Trump and Melania joined by Ivanka and other family to watch fireworks after return to DC: Live

The inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will be moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda on Monday because frigid temperatures are expected in the nation’s capital.

It’s set to be the coldest inauguration day in four decades.

“I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday.

Washington, D.C. is playing host not just to celebrations to mark Trump’s return to the White House but also to a large protest in the heart of the city. Thousands marched on Saturday echoing the demonstrations of eight years ago when Trump first assumed office.

While the numbers are smaller, protesters are keen to show they have not gone away. Trump departed Palm Beach and arrived in D.C. shortly after 7 p.m. He traveled to the Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Va., where he and Melania and Barron Trump are scheduled to watch a fireworks display.

Key Points

• Trump to head indoors for inauguration bucking outdoor ceremony to avoid frigid temps

• List of Democrats not attending Monday’s ceremony grows

• Exclusive: Trump considering rejecting UK PM’s nominee for ambassador to the US

• Trump reveals Xi Jinping call

• Trump says he will ‘most likely’ give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from ban

• Trump will ‘probably’ travel to Los Angeles next week to view wildfire damage

Trumps to be treated to fireworks display at Trump National Golf Club

03:25 , Michelle Del Rey

The president-elect and former first lady arrived at their hotel shortly after touching down in Dulles, Virginia around 7 p.m. ET. The pair were treated to an Elvis impersonator at the hotel and are scheduled to watch a fireworks display.

Recap: Timeline of Trump’s dramatic return to White House

02:45 , Oliver O’Connell

All the key dates from Trump’s election victory until he becomes the next president.

Timeline of events – from Trump winning the election to becoming the 47th president

Who is singing the national anthem at the inauguration?

01:45 , Oliver O’Connell

As President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office once again at his second Inauguration ceremony on January 20, he will be serenaded by a host of performers, but who is singing the national anthem?

Inga Parkel reports.

Who is Christopher Macchio, the singer performing at Trump’s inauguration?

Trump reveals the three themes of his inauguration speech and hints at two early trips

00:50 , Michelle Del Rey

Donald Trump has reportedly said the three main themes of his inaugural speech on Monday will be “unity, strength and fairness.”

The president-elect, who will be sworn in for his second term at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., has also said that he will sign around 100 executive actions on his first day, with the focus on immigration.

He has previously promised action on at least 59 topics on his first day in office, including “the largest deportation” in US history, ending the war in Ukraine and pardoning the January 6 rioters. The new administration’s deportation efforts are expected to begin in Chicago, with some 200 ICE agents targeting scores of migrants, including those with low-level criminal histories that would’ve been deemed low priority by the Biden administration.

Read more from Phil Thomas.

Trump reveals the three themes of his inauguration speech

Who pays for the presidential inauguration?

00:45 , Oliver O’Connell

The fundraising for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump has beaten all records, with an unprecedented $170 million raised.

Tech executives and big donors have donated massive sums of money to curry favor with the incoming president. The donations are usually spent on events surrounding the inauguration, such as the oath of office ceremony, a parade, and several inaugural balls.

The fundraising sum was initially reported Wednesday by The New York Times.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Who pays for the presidential inauguration? These are some of the major donors

Trump arrives in D.C. shortly after 7 p.m. ET

00:31 , Michelle Del Rey

President-elect Donald Trump has arrived in the D.C.-area less than 48 hours away from his swearing-in ceremony inside the Capitol. Both Melania and Barron Trump accompanied him on the journey.

TikTok threatens to ‘go dark’ on Sunday – as Trump dangles a 90-day reprieve once he’s sworn in the following day

00:26 , Michelle Del Rey

President-elect Donald Trump is “likely” to give TikTok a 90-day reprieve as the app says it will “go dark” Sunday after the Supreme Court upheld a federal law banning it this week.

Trump made the comment in a phone interview with NBC News’s Kristen Welker a day after the ruling was issued.

“I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at,” he said. “The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate. You know, it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation.”

Read more from Michelle Del Rey here.

Stressed about Trump’s return? You’re not alone…

Saturday 18 January 2025 23:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Richard Hall writes:

Therapist Paula Carino describes Donald Trump’s presence in the lives of her clients as “an ambient sinister fuzz.”

The returning president’s unique ability to dominate the airwaves and invade the headspace of the country has been a daily torment to his detractors for years, whether through his screaming tweets, rambling press conferences or occasional threats to democracy. And as he returns to the White House for his second term, therapists across the country are hearing about it.

“He’s very triggering for people,” Carino, who is based in Brooklyn, tells The Independent.

Read on…

People are panicking to their therapist about Donald Trump’s return

Bannon mocks Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos as Trump ‘supplicants’

Saturday 18 January 2025 23:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Steve Bannon has intensified the MAGA civil war by comparing the sudden support for Donald Trump from tech titans Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos to the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II.

