USA under Donald Trump Trump wants to sell rich migrants a "gold card" for the USA +++ Musk will attend Trump's cabinet meeting

Donald Trump has described his return to the White House as a "day of liberation" and promised that "now the golden age of the USA begins". It is an aggressive declaration of war for America and the rest of the world. The developments in the ticker.

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4.23 am

Trump wants to sell rich migrants "gold cards" for the USA

According to President Donald Trump, the US government wants to make it possible for foreigners to acquire a visa known as a "gold card" for unlimited residence in the United States. According to Trump, acquiring this visa could cost five million dollars. "A lot of people want to come to this country, and they're able to work and create jobs and build businesses and pay taxes, all those kinds of things," the Republican said in the White House.

When asked whether this also applied to Russian oligarchs, Trump replied that it was "probably" - he could well imagine that oligarchs were among the interested parties. He knows "a lot of nice people".

The program is intended to replace the previous EB5 investor visa and also open up a path to permanent citizenship, as Trump said. The money raised via the Gold Card would be used to reduce the national debt.

He is counting on this program to bring many IT experts into the country who will invest money in the USA, Trump explained. Tech companies such as Apple and other companies could thus bring top talent from all over the world into the country. The program is aimed at wealthy people as well as those with special talents whose financially strong benefactors - be they companies or individuals - pay for their visas.

2:29 p.m.

Musk will attend Trump's cabinet meeting

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump will meet with his entire cabinet for the first time - tech billionaire Elon Musk has also been invited to the meeting. "Elon - given the fact that he works with the president and our ministers - (...) will be in attendance tomorrow," confirmed White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt when asked in Washington. Musk will talk about the Doge Panel (Department of Government Efficiency) and how the ministries could "uncover waste, fraud and abuse in their respective agencies".

Trump instructed Musk to cut government spending and apparently granted him far-reaching powers to take measures to do so - including controversial mass redundancies, the legality of which is unclear. With the Doge Committee, the richest man in the world according to estimates has been influencing the work of numerous US authorities for weeks. However, contrary to the image that Musk himself cultivates, especially on his online platform X, his official role on the committee remains opaque. Doge, and therefore Musk's role, is now the subject of a lawsuit filed in federal court against his thuggish approach.

When asked about the management of Doge, Leavitt did not want to give a clear answer. She explained that Musk "oversees" the committee, but is not officially entrusted with its management. When asked repeatedly who was in charge, Leavitt finally replied: "I'm not going to reveal the name of that person here on the podium."

Musk had generously supported Trump financially during the election campaign. Originally, the Republican had defined the multi-billionaire's role as an external advisor outside the government. However, this relationship quickly changed: shortly after his inauguration, Trump elevated Musk to "special government employee" - a status that is actually associated with strict restrictions and ethical rules.

As CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and X, Musk has far-reaching economic interests. Critics fear that he has long since crossed the line between private influence and official government responsibility - without complying with the prescribed regulations. He supported the election campaign of right-wing populist Trump with more than 270 million dollars. This makes him the largest private donor in the history of US politics.

Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 1:59 a.m.

A third of Musk's efficiency department quits in protest

Around a third of the employees of the newly established US government department for government efficiency (Doge) have resigned in protest against the measures pushed forward by government advisor Elon Musk. This was revealed in a letter obtained by the AFP news agency. They had taken an oath to the Constitution and sworn to "serve the American people", 21 Doge employees wrote in a letter to White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, which was made available to AFP on Tuesday. "It has become clear, however, that we can no longer honor these commitments."

"We will not use our technical capabilities to weaken critical government computer systems, compromise Americans' sensitive data, or dismantle vital public services," the group emphasized. The 21 employees were originally employed in a department called the United States Digital Service, which became part of Doge after Trump took office.

The driving force behind the new efficiency department is Trump's advisor Musk. The employees who have now resigned are "political holdovers" who worked from home and refused to return to the office, Musk wrote in the online service X. "They would have been fired if they hadn't resigned," he added.

Since taking office in January, Trump has been rapidly restructuring government agencies. He tasked Musk with drastically cutting staff and costs at federal agencies.

8:14 p.m.

White House wants access to journalist pool staffing

US President Donald Trump's administration is breaking with decades of tradition and taking away the sovereignty of the independent journalists' association of correspondents accredited to the White House over the staffing of the so-called correspondent pool. This applies, for example, in the Oval Office or on the presidential airplane Air Force One. This was announced by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt in Washington.

The background to this is the dispute with the US news agency AP, which has been going on for weeks and has now also gone to court. AP reporters no longer enjoy the privilege of access to the Oval Office because the internationally active agency does not use Trump's new designation "Gulf of America" for the waters south of the US coast known internationally as the "Gulf of Mexico". AP and the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) have taken legal action against this. However, a judge had initially not issued an injunction the previous day.

The "pool" comprises a selection of reporters who - at events where space is limited, for example - attend on behalf of all accredited journalists and pass on their information to everyone as part of a standardized procedure. Unlike many others, they have direct access to the President and also have the opportunity to ask questions frequently. The WHCA regulates the composition of the pool by circular resolution.

The White House now wants more media to have access to the pool than before, said Leavitt. This applies, among other things, to local radio and television stations that are "close to the people". Many of the local stations belong to the Sinclair media group, which is considered to be strongly right-wing populist and is known for giving its journalists centrally controlled guidelines for reporting.

18:54

Nearly 40 percent of contracts canceled by DOGE won't save money

Data compiled by the Associated Press (AP) shows that about 40 percent of the federal contracts the Trump administration has reportedly canceled as part of its cost-cutting program are not expected to save the government any money.

This is generally because the total value of the contracts is already fully obligated. This means that the government is legally obliged to spend the funds on the goods or services it has purchased, and in many cases has already done so.

Dozens, for example, involved already-paid subscriptions to AP, Politico and other media services that the government said it would discontinue. Others involved research studies awarded, training conducted, software purchased.

6:34 p.m.

Farmers sue US agency after deletion of climate change data

The lawsuit states that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is preventing farmers from using the data to make "agricultural decisions" while facing a recent funding freeze.

The plaintiffs accuse the agency of "deleting climate-related policies, guidance documents, datasets and resources on climate change from its website," writes theWashington Post.

The lawsuit states that the agency's actions harmed farmers who used the data to plan "agricultural decisions" and access funding, made it difficult for climate scientists to do their work and deprived "the public" of "vital information". The USDA sites include the Forest Service, the Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

11:31 a.m.

