Trump signs executive order to delay TikTok ban enforcement
Within the first few hours of his second term on Monday, Jan. 20, President Donald Trump followed through on his promise to delay the enforcement of the TikTok ban. Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Justice not to enforce the ban for at least 75 days.
The law, passed during the Biden administration with strong bipartisan support, said TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, had to sell the social media platform to a buyer from America or one of its allies because of national security concerns or be banned starting Jan. 19. More specifically, lawmakers’ concern was China might be able to influence or tap into American data through the TikTok app.
The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the law to go forward last Friday, Jan. 17.
According to Trump’s executive order, the 75-day delay will help his administration attempt to “determine the appropriate course forward in an orderly way that protects national security, while avoiding an abrupt shutdown of a communications platform used by millions of Americans.”
Only registered voters from the U.S. swing states are eligible for Musk’s $1M giveaway.
Musk said in exchange for the money he’s asking the recipients to be a spokesperson for the petition.
When signing the order, Trump said the U.S. should broker a deal to own half of TikTok. He estimated it could be worth $1 trillion.
“I think the US should be entitled to get half of TikTok and, congratulations, TikTok has a good partner and that would be worth, you know, could be $500 billion,” Trump said.
The TikTok app shut down temporarily over the weekend until Trump said he would issue an executive order on Day 1. After that announcement, TikTok restored service for its 170 million American users.
TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew attended Trump’s inauguration in the Capitol Rotunda. He joined other tech moguls including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Tesla’s Elon Musk and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.
Elon Musk’s DOGE accused of violating federal transparency law
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take the oath of office on Monday, Jan. 20, a legal battle is brewing around one of his initiatives. A public interest legal firm, National Security Counselors, will file a lawsuit against the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE.
The law firm has accused DOGE of violating federal transparency laws, according to The Washington Post. DOGE is co-led by Tesla and X owner Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
What law is DOGE accused of breaking?
In a complaint obtained by the Post, the firm said the DOGE panel is breaking a 1972 law that requires advisory committees to the executive branch to follow certain rules on practices including disclosure and hiring.
Soon after the election, Trump picked Musk and Ramaswamy to lead DOGE. The department will identify government regulations and spending programs for the White House to cut.
Multiple reports state Ramaswamy is expected to step away from the task force and announce a campaign for Ohio governor as soon as the end of this month.
Ramaswamy hasn’t commented on the report.
The DOGE group has already hired dozens of employees who are working out of Musk’s SpaceX offices in Washington, D.C.
The lawsuit claims DOGE does not meet the requirements of a Federal Advisory Committee. That designation is a class of legal structure regulated to ensure the government receives transparent and balanced advice.
These groups, also called FACAs are legally mandated to have “fairly balanced” representation, keep regular minutes of meetings, allow the public to attend and file a charter with Congress, which are all actions the lawsuit said DOGE hasn’t taken.
Did Musk respond?
Musk has yet to respond to the planned lawsuit. However, he has been outspoken in the past about what he calls “lawfare.” Musk has described lawsuits designed to disrupt his companies or initiatives as politically motivated.
Supporters of DOGE, including economist Sam Hammond, told the Post, that DOGE is not a formal advisory committee but rather a strategic effort by Trump to streamline government operations.
Critics of FACA regulations say they impose restrictive requirements that are too broad.
What about other FACA cases?
In 1993, then-First Lady Hillary Clinton was accused of violating FACA regulations through her leadership of a commission chosen by President Bill Clinton to study health care reform. The accusations claimed she wasn’t an official member of the government.
The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in her favor, exempting her.
According to the Post, the DOGE lawsuit mentions there are zero federal employees in the department or anyone who represents the perspective of federal employees.
It also states the White House should be barred from implementing DOGE’s recommendations.
From Washington to Trump: America’s most iconic inaugural addresses
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to deliver his second inaugural address on Monday, Jan. 20, Straight Arrow News looked back at some of the most memorable, and quotable, of these presidential speeches. Some speeches are known for their famous lines, while others have significance for their place in history.
President George Washington
The first inaugural address was delivered by President George Washington on April 30, 1789. Washington stood on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City.
“No People can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the Affairs of men more than the People of the United States,” Washington said. “Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.”
Now, almost 236 years later, Trump will deliver the 60th presidential inauguration address in U.S. history when he becomes the 47th president. While many other presidents have given more than one inaugural address, he will be only the second president to do so in non-consecutive terms.
