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16 Things Trump And His Team Did In Three Weeks

Published

6 months ago

February 16, 2025

The third week of Donald Trump’s second term has been marked by more major action from the US president and his team.

From announcing US goals on the future of Gaza and massively slashing the US agency for foreign aid to intervening in a golf dispute and banning transgender women from female sports competitions, Trump, his adviser Elon Musk and the rest of his team have pressed on with their agenda.

There’s a lot to keep up with – so here’s a reminder of 16 moves this week.

1. Proposed the US ‘take over’ Gaza

At a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said the US would “take over” and “own” Gaza, resettling its Palestinian population in the process.

Trump proposed developing the territory, devastated after 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas, into the “Riviera of the Middle East”.

“The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting,” Trump repeated on social media on Thursday, reiterating the idea would mean resettling Palestinians who currently live there.

Trump suggested the displacement would be permanent, but administration officials later suggested any relocation would be only temporary.

Any forced deportation of civilians would be a violation of international law.

2. Planned to put thousands of USAID staff on leave

Thousands of employees at the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the government’s main foreign aid agency, were expected to be placed on leave at midnight on Friday.

That was until a judge temporarily blocked President Trump’s plan, hours before it was due to happen.

Judge Carl Nichols issued a “limited” temporary restraining order, in response to a last-minute lawsuit filed by two unions trying to save the agency.

The proposed cuts will affect the vast majority of the agency’s workforce, leaving only a few hundred essential staff out of a total of about 10,000 employees globally.

The move comes after workers were asked to stay out of the agency’s Washington DC headquarters earlier this week.

Cutbacks at the agency have upended the global aid system, with hundreds of programmes already frozen in countries around the world.

The Trump administration reportedly intends to merge the agency, which distributes billions of dollars in aid globally, with the State Department, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters he was now the acting head of the agency.

3. Imposed tariffs on China and pulled back threats on neighbours

Trump imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese imports on Tuesday, but held off on his threat of implementing 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico for 30 days, after those countries’ leaders pledged to beef up border security.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to reinforce the US-Canada border to clamp down on migration and the flow of the deadly drug fentanyl.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to bolster the country’s northern border with troops, and in return the US would limit the flow of guns into Mexico.

The tariffs, which some experts suggest could exacerbate inflation, were part of Trump’s campaign platform ahead of November’s election.

4. Pressed ahead with plan to incentivise federal workers to resign

The Trump administration had offered incentives to federal workers to voluntarily resign by a Thursday midnight deadline – part of an effort to slash the size of the government.

However, a US judge temporarily halted the plan hours before the deadline, pausing it until a hearing on Monday to determine the merits of a lawsuit filed by federal employee unions, CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, reported.

Some of the federal government’s more than two million civilian workers have voiced confusion about the terms of the deal, which the administration says would allow them to receive pay and benefits through September in exchange for resigning.

Critics have questioned the legality of the offer and some federal employee unions have advised members to exercise caution around accepting the deal.

5. Sanctioned the International Criminal Court

On Thursday, Trump signed an order to impose sanctions on some staff of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The sanctions place financial and visa restrictions on individuals and their families who assist in ICC investigations of American citizens or allies.

The Hague-based court brings global prosecutions for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Recently, it issued arrest warrants for a Hamas commander and Israel’s Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza, which Israel denies.

Trump’s announcement came as Netanyahu was visiting Washington DC.

More than 120 countries, including the UK, are members of the ICC, though the US and Israel are not.

6. Ordered strikes against the Islamic State group in Somalia

Trump said he ordered military air strikes on a senior attack planner and others from the Islamic State (IS) group in north-east Somalia on 1 February.

He said “many terrorists” were killed “without, in any way, harming civilians”. The BBC could not independently verify reports of casualties.

The office of Somalia’s president on social media welcomed the “unwavering support of the United States in the fight against international terrorism”.

7. Withdrew from United Nations institutions

Trump also took action to end US involvement in several UN institutions.

On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the US from the main UN agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, of which Israel has been highly critical.

The same order said the US would no longer participate in the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), and the US would conduct a review of its membership in the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) within 90 days.

8. Sent first plane of deportees to Guantanamo

The US sent the first group of migrants to Guantanamo Bay on Tuesday, after Trump announced plans to expand migrant detention at the US Navy base in Cuba.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the detainees were part of the Tren de Aragua – a gang that originated in Venezuela’s prisons. Ten detainees were sent, CBS reported, citing multiple US officials.

The move came after Trump ordered that an existing migrant detention facility at the base be expanded to hold some 30,000 people.

