target="_blank">restoring</a>&nbsp;freedom of speech,” among&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/" target="_blank">others</a>&nbsp;that the White House press office dubbed “<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25499090-americafirstpriorities/" target="_blank">America First Priorities</a>.”

“Could you imagine Biden doing this? I don’t think so,” Trump said to the crowd.

Trump threw his ceremonial pens into the seats after signing the orders.

In an Oval Office ceremony shortly afterward, Trump signed a slew of other orders ranging from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-officials-outline-planned-immigration-crackdown" target="_blank">declaring</a>&nbsp;a national emergency at the southern border to throwing TikTok a 75-day lifeline to find a new owner.

Earlier Monday, surrounded by lawmakers from both parties who bantered with him in the President’s Room at the U.S. Capitol, Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/flying-the-flag-of-the-united-states-at-full-staff-on-inauguration-day/" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;mandating all U.S. flags fly at full height during future presidential inaugurations. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flags-half-staff-trump-inauguration-johnson-a0c99a017e74b880df1c2eadfce25c28" target="_blank">ordered</a>&nbsp;flags at full staff for Trump’s inauguration despite the recent death of the late President Jimmy Carter.

During his first blitz, Trump erased Biden executive orders on “Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation” and “Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals.”

Trump’s team signaled hours before inauguration that the incoming president planned to sign an order mandating the use of the word “sex” instead of “gender” in federal policy language and documents, including passports and visas.

White House administration officials said on a call with reporters early Monday, speaking on background, that one of their first executive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/" target="_blank">orders</a>&nbsp;will focus on “defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government.”

Roughly 2 million transgender people live in the United States, according to the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, which condemned Trump’s order Monday.

Kelley Robinson, the organization’s president, criticized Trump in a statement for “taking aim at the LGBTQ+ community instead of uniting our country and prioritizing the pressing issues the American people are facing.”

Among the dozens of previous Biden administration orders, Trump reversed Biden actions titled “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis” and “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.”

Environmental advocates denounced Trump’s executive orders. The Center for Biological Diversity said in a statement that Trump’s order for withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement “shows how threatened Trump is by the recent global compact to transition away from fossil fuels.”

“While Trump buries his head in the sand, it’s going to be up to state leaders to lock eyes on the climate crisis and lead us toward a livable future,” the statement said.

Incoming White House officials also teased orders taking down Biden-era environmental initiatives, including declaring an energy emergency, opening the Alaska wilderness for energy development and nixing energy standards for household appliances. They had not yet been released Monday night.

Later Monday evening in the Oval Office, Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/application-of-protecting-americans-from-foreign-adversary-controlled-applications-act-to-tiktok/" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;giving TikTok an extra 75 days to find a new owner. The order instructs the Department of Justice to ignore enforcing a federal law that required TikTok to separate from its China ties by Jan. 19.

“The unfortunate timing of (the law) — one day before I took office as the 47th President of the United States — interferes with my ability to assess the national security and foreign policy implications of the Act’s prohibitions before they take effect,” Trump’s order stated.

The popular video sharing app used by approximately 170 million Americans briefly went dark overnight Saturday into Sunday. A message to users read, “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”

A federal law&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-sign-executive-order-monday-delaying-tiktok-ban" target="_blank">mandated</a>&nbsp;that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance divest from the video sharing platform by the deadline when it became illegal for U.S. companies to distribute or maintain the app. Companies that don’t comply face fines up $5,000 per user.

Trump’s position is a reversal of his support for a ban in 2020.&nbsp;

“I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok that I guess I didn’t have originally,” he told reporters in the Oval Office Monday night.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was among the attendees at Trump’s inauguration, and the company sponsored an inauguration eve party in downtown D.C., Reuters&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/conservative-influencers-celebrate-tiktok-sponsored-trump-inauguration-party-2025-01-20/" target="_blank">reported</a>.