The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action.
President Donald Trump
President Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th president, delivered his first speech in 1885.
“This impressive ceremony adds little to the solemn sense of responsibility with which I contemplate the duty I owe to all the people of the land,” Cleveland said.
Like Trump, he would give another speech eight years later.
While Cleveland’s speeches may not be quoted often these days, all presidents hope their words can withstand the test of time.
President Abraham Lincoln
We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies.
President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln gave his first speech in 1861 following the succession of seven states from the Union. His speech was also just weeks before the start of the Civil War.
“We are not enemies, but friends,” Lincoln told the entire nation. “We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.”
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
In 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered the first of his four inaugural speeches, addressing a country amid the Great Depression.
“This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper,” Roosevelt said. “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
President Harry S. Truman
In 1949, just a few years after the end of World War II, Harry S. Truman delivered his inaugural address. It was the first to be televised.
“The American people desire, and are determined to work for, a world in which all nations and all peoples are free to govern themselves as they see fit, and to achieve a decent and satisfying life,” Truman said. “Above all else, our people desire, and are determined to work for, peace on earth, a just and lasting peace, based on genuine agreement freely arrived at by equals.”
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Four years before signing the Civil Rights Act of 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower said these words during his first inauguration speech: “Conceiving the defense of freedom, like freedom itself, to be one and indivisible, we hold all continents and peoples in equal regard and honor. We reject any insinuation that one race or another, one people or another, is in any sense inferior or expendable.”
President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy’s 1961 address featured lines often topping the list of presidential quotes.
“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge, and more,” Kennedy said. “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
President Ronald Reagan
In the eyes of many in the world, this every-4-year ceremony we accept as normal is nothing less than a miracle.
President Ronald Reagan
In Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural address in 1981, he took time to appreciate the moment in U.S. history.
“To a few of us here today, this is a solemn and most momentous occasion; and yet, in the history of our Nation, it is a commonplace occurrence,” Reagan said. “The orderly transfer of authority as called for in the Constitution routinely takes place as it has for almost two centuries and few of us stop to think how unique we really are. In the eyes of many in the world, this every-4-year ceremony we accept as normal is nothing less than a miracle.”
He then gave one of his most famous lines.
“In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem,” Reagan said.
President Bill Clinton
In 1993, the importance of America’s democracy was part of Bill Clinton’s first inaugural address.
“Our democracy must be not only the envy of the world but the engine of our own renewal,” Clinton said. “There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.”
“We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands,” Bush said. “The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.”
President Barack Obama
…all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”
President Barack Obama
In his first inaugural address in 2009, Barack Obama called for an end to petty grievances in politics.
“We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things,” Obama said. “The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”
President Donald Trump
In his first address in 2017, Donald Trump told the American people that change was on the horizon.
“We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action – constantly complaining but never doing anything about it. The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action,” Trump said. “Do not let anyone tell you it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America. We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.”
President Joe Biden
In 2021, amid a global pandemic, President Joe Biden upon his inauguration spoke about bringing unity to the country.
“For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury, no progress, only exhausting outrage; no nation, only a state of chaos,” Biden said. “This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge and unity is the path forward. And we must meet this moment as the United States of America.”
As Donald Trump gets set to deliver his second inaugural address, this time inside because of the bitter temperatures in Washington, D.C., it is interesting to look back at George Washington’s second speech. After giving the first inaugural speech of 1,431 words, Washington had a much more concise address four years later. It was only 135 words, the shortest in history, and lasted less than two minutes.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal reached: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli government would vote on the ceasefire deal with Hamas that calls for a pause in fighting and the release of hostages. And the clock ticks toward TikTok possibly going dark this weekend. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
Ceasefire deal reached with Hamas to release hostages: Netanyahu
A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas will soon finally come to fruition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Friday morning, Jan. 17, that Israel reached an agreement with Hamas to return Israeli hostages, including Americans held in the Gaza Strip.
Talks of a deal hit a snag Thursday, Jan. 16, when Netanyahu said Hamas tried to reverse parts of the agreement.
Israel’s security cabinet is now set to meet Friday to discuss the ceasefire and hostage release deal. A wider cabinet vote to approve the deal is expected on Saturday, Jan. 18.
