Breaking
Wealth World News
Archive

2025

Browsing
Sports

Trump administration rescinds memorandum on college athletes as employees

The National Labor Relations Board’s acting general counsel on Friday rescinded a memorandum issued by his Biden-administration predecessor that said she viewed college athletes as employees of their schools under the National Labor Relations Act.

Friday’s memorandum from the Trump administration’s William B. Cowen rescinded an array of memoranda that had been issued by Jennifer Abruzzo, including the one from September 2021 that was accompanied by a statement from Abruzzo in which she wrote:

College athletes “perform services for institutions in return for compensation and (are) subject to their control.

‘Thus, the broad language of … the Act, the policies underlying the NLRA, Board law, and the common law fully support the conclusion that certain (college athletes) are statutory employees, who have the right to act collectively to improve their terms and conditions of employment.’

Friday’s memorandum comes against the backdrop of longstanding efforts by the NCAA, conferences and universities to pursue federal legislation that would prevent college athletes from becoming employees of their schools. A bill to that effect passed a U.S. House committee in June 2024, but went no farther.

The new memo comes two days after the new Trump administration’s Education Department rescinded guidance issued in the final days of the Biden administration’s Education Department that stated that compensation paid by colleges to their athletes for use of their name, image and likeness (NIL) is subject to Title IX gender-equity policies.

Cowen wrote in Friday’s memorandum: “Over the past few years, our dedicated and talented staff have worked diligently to process an ever-increasing workload. Notwithstanding these efforts, we have seen our backlog of cases grow to the point where it is no longer sustainable. The unfortunate truth is that if we attempt to accomplish everything, we risk accomplishing nothing.

“Since assuming the role of Acting General Counsel, working with experienced field and headquarters professionals, I have conducted a comprehensive review of active General Counsel Memoranda and determined that the following actions are warranted,” including the recission of the college-athlete memo.

Abruzzo’s memorandum helped set the foundation for unionization efforts by Dartmouth men’s basketball players and a complaint by NLRB’s Los Angeles office against the NCAA, the Pac-12 Conference and the University of Southern California that alleged they had unlawfully misclassified college athletes as ‘student-athletes’ rather than employees.

Both of those efforts were abandoned in December and January, respectively, primarily because of concerns that an adverse decision by the full NLRB, as it was likely to be constituted under the then-incoming Trump administration, would carry the weight of precedent in the future.

The complaint against the NCAA, Pac-12 and USC specifically revolved around athletes in football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball at USC. However, it carried the potential for much broader implications across college sports college sports.

The National Labor Relations Act applies to private employers. The complaint sought to interconnect the NCAA and a major college-sports conference — both of which are private, non-profit organizations — to athletes’ alleged employment at a private school in a way that would have allowed the NLRB to take the position that every college athlete has a private employer: the NCAA and/or a conference. That, in turn, could have opened the door to the possibility of unionization efforts by athletes at public schools.   

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

Popular ‘Inside the NBA’ to return next season, but many details unclear

SAN FRANCISCO – The idea of not working NBA All-Star Weekend didn’t register with TNT’s Kenny Smith until a friend asked him a question this week.

“My friend asked, ‘Are you going to come to All-Star Weekend next year?’ Smith told USA TODAY Sports from the green room at Pier 48, down the street from Golden State’s Chase Center. He was preparing to appear with TNT’s popular “Inside the NBA” crew for a show before the Minnesota-Oklahoma City game.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

Messi, Inter Miami to face Orlando City in final preseason match

A busy week for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami concludes when the club plays its final preseason game on Friday night.

Inter Miami will face its in-state MLS rival Orlando City at 7:30 p.m. ET inside Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

The match will be the fifth and final preseason match for Inter Miami this year.

Messi attended Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans last Sunday, debuting a new ad with Apple and MLS Season Pass after the game. Inter Miami’s newest home jersey is available worldwide and Messi’s drink has become the new hydration partner for Inter Miami this week.

Messi may have a light day at the office on Friday night with two games next week: Inter Miami begins its first-round matchup in the Concacaf Champions Cup on Tuesday against Sporting Kansas City, then begins the 2025 MLS season on Feb. 22 at home against New York City FC.