Trump’s one-time White House chief strategist fired his latest broadside against Tesla and SpaceX CEO Musk in an interview with ABC News the weekend before his former boss is sworn in for a second term.

Phil Thomas reports from Los Angeles.

Bannon calls Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos ‘supplicants’ before Trump

Joe and Jill Biden: What’s next for the president and first lady?

Saturday 18 January 2025 22:45 , Oliver O’Connell

President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden are leaving the White House on January 20, marking the end of the president’s 50 years in politics.

But Biden, 82, insists he’s not quite ready to retreat into a slow retirement just yet. In interviews, the president has indicated he’s still got work to do to improve Americans’ lives. Jill Biden, 73, has similarly dedicated her life to others through education, but she has kept quiet about her next chapter after the White House.

What is certain is that Bidens will almost certainly return to their homes in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where they spend time with family.

Here is what else could be in store for Joe and Jill Biden.

What’s next for Joe and Jill Biden?

Fact: Only the sitting president flies on Air Force One

Saturday 18 January 2025 22:20 , Oliver O’Connell

EDITORIAL: Global politics will become noisier on Monday when Donald Trump takes office

Saturday 18 January 2025 22:15 , Oliver O’Connell

The mood surrounding Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday is very different from the first time round. In 2017 there were liberals in the United States and around the world who behaved as if we were in the end times. They braced themselves for all manner of wickedness – and then the world continued to turn on its axis; nothing much changed.

Mr Trump did not impose tariffs on imports from other countries. He did not build very much of the wall on the southern border of the US. Mexico did not pay for the 47 miles that he did build. He did not shut the US’s borders to Muslims. He did not withdraw from Nato.

As a result, the anticipation of Mr Trump’s presidency is calmer this time – as the president-elect himself has noticed: “In the first term everybody was fighting me. In this term everybody wants to be my friend.”

The danger is that the world is making the opposite mistake of underestimating the risks of the great disruptor.

Continue reading…

Global politics will become noisier on Monday when Donald Trump takes office

In pictures: Trump family depart Palm Beach for Washington

Saturday 18 January 2025 22:05 , Oliver O’Connell

Nigel Farage proclaimed ‘Britain’s future PM’ at Trump celebration party

Saturday 18 January 2025 21:59 , Oliver O’Connell

David Maddox and Andrew Feinberg report from Washington, DC:

Nigel Farage was proclaimed as “the next prime minister of Great Britain” at a huge party overlooking the White House to celebrate the upcoming inauguration of his friend and ally Donald Trump.

The Stars and Stripes Union Jack reception on the rooftop of the Hay Adams hotel on Friday night became a gathering of the glitterati of the US and UK political right, with Maga Republicans rubbing shoulders with Reform UK, senior Conservatives, and Brexiteers.

Read on…

Farage proclaimed ‘Britain’s future PM’ at champagne fuelled Trump celebration party

Watch: Donald, Melania and Barron Trump board Air Force 2 en route to Washington, D.C.

Saturday 18 January 2025 21:47 , Oliver O’Connell

Kristi Noem wants to shrink cyber agency that pushed back on Trump 2020 election conspiracies

Saturday 18 January 2025 21:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security wants to rein in a cybersecurity agency that took a high-profile public stand and refuted the Republican’s false claims of a compromised 2020 election.

During a confirmation hearing on Friday, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem told the Senate the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) had “gotten far off mission” and “needs to be much more effective, smaller, more nimble to really fulfill their mission.”

CISA has long been a target of conservatives, who criticized the agency’s past work liaising with social media companies about hoaxes and disinformation.

Josh Marcus reports.

Kristi Noem wants to slash cyber agency that pushed back on Trump 2020 conspiracies

Watch: Trump motorcade departs Mar-a-Lago for Palm Beach International Airport

Saturday 18 January 2025 21:42 , Oliver O’Connell

Watch: Bannon says Zuckerberg, Bezos and Musk attending Trump’s inauguration as ‘supplicants’

Saturday 18 January 2025 21:35 , Oliver O’Connell

Snoop Dogg fans appalled by his performance at Trump inauguration party

Saturday 18 January 2025 21:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Snoop Dogg has upset a wide portion of his fan base after performing at the first-ever inaugural “Crypto Ball” in celebration of Donald Trump’s imminent inauguration as U.S. president.

Snoop (real name Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.) was filmed performing his classic track, “Nuthin’ but a G Thang” at the party hosted by David Sacks, former PayPal COO and the incoming White House AI and Crypto Czar.

After previously mocking the president-elect, Snoop switched allegiances last year to praise Trump and claim he “has done only great things” for him.

Tom Murray reports.

Snoop Dogg fans appalled by rapper’s performance at Trump inauguration party

Saturday 18 January 2025 21:41 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump family heads to DC from Florida

Saturday 18 January 2025 21:18 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump backs LA for Olympics after fires

Saturday 18 January 2025 21:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has vowed to keep the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, despite calls from Republicans to move the games to a red state in the wake of the devastating wildfires.

