The Pentagon will deploy roughly 1,500 more active duty soldiers to the southern border to support President Trump鈥檚 expanding crackdown , a U.S. official said Friday. That would eventually bring the total to about 3,600 active-duty troops at the border.
Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister came to the White House on Friday to meet with Trump and the two held a joint news conference.
Here's the latest:
Trump fires US archivist
Trump has dismissed Colleen Shogan as the archivist of the United States, White House aide Sergio Gor posted on X.
Trump said before returning to the presidency in early January that he would replace the head of the National Archives and Records Administration.
The government agency drew his anger after it informed the Justice Department about issues with Trump鈥檚 handling of classified documents in early 2022. That led to an FBI raid at Trump鈥檚 home at Mar-a-Lago and the charging of federal crimes against him. The government has since dropped the charges against Trump due to his return to the presidency.
Shogan, the first woman in the post, wasn鈥檛 the archivist of the United States at the time the classified documents issue emerged. David Ferriero, who had been appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009, announced in January 2022 that he鈥檇 be retiring effective that April.
19 states sue to stop DOGE accessing Americans鈥� personal data
Nineteen Democratic attorneys general are suing Trump to stop 惭耻蝉办鈥檚 Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Treasury Department records that contain sensitive personal data such as Social Security and bank account numbers for millions of Americans.
The case, filed in federal court in New York City, alleges the Trump administration allowed 惭耻蝉办鈥檚 team access to the Treasury Department鈥檚 central payment system in violation of federal law.
The payment system handles tax refunds, Social Security benefits, veterans鈥� benefits and much more, sending out trillions of dollars every year while containing an expansive network of Americans鈥� personal and financial data.
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Trump says he will name himself Kennedy Center board chair and impose programming changes
Trump announced Friday night that he plans to name himself chairman of the Kennedy Center Board and use the post to dictate programming at one of the nation鈥檚 premier cultural institutions.
鈥淲e will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!鈥� he posted on his social media site.
Trump also noted that the center had hosted past events featuring drag queens and wrote that those 鈥淲ILL STOP.鈥�
He said the center 鈥渕ust reflect the brightest STARS on its stage.鈥�
Trump is ending Biden鈥檚 security clearance
Trump says he鈥檚 revoking former President Joe Biden鈥檚 security clearance and ending the daily intelligence briefings he鈥檚 receiving in payback for Biden doing the same to him in 2021.
Trump made the announcement Friday on social media shortly after arriving at Mar-a-Lago for the weekend.
He said 鈥渢here is no need鈥� for Biden to continue to receive access to classified information and said it would be revoked 鈥渋mmediately.鈥�
He ended his post by saying, 鈥淚 will always protect our National Security 鈥� JOE, YOU鈥橰E FIRED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!鈥�
Biden didn鈥檛 immediately comment on the move.
Trump signs order to establish a White House Faith Office
Trump has signed an executive order to establish the White House Faith Office as part of the Domestic Policy Council.
The order renames the existing White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The order says the new office will consult with faith leaders on topics including 鈥渄efending religious liberty鈥� and the promotion of adoption and foster care programs.
It will advise on policy implementations throughout the federal government and help faith-based organizations procure government grants, among other responsibilities.
Veterans Affairs deems more than 130 occupations ineligible for Trump鈥檚 deferred resignation plan
Most nurses, doctors and other staff caring for military veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs are not eligible for the Trump administration鈥檚 deferred resignation offer, according to an email sent Friday by VA leadership to staff.
Nurses had been among those who received the original offer, but their from accepting, saying an exodus would directly and immediately affect the care of its 9.1 million enrolled veterans.
The new email, which was reviewed by The Associated Press, included an attached letter from VA鈥檚 human resources department and a spreadsheet with a list of more than 130 occupations labeled 鈥淰A EXEMPTION REQUESTS.鈥�
鈥淚t seems like it鈥檚 almost everyone,鈥� said Mary-Jean Burke, a physical therapist and American Federation of Government Employees leader.
