4 d. ago Trump news at a glance: thinktank finds legal immigrants stripped of protections and sent to El Salvador prison

Report comes as supreme court allows US president to revoke protected status for Venezuelans. Key US politics stories from 19 May 2025At least 50 Venezuelan men sent by the Trump administration to a prison in El Salvador had entered the US legally, according to a review by the Cato Institute.Published by the libertarian thinktank on Monday, the report analyzed the available immigration data for only a portion of the men who were deported to El Salvador’s notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot), and focuses on the cases where records could be found. Continue reading...

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4 d. ago At least 50 Venezuelans sent to El Salvador prison entered US legally, report finds – US politics live

Libertarian thinktank says ‘dozens of legal immigrants were stripped of their status and imprisoned in El Salvador’At least 50 migrants sent to El Salvador prison entered US legally, report findsJD Vance extended an invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit the United States during a meeting at the Vatican on Monday ahead of a flurry of US-led diplomatic efforts to make progress on a ceasefire in Russia’s war in Ukraine, the Associated Press reports. Vance gave the first American pope a letter from Donald Trump and the first lady inviting him. The Chicago-born pope took the letter and put it on his desk and was heard saying “at some point”, in the video footage of the meeting provided by Vatican Media. Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, also gave the Augustinian pope a copy of two of St Augustine’s most seminal works, The City of God and On Christian Doctrine, the vice-president’s office said. Another gift: A Chicago Bears T-shirt with Leo’s name on it. “As you can probably imag...

Events

5 d. ago Trump news at a glance: president faces intensifying criticism over Qatar plane gift

Top Democrat condemns ‘flying grift’ as senior Republicans join chorus of disapproval – key US politics stories from Sunday 18 May at a glanceDonald Trump is coming under increasing pressure for accepting a $400m luxury plane from Qatar as several senior Republicans join the chorus of criticism.Leading Democratic Chris Murphy on Sunday called it the “definition of corruption”, while even some of Trump’s close allies have been enraged, with some saying it was the opposite of Trump’s promise to drain the swamp and was “a stain on the administration”. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Trump news at a glance: Gulf deals in the spotlight as experts warn receipt of overseas gifts ‘unprecedented’

Experts warn the message being sent by the White House is that American foreign policy is for sale. Key US politics stories from Saturday 17 May at a glanceWith Donald Trump’s headline-making tour of the Gulf region now over, focus has now fallen on the deals made during the trip – for US companies, and for the president himself.Former White House lawyers, diplomatic protocol officers and foreign affairs experts have told the Guardian Donald Trump’s receipt of overseas gifts and targeted investments are “unprecedented” as the White House remakes US foreign policy under a pay-for-access code that eclipses past administrations. Continue reading...

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1 week ago Trump news at a glance: Newark mayor Ras Baraka takes on Trump administration over immigration

The mayor, who was arrested on Tuesday, has vowed to take legal action against an immigration detention facility in New Jersey – key US politics stories from Saturday 10 May at a glanceThe battle with the Trump administration over illegal immigration continues, with Newark mayor Ras Baraka saying he would fight his arrest in court.The mayor was arrested on Tuesday after joining three members of Congress at a protest and press conference outside a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detention facility in Newark called Delaney Hall. The mayor was released about five hours later and charged with trespassing. Continue reading...

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2 w. ago Trump news at a glance: White House doesn’t trust Hegseth to choose new chief of staff

Exasperated by turmoil dogging defense secretary, the White House will block his new choice, sources say – key US politics stories from 9 May 2025 at a glanceExasperated by the turmoil that has dogged Pete Hegseth’s office in recent weeks, the White House will block the US defense secretary’s choice of chief of staff and select a candidate of its own, according to two people familiar with the matter.Hegseth had suggested giving the chief of staff position to Marine Col Ricky Buria after the first person in the role, Joe Kasper, left last month in the wake of a contentious leak investigation that brought the ouster of three other senior aides. But the White House has made clear to Hegseth that Buria will not be elevated. Continue reading...