The Naval base has been used to house a small number of migrants – a few dozen at a time, in recent years – for decades.

Separately, nearly 800 people – most held on suspicions of terrorism – have been jailed at the base’s detention centre since it opened in 2002. About 15 people are still held there now, according to US media.

Deportation flights also carried migrants back to India this week.

9. Demanded Ukraine provide rare earth resources

On Monday, Trump said he wanted Ukraine to guarantee the supply of more rare earth metals in exchange for $300bn (£240bn) to support its fight against Russia.

“We want what we put up to go in terms of a guarantee… we’re looking to do a deal with Ukraine where we’re going to secure what we’re giving them with their rare earth (minerals) and other things,” Trump said.

Ukraine has large deposits of uranium, lithium and titanium, which can be used for defence and electronics manufacturing, CBS reported.

In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was open to investment by American companies.

10. Banned transgender competitors from women’s sports

Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday that prevents transgender women from competing in female categories of sports.

The order outlines guidance, regulations and legal interpretations largely around high school, university and grassroots sports.

However, Trump said the order would include the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, adding he would deny visas for transgender Olympic athletes trying to visit the US to compete.

11. Released water from dams in California

Trump on Monday ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to release billions of gallons of water from two reservoirs in California’s Central Valley after deadly wildfires in Los Angeles in January.

Trump had claimed California withheld water supplies that could have made a difference in fighting the fires, which the state’s Governor Gavin Newsom and other officials disputed, CBS reported.

The water was released into a dry lakebed more than 100 miles (160km) away from the fires. Experts and officials told CBS the water could not flow to Los Angeles and would likely go to waste.

US Congressman Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California, said that before the water in the dams was released, it was being “saved for the farmers for the summer season when they needed the water” in the state’s agricultural region.

12. Announced taskforce to tackle ‘anti-Christian bias’

Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that aimed “to protect the religious freedoms of Americans and end the anti-Christian weaponization of government”.

He appointed newly confirmed Attorney General Pam Bond to lead a task force to eradicate what he called “anti-Christian bias” in the federal government.

Trump signed the order after giving remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC. 13. Intervened in a dispute in the golf world

Trump, an avid golf player who owns courses around the world, reportedly intervened in a dispute between championship organiser PGA Tour and its rival series LIV Golf.

After the launch of LIV Golf led to a rift, the rivals entered negotiations and announced a “framework agreement” for a merger, but a deadline to complete that deal passed.

This week, PGA Tour said it was “closer to a deal” with LIV Golf after calling on Trump to step in.

“We asked the president to get involved for the good of the game, the good of the country, and for all the countries involved,” said the statement. “We are grateful that his leadership has brought us closer to a final deal, paving the way for reunification of men’s professional golf.”

13. Removed climate change mentions from government websites

Starting last week, the Trump administration reportedly ordered some US government agency websites to remove references to climate change.

It has affected the websites of the departments of transportation, defence, state and agriculture, which manages the forest service, the Guardian reported.

Some climate content remained on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Nasa and Energy Department’s sites.

This week, some employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) were also ordered to temporarily stop communicating with foreign nationals, US media reported.

The change came after reports that staff from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) – which is not an official government department – entered the offices of NOAA and took over the agency’s internal websites, removing pages devoted to diversity-focused employee affinity groups.

14. Increased access for Musk’s Doge

President Donald Trump said on Friday that he had directed Musk’s Doge, a cost-cutting initiative to shrink the federal government, to “check out” spending at the Defence Department among other agencies.

“Pentagon, education, just about everything,” Trump said during a news conference with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

The Trump administration also gave members of Doge access to a US treasury department payments system that controls the flow of trillions of dollars in funds every year, US media reported.

But on Saturday, a federal judge blocked Doge from accessing the personal financial data of millions of Americans in Treasury Department records.

US District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer issued a preliminary injunction to prohibit access, ordering Musk and his team to immediately destroy any copies of records.

Musk’s newly created Doge, which is not an official federal department, has been heavily involved in government upheaval.

15. Joe Biden’s security clearance revoked

Trump revoked Joe Biden’s security clearance and access to daily intelligence briefings on Friday – something Biden did to Trump four years ago.

“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“JOE, YOU’RE FIRED,” the Republican added in a reference to his catchphrase on the reality TV show, The Apprentice.

It came among a flurry of other announcements on Friday, which included an executive order freezing financial assistance to South Africa and announcing that he would fire the board of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC and name himself chairman.

16. Scraps task force that seized assets of Russian oligarchs

Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi this week disbanded a force designed to combat foreign interference in elections, as well as another initiative which targeted Russian oligarchs.

