A convicted drug trafficker whose prison sentence was commuted by former US president Joe Biden during his last days in White House is back behind bars &mdash; for multiple drug-related offences.
The man identified as 52-year-old Willie Frank Peterson on Monday (Mar 17) was booked for multiple drug-related offensives in Dothan, Alabama.
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<h2>Who is Willie Frank Peterson?</h2>
Peterson was one of the nearly 2,500 non-violent drug dealers whose sentences were commuted by Biden on 17 January 2025, just ahead of his departure from the White House.
Before the executive grant of clemency, Peterson was serving a six years and three months sentence on the charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He had been convicted in 2023, and his sentence began on 13 September 2023, according to Fox News.&nbsp;
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Shortly after his sentence was commuted by Biden, the drug dealer left custody after serving 20 months of his sentence.
Now, he has been booked for two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of marijuana. As per police records, Peterson was also arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and three firearms-related offences.
<h2>Biden's clemency</h2>
In the final days of his presidency, Biden set the record for the highest number of clemencies in a single day by any US president, commuting the sentences of around 2,500 non-violent drug dealers. This came after he granted clemency to around 1,500 people who were serving their sentences and 37 federal death row inmates.&nbsp;
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Biden also granted clemency to his son Hunter Biden, who US Special Counsel David Weiss charged with three felonies stemming from his purchase and possession of a Colt Cobra.38 revolver in October 2018.
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

Discover how Willie Frank Peterson, a drug trafficker whose sentence was commuted by Joe Biden, finds himself re-arrested for multiple drug offenses and firearm charges.

A convicted drug trafficker whose prison sentence was commuted by former US president Joe Biden during his last days in White House is back behind bars — for multiple drug-related offences. The man identified as 52-year-old Willie Frank Peterson on Monday (Mar 17) was booked for multiple drug-related offensives in Dothan, Alabama. Also read | ‘Paedophile’ ex-surgeon Joel Le Scouarnec admits to sex abuse of 299 victims in France, says 'I have a duty to tell the truth' Who is Willie Frank Peterson? Peterson was one of the nearly 2,500 non-violent drug dealers whose sentences were commuted by Biden on 17 January 2025, just ahead of his departure from the White House. Before the executive grant of clemency, Peterson was serving a six years and three months sentence on the charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He had been convicted in 2023, and his sentence began on 13 September 2023, according to Fox News. Also read | London's Heathrow airport, one of world's busiest, closed due to fire causing power outage Shortly after his sentence was commuted by Biden, the drug dealer left custody after serving 20 months of his sentence. Now, he has been booked for two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of marijuana. As per police records, Peterson was also arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and three firearms-related offences. Biden's clemency In the final days of his presidency, Biden set the record for the highest number of clemencies in a single day by any US president, commuting the sentences of around 2,500 non-violent drug dealers. This came after he granted clemency to around 1,500 people who were serving their sentences and 37 federal death row inmates. Also read | Trump 2.0 – Goodbye to soft power, hello to tariffs Biden also granted clemency to his son Hunter Biden, who US Special Counsel David Weiss charged with three felonies stemming from his purchase and possession of a Colt Cobra.38 revolver in October 2018. (With inputs from agencies)

Drug trafficker who was released thanks to Biden’s Clemency, re-arrested for multiple drug offences

The United States government has started releasing documents on the assassination of President John F Kennedy that had been kept a secret till now citing national security. This comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order in January ordering that unredacted files in the case be made public.
While historians do not think a major bombshell might drop after these papers are made public, there is one thing that stands out. According to the Geller Report, John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr, or JFK Jr, the son of 35th US President John F Kennedy, once called former president Joe Biden a "traitor".
It mentions a letter by JFK Jr. where he wrote, "Dear Sen. Biden: You are a traitor..."&nbsp;
The documents carry a letter by JFK Jr delivered by a special agent to Joe Biden on Sep 8, 1994, who was a senator at the time. The letter has been addressed to "Sen. Joseph Biden (D.-Delaware), US Capitol Building, US Senate, Washington DC 20515".
The document further reads, "Accompanying handwritten /hand printed letter dated 8/26/94, beginning "Dear Sen. Biden: You are a traitor..." and bearing the signature "John F. Kennedy Jr."
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No further details about the accusation are known yet.
Hundreds of thousands of JFK documents had previously been released but some had been kept private for national security reasons. It is not clear how much information released in the new tranche is new as experts some of it had been released in partially redacted form.&nbsp;
A news release on March 18 stated, "In accordance with President Donald Trump&rsquo;s directive of March 17, 2025, all records previously withheld for classification that are part of the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection are released."
"You got a lot of reading," Trump told reporters on Monday. "I don't believe we're going to redact anything."
US media reported that many of the passages in the files released were not blacked out, however, some were faded and hard to read.
<h2>US President John F Kennedy's assassination</h2>
John F Kennedy was shot during a visit to Dallas, Texas, on 22 November, 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald, a Marine veteran and self-described Marxist. While a government commission investigation determined that Oswald was the culprit, several Americans do not believe he acted alone.
Another document in the papers states that the CIA had been watching President Kennedy&rsquo;s killer Oswald before the assassination.&nbsp;

JFK Jr, the son of 35th US President John F Kennedy, once called former president Joe Biden a "traitor", as per the last trove of JFK assassination files released. World Trending

The United States government has started releasing documents on the assassination of President John F Kennedy that had been kept a secret till now citing national security. This comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order in January ordering that unredacted files in the case be made public. While historians do not think a major bombshell might drop after these papers are made public, there is one thing that stands out. According to the Geller Report, John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr, or JFK Jr, the son of 35th US President John F Kennedy, once called former president Joe Biden a "traitor". It mentions a letter by JFK Jr. where he wrote, "Dear Sen. Biden: You are a traitor..." The documents carry a letter by JFK Jr delivered by a special agent to Joe Biden on Sep 8, 1994, who was a senator at the time. The letter has been addressed to "Sen. Joseph Biden (D.-Delaware), US Capitol Building, US Senate, Washington DC 20515". The document further reads, "Accompanying handwritten /hand printed letter dated 8/26/94, beginning "Dear Sen. Biden: You are a traitor..." and bearing the signature "John F. Kennedy Jr." Also Read: JFK assassination files out after 60 years wait; Did Trump release a 'smoking gun'? Here's what new documents reveal No further details about the accusation are known yet. Hundreds of thousands of JFK documents had previously been released but some had been kept private for national security reasons. It is not clear how much information released in the new tranche is new as experts some of it had been released in partially redacted form. A news release on March 18 stated, "In accordance with President Donald Trump’s directive of March 17, 2025, all records previously withheld for classification that are part of the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection are released." "You got a lot of reading," Trump told reporters on Monday. "I don't believe we're going to redact anything." US media reported that many of the passages in the files released were not blacked out, however, some were faded and hard to read. US President John F Kennedy's assassination John F Kennedy was shot during a visit to Dallas, Texas, on 22 November, 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald, a Marine veteran and self-described Marxist. While a government commission investigation determined that Oswald was the culprit, several Americans do not believe he acted alone. Another document in the papers states that the CIA had been watching President Kennedy’s killer Oswald before the assassination.

JFK Files: When JFK Jr called ex-president Joe Biden a 'traitor'. 'Dear Sen. Biden: You are...'

US President Donald Trump has claimed that the pardons issued by former US President Joe Biden are null and void. Trump claims Biden did not sign the pardons by hand and instead, used an autopen.

Trump declares Biden’s Jan. 6 pardons ‘void’ over autopen use

Donald Trump has claimed, without providing any evidence, that pardons issued by Joe Biden are &ldquo;void, vacant and of no further force and effect&rdquo; because they were signed using an autopen rather than personally by the president.
<h2>What happened?</h2>
On 20 January, Biden&rsquo;s final day in office, he issued pre-emptive pardons to family members and all members of the House committee that investigated the 6 January attack on Congress. The riot was incited by Trump as part of his attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Trump has frequently threatened members of the committee with legal action or imprisonment.
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Trump made his claim in a post on his social media platform, saying, &ldquo;The &lsquo;Pardons&rsquo; that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!&rdquo;
He added that committee members should &ldquo;fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level.&rdquo;
<h2>Trump's autopen allegations</h2>
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump repeated his claim, saying, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not my decision &ndash; that&rsquo;ll be up to a court &ndash; but I would say that they&rsquo;re null and void, because I&rsquo;m sure Biden didn&rsquo;t have any idea that it was taking place, and somebody was using an autopen to sign off and to give pardons.&rdquo;
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He further claimed, again without proof, that committee members, including former Representative Liz Cheney, were &ldquo;probably responsible for the documents that were signed on their behalf&rdquo; without Biden&rsquo;s knowledge.
<h2>What is an autopen?</h2>
An autopen is a device used to create automatic or remote signatures and has been utilised by public figures for decades.
Former President Barack Obama faced scrutiny in 2011 for allowing an aide to use an autopen to extend the Patriot Act, marking the first time a president had authorised such a signature. In 2013, he also used an autopen while on holiday in Hawaii to sign a bill preventing a financial crisis.
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<h2>Are autopen signatures valid?</h2>
A 2005 legal opinion from the Justice Department&rsquo;s Office of Legal Counsel under President George W. Bush confirmed that a president may direct a subordinate to &ldquo;affix the President&rsquo;s signature&rdquo; to a document.
<h2>Did Biden use an autopen?</h2>
Biden has used an autopen in the past, but Trump has not provided any evidence that the pardons in question were signed without Biden&rsquo;s involvement.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/they-spied-they-lied-but-they-failed-trump-says-biden-turned-doj-into-department-of-injustice-8855032">'They Spied, They Lied, But They Failed': Trump says Biden turned DOJ into 'Department of Injustice'</a>
Trump&rsquo;s claims follow a report from the Heritage Foundation, a pro-Trump think tank, which suggested that &ldquo;whoever controlled the autopen controlled the presidency.&rdquo; However, Newsweek has reported that there is photographic evidence of Biden personally signing several documents that the Heritage Foundation claims were signed by an autopen.
<h2>Could Trump overturn the pardons in court?</h2>
Legal precedent suggests Trump&rsquo;s argument would not hold up in court. In 1929, the US Justice Department ruled that the president has full discretion over how a pardon is issued. More recently, a federal appeals court ruled that presidential pardons do not even need to be in writing.
<h2>Committee members respond</h2>
Bennie Thompson, the former chair of the January 6 committee, dismissed Trump&rsquo;s claim, telling Axios, &ldquo;I am not afraid of Trump&rsquo;s latest midnight rant that has no basis in reality.&rdquo;
Meanwhile, Adam Kinzinger posted on X, &ldquo;Please! You guys have been threatening this forever! Bring it on, it&rsquo;s getting boring waiting.&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)

World: On 20 January, Biden’s final day in office, he issued pre-emptive pardons to all members of the House committee that investigated the 6 January attack on Congress.

Donald Trump has claimed, without providing any evidence, that pardons issued by Joe Biden are “void, vacant and of no further force and effect” because they were signed using an autopen rather than personally by the president. What happened? On 20 January, Biden’s final day in office, he issued pre-emptive pardons to family members and all members of the House committee that investigated the 6 January attack on Congress. The riot was incited by Trump as part of his attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Trump has frequently threatened members of the committee with legal action or imprisonment. Also read: Trump’s Ukraine ‘peace’ plan isn’t about peace. It’s a PR stunt Trump made his claim in a post on his social media platform, saying, “The ‘Pardons’ that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!” He added that committee members should “fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level.” Trump's autopen allegations Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump repeated his claim, saying, “It’s not my decision – that’ll be up to a court – but I would say that they’re null and void, because I’m sure Biden didn’t have any idea that it was taking place, and somebody was using an autopen to sign off and to give pardons.” Also read: Trump says Iran ‘will be held responsible’ for Houthi strikes, warns of ‘dire consequences’ He further claimed, again without proof, that committee members, including former Representative Liz Cheney, were “probably responsible for the documents that were signed on their behalf” without Biden’s knowledge. What is an autopen? An autopen is a device used to create automatic or remote signatures and has been utilised by public figures for decades. Former President Barack Obama faced scrutiny in 2011 for allowing an aide to use an autopen to extend the Patriot Act, marking the first time a president had authorised such a signature. In 2013, he also used an autopen while on holiday in Hawaii to sign a bill preventing a financial crisis. Also read: From Trump Airlines to Trump Vodka: US President Donald Trump’s biggest business flops Are autopen signatures valid? A 2005 legal opinion from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel under President George W. Bush confirmed that a president may direct a subordinate to “affix the President’s signature” to a document. Did Biden use an autopen? Biden has used an autopen in the past, but Trump has not provided any evidence that the pardons in question were signed without Biden’s involvement. Also read: 'They Spied, They Lied, But They Failed': Trump says Biden turned DOJ into 'Department of Injustice' Trump’s claims follow a report from the Heritage Foundation, a pro-Trump think tank, which suggested that “whoever controlled the autopen controlled the presidency.” However, Newsweek has reported that there is photographic evidence of Biden personally signing several documents that the Heritage Foundation claims were signed by an autopen. Could Trump overturn the pardons in court? Legal precedent suggests Trump’s argument would not hold up in court. In 1929, the US Justice Department ruled that the president has full discretion over how a pardon is issued. More recently, a federal appeals court ruled that presidential pardons do not even need to be in writing. Committee members respond Bennie Thompson, the former chair of the January 6 committee, dismissed Trump’s claim, telling Axios, “I am not afraid of Trump’s latest midnight rant that has no basis in reality.” Meanwhile, Adam Kinzinger posted on X, “Please! You guys have been threatening this forever! Bring it on, it’s getting boring waiting.” (With inputs from agencies)

Trump claims Biden’s Jan. 6 panel pardons are ‘void’ over autopen use: Does he have a case?

US President Donald Trump, in a rare address at the Department of Justice headquarters on Friday (March 14), alleged that his "predecessors" turned the Department of Justice into the "Department of Injustice". He said that his appointees would &ldquo;expel&rdquo; the &ldquo;corrupt forces&rdquo; from their ranks and produce a &ldquo;legendary&rdquo; public accounting of misdeeds.&nbsp;
"I stand before you today to declare that those days are over and they are never going to come back,&rdquo; Trump said.&nbsp;
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&ldquo;As the chief law enforcement officer in our country, I will insist upon and demand complete accountability for the wrongs and abuses that have occurred,&rdquo; Trump said while reportedly citing all the criminal cases showed to him in the department.&nbsp;
"We will expel the rogue actors and corrupt forces from our government, we will expose and very much expose their egregious crimes and severe misconduct of which was levels - you&rsquo;ve never seen anything like it. It&rsquo;s going to be legendary," the US president added.&nbsp;
Trump, taking a dig at the former president Joe Biden, said that a "corrupt group of hacks and radicals within the ranks of the American government obliterated the trust and goodwill built up over generations".&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-trump-dies-mysteriously-internet-goes-crazy-after-reporter-smacks-mic-into-trumps-face-8854772">'If Trump dies mysteriously...': Internet goes crazy after reporter smacks mic into US president's face</a>
"They weaponized the vast powers of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies to try to thwart the will of the American people,&rdquo; Trump added.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🔥🔥🔥 Trump gives remarks at DoJ: "Our predecessors turned the Department of Justice into the Department of injustice. But I stand before you today to declare that those days are over &mdash; and they are never going to come back." <a href="https://t.co/EzPC1NMdgH">pic.twitter.com/EzPC1NMdgH</a>
&mdash; ӨGM&Lambda; (@fatherofogham) <a href="https://twitter.com/fatherofogham/status/1900646410225156271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Trump's Friday address was the first presidential speech at the Justice Department since 2015.&nbsp;
<h2>'Did everything within their power'</h2>
Trump further alleged that the Biden administration "spied" on his election campaign.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They spied on my campaign, launched one hoax and disinformation operation after another, broke the law on a colossal scale, persecuted my family, staff and supporters, raided my home Mar-a-Lago, and did everything within their power to prevent me from becoming the president of the United States," he said.&nbsp;
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But &ldquo;in the end the thugs failed and the truth won," said Trump.&nbsp;
<h2>'I would have rather been found guilty'</h2>
The US president also mocked Biden over the investigation against him for mishandling classified documents. The case was not prosecuted as special counsel Robert Hur determined jury wouldn&rsquo;t convict him on the grounds of him being elderly and suffering from poor memory.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-blasts-illegal-media-in-fiery-doj-speech-slams-outlets-critical-of-him-political-arms-of-the-democrat-party-8854702">Trump blasts 'illegal' media in fiery speech, labels outlets critical of him 'political arms of Democrat party'</a>
&ldquo;I would have rather been found guilty,&rdquo; Trump laughed on Biden's mental state.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

WORLD | He said that his appointees would “expel” the “corrupt forces” from their ranks and produce a “legendary” public accounting of misdeeds.