Here’s everything you need to know about Friday’s Inter Miami-Orlando City match, and stay tuned for live updates from USA TODAY Sports:

Tadeo Allende goal: Inter Miami 1, Orlando City 1

Inter Miami’s Tadeo Allende scored in the 22nd minute on an assist from Luis Suarez to help tie the match early in the first half.

The goal is the second this preseason for Allende, the Argentine national in his first season with Inter Miami.

Martín Ojeda goal: Orlando City 1, Inter Miami 0

One No. 10 is on the board in Tampa, but it’s not Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi.

Orlando City’s Martín Ojeda scored in the 15th minute to give his side the early 1-0 lead over Messi, Inter Miami.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Orlando City preseason game?

The match is available to live stream for free on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

How has Messi, Inter Miami fared this preseason?

Messi has scored two goals in four Inter Miami preseason games – all victories for the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield champions.

Messi scored a goal and had two assists in 62 minutes as Inter Miami beat Honduran giants Club Olimpia Deportivo 5-0 last Saturday in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

Messi scored a header and played 66 minutes in the preseason opener against Mexican champions Club America in Las Vegas on Jan. 18. He played 72 minutes against Universitario in Peru on Jan. 29. Inter Miami won both games on penalty kicks.

Messi was also the catalyst behind two goals while playing 76 minutes in a 3-1 win against San Miguelito in Panama City last Sunday.

Inter Miami’s upcoming schedule

Here are the next three games Messi and Inter Miami will play:

Feb. 18: Sporting Kansas City vs. Inter Miami, Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, 8 p.m. ET (Concacaf Champions Cup)
Feb. 22: Inter Miami vs. New York City FC, Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 2:30 p.m. (MLS regular season opener)
Feb. 25: Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City, Chase Stadium, 8 p.m. ET (Concacaf Champions Cup)

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Politics

Judge extends order blocking Musk’s DOGE team from Treasury payment system

A federal judge on Friday extended a temporary order that blocks Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team from accessing payment systems within the Treasury Department. 

The extension comes after 19 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over DOGE’s access to the payment system, which has information about Americans’ Social Security, Medicare and veterans’ benefits, tax refund information, and much more. 

The lawsuit claims the Musk-run agency illegally accessed the Treasury Department’s central payment system at the Trump administration’s behest. 

The lawsuit was filed in New York by New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office and includes attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin. 

U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan on Friday said that she wasn’t going to issue a ruling yet on the attorneys general request for a longer preliminary injunction, leaving the temporary order issued last Saturday in place.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told FOX Business last week that the concerns about DOGE’s access to the Treasury Department are not valid. 

‘DOGE is not going to fail,’ he said. ‘They are moving a lot of people’s cheese here in the capital, and when you hear this squawking, then some status quo interest is not happy.’

He continued, ‘At the Treasury, our payment system is not being touched. We process 1.3 billion payments a year. There is a study being done — can we have more accountability, more accuracy, more traceability that the money is going where it is? But, in terms of payments being stopped, that is happening upstream at the department level.’

The newly-created DOGE aims to cut government waste and has been given access to more than a dozen government agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of Education and the Department of Labor.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
Keep Reading
By
Business

Retail sales slumped 0.9% in January, down much more than expected

Consumers sharply curtailed their spending in January, indicating a potential weakening in economic growth ahead, according to a Commerce Department report Friday.

Retail sales slipped 0.9% for the month from an upwardly revised 0.7% gain in December, even worse than the Dow Jones estimate for a 0.2% decline. The sales totals are adjusted for seasonality but not inflation for a month, in which prices rose 0.5%.

Excluding autos, prices fell 0.4%, also well off the consensus forecast for a 0.3% increase. A “control” measure that strips out several nonessential categories and figures directly into calculations for gross domestic product fell 0.8% after an upwardly revised increase of 0.8%.

With consumer spending making up about two-thirds of all economic activity in the U.S., the sales numbers indicate a potential weakening in growth for the first quarter.

Receipts at sporting goods, music and book stores tumbled 4.6% on the month, while online outlets reported a 1.9% decline and motor vehicles and parts spending dropped 2.8%. Gas stations along with food and drinking establishments both reported 0.9% increases.

Stock market futures held in slightly negative territory following the release, while Treasury yields lost ground. Traders raised bets that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates again as soon as June.

