Politics

Republican strategist Scott Jennings sparked a heated discussion on a CNN panel Monday after liberal commentators criticized President Donald Trump’s blanket pardon of over 1,500 individuals convicted of crimes related to the January 6 Capitol riot. Jennings pushed back, highlighting what he described as a double standard in how participants in the 2020 Black Lives Matter (BLM) riots were treated compared to those involved in the Capitol events.

ESPN, a network often criticized by conservatives for its left-leaning bias, surprised many during the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship between Notre Dame and Ohio State. During halftime, the network aired a pre-recorded message from President Donald J. Trump, who was inaugurated earlier in the day as the 47th President of the United States.

A new Washington state bill, Senate Bill 5123, introduced this legislative session, seeks to expand protected classes under the state's nondiscrimination law for public schools. Sponsored by Sen. T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest), the legislation would add "gender identity," "ethnicity," "homelessness," "immigration status," and "neurodivergence" to the existing protections.

On the morning of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, retired Green Beret Master Sergeant Jeremy Brown issued a hopeful statement, calling it “the 6th most important day” of his life, after his five daughters’ births. Brown compared his anticipation to the uncertainty and suspense he felt returning from his first combat deployment as an Army Ranger. For the first time in 40 months, he said, he felt “hope.”

Paul Abbate, the acting FBI director, announced his unexpected retirement on Monday, just minutes before President Donald Trump was sworn into office. Abbate had been deputy director under Christopher Wray, who recently stepped down after more than seven years as FBI director. Abbate’s sudden departure comes after just one day at the helm of the agency, leaving questions about interim leadership.

Tragedy struck on Sunday when Coweta County, Georgia, Fire Chief Bart Cauthen was fatally shot while assisting a motorist who had struck a deer. The incident occurred around 5:00 p.m. on County Road 267 in Alabama.

The White House website for the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, established during former President Joe Biden's term, has been removed under President Donald Trump’s administration. The absence of the office from the site has led many to believe it has been disbanded entirely.

Chicago experienced another weekend of violence under the leadership of Mayor Brandon Johnson (D), with at least 13 people shot, including one fatality.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order Monday aimed at deporting foreigners who express support for designated terrorist organizations.

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump made significant changes within the intelligence community, stripping security clearances from 50 former officials, including retired Air Force General and former CIA and NSA Director Michael Hayden. The move was part of Trump's efforts to address what many conservatives viewed as entrenched anti-Trump sentiment within the intelligence and defense establishments.