In an order signed on Bondi’s first day in office, she disbanded the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force – which aimed to prevent foreign meddling in US elections – to reassign its staff to focus instead on drug cartels and transnational criminal organisations.

The order stated it would “free resources to address more pressing priorities, and end risks of further weaponization and abuses of prosecutorial discretion”.

Bondi also disbanded Task Force KleptoCapture, which was launched after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It had been tasked with seizing yachts and other assets from Russian oligarchs.
(Tribune)

Headline

Trump Administration Proposes New Rule Limiting Nigerians, Others

Published

11 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

The Trump administration has unveiled a proposal that would restrict the length of time international students can remain in the United States for their studies.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the regulation, which is expected to be published on Thursday, would impose a four-year cap on student visas and other categories of temporary admissions.

According to Fox News, the DHS said the proposal is part of efforts to curb “visa abuse” and strengthen the government’s ability to “properly vet and oversee these individuals.”

It added that some students have “taken advantage of U.S. generosity” and become “forever” students by staying enrolled in colleges to prolong their residence.

“For too long, past Administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the U.S. virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing untold amount of taxpayer dollars, and disadvantaging U.S. citizens,” a DHS spokesperson stated.

“This new proposed rule would end that abuse once and for all by limiting the amount of time certain visa holders are allowed to remain in the U.S., easing the burden on the federal government to properly oversee foreign students and their history,” the spokesperson continued.

Currently, F visa holders may stay in the U.S. for the “duration of status,” meaning the period they are enrolled full-time. The new proposal would allow stays for the length of a programme but would not permit them to exceed four years, generally less than the time needed for postgraduate studies.

Foreign journalists would also be affected. Under the plan, they would receive an initial admission period of 240 days, with the possibility of a single extension for another 240 days, but not longer than their assignment.

The DHS said regular assessments would provide “proper oversight” and help reduce the number of people residing in the U.S. on temporary visas.

But education experts warned the measure could hurt universities financially. International students typically pay higher tuition and have fewer opportunities for scholarships, which contributes significantly to the financial support of American colleges.

“It will certainly act as an additional deterrent to international students choosing to study in the United States, to the detriment of American economies, innovation, and global competitiveness,” Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, said in a statement to Politico.

Headline

Russia Hits Ukraine With ‘Massive’ Deadly Overnight Strikes

Published

15 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Russian forces launched a “massive” attack on Kyiv on Thursday, hitting the Ukrainian capital with strikes that killed at least four people and wounded around 30 others, Ukrainian officials said.

The attack came as Moscow and Kyiv traded blame over an impasse in diplomatic efforts towards a peace deal spearheaded by US President Donald Trump.

AFP journalists in Kyiv witnessed powerful explosions that illuminated the night sky and left behind a column of smoke.

Ukraine’s Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said the strikes killed four people and wounded “about 30 people.”

Those killed included a 14-year-old girl, while five children aged seven to 17 were among those who sustained “injuries of varying severity,” Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the city’s military administration, said.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the strikes as a “massive attack” that caused damage in several districts of the capital.

Tkachenko said Moscow had fired ballistic and cruise missiles as well as Iranian-designed Shahed drones from different directions to “systematically” target residential buildings.

Red tracer bullets sailed through the night sky in an effort to intercept drones above the city centre, an AFP journalist saw. At least one missile appeared to be shot down.

Around 100 people took refuge in a subway station, with some lying in sleeping bags and others holding their pets.

A five-story building in the Darnytsky district had collapsed, and a shopping mall was hit in the city centre, Klitschko reported.

– Ukrainian attacks on Russia –
Kyiv suffered one of its worst attacks of the over three-year war on July 31, leaving more than 30 people dead including five children.

Ukrainian officials also reported a Russian strike in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region on Thursday.

Russian authorities said they destroyed over 100 Ukrainian drones overnight. A Ukrainian attack sparked a fire at an oil refinery in the Krasnodar region but caused no casualties, according to local officials.

Russian forces have been slowly but steadily gaining ground in Ukraine in recent months, as diplomatic efforts have accelerated.

Trump held a high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this month, followed by a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and European allies.

But there has been little progress since then.

Before concluding any peace agreement, Ukraine wants security guarantees from the West to deter any future Russian attacks.

Moscow has cast Kyiv’s demands as unrealistic and has raised particular objection to the notion of stationing Western peacekeeping troops in Ukraine.

Zelensky said on Wednesday that members of his administration would meet with US officials in New York on Friday.