US President Donald Trump, in a rare address at the Department of Justice headquarters on Friday (March 14), alleged that his "predecessors" turned the Department of Justice into the "Department of Injustice". He said that his appointees would “expel” the “corrupt forces” from their ranks and produce a “legendary” public accounting of misdeeds. "I stand before you today to declare that those days are over and they are never going to come back,” Trump said. Also read: Indian scholar Ranjani Srinivasan self-deports after Trump admin revokes visa for allegedly 'supporting' Hamas “As the chief law enforcement officer in our country, I will insist upon and demand complete accountability for the wrongs and abuses that have occurred,” Trump said while reportedly citing all the criminal cases showed to him in the department. "We will expel the rogue actors and corrupt forces from our government, we will expose and very much expose their egregious crimes and severe misconduct of which was levels - you’ve never seen anything like it. It’s going to be legendary," the US president added. Trump, taking a dig at the former president Joe Biden, said that a "corrupt group of hacks and radicals within the ranks of the American government obliterated the trust and goodwill built up over generations". Also read: 'If Trump dies mysteriously...': Internet goes crazy after reporter smacks mic into US president's face "They weaponized the vast powers of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies to try to thwart the will of the American people,” Trump added. 🔥🔥🔥 Trump gives remarks at DoJ: "Our predecessors turned the Department of Justice into the Department of injustice. But I stand before you today to declare that those days are over — and they are never going to come back." pic.twitter.com/EzPC1NMdgH — ӨGMΛ (@fatherofogham) March 14, 2025 Trump's Friday address was the first presidential speech at the Justice Department since 2015. 'Did everything within their power' Trump further alleged that the Biden administration "spied" on his election campaign. “They spied on my campaign, launched one hoax and disinformation operation after another, broke the law on a colossal scale, persecuted my family, staff and supporters, raided my home Mar-a-Lago, and did everything within their power to prevent me from becoming the president of the United States," he said. Also read: Trump's 'beautiful area' for Gazans? US, Israel eyeing three 'poor' African nations to resettle Palestinians But “in the end the thugs failed and the truth won," said Trump. 'I would have rather been found guilty' The US president also mocked Biden over the investigation against him for mishandling classified documents. The case was not prosecuted as special counsel Robert Hur determined jury wouldn’t convict him on the grounds of him being elderly and suffering from poor memory. Also read: Trump blasts 'illegal' media in fiery speech, labels outlets critical of him 'political arms of Democrat party' “I would have rather been found guilty,” Trump laughed on Biden's mental state. (With inputs from agencies)

'They Spied, They Lied, But They Failed': Trump says Biden turned DOJ into 'Department of Injustice'

US President Donald Trump has been ambitious about his Mars mission. The president is keen on sending astronauts to the red planet; this is when two NASA astronauts are already looking to be back home from a lunar mission at the earliest after repeated delays. And now, what comes as a big blow to the space agency are the layoffs. NASA to eliminate the post of chief scientist along with two other departments. Katharine Calvin, chief scientist, was appointed by former President Joe Biden to bolster climate change initiatives.
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"NASA&rsquo;s Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS), the Office of the Chief Scientist, and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility branch in the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, along with reducing their workforce," NASA administrator Janet Petro confirmed in a memo to the employees.
She added, "As I alluded to last week, we are all navigating a complex and ever-changing landscape together, and I want to share what that means for our team in the near term."
OTPS was established in 2021, during the Biden administration. According to the agency's website, the department brings together diverse, multidisciplinary experts to provide NASA leadership with analytic, strategic, and decisional insights in the form of quickturn analyses, memos, and reports.
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Ever since Trump assumed office on January 20, the Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by Elon Musk, has been slashing jobs under the pretext of cost-cutting. A month ago, the White House issued an order to implement downsizing of teams. The move was initiated for 'reforming the federal workforce to maximise efficiency and productivity'.
The notice from the President's office highlighted, "Within 240 days of the date of this order, the USDS Administrator shall submit a report to the President regarding implementation of this order."
The document also mentioned, "Within 30 days of the date of this order, agency heads shall submit to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget a report that identifies any statutes that establish the agency, or subcomponents of the agency, as statutorily required entities. The report shall discuss whether the agency or any of its subcomponents should be eliminated or consolidated."
&nbsp;

World | SCIENCE & TECH: NASA to eliminate the post of chief scientist along with two other departments. Katharine Calvin, chief scientist, was appointed by former President Joe Biden to bolster climate change initiatives.

US President Donald Trump has been ambitious about his Mars mission. The president is keen on sending astronauts to the red planet; this is when two NASA astronauts are already looking to be back home from a lunar mission at the earliest after repeated delays. And now, what comes as a big blow to the space agency are the layoffs. NASA to eliminate the post of chief scientist along with two other departments. Katharine Calvin, chief scientist, was appointed by former President Joe Biden to bolster climate change initiatives. Also read: Here’s why NASA engineers are switching off instruments on Voyager space probes "NASA’s Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS), the Office of the Chief Scientist, and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility branch in the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, along with reducing their workforce," NASA administrator Janet Petro confirmed in a memo to the employees. She added, "As I alluded to last week, we are all navigating a complex and ever-changing landscape together, and I want to share what that means for our team in the near term." OTPS was established in 2021, during the Biden administration. According to the agency's website, the department brings together diverse, multidisciplinary experts to provide NASA leadership with analytic, strategic, and decisional insights in the form of quickturn analyses, memos, and reports. Also Read: ‘A country is involved’: Elon Musk claims ‘massive cyberattack’ after X goes down worldwide Ever since Trump assumed office on January 20, the Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by Elon Musk, has been slashing jobs under the pretext of cost-cutting. A month ago, the White House issued an order to implement downsizing of teams. The move was initiated for 'reforming the federal workforce to maximise efficiency and productivity'. The notice from the President's office highlighted, "Within 240 days of the date of this order, the USDS Administrator shall submit a report to the President regarding implementation of this order." The document also mentioned, "Within 30 days of the date of this order, agency heads shall submit to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget a report that identifies any statutes that establish the agency, or subcomponents of the agency, as statutorily required entities. The report shall discuss whether the agency or any of its subcomponents should be eliminated or consolidated."

Despite ambitious space plans, Biden-appointed NASA chief scientist sacked amid Trump layoff push

US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/donald-trump" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a> on Sunday (March 9) accused Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky of being "ungrateful," claiming he took American financial aid for Ukraine "like candy from a baby."&nbsp;
Trump's comments come as senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, prepare to meet Ukrainian representatives in Saudi Arabia for talks aimed at ending the ongoing war.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump criticised the Biden administration for providing Ukraine with billions in military support, arguing that Zelensky had exploited the situation. "It was like taking candy from a baby what he did. He's a smart guy, and he's a tough guy, and he took money out of this country under Biden like candy from a baby&mdash;it was so easy with that same attitude. I just don't think he's grateful. We gave him $350 billion," Trump said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/homeland-security-secretary-kristi-noem-says-us-is-now-trumps-country-as-border-crackdown-continues-8837472">&lsquo;Not Biden&rsquo;s world anymore&rsquo;: DHS chief says US is now &lsquo;Trump&rsquo;s country&rsquo; as border crackdown continues</a>
<h2>'Nobody has been tougher on Russia than me'</h2>
Trump also defended his record on Russia, dismissing claims that US support for Ukraine has weakened. "I stopped the Russian pipeline, I'm the one that put sanctions on Russia, I'm the one that gave the Javelins, but I get along well with Putin. Nobody has been tougher on Russia than Donald Trump, and they know that," he said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-miffed-with-uk-after-king-charles-welcomes-zelensky-trudeau-to-his-home-8837379">&lsquo;Makes him feel less special&rsquo;: Trump miffed with UK after King Charles welcomes Zelensky, Trudeau to his home</a>
Trump added that he had good relations with key world leaders. "I got along with Putin, just like I got along with Kim Jong-un and China's President Xi Jinping," he added.
<h2>Nuclear weapons and Europe's defence</h2>
As European nations continue strengthening their defences, French President Emmanuel Macron recently suggested that France's nuclear deterrent could be used to protect the continent. Addressing the issue of nuclear arms, Trump said, "We spend a lot of money on nuclear weapons&mdash;the level of destruction is beyond anything you can imagine. It's just bad that you have to spend all this money on something that, if it's used, it's probably the end of the world."
Warning about the destructive potential of nuclear war, he described the weapons in global stockpiles as "monsters" that could "end the world."
<h2>Calls for peace talks amid escalation</h2>
On Friday, Trump voiced concern over the state of the conflict, accusing Russia of "pounding" Ukraine. He said that he was "strongly considering" imposing tougher sanctions and tariffs on Moscow.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-trumps-russia-reset-raises-fear-of-espionage-as-us-considers-allowing-diplomats-back-in-8837068">&lsquo;Rubbing hands with glee&rsquo;: Trump's Russia reset raises espionage risk as US considers allowing diplomats back in</a>
Posting on Truth Social, he wrote, "Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large-scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED."
Urging both nations to negotiate, he added, "To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!"
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Trump criticised the Biden administration for providing Ukraine with billions in military support, arguing that Zelensky had exploited the situation.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday (March 9) accused Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky of being "ungrateful," claiming he took American financial aid for Ukraine "like candy from a baby." Trump's comments come as senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, prepare to meet Ukrainian representatives in Saudi Arabia for talks aimed at ending the ongoing war. Speaking to Fox News, Trump criticised the Biden administration for providing Ukraine with billions in military support, arguing that Zelensky had exploited the situation. "It was like taking candy from a baby what he did. He's a smart guy, and he's a tough guy, and he took money out of this country under Biden like candy from a baby—it was so easy with that same attitude. I just don't think he's grateful. We gave him $350 billion," Trump said. Also read: ‘Not Biden’s world anymore’: DHS chief says US is now ‘Trump’s country’ as border crackdown continues 'Nobody has been tougher on Russia than me' Trump also defended his record on Russia, dismissing claims that US support for Ukraine has weakened. "I stopped the Russian pipeline, I'm the one that put sanctions on Russia, I'm the one that gave the Javelins, but I get along well with Putin. Nobody has been tougher on Russia than Donald Trump, and they know that," he said. Also read: ‘Makes him feel less special’: Trump miffed with UK after King Charles welcomes Zelensky, Trudeau to his home Trump added that he had good relations with key world leaders. "I got along with Putin, just like I got along with Kim Jong-un and China's President Xi Jinping," he added. Nuclear weapons and Europe's defence As European nations continue strengthening their defences, French President Emmanuel Macron recently suggested that France's nuclear deterrent could be used to protect the continent. Addressing the issue of nuclear arms, Trump said, "We spend a lot of money on nuclear weapons—the level of destruction is beyond anything you can imagine. It's just bad that you have to spend all this money on something that, if it's used, it's probably the end of the world." Warning about the destructive potential of nuclear war, he described the weapons in global stockpiles as "monsters" that could "end the world." Calls for peace talks amid escalation On Friday, Trump voiced concern over the state of the conflict, accusing Russia of "pounding" Ukraine. He said that he was "strongly considering" imposing tougher sanctions and tariffs on Moscow. Also read: ‘Rubbing hands with glee’: Trump's Russia reset raises espionage risk as US considers allowing diplomats back in Posting on Truth Social, he wrote, "Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large-scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED." Urging both nations to negotiate, he added, "To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!" (With inputs from agencies)

‘Took money like candy from baby’: Trump slams ‘ungrateful’ Zelensky for extorting US ahead of talks with Kyiv

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday (Feb 28) engaged in what could be defined as a history-making moment in the relations between both countries.
But Trump's hostility towards Zelensky and Ukraine is not a newfound issue and can be traced back to his first term in the White House.
In 2019, Trump faced impeachment over allegations that he withheld nearly $400 million in US security aid to Ukraine in an attempt to pressure Kyiv into investigating Joe Biden, then the former vice president, and his son, Hunter Biden, ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-trump-meet-us-president-donald-trump-wanted-a-thank-you-zelensky-gave-him-four-in-first-remarks-after-fiery-debate-8766881" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">'Thanks and thanks': Trump wanted a &lsquo;thank you,&rsquo; Zelensky gives him four in first remarks after fiery debate</a>
Trump claimed that Biden had influenced Ukraine to fire a prosecutor who was investigating Burisma, an energy company where Hunter Biden sat on the board. However, no concrete evidence of wrongdoing by either Biden ever surfaced.
A transcript of a phone call between Trump and Zelensky, dated 25 July 2019, revealed that Trump had urged the Ukrainian leader to work with his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and US Attorney General William Barr on the matter.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of talk about Biden&rsquo;s son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great. Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it &hellip; It sounds horrible to me,&rdquo; Trump stated, according to the document.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/grateful-to-us-trump-immensely-thankful-zelensky-hints-at-being-friends-with-trump-after-ugly-wh-spat-8768650" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">'Grateful to US, Trump': 'Immensely' thankful Zelensky, hints at being friends with Trump after ugly WH&nbsp;spat</a>
Beyond the Bidens, Trump also wanted Ukraine to investigate whether it had played a role in hacking the Democratic National Committee in 2016, a claim that contradicted US intelligence findings, which pointed to Russian involvement.
For Zelensky, the situation was complicated. Ukraine depended heavily on American military aid, and any delay or withdrawal of support could have had serious consequences. During the call, Zelensky appeared to comply with Trump&rsquo;s request.
&ldquo;Since we have won the absolute majority in our Parliament, the next prosecutor general will be 100% my person, my candidate,&rdquo; Zelensky said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-demands-account-for-hundreds-of-billions-of-dollars-sent-to-ukraine-after-trump-zelensky-clash-8768275">Elon Musk demands account of 'hundreds of billions of dollars sent to Ukraine' after Trump-Zelensky clash</a>
He continued, &ldquo;He or she will look into the situation specifically to the company that you mentioned in this issue. The issue of the investigation of the case is actually the issue of making sure to restore the honesty so we will take care of that and will work on the investigation of the case.&rdquo;
However, just days before Zelensky was expected to announce the investigation on CNN, a political firestorm erupted in Washington over the Trump administration&rsquo;s threat to withhold aid. The decision to freeze the funds was swiftly reversed, the money was sent, and Zelensky ultimately cancelled the interview, according to The New York Times.
Trump repeatedly denied pressuring Zelensky, insisting, &ldquo;there was no quid pro quo.&rdquo; Yet, multiple US officials later testified that they had been informed the aid would only be released if Ukraine launched an investigation into the Bidens.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-zelensky-meet-us-president-donald-trump-ukraine-vladimir-putin-trump-impeachment-8766547">&lsquo;What does Putin have on him?&rsquo; Key witness accuses Trump of betraying Zelensky as both&nbsp;leaders&nbsp;meet</a>
Gordon Sondland, the then-US ambassador to the European Union, stated that the push for an inquiry into the Bidens came at Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;express direction.&rdquo; He also testified that an invitation for Zelensky to visit the White House had been tied to the launch of the investigation.
Two weeks after Trump approved the aid, the two leaders appeared together at a press conference during the United Nations General Assembly. When asked whether he had been pressured, Zelensky gave a diplomatic response that may not have entirely reassured Trump.
&ldquo;We had, I think, a good phone call &hellip; It was normal. We spoke about many things. I think you read that nobody pushed me,&rdquo; Zelensky stated.
Trump, standing beside him, added, &ldquo;In other words, no pressure.&rdquo;
During the impeachment hearings, Kurt Volker, who served as US special envoy to Ukraine, testified that Trump had described Ukraine as &ldquo;a corrupt country, full of terrible people.&rdquo;
Though the US Senate acquitted Trump in 2020, the ordeal left a lasting impact as it happened just months before his failed re-election bid. Many believe the controversy may have influenced some undecided voters.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: In 2019, Trump faced impeachment over allegations that he withheld nearly $400 million in US security aid to Ukraine in an attempt to pressure Kyiv into investigating Joe Biden.