Some lawmakers want to see the law enforced now. In a statement Sunday, Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska warned that companies who ignore the deadline could “face ruinous bankruptcy.”&nbsp;

“Now that the law has taken effect there’s no legal basis for any kind of ‘extension,’ of its effective date” they wrote.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-warns-sweeping-executive-orders-coming-monday-he-rallies-supporters" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;a packed arena in Washington, D.C., on the eve of the inauguration that they were “going to see executive orders that are going to make you extremely happy, lots of them.”

Trump said he would “act with historic speed and strength and fix every single crisis facing our country.”

As a candidate and Republican presidential nominee, Trump promised his supporters that on day one he would launch a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/immigration-advocates-prep-trump-mass-deportations-vow-legal-challenges" target="_blank">mass deportation</a>&nbsp;of immigrants, end Russia’s war on Ukraine, and pardon those convicted and who pleaded guilty to crimes committed during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

In one of his last actions in office, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-issues-preemptive-pardons-fauci-milley-and-jan-6-committee-members-staff" target="_blank">issued</a>&nbsp;preemptive pardons for lawmakers and staff who served on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol, as well as the police officers who testified before the panel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737424030648.png" alt="Photo by Taylor Budowich, Assistant to the President" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Taylor Budowich, Assistant to the President</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>WASHINGTON — Just hours into his second term, President Donald Trump signed some of his first executive orders as an arena crowd of thousands cheered a U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/return-to-in-person-work/" target="_blank">mandate</a>&nbsp;for federal workers to return to the office full-time.Trump scrawled his signature on nearly 10 portfolio-bound documents at a desk on the floor of the Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C., following an indoor inauguration parade at the 20,000-seat venue. Monday’s ceremonies were moved indoors because of cold temperatures.The orders included rescinding&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/initial-rescissions-of-harmful-executive-orders-and-actions/" target="_blank">78</a>&nbsp;Biden administration actions, freezing federal hiring and new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/regulatory-freeze-pending-review/" target="_blank">regulations</a>, and “<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/restoring-freedom-of-speech-and-ending-federal-censorship/" target="_blank">restoring</a>&nbsp;freedom of speech,” among&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/" target="_blank">others</a>&nbsp;that the White House press office dubbed “<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25499090-americafirstpriorities/" target="_blank">America First Priorities</a>.”“Could you imagine Biden doing this? I don’t think so,” Trump said to the crowd.Trump threw his ceremonial pens into the seats after signing the orders.In an Oval Office ceremony shortly afterward, Trump signed a slew of other orders ranging from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-officials-outline-planned-immigration-crackdown" target="_blank">declaring</a>&nbsp;a national emergency at the southern border to throwing TikTok a 75-day lifeline to find a new owner.Earlier Monday, surrounded by lawmakers from both parties who bantered with him in the President’s Room at the U.S. Capitol, Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/flying-the-flag-of-the-united-states-at-full-staff-on-inauguration-day/" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;mandating all U.S. flags fly at full height during future presidential inaugurations. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flags-half-staff-trump-inauguration-johnson-a0c99a017e74b880df1c2eadfce25c28" target="_blank">ordered</a>&nbsp;flags at full staff for Trump’s inauguration despite the recent death of the late President Jimmy Carter.<h2>The first blitz</h2>During his first blitz, Trump erased Biden executive orders on “Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation” and “Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals.”Trump’s team signaled hours before inauguration that the incoming president planned to sign an order mandating the use of the word “sex” instead of “gender” in federal policy language and documents, including passports and visas.White House administration officials said on a call with reporters early Monday, speaking on background, that one of their first executive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/" target="_blank">orders</a>&nbsp;will focus on “defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government.”Roughly 2 million transgender people live in the United States, according to the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, which condemned Trump’s order Monday.Kelley Robinson, the organization’s president, criticized Trump in a statement for “taking aim at the LGBTQ+ community instead of uniting our country and prioritizing the pressing issues the American people are facing.”Among the dozens of previous Biden administration orders, Trump reversed Biden actions titled “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis” and “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.”Environmental advocates denounced Trump’s executive orders. The Center for Biological Diversity said in a statement that Trump’s order for withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement “shows how threatened Trump is by the recent global compact to transition away from fossil fuels.”