During the third week of President Donald Trump’s second term, significant developments have unfolded from the US administration. In a series of moves, President Trump, along with his advisor Elon Musk and the team, have made impactful decisions on various fronts. These include setting US objectives for Gaza’s future, substantial cuts to the foreign aid agency, interference in a golf dispute, and a ban on transgender women in female sports competitions.
To recap the hectic week, here are 17 key actions taken by the White House:
In a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, Trump proposed the US taking control of Gaza and transforming it into a Middle Eastern Riviera post the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Amid this, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) faced a looming workforce reduction, affecting thousands of employees. However, a judge intervened, temporarily halting the plan following a lawsuit from unions.
Furthermore, President Trump announced a 10% tariff on Chinese imports while delaying higher tariffs on Canada and Mexico for 30 days, as both countries committed to strengthening border security.
The administration also initiated voluntary resignations for federal workers, aiming to downsize the government, but this move was temporarily paused by a US judge pending a hearing.
These actions have stirred global repercussions, with potential ramifications on economic policies and aid programs worldwide. Stay tuned for further updates on the White House’s evolving agenda.
Some federal government workers, totaling over two million, are uncertain about the terms of a deal proposed by the administration. This deal offers pay and benefits until September in exchange for their resignation. Critics have raised concerns about the legality of the offer, and some employee unions are advising caution in accepting it.
President Trump recently signed an order to impose sanctions on certain International Criminal Court (ICC) staff. These sanctions target individuals and their families who aid in ICC investigations involving American citizens or allies. The ICC, based in The Hague, prosecutes global cases of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Notably, arrest warrants were issued by the ICC for a Hamas commander and Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu in relation to alleged war crimes in Gaza, which Israel denies.
Trump’s announcement coincided with Netanyahu’s visit to Washington DC. Although over 120 countries, including the UK, are ICC members, the US and Israel are not part of the court. Additionally, Trump disclosed ordering military air strikes in northeast Somalia on February 1st, targeting a senior IS attack planner and others. He claimed the strikes killed “many terrorists” without harming civilians, although these reports could not be independently verified by the BBC. Somalia’s president expressed gratitude for the US’s unwavering support against international terrorism.
Trump also took steps to disengage the US from various UN institutions. He signed an executive order withdrawing from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and announced the US’s exit from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Furthermore, the US will review its participation in the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) within 90 days.
In another move, the US sent a group of migrants to Guantanamo Bay as part of a plan to expand migrant detention at the US Navy base in Cuba. The detainees belonged to the Tren de Aragua gang, originating in Venezuelan prisons. Trump’s directive aimed to increase the facility’s capacity to hold up to 30,000 people, with Guantanamo Bay previously hosting a limited number of migrants over the years.
Moreover, deportation flights transported migrants back to India in recent days. Trump also suggested a deal with Ukraine, offering $300 billion to support its fight against Russia in exchange for guarantees on rare earth metals supply. Ukraine possesses vast uranium, lithium, and titanium deposits crucial for defense and electronics manufacturing. Ukrainian President Zelensky welcomed American investment in his country.
On Wednesday, President Trump signed an executive order that prohibits transgender women from participating in female sports categories. The order primarily focuses on guidelines and regulations for high school, university, and grassroots sports. Trump mentioned that the order would impact the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, stating that visas would be denied to transgender Olympic athletes seeking to compete in the US.
Following deadly wildfires in Los Angeles in January, Trump instructed the Army Corps of Engineers to release billions of gallons of water from two reservoirs in California’s Central Valley. Trump alleged that California had withheld water resources that could have aided in firefighting efforts, a claim disputed by Governor Gavin Newsom and other officials. The released water ended up in a dry lakebed over 100 miles away from the fires, with experts suggesting it would go to waste instead of reaching Los Angeles.
In a separate executive order signed on Thursday, Trump aimed to safeguard Americans’ religious freedoms and combat what he described as the “anti-Christian weaponization of government.” He appointed Attorney General Pam Bond to oversee a task force dedicated to eliminating perceived anti-Christian biases within the federal government. Trump announced this order following remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC.
Trump, an enthusiastic golfer with courses worldwide, reportedly intervened in a dispute between championship organizer PGA Tour and rival series LIV Golf. After negotiations between the two parties resulted in a proposed merger, PGA Tour indicated progress towards a final agreement, crediting Trump’s involvement with bringing them closer to a resolution.
Reports emerged that the Trump administration instructed certain US government agency websites to remove mentions of climate change. Websites affected included those of the departments of transportation, defense, state, and agriculture. Notably, some climate-related content remained on the EPA, NASA, and energy department websites. Additionally, employees at NOAA were reportedly told to halt communication with foreign nationals after an unofficial group linked to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency altered NOAA’s internal webpages.
President Trump later expressed that Musk’s cost-saving initiative, Doge, would be examining expenditure within agencies like the Pentagon and Department of Education.
In a recent news conference alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, former President Donald Trump made some bold statements, emphasizing his administration’s decisions regarding the controversial financial entity known as Doge. Reports have surfaced revealing that members of Doge were granted access to a crucial US Treasury Department payments system responsible for overseeing the movement of trillions of dollars annually. However, a significant development unfolded as a federal judge intervened, blocking Doge from obtaining personal financial data from millions of Americans stored in Treasury Department records. US District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer took swift action by issuing a preliminary injunction, mandating Elon Musk and his associates to promptly eradicate any obtained records.
Doge, the brainchild of Musk, a non-official federal entity, has found itself entrenched in governmental turbulence. Trump’s administration made waves by revoking Joe Biden’s security clearance and suspending his access to daily intelligence briefings, a retaliatory move mirroring actions taken by Biden against Trump four years prior. Trump justified his decision by asserting, “There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information,” in a proclamation shared on his Truth Social platform. Unmistakably channeling his television persona, Trump added insult to injury with a blunt “JOE, YOU’RE FIRED.”
Amidst a whirlwind of announcements on a consequential Friday, Trump wielded executive power to freeze financial aid to South Africa and announce the dismissal of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts board, appointing himself as chairman. Attorney General Pam Bondi made waves by dismantling a task force dedicated to combating foreign election interference and another initiative targeting Russian oligarchs. Bondi’s directive, signed on her inaugural day in office, dissolved the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, redirecting its resources towards combating drug cartels and transnational criminal syndicates. Justifying the decision as a strategic reallocation of resources to tackle urgent priorities and curb potential misuse of prosecutorial power, Bondi’s actions signify a shift in the administration’s focus.
Furthermore, Task Force KleptoCapture, initially established in response to Russia’s incursion into Ukraine, met a similar fate as Bondi disbanded the unit responsible for seizing assets belonging to Russian oligarchs, including luxury yachts. These moves underscore a broader strategy aimed at reshaping governmental priorities and addressing evolving threats on the international stage.
As the political landscape continues to evolve under Trump’s administration, the ramifications of these decisions reverberate across various sectors, signaling a shift in policy direction and a reevaluation of national security strategies. The clash between governmental agencies and private entities underscores the complex interplay between power dynamics and the rule of law, highlighting the challenges inherent in navigating the intricate web of domestic and international affairs.
In the midst of these turbulent times, observers eagerly await the next chapter in this unfolding saga, poised to witness the continued impact of these seismic shifts on the geopolitical stage. The interplay between key players, from political figures to judicial authorities, sets the stage for a