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday (Feb 28) engaged in what could be defined as a history-making moment in the relations between both countries. But Trump's hostility towards Zelensky and Ukraine is not a newfound issue and can be traced back to his first term in the White House. In 2019, Trump faced impeachment over allegations that he withheld nearly $400 million in US security aid to Ukraine in an attempt to pressure Kyiv into investigating Joe Biden, then the former vice president, and his son, Hunter Biden, ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Also read: 'Thanks and thanks': Trump wanted a ‘thank you,’ Zelensky gives him four in first remarks after fiery debate Trump claimed that Biden had influenced Ukraine to fire a prosecutor who was investigating Burisma, an energy company where Hunter Biden sat on the board. However, no concrete evidence of wrongdoing by either Biden ever surfaced. A transcript of a phone call between Trump and Zelensky, dated 25 July 2019, revealed that Trump had urged the Ukrainian leader to work with his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and US Attorney General William Barr on the matter. “There’s a lot of talk about Biden’s son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great. Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it … It sounds horrible to me,” Trump stated, according to the document. Also read: 'Grateful to US, Trump': 'Immensely' thankful Zelensky, hints at being friends with Trump after ugly WH spat Beyond the Bidens, Trump also wanted Ukraine to investigate whether it had played a role in hacking the Democratic National Committee in 2016, a claim that contradicted US intelligence findings, which pointed to Russian involvement. For Zelensky, the situation was complicated. Ukraine depended heavily on American military aid, and any delay or withdrawal of support could have had serious consequences. During the call, Zelensky appeared to comply with Trump’s request. “Since we have won the absolute majority in our Parliament, the next prosecutor general will be 100% my person, my candidate,” Zelensky said. Also read: Elon Musk demands account of 'hundreds of billions of dollars sent to Ukraine' after Trump-Zelensky clash He continued, “He or she will look into the situation specifically to the company that you mentioned in this issue. The issue of the investigation of the case is actually the issue of making sure to restore the honesty so we will take care of that and will work on the investigation of the case.” However, just days before Zelensky was expected to announce the investigation on CNN, a political firestorm erupted in Washington over the Trump administration’s threat to withhold aid. The decision to freeze the funds was swiftly reversed, the money was sent, and Zelensky ultimately cancelled the interview, according to The New York Times. Trump repeatedly denied pressuring Zelensky, insisting, “there was no quid pro quo.” Yet, multiple US officials later testified that they had been informed the aid would only be released if Ukraine launched an investigation into the Bidens. Also read: ‘What does Putin have on him?’ Key witness accuses Trump of betraying Zelensky as both leaders meet Gordon Sondland, the then-US ambassador to the European Union, stated that the push for an inquiry into the Bidens came at Trump’s “express direction.” He also testified that an invitation for Zelensky to visit the White House had been tied to the launch of the investigation. Two weeks after Trump approved the aid, the two leaders appeared together at a press conference during the United Nations General Assembly. When asked whether he had been pressured, Zelensky gave a diplomatic response that may not have entirely reassured Trump. “We had, I think, a good phone call … It was normal. We spoke about many things. I think you read that nobody pushed me,” Zelensky stated. Trump, standing beside him, added, “In other words, no pressure.” During the impeachment hearings, Kurt Volker, who served as US special envoy to Ukraine, testified that Trump had described Ukraine as “a corrupt country, full of terrible people.” Though the US Senate acquitted Trump in 2020, the ordeal left a lasting impact as it happened just months before his failed re-election bid. Many believe the controversy may have influenced some undecided voters. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump tried to use Zelensky against Biden but it backfired - What fueled his anger towards 'terrible' Ukraine

US President Donald Trump answered over a thousand questions from journalists during the first month of his second term, according to a new report. This count is nearly seven times more than former president Joe Biden in the same period.
According to an analysis published by National Journal on Tuesday (Feb 25), Trump responded to 1,009 questions from journalists, much more than previous presidents.
Biden answered 141 questions in his first month, while Obama took 161 queries during the same period of his first term in 2009.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/andrew-tristan-tate-fly-to-us-on-private-jet-trump-administration-pressure-romania-to-lift-their-travel-ban-8761885">Andrew, Tristan Tate fly to US on private jet: Did Trump admin pressure Romania to lift their travel ban?</a>
Trump has also surpassed his own record of answering 199 questions during his first month of his first term in 2017.
&ldquo;These numbers speak for themselves. They probably don&rsquo;t need a lot of analysis,&rdquo; said David Greenberg, professor of history and of journalism and media studies at Rutgers University.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It clearly shows a comfort level with being his own spokesman,&rdquo; he added, as cited by the report. &ldquo;He enjoys it. He thinks of himself as a persuasive personality, or he enjoys the attention&mdash;or both. And he may not be wrong. He has demonstrated that he can command a following for the way he puts his ideas.&rdquo;
<h2>Oval Office events</h2>
The president meets with the press during his Oval Office events and signs executive orders nearly every day. These appearances can also occur multiple times in a day, and reporters often ask four to five questions each.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-introduces-gold-card-visa-offers-citizenship-pathway-for-indian-graduates-and-investors-8761490">&lsquo;US companies can now hire Indians&rsquo;: Donald Trump on &lsquo;gold card&rsquo; visa</a>
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s definitely a case of presidential learning,&rdquo; political scientist and author Martha Kumar told National Journal.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s using the Oval Office. People stop when they see a president in the Oval Office talking on their television. They want to know what he&rsquo;s saying.&rdquo;
Kumar is a professor emerita of political science at Towson University and the leading scholar on White House press operations. She highlighted that Trump more frequently phoned into friendly television programmes to give formal speeches during the start of his first term.
&ldquo;He learned that that didn&rsquo;t get him anything. He was just talking to the choir, and he needed to get to a broader public,&rdquo; Kumar said.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/did-biden-leave-nasa-astronauts-in-space-for-political-reasons-musk-trump-claim-in-joint-interview-8737043">Did Biden leave NASA astronauts in space for 'political reasons'? Musk, Trump claim in joint interview</a>
A lot of the recent exchanges of Trump with the media have generated significant news.
<h2>Trump&rsquo;s 1000th question</h2>
The US president&rsquo;s 1000th question was asked by Fox News producer Caroline McKee inside the press cabin of Air Force One on February 19.
She asked Trump, &ldquo;Do you think DC should govern itself, or do you think that governing of District of Columbia should go back to Congress?&rdquo;
&ldquo;I think that we should govern the District of Columbia,&rdquo; Trump replied. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s so important, the DC situation. I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawlessly beautiful. And I think we should take over Washington, DC.&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)

World | Trending | Biden answered 141 questions in his first month, while Obama took 161 queries in the same period of his first term. Trump has also surpassed his own record of answering 199 questions in the first month of his first term in 2017.

US President Donald Trump answered over a thousand questions from journalists during the first month of his second term, according to a new report. This count is nearly seven times more than former president Joe Biden in the same period. According to an analysis published by National Journal on Tuesday (Feb 25), Trump responded to 1,009 questions from journalists, much more than previous presidents. Biden answered 141 questions in his first month, while Obama took 161 queries during the same period of his first term in 2009. Also read | Andrew, Tristan Tate fly to US on private jet: Did Trump admin pressure Romania to lift their travel ban? Trump has also surpassed his own record of answering 199 questions during his first month of his first term in 2017. “These numbers speak for themselves. They probably don’t need a lot of analysis,” said David Greenberg, professor of history and of journalism and media studies at Rutgers University. “It clearly shows a comfort level with being his own spokesman,” he added, as cited by the report. “He enjoys it. He thinks of himself as a persuasive personality, or he enjoys the attention—or both. And he may not be wrong. He has demonstrated that he can command a following for the way he puts his ideas.” Oval Office events The president meets with the press during his Oval Office events and signs executive orders nearly every day. These appearances can also occur multiple times in a day, and reporters often ask four to five questions each. Also read | ‘US companies can now hire Indians’: Donald Trump on ‘gold card’ visa “It’s definitely a case of presidential learning,” political scientist and author Martha Kumar told National Journal. “He’s using the Oval Office. People stop when they see a president in the Oval Office talking on their television. They want to know what he’s saying.” Kumar is a professor emerita of political science at Towson University and the leading scholar on White House press operations. She highlighted that Trump more frequently phoned into friendly television programmes to give formal speeches during the start of his first term. “He learned that that didn’t get him anything. He was just talking to the choir, and he needed to get to a broader public,” Kumar said. Also read | Did Biden leave NASA astronauts in space for 'political reasons'? Musk, Trump claim in joint interview A lot of the recent exchanges of Trump with the media have generated significant news. Trump’s 1000th question The US president’s 1000th question was asked by Fox News producer Caroline McKee inside the press cabin of Air Force One on February 19. She asked Trump, “Do you think DC should govern itself, or do you think that governing of District of Columbia should go back to Congress?” “I think that we should govern the District of Columbia,” Trump replied. “It’s so important, the DC situation. I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawlessly beautiful. And I think we should take over Washington, DC.” (With inputs from agencies)

‘His own spokesman’: Trump answered over 1,000 questions in his first month, 7 times more than Biden

The US House Committee on the Judiciary, Republicans, on Tuesday (Feb 25) revealed that former President Joe Biden's Internal Revenue Service (IRS) leaked taxpayer information of over 405,000 Americans, including President Trump.&nbsp;
In a post on X, the House Judiciary GOP called it a "massive scandal".
"The IRS&rsquo;s admission confirms the Committee&rsquo;s suspicion and recent reports that show the scope of the leak was much broader than what the Biden Administration&rsquo;s IRS initially led the public to believe," the post read.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musks-doge-requests-access-to-sensitive-taxpayer-data-in-irs-sparks-privacy-concerns-8730046">IRS preparing to give Elon Musk&rsquo;s DOGE access to sensitive taxpayer data: Report</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: New disclosure reveals that the Biden IRS leaked taxpayer information of over 405,000 Americans -- including President Trump's. The IRS&rsquo;s admission confirms the Committee&rsquo;s suspicion and recent reports that show the scope of the leak was much broader than what the&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/3KKYL5bHET">pic.twitter.com/3KKYL5bHET</a>
&mdash; House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/JudiciaryGOP/status/1894408544004243946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
It denied the earlier statement presented by the IRS spokesman, who said that more than 70,000 taxpayers were affected.&nbsp;
"We found out that it's actually over 405,000 taxpayers!," it stressed.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-taxpayer-funds-for-illegal-aliens-trump-cuts-off-federal-benefits-for-undocumented-immigrants-8740659">&lsquo;No taxpayer funds for illegal aliens&rsquo;: Trump cuts off federal benefits for undocumented immigrants</a>
<h2>Elon Musk reacts&nbsp;</h2>
Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk responded to the post on X, saying, "Do you trust the government".&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Do you trust the government? <a href="https://t.co/io3Br7WCvN">https://t.co/io3Br7WCvN</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1894415998444605775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
Last year, Rep. Jim Jordan began demanding that Heather Hill, the acting inspector general at the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) produce documents related to the investigation into the leak, allegedly produced by Charles Littlejohn.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-king-charless-coronation-cost-uk-taxpayers-&pound;72-million-778174">King Charles' coronation cost UK taxpayers &pound;72 million</a>
Jordan then urged communications between TIGTA, the Justice Department and the IRS.&nbsp;
The lawmaker said that "Littlejohn applied to work as a consultant to the IRS with the express intention of accessing and disclosing then-President Donald Trump's tax returns."
In April last year, the IRS sent notices to these 70,000 taxpayers, saying that their tax and personal data had been stolen in 2019 by Littlejohn.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/openai-to-debut-first-super-bowl-ad-joining-rivals-google-and-meta-in-ai-advertising-race-8705611" rel="dofollow">OpenAI to debut first Super Bowl ad, joining rivals Google and Meta in AI advertising race</a>
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

World: The US House Committee on the Judiciary denied the earlier statement presented by the IRS spokesman, who said that more than 70,000 taxpayers were affected.

The US House Committee on the Judiciary, Republicans, on Tuesday (Feb 25) revealed that former President Joe Biden's Internal Revenue Service (IRS) leaked taxpayer information of over 405,000 Americans, including President Trump. In a post on X, the House Judiciary GOP called it a "massive scandal". "The IRS’s admission confirms the Committee’s suspicion and recent reports that show the scope of the leak was much broader than what the Biden Administration’s IRS initially led the public to believe," the post read. Also read: IRS preparing to give Elon Musk’s DOGE access to sensitive taxpayer data: Report 🚨 #BREAKING: New disclosure reveals that the Biden IRS leaked taxpayer information of over 405,000 Americans -- including President Trump's. The IRS’s admission confirms the Committee’s suspicion and recent reports that show the scope of the leak was much broader than what the… pic.twitter.com/3KKYL5bHET — House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) February 25, 2025 It denied the earlier statement presented by the IRS spokesman, who said that more than 70,000 taxpayers were affected. "We found out that it's actually over 405,000 taxpayers!," it stressed. Also read: ‘No taxpayer funds for illegal aliens’: Trump cuts off federal benefits for undocumented immigrants Elon Musk reacts Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk responded to the post on X, saying, "Do you trust the government". Do you trust the government? https://t.co/io3Br7WCvN — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 25, 2025 Last year, Rep. Jim Jordan began demanding that Heather Hill, the acting inspector general at the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) produce documents related to the investigation into the leak, allegedly produced by Charles Littlejohn. Also read: King Charles' coronation cost UK taxpayers £72 million Jordan then urged communications between TIGTA, the Justice Department and the IRS. The lawmaker said that "Littlejohn applied to work as a consultant to the IRS with the express intention of accessing and disclosing then-President Donald Trump's tax returns." In April last year, the IRS sent notices to these 70,000 taxpayers, saying that their tax and personal data had been stolen in 2019 by Littlejohn. Also read: OpenAI to debut first Super Bowl ad, joining rivals Google and Meta in AI advertising race (With inputs from agencies)

'MASSIVE scandal': House Republicans claim IRS leaked taxpayer data of 405,000 Americans, including Trump