The President-elect promised to make the competition “the greatest Games” and said that they were “more important than ever to L.A.,” as city authorities continue to deal with the fallout from the blazes, which have so far claimed the lives of at least 25 people across southern California.

Mike Bedigan reports.

Trump sticking with LA for Olympics despite calls from GOP to move to a red-state

Javier Milei has arrived in DC for Trump’s inauguration

Saturday 18 January 2025 21:09 , Oliver O’Connell

Argentine President Javier Milei has arrived in Washington, D.C., to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Watch: Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner head to DC

Saturday 18 January 2025 21:40 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump inauguration speech to focus on ‘unity, strength and fairness’

Saturday 18 January 2025 20:50 , Oliver O’Connell

Rachel Scott of ABC News has spoken with Donald Trump, who told her that the three themes of his inauguration speech will be “unity, strength and fairness.”

The president-elect also revealed the focus of his executive actions on Day One — immigration and a rollback of President Joe Biden’s electric mandates.

Trump confirms he will “likely” do a 90-day extension for TikTok and that he plans to travel to California on Friday or sometime early next week.

Civil rights groups are bracing for Trump to ‘flood the zone’ with immigration executive orders.

Saturday 18 January 2025 20:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Alex Woodward writes:

Civil rights groups and immigration attorneys are preparing for what they expect will be a flood of actions from Donald Trump within his first days in office, laying the groundwork for his “mass deportation operation” that could impact millions of immigrants and their families.

Trump is expected to swiftly announce plans to gut legal immigration pathways while reinstating policies reversed under Joe Biden and demanding members of Congress approve billions of dollars in new funding to arrest and detain people living in the country illegally, along with their citizen children.

Following his inauguration on January 20, Trump is widely expected to “flood the zone with anti-immigration actions,” according to Naureen Shah, deputy director for government affairs at ACLU.

Continue reading…

Trump plans to ‘flood the zone’ with immigration actions, civil rights group warn

Report: Pence to attend Trump’s inauguration

Saturday 18 January 2025 20:24 , Oliver O’Connell

Florida man arrested for tearing down pro-Trump sign

Saturday 18 January 2025 20:15 , Oliver O’Connell

A Florida man was arrested after aggressively tearing down a pro-Trump flag from his elderly neighbor’s fence that he claimed he was “intimidated” by, according to a criminal complaint.

Lee Jonathan Farber, 55, allegedly tore down the flag and another political sign that were screwed into the fence and threw them into a nearby lake, while his wife watched on.

Mike Bedigan reports.

Florida man arrested for tearing down pro-Trump sign he ‘felt intimidated’ by

ANALYSIS: How Trump shifted the conversation on immigration

Saturday 18 January 2025 20:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Eric Garcia writes about how Trump’s rhetoric on immigration was seen as racist and coarse. Now, it’s the consensus.

Trump’s other victory: How he shifted the conversation on immigration

In pictures: Protesters march through Washington ahead of Trump’s inauguration

Saturday 18 January 2025 19:40 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump says he will ‘probably’ travel to Los Angeles next week to view wildfire damage

Saturday 18 January 2025 19:27 , Oliver O’Connell

In a phone interview Saturday, President-elect Donald Trump told NBC News’s Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker that he will likely travel to California next week to observe the aftermath of the devastating wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area.

“I will be, probably, at the end of the week,” Trump said, with his second inauguration just two days away.

“I was going to go, actually yesterday,” the president-elect added, “but I thought it would be better if I went as president. It’s a little bit more appropriate, I suspect.”

Wildfires ravaged suburban Los Angeles for days, destroying homes and businesses, displacing residents, and leaving at least 25 people dead.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, invited Trump to come to his state to view the destruction last week as Trump unleashed an escalating series of attacks on social media against him, outgoing President Joe Biden, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

Trump transition team confirms Nelly performance

Saturday 18 January 2025 19:19 , Oliver O’Connell

Rapper Nelly is set to perform at the Inaugural Liberty Ball on January 20 with Donald Trump in attendance.

The 50-year-old artist will join the Village People and country star Jason Aldean as the entertainment for the night.

Kaleigh Werner reports.

Rapper Nelly to perform at a Donald Trump’s inaugural ball

Report: Trump’s first major deportation operation will hit Chicago

Saturday 18 January 2025 19:15 , Oliver O’Connell

The Trump administration is reportedly planning to begin its promised campaign of unprecedented mass deportations with a series of raids in Chicago.

The raids will begin the day after the Republican is inaugurated, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Josh Marcus reports.

Trump’s first major deportation operation will hit Chicago, says report

Trump says he will ‘most likely’ give TikTok a 90-day reprieve on ban

Saturday 18 January 2025 18:56 , Oliver O’Connell

In a phone interview with NBC News’s Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker on Saturday, President-elect Donald Trump said he would “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from a potential ban in the U.S. after he takes office on Monday.