“While Trump buries his head in the sand, it’s going to be up to state leaders to lock eyes on the climate crisis and lead us toward a livable future,” the statement said.Incoming White House officials also teased orders taking down Biden-era environmental initiatives, including declaring an energy emergency, opening the Alaska wilderness for energy development and nixing energy standards for household appliances. They had not yet been released Monday night.<h2>TikTok</h2>Later Monday evening in the Oval Office, Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/application-of-protecting-americans-from-foreign-adversary-controlled-applications-act-to-tiktok/" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;giving TikTok an extra 75 days to find a new owner. The order instructs the Department of Justice to ignore enforcing a federal law that required TikTok to separate from its China ties by Jan. 19.“The unfortunate timing of (the law) — one day before I took office as the 47th President of the United States — interferes with my ability to assess the national security and foreign policy implications of the Act’s prohibitions before they take effect,” Trump’s order stated.The popular video sharing app used by approximately 170 million Americans briefly went dark overnight Saturday into Sunday. A message to users read, “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”A federal law&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-sign-executive-order-monday-delaying-tiktok-ban" target="_blank">mandated</a>&nbsp;that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance divest from the video sharing platform by the deadline when it became illegal for U.S. companies to distribute or maintain the app. Companies that don’t comply face fines up $5,000 per user.Trump’s position is a reversal of his support for a ban in 2020.&nbsp;“I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok that I guess I didn’t have originally,” he told reporters in the Oval Office Monday night.TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was among the attendees at Trump’s inauguration, and the company sponsored an inauguration eve party in downtown D.C., Reuters&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/conservative-influencers-celebrate-tiktok-sponsored-trump-inauguration-party-2025-01-20/" target="_blank">reported</a>.Some lawmakers want to see the law enforced now. In a statement Sunday, Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska warned that companies who ignore the deadline could “face ruinous bankruptcy.”&nbsp;“Now that the law has taken effect there’s no legal basis for any kind of ‘extension,’ of its effective date” they wrote.<h2>A long campaign of promises</h2>Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-warns-sweeping-executive-orders-coming-monday-he-rallies-supporters" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;a packed arena in Washington, D.C., on the eve of the inauguration that they were “going to see executive orders that are going to make you extremely happy, lots of them.”Trump said he would “act with historic speed and strength and fix every single crisis facing our country.”As a candidate and Republican presidential nominee, Trump promised his supporters that on day one he would launch a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/immigration-advocates-prep-trump-mass-deportations-vow-legal-challenges" target="_blank">mass deportation</a>&nbsp;of immigrants, end Russia’s war on Ukraine, and pardon those convicted and who pleaded guilty to crimes committed during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.In one of his last actions in office, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-issues-preemptive-pardons-fauci-milley-and-jan-6-committee-members-staff" target="_blank">issued</a>&nbsp;preemptive pardons for lawmakers and staff who served on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol, as well as the police officers who testified before the panel.

Trump Orders Withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement, Erases Actions on LGBTQ Equality

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday night issued sweeping&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/" target="_blank">pardons</a>&nbsp;for nearly all Jan. 6 defendants, erasing accountability for those who violently tried to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election results on that date in 2021.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/">Click here to see the full list</a>&nbsp;of pardons and commutations