The deal would see a pause in fighting in Gaza and the phased release of Hamas hostages and Palestinian prisoners. If approved, it would take effect Sunday, Jan. 19.
This development comes as huge blasts from southern Israel could be seen over the Gaza skyline early Friday morning.
On Thursday, Israeli air strikes killed at least 72 people in the territory, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel’s military said it hit approximately 50 militant targets across the Gaza Strip over the past day, including weapons storage facilities and rocket launch sites.
This is not unprecedented in past conflicts. Both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before the ceasefire as a show of strength.
Los Angeles residents told not to return home as landslides pose new threat
A new threat looms in fire-ravaged Southern California: landslides. Authorities said leveled structures no longer hold the earth in place in some parts of the hillside and water from fire hoses and broken pipes has saturated the ground, creating a dangerous situation.
Los Angeles officials urged residents forced to evacuate by the deadly wildfires over the past week not to return home yet. They’re urging the evacuees to wait at least another week to return — whether their home was destroyed or spared — so emergency responders can remove toxic waste from incinerated neighborhoods and cut off potentially dangerous electricity and gas lines.
The Environmental Protection Agency needs to remove hazardous materials from damaged and destroyed homes before debris can be hauled away and utilities are fully restored.
The deadly fires claimed the lives of at least 27 people and more than 82,000 are still under evacuation orders.
The Palisades and Eaton fires continue to burn with no end in sight. They’ve scorched a combined area of about 60 square miles and destroyed thousands of homes.
As of CalFire’s latest update, the Palisade Fire remains 22% contained while the Eaton Fire is now 55% contained — up from 45% on Thursday.
Biden admin signals it won’t enforce TikTok ban
As a reported 170 million users wait with bated breath, a Supreme Court decision on whether to uphold a U.S. ban on the popular social media app TikTok is expected anytime now. That ban is set to take effect this Sunday.
However, the Biden administration is now signaling it will not immediately enforce the ban, instead leaving it up to the Trump administration which starts Monday, Jan. 20, with President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Trump already asked the Supreme Court to delay the ban. The Washington Post also reported this week he’s considering an executive order to suspend the ban’s enforcement.
Even if neither administration takes action to enforce the ban, TikTok can still decide to voluntarily shut down when the deadline hits Sunday. However, TikTok is not required to go dark — it’s the app stores and internet hosting services that could be on the hook if they keep providing TikTok to Americans.
The Justice Department has said that TikTok is a national security risk because the app could lead to the Chinese government accessing vast amounts of personal data from Americans.
Confirmation hearing for Gov. Noem, Trump’s DHS secretary pick, to begin Friday
In just three days, President-elect Donald Trump will take the oath of office and become the nation’s 47th president. As Inauguration Day approaches, confirmation hearings continue in Washington for Trump’s cabinet picks.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, will appear before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday, Jan. 17. The hearing was originally scheduled for earlier in the week but was pushed back.
If confirmed by the Senate, Noem would oversee a department with at least 250,000 employees and multiple agencies, including Customs Border and Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management, the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard.
SpaceX Starship explodes shortly after 7th launch
The latest test flight from Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket did not go according to plan Thursday night. SpaceX said the world’s largest rocket exploded shortly after taking off from Texas for its seventh launch.
FireAid lineup includes Billie Eilish, Green Day, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga
FireAid, the Live Nation concert benefiting the victims of the California wildfires, will take place on Jan. 30 and the lineup has now been released.
Billie Eilish; Earth, Wind & Fire; Green Day; Jelly Roll; Joni Mitchell; Lady Gaga and Stevie Sicks are among the entertainers committed to performing. Also, Dave Matthews and John Mayer will perform together for the first time.
Live Nation said additional artists will be announced in the coming days. Organizers said the event will raise money for “rebuilding communities devastated by wildfires and supporting efforts to prevent future fire disasters in Southern California.”
FireAid will be held in two venues: the Intuit Dome and the Forum in Inglewood, California. Tickets for the concert go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 22.
FireAid will also be livestreamed across various platforms including Apple TV, Max, Netflix, Paramount+, SiriusXM, Spotify and YouTube. It will also air in select AMC theaters.