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DOGE says it found a dozen people receiving Social Security 鈥� at 150 years old
During Trump鈥檚 lengthy budget meeting with House Republicans this week at the White House, they talked about rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in the government 鈥� and the more than $1 billion a day in questionable payments 惭耻蝉办鈥檚 DOGE team says it is already uncovering.
Among the findings: 12 people who allegedly received Social Security at the age of 150.
鈥淲e talked about the spending cuts,鈥� said Rep. Lisa McClain, a Michigan Republican. 鈥淲e talked about waste, fraud and abuse.鈥�
Trump orders review of gun regulations
Trump has signed an executive order calling for a broad review of all of President Joe Biden鈥檚 executive actions on guns, along with other federal government rules, plans, reports and lawsuits, to 鈥渁ssess any ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights鈥� of Americans.
The order calls for Attorney General Pam Bondi to conduct the review within 30 days and come up with an action plan for protecting the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment.
Protests against Trump鈥檚 immigration crackdown continue in Los Angeles for 6th straight day
Protests and walkouts in Southern California against President Trump鈥檚 immigration crackdown, led mainly by high school students, continued for the sixth day since they .
Students from high schools in East LA marched downtown on Friday morning, waving Mexican, Guatemalan, and El Salvadorean flags while passing cars that honked in support. Roughly 1,000 students were peacefully gathered in front of City Hall.
The student walkouts began Monday and have involved high schools all over the greater Los Angeles area. They carried signs that read, 鈥淲e fight for our parents who fought for our futures.鈥�
Thousands of people planned by Trump marched in Southern California on Sunday, including in downtown Los Angeles, where demonstrators blocked a major freeway for several hours.
Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from placing 2,200 USAID workers on paid leave
A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from placing 2,200 employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development on paid leave.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, sided with two federal employee associations in agreeing to a pause in plans to put the employees on paid leave as of midnight Friday.
The workers associations argue that Trump lacks the authority to shut down an agency enshrined in congressional legislation.
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State Department lays out plans for $7 billion-plus arms sale to Israel
The State Department has formally told Congress that it in weapons to Israel, including thousands of bombs and missiles, just two days after Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.
The massive arms sale comes as a fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas holds, even as Trump continues to tout his widely criticized proposal to move all Palestinians from Gaza and redevelop it as an international travel destination.
Musk says he will bring back DOGE staffer who resigned after report of racist posts
Musk, in a post on his social media network X, said he would bring back a staff member at the Department of Government Efficiency who resigned a day earlier after he was linked to social media posts that espoused racism.
His post came after Vice President JD Vance earlier in the day called for Marko Elez to be rehired, a view that Trump later endorsed.
Elez resigned Thursday after linked the 25-year-old DOGE staffer to a deleted social media account on X that posted last year, 鈥淚 was racist before it was cool鈥� and 鈥淵ou could not pay me to marry outside of my ethnicity,鈥� among other posts.
Trump says proposed Alaska pipeline will soon export natural gas to Japan
Trump says Japan will soon begin importing liquefied natural gas from Alaska, but a proposed $44 billion gas pipeline in the state is not yet completed and no contracts have been signed.
Trump said at a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba that, 鈥淲e鈥檙e talking about a joint venture of some type, between Japan and us, having to do with Alaska oil and gas. And that鈥檚 very exciting.鈥�
The Biden administration 鈥渨ouldn鈥檛 sell them LNG,鈥� Trump said, referring to a pause on new LNG export terminals imposed by Biden last year. Trump lifted the pause on his first day in office. 鈥淛apan wanted to buy LNG and Biden wouldn鈥檛 sell it,鈥� Trump said.
Ishiba said importing more LNG from the U.S. 鈥渋s something that is really wonderful for us.鈥� Japan also wants to import bioethanol and other products 鈥渁t a stable price, a reasonable price, from the United States,鈥� he said.
Employees groups ask federal judge to pause the dismantling of USAID
Lawyers for two government-employees groups are asking a federal judge in a hearing Friday to force a temporary pause on the Trump administration鈥檚 dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, is holding the hearing on a lawsuit filed Thursday.
