Tennessee A.G. Skrmetti Praises Trump Admin for Reversing Biden’s Position State’s Right to Ban Transgender Surgeries for Kids

Tennessee AG Jonathan Skrmetti

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti on Friday released a statement praising the Trump administration for reversing the position held by the Biden-era Department of Justice (DOJ) in the lawsuit targeting the Volunteer State’s law banning transgender surgeries, puberty blockers, and other treatments for children, which is now being decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Skrmetti made the statement in a post to the social media platform X yesterday, where he also cautioned that the Supreme Court has yet to release a final ruling, despite the federal government dropping its previous support for the non-government plaintiffs that sought to allow minors to receive transgender treatments.

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Russ Vought Survives Democrats’ Protests, Confirmed to Lead Budget Office

Russ Vought

Russell Vought, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget, was confirmed by the Senate Thursday night on party lines by a margin of 53-47, as Democrat senators broke decorum by protesting against his confirmation as their names were called.

Almost every Democrat yelled in protest as the vote was called, each one saying on whose behalf they were voting against the confirmation.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi Pulls Funding for Sanctuary Cities

Attorney General Pam Bondi, Downtown Boston

Newly-minted Attorney General Pam Bondi immediately ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to pull funding from sanctuary cities and called for an investigation into the funding of organizations that provide assistance to illegal migrants.

Just moments after being sworn in as the 87th Attorney General of the United States, Bondi on Wednesday issued a memo that pauses federal grants administered by the DOJ to localities that refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The move will likely foment a court battle between the Trump administration and major sanctuary cities like Chicago, Boston and New York City that prohibit assistance to deportation officers.

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Former USAID Director Mark Moyar Spills Agency’s Abuse and Waste That He Says Runs Deep

Mark Moyar

A former U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) director appeared Wednesday on Fox News to reveal details on what he said were the agency’s misused resources and deeply rooted corruption.

Dating back to the early days of the Trump administration, former director Mark Moyar, who took office in February 2018, recounted, on “Jesse Watters Primetime,” what he said was an agency culture steeped in inefficiency and malpractice, starting with an unconventional orientation exercise that labeled him as a Scandinavian woman in a “privilege walk.” This exercise, meant to highlight systemic privileges and disadvantages, instead served as a prelude to the deeper issues plaguing USAID.

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Pat Herrity Says Lieutenant Governor Bid ‘About Getting Winsome over the Finish Line’ in Virginia Gubernatorial Race

Pat Herrity

Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity, the only elected Republican in the county, today said that his campaign to become the next Lieutenant Governor of Virginia was motivated by an effort to help the Republican ticket on Election Day, and particularly to help Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears win her election to succeed Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Asked on Wednesday by The Virginia Star publisher John Fredericks how he expected to win in November if Earle-Sears should perform poorly, as a January poll showed former Representative Abigail Spanberger winning against Earle-Sears by 10 percent, Herrity pointed to his years of electoral success in Fairfax County.

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Reagan-Appointed Judge Temporarily Stops Trump Admin from Pulling Men Out of Women’s Prisons

Female inmate

A Reagan-appointed federal judge temporarily stopped the Trump administration from moving three male inmates out of women’s prison facilities on Tuesday in part because they don’t “present any threat” to female inmates.

District Judge Royce Lamberth, who took the bench in 1987, ruled on Tuesday to temporarily block President Donald Trump’s executive order to keep men in men’s prisons even if they identify as women. The ruling was in favor of “three male-to-female transgender women” who sued the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Washington, D.C., district court to stop their transfer, alleging that Trump’s directive violates federal law and their constitutional rights.

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Immigration Expert Todd Bensman: Trump Tariff Threat ‘Highly Effective,’ ‘Should Have Been Done for Years’

Todd Bensman, Michael Patrick Leahy

Todd Bensman, a senior national security fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, said President Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariff threat on Mexican imports was a “highly effective” strategy that should have been implemented by prior administrations “for years” as a way to push Mexico to cooperate with border security efforts.

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Trump Declares National Emergency at Northern Border

Illegal Immigrants Northern Border

President Donald Trump on Saturday declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Canada border, citing an influx of human and drug smuggling coming from Canada presenting a national security threat to Americans.

He did so after a record number of illegal border crossers were reported entering the U.S. from Canada, the greatest number of known or suspected terrorists were apprehended coming from Canada, and northern border terrorist arrests soared under the Biden and Trudeau administrations, The Center Square first reported.

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Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell Confirms Parts of Transit Plan Jeopardized by Federal Funding Cuts Under Trump

Freddie O'Connell

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell told reporters that termination of federal funding sources under President Donald Trump could jeopardize elements of the Choose How You Move transit plan that was passed by voters last November, but claimed a possible lack of federal money will not mean Nashvillians pay higher taxes.