Trump said he hadn’t made a final decision but was considering a 90-day extension of the Sunday deadline for TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell to a non-Chinese-buyer or face a U.S. ban.

“I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate. You know, it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation,” Trump said.

“If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday,” he said.

Saturday 18 January 2025 18:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Kelly Rissman writes:

It’s been 8 years since nearly half a million demonstrators descended on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to protest Donald Trump’s presidency on his first full day in office.

The inaugural Women’s March at the time was the largest single-day protest in U.S. history. Many sported pink knit “pussyhats,” a reference to Trump’s own words in the 2005 Access Hollywood tape, in which he bragged about “grabbing [women] by the pussy.”

“We are the popular vote!” some chanted, a reminder that he hadn’t captured the hearts of the majority of Americans, having lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by nearly 3 million votes.

“Welcome to your first day, we will not go away!” other marchers promised.

Now that Trump is returning to the White House, so are the protestors. They want to show they have not gone away — even if their numbers are smaller.

Read on…

Eight years after the Women’s March, a new protest is planned for Trump’s return

Is Trump’s inaugural parade still happening?

Saturday 18 January 2025 18:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump also said that Capital One Arena would “host the Presidential Parade.” Trump said he would “join the crowd” at Capital One after he takes the oath.

The parade is managed by the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region, which is trying to figure out what changes need to be made and how the parade will go on.

Normally, thousands of people line the route from the Capitol to the White House, which the president typically traverses following the swearing-in ceremony. Marching bands and other participants from around the country come to Washington to participate, so presumably they will also be part of the newly arranged indoor festivities.

AP

Snoop Dogg performs at Crypto Ball to celebrate Trump’s inauguration

Saturday 18 January 2025 18:20 , Oliver O’Connell

The Shade Room has posted footage of Snoop Dogg performing at the Crypto Ball, which was held to celebrate Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration.

Snoop is seen performing his classic track “Nuthin’ but a G Thang” at the event in Washington, D.C., hosted by David Sacks, the former PayPal COO and the incoming White House AI and cryptocurrency czar.

Fans on social media were shocked by Snoop’s past criticism of Trump, but the rapper publicly changed his view of the incoming president some time ago.

In an interview with The Sunday Times in January 2024, citing Trump’s pardoning of Michael Harris, co-founder of Snoop’s first label, Death Row, for drug offenses, he said, “I have nothing but love and respect for Donald Trump.”

Ramaswamy reportedly announcing campaign for Ohio governor

Saturday 18 January 2025 18:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Vivek Ramaswamy, the billionaire biotech entrepreneur joining Elon Musk to recommend drastic cuts to federal spending in Donald Trump’s administration, reportedly plans to run for governor of Ohio.

Ramaswamy — who was reportedly considering a run for J.D. Vance’s open U.S. Senate seat, with Trump’s encouragement — is expected to announce a campaign to replace the state’s term-limited Republican Governor Mike DeWine, according to The Washington Post.

Alex Woodward reports.

DOGE co-chair Vivek Ramaswamy reportedly announcing campaign for Ohio governor

Will members of the public be able to attend the inauguration inside the Capitol?

Saturday 18 January 2025 18:00 , Oliver O’Connell

In his social media post about the weather-related change, Trump said that “various Dignitaries and Guests” would be taken into the Rotunda for the ceremony. It’s unclear how many people or whom.

According to a notice from the House’s sergeant at arms to congressional offices, the vast majority of the seats that had been planned for an outdoor ceremony will be excluded and those tickets will become “commemorative.” Organizers are still deciding whether they can admit people who have tickets in sections 3 and 4, which would have been right in front of the stage outdoors.

The Rotunda can only hold about 600 people, according to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

According to Trump’s post, Capital One Arena — where the incoming president plans a rally Sunday afternoon — will be open again on Monday for “LIVE viewing of this Historic event.” No information is available yet on how to sign up for a seat inside the arena on Monday. The arena can hold 20,000 people.

AP

Biden sets record commuting sentences of 2,500 non-violent drug offenders

Saturday 18 January 2025 17:45 , Oliver O’Connell

President Biden will commute the sentences of roughly 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug offenses, the White House announced on Friday.

“This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after spending far too much time behind bars,” Biden said in a statement. “I am proud of my record on clemency and will continue to review additional commutations and pardons.”

The announcement, coupled with Biden’s decision last month to commute the sentences of about 1,500 people put on home confinement during the Covid pandemic, means the Democrat has issued the most individual pardons and commutations of any president, according to The Associated Press.

Criminal justice advocates praised the decision.

Josh Marcus reports.

Biden commutes sentences of 2,500 non-violent drug offenders in final days in office

Exactly how cold will it be during the inauguration?

Saturday 18 January 2025 17:35 , Oliver O’Connell

The National Weather Service is predicting that the temperature will be about 22 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-6 Celsius) at noon EST, when Trump becomes president. That would be the coldest since Reagan’s second inauguration saw temperatures plunge to 7 degrees (minus-14 Celsius).