Commanders’ Gonzalez is among athletes managing OCD on grand stage
When Washington Commanders placekicker Zane Gonzalez kicked a 37-yard field goal Sunday, Jan. 12, to give his team its first playoff win since the 2005 season, it wasn’t just the “doink” off the uprights NBC cameras captured. As Gonzalez readied to send his team into the divisional round, a national audience was brought into his preparation, with many not fully understanding what they were watching.
From adjusting his socks to touching his hair repeatedly, the Sunday Night Football commentators and viewers at home saw what the 29-year-old Texas native has been dealing with most of his life — a condition known as obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD.
For Zane Gonzalez, it doesn't matter how you get ready…just as long as you're ready. 😂 pic.twitter.com/oTkxuFQvSj
Though Gonzalez has been shown on camera before when going through his pre-kick routine, with him playing in an NFL postseason game, more eyes were on him than ever before. This gave a big platform for the condition that affects millions of people across the country.
Zane Gonzalez has long struggled in his battle with OCD. Since he was a freshman at Arizona State, he has been public about coping with it.
Tonight, the world was introduced to his tick of him constantly fixing his hair… all that matters is the doink that sends the Commanders… pic.twitter.com/sdO7r890zi
The Mayo Clinic describes OCD as a disorder that “features a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears known as obsessions. These obsessions lead you to do repetitive behaviors, also called compulsions. These obsessions and compulsions get in the way of daily activities and cause a lot of distress.”
According to the International OCD Foundation, about 1 in 40 U.S. adults has OCD or will develop it at some point in their lives. That’s approximately 8.2 million people.
The foundation says, on average, 1 in 100 children have OCD. Gonzalez has been dealing with OCD since he was a child. The football star began to open up about managing the condition when he was a freshman at Arizona State.
After breaking an NCAA record for field goals in a career (he was nicknamed “Legatron” by ASU fans after all), the Sun Devils kicker became an NFL player when he was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 2017 draft.
He had to wait for that moment though, it was the seventh round and Gonzalez was the 224th pick. ESPN reported that year, “It’s possible Gonzalez slipped down the draft board due to his honesty about his obsessive-compulsive disorder.”
A few months after the draft, Gonzalez told the network, as a football player with OCD, “It makes you a perfectionist and more detail-oriented. Off the field, it’s a pain in the butt.”
No matter the round he was drafted, Gonzalez was in the NFL and he pressed on as his career took him to Arizona, Detroit, Charlotte, San Francisco and, just this past November, to Washington, mere weeks before his game-winning kick.
In 2021, he spoke to the Charlotte Observer about coping with OCD, saying, “It affected me a lot more as a young kid … It’s just little thoughts, little funny habits that I do … specifically, sometimes I rinse my hands before kicks … And I was kind of curious about that.”
He continued, “But that’s one of the most common things that people with OCD do. It instantly makes you just feel relieved. I don’t know why, if it’s just a placebo effect.”
“It’s not something I love having. But it just is what it is, and I’ve learned to deal with it,” he said.
The NFL kicker joins several other pro athletes speaking publicly about their OCD experiences.
As a young adult, New Zealand Olympian track cyclist Sam Dakin first began noticing OCD symptoms in 2018, just a few years before competing in his first Olympic games in Tokyo.
“I was 22 years old … and then woke up one day and just … Boom. There’s just one thought on repeat,” Dakin said. “It started for an hour a day and then eventually just got worse and worse. And then it was 16 hours a day and I could only escape it when I slept, which was just horrific.”
On Jan. 5, Dakin sat down with The Good Day Matrix podcast about how an online community helped him in dealing with the condition.
“I started just scrolling the internet and Googling this thing that was going on in my head, and eventually one day I was on Reddit and I found this, like, feed of pure OCD, and these people just described exactly what I was feeling,” Dakin said.
“It was just like this relief. I was like I’m not alone, other people have gone through this. It’s actually relatively normal but not many people have talked about it.”
Like Gonzalez, Dakin said he’s not shy about speaking about OCD, and hopes his words can help someone else going through what he did.
“I was just like, man, this can help so many people, and I feel comfortable to talk about it,” Dakin said. “And if I can talk about it more then it’ll help others, and it’s just kind of grown from there really. I have tried to do it in a way that’s really me and really organic and not shoving it down people’s faces.”
Millie Farrow, a United Kingdom pro soccer player, currently playing with Sydney FC, also knows what it’s like to battle OCD while living out your childhood dreams.