Elon Musk claimed that the two US astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, were left stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) by the former US President Joe Biden administration.&nbsp;
Trump, while speaking at an exclusive interview with Fox News, said Joe Biden was going to leave stranded NASA astronauts, including Williams, in space, to which Musk quickly added that the reason was "political".&nbsp;
&ldquo;At the President&rsquo;s request, or instruction, we are accelerating the return of the astronauts, which was postponed, kind of, to a ridiculous degree," Elon Musk said on being asked about the return of the two astronauts.
&ldquo;They got left in space," Trump added to Musk.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/they-dress-in-t-shirts-trump-mocks-genius-doge-staffers-who-dress-worse-than-elon-musk-8736789">&lsquo;They dress in T-shirts&rsquo;: Trump mocks &lsquo;genius&rsquo; DOGE staffers who dress &lsquo;worse than Elon Musk&rsquo;</a>
Musk further said, "They were left up there for political reasons, which is not good."
When asked about SpaceX's mission to bring back Williams and Wilmore, Musk said, "We don&rsquo;t want to be complacent, but we have brought astronauts back from the space station many times before, and always with success."&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s about &ndash; about four weeks to bring them back," he added, upon being questioned about the timeline of the mission to bring them back.
&ldquo;You now have the go-ahead," Trump said, to which Musk responded, &ldquo;Yes. Well, thanks to you."&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-releases-video-of-shackled-deportees-elon-musks-reaction-sparks-condemnation-8736268">White House releases video of shackled deportees; Elon Musk's reaction sparks condemnation</a>
The US president further claimed that Musk's company did not have the go-ahead with the Biden administration.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He (Biden) was going to leave him in space. I think he was going to leave them in space, can you believe it?" Trump said.&nbsp;
<h2>Astronauts say 'not abandoned'</h2>
The two astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore, have been stranded in low-Earth orbit since June.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-court-refuses-to-block-elon-musk-doge-from-accessing-data-firing-workers-8735259">US Court refuses to block Elon Musk, DOGE from accessing data, firing workers</a>
In January, slamming Joe Biden, Trump and Musk claimed that the two astronauts were left high and dry by the previous administration. To which the astronauts said that they &ldquo;were not stranded, nor have been abandoned" at the ISS.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s been the rhetoric. That&rsquo;s been the narrative from day one: stranded, abandoned, stuck&mdash;and I get it. We both get it," Wilmore said.
&ldquo;But that is, again, not what our human spaceflight programme is about. We don&rsquo;t feel abandoned, we don&rsquo;t feel stuck, we don&rsquo;t feel stranded."
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/musk-trump-bromance-shines-in-joint-interview-as-doge-chief-calls-himself-tech-support-for-us-president-8734740">Musk-Trump 'bromance' shines in joint interview as DOGE chief calls himself 'tech support' for US prez</a>
Wilmore added a request: &ldquo;If you&rsquo;ll help us change the rhetoric, help us change the narrative. Let&rsquo;s change it to &lsquo;prepared and committed.&rsquo; That&rsquo;s what we prefer," Wilmore said.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Speaking at an exclusive interview with Fox News, Trump said Biden was going to leave stranded NASA astronauts in space. Musk added that the reason was "political".

Elon Musk claimed that the two US astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, were left stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) by the former US President Joe Biden administration. Trump, while speaking at an exclusive interview with Fox News, said Joe Biden was going to leave stranded NASA astronauts, including Williams, in space, to which Musk quickly added that the reason was "political". “At the President’s request, or instruction, we are accelerating the return of the astronauts, which was postponed, kind of, to a ridiculous degree," Elon Musk said on being asked about the return of the two astronauts. “They got left in space," Trump added to Musk. Also read: ‘They dress in T-shirts’: Trump mocks ‘genius’ DOGE staffers who dress ‘worse than Elon Musk’ Musk further said, "They were left up there for political reasons, which is not good." When asked about SpaceX's mission to bring back Williams and Wilmore, Musk said, "We don’t want to be complacent, but we have brought astronauts back from the space station many times before, and always with success." “I think it’s about – about four weeks to bring them back," he added, upon being questioned about the timeline of the mission to bring them back. “You now have the go-ahead," Trump said, to which Musk responded, “Yes. Well, thanks to you." Also read: White House releases video of shackled deportees; Elon Musk's reaction sparks condemnation The US president further claimed that Musk's company did not have the go-ahead with the Biden administration. “He (Biden) was going to leave him in space. I think he was going to leave them in space, can you believe it?" Trump said. Astronauts say 'not abandoned' The two astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore, have been stranded in low-Earth orbit since June. Also read: US Court refuses to block Elon Musk, DOGE from accessing data, firing workers In January, slamming Joe Biden, Trump and Musk claimed that the two astronauts were left high and dry by the previous administration. To which the astronauts said that they “were not stranded, nor have been abandoned" at the ISS. “That’s been the rhetoric. That’s been the narrative from day one: stranded, abandoned, stuck—and I get it. We both get it," Wilmore said. “But that is, again, not what our human spaceflight programme is about. We don’t feel abandoned, we don’t feel stuck, we don’t feel stranded." Also read: Musk-Trump 'bromance' shines in joint interview as DOGE chief calls himself 'tech support' for US prez Wilmore added a request: “If you’ll help us change the rhetoric, help us change the narrative. Let’s change it to ‘prepared and committed.’ That’s what we prefer," Wilmore said. (With inputs from agencies)

Did Biden leave NASA astronauts in space for 'political reasons'? Musk, Trump claim in joint interview

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (Feb 18) announced that he has ordered the firing of all remaining US attorneys appointed by his predecessor Joe Biden, as part of a broad effort to reshape the Department of Justice.
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump cited politicisation "like never before".
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-sign-new-executive-orders-as-his-first-joint-interview-with-elon-musk-airs-8733996">US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's first joint interview to air today - Know all details inside</a>
<h2>'America's Golden Age'</h2>
Trump alleged that "Over the past four years, the Department of Justice has been politicized like never before."
"Therefore, I have instructed the termination of ALL remaining 'Biden Era' US Attorneys," he said.
"We must 'clean house' IMMEDIATELY, and restore confidence," Trump added.
"America's Golden Age must have a fair Justice System - THAT BEGINS TODAY!," he added. &nbsp;
<iframe width="600" height="" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/114027416979768016/embed" class="truthsocial-embed" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<script src="https://truthsocial.com/embed.js" async="async"></script>

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-starts-firing-faa-staff-weeks-after-dc-plane-crash-8731656">Trump administration starts firing FAA staff weeks after DC plane crash</a>
<h2>A standard practice?</h2>
As per AFP news agency, it is standard practice for incoming presidents to replace US attorneys, the chief federal prosecutors overseeing the 94 federal court districts across the country.&nbsp;
In anticipation of being replaced, many Biden-era US attorneys had already resigned following Trump&rsquo;s November election victory. &nbsp;
This shakeup comes following Trump's long-standing accusations against the Justice Department. Trump routinely claimed that the DoJ is biased, particularly due to its investigations into him.
Since taking office, he has implemented a major shakeup, firing, demoting, or reassigning multiple senior officials. &nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tesla-posts-13-job-openings-in-india-after-ceo-elon-musks-meeting-with-pm-modi-8730853">Tesla posts 13 job openings in India after CEO Elon Musk's meeting with PM Modi</a>
Among those dismissed were members of Special Counsel Jack Smith's office&mdash;the team responsible for prosecuting Trump in two now-abandoned criminal cases. &nbsp;
Additionally, the acting US attorney for the influential Southern District of New York, a Trump appointee, resigned last week after reportedly being asked to drop corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams. &nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

World News | Trump's directive to dismiss Biden-era US attorneys marks a pivotal moment in addressing perceived politicisation and restoring public trust in the Justice Department.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (Feb 18) announced that he has ordered the firing of all remaining US attorneys appointed by his predecessor Joe Biden, as part of a broad effort to reshape the Department of Justice. Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump cited politicisation "like never before". Also read | US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's first joint interview to air today - Know all details inside 'America's Golden Age' Trump alleged that "Over the past four years, the Department of Justice has been politicized like never before." "Therefore, I have instructed the termination of ALL remaining 'Biden Era' US Attorneys," he said. "We must 'clean house' IMMEDIATELY, and restore confidence," Trump added. "America's Golden Age must have a fair Justice System - THAT BEGINS TODAY!," he added. Also read | Trump administration starts firing FAA staff weeks after DC plane crash A standard practice? As per AFP news agency, it is standard practice for incoming presidents to replace US attorneys, the chief federal prosecutors overseeing the 94 federal court districts across the country. In anticipation of being replaced, many Biden-era US attorneys had already resigned following Trump’s November election victory. This shakeup comes following Trump's long-standing accusations against the Justice Department. Trump routinely claimed that the DoJ is biased, particularly due to its investigations into him. Since taking office, he has implemented a major shakeup, firing, demoting, or reassigning multiple senior officials. Also read | Tesla posts 13 job openings in India after CEO Elon Musk's meeting with PM Modi Among those dismissed were members of Special Counsel Jack Smith's office—the team responsible for prosecuting Trump in two now-abandoned criminal cases. Additionally, the acting US attorney for the influential Southern District of New York, a Trump appointee, resigned last week after reportedly being asked to drop corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump orders firing of all Biden-era US attorneys in major Justice Department shakeup: 'We must clean house IMMEDIATELY'

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Feb 12) wasted no time in pointing fingers at his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, for last month's unexpected rise in inflation.
Attempting to shift political blame to Biden early in his second term, Trump posted on his Truth Social account: "BIDEN INFLATION UP!"
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musks-x-to-pay-donald-trump-10-million-to-settle-twitter-ban-lawsuit-report-8715849">Elon Musk&rsquo;s X to pay Donald Trump $10 million to settle Twitter ban lawsuit: Report</a>
<h2>US inflation</h2>
Fresh data from the Labour Department showed that the consumer price index (CPI) climbed 3.0 per cent in January compared to a year ago, slightly above economists' estimates. Core inflation also edged up to 3.3 per cent over the past 12 months.
Shortly after the numbers were released, Trump took to Truth Social to vent. "BIDEN INFLATION UP!" he declared, even though 12 days of the month in question fell under his own administration.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-okay-with-russian-president-vladimir-putins-demand-to-keep-ukraine-out-of-nato-8715816">Trump 'okay' with Putin's demand to keep Ukraine out of NATO</a>
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt doubled down, telling reporters, "It's far worse than I think anybody anticipated because unfortunately, the previous administration was not transparent in where the economy truly was."
<h2>Inflation woes&nbsp;</h2>
As per the data, inflation increased by 0.5 per cent in January from a month earlier, while core inflation rose by 0.4 per cent.&nbsp;
Trump made inflation a key talking point during his campaign, relentlessly criticising Biden's economic policies. Now, with inflation ticking up under his watch, he faces the challenge of proving he can rein it in.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-grants-musk-veto-power-over-federal-hirings-orders-agencies-to-comply-with-doge-directives-in-sweeping-executive-order-8712476">Trump grants Musk veto power over federal hirings, orders agencies to comply with DOGE directives</a>
As per AFP, essential items saw notable price jumps with the cost of eggs, hit by an avian flu outbreak, spiking more than 15 per cent in the biggest monthly surge since June 2015. Gasoline prices also climbed, alongside other everyday expenses that carry political weight.
Slamming Trump on his campaign promises vs the reality, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said: "President Trump campaigned on lowering costs for working families but today's inflation data highlights how he is failing to deliver on that promise".
(With inputs from agencies)

World news | Know how US President Donald Trump shifted blame to Joe Biden for the January inflation surge, labelling it as Biden Inflation, amid rising economic challenges.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (Feb 12) wasted no time in pointing fingers at his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, for last month's unexpected rise in inflation. Attempting to shift political blame to Biden early in his second term, Trump posted on his Truth Social account: "BIDEN INFLATION UP!" Also read | Elon Musk’s X to pay Donald Trump $10 million to settle Twitter ban lawsuit: Report US inflation Fresh data from the Labour Department showed that the consumer price index (CPI) climbed 3.0 per cent in January compared to a year ago, slightly above economists' estimates. Core inflation also edged up to 3.3 per cent over the past 12 months. Shortly after the numbers were released, Trump took to Truth Social to vent. "BIDEN INFLATION UP!" he declared, even though 12 days of the month in question fell under his own administration. Also read | Trump 'okay' with Putin's demand to keep Ukraine out of NATO White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt doubled down, telling reporters, "It's far worse than I think anybody anticipated because unfortunately, the previous administration was not transparent in where the economy truly was." Inflation woes As per the data, inflation increased by 0.5 per cent in January from a month earlier, while core inflation rose by 0.4 per cent. Trump made inflation a key talking point during his campaign, relentlessly criticising Biden's economic policies. Now, with inflation ticking up under his watch, he faces the challenge of proving he can rein it in. Also read | Trump grants Musk veto power over federal hirings, orders agencies to comply with DOGE directives As per AFP, essential items saw notable price jumps with the cost of eggs, hit by an avian flu outbreak, spiking more than 15 per cent in the biggest monthly surge since June 2015. Gasoline prices also climbed, alongside other everyday expenses that carry political weight. Slamming Trump on his campaign promises vs the reality, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said: "President Trump campaigned on lowering costs for working families but today's inflation data highlights how he is failing to deliver on that promise". (With inputs from agencies)

Trump dodges blame, points finger at Biden for inflation surge in January, labels it 'Biden Inflation'

In another jolt to former US president Joe Biden&rsquo;s team, President Donald Trump&rsquo;s administration revoked the security clearances of his Secretary of State Antony Blinken and former national security adviser Jake Sullivan, White House officials said on Saturday.
This comes a day after President Trump stripped the security clearance of former President Joe Biden, which would stop his access to daily intelligence briefings.
Trump also revoked security clearances for Biden's Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, who helped coordinate the Department of Justice's response to the January 6, 2021, attacks on the US Capitol, the officials said.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trumps-tit-for-tat-us-president-revokes-security-clearance-of-predecessor-joe-biden-8700784">Trump's tit-for-tat: US President revokes security clearance of predecessor Biden</a>
He also removed the clearances of the New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who led cases against Trump, the officials said.
<h2 dir="ltr">Trump revokes security clearance of predecessor Biden</h2>
On Friday (Feb 7), the US President announced that he was revoking the security clearance of former president Joe Biden, ending his access to intelligence briefings after leaving office.
Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to announce the revocation of security clearance and said, "There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information. Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden's Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings."
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-talked-to-putin-says-russian-president-wants-to-see-people-stop-dying-in-ukraine-war-report-8703614">Trump talked to Putin, says Russian president 'wants to see people stop dying' in Ukraine war: Report</a>
Using his famous catchphrase from his former reality show 'The Apprentice' he added "JOE, YOU'RE FIRED."
<h2 dir="ltr">&lsquo;Tit For Tat Move'</h2>
US presidents are traditionally given the right to receive intelligence briefings even after they step down.
Trump said he was making the move because Democrat Biden had removed his security clearance after winning the 2020 election. At the time, Biden had cited Trump's "erratic behaviour" both before and after the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by protesters trying to overturn Trump's election loss.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-donald-trumps-tremendous-resentment-for-japan-fueled-his-tariff-obsession-8703283">How Donald Trump's 'tremendous resentment for Japan' fueled his tariff obsession</a>
In his post on Friday, Trump claimed that Biden "could not be trusted" with intelligence briefings because a special counsel's report into classified documents found at the Democrat's home found that Biden, 82, suffered from "poor memory."
&ldquo;I will always protect our National Security &mdash; JOE, YOU&rsquo;RE FIRED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&rdquo; the US President added. 
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

World: In a significant move, President Trump's administration has revoked security clearances for Biden's Secretary of State Antony Blinken and ex-adviser Jake Sullivan.