Employees鈥� attorney Karla Gilbride says Trump has no legal authority to keep dismantling the agency without congressional authority.
鈥淭his is a full-scale gutting of virtually all the personnel of an entire agency,鈥� Gilbride said.
Department of Justice attorney Brett Shumate, arguing for the government, says the administration has all the legal authority it needs.
鈥淭he government does this across the board every day,鈥� Shumate said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what鈥檚 happening here. It鈥檚 just a large number.鈥�
Alaska Legislature asks Trump to retain Denali鈥檚 name and not change it to Mount McKinley
The Alaska Legislature passed a resolution Friday urging Trump to reverse course and of North America鈥檚 tallest peak as Denali rather than change it to Mount McKinley.
Trump, , signed an executive order calling for the name to revert to Mount McKinley, an identifier inspired by , who was from Ohio and never set foot in Alaska.
He said he planned to 鈥渞estore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley, where it should be and where it belongs. President McKinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent.鈥�
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Trump鈥檚 South Africa order follows complaints by Musk
The order also references South Africa鈥檚 role in bringing accusations that Israel sponsored genocide to the International Court of Justice.
signed a law last month allowing expropriations of certain land that isn鈥檛 being used, or would be in the public interest if redistributed. The Expropriation Act aims to address some of the wrongs of , when Black people had their land taken away and were forced to live in areas designated for non-whites.
Elon Musk, who grew up in South Africa and now runs Trump鈥檚 new , has called this law a threat to South Africa鈥檚 minority white community in recent social media posts.
Trump freezes aid to South Africa, alleging discrimination against the white minority
鈥淭he government of South Africa blatantly discriminates against ethnic minority Afrikaners,鈥� the White Houses said in a summary of the executive order Trump signed Friday.
Trump also will move to resettle white South African farmers and their families as refugees, the White House said.
鈥淎s long as South Africa continues to support bad actors on the world stage and allows violent attacks on innocent disfavored minority farmers, the United States will stop aid and assistance to the country,鈥� the summary said.
More US troops deploying to the southern border
The Pentagon will deploy roughly 1,500 more active duty soldiers to the southern border to support Trump鈥檚 expanding crackdown , a U.S. official said Friday.
That would eventually bring the total to about 3,600 active duty troops at the border, where they're expected to put up concertina wire barriers and provide transportation, intelligence and other support to the Border Patrol.
The order has been approved, the official said, to send a logistics brigade from the 18th Airborne Corps at Fort Liberty in North Carolina. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the deployment hasn't yet been publicly announced.
The Pentagon has been scrambling to put in motion Trump鈥檚 . The first 1,600 active duty troops already deployed to the border, and nearly 500 more from the 10th Mountain Division will move in the days ahead.
Some of the 500 Marines told to go to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have already arrived there to prepare for an influx of migrants.
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鈥� Lolita C. Baldor
Latino evangelicals who voted for Trump now fear going to church
The National Association of Evangelicals, representing 40 denominations that serve millions of parishioners, says attendance has dropped since Trump鈥檚 executive order empowering officers to enter churches to enforce immigration laws.
Bishop Ebli De La Rosa, who oversees Church of God of Prophecy congregations in nine southeastern states, said the order has imperiled 32 of the Latino evangelical denomination鈥檚 70 pastors who are here without legal status and serve vulnerable communities.
He鈥檚 told each congregation to prepare three laypeople to take over should their pastor be deported, to livestream every service, and to 鈥渒eep recording even if something happens.鈥�
Agustin Quiles, a spokesperson for the Florida Fellowship of Hispanic Councils and Evangelical Institutions, said many community members who voted for Trump now feel devastated and abandoned. 鈥淭he messaging appears to be that anyone who is undocumented is a criminal,鈥� he said.
Japan鈥檚 prime minister says Trump isn鈥檛 as frightening in person as on TV
Shigeru Ishiba said he was excited to meet a television celebrity like Trump.
鈥淥n television, he is frightening,鈥� but he was actually 鈥渧ery sincere,鈥� the prime minister said.
Ishiba also said he wasn鈥檛 using their White House meeting to 鈥渟uck up鈥� to the U.S. president.