"From 0 to 1939 in 3 seconds": Anti-Musk movement fakes Tesla billboard

Elon Musk critics have hijacked an advertising space in East London to cover it with fake Tesla advertising. Following the debate about an alleged Hitler salute by Elon Musk and his recommendation to vote for the AfD in the German parliamentary election campaign, a British group with the unsubtle name Everyone Hates Elon apparently wants to make a statement.

@everyonehateselon make a donation via the link in our bio & we'll send you a PDF so you can print your own #dontbuyaswasticar ♬ original sound - Everyone Hates Elon

"From 0 to 1939 in 3 seconds", it says with reference to the outbreak of the Second World War - and Musk with his arm outstretched behind an electric car. "Tesla - the Swasticar", ends the motif. The last is a portmanteau of swastika - swastika - and car. "It would be a shame if they appeared all over the world," the group writes.

@everyonehateselon make a donation via the link in our bio & we'll send you a PDF so you can print your own #dontbuyaswasticar ♬ original sound - Everyone Hates Elon

Tesla drivers obviously have a hard time in London. The slogan "Don't Buy a Swasticar" - "Don't buy a swastika car" - has been circulating there since the turn of the year. The anti-Musk movement does not shy away from marking Teslas with corresponding stickers.

Don't buy a #SwastiCar pic.twitter.com/bOn2dp9Gzy

— Mad Anne flint (@Mad_Anne_Flint) February 5, 2025

11.02 am

Hacker action: Trump sucks Musk's feet

On monitors at the headquarters of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C., employees were greeted on Monday by a spicy video in a continuous loop. The government employees were treated to a piquant sight: President Trump sucking Elon Musk's toes. The video is captioned "Long Live the Real King".

The video was obviously generated by artificial intelligence. It is still unknown how the minds behind the operation hacked into the US authorities.

Two days before the incident, Musk sent an email via his US efficiency department DOGE asking government employees to report five achievements from the previous week. Failure to do so would result in dismissal.

5.26 am

High duties for EU companies due to Trump's tariff plans, according to analysis

In the event of reciprocal US tariffs, EU companies could face an average of 13 percentage points higher tariffs, according to a calculation. This is the result of an analysis by credit insurer Allianz Trade. It is not yet certain that the USA will actually impose such high tariffs.

According to Allianz Trade's calculations, Argentina, India, Brazil, Chile and Kenya would be hit hardest by the tariffs. According to Allianz Trade, tariff increases of 23 to 34 percentage points are possible. Chinese companies could pay twelve percentage points higher tariffs in future.

In its analysis, Allianz Trade not only evaluated direct tariffs on US exports, but also taxes such as VAT, import quotas and other requirements. "The trade deficits with various countries are a thorn in the side of the USA," said Allianz Trade economist Françoise Huang.

US President Donald Trump announced the so-called reciprocal tariffs in mid-February and signed an executive order to this effect. In principle, reciprocal tariffs mean that the USA raises tariffs wherever it currently charges less than its trading partners. Trump had said in the past that he wanted to correct the US trade imbalance with these tariffs.

5 a.m.

Trump wants to revive controversial Keystone XL pipeline project

US President Donald Trump wants to revive the Keystone XL oil pipeline project blocked by his predecessor Joe Biden in the face of opposition from environmentalists. Biden had "treated the pipeline operators very badly", Trump announced via his social media mouthpiece Truth Social. "But the Trump administration is very different - easy approvals, almost immediate start! (...) We want the Keystone XL Pipeline built!" If necessary, another operator could also take over, the Republican wrote.

The project, which was actually shelved years ago, involved the 1900-kilometre extension of the Keystone Pipeline, which went into operation in 2010 and runs from the Canadian oil stronghold of Calgary to the USA. Oil extracted from tar sands was to be pumped through the pipeline to the coast on the Gulf of Mexico.

But environmentalists, who pointed to the danger of climate-damaging greenhouse gases and feared leaks, were successful with their years of protest against the oil industry: although part of the pipeline already exists in the south, the operators and the government of the Canadian province of Alberta called off the XL project in June 2021. This ended a long and tough conflict that also kept courts and politicians in the USA and Canada busy.

The decision by the company and the Canadian province came as little surprise at the time. US President Joe Biden had revoked the construction permit granted by his then predecessor Trump after taking office. In doing so, he followed the line of former President Barack Obama, who had already banned the project - even before Trump first took office in 2017 - due to environmental concerns.

4.32 am

US Secretary of Defense visits Guantánamo military base

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will visit the US naval base at Guantánamo Bay for the first time on Tuesday. This was announced by his ministry on Monday (local time). The base's prison camp, which was established in 2002 after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, currently holds 15 prisoners suspected of terrorism.

However, the camp is only part of the base on Cuba, which also serves primarily military purposes. Due to suspicions of torture and other human rights violations, the camp has been subject to harsh criticism since its creation and has been the subject of numerous court cases.

US President Donald Trump had ordered that parts of the military base should also be used to accommodate refugees who have entered the US illegally - albeit in a separate location from the detention center. The first flight with refugees arrived there, but the people have since been flown back to their home country.

4:22 p.m.

Musk repeats his threats of dismissal against federal employees

Following complaints against Elon Musk's actions, the tech billionaire reiterated his threats of dismissal on Monday (local time). Musk's team at the Doge cost-cutting agency emailed hundreds of thousands of federal employees on Saturday demanding that they list five services they had provided at their workplace in the past week within 48 hours. On X, Musk also announced that any employee who did not respond by the deadline on Monday evening (local time) would lose their job. Musk reiterated this threat in another post on X on Monday: "It is at the President's discretion to give them another chance. If they don't respond a second time, they will be fired."

The email request was utterly trivial, as the standard for passing the test was to type some words and press send!

Yet so many failed even that inane test, urged on in some cases by their managers.

Have you ever witnessed such INCOMPETENCE and CONTEMPT for how YOUR TAXES are… https://t.co/QjSmY4ezpg

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 24, 2025

Musk based his statement on US President Donald Trump, who had defended his actions shortly beforehand. "What he's doing is asking, "Are you actually working?", Trump said on Monday. Musk merely wanted to check whether the federal employees were actually employed, he said.

Musk's demand for proof of employment had caused outrage, including among government agencies run by the president's henchmen - including the FBI, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon. They instructed their employees not to respond to the emails.

Lawyers for federal employees eventually filed suit against Musk's actions, saying there is no law or regulation requiring federal employees to report their work to personnel management, according to the lawsuit, which was filed Monday in federal court in California and obtained by the AP news agency.

