LIVE: ‘Behave yourself’: China’s veiled warning to Rubio
Trump visits fire-ravaged areas, promises to work closely with local authorities to support the victims
US President Donald Trump on Friday (January 24) toured the fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, shaking hands with firefighters and talking to a few residents, surveying the extent of destruction.
The new President walked through a neighbourhood of levelled homes and scorched trees and firefighters presented him with a white fire helmet, emblazoned with the number 47 on the front and side.
Trump expressed his shock at the devastation and promised to work closely with local authorities to support the victims.
'Get rid of FEMA, too slow'
Earlier, Trump said he was considering “getting rid of” the Federal Emergency Management Agency, offering the latest sign of how he is weighing sweeping changes to the nation's central organization for responding to disasters.
Instead of having federal financial assistance flow through FEMA, the Republican president said Washington could provide money directly to the states. He made the comments while visiting North Carolina, which is still recovering months after Hurricane Helene, on the first trip of his second term.
“FEMA has been a very big disappointment," the Republican president said. “It's very bureaucratic. And it's very slow." Trump said Michael Whatley, a North Carolina native and chair of the Republican National Committee, would help coordinate recovery efforts in the state, where frustrations over the federal response have lingered. Although Whatley does not hold an official government position, Trump said he would be “very much in charge.”
The president emphasized his desire to help North Carolina, a battleground state that's voted for him in all of his presidential campaigns.
According to reports, Trump also visited Swannanoa to meet with those affected by Hurricane Helene. As the victims shared their experiences of the devastating storm, Trump blamed Joe Biden for the disaster.
Live Updates
- 25 Jan 2025 7:44 AM GMT
US' China policy to put America first: Rubio tells Wang Yi
The Trump administration will pursue a relationship with China that advances US interests and puts the American people first, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
Rubio on Friday spoke with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang, the first call between the two diplomats since President Donald Trump’s administration took office on January 20.
"Secretary Rubio emphasised that the Trump administration will pursue a US-PRC (People's Republic of China) relationship that advances US interests and puts the American people first," said the State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
“The Secretary also stressed the United States’ commitment to our allies in the region and serious concern over China’s coercive actions against Taiwan and in the South China Sea,” Bruce said.
China claims most of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims. Rubio also discussed other issues of bilateral, regional, and global importance with Wang.
In the first year of Trump's first term, the US-China ties deteriorated amid a trade war that unleashed a series of tit-for-tat tariffs.
Meanwhile, Congressman John Moolenaar, Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and Congressman Tom Suozzi introduced the Restoring Trade Fairness Act, the first bipartisan bill that would revoke China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR).
A companion bill has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Tom Cotton and Jim Banks.
This comes following President Trump's new executive order, directing the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to assess legislative proposals regarding Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China.
- 25 Jan 2025 7:42 AM GMT
Democratic states weigh more support for immigrants
As President Donald Trump tightens the nation's immigration policies, lawmakers in Democratic-led states are proposing new measures that could erect legal obstacles for federal immigration officials and help immigrants lacking legal status avoid deportation.
The resistance efforts in California, New York and other states are a counterpoint to the many Republican-led states advancing measures to aid Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration, highlighting a national divide.
In just his first week in office, Trump's administration has halted refugee arrivals; fast-tracked deportations; sent military troops to the southern border; lifted longtime rules restricting immigration enforcement near schools, churches and hospitals; attempted to end birthright citizenship; and ordered federal prosecutors to investigate state or local officials who they believe are interfering with his crackdown on illegal immigration.
Hundreds of bills on immigration already have been introduced in states and more action is expected next week. Republican Govs Ron DeSantis of Florida and Bill Lee of Tennessee have called special legislative sessions to begin Monday to support Trump's immigration agenda.
Meanwhile, Democrats in states such as Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington are backing measures to expand health care and higher education for immigrants, restrict landlords from inquiring about immigration status or block government agreements to open new immigrant detention centers.
Many US adults support stronger security at the southern border and deporting immigrants in the U.S. illegally who have been convicted of violent crimes, according to a survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. But some actions have less consensus. About 4 in 10 American adults support deporting all immigrants living in the U.S. illegally while a similar share are opposed.
Legal aid to fight deportation Unlike in criminal courts, there is no constitutional right to a government-funded attorney in immigration courts. As Trump ramps up deportation efforts, some state measures would help pay for attorneys to defend people facing immigration proceedings.