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737422102211.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday night issued sweeping&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/" target="_blank">pardons</a>&nbsp;for nearly all Jan. 6 defendants, erasing accountability for those who violently tried to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election results on that date in 2021.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/">Click here to see the full list</a>&nbsp;of pardons and commutationsBehind the desk of the Oval Office, Trump told reporters he signed a pardon for nearly 1,500 defendants who participated in the attack and commuted the sentences for several others whose punishments require “further research,” he said.“We hope they come out tonight. They’re expecting it,” Trump said about the defendants.Journalists&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/awaiting-trump-pardons-families-jan-6-rioters-gather-outside-dc-jail" target="_blank">outside</a>&nbsp;the D.C. Central Detention Facility, where many Jan. 6 defendants are being held, reported families began gathering there Monday in anticipation of the pardons.&nbsp;The White House released the names of 13 defendants whose sentences Trump commuted. They include numerous right-wing militia&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/court-sentences-two-oath-keepers-leaders-seditious-conspiracy-and-other-charges-related-us" target="_blank">leaders</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/jury-convicts-four-leaders-proud-boys-seditious-conspiracy-related-us-capitol-breach#:~:text=A%20jury%20in%20the%20District,6%2C%202021." target="_blank">convicted</a>&nbsp;of seditious conspiracy.Among them are Stewart Rhodes of Texas and Kelly Meggs of Florida, the founder and current leader of the Oath Keepers, as well as members of the Proud Boys, including Joseph Biggs of Florida, Ethan Nordean of Washington, Zachary Rehl of Pennsylvania, and Dominic Pezzola of New York.&nbsp;&nbsp;All remaining Jan. 6 defendants convicted of crimes related to the Capitol attack received a “full, complete and unconditional pardon,” according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/" target="_blank">order</a>.&nbsp;Trump praised the defendants on the campaign trail as “hostages,” “patriots” and “warriors,” and pardoning them became a major theme of Trump’s rallies.Former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn said the pardons marked a “dark day in American history.”“This decision is a betrayal to the officers who were severely injured — and died — as a result of the insurrection. This decision puts Americans at risk as these violent criminals return to their communities. These pardons are a reflection of what abuse of power looks like and what we the people are bound to witness over the next four years,” Dunn said in statement released by the anti-Trump group Courage for America.The U.S. Department of Justice launched its largest-ever investigation following the attack that left over 140 police officers injured and upwards of $2.8 million in damage to the Capitol.As of early January the department had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/48-months-jan-6-attack-us-capitol" target="_blank">charged</a>&nbsp;just over 1,580 people for crimes related to the riot, 608 of whom were charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement, including nearly a third who used a dangerous or deadly weapon, according to the department’s latest figures.Weapons, and objects used as weapons, brought on the Capitol grounds ranged from firearms and tasers to chemical sprays and sharp-edged weapons, including knives, axes and even a sword, according to the department.Approximately 1,000 have pleaded guilty — 682 to misdemeanors and 327 to felonies. Just over 200 defendants were found guilty at contested trials, including 10 who were convicted of seditious conspiracy.Earlier Monday, Trump promised an overflow inauguration crowd in the Capitol Visitors Center that would deliver “action” for the Jan. 6 “hostages.”He slammed Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-pardons-his-family-members-fauci-milley-and-jan-6-committee-members-and-staff" target="_blank">preemptive pardoning</a>&nbsp;of the “unselect committee of political thugs,” referring to the former president’s Monday morning action for members and staff who served on the House select committee that probed the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.Biden also preemptively pardoned police officers who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8WU8MRC2M8" target="_blank">testified</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/27/1020822066/4-officers-who-responded-to-capitol-riot-will-deliver-1st-testimonies-to-new-pan" target="_blank">before</a>&nbsp;the committee. The officers have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-dem-former-police-officers-lambast-trumps-jan-6-pardon-pledge" target="_blank">lambasted</a>&nbsp;Trump’s promise to pardon the rioters.Former U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, one of the officers to receive the pardon, said in a statement Monday that he “was just doing my job and fulfilling my oath” when “American citizens attacked the U.S. Capitol, injuring me and my colleagues.”“Thank you President Biden for upholding our nation’s democracy, for your years of service to this country, and — in your final moments as Commander-in-Chief — issuing preemptive pardons for me and other loyal Americans. I did not seek a pardon, and I did nothing wrong. My family and I are grateful for your empathy and leadership.”

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