3:10 a.m.

Trump: US tariffs against Mexico and Canada will be imposed on time

US President Donald Trump reaffirmed his tariff plans on Monday. Trump had imposed import tariffs of 25 percent on all goods from Mexico and Canada and initially suspended his plan for four weeks. The import tariffs are now set to come into force next month as planned. "The tariffs will be implemented on time and on schedule," Trump said at a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House.

He was not only referring to the tariffs against Canada and Mexico in his response, but also announced that the "reciprocal tariffs" he had planned against other nations would also be imposed from April. This means that the United States will impose the same import tariffs on products as soon as another country imposes tariffs on US products. "Our country will be extremely liquid and wealthy again," Trump said on Monday.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed confidence on Monday that Mexico would reach an agreement with the US government before the deadline set by Trump.

Trump repeatedly claims that other countries are imposing unfair import tariffs - at the expense of domestic production and jobs. His tariff threats have raised concerns among businesses and consumers about a slowdown in the economy and an acceleration in inflation.

2.54 am

Trump's tariffs: France invites to EU consultations on steel production

France has invited EU industry ministers to Paris on Thursday to discuss measures to "maintain" steel production in Europe. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the aim is to adopt a declaration with concrete proposals.

As announced by the French Ministry of Industry on Monday evening, the meeting prepared by French Industry Minister Marc Ferracci and his Italian colleague Adolfo Urso is to take place "in the presence of the Polish EU Council Presidency".

According to the information, around 15 steel-producing countries have been invited, including Poland, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Greece, Finland, Austria, Hungary, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Belgium and Slovenia. However, the list of participants is not yet complete, the ministry explained.

US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports into the US at the beginning of February. According to the US President, the additional duties will amount to "25 percent without exemptions or exceptions" and will become due from March 12. The EU Commission had criticized the tariffs as "unjustified" and announced "decisive and proportionate countermeasures".

At a meeting with Trump in Washington on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron called for "fair competition" and "more investment" on both sides of the Atlantic. "I hope I convinced him," said the French President in an interview on US television channel Fox News after the meeting at the White House. He told his US counterpart that he could not afford to "wage a trade war against China and Europe at the same time".

Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 0:20 a.m.

Court rules: White House does not have to grant AP access

A US federal judge appointed by Donald Trump has ruled that the White House does not have to grant the AP news agency access to attend government meetings. Judge Trevor N. McFadden argued on Monday (local time) that the AP had not proven that the news agency had suffered irreparable damage as a result of the Trump administration's decision. However, his decision is only preliminary. McFadden stated that he would have to investigate the matter further. He called on the White House to reconsider the exclusion of the AP, which he said was not very helpful.

The AP is demanding that its reporters be allowed back into the White House Oval Office, the presidential plane Air Force One and other areas where the agency has long worked as part of the White House press pool. However, it was precisely this reasoning that Judge McFadden questioned. While he considered the exclusion of a news agency to be problematic, he questioned whether the current administration was actually bound in any way to the composition of the press pool, of which the AP has been a member for more than a century.

President Donald Trump's administration denied the AP access after it decided to continue referring to the sea between the US, Mexico and Cuba as the Gulf of Mexico. Shortly after taking office, however, Trump had decreed that the marginal sea of the Atlantic should henceforth be called the Gulf of America.

The AP explained that it wanted to use the name Gulf of Mexico, which has been used for centuries, to ensure that foreign target groups could also easily identify the place name. Trump's press secretary Karoline Leavitt, on the other hand, accused the AP of lying and said that the government would continue to exclude news organizations that ignore Trump's line.

AP believes the White House's actions violate the core of the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which prohibits the government from punishing free speech. The White House, on the other hand, argues that access to the president is a privilege, not a right.

11.01 am

Cassis concerned about US withdrawal from Human Rights Council

According to Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, Switzerland is concerned about the withdrawal of "some states" from the UN Human Rights Council. Mr Cassis said this on Monday in Geneva at the start of the 58th session of this body. The world was "losing its points of reference."

"Human rights concern us all," said the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). "Every member of the United Nations must assume its responsibility," he added, without mentioning Donald Trump's government by name.

The USA and Israel are boycotting the Council. A few days after taking office, US President Donald Trump announced by decree that the USA would no longer take part in the UN body's deliberations. Since the beginning of the year, the country has no longer been one of the 47 members and now only sits on the Council as an observer.

Cassis also expressed concern about global political tensions, the shrinking democratic space, the increase in humanitarian crises and authoritarianism, which affects more than half the world: "Voters have expressed a general distrust of their leaders.

Young people are becoming radicalized, populist parties are gaining ground and social networks are forcing unfiltered communication," said Cassis. Although globalization has reduced poverty, it has led to deindustrialization in the West, he said, and digitalization is changing the world of work.

Identity claims were influencing societies, social networks were fuelling divisions and climate change was exacerbating mistrust of political decision-makers.

To combat these problems, the Federal Councillor said, "we have the responsibility and the means here in Geneva". He also expressed his "pride" that Switzerland had returned to the Council for a three-year term at the beginning of January. And that it will be chaired for one year by the Swiss ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Jürg Lauber.

10.54 a.m.

Merz calls for "independence from the USA"

The candidate for chancellor of the German Christian Democrats considers the US interference in the German election campaign to be just as serious as Russia's actions.

"The interventions from Washington were no less dramatic and drastic and ultimately outrageous than the interventions we saw from Moscow," said Friedrich Merz on the television program "Berliner Runde" in the evening after the Bundestag elections, which the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) won according to projections.

Since the statements made by US President Donald Trump last week at the latest, it has been clear "that the Americans, at least this part of the Americans in this administration, are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe", said Merz.

In particular, he described the statements made by tech billionaire Elon Musk, who had repeatedly and openly taken sides with the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), as a unique occurrence.

Germany is under massive pressure from two sides. That is why his absolute priority is to create unity in Europe and strengthen Europe "so that we can gradually achieve independence from the USA", said Merz. "I would never have believed that I would have to say something like this on a television program."

He said he was looking forward to the NATO summit at the end of June to see whether they would still be talking about NATO in its current form - "or whether we don't need to establish a European defense capability much more quickly".

10.17 am

Trump and Macron speak with G7 colleagues

US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron want to talk to their colleagues from the Group of the Leading Western Economies (G7) from Washington. This is according to the White House's schedule.