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2 w. ago Trump news at a glance: military to immediately remove trans troops and use medical records to oust more

Buoyed by supreme court ruling, Pentagon will remove as many as 1,000 service members. Key US politics stories from Thursday 8 May at a glance“No More Trans @ DoD,” Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, posted after the supreme court allowed the Trump administration’s ousting of transgender troops to go forward. As of Thursday, the orders have been issued to identify and involuntarily force trans people out of service.Department officials have said it is difficult to determine exactly how many transgender service members there are, but medical records will show those who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, show symptoms or are being treated. Those troops would then be forced out. Continue reading...

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2 w. ago Trump news at a glance: Canada not for sale, says Carney; trans military ban proceeds for now

Mark Carney takes firm line with Donald Trump during White House visit; supreme court allows ban on transgender troops to take effect. Key US politics stories from Tuesday 6 May at a glanceIn the White House on Tuesday, the prime minister of Canada told Donald Trump: “As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale.” Trump agreed: “That’s true.”Mark Carney continued: “Having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign it’s not for sale. Won’t be for sale, ever.” “Never say never,” said Trump. Carney smiled and mouthed “never, never, never, never.” Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Trump news at a glance: Rubio tangles with Germany; crackdown on campus protests continues

Berlin dismisses secretary of state’s criticism over AfD designation; nine pro-Palestinian activists arrested at Swarthmore College – key US politics stories from Saturday 3 May at a glanceGermany’s foreign ministry has pushed back after Marco Rubio criticised the country’s decision to designate the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party a “confirmed rightwing extremist” force incompatible with its constitution.“This is democracy,” the ministry said in a post on X, adding that the courts would have the final say and that “we have learnt from our history that rightwing extremism needs to be stopped”. The US secretary of state had called the move “tyranny in disguise”. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump news at a glance: Rubio now holds four titles after Waltz out as national security chief

Marco Rubio becomes the first person since Henry Kissinger to hold the national security adviser and secretary of state positions at the same time – key US politics stories from Thursday 1 MaySecretary of state Marco Rubio – ridiculed as “Little Marco” by Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican primaries – has become one of the most powerful players in the president’s cabinet.Trump appointed Rubio interim national security adviser on Thursday after Mike Waltz was forced to leave the post, alongside his deputy, Alex Wong, as sources said officials had lost confidence in their leadership. Continue reading...

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3 w. ago Trump news at a glance: children targeted in immigration crackdown

The moves have prompted alarm about what one critic called ‘backdoor family separation’ – key US politics stories from Monday 28 AprilAs part of President Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown, unaccompanied minors are now being targeted for deportation, with the Department of Homeland Security engaging in “welfare checks” on children who arrived in the US alone, usually across the US-Mexican border.The moves have sparked fears of a crackdown and prompted alarm about what one critic called “backdoor family separation”. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump news at a glance: President says he wants Putin ‘to stop shooting’ after talks with Zelenskyy

Trump expresses newfound sympathy for his Ukrainian counterpart, saying he ‘wants to do something good for his country’ – key US politics stories from Sunday 27 April at a glanceDonald Trump appears to have warmed to Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the two presidents met at the Vatican, with the US leader emerging from talks with a plea for Vladimir Putin: “stop shooting”.Trump on Sunday said Zelenskyy “wants to do something good” for Ukraine and is “working hard”, adding he was also “surprised and disappointed” that Russia continued to strike Ukraine after discussions between his peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Putin. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Trump news at a glance: president berates Putin; judge blocks changes to voting rights

US renews push to end Ukraine war, reportedly on terms favourable to Russia – key US politics stories from 24 AprilDuring his election campaign Donald Trump had promised to end the war in 24 hours. But almost 100 days into his second term the US president has appealed directly to Russian president Vladimir Putin, telling him on social media: “Vladimir, STOP!”Trump’s remarks referred to the deadliest attack on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv this year, which killed 12 people and injured at least 90 on Thursday. The attack comes as Trump has made a renewed push to end the Ukraine war, reportedly on terms favourable to Russia. Continue reading...

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