Good afternoon,

Yesterday was a big day in America. Inauguration Day was in full swing as Donald Trump officially became the 47 th president of our country. Trump took his oath of office in the Capitol Rotunda where his lies about the 2020 election culminated in a violent attack in an attempt to overturn the results of the election. Yesterday was also Martin Luther King Jr. Day – a day to celebrate the civil rights leader's life and legacy.

Here are a few important updates ...

TRUMP RETURNS WITH SWEEPING EXECUTIVE ORDERS

President Donald Trump's first day back in office was far from uneventful, starting with his issuing of dozens of executive orders [[link removed]] which will relaunch his extremist agenda and undo many of the policies put in place by the Biden Administration. During a speech on Monday night, Trump said he was " revoking almost 80 disruptive, radical executive actions of the previous administration [[link removed]] ." Specifically, he began [[link removed]] his immigration crackdown, withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate accords, attempted to pause Congress' TikTok ban (although he has no legal authority to do so), pardoned about 1,500 people for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol (including people convicted of assaulting police officers), and much more. In fact, the White House's website lists a total of 46 [[link removed]] presidential actions from yesterday alone. While the President can't constitutionally create laws, he has the power to guide and direct federal agencies through executive orders, memoranda, and proclamations.

With a full Republican Congress and several weak-willed billionaires heeling behind him, there's no telling how much Trump will get away with his second time around. During his first term, Trump issued 220 [[link removed]] executive actions. He has made it clear he will continue to implement aggressive, unilateral directives. However, Trump ran on extreme campaign promises and voters will expect big results sooner rather than later. It's only a matter of time before Trump and his extremist followers in Congress falter and their self-serving actions are exposed. Hopefully, an independent media will be up to the task of reporting on these issues. The next four years will certainly be quite the roller coaster ride.

GAZA: NOT OUR WAR, NOT CONFIDENT IN CEASEFIRE

This weekend, President Biden brokered a ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas. After 15 months of fighting, the first six-week phase of the ceasefire began on January 19 th [[link removed]] . Yesterday, following his inauguration, Trump expressed his doubt that the ceasefire would last, stating he was " not confident. It's not our war, it's their war." [[link removed]] Despite his doubt, and complete lack of involvement in the negotiations, Trump claims that he should be credited for the agreement. His pessimism also contrasts a pledge he made during his inaugural address, where he stated he would " measure our success not only by the battles we win but also by the wars that we end [[link removed]] ." Trump's comments on the ceasefire ensure he can simultaneously take credit for the deal, while shirking any responsibility if the ceasefire does not last.

Though Trump is claiming credit for the deal, many Republicans have spoken out against the deal, expressing skepticism about it. Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL-21), the House's new Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, told Fox News that " there is no part of [him] that trusts Hamas, Hezbollah, or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad." [[link removed]] Other Republicans are criticizing Biden for this deal. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) wrote on X: " Why is lame duck Joe Biden trying to cram down a bad deal on Israel on his way out the door?" [[link removed]] GOP members of Congress have been quick to condemn Biden and the ceasefire deal, yet Trump is still taking credit for it. The party can't seem to come together on this issue, unsure whether to support or oppose the agreement. This is just a preview into the mounting chaos within the Republican party and the uphill battle Trump will face in trying to unify them.

TARIFF BAIT AND SWITCH

Yesterday Trump announced a 25-percent tariff would be applied to good imported from Canada and Mexico starting on February 1 st . This is in contrast to the 10-percent tariff he had touted during his campaign. Initial estimates of the economic impact of these tariffs estimated that domestic GDP would be reduced by up to 1.5 percent, inflation would rise by at least 1.5 percent, and real wages would decline. The effect of these tariffs would be felt most acutely by working class and poor households. No word on what this would do to lower the price of eggs...

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MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU

During Trump's post-inaugural rally at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, billionaire Trump backer Elon Musk twice issued a Nazi salute to the crowd while thanking them for electing Trump. Musk apologists have claimed it was just an awkward thank-you from the heart.

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WORD OF THE WEEK

Kakistocracy [[link removed]] : Government by the worst, least qualified, or competent citizens or a country.

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NUMBER OF THE WEEK

$1.3 trillion [[link removed]] – The combined wealth of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg. These three billionaires sat on the stage behind Trump during his inauguration. Meanwhile the "forgotten working people" of America that Trump claims to represent were locked outside in the cold, their tickets to the inauguration turned into expensive souvenirs. A fitting metaphor as Trump readies an attempt to give even more taxpayer dollars to the wealthiest people on earth while slashing social programs to pay for it.

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Looking Ahead

* Confirmation Hearings are underway for Trump nominees. Some key positions are listed below:

* Wednesday, January 22 * 10 a.m.: Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget Director * Vought returns for a second hearing. The hearing will be streamed on the Senate Budget Committee webpage [[link removed]] .

* Wednesday, January 22 * 10 a.m.: Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation * The hearing will be streamed on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee webpage [[link removed]] .


* Thursday, January 23 * 10 a.m.: Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture * The hearing will be streamed on the Senate Agriculture Committee webpage [[link removed]] .


* Not Yet Scheduled * The failure to deliver background checks and paperwork related to ethic clearances have delayed the scheduling of several nominees of interest, including:
* Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
* Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick
* Labor Department nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer


* The DNC chair election will be held on February 1, 2025.

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