Ishiba was asked during their joint news conference about Japan potentially imposing tariffs on U.S. goods, since Trump didn鈥檛 rule out doing similar to Japan.
The prime minister, grinning, said his official answer was no.
Trump laughed and said he liked that answer.
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Trump said the US will have 鈥榬elations鈥� with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
鈥淚 got along with him very well,鈥� Trump said, calling the time he spent with Kim during his first term an 鈥渁sset鈥� that stopped a war.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, for his part, said Trump鈥檚 past meetings with Kim in Singapore and Vietnam were a positive.
Trump says he鈥檒l fire FBI agents 鈥榮urgically鈥�
Trump said he wants to see some FBI agents fired as the Justice Department reviews how the agency handled investigations into the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
鈥淚鈥檒l fire some of them, because some of them were corrupt,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淚t will be done quickly, and very surgically.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 plans have raised fears about the politicization of federal law enforcement and retaliation against people who investigated his supporters.
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Trump: 鈥榃e have to take some of these things apart鈥�
Trump defended Elon 惭耻蝉办鈥檚 work at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which includes accessing sensitive Treasury payment systems.
鈥淲e have to take some of these things apart to find the corruption,鈥� Trump said.
Musk has stirred concerns by dispersing staff members throughout Washington to review internal databases, some of which include private financial information on Americans.
Trump praises Japan as a friend of the US
Trump opened his news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday by presenting a picture of the two of them, calling Japan a 鈥済reat country鈥� and stressing that the United States would continue to be an ally on security.
The U.S. president took a decidedly gracious turn in his prepared remarks, after having antagonized other allies such as Canada, Mexico and the European Union with threats of tariffs and claims that the rest of the world is ripping off America.
Trump says Nippon Steel dropping US Steel bid to make investment instead
President Donald Trump on Friday suggested that Nippon Steel would no longer buy US Steel as planned, and would instead invest in the company.
The U.S. president mistakenly referred to Nippon Steel as 鈥淣issan,鈥� the Japanese automaker.
But it鈥檚 Nippon Steel鈥檚 bid that both Trump and President Joe Biden vowed to block.
Nippon Steel 鈥渋s going to be doing something very exciting about US Steel,鈥� Trump said with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba by his side. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l be looking at an investment rather than a purchase.鈥�
The details remain unclear. Trump said he would meet with the head of Nippon Steel next week 鈥渢o mediate and arbitrate.鈥�
Trump indicates he鈥檒l unveil reciprocal tariffs on other countries next week
鈥淚鈥檒l be announcing that next week, reciprocal trade, so that we鈥檙e treated evenly with other countries,鈥� Trump told reporters during an Oval Office meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
The president pledged during his campaign to match who impose tariffs on American exports. He didn鈥檛 indicate Friday which countries might be next.
Trump also said he wants to work with Japan on reducing the U.S. trade deficit, which stands at about $68 billion.
A Tennessee Republican raised the idea at Duffy鈥檚 confirmation
Duffy鈥檚 directive also would prohibit governments that get transportation funds from imposing vaccine and mask mandates, and require their cooperation with immigration enforcement efforts.
With hundreds of billions of dollars in transportation money still unspent from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, such changes could be a boon for projects in Republican-majority states, where birthrates, correlating with lower education rates, tend to be higher.
According to CDC numbers on fertility, the 14 states with the highest rates backed Trump in the November election while the bottom 11 plus the District of Columbia supported Democrat Kamala Harris.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn had questioned Duffy about tying transportation funding to population growth.
鈥淧eople are leaving some of these blue states and coming to places like Tennessee,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd this means that we need to look at where those federal highway dollars are spent.鈥�
Transportation secretary鈥檚 directive tying grants to birth rates favors red states
circulated a memo shortly after instructing his department to prioritize families by, among other things, giving preference to funding places with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average.