In another jolt to former US president Joe Biden’s team, President Donald Trump’s administration revoked the security clearances of his Secretary of State Antony Blinken and former national security adviser Jake Sullivan, White House officials said on Saturday. This comes a day after President Trump stripped the security clearance of former President Joe Biden, which would stop his access to daily intelligence briefings. Trump also revoked security clearances for Biden's Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, who helped coordinate the Department of Justice's response to the January 6, 2021, attacks on the US Capitol, the officials said. Also read | Trump's tit-for-tat: US President revokes security clearance of predecessor Biden He also removed the clearances of the New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who led cases against Trump, the officials said. Trump revokes security clearance of predecessor Biden On Friday (Feb 7), the US President announced that he was revoking the security clearance of former president Joe Biden, ending his access to intelligence briefings after leaving office. Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to announce the revocation of security clearance and said, "There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information. Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden's Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings." Also read | Trump talked to Putin, says Russian president 'wants to see people stop dying' in Ukraine war: Report Using his famous catchphrase from his former reality show 'The Apprentice' he added "JOE, YOU'RE FIRED." ‘Tit For Tat Move' US presidents are traditionally given the right to receive intelligence briefings even after they step down. Trump said he was making the move because Democrat Biden had removed his security clearance after winning the 2020 election. At the time, Biden had cited Trump's "erratic behaviour" both before and after the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by protesters trying to overturn Trump's election loss. Also read | How Donald Trump's 'tremendous resentment for Japan' fueled his tariff obsession In his post on Friday, Trump claimed that Biden "could not be trusted" with intelligence briefings because a special counsel's report into classified documents found at the Democrat's home found that Biden, 82, suffered from "poor memory." “I will always protect our National Security — JOE, YOU’RE FIRED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” the US President added. (With inputs from agencies)

After Biden, Trump cancels security clearances for Blinken, Jake Sullivan

US President Donald Trump on Friday (Feb 7) said that he would sign an executive order next week to undo efforts by former President Joe Biden to push for the use of paper straws instead of plastic straws.
Trump said that he would end the "ridiculous Biden push for Paper Straws".
In a post on Truth Social, the US president said, "I will be signing an Executive Order next week ending the ridiculous Biden push for Paper Straws, which don&rsquo;t work. BACK TO PLASTIC!."&nbsp;
<iframe width="600" height="" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/113963246096886557/embed" class="truthsocial-embed" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
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Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/kamala-harris-divorce-doug-emhoff-plastic-ban-hypocrite-kamala-plstic-bags-8650853" rel="dofollow">'Hypocrite': Kamala Harris spotted shopping with husband, carrying plastic bags after supporting ban</a>
Biden announced a target to eliminate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/single-use-plastics" rel="dofollow">single-use plastic</a> items like drinking straws by 2035 in government departments.&nbsp;
This move is the latest on environmental issues by the Republican president. Notably, Trump pulled out of the Paris climate change agreement soon after his inauguration for a second term.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/increase-of-plastic-can-cause-autism-heres-what-the-latest-study-determined-749551" rel="dofollow">Increase of plastic can cause autism? Here&rsquo;s what the latest study determined</a>
<h2>Musk reacts</h2>
American billionaire Elon Musk also shared Trump's Truth Social post, calling him the "greatest President ever".&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Greatest President ever! <a href="https://t.co/U8BuPVwSwd">pic.twitter.com/U8BuPVwSwd</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1887886625318818292?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
Earlier during a campaign rally for the 2020 elections, Trump had shown his criticism of the growing trend of paper drinking straws.&nbsp;
"They want to ban straws. Has anyone tried those paper straws? They're not working too good," he said.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-to-ban-single-use-plastics-in-cafes-and-restaurants-by-2030-696622" rel="dofollow">EU to ban single-use plastic in cafes and restaurants by 2030</a>
"It disintegrates as you drink it, and if you have a nice tie like this tie, you've got no choice," Trump added.&nbsp;
Moreover, his campaign team has also sold branded plastic straws with the slogan "Liberal paper straws don't work."
In 2019, Trump's campaign sold red plastic straws labelled with &ldquo;Trump&rdquo; as an alternative to the &ldquo;liberal&rdquo; paper straws, which he claimed were ineffective.&nbsp;
Notably, Trump is expected to place over 160 environmental justice employees on paid leave as part of broader government restructuring efforts.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Former US President Joe Biden announced a target to eliminate single-use plastic utensils like drinking straws by 2035 in government departments. 

US President Donald Trump on Friday (Feb 7) said that he would sign an executive order next week to undo efforts by former President Joe Biden to push for the use of paper straws instead of plastic straws. Trump said that he would end the "ridiculous Biden push for Paper Straws". In a post on Truth Social, the US president said, "I will be signing an Executive Order next week ending the ridiculous Biden push for Paper Straws, which don’t work. BACK TO PLASTIC!." Also read: 'Hypocrite': Kamala Harris spotted shopping with husband, carrying plastic bags after supporting ban Biden announced a target to eliminate single-use plastic items like drinking straws by 2035 in government departments. This move is the latest on environmental issues by the Republican president. Notably, Trump pulled out of the Paris climate change agreement soon after his inauguration for a second term. Also read: Increase of plastic can cause autism? Here’s what the latest study determined Musk reacts American billionaire Elon Musk also shared Trump's Truth Social post, calling him the "greatest President ever". Greatest President ever! pic.twitter.com/U8BuPVwSwd — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 7, 2025 Earlier during a campaign rally for the 2020 elections, Trump had shown his criticism of the growing trend of paper drinking straws. "They want to ban straws. Has anyone tried those paper straws? They're not working too good," he said. Also read: EU to ban single-use plastic in cafes and restaurants by 2030 "It disintegrates as you drink it, and if you have a nice tie like this tie, you've got no choice," Trump added. Moreover, his campaign team has also sold branded plastic straws with the slogan "Liberal paper straws don't work." In 2019, Trump's campaign sold red plastic straws labelled with “Trump” as an alternative to the “liberal” paper straws, which he claimed were ineffective. Notably, Trump is expected to place over 160 environmental justice employees on paid leave as part of broader government restructuring efforts. (With inputs from agencies)

'BACK TO PLASTIC': Trump to sign executive order to end Biden's push for paper straws

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is under heavy scrutiny after a crackdown by the Donald Trump administration. The US president signed an executive order to pause foreign assistance by the agency for 90 days, alleging &ldquo;USAID is being run by radical lunatics." He vowed he would end the "waste, fraud and abuse" by the agency.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, in a video on the social media platform YouTube, House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Brian Mast exposed a list of shocking spending by the agency.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-admin-places-usaid-global-staff-on-leave-orders-them-to-return-home-8694295">Trump admin places USAID global staff on leave, orders them to return home</a>
From allocating condoms worth millions to the Taliban to funding LGBTQ 'propaganda', here are some major spendings:&nbsp;
<h2>$15 million for condoms for the Taliban&nbsp;</h2>
In a shocking claim, Mast said the USAID allocated condoms worth $15 million to the Afghanistan-ruling Taliban, an extremist group known for curbing women's rights in the country. Mocking the expenditure, Mast said, "I don't think anybody's going to die because we don't give the Taliban any more condoms."&nbsp;
<h2>$446,000 to promote atheism</h2>
Mast further claimed in the video that around half a million dollars were used to promote atheism in Nepal through the State Department.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-elon-musk-usaid-staff-told-to-work-remotely-us-news-8687844">&lsquo;Won&rsquo;t allow insubordination&rsquo;: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio becomes USAID acting director</a>
<h2>$350 million for a pier in Gaza&nbsp;</h2>
It was also claimed in the video that a massive sum of $350 million was spent to build a pier in Gaza, allegedly to facilitate humanitarian aid in the region.&nbsp;
<h2>$1 million to boost French-speaking LGBTQ groups</h2>
USAID, through the State Department, funded LGBTQ activism in West and Central Africa with a sum of $1 million.
<h2>$47,000 for transgender opera&nbsp;</h2>
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-donald-trump-agrees-usaid-needs-to-be-shut-down-elon-musk-8686790">President Donald Trump agrees USAID needs to be &lsquo;shut down&rsquo;: Elon Musk</a>
It was further claimed that the US government under the Biden administration spent around $47,000 to fund a transgender-themed opera in Columbia.&nbsp;
<iframe width="600" height="400" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OuOj9ohMCqc?feature=oembed" title="hey liberals - watch this" class="publive-iframes-block publive-YouTube-block" id="PL_iframe_block-m6uiyjla-itkri4lp-1nale2fw"></iframe>
<h2>$20,600 for drag show</h2>
Furthermore, USAID, as per Mast, paid a significant amount of $20,600 to fund drag performances in Ecuador. He further said that Fundaci&oacute;n Di&aacute;logo Diverso, an LGBTQ organisation in Ecuador, received nearly $75,000 over three years. The fund was used to organise a two-day drag workshop and the event was documented as well.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/usaid-to-grant-115-million-in-aid-to-el-salvador-to-stem-migration-391524">USAID to grant $115 million in aid to El Salvador to stem migration</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World | Trending | In a video on the social media platform YouTube, House Foreign Affairs committee chairman Brian Mast exposed a list of shocking spending by the agency. 

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is under heavy scrutiny after a crackdown by the Donald Trump administration. The US president signed an executive order to pause foreign assistance by the agency for 90 days, alleging “USAID is being run by radical lunatics." He vowed he would end the "waste, fraud and abuse" by the agency. Meanwhile, in a video on the social media platform YouTube, House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Brian Mast exposed a list of shocking spending by the agency. Also read: Trump admin places USAID global staff on leave, orders them to return home From allocating condoms worth millions to the Taliban to funding LGBTQ 'propaganda', here are some major spendings: $15 million for condoms for the Taliban In a shocking claim, Mast said the USAID allocated condoms worth $15 million to the Afghanistan-ruling Taliban, an extremist group known for curbing women's rights in the country. Mocking the expenditure, Mast said, "I don't think anybody's going to die because we don't give the Taliban any more condoms." $446,000 to promote atheism Mast further claimed in the video that around half a million dollars were used to promote atheism in Nepal through the State Department. Also read: ‘Won’t allow insubordination’: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio becomes USAID acting director $350 million for a pier in Gaza It was also claimed in the video that a massive sum of $350 million was spent to build a pier in Gaza, allegedly to facilitate humanitarian aid in the region. $1 million to boost French-speaking LGBTQ groups USAID, through the State Department, funded LGBTQ activism in West and Central Africa with a sum of $1 million. $47,000 for transgender opera Also read: President Donald Trump agrees USAID needs to be ‘shut down’: Elon Musk It was further claimed that the US government under the Biden administration spent around $47,000 to fund a transgender-themed opera in Columbia. $20,600 for drag show Furthermore, USAID, as per Mast, paid a significant amount of $20,600 to fund drag performances in Ecuador. He further said that Fundación Diálogo Diverso, an LGBTQ organisation in Ecuador, received nearly $75,000 over three years. The fund was used to organise a two-day drag workshop and the event was documented as well. Also read: USAID to grant $115 million in aid to El Salvador to stem migration (With inputs from agencies)

From condoms worth $15mn for Taliban to $1mn for LGBTQ 'propaganda', 'shocking spending by USAID under Biden

After his tenure as U.S. President, Joe Biden signs with a Hollywood talent agency, signaling potential future ventures in the entertainment industry.

Joe Biden eyes blockbuster move after US Presidency, signs Hollywood talent agency

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth revoked the security clearance and security detail of former US Gen Mark Milley on Tuesday (Jan 28). Milley, who served as the highest-ranking military officer, worked under both Donald Trump and Joe Biden's administrations. However, he has been under a political storm for criticising Trump for a long time.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-want-to-fight-wars-but-deter-them-says-pete-hegseth-after-being-sworn-in-as-us-defence-secretary-8654098">'Don't want to fight wars, but deter them', says Pete Hegseth after being sworn in as US defence secretary</a>
Hegseth further announced an inspector-general review into Milley's record to decide if his rank should be reduced after retirement.&nbsp;
<h2>'Would be court-martialed if Trump wins'&nbsp;</h2>
A month before the 2024 presidential election, Milley had said that he feared he would be recalled to uniform and court-martialed if Trump won the election.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-pete-hegseth-the-man-chosen-as-new-us-secretary-of-defense-8651814">Who is Pete Hegseth? Ex-Fox News anchor, soldier-turned US Secretary of Defence</a>
&ldquo;He is a walking, talking advertisement of what he&rsquo;s going to try to do,&rdquo; Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward quoted Milley in his book as saying.
<h2>'A fascist to the core'</h2>
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pete-hegseth-confirmed-as-us-defense-secretary-tie-breaking-vote-from-vice-president-jd-vance-8651726">Pete Hegseth confirmed as US defence secretary with tie-breaking vote from Vice President JD Vance</a>
Woodward further claimed that Milley received &ldquo;a non-stop barrage of death threats&rdquo; after his retirement in 2023.&nbsp;
Woodward quoted Milley as saying, &ldquo;He (Trump) is the most dangerous person ever. I had suspicions when I talked to you about his mental decline and so forth, but now I realize he&rsquo;s a total fascist. He is now the most dangerous person in this country."&nbsp;
Milley reportedly called Trump "a fascist to the core".&nbsp;
WATCH: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-senate-grills-pete-hegseth-on-military-diversity-sexual-assault-claim">US: Senate grills Pete Hegseth on military diversity, sexual assault claim</a>
<h2>Biden's pardon before Trump administration&nbsp;</h2>
Just before the swearing-in ceremony of Trump on January 20, Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon for Mark Milley along with other top political foes of Trump.&nbsp;
WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pete-hegseth-faces-multiple-allegations-of-misconduct">Pete Hegseth Faces Multiple Allegations Of Misconduct</a>
"These public servants have served our nation with honour and distinction and do not deserve to be the targets of unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions," Biden said in his statement while issuing the pardon.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

World | Hegseth further announced an inspector-general review into Milley's record to decide if his rank should be reduced after retirement. 

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth revoked the security clearance and security detail of former US Gen Mark Milley on Tuesday (Jan 28). Milley, who served as the highest-ranking military officer, worked under both Donald Trump and Joe Biden's administrations. However, he has been under a political storm for criticising Trump for a long time. Also read: 'Don't want to fight wars, but deter them', says Pete Hegseth after being sworn in as US defence secretary Hegseth further announced an inspector-general review into Milley's record to decide if his rank should be reduced after retirement. 'Would be court-martialed if Trump wins' A month before the 2024 presidential election, Milley had said that he feared he would be recalled to uniform and court-martialed if Trump won the election. Also read: Who is Pete Hegseth? Ex-Fox News anchor, soldier-turned US Secretary of Defence “He is a walking, talking advertisement of what he’s going to try to do,” Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward quoted Milley in his book as saying. 'A fascist to the core' Also read: Pete Hegseth confirmed as US defence secretary with tie-breaking vote from Vice President JD Vance Woodward further claimed that Milley received “a non-stop barrage of death threats” after his retirement in 2023. Woodward quoted Milley as saying, “He (Trump) is the most dangerous person ever. I had suspicions when I talked to you about his mental decline and so forth, but now I realize he’s a total fascist. He is now the most dangerous person in this country." Milley reportedly called Trump "a fascist to the core". WATCH: US: Senate grills Pete Hegseth on military diversity, sexual assault claim Biden's pardon before Trump administration Just before the swearing-in ceremony of Trump on January 20, Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon for Mark Milley along with other top political foes of Trump. WATCH: Pete Hegseth Faces Multiple Allegations Of Misconduct "These public servants have served our nation with honour and distinction and do not deserve to be the targets of unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions," Biden said in his statement while issuing the pardon. (With inputs from agencies)

Who is Mark Milley, ex-US Gen whose security detail has been revoked by Pete Hegseth?