She told The New York Times in 2023, “It is a very strange place to be — being controlled by a thought in your head.”
Farrow told The Times she would see someone she described as “contaminated” touching a certain surface and would “be assessing it, analyzing it.”
Farrow said with a diagnosis and therapy starting at age 14, she has been able to get a handle on her OCD, saying, “It is something I will have for the length of my life, but it can be dealt with, and can be under control. That’s the place I’m in now.”
Now, as a professional soccer player, she said, “I’m so glad I didn’t give up.”
David Beckham, one of the most famous soccer stars to play the game, opened up in a 2023 Netflix documentary series about how OCD affects his life in retirement. He used humor to discuss his symptoms during an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to promote the series.
“[My wife] Victoria always jokes because when we have our friends around for dinner or drinks, you know, I start turning like lights off and cleaning the candles,” Beckham said.
For the millions dealing with OCD, it may not be humor that gets them through, but finding someone to rely on.
Dakin told the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, that his advice to those struggling with OCD is to “find someone that you trust and you feel you can lean on, and in turn they’ll understand and they’ll want to be there to help you.”
For others, it was that game-winning kick that made them feel a sense of connection — as PGA Tour and SiriusXM host Jeff Eisenband wrote on X, “As someone who has dealt with OCD most of my life, I have such immense respect for Zane Gonzalez being able to perform in the clutch like this. Hate seeing people try to drag him for it.”
Last year was a year of celebration for Zane Gonzalez. He got married last April and the couple then welcomed their first child in December. Now, Gonzalez is looking for the good times to continue in 2025.
Next up, Washington meets Detroit in the NFL’s divisional round, and after the headlines his wild card kick made, he’ll probably have a few new fans rooting for him in the games to come.
Village People to perform at Trump’s inauguration amid mixed reactions
The Village People will bring a disco twist to the 2025 inauguration stage. The iconic group, known for their hit “Y.M.C.A.,” confirmed they will perform at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20.
The group’s music has been a staple at Trump’s rallies since 2020. His signature dance to “Y.M.C.A.” often energizes the crowd, making the song a frequent rally highlight.
On Monday, Jan. 13, the Village People announced their decision to participate in the inauguration. They acknowledged that their choice might stir controversy.
“Our song ‘Y.M.C.A.’ is a global anthem that hopefully helps bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided campaign,” the group wrote on Facebook. “We believe it’s time to unite through music, which is why we will perform at various events for the 2025 inauguration of Donald J. Trump.”
Mixed reactions
While some fans supported their decision, others expressed disappointment.
“This decision feels like a betrayal to the very people who have supported and celebrated your work for decades,” one Facebook user wrote. “Performing for a president-elect whose policies and rhetoric oppose equality and inclusion is not just disappointing—it’s harmful.”
Another user shared a different perspective: “It’s not about left or right, liberals or conservatives, or Democrats and Republicans. It’s about bringing people together through your music. I hope this performance brings a brighter and more prosperous New Year for all.”
This isn’t the first time the group has faced criticism over their connection to Trump.
Lead singer and lyricist Victor Willis addressed the controversy in a December Facebook post. He explained why he allowed Trump to use “Y.M.C.A.” at rallies despite initially asking him to stop.
Willis described the complaints as a nuisance but noted that the Trump campaign legally obtained a “political use license” for the song. He ultimately allowed it, saying he noticed Trump “genuinely having fun” with the music.
The Village People join Carrie Underwood on the list of performers for Monday’s events.
“I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” Underwood said. “I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”
According to the official program for the event, Underwood’s rendition of “America the Beautiful” will be accompanied by the armed forces chorus and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club.
Can confirm that Carrie Underwood will sing "America the Beautiful" at Trump's inauguration next week.
Underwood, who rose to fame after winning “American Idol” in 2005, has largely kept her political views out of the spotlight during her career.
“I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins,” Underwood told the Guardian in 2019.
In 2017, she and Brad Paisley joked about Trump’s social media etiquette during a skit while co-hosting the Country Music Awards. The duo parodied her hit “Before He Cheats” but replaced the lyrics with, “Maybe next time he’ll think before he tweets.”
Social media reacts to Underwood performing at inauguration
Online users have mixed opinions about Underwood’s announcement on social media. One person posted to X, “I am boycotting anyone who performs at that narcissist’s inauguration. Carrie Underwood is definitely on that list.”