Macron's visit and the announced G7 meeting at 2 p.m. CET coincide with the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The European allies are trying to convince Trump of continued support for Ukraine and the continuation of US military involvement in Europe.

Trump officially welcomes Macron at 6.15 pm our time. After the meeting at the White House, a press conference is planned at around 8 pm CET. Following Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also plans to travel to the USA this week.

In addition to the USA, France and the UK, the G7 also includes Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada.

Monday, February 24, 2025, 2:52 a.m.

Trump administration lays off thousands of USAID employees

After weeks of wrangling over the US Agency for International Development, the impending dissolution of USAID is now taking shape: The Trump administration announced on Sunday that it will furlough all but a fraction of its employees worldwide.

At the same time, 2000 of the jobs in Washington are to be cut completely. The decision applies to all employees as of Sunday night with the exception of those "responsible for mission-critical functions, central leadership and/or specially designated programs," according to a memo to employees obtained by the AP.

Earlier on Friday, federal judge Carl Nichols paved the way for the layoffs and lifted his temporary block on the government's plans.

The government's planned radical restructuring of the agency apparatus has hit USAID the hardest so far: a comprehensive spending freeze has halted a large part of the development aid agency's programs worldwide. The agency is to be drastically downsized. USAID is the most important American agency for international development cooperation.

10.39 pm

Musk pushes ahead with redundancies in US authorities

Tech billionaire Elon Musk is continuing his radical layoff policy in US government agencies. In line with the instructions of US President Donald Trump, all federal employees will shortly receive an email, he wrote on his X platform. In it, they will be asked to explain what they have done in the past week. "Failure to respond will be considered a resignation", he threatened.

In the USA, President Trump has tasked Musk with reducing government spending. A committee called Doge (Department of Government Efficiency), which is attached to the White House, has been formed for this purpose. Musk is driving forward the restructuring of the state apparatus in Trump's name - including mass redundancies.

Meanwhile, Trump said at a conference of US right-wingers near the US capital Washington: "We are firing all unnecessary, incompetent and corrupt bureaucrats from the federal workforce. That's what we're doing." He wanted to keep "the best people," not the "worst," he further asserted.

4:24 p.m.

Trump calls on Musk to be "more aggressive" on government cutbacks

US President Donald Trump has described his advisor Elon Musk's approach to reducing the state apparatus as not "aggressive" enough so far. "Elon is doing a great job, but I would like to see him be more aggressive," Trump wrote on his online platform Truth Social on Saturday. He added: "Remember, we have a country to save".

The tech multi-billionaire Musk is in charge of a radical cost and personnel reduction in the federal authorities. Musk and his government department for government efficiency (Doge) are already proceeding at a rapid pace. Thousands of government employees have been made redundant. Doge employees are also scouring the internal computer systems of government agencies, which Musk says is intended to identify potential savings.

Government employees in probationary periods in particular have already received letters of termination. The Trump administration also recently achieved a stage success in court: on Thursday, a federal judge rejected a request from trade unions to suspend the dismissals of probationary employees. On Friday, the US Department of Defense also announced that it would begin laying off around "five to eight percent" of its civilian employees in the coming days.

Trump and Musk have frequently appeared together for months. The head of electric car manufacturer Tesla and aerospace company SpaceX had supported the Republican during last year's presidential election campaign with donations of more than 250 million dollars.

11.55 am

Trump fires top US officer and other top military officials

Contrary to the tradition of retaining the previous appointments to the top military post, US President Donald Trump has appointed a new Chief of Staff of the US Armed Forces. He thanked Charles Q. Brown for 40 years of service to the country - including in his most recent position - and wished him and his family a "great future", Trump wrote on his online mouthpiece Truth Social. Trump nominated former Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Caine to succeed him in the post that directly follows the US Secretary of Defense.

In previous changes of government, the appointment of the Chief of Staff had usually been retained. According to the New York Times, Brown was only the second African-American to hold the top post. According to the newspaper, Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had already said shortly after his own nomination that Brown should be fired in his view - because of his focus on diversity, equal treatment and inclusion issues in the US military.

In total, the government dismissed six top Pentagon executives, including Navy chief Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to head the US Navy.

Caine praised Trump on Truth Social as an "experienced pilot, national security expert, successful entrepreneur and war fighter". In the fight against the terrorist militia IS in Iraq, Caine had "delivered" and ensured that the so-called caliphate was wiped out in record time. Despite his high qualifications, Caine had been passed over by the previous administration under Joe Biden when it came to filling the top posts, Trump wrote. "But not anymore!"

As a retired soldier, Caine would have to be called back into service to become Chief of Staff, according to the New York Times. The US Senate also still has to confirm the appointment.

Saturday, February 22, 2025, 11:20 a.m.

"See you in court": Governor clashes with Trump - who threatens her violently

Janet Mills, Governor of the US state of Maine, defiantly stood up to US President Donald Trump at a meeting in the White House on Friday. She criticized his executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in women's sports.

During the discussion with a bipartisan group of governors, Trump abruptly brought up the issue and asked if Maine was represented. "Yes," Mills replied. "I'm here." The president then inquired whether she would abide by the directive. Mills responded firmly: "I abide by state and federal law."

BREAKING: In a stunning moment of defiance, Maine's Governor Janet Mills stands up to Trump, saying she is complying with state and federal (anti-discrimination) law, and will see him in court over his threat to withhold federal funds. This is incredible.pic.twitter.com/2eBS3JcdK1

— Really American 🇺🇸 (@ReallyAmerican1) February 21, 2025

Trump responded with a telling slip of the tongue and followed up with a warning: "I am... We are federal law. You better follow it or you won't get federal funding." Mills refused to back down and replied, "I'll see you in court." Trump's response: "Fine. I'll see you in court. I'm looking forward to it. It should be a real piece of cake."

After a brief pause, he added, "And enjoy your life after the governorship, because I don't think you'll be in politics anymore." The exchange underscored Trump's efforts to reshape federal policy on gender in sports. A move strongly supported by Republican lawmakers.

Trump's administration claims that excluding transgender athletes from women's sports will bring fairness. Critics argue it treats a marginalized group unfairly.

23:23

French right-wing populist cancels speech in USA after Hitler gesture by Bannon

The leader of the French right-wing populist party Rassemblement National (RN), Jordan Bardella, has canceled his speech at the CPAC conference near Washington because of a gesture reminiscent of the Hitler salute by ultra-right propagandist Steve Bannon. A speaker had "allowed himself to make a gesture alluding to Nazi ideology in order to provoke", Bardella explained on Friday. Bannon was US President Donald Trump's chief strategist at the beginning of his first term in office (2017-2021).