“The drop was dramatic, but several mitigating factors show there’s no cause for alarm. Some of it can be chalked up to bad weather, and some to auto sales tanking in January after an unusual surge in December due to fat dealer incentives,” said Robert Frick, corporate economist with Navy Federal Credit Union. “Especially considering December was revised up strongly, the rolling average of consumer spending remains solid,” Frick added.

Inflation remains ahead of the Fed’s 2% goal. The consumer price index posted a 0.5% gain in January and showed a 3% annual inflation rate. However, the producer price index, a proxy for wholesale prices, showed some softening in key pipeline inputs.

In other economic news Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that import prices accelerated 0.3% in January, in line with expectations for the largest one-month move since April 2024. On a year-over-year basis, import prices increased 1.9%.

Fuel prices increased 3.2% on the month, also the biggest gain since April 2024. Food, feeds and beverage costs rose 0.2% following a 3% surge in December.

Export prices also increased, rising 1.3%.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
Keep Reading
By
Sports

Davis vs. Berinchyk live: Updates, highlights for title card

Keyshawn Davis is getting his first shot at a world championship belt on Friday, not to mention a chance to prove he actually deserves it.

The WBO lightweight title will be at stake when Davis (12-0, 8 KOs) fights Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) on Friday in a lightweight bout. While Davis is ranked as the WBO’s No. 1 contender, he failed to crack the Top 15 in the most recent rankings from the three other major sanctioning bodies – WBC, WBA and WBO.

A showdown with Berinchyk clearly is the easiest path to a world title in a division stacked with notable champions:  Gervonta Davis (WBA), Shakur Stevenson (WBC) and Vasiliy Lomachenko (IBF). But it still could prove to be a challenging path in a bout pitting youth vs. experience.

Both fighters won Olympic silver medals. That’s where the similarities end.

At 25, Davis has shown speed and power and is coming off a second-round knockout of Gustavo Lemos. At 36, Berinchyk has shown savvy cultivated in part during a long amateur career and in his last bout beat Emanuel Navarette for the WBO lightweight championship belt.

He carried it over his right shoulder to a press conference this week.

“That’s my belt,’’ Davis declared.

We’ll soon see.

Keon Davis vs. Ira Johnson results

Round 1: At 6-3, the slender Davis has a striking height advantage over the 5-9 Johnson. And he’s uncorking nasty punches. This is only his second fight, and he’s looking more like a veteran. He’s teeing off on Johnson and lands a big uppercut. Landing punches with force. Davis 10, Johnson 9.

Round 2: Davis digs into Johnson’s body with both hands. Johnson downs on his right knee! He beats and counts but doesn’t look terribly eager to resume fighting. Davis drops Johnson again! This time he doesn’t bother getting to his feet before the referee counts to 10. It’s over! Davis by KO!

Jared Anderson def. Marioas Kollias by unanimous decision

Round 1: Anderson is wearing a pattern with cupids and hearts on his boxing shorts, which look more like a skirt. He throws shots without love, and Kollias responds with his own power. Anderson attacks with his right, and Kollias responds with a barrage to the body and head. Anderson responds but steps into a strong left from Kollias. Kollas 10, Anderson 9.

Round 2: Anderson is out quickly behind his jab. His punches look crisp and he looks in control. Anderson lands an uppercut that catches Kollias’ attention. Anderson slips a big punch from Kollias and makes Kollias pay. Sterling is boxing from Anderson. Kollias 19, Anderson 19. 

Round 3: Anderson resumes where he left off. Firing his jab and right. Big swing and a miss from Kollias. Anderson again looks like control. Egad! Kollias’ shorts are falling down. But Kollias isn’t. He lands a couple of hard shorts. The referee pulls up those ill-behaved shorts. Anderson finishes the round with a little flourish. Anderson 29, Kollias 28.

Round 4: Once again, Anderson is out quickly. But with his pants pulled down, Kollias fires back. Unleashes some big punches, but none land flushly. Anderson responds with a crisp jab and throws a big right to the body. Anderson looking to be in control. Anderson 39, Kollias 37.

Round 5: Kollias emerges with authority, unleashing punches rather than waiting on Anderson. Anderson looks more vulnerable now and cautious. Down come Kollias shorts again. Where’s the ringside tailor?! Kollias literally pulling up his shorts while trying to evade punches. Ref hitches up the shorts again. What a wardrobe malfunction. But nothing can protect Kollias from Anderson’s body assault. Anderson 49, Kollias 46. 