Another person on X posted, “Good for Carrie Underwood. Entertainers should be able to entertain where they want when they want without reprisals. It is an honor to perform at any inauguration. I know nothing about her politics and don’t care. I am sure she will be great!”
Ahead of Trump’s 2017 inauguration, several big names, including Elton John and Celine Dion, declined invitations to perform.
The inauguration for Trump’s second term is Jan. 20.
Security preparations well underway for Trump inauguration
While President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his inauguration as the nation’s 47th president next Monday, Jan. 20, security preparations for the ceremony are underway. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated the inauguration as a national special security event.
Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will take the oath of office on the West Front of the Capitol on Monday.
While law enforcement is preparing for some demonstrations, WJLA-TV reported that the agencies do not foresee or expect any major security problems.
DHS designated the presidential inauguration as a national special security event. As a result, the U.S. Secret Service is the lead agency for the implementation of a security plan with various other agencies involved.
“The designation allows for significant resources from the federal government, as well as vital assistance from state and local partners,” the agency said in a statement.
Outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray told 60 Minutes that the FBI is not tracking any specific or credible threats to the inauguration.
However, Wray added that when any type of terror attack occurs in the States, there are often few dots to connect in advance, as well as very little time to act.
The National Guard will provide crowd management, traffic control and civil disturbance support operations among other duties.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is expected to discuss inauguration security at a news briefing later on Monday, Jan. 13.
The 20th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution specifies that the term of each elected president begins at noon on Jan. 20 of the year following the election. Each president must take the oath of office before assuming duties.
‘Pizzagate’ gunman dies after being shot by police during traffic stop
The man who fired a gun inside a Washington, D.C. restaurant in 2016 allegedly motivated by a conspiracy theory called “pizzagate” is dead. Authorities said he police in North Carolina killed him on Saturday, Jan. 4.
Officials said the shooting happened in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Police said they pulled over a car in which Edgar Maddison Welch was the passenger.
One of the officers said they noticed the vehicle belonged to Welch. Officers said they’d arrested Welch in the past. He also had an outstanding warrant out for his arrest for a felony probation violation.
When officers went up to the car to arrest Welch, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at one of the officers, according to authorities.
Officers said they shouted orders for Welch to drop the handgun. However, he refused and was shot.
Welch died a couple of days later from his wounds. No other people were hurt in the shooting, according to police.
Law enforcement confirmed on Thursday, Jan. 9, that Welch is the same person sentenced to four years in prison for the “pizzagate” incident.
In 2016, Welch fired his gun inside Comet Ping Pong, a Washington D.C. pizza shop, after a slew of false internet claims accused the pizzeria of holding children as sex slaves as part of a child-sex abuse ring led by Hillary Clinton.
Police said that Welch drove six hours from North Carolina to Washington, D.C. to investigate the unfounded allegations, bringing several guns with him.
As Welch entered the restaurant armed, people fled from the scene. Welch then reportedly shot at a locked closet. After he realized no children were being held captive, he surrendered to police.
The shooting death of Welch is under investigation and the officers involved in the incident are on administrative leave as part of protocol, according to North Carolina officials.
At least 10 dead as major wildfires continue to burn in Los Angeles area
The death toll rises as the onslaught of fires continues in Southern California, destroying complete neighborhoods. And President-elect Donald Trump will be sentenced for his conviction in the New York hush money case after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a bid to stop the proceeding. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Jan. 10, 2025.
Death toll rises as wildfires continue to burn in Los Angeles area
Flames have destroyed entire neighborhoods, obliterating 10,000 homes and buildings between the Palisades and Eaton Fires alone. Firefighters made some progress as the Santa Ana winds weakened, but wind and dry conditions are expected to continue through the weekend. This will make it difficult for crews to battle the flames.
The biggest and most destructive fire in Pacific Palisades now spans nearly 20,000 acres, which is more than 30 square miles and is only 6% contained.
Nearly 180,000 people in Los Angeles County are under evacuation orders and another 200,000 are on standby to leave their homes if necessary. The wildfires and strong winds fueling them have led to mass power outages.
Entire stretches of Pacific Ocean beachfront property along Malibu have been charred, as well as homes and neighborhoods up and down the Pacific Coast Highway.