On Thursday, he shouted the Trump battle cry "Fight, fight, fight" to the conference participants and then stretched out his right arm with a flat hand. Bardella was in Washington during Bannon's speech. The 29-year-old had taken over the party leadership of the RN 2022 from Marine Le Pen, who has been pursuing a strategy of distancing the party from its anti-Semitic past for several years. The appointment of Bardella as party leader was part of this strategy to make the RN more attractive to young voters.

In January, Trump confidant and high-tech billionaire Elon Musk caused outrage when he repeatedly made a gesture reminiscent of the Hitler salute in front of the new president's supporters at his inauguration in Washington. Bannon, formerly head of the ultra-right website "Breitbart", was Trump's chief strategist during his first term in office. However, Trump fired him after just a few months. The hardliner maintains contacts with ultra-right groups in Europe.

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) with thousands of participants is the largest annual gathering of the right-wing camp in the USA. In a speech there on Thursday, US Vice President JD Vance reiterated his criticism of the alleged lack of freedom of speech in Europe and Germany, linking it to the continued US military presence in this country.

10:40 p.m.

US Treasury Secretary discusses tariffs with China's trade representative

In his first telephone conversation with Chinese Trade Representative He Lifeng, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated the accusations made by the new government in Washington against the People's Republic. The USA is concerned about drug smuggling from China, high import surpluses and "unfair policies" in general, said Bessent according to his ministry on Friday. Washington remains committed to a trade and economic policy that protects "the American economy, the American worker and national security".

Stop of power factor foreign aidIs Trump now leaving the field to China?

Shortly after taking office, US President Donald Trump imposed additional tariffs of ten percent on all Chinese products; they have been in force since the beginning of February. China responded with counter-tariffs. Trump has already announced further tariffs; on Wednesday he then said that a "deal" with China was "possible".

In the phone call with Bessent, Trade Representative He, who is also the vice head of government, expressed his "serious concern" about the tariffs, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. However, He and Bessent also exchanged views on important economic issues with a view to reaching an agreement. Both emphasized the importance of US-Chinese trade relations and agreed to continue exchanging views.

China supplies far more goods to the USA than vice versa. The export surplus rose by eight percent last year to almost 300 billion dollars.

21:59

"Long live the king": Madonna criticizes Trump's slogan in online post

US President Donald Trump has drawn the ire of pop icon Madonna for signing a post on his online service with the words "Long live the king". "I thought this country was built by Europeans to escape the authority of a king and create a new world ruled by the people," the US singer wrote on Friday on the online service X. "Right now we have a president who refers to himself as a king. If that's supposed to be a joke, then I don't find it funny."

On Wednesday, Trump had praised himself on the online service Truth Social for the abolition of the recently introduced city toll in New York and ended the post with the words: "The toll is dead. Manhattan and all of New York are saved. Long live the king."

The White House then shared the post on its official account, signed it "President Donald Trump" and added an illustration showing the president with a golden crown set with diamonds.

The fee of nine dollars a day for visitors traveling to New York City on her train was introduced shortly before the change of government in Washington at the beginning of January.

Madonna is considered one of Trump's most prominent opponents and has frequently made critical comments about him. Among other things, the "Queen of Pop" spoke on stage at a mass demonstration after Trump's swearing-in. At the end of January, she denounced the curtailment of LGBTQ+ rights and called on people to "not give up the fight".

8:30 p.m.

Grenell: Run for governor - if Harris does it

U.S. special envoy Richard Grenell is considering a run for governor of California if Democratic former Vice President Kamala Harris runs. "If she thinks she's going to run for governor of California, a Republican will win. And I might not be able to resist," Grenell replied at the right-wing conservative CPAC conference near the US capital Washington when asked whether he would run.

The former US ambassador to Germany studied in the state on the US west coast and lives in Los Angeles. The 60-year-old Harris had held back from making public appearances following her election defeat to Republican Donald Trump in the US presidential election in November. There is speculation as to whether Harris could run in the 2026 gubernatorial election in her home state of California. She has not yet answered questions about her future.

The current governor of California is Democrat Gavin Newsom. California's constitution allows governors to serve a maximum of two terms, and Newsom was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. However, the 58-year-old Grenell and Harris still have some time before they have to make a final decision: the deadline to stand is January 22, 2026, according to the state's governing body.

18:27

Steve Bannon ends speech with Hitler salute-like gesture

Ultra-right publicist Steve Bannon has ended his speech at the right-wing conservative CPAC conference with an arm gesture reminiscent of a Hitler salute. "Fight! Fight! Fight!" shouted Bannon at the end of his speech in Washington, making the appropriate gesture. It is not the first time that a person close to US President Donald Trump has been criticized for this reason.

Bannon's speech was characterized by martial rhetoric. He stylized the Republican as a central figure in contemporary history and as an "instrument of divine providence", called on his audience to fight for Trump, the republic and the country, and warned of difficult times ahead.

He also said: "We want Trump 2028". He was apparently alluding to the next US presidential election - although Trump is not allowed to be re-elected to office after two terms according to the US constitution. The Republican has repeatedly flirted with the idea of circumventing this restriction.

Bannon's speech culminated in a call for resistance against political opponents. "This one can't be defeated," Bannon declared, heating up with the words "Fight! Fight! Fight!" to fire up the audience. The slogan has become established among his supporters since the assassination attempt on Trump during the election campaign and is chanted at many events.

Finally, Bannon raised his right arm in the air - only briefly, but in a way that was reminiscent of a controversy surrounding Trump's swearing-in. There, tech billionaire Elon Musk had caused criticism with a similar gesture. Musk then made fun of the accusations on X - including with puns that alluded to influential National Socialists and Adolf Hitler's followers.

Bannon repeatedly uses far-right narratives in his statements and is one of the most influential ideologues in the Trump movement. In 2016, he played a central role in the Republican's election victory. Trump made him chief strategist in the White House at the time, but Bannon only stayed there for a few months. The two later fell out, but Bannon ultimately maintained his loyalty to the now re-elected US President.

Bannon served a four-month prison sentence last year for ignoring a subpoena from the committee investigating the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021 and refusing to hand over documents. He himself describes the allegations as politically motivated.