Round 6: Down comes Kollias trunks again. Kuh-ray-zee. Does anybody in the audience have an extra belt? Anderson suppressed any laughter and suppressed Kollias with that jab. Anderson 59, Kollias 55.

Round 7: Kollias absorbs Anderson’s jab and lands some solid blows. Kollias can’t sustain the attack, and Anderson regains control behind his jab and occasional right. But Kollias gets revved up again and tags Anderson with a shot to the head. Anderson 68, Kollias 65.

Round 8: Both fighters fire early and connect. Kollias lunges forward behind a right and left. Anderson evades the punches. Kollias was willing to eat punches as he moved forward and fired from close range. But Anderson makes good use of his crisp punches. Anderson 78, Kollias 74.

Round 9: Kollias lands a big right. But Anderson absorbs and fires back with a jab and his right. Kollias showing more urgency and unleashing punches. Kollias surges again and Anderson wraps him up. Anderson 87, Kollias 84.

Round 10: Anderson unleashes a stinging left. Kollias bulls forward. Rat-a-tat-tat, Anderson peppering Kollias with that jab and digs in with a left to the body. Kollias wants to brawl, and Anderson hurls Kollias to the mat. WWE, anyone? Kollias finishes the round strong. Anderson 96, Kollias 94.

Final: The 10-round heavyweight bout included a memorable wardrobe malfunction. On at least two occasions, Kollias needed the referee to help him pull up his trunks.  But that was the lesser of his problem.

Anderson tattooed Kollias with an effective left jab and was the more skillful boxer.

The judges scored it 99-91, 99-91, 98-92 in favor of Anderson, who improved to 18-1. Kollias fell to 12-4-1.

Carlos Guerra Jr. def. Nico Ali Walsh by split decision

Round 1: Guerra comes out as the aggressor. Ali Walsh fights back with his jab followed by a right. Guerra lands a solid right and Walsh backpedaling now. Guerra applies pressure but with modest power. Ali Walsh lands a combination, and Guerra responds. Guerra 10, Ali Walsh 9.

Round 2: Ali Walsh firing early, but Guerra moving forward now and unleashing punches with body hands. Pounding Ali Walsh in the body. Guerra looks awkward, but now he’s got Ali Walsh against the ropes. Guerra still showing limited power, but he’s landing far more punches. Guerra 20, Ali Walsh 18.

Round 3: Guerra working Ali Walsh’s body. Ali Walsh moving well, but the bad news is he needs to be moving. Ali Walsh looks puzzled and now flat-footed while taking an uppercut on the chin. Guerra 30, Ali Walsh 27.

Round 4: Guerra out firing again and marching forward. Ali Walsh lands a solid left to the body but Guerra looks undeterred. Ali Walsh scores another body shot but in exchange eats a shot and is backpedaling again. Ali Walsh looking for active now, and Guerra’s tank may be emptying.  Ali Walsh has drawn blood. Guerra 39, Ali Walsh 37.

Round 5: Ali Walsh fires early, and Guerra simply moves forward. A nice exchange in the corner. Guerra pops Ali Walsh with a crisp jab. The textbook is laughing at Guerra. But the awkward Guerra is laughing back as he stalks Ali Walsh. He lands a solid uppercut, but his face is smeared with blood. Guerra 49, Ali Walsh 46.

Round 6: Ali Walsh lands early, but Guerra continues to move forward. Both boxers landing now. Ali Walsh digs a left into Guerra’s body. Working the head and the body. Ali Walsh coming alive now. Where has this energy been? Guerra 58, Ali Walsh 56.

Final: Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, looked like a far more distant relative to The Greatest in his super lightweight bout. Ali Walsh spent most of the six-round fight backpedaling against a construction worker from Chicago who lacked technique and pedigree but not heart. Guerra stalked Ali Walsh from the opening bell and wielded an awkward but effective right hand. He finished with blood on his face but as the victor. The judges scored it 56-58, 58-56, 58-56 in favor of Guerra, who improved to 6-1-1. Ali Walsh, 24, fell to 10-2.

Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk time

The undercard starts at 5 p.m. ET. The three-fight main card is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET 

Where is Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk fight? 

The WBO lightweight title fight will get underway at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York.

How to watch Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk fight 

The undercard will be streamed on ESPN+. The main card will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN+. 

