Trump says he’ll nominate Waltz as U.N. ambassador
In the midst of reports that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz was being pushed out of his position, President Trump said that he’s nominating Waltz to be ambassador to the U.N. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will add the role of national security advisor, at least temporarily. Waltz’s deputy Alex Wong also was reported as being pushed out. Waltz wound up in the middle of a controversy when he allowed the editor of The Atlantic magazine to participate in an unsecured messaging session on the commercial texting application Signal about military attack plans.
CNN finds undocumented immigrants are a profit base for Social Security
CNN reports that undocumented immigrants who work in the U.S. have been an important funding source for Social Security. CNN has examined data showing that the working immigrants pay Social Security taxes while they are not allowed to collect benefits. CNN said that in 2022, undocumented immigrants paid about $100 billion into Social Security and that from 2024 to 2034 they would be putting $348 billion into Social Security, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The money has been helping keep Social Security solvent, according to what CNN reported.
Judge hands Trump immigration defeat
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump Administration cannot deport Venezuelans from South Texas using the Alien Enemies Act. Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ruled that it is illegal for Trump to use the 18th-century law as a justification for the actions being taken. Judge Rodriguez was appointed to the bench by Trump. Rodriguez issued a permanent injunction to stop the administration from using the act to deport any more Venezuelans as it has been doing without giving the targeted people due process.
Trump Justice Department sues states to stop actions combatting climate change
The Justice Department under President Trump has filed complaints against New York and Vermont seeking to overturn their climate superfund laws. The laws are designed to hold fossil fuel companies liable for damage they allegedly cause to the climate by extracting fossil fuels. The laws assess financial penalties against businesses’ that cause the harm the states say they’re experiencing from climate change. The Justice Department seeks a declaration that these state laws are unconstitutional and seeks an injunction against their enforcement. In separate actions, the Justice Department filed lawsuits against the states of Hawaii and Michigan to prevent each state from suing fossil fuel companies in state court to seek damages for alleged climate change harms.
Putin’s goals for Ukraine war may have changed
CNN reports that U.S. and Western intelligence suggests that the goals of Russian President Vladimir Putin for the war he started against Ukraine may have changed. Instead of continuing to want to annex all of Ukraine as part of Russia, the reports suggest that Putin now just wants to consolidate his hold on the territory already captured. CNN says there is some thinking that Putin may realize he does not have the manpower, momentum or economic reserves to continue conducting a widespread war that he initially believed could be won in a matter of days.
Trump cryptocoin to be used in $2 billion deal
An Abu Dhabi investment firm is going to use the cryptocurrency coin created by Donald Trump’s World Liberty Financial business to fund a $2 billion investment. A co-founder of Liberty Financial, Zach Witkoff, son of Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, confirmed the pending investment. Trump had said his children took over running the crypto business when he entered the White House. His son Eric Trump, who is executive vice president of the Trump Organization, appeared with Witkoff in Dubai to announce the deal.