Washington Democratic Sen. Patty Murray called the directive 鈥渄isturbingly dystopian.鈥�
鈥淏izarre and a little creepy,鈥� said Kevin DeGood, senior director of infrastructure and housing policy at the left-leaning Center for American Progress. 鈥淪tates and regions with aging populations tend, on average, to have lower birth rates ... Are they somehow not deserving of transportation investment?鈥�
The Department of Transportation has not responded to questions about the memo.
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The Justice Department agrees not to publicly identify FBI agents
and families as the Trump administration examines the investigations into the on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters.
After agents sued to block the exposure, the department promised Friday not to release the list either 鈥渄irectly or indirectly鈥� before the judge rules.
Many within the FBI fear the list will be used to justify mass firings. Thousands of FBI employees who worked on Jan. 6 cases were asked to complete in-depth questionnaires so Trump administration officials could determine if they should be disciplined.
鈥淭he risk to these agents is horrendous,鈥� their attorney Norman Eisen said, noting that other federal employees are being harassed as their identities spread on social media.
Government lawyers responded that the list鈥檚 purpose is to conduct an internal review, 鈥渘ot expose dedicated special agents to public insult or ridicule.鈥�
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Democrats want Treasury to investigate DOGE鈥檚 access to federal payment systems
Democratic lawmakers are seeking a Treasury Department investigation of the access that Elon 惭耻蝉办鈥檚 team was given to the government鈥檚 payment system.
They're citing 鈥渢hreats to the economy and national security, and the potential violation of laws protecting Americans鈥� privacy and tax data.鈥�
The lawmakers, led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden, sent letters Friday to Treasury鈥檚 deputy inspector general and the acting inspector general for tax administration, as well as to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The letters laid out their concerns over a lack of transparency and public accountability about the access being granted to the federal government鈥檚 financial plumbing.
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Federal judge schedules hearing on USAID lawsuit
A federal judge scheduled a hearing Friday afternoon as employees sue to block the agency鈥檚 shutdown.
Outside its Washington headquarters, meanwhile, crews used duct tape to cover the USAID name on signs.
The American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees asked the court in Washington to compel the reopening of USAID鈥檚 buildings, return its staffers to work and restore funding.
Trump administration officials 鈥渇ailed to acknowledge the catastrophic consequences of their actions, both as they pertain to American workers, the lives of millions around the world, and to US national interests,鈥� the lawsuit says.
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Federal agencies ordered to provide lists of 鈥榩oor performing鈥� employees
The Trump administration has ordered all federal departments and agencies to provide lists of every employee who has received less than a 鈥渇ully successful鈥� performance rating in the past three years.
The memo sent Thursday from the Office of Personnel Management comes as the Trump administration awaits a court ruling on its deferred resignation offers.
The memo, seen by The Associated Press, gives agencies a March 7 deadline. It also directs agencies to note whether any worker has been on a performance plan, and requires agencies to report any obstacles to their 鈥渁bility to swiftly terminate poor performing employees who cannot or will not improve.鈥�
Trump floats meetings with Zelenskyy and Putin
President Trump said Friday he will 鈥減robably鈥� meet with next week and may also speak with .
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump was asked whether he鈥檇 have JD Vance meet with Zelenskyy next week while the vice president travels to France and Germany.
鈥淚 will probably be meeting with President Zelenskyy next week and I鈥檒l probably be talking with President Putin,鈥� Trump replied. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to see that war end.鈥�
Asked where he鈥檇 meet with Zelenskyy, Trump said it 鈥渃ould be Washington 鈥� well I鈥檓 not going there.鈥�
He didn鈥檛 offer details on plans to speak with Putin.
Hungary鈥檚 PM, praising 鈥楾rump tornado,鈥� says democracy and rights groups will be swept away
announced legal action Friday to eliminate non-governmental organizations and media outlets that received U.S. funds. Any recipients of should be identified and sanctioned, he said.
The Trump ally praised the agency鈥檚 shutdown, saying 鈥渘ow is the moment when these international networks have to be taken down, they have to be swept away.鈥�
翱谤产谩苍鈥檚 has and Critics say it seeks to silence any critics, much like does. Violators face prison terms of up to three years.
The European Union has to Hungary over its violations of rule-of-law and democracy standards, abuse of minorities and systemic public corruption and political patronage.