1.52 pm

They are talking about war3 gloomy predictions for the future of NATO and the West

6.01 pm

South Korea wants to be exempt from Trump's tariff plans

The South Korean government has called on US President Donald Trump to exclude South Korea from his tariff plans. Deputy Trade Minister Park Jong-won made the request to government officials during his trip to Washington this week, the South Korean trade ministry said on Friday. Park had argued that Seoul already imposes low tariffs on American products as part of the free trade agreement between the two nations. The ministry did not disclose what the talks have resulted in so far.

In January, Trump initiated import tariffs on aluminum and steel of 25 percent, which are due to come into force on 4 March. He also announced so-called "reciprocal tariffs", whereby the United States will impose the same import duties on products as soon as another country imposes tariffs on US products.

South Korea's trade surplus with the US reached 55.7 billion dollars in 2024. According to the South Korean Ministry of Trade, the country's tariffs on manufacturing imports from the U.S. are zero percent.

4.30 a.m.

Free trade: Seco head wants to quickly explore in the USA

The Director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco), Helene Budliger Artieda, has said in an interview with the Tamedia newspapers that the impact of possible US punitive tariffs on medicines is difficult to assess. US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on drug imports, which could hit the Swiss pharmaceutical industry hard. However, Budliger Artieda emphasized: "Our pharmaceutical companies already produce a lot in the USA. No country invests more in research and development in the USA than Switzerland." It is therefore important that talks on a free trade agreement with the USA can begin quickly.

Read more here.

3.17 a.m.

Refugees flown from Guantánamo to Honduras

The USA has flown 177 people from Venezuela, who were apprehended at the US southern border and temporarily detained in the Guantánamo detention center, to Honduras. This was announced by the border protection agency ICE. The refugees are to be returned to their home country by the Venezuelan government, it said.

The Venezuelans had been held in the camp in Cuba for a good two weeks. The US government had argued that they were members of criminal gangs, among others. It has since classified the Tren de Aragua gang as a terrorist organization.

The action is an example of the Trump administration's rigorous approach against immigrants at the southern border. According to media reports, border crossings have recently fallen significantly.

2.02 am

Trump closes reporting platform for police violations

As part of its general reckoning with the US bureaucracy, the administration of US President Donald Trump has taken down a platform on which citizens could report misconduct by US police officers. The platform is "no longer active", according to a Department of Justice website.

The creation of the now closed National Law Enforcement Accountability Database (NLEAD) was initiated by Trump himself during his first term in office. His successor, President Joe Biden, then created it by decree.

Immediately after his second inauguration, Trump had a large number of decrees issued by Biden rescinded. These included the database. It was set up after the African-American George Floyd was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. The police officer had knelt on the man's neck during an arrest. The police officer was later sentenced to more than 22 years in prison for murder, among other things.

1.20 pm

Trump administration removes protection from deportation for Haitians

The Trump administration has lifted protection from deportation for around half a million people from Haiti. As a result of Thursday's decision, they could lose their work permits and be deported from the USA. The United States Department of Homeland Security announced that the Biden administration's decision to extend temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitians is to be reversed.

People with this protected status rely on the government to renew their status when it expires. However, critics, particularly from the Republican ranks, have complained that the protection status is automatically renewed over time. "For decades, the TPS system has been exploited and abused," said the Department of Homeland Security. According to them, data shows that even those who entered the US illegally were able to qualify for protection. An estimated 57,000 Haitians were eligible for TPS protection in 2011, but by July of last year, that number had risen to 520,694, according to the department.

It initially remained unclear after the decision how quickly people could be deported when their protection expires. Two non-profit groups filed a lawsuit against the decision on Thursday.

"Sending 500,000 people back to a country where there are so many deaths is absolutely inhumane," said Tessa Petit, a Haitian American who works as executive director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition and who argued that Haiti met all the requirements to qualify for protection.

Criminal gangs have gained power in Haiti since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021. Port-au-Prince is 85 percent controlled by gangs. Hundreds of civilians have died in the recent massacres. It is estimated that more than one million people in Haiti have lost their homes due to gang violence.

At the end of the Biden administration, around one million immigrants from 17 countries were protected by TPS, including people from Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ukraine and Lebanon. The Trump administration had previously initiated the revocation of protected status for Venezuelans.

Friday, February 21, 2025, 0:13 a.m.

Elon Musk appears at conference with chainsaw

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has appeared at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in the US state of Maryland with a chainsaw. Musk took to the stage on Thursday (local time) wearing his trademark black "Make America Great" cap and brandishing a red chainsaw, which was presented to him shortly beforehand by Argentinian President Javier Milei. "This is the chainsaw of bureaucracy," said Musk.

Milei is known for his eccentricity. The right-wing populist used the chainsaw during his 2023 presidential campaign to symbolize the dismantling of the bloated state apparatus. With the Doge efficiency agency, Musk stands for Trump's efforts to cut spending and reduce the size of the federal workforce. Milei's slogan "Viva la libertad, carajo", "Long live freedom, damn it", was engraved on the red chainsaw.

Musk criticized the previous Biden administration for its immigration policy and referred to an app that was used by almost one million people to enter the USA with a two-year residence permit and be allowed to work there. He accused Biden and the Democrats of doing this as an "investment" to gain more support in swing states at the polls. This was "real fraud," Musk said, before Newsmax host Rob Schmitt asked him if he thought it was treason. Musk replied, "Treason."

When asked to describe what it's like inside his head, Musk replied, "My mind is a storm. It's a storm."

11:10 p.m.

Reports: Governor won't fire New York mayor

According to US reports, New York Mayor Eric Adams, who is facing serious allegations, is to be subject to greater scrutiny and his powers restricted in future. According to several media outlets, the governor of the state of the same name, Kathy Hochul, is planning corresponding measures. In doing so, however, she would distance herself from the much more radical option of removing Adams from office.

According to the New York Times, Hochul plans to announce on Thursday that she will create a new supervisor position with a focus on New York City. Several high-ranking city representatives are also to be given the means and rights to take legal action against measures taken by Donald Trump's government in Washington if Adams refuses to do so.

The background to this is a rapprochement between the new Republican US President Trump and New York's Democratic Mayor Adams, which has emerged in recent months. Adams came under legal pressure last year when he became the first head of the largest American city to be indicted at federal level for bribery, among other things.

After Trump's election, Adams then sought closeness to the new president, repeatedly praising him publicly and also flying to Florida for a visit. Last week, Trump's Justice Department then called on the public prosecutor's office to drop the corruption charges. Acting Deputy Attorney General Bove explicitly argued that prosecuting Adams would prevent him from cooperating with the president in the fight against illegal migration.

8:48 p.m.