Watch Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk boxing with ESPN+

Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk card start time

Prelims: 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT (ESPN+)
Main card: 9 p.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT (PPV on ESPN+)

Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk fight card

Main Card

Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk, lightweight, for WBO lightweight title 
Xander Zayas vs. Slawa Spomer, middleweight 
Vito Mielnicki Jr. vs. Connor Coyle, middleweight 

Prelims

Juanmita Lopez De Jesus vs. Bryan Santiago, junior bantamweight 
Abdullah Mason vs. Manuel Jaimes, lightweight 
Rohan Polanco vs. Jean Carlos Torres, welterweight 
Keon Davis vs. Ira Johnson, welterweight 
Jared Anderson vs. Marios Kollias, heavyweight 
Tiger Johnson vs. Quashawn Toler, welterweight 
Nico Ali Walsh vs. Juan Guerra Jr., middleweight

Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk fight odds

All available odds are for moneyline bets (as of Thursday), according to BetMGM.

Main Card

Keyshawn Davis (-600) vs. Denys Berinchyk (+350)
Vito Mielnicki Jr. (-400) vs. Connor Coyle (+275)

Prelims

Abdullah Mason (-1200) vs. Manuel Jaimes (+750)
Jared Anderson (-2500) vs. Marios Kollias (+800)
Nico Ali Walsh (-1200) vs. Juan Guerra Jr. (+600)

Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk predictions:

CBS Sports: Davis by unanimous decision. 

Brent Brookhouse writes, ‘Berinchyk may find a bit of early success before Davis’ jab starts to dictate how the fight plays out. Once Davis gets rolling, he should fully take over the fight but Berinchyk is likely too crafty to get stopped before the final bell.’

Clutch Points: Davis by decision

Jaren Kawada writes, ‘Davis is coming off an early knockout, one that has him convinced he will do the same to Berinchyk. His power and precision make that possible, but it would certainly be quite a shock.’

Sportskeeda: Berinchyk by decision

Ricardo Viagem writes that Davis is ‘powerful and technical, but can fall into the trap of relying too much on his toughness whenever he finds himself in exchanges. He also has a tendency to be flat-footed.’

Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk live stream

The prelims and fight will be available for live stream on ESPN+.

Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk price

UFC events are available to ESPN+ subscribers for $119.99 for the entire year. You can also purchase a monthly subscription of ESPN+ for $11.99.

Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk tickets 

Tickets listed on StubHub Thursday ranged in price from $86 to $565.

Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk: Tale of the tape

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

ESPN commentator says he was ‘joking around’ with Serena comments

When retired tennis superstar Serena Williams made a surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show during Super Bowl 59, everyone with a microphone and a platform chimed in on what they thought about it.

Williams used to date hip-hop artist Drake, who was the subject of Lamar’s diss track ‘Not Like Us,’ and once the 23-time Grand Slam winner crip-walked into 133 million viewer’s televisions, the bloviating commenced.

Enter Stephen A. Smith, ESPN’s highly paid commentator on ‘First Take,’ who added his two cents, with the caveat of the never-married Smith saying what he would do if that happened to him.

“If I’m your husband, I’m thinking, ‘Why are you up there trolling him — trolling your ex?’” Smith said on Monday. “If I’m married, and my wife is going to troll her ex — go back to his ass. Because clearly you don’t belong with me. What you worried about him for — and you with me? Bye. Bye.”

After being dragged by every corner of the internet for those comments, Smith felt the need to go on social media to explain, which was the equivalent of saying, ‘I was just playing.’

Here’s Smith’s ‘explanation’ of his comments about Williams, urging people to go back and hear what he said.

“I didn’t utter a single disrespectful word about Serena. No issues with folks getting upset of literal serious stuff one’s pissed about. This doesn’t qualify peeps. Come on. We were joking around on @FirstTake. Damn y’all! It’s not that serious,’ Smith said on social media.

“Everybody knows that she and Drake were together at one time, and it seemed like everyone wanted to get their lick.’

We’re extremely online: Sign up for USA TODAY’s Everyone’s Talking newsletter.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Politics

Trump so far has freed 11 hostages in his first month as president; Biden released around 70 in four years

President Donald Trump’s administration has secured the release of 11 U.S. hostages held by foreign governments since taking office less than one month ago, according to the White House. 

