James Bell

🏛️⚖️ The Trump administration has issued 75+ executive orders and made other moves to overhaul the federal government over the past month and a half. These changes have prompted 100+ lawsuits seeking to limit the Trump admin’s actions, which are currently working their way through US courts.

🏛️ House Republicans approved a budget proposal this week in a 217-215 vote, with one Republican joining all Democrats in opposition to the proposed spending and tax cuts included in the bill.

🇺🇦🇷🇺 Monday marked exactly three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, kicking off an ongoing war with major global implications.

✍️ On Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order seeking to give the White House greater control of independent federal agencies, raising questions about the limits of the presidential authority.

🌍 America’s relationship with Europe has come under focus in recent days, following a series of statements and actions by the Trump administration.

🏛️ President Trump signed an executive order requiring federal agencies to directly consult with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on best practices for hiring approval, as well as plans for a large-scale reduction of the federal workforce.

🚫🪙 On Sunday, President Trump ordered the US Treasury to stop minting new pennies, citing the coin’s high cost of production as wasteful government spending.

🇺🇸🏡 The US is spending more time at home than ever before, per new data from across the country.

🏛️ The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is facing an uncertain future, after recently becoming a target for reformation by the Trump administration.

📝 The results from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, aka “America’s Report Card,” were published this week by an Education Department agency.

🏛️ The Trump admin ordered a temporary pause in nearly all federal aid programs while it conducts an across-the-board review of potentially trillions of dollars in US government spending.

🏛️💼 In his first few days after taking office on Monday, President Trump has signed a series of executive orders aimed at reshaping the federal government’s 2.3 million-person workforce.

✍️🇺🇸 President Trump signed a series of immigration-related executive orders hours after being sworn into office on Monday.

🤝 Israel and Hamas agreed to a preliminary ceasefire deal, in a step that could mark the beginning of the end for the 15+-month war in Gaza.

📝 The DOJ published a long-awaited report from special counsel Jack Smith laying out the details of his investigation into President-elect Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

🚫📲 This week, Meta announced a far-reaching change that involves eliminating its 3rd-party fact-checking program and implementing a “Community Notes” model, similar to X.

🍻🏛️ A barfight of sorts is brewing in DC. A new report intended to shape federal dietary guidelines has reignited a debate over the potential health benefits of moderate drinking.

🏫 Fewer US adolescents are using drugs like alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine than ever before, per an annual survey funded by the US government. Puff-puff? Pass.

🇸🇾 The decades-long regime in Syria led by President Bashar al-Assad was toppled last week, ushering in a period of transition – and major uncertainty – following ~14 years of civil war.

🏥 More details are emerging about the suspect in last week’s shooting death of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, as the incident has triggered a wave of online anger towards the US healthcare industry.