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday (Jan 28) said that the Russian special services are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of Russian President Vladimir Putin.&nbsp;
This comes after Conservative American pundit Tucker Carlson accused former US President Joe Biden's administration of trying to assassinate Putin.&nbsp;
Commenting on Carlson's statement, Peskov said, "The Russian special services are constantly taking all the necessary measures to ensure public safety, and, of course, the safety of those who are under state protection. This concerns first and foremost the head of the state."
<h2>'Tried to kill Putin'</h2>
Carlson in the latest episode of his podcast "The Tucker Carlson Show", said, "The Biden administration did, they tried to kill Putin."
&ldquo;Which is insane,&rdquo; Carlson added. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s demented, that you would even think of something like that. So why were they? Because chaos is a screen that protects them.&rdquo;
However, Carlson did not provide any evidence for his accusation against the Biden administration.&nbsp;
Carlson was also a US journalist, who was ousted from Fox News in 2023, amid the channel's legal troubles over its airing of inaccurate claims of electoral fraud in the 2020 US presidential race.&nbsp;
In his show, Carlson also criticised US military aid for Kyiv and called Ukraine "not a democracy".&nbsp;
Moreover, he visited Moscow in February last year for a widely planned softball sit-down interview with Russian President Putin and went to Russia again in December to interview Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Conservative American pundit Tucker Carlson accused former US President Joe Biden's administration of trying to assassinate Putin. 

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday (Jan 28) said that the Russian special services are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of Russian President Vladimir Putin. This comes after Conservative American pundit Tucker Carlson accused former US President Joe Biden's administration of trying to assassinate Putin. Commenting on Carlson's statement, Peskov said, "The Russian special services are constantly taking all the necessary measures to ensure public safety, and, of course, the safety of those who are under state protection. This concerns first and foremost the head of the state." 'Tried to kill Putin' Carlson in the latest episode of his podcast "The Tucker Carlson Show", said, "The Biden administration did, they tried to kill Putin." “Which is insane,” Carlson added. “That’s demented, that you would even think of something like that. So why were they? Because chaos is a screen that protects them.” However, Carlson did not provide any evidence for his accusation against the Biden administration. Carlson was also a US journalist, who was ousted from Fox News in 2023, amid the channel's legal troubles over its airing of inaccurate claims of electoral fraud in the 2020 US presidential race. In his show, Carlson also criticised US military aid for Kyiv and called Ukraine "not a democracy". Moreover, he visited Moscow in February last year for a widely planned softball sit-down interview with Russian President Putin and went to Russia again in December to interview Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. (With inputs from agencies)

Tucker Carlson claims Biden administration 'tried to kill Putin'. Here's how Kremlin reacted

US President Trump has revoked Biden’s order halting 2,000-pound (900-kg) bombs to Israel. When asked why he released the powerful bombs, Trump said, "Because Israel bought them" .

Donald Trump makes 2,000-pound bombs available to Israel, overturning Biden's pause | WION Originals

Former US president Joe Biden is out of the White House now but a major controversy erupted when Google omitted the 82-year-old leader from its search results. A report in The Independent claimed that the search engine giant completely omitted Biden&rsquo;s four-year term from its results. Some social media users also shared their experience, claiming that Biden was not featuring on Google&rsquo;s list of US presidents.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m6ajy837-s47h1lke-9e1ga7xv">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/Google?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Google</a> so if I type in US Presidents I get a list of US Presidents in order of when they were in office except there's no <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a>. Anyone know why? <a href="https://twitter.com/searchliaison?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@searchliaison</a> what's going on? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SEO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SEO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/barry?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BARRY</a> <a href="https://t.co/BX9XKTl0Ab">pic.twitter.com/BX9XKTl0Ab</a>
&mdash; Kristine (@schachin on Threads) 🇺🇦 (@schachin) <a href="https://twitter.com/schachin/status/1882311093063922122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
The list showed Donald Trump to have served the previous two terms from 2017 onwards, with Biden&rsquo;s name nowhere to be found. The list correctly mentioned former presidents&rsquo; name prior to 2017, namely Barack Obama, George Bush, and Bill Clinton, and going back to George Washington.
<h2>Google&rsquo;s response</h2>
Google acknowledged the error soon and said it occurred due to some &ldquo;data error.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/la-wildfires-gather-loved-ones-officials-mistakenly-send-emergency-evacuation-order-to-entire-county-8606427">LA wildfires: &lsquo;Gather loved ones&hellip;&rsquo;: Officials mistakenly send evacuation order to entire county</a>
"There was a brief data error in our knowledge graph," a Google spokesperson was quoted as saying by CNBC. "We identified the root cause and resolved it quickly."
<h2>Reaction on social media</h2>
Amid confusion, some users on social media claimed that omitting Biden&rsquo;s name from search results may be a strategy of the big tech to further suck up to the Trump presidency.
"If this stands, this will be one of the boldest and most dangerous moments in the existence of the internet, as it will be a clear show of force that those in opposition will disappear completely," one user wrote.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-signs-executive-order-to-delay-tiktok-ban-in-us-8639173">Trump signs executive order to delay TikTok ban in US by 75 days</a>
"Google United States Presidents and Biden is not on there. This is bigger than social media," a second user highlighted.
"Who paid Google to initiate this SEO bullsh*t to help erase an entire presidency?" commented a third.
Earlier, it was reported that Google contributed $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund. At the inauguration event, Google CEO Sundar Pichai was seen holding a prominent position on stage.
(With inputs from agencies)

Trending | The list showed Donald Trump to have served the previous two terms as US president from 2017 onwards, with Joe Biden’s name nowhere to be found.

Former US president Joe Biden is out of the White House now but a major controversy erupted when Google omitted the 82-year-old leader from its search results. A report in The Independent claimed that the search engine giant completely omitted Biden’s four-year term from its results. Some social media users also shared their experience, claiming that Biden was not featuring on Google’s list of US presidents. .@Google so if I type in US Presidents I get a list of US Presidents in order of when they were in office except there's no @JoeBiden. Anyone know why? @searchliaison what's going on? #SEO @BARRY pic.twitter.com/BX9XKTl0Ab — Kristine (@schachin on Threads) 🇺🇦 (@schachin) January 23, 2025 The list showed Donald Trump to have served the previous two terms from 2017 onwards, with Biden’s name nowhere to be found. The list correctly mentioned former presidents’ name prior to 2017, namely Barack Obama, George Bush, and Bill Clinton, and going back to George Washington. Google’s response Google acknowledged the error soon and said it occurred due to some “data error.” Also read: LA wildfires: ‘Gather loved ones…’: Officials mistakenly send evacuation order to entire county "There was a brief data error in our knowledge graph," a Google spokesperson was quoted as saying by CNBC. "We identified the root cause and resolved it quickly." Reaction on social media Amid confusion, some users on social media claimed that omitting Biden’s name from search results may be a strategy of the big tech to further suck up to the Trump presidency. "If this stands, this will be one of the boldest and most dangerous moments in the existence of the internet, as it will be a clear show of force that those in opposition will disappear completely," one user wrote. Also read: Trump signs executive order to delay TikTok ban in US by 75 days "Google United States Presidents and Biden is not on there. This is bigger than social media," a second user highlighted. "Who paid Google to initiate this SEO bullsh*t to help erase an entire presidency?" commented a third. Earlier, it was reported that Google contributed $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund. At the inauguration event, Google CEO Sundar Pichai was seen holding a prominent position on stage. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Obama, Trump and Trump’: Google briefly omits Biden’s name from list of US presidents

The US got its new president earlier this week in the form of Donald J Trump but seems like Meta&rsquo;s AI chatbot is still stuck in time. On Thursday (Jan 23), the chatbot was still referring to Trump&rsquo;s predecessor Joe Biden as the US president, reported news agency Reuters.
"The current president of the United States is Joe Biden. However, according to the most recent information available, Donald Trump was sworn in as the president on January 20, 2025," replied Meta&rsquo;s AI chatbot upon requesting to name the president.
According to sources cited by Reuters, Meta has now initiated an emergency procedure to troubleshoot the urgent problem.
Responding to the error, Daniel Roberts, a spokesperson for Meta, said: "Everyone knows the President of the United States is Donald Trump. All generative AI systems sometimes return outdated results, and we will continue to improve our features.&rdquo;
It was not clear what kind of emergency measures was Meta taking in order to fix this problem.
<h2>Error fixed now</h2>
However, by Friday, the error had apparently been fixed. When asked to name the US president, Meta&rsquo;s chatbot responded without any error.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/zuck-is-human-bad-boy-internet-is-divided-on-mark-zuckerbergs-viral-video-peeking-at-jeff-bezos-fiance-lauren-s&aacute;nchez-8639206">Internet is divided on Mark Zuckerberg's viral video looking at Jeff Bezos' fiancee Lauren S&aacute;nchez</a>
&ldquo;The president of the United States is Donald J. Trump. He was sworn in on January 20, 2025,&rdquo; the chatbot said.
<h2>Recent Meta controversies</h2>
Meta has sparked couple of controversies during this week related to US presidential transition. First, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced criticism for steering the company to the right and was accused of implementing policy changes to please the new president. Decisions like scrapping its fact-checking program and doing away with DEI policies didn&rsquo;t go down well with the platform&rsquo;s traditional supporters.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/trump-inauguration-from-elon-musks-nazi-salute-to-mark-zuckerbergs-bad-boy-moment-these-are-the-viral-moments-you-cannot-miss-8640494">Trump inauguration: From Elon Musk's Nazi salute to Mark Zuckerberg's 'bad boy' moment, these are the viral instances you cannot miss</a>
It was also reported earlier this week that Meta might be forcing some of its users to re-follow the profiles of Trump, Vice President JD Vance and first lady Melania Trump on Facebook and Instagram.
Another controversy included allegations that Meta was blocking searches for the hashtags #Democrat and #Democrats for some users. Later, Meta also acknowledged the problem and blamed it on a technical glitch.
(With inputs from agencies)

World | However, by Friday, the error had apparently been fixed. When asked to name the US president, Meta’s chatbot responded without any error.

The US got its new president earlier this week in the form of Donald J Trump but seems like Meta’s AI chatbot is still stuck in time. On Thursday (Jan 23), the chatbot was still referring to Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden as the US president, reported news agency Reuters. "The current president of the United States is Joe Biden. However, according to the most recent information available, Donald Trump was sworn in as the president on January 20, 2025," replied Meta’s AI chatbot upon requesting to name the president. According to sources cited by Reuters, Meta has now initiated an emergency procedure to troubleshoot the urgent problem. Responding to the error, Daniel Roberts, a spokesperson for Meta, said: "Everyone knows the President of the United States is Donald Trump. All generative AI systems sometimes return outdated results, and we will continue to improve our features.” It was not clear what kind of emergency measures was Meta taking in order to fix this problem. Error fixed now However, by Friday, the error had apparently been fixed. When asked to name the US president, Meta’s chatbot responded without any error. Also read: Internet is divided on Mark Zuckerberg's viral video looking at Jeff Bezos' fiancee Lauren Sánchez “The president of the United States is Donald J. Trump. He was sworn in on January 20, 2025,” the chatbot said. Recent Meta controversies Meta has sparked couple of controversies during this week related to US presidential transition. First, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced criticism for steering the company to the right and was accused of implementing policy changes to please the new president. Decisions like scrapping its fact-checking program and doing away with DEI policies didn’t go down well with the platform’s traditional supporters. Also read: Trump inauguration: From Elon Musk's Nazi salute to Mark Zuckerberg's 'bad boy' moment, these are the viral instances you cannot miss It was also reported earlier this week that Meta might be forcing some of its users to re-follow the profiles of Trump, Vice President JD Vance and first lady Melania Trump on Facebook and Instagram. Another controversy included allegations that Meta was blocking searches for the hashtags #Democrat and #Democrats for some users. Later, Meta also acknowledged the problem and blamed it on a technical glitch. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Biden was sworn in as president,’ Meta’s AI bewildered following Trump inauguration

Just 15 minutes before leaving office, Biden granted pardons to several family members and administration officials. On the same day, Trump pardoned 1,550 individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack shortly after taking office. This action was met with heavy criticism from Democrats and media, who condemned Trump's mass clemency while largely overlooking Biden's pardons. What explains this hypocrisy? Haven't both presidents misused their power to grant pardons?  Have they not both set a dangerous precedent for future presidents?

Trump and Biden's pardon spree | Trump accuses Biden of corruption, threatens enquiry

US President Donald Trump warns of sanctions and high tariffs on Russia unless the ongoing war in Ukraine comes to a halt. Watch this report for more details!

Russia-Ukraine War: Donald Trump warns Russia to end Ukraine War

As one of his final acts in office, former US president Joe Biden continued the tradition of leaving a letter to his successor, Donald Trump. The full contents of the letter received by the president have been revealed.&nbsp;
<h2>Biden&rsquo;s letter to Trump</h2>
Trump found the handwritten letter in the drawer of the Oval Office desk on Monday (Jan 20) while signing his first executive orders and interacting with media after his inauguration the same day. He was prompted by a journalist who asked whether Biden had left him any message.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-dismisses-tiktok-concerns-vows-to-release-jfk-files-in-first-interview-as-47th-president-8646052" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Trump dismisses TikTok concerns, vows to release JFK files in first interview as 47th president</a>
&ldquo;It said &lsquo;To number 47&rsquo; and it was a very nice one,&rdquo; Trump told reporters during a press conference in the White House&rsquo;s Roosevelt Room on Tuesday (Jan 22).
&ldquo;Basically, it was a little bit of an inspirational-type letter, you know, &lsquo;Enjoy it. Do a good job.&rsquo;&rdquo;
He added, &ldquo;I think I should let people see it, because it was a positive for him.&rdquo;
Trump held it up and showed the letter to the reporters with the number written &ldquo;47&rdquo;, for the 47th president. During that time, Trump said he would read the letter first and then decide whether to share it. The letter was later obtained by Fox News.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-doj-freezes-police-reform-agreements-reached-by-biden-administration-8645684" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Trump DOJ freezes police reform agreements reached by Biden administration</a>
This is what the letter said: &ldquo;Dear President Trump, As I take leave of this sacred office I wish you and your family all the best in the next four years. The American people &mdash; and people around the world &mdash; look to this house for steadiness in the inevitable storms of history, and my prayer is that in the coming years will be a time of prosperity, peace, and grace for our nation.
&ldquo;May God bless you and guide you as He has blessed and guided our beloved country since our founding.&rdquo;&nbsp;
The card was signed as &ldquo;Joe Biden 1-20-25.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/laken-riley-act-us-congress-passes-trump-crackdown-on-migrant-criminals-and-suspects-8645556" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Laken Riley Act: US Congress passes Trump's hardline immigration crackdown bill</a>
<h2>The letter tradition</h2>
The tradition of leaving a letter by the outgoing president for the incoming president began with president Ronald Reagan leaving a letter for his vice president George H.W. Bush in 1989. The convention was carried on by Bush four years later when he left office for president Bill Clinton after losing elections in 1992.
Watch | Trump's tariff threat to weigh on Canada
<iframe width="600" height="auto" style="width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 4/3;" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="external-video publive-iframes-block" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/screenshot/2301_Manav_canada_930am/00000002.jpg&amp;videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/2301_Manav_canada_930am.mp4/index.m3u8&amp;duration=123&amp;tags=Trump's tariff threat to weigh on Canada" title="Trump's tariff threat to weigh on Canada" id="PL_iframe_block-m691tq88-tgzbl22g-qxh7tf20"></iframe>
Since then, every outgoing US president has left a letter for their successor. In 2021, Trump left a letter for Biden as well.
(With inputs from agencies)

World | Trending | Trump found the handwritten letter in the drawer of the Oval Office desk on Monday (Jan 20) while he was signing his first executive orders after the inauguration the same day. 