FBI critic and election denier Patel becomes head of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation

FBI critic Kash Patel will be the future director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Senate confirmed the appointment by 51 votes to 49. The Democrats voted unanimously against the lawyer. Two Republicans also voted against Donald Trump's preferred candidate. Patel is considered an extremely loyal follower of the US President and has already worked for his first administration. Among other things, he was responsible for the counter-terrorism department in the National Security Council in the White House and later became Chief of Staff in the Department of Defense. The 44-year-old, who denies Trump's election defeat in 2020, had openly threatened Trump opponents with persecution.

Patel's appointment had to be confirmed by the Senate - where Trump's Republicans have a narrow majority. Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski voted against Patel from their own ranks. They are considered to be rather moderate and have often voted differently to their party colleagues. "You have to trust the FBI as the federal agency that fights crime and corruption and does not focus on settling political scores," said Murkowski, explaining her decision against Patel. Patel's previous activities made her doubt that he would lead the agency properly.

Democrats in particular had questioned Patel's suitability. They feared that he would bend to the president's will and persecute his opponents. "I can't think of a worse choice," said Democratic Senator Dick Durbin before the vote, which ended 51 to 49.

Patel has harshly criticized the agency he will lead in the future in the past and expressed a desire to comprehensively restructure it. The FBI is in serious turmoil. In a highly unusual move, the Department of Justice has forced some senior officials to resign and demanded the names of thousands of agents involved in the investigation into the storming of the Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021. At the time, a mob of Trump supporters tried to prevent the certification of Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election in Congress.

8:39 p.m.

Vance links US protection for Germany to freedom of speech

US Vice President J.D. Vance has once again expressed doubts about freedom of speech in Germany and linked this to the role of the United States in European security policy. "Of course we will continue to maintain important alliances with Europe," the Republican said during an appearance in Washington. He was referring to his speech at the Munich Security Conference in mid-February, which had caused considerable disgruntlement among European partners. "But I believe the strength of these alliances will depend on whether we steer our societies in the right direction."

Vance repeated his criticism that freedom of speech is restricted in Germany. In doing so, he made a connection to the US military presence in the country. "The entire German defence is subsidized by the American taxpayer," he said, referring to the thousands of US soldiers stationed in Germany. "Do you think the American taxpayer is going to put up with someone going to jail in Germany just because they posted a mean tweet?"

7:12 p.m.

Canada as 51st US state: Trump repeats his wish before ice hockey duel

Ahead of a high-profile international ice hockey match between the USA and Canada, US President Donald Trump has once again expressed his view that the northern neighboring country should become the 51st state of the USA. During a phone call, he would spur on the US national field hockey team to a victory against Canada, which "will one day, perhaps very soon, become our cherished and very important fifty-first state", Trump wrote on his online service Truth Social on Thursday.

Trump added that he would unfortunately not be able to attend the game in Boston due to a meeting with governors of several US states.

He combined this comment with renewed mockery of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: Trump wrote that the governors and he would be watching the game together on TV - and that "Governor Trudeau" was "welcome" to join him. Trump had already mocked Trudeau as a "governor" several times.

2.20 pm

Poll: 27 percent of Canadians see the USA as an enemy

Donald Trump's call for Canada to join the USA and the threat of tariffs are not going down well in the neighboring country - and are damaging the reputation of the United States: The opinion of the Canadian population has apparently changed.

"The Canadian Press" reports on a new survey according to which 27 percent of respondents consider the USA to be a hostile country. 30 percent regard it as an ally and 27 percent see it as neutral. 74 percent rate Trump himself critically. Only 13 percent have a positive opinion.

The survey does not offer a comparative value. In a YouGov survey from 2020, 4 percent said they saw the USA as an enemy.

13:00

Trump adviser Bannon pushes "campaign to conquer Europe"

The former campaign strategist of US President Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, is hoping that the German elections will mark the start of a right-wing march across Europe.

The election in Germany this Sunday will mark the start of a "campaign to conquer Europe", Bannon told the Italian daily newspaper "La Repubblica". With regard to the AfD, the representative of the ultra-right in the USA added: "Our allies will achieve a clear and significant success."

The AfD is currently polling at around 20 percent. It has received support from the Trump camp several times in recent weeks. All other parties in the Bundestag have strictly ruled out working with them after the election.

Bannon went on to say that the European campaign "will not focus on the continent in general, but on individual states in order to conquer them one by one at the polls. The impact will then change the whole direction of Europe."

A recent interview with Steve Bannon seems to answer that question. According to Bannon, Canada and Europe are missing the big picture which is that they are pawns in a geopolitical chess game between the USA, russia and China. https://t.co/wEUK6UkgBd

— jorge johannson (@surfcal87) February 17, 2025

The right-wing publicist had previously tried to help populist and Eurosceptic parties with a Brussels-based "movement" ("The Movement"). Bannon has now explicitly praised Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has led a government of three right-wing and conservative parties in Rome for more than two years.

"I think that since she has been in government, she has been under the pressure of responsibility to lead the country. But I don't think the positions that united us have changed," said Bannon. The right-wing publicist is considered a decisive factor in Trump's first election victory in 2016.

Chaos, control, culture warTrump is turning the USA upside down in just one month - only now is the full extent becoming apparent

In the White House, the Republican made him chief strategist, but Bannon only stayed there for a few months. Later, statements about Trump's family led to a major rift. Apart from that, however, Bannon remained loyal to the later re-elected US president.

12.30 pm

Trump wants to cut federal funding for undocumented immigrants

US President Donald Trump has signed a decree to cut funds from the federal budget for undocumented immigrants. The decree ensures that the funds will not be used to promote so-called sanctuary policies or help with illegal immigration, it was said.

The latest order is part of a series of decrees on immigration that Trump has issued since taking office a month ago.

Meanwhile, the New York Times reported that undocumented immigrants are rarely eligible for federal benefits anyway. According to the report, there are only some exceptions for emergencies.

11.40 a.m.

US Department of Defense plans drastic cuts

According to a report in the "Washington Post", the US Department of Defense is planning drastic cuts. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has instructed his ministry to submit plans for annual cuts of eight percent to the defense budget, the newspaper reported on Wednesday (local time). A Pentagon statement said that 50 billion dollars in spending was to be redistributed

As the "Washington Post" further reported, citing a memo from Hegseth on Tuesday, the cutback plans are to be worked out by next Monday. They correspond to a total of around 290 billion dollars over the five years.