The latest fire to break out, the Kenneth Fire, sparked Thursday afternoon, Jan. 9, in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles, near Calabasas. That fire spans 1,000 acres and is 35% contained, according to CalFire’s last update. Police arrested one man on suspicion of arson in connection with that fire.
It’s not just those in the fires’ paths in danger. Polluted air poses a threat even to those far away.
Supreme Court rejects Trump’s bid to halt sentencing in hush money case
Trump’s sentencing on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records to cover up a payment to porn star Stormy Daniels will proceed as planned.
The judge overseeing the case, Juan Merchan, said earlier this month he would not sentence the president-elect to prison time, saying incarceration is not an option.
Instead, the judge is expected to impose a no-penalty sentence called an unconditional discharge.
Trump vowed to appeal his conviction, claiming evidence and testimony was admitted that implicated his duties as president during his first term. The Supreme Court ruled over the summer presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for some official acts.
Appeals court allows release of election interference case report
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit rejected a bid to block the release but kept in place the judge’s order for a three-day delay, giving time for additional appeals. That means Trump could seek the Supreme Court’s intervention in the matter.
Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the election interference case was eventually dismissed following his victory in November’s presidential election due to a Justice Department policy that forbids the prosecution of a sitting president.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said he plans to release the report to the public once he is permitted to do so. In response, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said Thursday night that it’s time for Garland and President Joe Biden to “do the right thing and put a final stop to the political weaponization of our justice system.”
Supreme Court to hear oral arguments in TikTok ban case
With less than two weeks until a ban on the social media app TikTok is slated to take effect, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments against the legislation Friday, Jan. 10. TikTok looks to show the justices that, despite claims from the federal government, it is not a national security threat to the U.S.
It is unclear when the court will deliver its ruling.
TikTok faces a nationwide ban in the U.S. that is expected to go into effect on Jan. 19, impacting roughly 115 million monthly users. That is unless its Chinese parent company ByteDance sells the platform, as required by the law signed by President Joe Biden last year, or SCOTUS rules in favor of TikTok’s position that the law is unconstitutional.
Supporters of the ban believe the app allows China to access vast amounts of data from Americans and possibly influence public opinion in the U.S.
Trump opposes the ban and has met with TikTok’s CEO in recent weeks.
Macy’s to close 66 stores
Macy’s confirmed it will close 66 stores across the U.S. The department store chain said Thursday that the move is part of its “bold new chapter” strategy, which was announced in February of last year. The strategy will see the closure of approximately 150 underperforming stores, or about a third of its locations, over a three-year period.
Tony Spring, the retailer’s chairman and CEO, said that while “closing any store is never easy,” this will allow the company to focus its “resources and prioritize investments” in its other locations.
Macy’s told Axios clearance sales will begin this month and run for up to 12 weeks.
Friends, family remember President Jimmy Carter at state funeral in Washington
Family, friends and fellow lawmakers honored former President Jimmy Carter on Thursday, a National Day of Mourning, during a state funeral in Washington, D.C. All five surviving presidents attended the service at the National Cathedral.
President Joe Biden, who declared Thursday a National Day of Mourning, delivered a eulogy for his late friend.
“Jimmy Carter’s friendship taught me and through his life taught me the strength of character is more than title or the power we hold. It’s a strength to understand that everyone should be treated with dignity. Respect that everyone, and I mean everyone, deserves an even shot, not a guarantee, but just a shot. You know, we have an obligation to give hate no safe harbor. And to stand up to — my dad used to say was the greatest sin of all — the abuse of power. That’s not about being perfect as none of us are perfect. We’re all fallible. But it’s about asking ourselves ‘Are we striving to do things, the right things? What value, what are the values that animate our spirit? Do we operate from fear or hope, ego or generosity? Do we show grace? Do we keep the faith when it’s most tested?’ Or keeping the faith with the best of humankind and the best of America is a story, in my view, from my perspective, of Jimmy Carter’s life.”
Carter’s grandchildren also spoke about their late grandfather.
“They were small-town people who never forgot who they were and where they were from no matter what happened in their lives,” Jason Carter said. “But I recognize that we are not here because he was just a regular guy. As you’ve heard from the other speakers, his political life and his presidency for me was not just ahead of its time, it was prophetic. He had the courage and strength to stick to his principles, even when they were politically unpopular.”
Following a private funeral in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, Carter was laid to rest next to his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn.