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4:15 PM ET, January 25, 2025

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Washington Post:
Trump ousts at least 15 independent inspectors general in late-night purge  —  The dismissals appeared to violate federal law, which requires Congress to receive 30 days' notice of any intent to fire a Senate-confirmed inspector general.
RELATED:
Politico:
Trump fires independent inspectors general in Friday night purge  —  The watchdogs say the removals may be invalid for failing to comply with a 2022 law requiring a 30-day notification to Congress before removals.  —  President Donald Trump fired multiple independent federal watchdogs …
New York Times:
Trump Fires at Least 12 Inspectors General in Late-Night Purge  —  The internal government watchdogs were believed to have been dismissed at several major agencies, though the Justice Department's was not said to have been among them.  —  President Trump fired at least 12 inspectors general late …
Reuters:
Trump fires 17 independent inspectors general at federal agencies, source says  —  U.S. President Donald Trump fired 17 independent watchdogs at multiple government agencies on Friday, a person with knowledge of the matter said, eliminating a critical oversight component and clearing the way to replace them with loyalists.
Alexander B. Howard / CIVIC TEXTS:
Trump's “blatantly unconstitutional” acts test the rule of law in the United States
Discussion: Futurism, Futurepolis and FedScoop
ABC News:
Trump fires 17 independent watchdogs at multiple agencies in late-night move
Discussion: The Hill and Reuters
Ezra Klein / New York Times:
Let's Get to the Marrow of What Trump Just Did  —  This is an edited transcript of an episode of “The Ezra Klein Show.”  You can listen to the conversation by following or subscribing to the show on the NYT Audio App, Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.
RELATED:
Jonathan Freedland / The Guardian:
Through the blizzard of edicts, see Trump for what he is: an autocrat reaching for limitless power  —  In just 100 hours, the returned president has already revealed his goal and exposed the weakness of those who might challenge him  —  It's hard to see in a blizzard.
New York Times:   The Tech Arsenal That Could Power Trump's Immigration Crackdown
The Hill:
Senate confirms Noem to lead Department of Homeland Security
Fox News:
Senate confirms Kristi Noem as Trump's Department of Homeland Security secretary30 minutes ago
Discussion: Breitbart and Instapundit
Nik Popli / Time:
Trump's Early Actions Mirror Project 2025, the Blueprint He Once Dismissed
Discussion: Bloomberg and Raw Story
Aubrie Spady / Fox News:
Senate forces rare weekend vote to push through Kristi Noem as Homeland Security chief
Politico:
McConnell sends a message  —  With a vote against Pete Hegseth, the former GOP leader makes clear he will be an unreliable ally of Donald Trump.  —  Mitch McConnell might not run the Senate anymore.  But he made clear on Friday night that he still knows how to wield power.
RELATED:
Debra Kahn / Politico:   Playbook: Trump's play for LA
Dan De Luce / NBC News:
Trump's canceling of 50 security clearances is unprecedented and partisan, experts say  —  The move is meant to please Trump voters, punish perceived enemies and represents “the most politically saturated security action since the Oppenheimer case in the 1950s.”
RELATED:
CNN:
Scientists at NIH can't purchase supplies for their studies after Trump administration pauses outside communications  —  Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have been told the communications pause announced by the Trump Administration earlier this week includes a pause on all purchasing …
Julian E. Barnes / New York Times:
C.I.A. Now Favors Lab Leak Theory to Explain Covid's Origins  —  A new analysis that began under the Biden administration is released by the C.I.A.'s new director, John Ratcliffe, who wants the agency to get “off the sidelines” in the debate.  —  The C.I.A. has said for years …
New Hampshire Public Radio:
Keene man arrested for storming the Capitol on Jan. 6 rejects Trump's pardon  —  On his first day in office this week, President Donald Trump pardoned all rioters at the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.  Jason Riddle served time in jail for his participation in the 2021 riot where he stole …
Discussion: Mediaite, The Hill and The UnPopulist
Alexander Burns / Politico:
‘Hit Him Back Twice as Hard’: Canada's No. 1 Populist Has a Risky Trump Strategy  —  Eight years ago, Justin Trudeau was the face of Canadian resistance to Trump.  Not anymore.  —  “I'm a street fighter in politics,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said.  “If someone throws a punch at me, I'm going to hit him back twice as hard.”
Emma-Victoria Farr / Reuters:
Elon Musk appears on video at German far right campaign event  —  Elon Musk made a surprise appearance during Germany's AfD (Alternative fuer Deutschland) election campaign event in Halle in eastern Germany on Saturday, speaking publicly in support of the far right party for the second time in as many weeks.
Discussion: DNyuz, Mediaite and The Gateway Pundit
Ken Moritsugu / Associated Press:
China tells Rubio to behave himself in veiled warning  —  China's veteran foreign minister has issued a veiled warning to America's new secretary of state: Behave yourself.  Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed the message in a phone call Friday, their first conversation since Marco Rubio's confirmation …
Haadiza Ogwude / Cincinnati.com:
JD Vance said ‘Trump and I will stop this,’ but Skyline Chili ice cream is still happening  —  A polarizing collaboration Vice President JD Vance promised to stop is moving forward.  —  Graeter's Ice Cream and Skyline Chili are releasing a new Skyline Spice Ice Cream flavor Monday, the two chains said in an announcement Friday.
Discussion: Fox News
New York Times:
Trump's Crypto Venture Divides the Industry He Aims to Support  —  The president's promotion of a speculative digital coin left some crypto investors feeling blindsided, while others saw it as a gimmick that undermined the industry's credibility.  —  Dressed in ball gowns, tuxedos and …
New York Times:
Deportation Fears Spread Among Immigrants With Provisional Legal Status  —  President Trump is targeting people who have been living in the country under Biden immigration programs that shielded them from deportation and allowed them to work.  —  Bearing Social Security numbers and employment authorization …
Discussion: Breitbart and Chicago Sun Times
RELATED:
New York Times:
Pete Hegseth Is Confirmed as Defense Secretary By Slim Margin  —  Pete Hegseth has vowed to bring his “warrior” ethos to the Pentagon.  Democrats had assailed him as unfit for the job, and his confirmation came down to Vice President JD Vance serving as tiebreaker.
RELATED:
NBC News:
VP Vance breaks tie in the Senate to confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary
 
