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Monday, March 31, 2025

Court of Appeals Stays Allows Trump Administration to Continue with USAID Cuts

Townhall: On Friday the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals delivered good news for the Trump administration, specifically the work they’re doing with Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The appeals court has stayed a district court’s injunction and is allowing the administration to move forward with cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The administration announced a freeze of funding for review early last month in order to get to the bottom of waste, fraud, and abuse…USAID has also been in the news as the State Department is looking to dismantle the agency and bring it into the department (Townhall). Kyle Cheney: The 4th circuit court of appeals has cleared the way for Elon Musk and DOGE to continue operating in USAID, staying a lower court’s ruling that barred DOGE’s activities (X).

Columbia University Interim President Resigns After Complying with Trump’s Executive Order

New York Post: Columbia University’s interim president resigned from her position at the embattled Ivy League Friday night, just days after she told the Trump administration she would implement a mask ban — while privately promising faculty she would not. Katrina Armstrong was booted from her position after the prestige school’s board of trustees doubted her ability to lead negotiations with the Trump administration over the university’s $400 million in federal funding… Board of trustees co-chair Claire Shipman has been named acting president, effective immediately, Columbia said in a statement, adding that she will serve until the board “completes its presidential search” (New York Post). Daily Wire: Claire Shipman, a former CNN correspondent, co-chaired Columbia’s board of trustees before she stepped into the role of interim president on Friday. On December 28, 2023, Shipman sent a message to then-university president Minouche Shafik calling the congressional hearings “Capitol Hill nonsense,” according to The New York Post. The hearings focused on pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas protests and antisemitism that had broken out on college campuses after the October 7 terror attack on Israel. The presidents of Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and MIT testified. Shipman told Shafik that she believed Columbia would be spared from the scandal that erupted over the hearings and preceded the exit of both Harvard’s and Penn’s presidents. Shipman also encouraged Shafik to show leniency to student groups banned during the raucous protests, which included illegal actions such as vandalism and taking over campus buildings (Daily Wire).

Columbia University Alumni Tear Up Diplomas to Protest Leadership at University

NBC: Instead of joining in Columbia University’s annual “Alumni Day” celebrations for the School of International and Public Affairs, several alumni gathered to denounce the school by ripping up their diplomas in protest. The protest follows the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), a Palestinian activist and a green card holder. Khalil was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at his university-owned apartment on March 8 (NBC). Libs of TikTok: Pro-Palestine Columbia graduates rip up their diplomas to protest the Trump admin (X).

California Puts Forward Measure Named After Alleged CEO Murderer Luigi Mangione

Is alleged murder the type of thing they look up to? New York Post: Californians could soon be voting on a new healthcare law named after Luigi Mangione, the Ivy League grad who is accused of executing the CEO of UnitedHealthcare in cold blood. The “Luigi Mangione Access to Health Care Act,” was put forward by retired Los Angeles attorney Paul Eisner, who said the sick stunt was necessary to get publicity for his proposal. The proposed ballot measure would make it illegal for an insurance company to “delay, deny or modify any medical procedure or medication” recommended by a doctor if there could be serious consequences including “disability, death, amputation, permanent disfigurement, loss or reduction of any bodily function,” according to the document filed to the California Attorney General’s Office. The terms “delay” and “deny” were written on the bullet casings that were found at the Midtown Manhattan scene where health insurance exec Brian Thompson was gunned down last December (New York Post). News Nation: The initiative is currently under review. A public comment period will be open through April 25. Californians are encouraged to provide feedback on the proposed measure during this time. The Attorney General’s Office would ultimately craft the initiative’s title before initiative petitions are circulated to get signatures from registered voters (News Nation).

Tesla Protests Erupt Around the U.S., Europe

News Nation: Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Tesla dealerships across the United States and parts of Europe on Saturday, voicing opposition to Elon Musk’s role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and his influence within the Trump administration. The coordinated protests aimed to impact Tesla’s stock price and sales, with organizers hoping to diminish the fortune of the world’s richest man, whose wealth is largely tied to his Tesla holdings. “All of the stuff that he’s doing with DOGE that’s affecting millions and millions of people in their jobs, but also the ramifications for the rest of the country. They’re killing the country one blow at a time,” said Irene Miles, a protester in Chicago (News Nation). Paul Szypula: Some anti-Tesla protesters are in Lower Manhattan now holding a banner calling to “BURN A TESLA.” Isn’t it illegal to incite violence (X)?