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Trump calls his Gaza proposal a 鈥榬eal estate transaction鈥�
Trump says his suggestions that Gaza鈥檚 residents could be resettled, and the area redeveloped for tourism potential, has 鈥渂een very well received鈥� around the globe.
The idea has actually been roundly criticized. But Trump insisted Friday that it was a 鈥渞eal estate transaction,鈥� and that the U.S. is in 鈥渘o rush to do anything.鈥�
The president has suggested that resettlement of Gaza鈥檚 residents could be permanent 鈥� something that even top members of his own administration have contradicted him on.
But Trump said at the White House Friday that 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to see everybody move back and then move out in 10 years鈥� because of continued unrest.
Vance tasked for TikTok deal
Trump has tasked Vice President JD Vance with overseeing the potential sale of TikTok, according to a person familiar the decision who wasn't authorized to speak publicly.
TikTok鈥檚 China-based parent-company is seeking to find an approved buyer to avoid being banned in the U.S.
鈥� Michelle Price
Senate Budget Committee would cut billions, spend more on military and border
鈥淗elp is on the way鈥� for voters favoring border security and a stronger defense, said Sen. Lindsey Graham, the Republican chairman.
The committee鈥檚 blueprint envisions more than $340 billion in new spending over four years to wall off the Mexican border, increase the number of Border Patrol agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, grow the U.S. Navy and build an integrated air and defense missile system.
A committee press release said cuts elsewhere in federal spending would offset the $85.5 billion annual cost.
House Republicans also are working overtime on
Lebanon鈥檚 presidency 鈥榥ot concerned鈥� after US envoy sets 鈥榬ed lines鈥� on Hezbollah
Trump鈥檚 new special envoy for Middle East peace expressed hope Friday that Lebanese authorities are committed to ensuring the Hezbollah militant group isn鈥檛 a part of the in any form.
Morgan Ortagus replaced Amos Hochstein, who helped broker the with Hezbollah.
鈥淲e have set clear red lines from the United States that (Hezbollah) won鈥檛 be able to terrorize the Lebanese people and that includes by being a part of the government,鈥� she told a news conference after meeting with .
In response, Lebanon鈥檚 presidency said on X that some of what Ortagus said 鈥渆xpresses her point of view, and the Presidency is not concerned with it.鈥�
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Unions ask judge to protect Labor Department info from Musk
A federal judge will consider Friday whether to block 鈥檚 team from accessing systems at the Labor Department, which has investigated SpaceX and Tesla.
Three unions asked Judge John Bates, an appointee of Republican President George W. Bush, to keep DOGE workers out of systems that also contain sensitive information about workers who've filed complaints and about 惭耻蝉办鈥檚 corporate rivals.
鈥淒OGE is violating multiple laws, from constitutional limits on executive power, to laws protecting civil servants from arbitrary threats and adverse action, to crucial protections for government data collected and stored on hundreds of millions of Americans,鈥� wrote labor union lawyers represented by the advocacy group Democracy Forward.
The Justice Department said the unions are just speculating and haven鈥檛 shown that the three DOGE employees detailed to cut the Department鈥檚 costs will have such access.
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Hegseth鈥檚 Pentagon feed cut off before troops could hear him questioned
Defense Secretary Hegseth said at the Pentagon that 鈥渄eterrence鈥� begins with the southern border. Most troops missed any questions and answers that followed.
Hegseth鈥檚 opening remarks were broadcast over the Pentagon鈥檚 television and internet channels, but it then cut off.
So the longer Q&A portion he did was only seen by those in the room, and wasn't available for the 2.1 million troops and hundreds of thousands of civilians who serve in other states and nations around the world.
惭耻蝉办鈥檚 team at the Education Department gains access to student loan database
惭耻蝉办鈥檚 has gained access to an Education Department database of personal information on millions of students and parents with federal student loans, according to two people with knowledge of the issue.
The people spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
Democrats in Congress are raising concerns about DOGE鈥檚 access to student records. In a letter to the acting education secretary, a group of Democrats demanded details about DOGE鈥檚 work and vowed to fight any attempt to close the Education Department.