According to the information, 17 categories are to be excluded from the savings at the request of President Donald Trump, including operations on the border with Mexico, the modernization of nuclear weapons and missile defence. The Indo-Pacific Command and the Space Command are also named among the exceptions.

The Pentagon did not directly deny the report. According to the ministry, Hegseth ordered a review of the Pentagon budget for 2026 in order to reallocate funds amounting to 50 billion dollars (48 billion euros).

The USA has by far the highest defense spending in the world. The Pentagon's budget for this year amounts to 850 billion dollars. Given the strong support for the armed forces among the US population, there is a consensus among Democrats and Republicans to increase the Pentagon budget every year.

5:10 a.m.

Trump: Government should "take over" capital district

US President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his support for a government takeover of the District of Columbia. On Wednesday, Trump thus followed the efforts of Congress to bring the capital back under direct federal control, as was the case when it was founded. Under the city's home rule powers, Congress already reviews all D.C. laws and can even repeal them altogether. Republicans in Congress are now trying to go even further and erode the city's decades-long limited autonomy.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that while he personally likes District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, he complained about crime and homelessness in the city. "They're not doing their job," Trump said. "Too much crime, too many tents on the lawns - these beautiful lawns." He argued that homelessness should not be on display when foreign politicians are guests in Washington. "You just can't have that," Trump said. "You can't have tents on all your beautiful - once magnificent - squares and lawns," he said, addressing Bowser. "I think we should take over Washington D.C. and make it safe," he continued. "I think we should govern the District of Columbia."

3:50 a.m.

Migrants deported from U.S. shipped to remote jungle camp in Panama

Nearly 100 migrants recently deported from the United States to Panama and detained in a hotel there were loaded onto buses Tuesday night and taken to a detention camp on the edge of the jungle, several of the migrants said. This was reported by the "New York Times" on Wednesday (local time). It is unclear how long the group, which is said to include eight children, will be held in the jungle camp. The conditions on site were primitive, the detainees reported. Diseases, including dengue fever, are endemic in the region and the government has denied journalists and aid organizations access.

"It looks like a zoo, there are fenced-in cages," Artemis Ghasemzadeh, a 27-year-old migrant from Iran, told the New York Times after arriving at the camp following a four-hour drive from Panama City. "They gave us a stale piece of bread. We sit on the floor."

The group was sent to Panama because the country has agreed to support Trump in his plan to deport millions of undocumented migrants from third countries. The deal is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to shift some of its most difficult migration problems to other countries. The United States cannot simply deport unwanted migrants to countries like Afghanistan, Iran and China for a variety of reasons.

Panama is under considerable pressure to make concessions to Trump after he did not rule out military action in the dispute over sovereignty over the Panama Canal. The Trump administration has succeeded in persuading Panama to take in migrants deported from the USA.

1.42 am

Panama: Woman detained in hotel and deported from USA briefly escapes

A woman deported from the USA and detained with other migrants in a hotel in Panama briefly escaped on Wednesday and was later arrested again, according to the authorities. Panama's national immigration authority had previously announced that it was looking for a Chinese woman who had been assisted in her escape by the people loitering around the hotel. The agency urged the suspected collaborators to return the woman and warned that they could be charged with human trafficking or smuggling migrants. On Wednesday afternoon, Security Minister Frank Abrego wrote on X that the woman had been picked up again near the border between Panama and Costa Rica.

Panama is currently holding people who were deported from the US as part of US President Donald Trump's tightened immigration policy in a hotel. Abrego denied this, although the migrants are not allowed to leave the rooms of the hotel, which is guarded by the police. According to the authorities, many of the deportees do not want to return to their home countries voluntarily. Some have written messages on the windows of their hotel rooms: "Help" or "We are not safe in our country". This has caused uproar and criticism in Panama, where pictures of it have gone viral.

Of the 299 people detained in the hotel, Panama transferred around a third to a camp in the province of Darien on Wednesday (local time). The area is close to the border with Colombia. They are to remain there until third countries are found to take them in, a Panamanian government official familiar with the situation, who wished to remain anonymous, told the AP. Panama's security ministry said on Wednesday that 97 migrants had been taken to the camp and eight more would be sent there in the coming hours. 13 migrants had already been voluntarily sent back to their home countries.

Due to difficulties in deporting the people, who mainly come from Asia, directly to their home countries, Panama was used as a stopover. The Panamanian government had previously agreed to serve as a transit country for deportees, while the US covers all costs.

1.13 am

US Secretary of Energy: Global warming can also be a good thing

US Climate Change Secretary Chris Wright has claimed that global warming can also be a good thing. Climate change has "both advantages and disadvantages", Wright said in an interview with Fox Business. Global warming is "not the biggest problem in the world", he continued. "Not even close, it seems to me."

Wright argued: "Everything in life involves trade-offs." A warmer planet with more_CO2 would be better for plant growth, he claimed, without citing any evidence. In addition, more people would die from cold than from extreme heat.

New research shows that despite climate change driving up global temperatures, cold weather is becoming an increasing risk in the United States. And in Europe, too, far more people are currently dying from cold than from heat. With increasing global warming, the number of deaths from cold will therefore decrease. However, the number of heat-related deaths will rise rapidly, as a study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine showed at the end of January with the help of climate simulations.

Thursday, February 20, 2025, 0.55 a.m.

Hegseth orders billion-dollar reallocation at the Pentagon

from the 2026 financial year from existing programs, the Pentagon announced. These are programs of then-President Joe Biden, which are now to be spent on US President Donald Trump's security policy priorities instead.

The statement released by the Pentagon criticizes spending on climate action and bureaucracy. The Pentagon attributes it to Robert Salesses, who currently holds the position of Deputy Secretary of Defense.

The "Washington Post" had previously reported that Hegseth had instructed the department to submit cuts of eight percent of the defense budget in each of the next five years.

The newspaper referred to a memo from Minister Hegseth. According to the memo, the cuts are to be worked out by February 24. According to the report, military operations on the southern border of the USA, missile defence and the modernization of nuclear weapons are to be excluded from the cost-cutting measures. The statement issued by the Pentagon following the publication of the media report does not refer to savings, but to reallocations.

The defense budget approved by Congress for this year amounts to around 895 billion US dollars - of which around 850 billion falls under the Pentagon's jurisdiction. Trump recently said that tech billionaire Elon Musk should also look for wasted money in the Department of Defense. Since taking office, Trump has been driving forward the restructuring of the state apparatus. He entrusted Musk with reducing government spending and created the Doge ("Department of Government Efficiency") committee for this purpose - with unclear powers.

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