“The weather forecast for Washington, D.C., with the windchill factor, could take temperatures into severe record lows,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way.”

In 2009, it was 28 degrees (minus-2 Celsius) for Barack Obama’s swearing-in. Biden was sworn in four years ago in a relatively balmy 42 degrees (5.5 Celsius).

A few Democrats poked fun at Trump’s decision.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in the Democrats’ losing 2024 campaign, posted a photo of himself standing in a snowstorm with the caption, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.”

Monday’s forecast temperature is about the same as it was in Washington 64 years ago, when John F. Kennedy took the oath in a 22-degree chill, and after crews worked overnight clearing 8 inches of fresh snow from the parade route. Kennedy delivered his speech from the Capitol’s east steps without a topcoat, his frosty breath visible as he spoke.

A half-century earlier, William Howard Taft held his 1909 inauguration indoors after 10 inches of snow fell. That’s when the inauguration was still held on March 4, not Jan. 20.

AP

With the inauguration moving indoors, where will Trump now be sworn in?

Saturday 18 January 2025 17:18 , Oliver O’Connell

The Rotunda is prepared as an alternative for each inauguration in the event of inclement weather. The swearing-in was last moved indoors in 1985, when President Ronald Reagan began his second term. Monday’s forecast calls for the lowest Inauguration Day temperatures since that day.

President Joe Biden, members of Congress and other dignitaries and notable guests will be able to view the ceremony from inside the Capitol. On Friday, workers were installing a small platform in the Rotunda.

The U.S. Capitol Police said outside ticketed areas at the Capitol will be closed “due to the extremely cold weather,” so even if people wanted to gather there as Trump takes the oath inside, they won’t be allowed to do so.

AP

Hinting at investigation, Trump blasts FBI’s now-shuttered DEI office

Saturday 18 January 2025 17:15 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Elect Donald Trump has indicated that he may order an investigation of the FBI’s shuttered Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

“We demand that the FBI preserve and retain all records, documents, and information on the now closing DEI Office—Never should have been opened and, if it was, should have closed long ago,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday. “Why is it that they’re closing one day before the Inauguration of a new Administration? The reason is, CORRUPTION!”

The office was closed last month, following Trump’s November election win.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Trump blasts FBI DEI office and hints at an investigation ahead of White House return

EXCLUSIVE: Trump considering rejecting UK prime minister’s nominee for ambassador to the US

Saturday 18 January 2025 16:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump is considering rejecting Keir Starmer’s nominee for UK ambassador to the US in what would be an extremely rare move.

Mar-a-Lago sources within the Trump team have told The Independent that it is still not certain Lord Peter Mandelson’s credentials will be accepted by Trump after he becomes president.

While the threat of rejecting Mandelson could be sabre rattling, strains between Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government and the incoming administration are being blamed. However, there also are concerns about Lord Mandelson’s perceived links to China.

David Maddox, The Independent’s political editor, reports.

Trump considering rejecting Mandelson as Starmer’s nominee for ambassador to the US

Canada’s retaliatory tariffs to target Trump allies for maximum political impact, report says

Saturday 18 January 2025 16:35 , Oliver O’Connell

The Canadian government is gearing up a three-phase strategy involving retaliatory tariffs and other trade measures against the United States. This plan will be activated if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his promise of a universal 25 percent tariff on all Canadian imports to the U.S.

The New York Times reports that Canadian officials will wait until Mr. Trump has made his move — which he has said will be on his first day in office, Monday — before starting to impose their own tariffs. According to two senior government officials familiar with the plans, the tariffs would mostly affect consumer goods worth 37 billion Canadian dollars ($25.6 billion).

The plans are meant to remain private but the officials spoke to the Times on condition of anonymity.

The choice of goods is planned to be precisely targeted for maximum political impact. They specifically want to focus on goods made in Republican or swing states, where the pain of tariffs, like pressure on jobs and the bottom lines of local businesses, would affect Trump allies.

The hope is that those allies—governors or members of Congress—will then intervene to de-escalate the situation.

National Guard troops to wear special patch at Trump’s inauguration to make it clear they aren’t police

Saturday 18 January 2025 16:15 , Oliver O’Connell

When thousands of National Guard forces and law enforcement officers locked down Washington during racial protests and the Jan. 6 riot four years ago, the blur of camouflage and helmets made it nearly impossible to tell the difference between cops and troops.

This year’s inauguration will be different.

Read on…

Guard troops will wear a special patch at Trump’s inauguration to make it clear they aren’t police

Trump team to send GOP lawmaker details of early executive orders this weekend

Saturday 18 January 2025 16:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News reports that Donald Trump’s team plans to send Republican lawmakers information this weekend about the incoming president’s first executive orders.