The Trump administration has emphasized arranging the release of U.S. hostages under his second administration and welcomed U.S. Marc Fogel, a U.S. history teacher who had been detained in Russia since 2021, back to the U.S. Tuesday. 

Other hostages released since Trump’s inauguration include six Americans detained in Venezuela, two Americans detained in Belarus and Israeli-American citizen Keith Siegel, who was held hostage by Palestinian militant group Hamas. There are at least two living American citizen hostages believed to be held in Gaza. 

By comparison, former President Joe Biden said in 2024 his White House secured the release of more than 70 hostages during his four years in office, according to an August 2024 statement. Fox News Digital didn’t find any available data to compare numbers from Biden’s first month in office. 

Trump claimed to have helped release 58 in his first term as president. 

There were 46 American nationals known to be held captive in 16 different countries in 2024, according to the nonprofit Foley Foundation, which advocates for U.S. hostages and was named after James Foley, a U.S. journalist kidnapped while reporting in Syria in 2012 and killed by ISIS in 2014. That number is now likely closer to the low 30s after the recent releases of hostages in January and February.

On Tuesday, Trump met with Fogel, who was arrested in August 2021 at a Russian airport for possessing drugs and was slated to serve a 14-year sentence. Fogel’s family said the drugs he had on him were medically prescribed marijuana. 

‘I want you to know that I am not a hero in this at all,’ Fogel said Tuesday after meeting Trump. ‘And President Trump is a hero.

‘These men that came from the diplomatic service are heroes,’ Fogel said. ‘The senators and representatives that passed legislation in my honor — they got me home — they are heroes.’

Following Foley’s return and after announcing the release of another, unnamed hostage held in Belarus Wednesday, Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler said Trump ‘has made bringing Americans home a top priority, and people respond to that.’

The names of most of the hostages released in February have not been publicly shared. 

‘President Trump is committed to freeing Americans held hostage and returning them to their families,’ Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, said in a Friday statement to Fox News Digital. ‘To date, President Trump has secured the release of 11 Americans who were detained by the Taliban, Hamas, Venezuela, Russia and Belarus.’

Just before Trump’s inauguration Jan. 20, both the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration coordinated to secure a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which included provisions to release dozens of hostages on both sides. 

Biden and Trump separately boasted about their individual efforts to secure the deal, and State Department spokesman Matthew Miller described the Trump administration’s involvement as ‘critical’ to getting the deal over the finish line. 

Trump also touted his administration’s involvement in a social media post Jan. 15, claiming it occurred ‘as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies.’

Although Biden said the two teams had been ‘speaking as one team’ during the negotiations, he also mocked suggestions that Trump was responsible for securing the ceasefire deal. 

‘Who in the history books gets credit for this, Mr. President, you or Trump?’ Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich asked Biden Jan. 15 after a White House news conference.

‘Is that a joke?’ Biden said. 

When Heinrich said it was not, Biden replied, ‘Oh. Thank you.’ 

The Associated Press and Fox News’ Emma Colton and Landon Mion contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
Keep Reading
By
Politics

Blue state AGs accuse Vance of spreading ‘dangerous lie’ following VP’s online criticism of judges

Blue state attorneys general accused Vice President JD Vance of attempting to spread a ‘dangerous lie’ after he criticized judges blocking President Donald Trump’s agenda. 

‘The Vice President’s statement is as wrong as it is reckless. As chief law enforcement officers representing the people of 17 states, we unequivocally reject the Vice President’s attempt to spread this dangerous lie,’ the statement reads. 

Seventeen state attorneys general, including those from California, Connecticut, Arizona, Massachusetts and Washington, signed the statement released Friday after Vance sent the internet into a frenzy, saying, ‘Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.’

‘Americans understand the principle of checks and balances,’ the AGs wrote. ‘The judiciary is a check on unlawful action by the executive and legislative branches of government. Generals, prosecutors, and all public officials are subject to checks and balances. No one is above the law.’ 

Vance’s comments were made after a court blocked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing personal data. The Trump administration has become the target of more than 50 lawsuits since Trump began his second term in mid-January. Judges in various states across the country, including Washington, Rhode Island and New York, have continuously blocked the administration’s efforts to implement its agenda. 

‘If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal,’ Vance posted on X. ‘If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that’s also illegal. Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.’