- 25 Jan 2025 3:04 AM GMT
Indian-American Kush Desai picked Deputy Press Secretary
US President Donald Trump has appointed Indian-American former journalist Kush Desai as his Deputy Press Secretary, the White House has announced.
Desai earlier served as Deputy Communications Director for the 2024 Republican National Convention and Communications Director for the Republican Party of Iowa.
Desai was also the Deputy Battleground States and Pennsylvania Communications Director at the Republican National Committee. In this capacity, he played a key role in messaging and narrative building in the key battleground States in particular Pennsylvania. Trump won in all the seven battleground States.
The White House announced his appointment on Friday.
White House Office of Communications will be overseen by Deputy White House Chief of Staff and Cabinet Secretary Taylor Budowich.
Trump had previously announced the appointments of Assistant to the President and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung and Assistant to the President and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
- 25 Jan 2025 2:42 AM GMT
'Only way to stop war'
Donald Trump has asked the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut the prices of oil, arguing that it would stop the Russia-Ukraine war.
He had made a similar claim earlier, too. Addressing the annual World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland via video conference, Trump accused the OPEC+ alliance of oil-exporting countries of being responsible for the nearly three-year conflict in Ukraine.
"We want to see OPEC cut the price of oil. That will automatically stop the tragedy that's taking place in Ukraine. It's a butchering tragedy for both sides," the US President told reporters in North Carolina on Friday.
Noting that a large number of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have died in the conflict so far, Trump said, "Right now, it's just bullets whacking and hitting men. There are over a million men killed, and they are losing thousands of people a week."
"It's crazy. It's a crazy war and it never would have happened if I was president (then). This is crazy that it happened, but we want to stop it." "One way to stop it quickly is for OPEC to stop making so much money and to drop the price of oil. If you have it high, that war is not going to end so easily. So, OPEC ought to get on the ball and they ought to drop the price of oil. And the war will stop right away," Trump added.
- 25 Jan 2025 2:19 AM GMT
Congressional bill introduced to improve STEM
A bipartisan bill has been introduced in the US House of Representatives that would allow the National Science Foundation to support a modernised math curriculum and improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.
Introduced by Congressman Chrissy Houlahan from the Democratic Party and Jim Baird from the Republican Party, the Mathematical and Statistical Modelling Education Act aims at helping students compete globally in STEM subjects, especially in view of countries like China and India are making dramatic investments in education, especially in math and science.
Houlahan said, "As I have travelled the world, I have seen how China, India, and our other global competitors are making dramatic investments in education, especially in math and science. We must act quickly to ensure America's students are not left behind in the global economy.
"Giving the National Science Foundation the authority to invest in modernized STEM education is an important step toward ensuring our students can remain the best in the world and lead the change of our future,” he said.
Baird said the United States' ability to create cutting-edge technologies has been vital to defeating its adversaries.
"However, China has made huge investments in STEM to try and out-compete the US. As a PhD scientist, I know the invaluable impact STEM education has on American innovation and our national security. If we want to beat China, we must have a well-equipped workforce and a robust supply of scientists,” he said.
That starts with strengthening STEM education in K-12 schools, he added.
The legislation has been supported by The American Statistical Association, the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, the Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications, the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, the New Hampshire Learning Initiative, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Centre for Innovation in Education, and the Business Software Alliance
- 25 Jan 2025 2:02 AM GMT
'Thank You for saving America'
As President Trump shakes hands with brave firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department, one of them says “Thank you for saving America, Mr. President” ❤️🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/dvyhijpWAR
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 25, 2025 - 25 Jan 2025 1:46 AM GMT
Newark slams ICE over arrests
The Trump administration announced Friday that it is expanding a fast-track deportation authority nationwide, allowing immigration officers to deport migrants without appearing before a judge as the president seeks to make good on a sweeping agenda of removing everyone who is in the U.S. illegally.
The news of the expanded use of expedited removal comes as Newark, New Jersey, officials lashed out over what they say were illegal arrests by federal immigration officers at a local business.
At a news conference Friday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who showed up at the business Thursday detained three “undocumented residents” as well as some US citizens. He said one person was questioned even after showing military identification.
“When I got this information I was appalled, upset, angry that this would happen here, in this state, in this country,” said Baraka, a Democrat who is seeking the party's nomination for governor. “We're going to fight for all of our residents in this city, no matter what that looks like for us.” About half of the city's population of 305,000 is Black and nearly 40% is Hispanic, according to census figures.
ICE has described what happened Thursday as a “targeted enforcement operation” and said agents may ask other people for identification when they're conducting “field work.”
