Key Events (10)
A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from firing government workers during the ongoing shutdown, ruling that the White House Office of Management and Budget improperly took advantage of the shutdown to terminate employees. Labor groups are challenging the administration's threatened cuts to federal positions.
The U.S. government shutdown extended into its third week after the Senate failed its ninth vote to resolve the impasse. Democrats and Republicans blamed each other for inflexibility while federal workers faced disrupted paychecks.
An Oregon judge extended an order preventing Trump from deploying the National Guard, maintaining the status quo on the ground and extending orders set to expire that week.
A majority of U.S. Supreme Court justices appeared sympathetic during oral arguments to weakening a key pillar of the Voting Rights Act in the Callais v Louisiana case, with potential far-reaching implications for voting protections.
The Trump administration authorized covert CIA action in Venezuela and the U.S. military drew up options for possible strikes inside the country as the administration considered new measures toward the Nicolás Maduro government.
Trump threatened Spain with higher tariffs over its defense spending, saying he was considering 'trade punishment through tariffs' if the country refused to increase military expenditure as demanded by the administration.
Trump administration officials threatened vulnerable countries with tariffs and other retaliatory action ahead of a key shipping emissions vote, according to sources briefed on the threats.
The U.S. passport fell out of the world's 10 most powerful passports list for the first time in 20 years, tying with Malaysia's at 12th place, signaling what experts described as a 'shift in global mobility' tied to the Trump administration's policies.
The Trump administration revoked visas from six foreign nationals for social media comments critical of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, with the State Department saying it had 'no obligation' to host foreigners who 'celebrate heinous' acts. The move prompted outcry as a departure from the administration's stated opposition to social media censorship.
Trump signed a memo expanding his authority to spend federal money, giving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wide authority to repurpose funds to pay military members without Congressional approval, bypassing Congress's constitutionally designated sole authority over federal spending.
Tariff Actions (2)
Trump threatened Spain with higher tariffs over its defense spending, saying he was considering 'trade punishment through tariffs' if the country refused to increase military expenditure.
Source ↗American officials threatened supporters of shipping emissions reduction measures with tariffs and other retaliatory action.
Source ↗