The Ukrainian leader said he saw “very arrogant and negative signals from Moscow regarding the negotiations”, urging extra “pressure” to “force Russia to take real steps”.

AFP

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Two US Pastors Arrested In $50m Human Trafficking, Fraud Case

Published

15 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Two church leaders in the United States have been arrested in an alleged multi-million-dollar conspiracy after multiple Federal Bureau of Investigation raids across the country on Wednesday, including one in Hillsborough County’s exclusive Avila neighborhood.

In a statement issued via its website on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice said Michelle Brannon, 56, was arrested at a mansion near Tampa, while David Taylor, 53, was arrested in North Carolina over allegations of multi-million dollar money laundering, forced labour and human trafficking.

According to the DOJ, Taylor and Brannon are the leaders of Kingdom of God Global Church, formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International.

The Justice Department said Taylor referred to himself as “Apostle” and to Brannon as his Executive Director.

FBI officials said law enforcement arrested Brannon early Wednesday at 706 Guisando De Avila in Hillsborough County, which is owned by the church, according to property records.

Investigators arrested Taylor on Wednesday morning in North Carolina, while SWAT and FBI agents also raided a hotel owned by the church in Houston.

A 10-count indictment alleged that Taylor and Brannon ran call centres in Florida, Texas, Missouri, and Michigan to solicit donations to the church.

The pair convinced their victims to work at the call centres and work for Taylor as personal servants – referred to as “armour bearers” – for long hours without pay, according to the indictment.

Federal investigators said Taylor and Brannon “controlled every aspect of the daily living of their victims,” who slept at the call centre or in a “ministry” house and were not allowed to leave without permission.

The indictment also says the suspects forced the victims to transport women to Taylor and ensure that those women took Plan B emergency contraceptives.

The church received about $50 million in donations through its call centres dating back to 2014, according to the DOJ.

Taylor and Brannon are accused of using much of that money to buy luxury properties, luxury vehicles, and sporting equipment such as boats, jet skis, and ATVs.

Taylor and Brannon face charges of forced labour, conspiracy to commit forced labour, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Each alleged crime carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan returned a 10-count indictment against two defendants for their alleged roles in a forced labour and money laundering conspiracy that victimised individuals in Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said the two defendants were arrested in North Carolina and Florida in a nationwide takedown of their forced labour organistion.

“Combating human trafficking is a top priority for the Department of Justice.

“We are committed to relentlessly pursuing and ending this scourge and obtaining justice for the victims,” he said.

Also speaking, U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan, said, “We will use every lawful tool against human traffickers and seek justice for their victims.

“A case like this is only possible through a concerted effort with our federal partners across the country and the non-governmental agencies who provide victim support. We thank them all.”

“The indictment of David Taylor and Michelle Brannon demonstrates the FBI’s steadfast efforts to protect the American people from human exploitation and financial crimes, including forced labour and money laundering.

“The alleged actions are deeply troubling. I want to thank the members of the FBI Detroit Field Office, with strong support from our federal and agency partners in the FBI Tampa Field Office, FBI Jacksonville Field Office, FBI St. Louis Field Office, FBI Charlotte Field Office, FBI Houston Field Office, and the Detroit IRS-CI Field Office, in addition to several local, county and state law enforcement partners, for their role in executing this multi-state operation.

“The FBI in Michigan will continue to investigate those who violate federal law and remain focused on ensuring the protection and safety of our nation,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman of the FBI Detroit Field Office.

“Money laundering is tax evasion in progress, and in this case, the proceeds funded an alleged human trafficking ring and supported a luxury lifestyle under the guise of a religious ministry.

“IRS-CI stands committed to fighting human trafficking and labor exploitation, and pursuing those who hide their profits gained from the extreme victimization of the vulnerable,” said Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of IRS Criminal Investigation, Detroit Field Office.

According to the DOJ, conspiracy to commit forced labour carries up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000, while forced labour carries up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.

It noted that conspiracy to commit money laundering carries up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $500,000 or twice the value of the properties involved in the money laundering transactions.

It was gathered that Brannon appeared in federal court in Tampa on Wednesday afternoon, but an attorney for Brannon wasn’t present.

A judge asked where her attorney was and whether she had representation.

Brannon told the judge that she had two private attorneys, out of St. Louis and Oklahoma, who were already working with them. However, she said she hadn’t heard from either of them.

The judge said the attorneys were not able to be reached through the phone numbers provided to federal prosecutors. It’s not clear if Brannon has legal representation at this point.

The judge continued Brannon’s hearing to Thursday afternoon. He instructed Brannon to find an attorney in the Tampa area in the meantime.