Republican lawmakers fear the impact of the proposed $1 trillion budget cuts on their constituents and their own political futures, particularly regarding funding for healthcare, veterans' services, and research. While publicly supporting Trump's agenda, many Republicans are privately lobbying against the cuts to protect their states and districts.

Trump again takes to his favorite form of communication, this time calling himself King as he takes notice of the congestion pricing surging in New York.

President Donald Trump sought access to Ukrainian mineral resources as reparations for U.S. aid reportedly demanding 50% of future revenue from Ukrainian mineral exports, sparking outrage and concerns about sovereignty. Ukrainian officials insisted on security guarantees in exchange for considering such an agreement, particularly given ongoing tensions with Russia.

DeepSeek R1, a new AI model from the Chinese startup DeepSeek, has rapidly gained prominence, surpassing established models like OpenAI's ChatGPT in performance and becoming the most downloaded free app on the Apple App Store. Developed at a significantly lower cost than its American competitors, R1's success challenges the existing AI market dominance of U.S. companies, sparking concerns and market reactions.

President Joe Biden, in his final hours in office, issued a series of preemptive pardons to several individuals, including Dr. Anthony Fauci and General Mark Milley. These pardons aimed to shield them from potential politically motivated prosecutions by the incoming Trump administration. The pardons also included members of the January 6th Committee and Biden's own family members.

President Trump's executive orders in January 2025 dismantled Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the federal government. This action involved removing DEI-related webpages, canceling contracts, and placing DEI staff on leave. The orders sparked widespread criticism from civil rights advocates who argue the move will increase discrimination and reverse progress toward workplace equality.

President Trump's contrasting stances against prevailing global trends during his second term. His January 2025 Davos address championed American manufacturing, lower taxes, and lower oil prices, directly opposing the WEF's focus on sustainability and climate action.