O’Connell acknowledged in a Monday press conference reported by Fox 17 that the transportation plan he championed “does have some expectations about federal funding, and if programs evaporate from a federal level,” the speed at which parts of the 15-year program are set to be completed would need to be reconsidered.

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Steve Cortes: President Trump Played the ‘Strong Hand’ with Tariffs, Now Mexico Is ‘Crying Uncle’

Mexican troops

Steve Cortes, former senior spokesman and strategist for the 2016 and 2020 Trump campaigns and current head of the League of American Workers, said President Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariff threat on Mexican imports shows that the president “knows how to wield the power of the United States” as a negotiator.

On Monday, Trump announced that he and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum participated in a “very friendly conversation” in which the pair negotiated a deal which will see Mexico supply 10,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to “stop the flow of fentanyl and illegal migrants” into the U.S. in exchange for Trump pausing the anticipated 25 percent tariffs on Mexican imports for a one month period.

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Mexico Caves, Deploys 10,000 Troops to Border in Exchange for Trump Pausing Tariffs

Mexican troops

Mexico is immediately deploying thousands of troops to the U.S. southern border in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs against the country’s imports.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Monday announced she is immediately deploying 10,000 National Guard soldiers to the southern border to help mitigate the flow of drugs and illegal immigration through the U.S.-Mexico border. In exchange, the Trump administration will pause its 25% tariff on Mexican imports for one month and work to quell the flow of arms south of the border.

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Trump Reportedly Eyes 70 Percent Cut to Federal Agency with Virginia Footprint

Donald Trump

The Trump administration has reportedly ordered a 70 percent cut to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the agency which manages personnel for the federal bureaucracy. According to OPM, about 160 of its jobs are located in Virginia.

A Federal News Network report published Friday claimed that top members of the Trump administration directed OPM officials to draft plans to cut both programs and personnel by 70 percent, with the Washington, D.C. outlet citing multiple sources with knowledge of the meeting with Trump officials.

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Vanderbilt University Scrubs DEI Page as Trump Bans Federal Funding for ‘Radical’ Diversity Programs

Man using a laptop computer

Vanderbilt University scrubbed its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) web page after a source told The Tennessee Star the institution planned to remove references to the controversial program over a two-day period.

According to archived internet sources, the Vanderbilt web page previously page titled, “Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion)” was changed significantly some time between November 2, 2024 and February 2, 2025, with the information containing a new version of the page bearing no reference to DEI.

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AG Jason Miyares Sends Legal Notice to VCU, UVA on Compliance with Trump’s Order Banning Federal Funds for Minors’ Trans Surgeries

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares reportedly sent a legal notice to the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and University of Virginia (UVA) health systems, offering guidance on the executive order banning federal spending on transgender surgeries or medicines signed by President Donald Trump, which states that his office is monitoring for compliance.

The legal notice, published by ABC 8 News on Friday, references the Tuesday executive order Trump signed, titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Castration.”

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Minnesota J6er Shares Story for First Time After President Trump Ordered Charges Dismissed

Jonah Westbury

He was facing two years in prison for Jan. 6, but Jonah Westbury is ready to move on with his life after the charges against were dropped thanks to actions taken by President Donald Trump within hours of his inauguration last week.

Westbury shared his story exclusively with Liz Collin on her podcast. Alpha News has profiled his family’s story in the past. Westbury, along with his two brothers, Aaron and Issac, and his father, were charged in the wake of Jan. 6. Westbury was the first of his family to be arrested after an FBI raid on his home.

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Trump Birthright Citizenship Order Leaves Loophole Allowing ‘Birth Tourism’ Method Used by Chinese Nationals

Chinese Woman

One loophole in President Donald Trump’s executive order banning birthright citizenship could permit Chinese nationals, along with other non-citizens, to continue obtaining U.S. citizenship for their children.

The order’s language leaves room for the growing international surrogacy industry — which allows intended parents from across the word to hire an American woman to carry their child to term — to continue operating as the newest means of “birth tourism.”

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Tom Zawistowski: Vivek Ramaswamy Likely to be Favorite Gubernatorial Candidate Among Ohioans

Tom Zawistowski, president of the Ohio-based We the People Convention, said businessman and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is likely to be the favorite Republican candidate among Ohioans in the 2026 gubernatorial race.

While Ramaswamy has not officially launched a bid for Ohio governor, reports have recently confirmed that the businessman and former presidential candidate has hired Vice President JD Vance’s top political advisers to head his expected campaign.

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Trump to Slap Mexico, Canada and China with Tariffs Saturday

Claudia Sheinbaum and Donald Trump

President Donald Trump will be following through on his threat to hit Mexico, Canada and China with sweeping tariffs over complaints about illegal immigration and illicit drugs entering the U.S.

The administration will begin hitting Mexico and Canada with a 25% tariff and China with a 10% tariff beginning Saturday, White House Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt announced during a press briefing Friday. The announcement follows import tax threats long made by the Republican unless all three countries do more to address the illegal immigration crisis and the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States.