Here’s The Independent’s Alex Woodward with a preview of what we can expect from Trump’s initial acts when he gets back into the Oval Office:

Trump plans to ‘flood the zone’ with immigration actions, civil rights group warn

Watch: Trump’s immigration actions ‘performative’

Saturday 18 January 2025 16:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Bill Gates talks about three-hour sit-down with Trump at Mar-a-Lago

Saturday 18 January 2025 15:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Bill Gates has revealed he had a lengthy dinner with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, where the pair discussed global health.

The Microsoft co-founder, 69, told The Independent he met with President-elect Trump at his Florida residence shortly after Christmas to discuss the work his Gates Foundation is doing to prevent the spread of HIV and polio, and to urge Trump to continue U.S. funding for research in those areas.

Kevin E G Perry reports.

Bill Gates speaks out on three-hour sit-down with Trump at Mar-a-Lago

Inside the scramble to move Trump’s inauguration indoors

Saturday 18 January 2025 15:39 , Oliver O’Connell

Plans for President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration have been in the works for months, but officials are now scrambling to find new options. Freezing temperatures have forced proceedings to move inside for the first time in 40 years.

Trump confirmed his inauguration would be moving inside on Friday as temperatures are forecast to plummet to the low 20s and said he didn’t want to see people “hurt or injured” due to the cold.

The announcement triggered frantic calls and emergency meetings amongst officials, as many members of Congress only heard about the new plans via the media, the Washington Post reports.

Rhian Lubin has the story.

Inside the scramble to move Trump inauguration indoors as MAGAworld caught off guard

Trump names education deputy

Saturday 18 January 2025 15:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has named his deputy secretary for education. The president-elect wrote on Truth Social:

I am pleased to announce that Penny Schwinn will be our next United States Deputy Secretary of Education.

Penny has a strong record of delivering results for children and families. She previously served as the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education and, at the Texas Education Agency, as the Deputy Commissioner of Standards and Engagement, Deputy Commissioner of Special Populations and Monitoring, and Chief Deputy Commissioner of Academics. She was also the Assistant Secretary of Education of Delaware, and holds a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins, as well as a Ph.D. from Claremont.

A former teacher herself, Penny became the founding principal of a charter school, because she believes in the power of School Choice, and is committed to delivering the American Dream to the next Generation by returning Education BACK TO THE STATES.

Congratulations to Penny and her wonderful family!

Trump launches meme coin ‘$TRUMP’

Saturday 18 January 2025 15:15 , Oliver O’Connell

President-elect Donald Trump has launched his own meme coin, prompting excitement from the cryptocurrency world that has reportedly left the coin with a market capitalisation of $6.8 billion.

The newly elected US president announced he is introducing his new official “$TRUMP”meme coin to celebrate “WINNING”.

In a post on X on Saturday, he wrote: “My NEW Official Trump Meme is HERE! It’s time to celebrate everything we stand for: WINNING! Join my very special Trump Community. GET YOUR $TRUMP NOW.”

Read on…

Trump launches meme coin ‘$TRUMP’ ahead of inauguration

Watch: Protest in Washington D.C. ahead of Trump’s inauguration

Saturday 18 January 2025 15:06 , Oliver O’Connell

A Tesla Cybertruck joyride with Elon Musk’s biggest fans

Saturday 18 January 2025 14:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Josh Marcus writes:

The days leading up to Donald Trump’s inauguration, which featured multiple terrorist attacks and apocalyptic wildfires across Los Angeles, won’t be remembered as an especially hopeful time.

However, there’s still plenty to look forward to with the growth of artificial intelligence in the coming years, according to Joe Jefferson, president of the Tesla Owners Club of NorCal-Reno.

Last month, we cruised through traffic in Los Gatos, California, in the custom white and carbon-fiber interior of his all-black Tesla Cybertruck, letting the EV’s Full Self-Driving mode handle the controls.

Continue reading…

A Tesla Cybertruck joyride with Elon Musk’s biggest fans

Obama pushed Chuck Schumer to convince Biden to drop out, citing his own ‘frigid relationship’ with the president

Saturday 18 January 2025 14:00 , Justin Baragona

Following last June’s disastrous debate performance by President Joe Biden, Barack Obama urged then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to be the bearer of bad news and convince Biden to drop out of the race, saying his own “fragile relationship” with the president prevented him from being the “best messenger.”

According to a deep-dive investigation by The New York Times, which was adapted from an upcoming book by reporters Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater, Schumer sat down with Biden in the president’s Delaware house last summer and told him he’d “go down in American history as one of the darkest figures” if he stayed in and lost to Donald Trump.

“The roughly 45-minute conversation, which took place on a screened-in porch overlooking a pond, was more pointed and emotional than previously known, and helps to explain how Mr. Biden came to the decision just over a week later to end his campaign,” the Times reported.