As one of his final acts in office, former US president Joe Biden continued the tradition of leaving a letter to his successor, Donald Trump. The full contents of the letter received by the president have been revealed. Biden’s letter to Trump Trump found the handwritten letter in the drawer of the Oval Office desk on Monday (Jan 20) while signing his first executive orders and interacting with media after his inauguration the same day. He was prompted by a journalist who asked whether Biden had left him any message. Also read | Trump dismisses TikTok concerns, vows to release JFK files in first interview as 47th president “It said ‘To number 47’ and it was a very nice one,” Trump told reporters during a press conference in the White House’s Roosevelt Room on Tuesday (Jan 22). “Basically, it was a little bit of an inspirational-type letter, you know, ‘Enjoy it. Do a good job.’” He added, “I think I should let people see it, because it was a positive for him.” Trump held it up and showed the letter to the reporters with the number written “47”, for the 47th president. During that time, Trump said he would read the letter first and then decide whether to share it. The letter was later obtained by Fox News. Also read | Trump DOJ freezes police reform agreements reached by Biden administration This is what the letter said: “Dear President Trump, As I take leave of this sacred office I wish you and your family all the best in the next four years. The American people — and people around the world — look to this house for steadiness in the inevitable storms of history, and my prayer is that in the coming years will be a time of prosperity, peace, and grace for our nation. “May God bless you and guide you as He has blessed and guided our beloved country since our founding.” The card was signed as “Joe Biden 1-20-25.” Also read | Laken Riley Act: US Congress passes Trump's hardline immigration crackdown bill The letter tradition The tradition of leaving a letter by the outgoing president for the incoming president began with president Ronald Reagan leaving a letter for his vice president George H.W. Bush in 1989. The convention was carried on by Bush four years later when he left office for president Bill Clinton after losing elections in 1992. Watch | Trump's tariff threat to weigh on Canada Since then, every outgoing US president has left a letter for their successor. In 2021, Trump left a letter for Biden as well. (With inputs from agencies)

What Biden said in farewell letter to US President Trump in Oval Office: ‘As I take leave…”

<div class="x_elementToProof">
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">New Delhi: Biden era is over and while history will judge its wider implications, here is a lowdown of how India- US ties fared under his presidency. Joe Biden took charge on 20th January 2021 and left the office on 19th January 2025. With him at the helm in Washington, there were some big-ticket developments in India-US ties, but a lot of irritants as well. The overall trajectory remained positive, something that started with Bill Clinton's India visit in 2020 and continued to see increased engagement in successive Bush, Obama, Trump administrations.&nbsp;</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof"></div>
<div>2020</div>
<div>With the Democrat winning the 2020 US elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Biden and vice president Kamala Harris on social media. On 17 November, 2020 PM Modi had a telephone conversation with President Biden as they agreed to work closely to further advance the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and discussed their priorities, including containing the Covid-19 pandemic, promoting access to affordable vaccines, tackling climate change, and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific Region.</div>
<div></div>
<div>2021</div>
<div>It was a significant year, as Quad, a grouping of US, India, Australia and Japan was elevated to summit level after years of working at officials' and foreign minister's level. For China, it was a big development, with four like-minded countries of the Indo-Pacific region coming together. The first summit took place virtually on 12th March, followed by an in-person summit in Washington on 24th September. PM Modi travelled to Washington for the Quad summit and met US President Biden, which was the first in-person meeting between the two leaders in a COVID year. During the visit, the US Government handed over 157 stolen Indian artifacts. PM Modi and President Biden also engaged on the sidelines of G20 Rome Summit and COP26 Glasgow summit. The Indian Navy formally took over the first two of its MH-60R Multi Role Helicopters (MRH) from the US Navy in a ceremony in San Diego on 16 July 2021. Since 2021 was a Covid year, both US and India worked with each other on dealing with the pandemic. The US had provided India medical supplies, vaccines, and oxygen support when India was hit by the deadly second wave of COVID. In Afghanistan, as the Taliban took over the country, both worked with each other, from UN to evacuation.</div>
<div></div>
<div><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/trump-inauguration-from-elon-musks-nazi-salute-to-mark-zuckerbergs-bad-boy-moment-these-are-the-viral-moments-you-cannot-miss-8640494">Trump inauguration: From Elon Musk's Nazi salute to Mark Zuckerberg's 'bad boy' moment, these are the viral moments you cannot miss</a></div>
<div></div>
<div>2022</div>
<div>Both leaders met on the sidelines of Quad summit in Japan. They also interacted on the sidelines of the G7 Germany summit and G20 Bali summit. The engagement was undertaken at India, US 2+2 meet and first I2U2 meet.</div>
<div></div>
<div>2022&nbsp;was the year of the start of the Russia -Ukraine war, which had global implications. As the West, led by the US, announced sanctions on Russia, India emerged as the biggest importer of Russian energy. While India was criticised by Washington, as the months passed, the criticism became muted. That year, the then US deputy national security advisor Daleep Singh saw a lot of controversy. During his Delhi visit, he warned of "consequences" for violating US sanctions against Russia. His visit came just before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's India visit.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>
<div></div>
<div><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-administration-thanks-trump-for-crucial-role-in-israel-hamas-ceasefire-deal-8626330" rel="dofollow">https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-administration-thanks-trump-for-crucial-role-in-israel-hamas-ceasefire-deal-8626330</a></div>
<div></div>
<div>2023</div>
<div>It was a breakout year for ties. PM Modi visited the US on a state visit, while US President Biden travelled to India for the G20 summit. The iCET initiative for Critical and Emerging Technologies was formally launched. Both leaders also engaged on the sidelines of the G7 and Quad Hiroshima summit. That year saw India signing to the Artemis Accords, MoU on HAL GE F-414 deal, launch of the US-India Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), announcement on India&rsquo;s plans to procure General Atomics MQ-9B HALE UAVs, &nbsp;"Innovation Handshake&rdquo;, resolution of WTO disputes, semiconductor cooperation, Pakistan being slammed for its support to terror, MoU on recovery from India of the remains of fallen US service members who served in World War II among many things.</div>
<div></div>
<div>On the sidelines of the G20 Delhi summit, India and the US, along with other countries, launched the India Middle East Europe corridor, a key project that connects India to Europe via the Arab world.</div>
<div></div>
<div>But 2023 was also when ties were hit as US prosecutors claimed Indian involvement in an alleged plot to kill US national India-listed terrorists Gurpatwant Singh Pannun even as the India-Canada diplomatic row was underway over the killing of a Khalistani separatist. Following the allegations from the US about an Indian government employee's involvement in a plot to assassinate Pannun, a high-powered inquiry committee was set up by the Indian government. This committee was tasked with investigating the inputs provided by the United States concerning an alleged assassination plot against Pannun. Two names - Nikhil Gupta and Vikash Yadav - cropped up as the investigations proceeded, and next year, it dominated the public conversation on ties. Open Khalistani threats against the Indian diplomatic mission and diplomats became a big issue. The Indian consulate in San Francisco was smoke-bombed. India called for action against attackers, and the US condemned the attack.</div>
<div></div>
<div>2024</div>
<div>The year saw the shadow of the Pannun killing plot but continued engagement as well. PM Modi again travelled to the US in September, but this time for the Quad Delaware summit. He held a bilateral meeting with President Biden in his home state of Delaware and addressed the diaspora. Coopeartion on ICET, semiconductors and people-to-people engagement continued but also concerns of Khalistani extremists like Pannu and alleged Indian links over attempts to kill him remained sore points. Add to this the US prosecutors charging one of India's richest persons. The charges were against Gautam Adani, his relative Sagar Adani, and others over alleged conspiracy to pay over $265 million in bribes to secure solar energy supply contracts.</div>
<div></div>
<div>2025</div>
<div>As the Biden Presidency ended, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's last international visit was to India, during which it was announced that three Indian entities, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre (IGCAR) and the Indian Rare Earths (IRE), will be removed from US restrictive list to spur India-US civil nuclear cooperation. Sullivan briefed the Indian side on updates to US missile export control policies under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) to boost US commercial space cooperation with India.&nbsp; A high-powered inquiry committee, set up by the Indian government on US claims regarding Indian links to attempted killing of Pannun, recommended legal action against an individual identified during their inquiry. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) confirmed that the committee had investigated and recommended action, though they didn't name the individual explicitly in public statements.</div>
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world, india : Biden era is over and while history will judge its wider implications, here is a lowdown of how India- US ties fared under his presidency

New Delhi: Biden era is over and while history will judge its wider implications, here is a lowdown of how India- US ties fared under his presidency. Joe Biden took charge on 20th January 2021 and left the office on 19th January 2025. With him at the helm in Washington, there were some big-ticket developments in India-US ties, but a lot of irritants as well. The overall trajectory remained positive, something that started with Bill Clinton's India visit in 2020 and continued to see increased engagement in successive Bush, Obama, Trump administrations. 2020 With the Democrat winning the 2020 US elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Biden and vice president Kamala Harris on social media. On 17 November, 2020 PM Modi had a telephone conversation with President Biden as they agreed to work closely to further advance the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and discussed their priorities, including containing the Covid-19 pandemic, promoting access to affordable vaccines, tackling climate change, and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific Region. 2021 It was a significant year, as Quad, a grouping of US, India, Australia and Japan was elevated to summit level after years of working at officials' and foreign minister's level. For China, it was a big development, with four like-minded countries of the Indo-Pacific region coming together. The first summit took place virtually on 12th March, followed by an in-person summit in Washington on 24th September. PM Modi travelled to Washington for the Quad summit and met US President Biden, which was the first in-person meeting between the two leaders in a COVID year. During the visit, the US Government handed over 157 stolen Indian artifacts. PM Modi and President Biden also engaged on the sidelines of G20 Rome Summit and COP26 Glasgow summit. The Indian Navy formally took over the first two of its MH-60R Multi Role Helicopters (MRH) from the US Navy in a ceremony in San Diego on 16 July 2021. Since 2021 was a Covid year, both US and India worked with each other on dealing with the pandemic. The US had provided India medical supplies, vaccines, and oxygen support when India was hit by the deadly second wave of COVID. In Afghanistan, as the Taliban took over the country, both worked with each other, from UN to evacuation. Trump inauguration: From Elon Musk's Nazi salute to Mark Zuckerberg's 'bad boy' moment, these are the viral moments you cannot miss 2022 Both leaders met on the sidelines of Quad summit in Japan. They also interacted on the sidelines of the G7 Germany summit and G20 Bali summit. The engagement was undertaken at India, US 2+2 meet and first I2U2 meet. 2022 was the year of the start of the Russia -Ukraine war, which had global implications. As the West, led by the US, announced sanctions on Russia, India emerged as the biggest importer of Russian energy. While India was criticised by Washington, as the months passed, the criticism became muted. That year, the then US deputy national security advisor Daleep Singh saw a lot of controversy. During his Delhi visit, he warned of "consequences" for violating US sanctions against Russia. His visit came just before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's India visit. https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-administration-thanks-trump-for-crucial-role-in-israel-hamas-ceasefire-deal-8626330 2023 It was a breakout year for ties. PM Modi visited the US on a state visit, while US President Biden travelled to India for the G20 summit. The iCET initiative for Critical and Emerging Technologies was formally launched. Both leaders also engaged on the sidelines of the G7 and Quad Hiroshima summit. That year saw India signing to the Artemis Accords, MoU on HAL GE F-414 deal, launch of the US-India Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X), announcement on India’s plans to procure General Atomics MQ-9B HALE UAVs, "Innovation Handshake”, resolution of WTO disputes, semiconductor cooperation, Pakistan being slammed for its support to terror, MoU on recovery from India of the remains of fallen US service members who served in World War II among many things. On the sidelines of the G20 Delhi summit, India and the US, along with other countries, launched the India Middle East Europe corridor, a key project that connects India to Europe via the Arab world. But 2023 was also when ties were hit as US prosecutors claimed Indian involvement in an alleged plot to kill US national India-listed terrorists Gurpatwant Singh Pannun even as the India-Canada diplomatic row was underway over the killing of a Khalistani separatist. Following the allegations from the US about an Indian government employee's involvement in a plot to assassinate Pannun, a high-powered inquiry committee was set up by the Indian government. This committee was tasked with investigating the inputs provided by the United States concerning an alleged assassination plot against Pannun. Two names - Nikhil Gupta and Vikash Yadav - cropped up as the investigations proceeded, and next year, it dominated the public conversation on ties. Open Khalistani threats against the Indian diplomatic mission and diplomats became a big issue. The Indian consulate in San Francisco was smoke-bombed. India called for action against attackers, and the US condemned the attack. 2024 The year saw the shadow of the Pannun killing plot but continued engagement as well. PM Modi again travelled to the US in September, but this time for the Quad Delaware summit. He held a bilateral meeting with President Biden in his home state of Delaware and addressed the diaspora. Coopeartion on ICET, semiconductors and people-to-people engagement continued but also concerns of Khalistani extremists like Pannu and alleged Indian links over attempts to kill him remained sore points. Add to this the US prosecutors charging one of India's richest persons. The charges were against Gautam Adani, his relative Sagar Adani, and others over alleged conspiracy to pay over $265 million in bribes to secure solar energy supply contracts. 2025 As the Biden Presidency ended, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's last international visit was to India, during which it was announced that three Indian entities, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre (IGCAR) and the Indian Rare Earths (IRE), will be removed from US restrictive list to spur India-US civil nuclear cooperation. Sullivan briefed the Indian side on updates to US missile export control policies under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) to boost US commercial space cooperation with India. A high-powered inquiry committee, set up by the Indian government on US claims regarding Indian links to attempted killing of Pannun, recommended legal action against an individual identified during their inquiry. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) confirmed that the committee had investigated and recommended action, though they didn't name the individual explicitly in public statements.

India-US ties under Biden administration: A timeline

US President Donald Trump, while addressing the inauguration parade on Monday (Jan 20) said that he would cease as many as 80 actions by his predecessor Joe Biden's bureaucrats, and fire them.&nbsp;
Trump was speaking at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC.&nbsp;
"First, I&rsquo;ll revoke nearly 80 destructive and radical executive actions of the previous administration, one of the worst administrations in history," Trump said.
Trump said he would also issue a government hiring freeze "to ensure that we're only hiring competent people who are faithful to the American public and we will pause the hiring of any new IRS agents."&nbsp;
Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-inauguration-today-jan-20-takes-oath-as-47th-us-president-oldest-potus-jd-vance-vice-president-8638762" rel="dofollow"> Donald Trump sworn in as 47th US President, to 'Make America Great Again</a>'
<h2>'Pardon J6 hostages'</h2>
He continued his speech, saying that he would pardon the January 6 defendants on his first day in office.&nbsp;
"We'll be signing pardons for a lot of people," he said.
&ldquo;Tonight, I&rsquo;m going to be signing on the J- 6 hostages&rsquo; pardons to get them out. And as soon as I leave, I&rsquo;m going to the Oval Office and we&rsquo;ll be signing pardons for a lot of people,&rdquo; he told his supporters at the Capital One Arena. 'J6 hostages' is a term used by Trump and his surrogates to refer to the convicted rioters of Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-announces-national-emergency-on-border-what-does-it-mean-for-us-8638925" rel="dofollow">Trump announces national emergency on Mexico border. What does it mean for US?</a>
<h2>Expresses support for Gaza hostages' families</h2>
The families of hostages held in Gaza were standing at the Capital One Arena where Trump was addressing.&nbsp;
In his speech, Trump reiterated his promise to bring the hostages home.&nbsp;
While speaking to a crowd of supporters, he said he had had conversations with the families.&nbsp;
&ldquo;And some of them are just saying, &lsquo;No, my son is gone. But please, just bring home his body,&rsquo;&rdquo; Trump said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/migrants-at-us-mexico-border-break-down-in-tears-as-trump-announces-sweeping-measures-8638986" rel="dofollow">Video: Migrants at US-Mexico border break down in tears as Trump announces sweeping measures</a>
Referring to the hostages that were released on Sunday as part of the first phase of the ceasefire, Trump said, "We never stopped praying for you, and we&rsquo;re so glad that you&rsquo;re reunited with your friends and families."
&ldquo;Should have never happened,&rdquo; he added, referring to the Hamas terror attack of October 7, 2023.&nbsp;
Following his speech, Trump signed executive actions in front of thousands of supporters gathered at the Capital One Arena, with people cheering loudly as he continued signing one after the other.&nbsp;
Starting with rescinding 78 Biden-era executive actions, Trump signed to exit the Paris Climate Treaty.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-vows-to-take-back-panama-canal-in-explosive-inaugural-address-8638943" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;China is operating&hellip;,&rsquo; Trump vows to &lsquo;take back&rsquo; Panama Canal; Panamanian prez fires back</a>
The parade which was attended by thousands of Trump supporters, also included students from Vice President JD Vance's high school as well as Trump's military academy.&nbsp;
Students from the New York Military Academy, a private prep school near West Point, marched in the parade. Trump is a 1964 graduate of the school, as well as an alumnus of distinction from the school.
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

World: Donald Trump continued his speech, saying that he would pardon the January 6 defendants Monday (Jan 20), which marks his first day in office. 