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Legal Expert Phill Kline: Trump’s Work to Address the ‘Unaccountable Government’ Will Be Hard for the Left to Stop Through the Courts

Donald Trump

Phill Kline, former Kansas Attorney General and current law professor at Liberty University School of Law, said he believes President Donald Trump’s work to address the “unaccountable government” through the temporary pause of federal financial assistance programs to review such funding is likely to be “backed up” by the courts as the Left attempts to derail the president’s actions through litigation.

Kline said Trump’s use of the presidential impoundment power to potentially save federal funds by pausing federal financial assistance programs pending further review is “clearly” appropriate.

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Rep. Andy Ogles Questions Whether DEI Played Role in American Airlines Crash

Rep. Andy Ogles

U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) questioned on Thursday whether the American Airlines crash into the Potomac River outside Washington, D.C. could have been a consequence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hiring practices that critics argue require employers to choose applicants based on immutable characteristics, like gender or race, rather than qualification.

Ogles, during an appearance on Fox Business’ “Mornings with Maria,” told host Maria Bartiromo that DEI should be among the possibilities considered by investigators for the cause of the American Airlines jetliner into a military helicopter that officials say may have caused the deaths of 67 people on Wednesday night.

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Ineffective GOP State Rep. Jody Barrett Defies President Trump’s Support for Tennessee School Choice Bill

State Rep. Jody Barrett

Tennessee State Representative Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) confirmed to The Tennessee Star on Tuesday that he remains opposed to the Education Freedom Act despite the legislation’s recent endorsement by President Donald Trump.

Barrett, who has publicly confirmed his opposition to the universal school choice bill, was asked on Tuesday whether Trump’s support for the legislation put forward by Governor Bill Lee and Republican leadership.

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Abbott Deploys Texas Military to Rio Grande Valley to Assist Trump Administration

Texas National Guard

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott surged additional Texas military resources to the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) to assist President Donald Trump with his border security efforts.

Abbott did so as removal operations are already underway in Trump’s first week in office after he issued a series of executive orders to secure the border, including sending 1,500 troops to Texas and California, The Center Square reported.

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Federal Agency Pauses Requirement for Small Businesses to File ‘Beneficial Ownership Reports’ amid Lawsuit, New Administration

Small Business

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN) on Friday paused its requirement for 33 million small business owners to file “beneficial ownership reports” with the federal government, under penalty of heavy fines and imprisonment, as a lawsuit seeking to prevent the enforcement reaches the U.S. Supreme Court.

While the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s ruling which prevented FINCEN from requiring small business owners file the reports, the agency announced Friday that enforcement of the data collection will remain paused due to a lower court’s ruling in another case seeking to block the enforcement.

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Pro-Life Protesters Pardoned by Trump Include Tennessee Activist Bevelyn Williams, Who Biden DOJ Sentenced to Years in Prison

Bevelyn Beatty Williams

President Donald Trump on Thursday pardoned 23 protesters prosecuted under the Biden Department of Justice for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act of 1994, including Tennessee activist Bevelyn Williams, who confirmed her release in a post to the social media platform X.

Williams confirmed she was home in a video posted to X late on Thursday, showing the pro-life activist greeted by her husband and child after leaving the Federal Correctional Facility (FCI) in Aliceville, Alabama.

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EJ Haust: Proposal Allowing Trump a Third Term Shuts Down Seriousness Surrounding Biden’s 28th Amendment Claim

Donald Trump

EJ Haust, a digital marketing expert and official guest host of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, said Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles’ (R-TN-05) proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution allowing President Donald Trump to serve a third term shuts down the conversations about former President Joe Biden’s claim that a 28th Amendment to the Constitution has been ratified.

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Commentary: Trump Is Already Challenging the Public Health Industrial Complex

President Donald Trump

by Judson Phillips   The beloved holiday classic Planes, Trains, and Automobiles features one of the funniest scenes in movie history. John Candy and Steve Martin drive the wrong way down a highway, oblivious to the danger. When concerned drivers warn them that they are “going the wrong way,” they laugh and mock the onlookers — until they face a speeding Mack truck. The American people repeatedly warned the Biden administration that it was “going the wrong way,” but like Candy and Martin, it put the gas pedal to the floor instead of correcting course. On Inauguration Day, the American people grabbed the wheel of its government and began a course correction — and within hours of being sworn into the presidency, President Donald J. Trump issued new marching orders to every government agency, department, and bureau, steering the government in a new direction. Overnight, agencies with jurisdiction over our border transitioned from facilitating an invasion to being given the tools to end it. The Environmental Protection Agency shifted its focus from undermining energy producers to promoting balanced regulations encouraging innovation and job creation. Education policy pivoted from enforcing ideological agendas to emphasizing parental rights and local decision-making. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice…

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