Trump Administration Looks to Remove Federal Funding to Sanctuary Cities

Townhall: The Trump administration is ramping up efforts to hold sanctuary cities accountable, preparing to withhold federal funds from municipalities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration laws. This bold move signals a firm stance against local governments that prioritize illegal immigration over the safety and security of their communities. By cutting off funding, the administration aims to communicate that cities that flout federal immigration policies will not be subsidized at taxpayers’ expense. This action is a significant step in the Trump administration’s ongoing battle to enforce immigration laws and uphold the rule of law nationwide (Townhall). Newsmax: The list of grants that could be cut includes a $1.9 billion program to help high-risk urban areas prevent and prepare for terrorist attacks, a $760 million program that helps states and tribes prevent terrorism, and a $480 million program that helps states and tribes with emergency preparedness (Newsmax).

FCC Looks to Open Investigation Into Disney for DEI Practices

National Review: The Federal Communications Commission opened an investigation into Disney and ABC this week over its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, which FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr described as “invidious forms of DEI discrimination.” Last month, Disney tweaked some of its DEI initiatives in an effort to focus more on business outcomes and company values again. The cultural shift came weeks after President Donald Trump pledged to eliminate the DEI ideology from the public and private sectors, returning to merit-based policies. Carr noted while he has seen the reports indicating Disney retreated from DEI, “significant concerns remain.” The purpose of the probe is twofold: to ensure that Disney’s discriminatory programs ended “in substance, not just name,” the commissioner said, and to determine whether Disney’s actions complied with FCC regulations (National Review). Outkick: He also got to the crux of the problem with Disney; how it’s moved away from its core mission of family-friendly entertainment into advocacy for their preferred political positions… While the past administration tolerated or even encouraged discriminatory hiring practices, Carr and the new administration are clear they won’t stand for it (Outkick).

U.S. Strikes Houthi Terror Group in Yemen

New York Post: A suspected airstrike by the US pounded Yemen overnight into Saturday, killing at least one person. The attacks targeted multiple areas under the control of the Iranian-backed Houthis, including the capital, Sanaa, and the governorates of al-Jawf and Saada, according to news agency SABA run by the recently-designated terror group. But Houthi fighters and their allies don’t wear uniforms and the government is known to undercount its fatalities since US strikes have been targeting rebel-run military sites (New York Post). Central Command: CENTCOM Forces Attack Houthi Positions (X). Daily Wire: The Houthis as recently as Thursday have also launched attacks against the USS Harry S. Truman, an aircraft carrier stationed in the Red Sea. The terror group has targeted over 100 commercial ships sailing near Yemen since November 2023 (Daily Wire).

Interest Costs on U.S. Debt on Pace to Overtake Economic Growth by 2045

Just the News: The U.S. is on track to hit a dangerous milestone by 2045, according to an analysis of the new Congressional Budget Office’s long term budget outlook. The average interest rate on debt will exceed the economic growth rate by 2045, sparking the beginning of a debt spiral…”Interest costs will reach a record 3.2 percent of GDP this year – exceeding the cost of defense and Medicare – and further grow to 5.4 percent of GDP by 2055,” according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget’s review (Just the News). CBO: The deficit remains large by historical standards over the next 30 years, reaching 7.3 percent of GDP in 2055 (CBO).

10.

British Sentencing Council Says White Men to Be Sentenced Longer Than Woman, Minorities

BBC: The government has threatened to override the body advising judges in England and Wales in a row over how ethnic minority offenders should be sentenced, days before new rules are set to take effect. It comes after the Sentencing Council refused a request from Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood for it to rethink new instructions for judges due to begin on Tuesday. Mahmood said the guidelines would lead to “differential treatment” of offenders by courts. Under the rules, which have prompted a “two-tier” justice row, judges will be expected to consider the lives of offenders from ethnic minority and other backgrounds before deciding on punishment (BBC). Visgrad 24: The British Sentencing Council has decided that starting Tuesday, white men will be sentenced to longer prison sentences than women and ethnic minorities (X).

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