The statement from the AGs said that they would ‘carefully scrutinize each and every action taken by this administration.’ They also made clear that if the administration violated the Constitution or federal law, they would ‘not hesitate to act.’

‘Judges granted our motions and issued restraining orders to protect the American people, democracy, and the rule of law. That is and has always been their job,’ the AGs wrote. ‘That job is the very core of our legal system. And in this critical moment, we will stand our ground to defend it.’ 

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi recently pledged her support for Trump’s efforts, vowing to challenge ‘unelected’ judges obstructing his administration’s agenda.

‘We have so many un-elected judges who are trying to control government spending. And there is a clear separation of powers,’ Bondi said during an appearance on ‘America’s Newsroom.’ ‘What they’re doing to [DOGE leader Elon Musk], to our country, is outrageous. You know, people work their whole lives and pay taxes, yet they find out that they’ve been giving $2 million to Guatemala for sex changes. It’s outrageous. And it’s going to stop.’

Since Inauguration Day, dozens of activist and legal groups, elected officials and local jurisdictions, as well as individuals, have launched a myriad of lawsuits in response to the president’s executive orders and directives. Notably, Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship, his immigration policies, directives on federal funding, and the implementation of DOGE have all come under fire. 

The Trump administration has proceeded to appeal many of these rulings to the appellate courts. In a recent development, the Trump administration appealed an order from a Rhode Island judge to unfreeze federal funds. The order claimed the administration did not adhere to a previous order to do so. 

The Trump administration appealed the order to the First Circuit shortly thereafter, which was ultimately denied.  

Upon Trump’s historic win in November, Democratic AGs, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, publicly said they would be ready to engage in any legal battles against the Trump administration for actions they view as illegal or negatively impacting residents. 

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
Keep Reading
By
Politics

Federal judge delays unions’ request to block DOGE access to agency information

A federal judge on Friday indefinitely delayed a final ruling on a request by labor unions to block Elon Musk’s government efficiency team from accessing internal system data, telling both parties, ‘You will hear from me,’ while declining to promise an exact time or date. 

The update from U.S. District Judge John Bates, a George W. Bush appointee, comes just one week after he rejected an earlier request from unions representing Labor Department employees for a temporary restraining order to block DOGE access to internal system data. The judge said the plaintiffs lacked standing and failed to show they would be harmed as a result of the actions. 

In response, the unions amended their complaint to broaden the scope of the lawsuit, adding the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 

Arguments Friday stretched for more than three hours, with plaintiffs arguing that DOGE employees were accessing their information illegally since DOGE is not technically a U.S. government agency.

‘There has been reporting that DOGE is directing the cuts of agency staff and contracts, not simply advising the president,’ one lawyer for the plaintiffs told Judge Bates, ‘The situation is extremely fluid and changing.’

The plaintiffs urged Judge Bates to grant a temporary request to block DOGE’s access to the information, which they said would ‘force the agency to implement a more thoughtful process.’

Meanwhile, the Justice Department argued in response that the DOGE personnel in question are ‘detailed’ U.S. government employees who have access to the information under provisions of the Economy Act.

Judge Bates declined to rule from the bench, telling both sides, ‘You will hear from me.’

The update will likely do little in the near term to assuage concerns among employees at the Labor Department and other federal agencies over DOGE’s access to sensitive internal data. 

Attorneys for unions representing Labor Department employees argued during last week’s hearing that, absent court intervention, DOGE could access protected agency information, including the financial and medical records of millions of Americans, as well as employee safety and workplace complaints.

The plaintiffs noted that Labor Department systems contain sensitive information about investigations into Musk-owned companies Tesla and SpaceX, as well as information about trade secrets of competing companies, sparking concerns about Elon Musk’s possible access to the information.

Attorney Mark Samburg argued that DOGE access to this information could have a ‘chilling effect’ on new employees coming forward, due to fear of unlawful disclosure or retaliation.  

‘The sensitive information of millions of people is currently at imminent risk of unlawful disclosure,’ Samburg said.

Judge Bates suggested Friday that DOGE’s creation and its hierarchy were ‘odd,’ noting that it ‘was created in a way to get it out of OMB [Office of Management and Budget], and instead answering to the chief of staff of the president.’

DOGE ‘took great effort to avoid being an agency, but in this case, you’re an agency,’ he said of DOGE. ‘It just seems to strain credulity.’ 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
Keep Reading
By