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Obama pushed Chuck Schumer to convince Biden to drop out

Fox News pundit says Kristi Noem is ‘so hot’ that shooting her puppy won’t impact cabinet appointment chances

Saturday 18 January 2025 13:30 , Mike Bedigan

A Fox News pundit has claimed that South Dakota governor Kristi Noem is “so hot” that the fact that she executed her own puppy would not make a difference on whether or not she was appointed to head up the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

In a crude and, at times, outright misogynistic tirade, Greg Gutfeld praised Donald Trump’s cabinet picks for being in “great shape,” while slamming liberals as “fat, out of shape losers.”

Read more here:

Fox News pundit says Kristi Noem is ‘so hot’ that shooting her puppy doesn’t matter

‘People came in and desecrated that beautiful space’

Saturday 18 January 2025 13:00 , Gustaf Kilander

On Monday, Trump will be inaugurated in the Capitol Rotunda, where his supporters laid siege to the Congress just four years previously.

On Friday, one of the participants in the riot, Brian Kelly, was sentenced to 10 days in prison by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, according to Politico.

“I only wish the rest of the country could see some of the things I see,” she said before handing down the sentence.

“This may be, based on what happens outside these courthouse walls, the last one of these. I don’t know,” she added.

Chutkan noted she had never been to the Capitol before paying her respects during the lying-in-state of President Jimmy Carter. After overseeing a number of January 6 cases, she said the visit was a reminder that “people came in and desecrated that beautiful space.”

From criminal sentencing to inauguration: Timeline of Trump’s dramatic return to White House

Saturday 18 January 2025 12:00 , Gustaf Kilander

With just a week left until President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, his inaugural committee has shared the schedule for all the events leading up to the swearing-in of the 47th president.

Trump has overcome impeachments, indictments, assassination attempts, and unforced errors on the campaign trail that would have dealt severe blows to most other political candidates.

During the two months since Trump won the election, states and Congress have certified the results, a new Congress has convened, and Trump has been sentenced in his hush-money case.

These are all the key dates from Trump’s election victory until he becomes the next president.

Timeline of events – from Trump winning the election to becoming the 47th president

Who is Christopher Macchio, the singer performing the national anthem at Trump’s inauguration?

Saturday 18 January 2025 11:00 , Gustaf.Kilander

As President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office once again at his second Inauguration ceremony on January 20, he will be serenaded by a host of performers, including Christopher Macchio, who will sing the national anthem.

Macchio, 46, a classical-crossover vocalist from New York City, takes on the honor from Lady Gaga, who performed the national anthem at President Joe Biden’s 2021 swearing-in ceremony.

The time before that, former America’s Got Talent contestant Jackie Evancho performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Trump’s 2017 inauguration.

This won’t be Macchio’s first time performing for the President-elect. He previously joined Trump at the Republican’s infamous October 2024 Madison Square Garden rally, where he delivered a powerful rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York.” He also sang at Trump’s second Butler, Pennsylvania rally, as well as the 2020 GOP convention.

Who is Christopher Macchio?

Who is Christopher Macchio, the singer performing at Trump’s inauguration?

Who is performing at Trump’s inauguration?

Saturday 18 January 2025 10:00 , Katie Hawkinson, Kevin E G Perry

Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States on January 20.

At the ceremony in Washington, D.C. on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance will take the oath of office and assume their positions in the White House.

However, the inauguration ceremony will be more than just a swearing-in — Trump’s team has just released the schedule of events, revealing those who will perform at the event, The Spectator World reports.

Here’s what you need to know about the line-up for Trump and Vances’ inauguration:

Who is performing at Trump’s inauguration?

What’s next for Joe and Jill Biden?

Saturday 18 January 2025 09:00 , Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden are leaving the White House on January 20, marking the end of the president’s 50 years in politics.

But Biden, 82, insists he’s not quite ready to retreat into a slow retirement just yet. In interviews, the president has indicated he’s still got work to do to improve Americans’ lives. Jill Biden, 73, has similarly dedicated her life to others through education, but she has kept quiet about her next chapter after the White House.

What is certain is that Bidens will almost certainly return to their homes in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where they spend time with family.

Here is what else could be in store for Joe and Jill Biden.

What’s next for Joe and Jill Biden?

Who pays for the presidential inauguration? These are some of the major donors

Saturday 18 January 2025 08:00 , Gustaf Kilander

The fundraising for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump has beaten all records, gathering an unprecedented $170 million.

Tech executives and big donors have donated massive sums of money to curry favor with the incoming president. The donations are usually spent on events surrounding the inauguration, such as the oath of office ceremony, a parade, and several inaugural balls.

The fundraising sum was initially reported Wednesday by The New York Times.

Federal Election Commission records reveal that President Joe Biden brought in $62 million for his inauguration four years ago. When Trump was inaugurated in 2016, the donations also set a record then as he collected more than $106 million.

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Who pays for the presidential inauguration? These are some of the major donors

Trump to head indoors for inauguration bucking outdoor ceremony to avoid frigid temps

Saturday 18 January 2025 07:00 , Kelly Rissman

The cold weather has thrown President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration into chaos, as Monday’s ceremony will be moved inside due to frigid temperatures.

