Closing summary
This wraps up our live updates on the second Trump administration for the week, but we’ll return on Monday. Here are the recent highlights: Donald Trump informed reporters that he did instruct aides to share a racist video portraying Barack and Michelle Obama as apes on his social media platform, yet he claimed not to have seen that segment of the 62-second clip. Although footage shared online captured JD Vance, the US vice-president, being booed at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan, this crowd reaction was not acknowledged in the US TV broadcast streamed live on Peacock, NBC Sports’ platform. After Trump asserted that the idea to rename New York’s Penn Station to Trump Station didn’t originate with him but rather Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, Schumer labeled this an “absolute lie.” A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can’t continue withholding funds for a crucial infrastructure project affecting New York and New Jersey. Reports indicate that Trump had frozen these funds as leverage to gain Schumer’s backing for naming both Penn Station and Washington’s Dulles Airport after himself. Pete Hegseth, formerly a Fox weekend host and now serving as US defense secretary, declared that the Pentagon will cease sending active-duty service members to Harvard due to its perceived “woke” environment. Share Updated at 22.03 EST Key events Show key events only Please turn on Java Script to use this featureJudge blocks attempt to end asylum claim by family of 5-year-old Minneapolis boy, Liam Conejo Ramos
At an asylum hearing in Minneapolis on Friday, Liam Conejo Ramos’ family received more time to present their case. This comes after outrage over his detention by immigration agents focused attention on efforts by the administration to deport even non-violent asylum seekers, according to Kristen Stenvik, superintendent of Columbia Heights Public Schools. Paschal Nwokocha, a lawyer representing the family, told Minnesota Public Radio: “the government was bent on removing this family from the United States. We were able to get additional time to do what we need to do in court.” The federal government had filed a motion Wednesday seeking to terminate asylum claims for this family. The young boy had just returned home earlier this week after being detained with his father since January 20 and sent off to a detention center in Texas. ShareJudge orders Trump administration to release funds for New York-New Jersey rail project
On Friday, a federal judge from New York ordered Donald Trump’s administration to release funds amounting $16 billion meant for critical rail infrastructure improvements in New York and New Jersey, as reported by Reuters. The Gateway Project aims at constructing a new commuter rail tunnel connecting Manhattan with New Jersey while repairing an old tunnel utilized by over 200,000 travelers and 425 trains daily. The existing Hudson Tunnel has been significantly damaged since Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012 and requires regular emergency repairs disrupting travel along one of America’s busiest passenger rail lines. US district judge Jeannette Vargas issued her temporary order shortly after officials from New York and New Jersey announced construction would stop due to funding issues. New Jersey’s acting attorney general Jennifer Davenport and New York’s attorney general Letitia James praised the ruling through statements made public. “The Trump Administration must drop this campaign of political retribution immediately and allow work on this vital infrastructure project,” Davenport said. “We won a court order blocking funding freezes for Hudson Tunnel Project,” James stated. “We’ll continue our lawsuit fighting for our well-paying union jobs while ensuring one of America’s key infrastructure projects can proceed.” In January’s lawsuit filing against Trump’s administration freezing these funds was described as “a brazen act of political retribution” aimed at their Democratic leaders. The Trump administration has withheld $205 million in reimbursements related to this project since October 1. Reportedly echoing Trump’s past attempts at leveraging aid during negotiations with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy-leading up his first impeachment-the president demanded that Chuck Schumer agree publicly renaming both Washington Dulles Airport along with Penn Station before unfreezing those funds. Share Updated at 21.46 ESTTrump asserts Schumer proposed renaming Penn Station; Schumer labels it an ‘absolute lie’
While en route back home from Florida Friday evening Donald Trump responded when asked about reports suggesting he told Senate Democrat leader Chuck Schumer he’d restore funding for significant infrastructure projects if he backed renaming Penn Station after him.“Chuck Schumer suggested that,” claimed Trump regarding changing Penn Station into “Trump Station.”“Absolute lie,” retorted Schumer via social media platforms saying: “He knows it well; everyone knows it! Only one person can restart the project-he could snap his fingers.”. Share