US President Donald Trump, while addressing the inauguration parade on Monday (Jan 20) said that he would cease as many as 80 actions by his predecessor Joe Biden's bureaucrats, and fire them. Trump was speaking at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC. "First, I’ll revoke nearly 80 destructive and radical executive actions of the previous administration, one of the worst administrations in history," Trump said. Trump said he would also issue a government hiring freeze "to ensure that we're only hiring competent people who are faithful to the American public and we will pause the hiring of any new IRS agents." Also read: Donald Trump sworn in as 47th US President, to 'Make America Great Again' 'Pardon J6 hostages' He continued his speech, saying that he would pardon the January 6 defendants on his first day in office. "We'll be signing pardons for a lot of people," he said. “Tonight, I’m going to be signing on the J- 6 hostages’ pardons to get them out. And as soon as I leave, I’m going to the Oval Office and we’ll be signing pardons for a lot of people,” he told his supporters at the Capital One Arena. 'J6 hostages' is a term used by Trump and his surrogates to refer to the convicted rioters of Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021. Also read: Trump announces national emergency on Mexico border. What does it mean for US? Expresses support for Gaza hostages' families The families of hostages held in Gaza were standing at the Capital One Arena where Trump was addressing. In his speech, Trump reiterated his promise to bring the hostages home. While speaking to a crowd of supporters, he said he had had conversations with the families. “And some of them are just saying, ‘No, my son is gone. But please, just bring home his body,’” Trump said. Also read: Video: Migrants at US-Mexico border break down in tears as Trump announces sweeping measures Referring to the hostages that were released on Sunday as part of the first phase of the ceasefire, Trump said, "We never stopped praying for you, and we’re so glad that you’re reunited with your friends and families." “Should have never happened,” he added, referring to the Hamas terror attack of October 7, 2023. Following his speech, Trump signed executive actions in front of thousands of supporters gathered at the Capital One Arena, with people cheering loudly as he continued signing one after the other. Starting with rescinding 78 Biden-era executive actions, Trump signed to exit the Paris Climate Treaty. Also read: ‘China is operating…,’ Trump vows to ‘take back’ Panama Canal; Panamanian prez fires back The parade which was attended by thousands of Trump supporters, also included students from Vice President JD Vance's high school as well as Trump's military academy. Students from the New York Military Academy, a private prep school near West Point, marched in the parade. Trump is a 1964 graduate of the school, as well as an alumnus of distinction from the school. (With inputs from agencies)

'One of the worst administrations in history': Trump to cease Biden's bureaucrats and fire them

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/donald-trump-0" rel="dofollow">Donald Trump,</a> after giving his inaugural speech in the US Capitol Rotunda, delivered a longer and informal speech to his supporters, highlighting several concerns including his past claims of winning the 2020 election, his denials about the January 6, 2021 attacks, and his comments on Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton and other figures.&nbsp;
After his official inauguration address, Trump stopped by the Capitol's visitor centre and addressed supporters in his usual freewheeling, informal style.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think this was a better speech than the one I made upstairs,&rdquo; Trump said, adding, &ldquo;I gave you the A-plus treatment.&rdquo;
In that speech, the US president referred to CNN commentator Adam Kinzinger as a "super-Cryer", saying, "I never saw the guy not crying.&rdquo;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/golden-age-of-america-begins-now-donald-trump-says-as-he-swears-in-as-us-president-8638801" rel="dofollow">Also read: 'Golden age of America begins now,' says Trump in first speech as 47th US President</a>
Trump also said that former Republican leader Liz Cheney opposed him not because of any perceived threat to democracy but because her dad, former vice president Dick Cheney, was a war profiteer.
He spent a while disputing a specific piece of January 6 testimony &mdash; that he attempted to seize the wheel of the presidential limousine to drive to the Capitol.
He reiterated that the 2020 election was "rigged" against him, further insisting that "we would have won the state of California&rdquo; in 2024 if it weren&rsquo;t for illegal votes.
<h2>'Toned down speech'</h2>
Trump said that Vice President JD Vance and First Lady Melania Trump convinced him to tone down the speech at the main event.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-announces-national-emergency-on-border-what-does-it-mean-for-us-8638925" rel="dofollow">Also read: Trump announces national emergency on Mexico border. What does it mean for US?</a>
However, nothing could stop Trump.
As soon after taking the oath and seeing outgoing President Joe Biden leave the Capitol for one last flight on Marine One, the president made his way to the Capitol Visitors Centre and gave his uncensored speech.&nbsp;
&ldquo;They said, &lsquo;Please don&rsquo;t bring that up right now. You can bring it up tomorrow.&rsquo; I said, &lsquo;How &rsquo;bout now?&rsquo;&rdquo; Trump said.&nbsp;
In his second speech, Trump talked about what he really cares about, including the 2020 election results and January 6 riots.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trumps-admin-will-withdraw-from-paris-climate-accord-8638864" rel="dofollow">Also read: US President Donald Trump's admin will withdraw from Paris Climate Accord</a>
In his official address after taking the oath earlier in the day, Trump said the "golden age of America begins now", adding that he would put America first.&nbsp;
Taking over for his second stint, Trump said he is returning as the 47th president &ldquo;confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success.&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)

World: “I think this was a better speech than the one I made upstairs,” US President Donald Trump said, adding that “I gave you the A-plus treatment.”

Donald Trump, after giving his inaugural speech in the US Capitol Rotunda, delivered a longer and informal speech to his supporters, highlighting several concerns including his past claims of winning the 2020 election, his denials about the January 6, 2021 attacks, and his comments on Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton and other figures. After his official inauguration address, Trump stopped by the Capitol's visitor centre and addressed supporters in his usual freewheeling, informal style. “I think this was a better speech than the one I made upstairs,” Trump said, adding, “I gave you the A-plus treatment.” In that speech, the US president referred to CNN commentator Adam Kinzinger as a "super-Cryer", saying, "I never saw the guy not crying.” Also read: 'Golden age of America begins now,' says Trump in first speech as 47th US President Trump also said that former Republican leader Liz Cheney opposed him not because of any perceived threat to democracy but because her dad, former vice president Dick Cheney, was a war profiteer. He spent a while disputing a specific piece of January 6 testimony — that he attempted to seize the wheel of the presidential limousine to drive to the Capitol. He reiterated that the 2020 election was "rigged" against him, further insisting that "we would have won the state of California” in 2024 if it weren’t for illegal votes. 'Toned down speech' Trump said that Vice President JD Vance and First Lady Melania Trump convinced him to tone down the speech at the main event. Also read: Trump announces national emergency on Mexico border. What does it mean for US? However, nothing could stop Trump. As soon after taking the oath and seeing outgoing President Joe Biden leave the Capitol for one last flight on Marine One, the president made his way to the Capitol Visitors Centre and gave his uncensored speech. “They said, ‘Please don’t bring that up right now. You can bring it up tomorrow.’ I said, ‘How ’bout now?’” Trump said. In his second speech, Trump talked about what he really cares about, including the 2020 election results and January 6 riots. Also read: US President Donald Trump's admin will withdraw from Paris Climate Accord In his official address after taking the oath earlier in the day, Trump said the "golden age of America begins now", adding that he would put America first. Taking over for his second stint, Trump said he is returning as the 47th president “confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success.” (With inputs from agencies)

Trump 'had to tone down' official speech, gave uncensored address post swearing-in

As Joe Biden's presidency comes to an end with Donald Trump taking over as the 47th US president, the outgoing Democrat stressed in his farewell address on Monday (Jan 21) that he is leaving office but "we are not leaving the fight."&nbsp;
In a very brief address after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/donald-trump-0" rel="dofollow">Trump</a> concluded his inaugural speech, Biden said "we have got a lot more to do."&nbsp;
<h2>'Not leaving the fight'</h2>
Biden said&nbsp; he is &ldquo;leaving office, but we&rsquo;re not leaving the fight,&rdquo; calling on supporters to &ldquo;stay engaged in all the ways you can.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/golden-age-of-america-begins-now-donald-trump-says-as-he-swears-in-as-us-president-8638801" rel="dofollow">'Golden age of America begins now,' says Trump in first speech as 47th US President</a>
Looking back at the past four years with great "pride", Biden said, &ldquo;No president gets to choose the moment they enter history. But they get to choose the team they enter it with. And we chose the best damn team in the world."&nbsp;
He further said it was the "honour of my life to serve as your president".&nbsp;
&ldquo;Mark my words: the future&rsquo;s going to judge what you&rsquo;ve done as one of the most significant contributions that&rsquo;s been made by all of America," he emphasised.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-inauguration-today-jan-20-new-white-house-website-revamped-8638932" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;America is back': White House website revamped as Trump 2.0 begins</a>
The crowd cheered "Thank you, Joe" as Biden concluded his speech.&nbsp;
Following his speech, the Bidens crossed the tarmac hand in hand and boarded Special Air Mission 46 for a flight to Santa Ynez, California.&nbsp;
Just a while before that, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on Monday. Trump took the oath on two Bibles. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office.
Trump, in his speech, slammed Biden, saying that the "government that cannot manage a simple crisis at home" is at the same time stumbling "into a continuing catalogue of catastrophic events abroad".&nbsp;
Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-vows-to-take-back-panama-canal-in-explosive-inaugural-address-8638943" rel="dofollow"> &lsquo;China is operating&hellip;,&rsquo; Trump vows to &lsquo;take back&rsquo; Panama Canal; Panamanian prez fires back</a>
He continued criticising the policies of Biden, who was sitting just a few steps away from him at the inauguration ceremony.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Following Biden's speech, the Bidens crossed the tarmac hand in hand and boarded Special Air Mission 46 for a flight to Santa Ynez, California. 

As Joe Biden's presidency comes to an end with Donald Trump taking over as the 47th US president, the outgoing Democrat stressed in his farewell address on Monday (Jan 21) that he is leaving office but "we are not leaving the fight." In a very brief address after Trump concluded his inaugural speech, Biden said "we have got a lot more to do." 'Not leaving the fight' Biden said he is “leaving office, but we’re not leaving the fight,” calling on supporters to “stay engaged in all the ways you can.” Also read: 'Golden age of America begins now,' says Trump in first speech as 47th US President Looking back at the past four years with great "pride", Biden said, “No president gets to choose the moment they enter history. But they get to choose the team they enter it with. And we chose the best damn team in the world." He further said it was the "honour of my life to serve as your president". “Mark my words: the future’s going to judge what you’ve done as one of the most significant contributions that’s been made by all of America," he emphasised. Also read: ‘America is back': White House website revamped as Trump 2.0 begins The crowd cheered "Thank you, Joe" as Biden concluded his speech. Following his speech, the Bidens crossed the tarmac hand in hand and boarded Special Air Mission 46 for a flight to Santa Ynez, California. Just a while before that, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on Monday. Trump took the oath on two Bibles. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office. Trump, in his speech, slammed Biden, saying that the "government that cannot manage a simple crisis at home" is at the same time stumbling "into a continuing catalogue of catastrophic events abroad". Also read: ‘China is operating…,’ Trump vows to ‘take back’ Panama Canal; Panamanian prez fires back He continued criticising the policies of Biden, who was sitting just a few steps away from him at the inauguration ceremony. (With inputs from agencies)

'Leaving office, but not leaving the fight', says Biden as his presidency comes to an end

Outgoing United States President Joe Biden on Monday (Jan 20) issued pre-emptive pardons to former medical advisor Anthony Fauci, retired general Mark Milley, and members, staff and witnesses of a House committee investigating the US Capitol attack of January 6, 2021.
"These are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing," President Biden said in a statement.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-inauguration-live-updates-jd-vance-live-updates-47th-president-of-the-united-states-today-jan-20-elon-musk-liveblog-8637718" rel="dofollow">Click here to follow all updates on Trump's inauguration</a>
"Baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families," the statement added.&nbsp;
<h2>Biden's decision hours ahead of Trump's inauguration</h2>
Biden's pre-emptive pardons to members of the January 6 committee came hours before Donald Trump would be sworn in as the 47th president.
A report by CNN said that Biden had been weighing issuing the pardons in the waning days of his presidency, concerned Trump would enter office and immediately seek to prosecute his adversaries.
The recipients of Biden&rsquo;s pardons have all faced intense criticism from Trump and his allies.
<h2>Biden pardons five more individuals</h2>
On Sunday, Biden pardoned five more individuals including late civil rights leader Marcus Garvey.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-pardons-civil-rights-leader-marcus-garvey-and-four-others-on-his-last-day-in-office-8636730" rel="dofollow">Biden pardons civil rights leader Marcus Garvey and four others on his last day in office</a>
"Today, I am exercising my clemency power to pardon 5 individuals and commute the sentences of 2 individuals who have demonstrated remorse, rehabilitation, and redemption. These clemency recipients have each made significant contributions to improving their communities," the outgoing president said in a statement.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Joe Biden's pardon to members of a House committee probing the Capitol attack came hours before Donald Trump would be sworn-in as the 47th president of the United States (US). 

Outgoing United States President Joe Biden on Monday (Jan 20) issued pre-emptive pardons to former medical advisor Anthony Fauci, retired general Mark Milley, and members, staff and witnesses of a House committee investigating the US Capitol attack of January 6, 2021. "These are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing," President Biden said in a statement. Click here to follow all updates on Trump's inauguration "Baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families," the statement added. Biden's decision hours ahead of Trump's inauguration Biden's pre-emptive pardons to members of the January 6 committee came hours before Donald Trump would be sworn in as the 47th president. A report by CNN said that Biden had been weighing issuing the pardons in the waning days of his presidency, concerned Trump would enter office and immediately seek to prosecute his adversaries. The recipients of Biden’s pardons have all faced intense criticism from Trump and his allies. Biden pardons five more individuals On Sunday, Biden pardoned five more individuals including late civil rights leader Marcus Garvey. Also read | Biden pardons civil rights leader Marcus Garvey and four others on his last day in office "Today, I am exercising my clemency power to pardon 5 individuals and commute the sentences of 2 individuals who have demonstrated remorse, rehabilitation, and redemption. These clemency recipients have each made significant contributions to improving their communities," the outgoing president said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Hours ahead of Trump's inauguration, outgoing US President Biden pre-emptively pardons Jan 6 committee members

Biden's final day includes receiving the daily brief, meeting VP Kamala Harris, and hosting President-elect Trump and his wife for tea.

Decoding US President Joe Biden's schedule of January 20

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