High temperatures are expected to be in the low 20s in the nation’s capital on Monday. It’s projected to be the coldest inauguration in 40 years, when Ronald Reagan’s swearing-in ceremony was also moved indoors.

“I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday.

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Trump to head indoors for inauguration bucking outdoor ceremony to avoid frigid temps

Kristi Noem won’t say if she would withhold disaster aid if Trump asks: ‘Leadership has consequences’

Saturday 18 January 2025 06:00 , Alex Woodward

Donald Trump’s nominee for Homeland Security would not explicitly commit to refusing his “hypothetical” command to withhold disaster aid when pressed during her Senate confirmation hearing on Friday.

If confirmed, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem will lead the third-largest cabinet-level department, which includes immigration authorities and emergency response agencies like FEMA.

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal repeatedly asked whether she would ever withhold aid approved by Congress from states led by his political opponents, pointing to his recent statements about California officials while a series of fires across Los Angeles County torched thousands of acres and killed at least 27 people.

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Kristi Noem won’t say if she would withhold disaster aid if Trump asks

Fox News pundit says Kristi Noem is ‘so hot’ that shooting her puppy won’t impact cabinet appointment chances

Saturday 18 January 2025 05:30 , Mike Bedigan

A Fox News pundit has claimed that South Dakota governor Kristi Noem is “so hot” that the fact that she executed her own puppy would not make a difference on whether or not she was appointed to head up the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

In a crude and, at times, outright misogynistic tirade, Greg Gutfeld praised Donald Trump’s cabinet picks for being in “great shape,” while slamming liberals as “fat, out of shape losers.”

Read more here:

Fox News pundit says Kristi Noem is ‘so hot’ that shooting her puppy doesn’t matter

CBO projects U.S. debt to grow $23.9 trillion in 10 years, not including costs of extending tax cuts

Saturday 18 January 2025 05:00 , Josh Boak

The national debt is slated to rise by $23.9 trillion over the next decade, a sum that does not include trillions of dollars in additional tax cuts being championed by President-elect Donald Trump.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released its 10-year budget outlook on Friday that showed a slightly brighter picture as higher taxable incomes will relieve some pressure on the rising national debt. Still, annual budget deficits are expected to be equal to 6.1% of U.S. gross domestic product in 2035, which the CBO noted is “significantly more than the 3.8 percent that deficits have averaged over the past 50 years.”

The analysis paints a difficult picture for an incoming Republican administration bent on cutting taxes in ways that further widen deficits unless they’re also paired with major spending cuts. Trump’s proposed extension of his 2017 tax cuts that are set to expire after this year along with new cuts could easily exceed $4 trillion and his nominee to be treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, warned Thursday that the economy could crash without them.

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CBO projects U.S. debt to grow $23.9 trillion in 10 years, not including costs of extending tax cuts

Trump’s first major deportation operation will hit Chicago, says report

Saturday 18 January 2025 04:30 , Mike Bedigan

The Trump administration is reportedly planning to begin its promised campaign of unprecedented mass deportations with a series of raids in Chicago.

The raids will begin the day after the Republican is inaugurated, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Josh Marcus has more:

Trump’s first major deportation operation will hit Chicago, says report

Kristi Noem wants to shrink cyber agency that pushed back on Trump 2020 election conspiracies

Saturday 18 January 2025 04:00 , Josh Marcus

Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security wants to rein in a cybersecurity agency that took a high-profile public stand and refuted the Republican’s false claims of a compromised 2020 election.

During a confirmation hearing on Friday, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem told the Senate the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) had “gotten far off mission” and “needs to be much more effective, smaller, more nimble to really fulfill their mission.”

CISA has long been a target of conservatives, who criticized the agency’s past work liaising with social media companies about hoaxes and disinformation.

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Kristi Noem wants to slash cyber agency that pushed back on Trump 2020 conspiracies

WATCH: Doug Ford takes swipe at Donald Trump with ‘Canada is not for sale’ hat

Saturday 18 January 2025 03:15 , Gustaf Kilander

List of Democrats not attending Trump inauguration grows

Saturday 18 January 2025 02:50 , Mike Bedigan

The list of Democrats who have announced they will not attend Donald Trump’s inauguration continues to grow:

While it isn’t mandatory for members of Congress to attend the inauguration, such high numbers are unusual. Those who have reportedly said they will not attend (so far) are:

• Former First Lady Michelle Obama

• Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

• Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman

• Rep. Adam Smith

• Rep. Deborah Ross

• Rep. Donald Beyer

• Rep. Steve Cohen

• Rep. Kweisi Mfume

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett

• Rep. Sean Casten

• Rep. Delia Ramirez

• Rep. Ilhan Omar

• Rep. Judy Chu

• Rep-elect. Lateefah Simon

• Rep. Veronica Escobar

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