 
 New Item Finder: 
70 minutes ago
Julian E. Barnes / New York Times:
C.I.A. Now Favors Lab Leak Theory to Explain Covid's Origins   Find
75 minutes ago
Andrew Feinberg / The Independent:
Trump's calls with British leaders reportedly left staff crying from laughter   Find
85 minutes ago
Maegan Vazquez / Washington Post:
Kristi Noem confirmed by Senate as secretary of Dept. of Homeland Security   Find
 
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 More Items: 
Andrew Feinberg / The Independent:
Trump's calls with British leaders reportedly left staff crying from laughter
Steff Danielle Thomas / The Hill:
Trump takes credit for latest Israeli hostage release: ‘Today the world celebrates’
Zoe Tillman / Bloomberg:
Trump's DOJ Halts Unpaid Summer Internships for Law Students
Discussion: Fox Business
Lucia Suarez Sang / CBS News:
Kia recalling 80,000 electric and hybrid vehicles over improper air bag deployment
Discussion: UPI and Associated Press
 Earlier Items: 
Bloomberg:
Greek PM's Pick for President Fails to Be Elected in First Round
Discussion: Reuters and DNyuz
Amy Harmon / New York Times:
Idaho Lawmakers Want Supreme Court to Overturn Same-Sex Marriage Decision
Francia Garcia Hernandez / Block Club Chicago:
Secret Service Agents — Not ICE — Denied Entry At Chicago School
Politico:
Trump signs anti-abortion policies after speaking to March for Life
Camilla Schick / CBS News:
Rubio orders freeze of new funding for nearly all U.S. foreign aid programs
 

 
From Mediagazer:

Patrick Coffee / Wall Street Journal:
Nielsen plans to stop selling its TV ratings product that solely uses consumer panels in Q4 2025, moving to a tool combining panels with smart-TV data and more

Global Voices:
An interview with journalist and Ethical Journalism Network founder Aidan White on the current global lack of trust in media and ways to rebuild public trust

David Satin / The Streamable:
Fubo raises prices on all of its English-language plans for new customers; its least expensive offering, its Essential plan, is now $85/month

 
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