A federal lawsuit filed Friday seeks to block DOGE鈥檚 access, saying it violates privacy rights of federal borrowers.
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鈥� Collin Binkley and Bianca V谩zquez Toness
Trump鈥檚 most special employee will file a secret financial report
As a special government employee, Elon Musk will have to file a report on his financial assets 鈥� but it won鈥檛 be made public.
The plan was described by a White House official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to disclose personnel matters.
Musk is the world鈥檚 richest person with vast business interests, including Tesla, SpaceX and X. His financial report, if completed, would likely be among the most extensive ever filed.
The White House official said Musk also received a briefing on ethics rules earlier this week. Trump, who put Musk in charge of overhauling the federal government, has said the billionaire entrepreneur would steer clear of conflicts of interest.
鈥� Chris Megerian
Defense secretary tells Pentagon workers he plans to disrupt the status quo
Pete Hegseth is telling his troops and workforce that he plans to take unconventional approaches and 鈥渂e disruptive on purpose.鈥�
Speaking to a crowd of military and civilian workers in a Pentagon conference center Friday, Hegseth said he's committed to rebuilding the defense industrial base, increasing deterrence and restoring the military鈥檚 laser focus on lethality and readiness while ridding it of diversity initiatives.
鈥淧resident Trump asked me to not maintain the status quo,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to move fast. I鈥檒l think outside the box, be disruptive on purpose, to create a sense of urgency that I want to make sure exists inside this department.鈥�
US importers stockpile Prosecco, fearing Trump tariffs
Wine industry data shows American importers have been stockpiling the as a hedge against possible tariffs.
U.S. imports of Italian sparkling wine 鈥� 90% of that Prosecco 鈥� skyrocketed by 41% after Trump鈥檚 election, far exceeding consumer demand as importers filled the pipeline for future sales.
Union of Italian Wines trade association president Lamberto Frescobaldi says this made sense given the likelihood that consumers will cut back on luxuries if tariffs make them too pricey.
Italian wines were not hit by tariffs during the first Trump presidency, and no tariffs have been announced to date against European partners. But Italy exports nearly one-quarter of its wine, worth 1.9 billion euros ($1.97 billion), exposing the sector to potential price shocks.
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Immigrant advocacy groups want access to Gitmo
Their letter Friday demands 鈥渋mmediate access鈥� to the people being held there, saying the U.S. naval station in Cuba should not be used as a 鈥渓egal black hole.鈥�
Two military flights have carried people who were in the U.S. illegally to the base so far.
The Trump administration has broadly described them as criminals and gang members but has not given specific information such as their names, whether they鈥檝e been convicted or when they entered the country.
Inflation is looking like a problem for Trump
Americans are thinking inflation is going to get much worse now. It鈥檚 a problem for a Republican who won election on the specific promise of lowering prices.
The University of Michigan鈥檚 survey of consumers showed Friday that people expect inflation to be 4.3% for the year ahead, up a full percentage point from the prior month. The preliminary finding for February is the highest reading since November 2023, when public exhaustion with inflation was crushing President Joe Biden鈥檚 approval ratings.
Another possible warning sign for Trump: Broader consumer sentiment among Republicans slipped to 83.2 from 86 in January.
Trump has almost sparked a broad trade war with Canada and Mexico, threatened tariffs that economists say would increase inflation and placed a 10% tariff on imports from China.
White House press secretary blames unsettled economy on Biden
Karoline Leavitt said the jobs report shows 鈥渢he necessity of President Trump鈥檚 pro-growth policies.鈥�
Her statement Friday cited Trump鈥檚 declaration of an energy emergency, his pledges to cut regulations and his plan to 鈥渄eliver the largest tax cut in history for hardworking Americans.鈥�
鈥淧resident Trump is delivering on his promise to restore our broken economy, revive small business optimism, create jobs, and ignite a new Golden Age for America,鈥� she said.
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An item has been corrected to show Trump said 鈥渁 real estate transaction,鈥� not a simple transaction, or a transition.
The Associated Press
