NTD News Today

President Donald Trump hosts Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Tuesday as he escalates pressure on the Arab nation to take in refugees from Gaza.

The Federal Reserve is in no rush to cut its short-term interest rate again given an economy that is "strong overall," with low unemployment and inflation that remains above the Fed's 2% target, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in opening remarks prepared for delivery at a Senate Banking Committee hearing.

Steve Bannon pleaded guilty in New York state court to a fraud charge related to his fundraising campaign for the U.S.-Mexico border wall.

The European Commission said on Monday it would react to protect EU interests after President Donald Trump's announcement of impending metals tariffs but said it would not respond until it had clarification on the measures. Trump's plan to impose new 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum boosted share prices of U.S. producers in premarket trading, while shares of producers abroad fell.

Hamas announced it would stop releasing Israeli hostages until further notice over what it said were Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.

A third federal judge blocked Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship for the children of people who are in the U.S. illegally.

President Donald Trump meets Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba for the first time on Friday as two allies wary of China's rise work to boost business and security ties while an escalating trade war threatens to rupture the global economy.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered praise to President Trump for issuing sanctions against the International Criminal Court. Netanyahu, speaking alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson, thanked the speaker for continued cooperation with Israel and invited him to visit Jerusalem this year.

A coalition of 14 state attorneys general is suing to block the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing federal payment systems. They argue the access granted is unlawful and threatens Americans' personal data. Meanwhile a top DOGE staffer has resigned.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will create a commission on religious liberty and a faith office at the White House. In remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump also said that he will sign an executive order later on Thursday directing the attorney general to create a taskforce targeting anti-Christian bias within the federal government.

The Department of Justice sued Illinois and the city of Chicago, accusing them of impeding federal immigration enforcement policies and seeking a court order sweeping aside so-called sanctuary laws. The lawsuit came just days after enhanced immigration enforcement in Chicago and parts of Illinois.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other top U.S. senators on Capitol Hill.

President Donald Trump's plan for the United States to take over Gaza after the Palestinians were resettled elsewhere has sparked responses from global leaders.

A federal judge in Maryland became the second one nationally to block Trump's administration from implementing his executive order aimed at curtailing birthright citizenship in the United States.

In a U-turn, the U.S. Postal Service said on Wednesday that it would accept parcels from China and Hong Kong after a suspension following Trump ending a trade provision used by retailers including Temu, Shein, and Amazon to ship low-value packages duty-free to the United States.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cleared his first hurdle on Tuesday to become the nation's top health official when the Senate finance committee voted to advance his nomination for a floor vote.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to be hosted by Trump since his Jan. 20 inauguration. The two leaders will address the future of the Gaza cease-fire and ways to counter Iran.

Beijing has imposed targeted tariffs on American imports and put several U.S. companies, including Google, on notice for possible sanctions in a measured response to the sweeping duties on Chinese imports imposed by the Trump administration.

President Donald Trump will pause new tariffs on Mexico for one month after Mexico agreed to reinforce its northern border with 10,000 National Guard members to stem the flow of illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl, he said on Monday on social media.

Billionaire Elon Musk, who is heading Trump's drive to shrink the federal government, gave an update on the effort, saying work is underway to shut down the U.S. foreign aid agency USAID.

President Donald Trump said on Friday that the military helicopter involved in the collision with an American Airlines plane near Washington was flying too high at the time of the accident, in which 67 people were killed. "The Black Hawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200-foot limit," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. The crash is under investigation by federal transportation authorities.

The organization representing the families of the Israeli hostages has confirmed that the Hamas terrorist organization intends to release, on Saturday, the father of the youngest hostage held since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack along with two other hostages, including one with dual U.S.–Israeli citizenship.

President Donald Trump will soon sign executive orders removing diversity, equity and inclusion from the military and reinstating thousands of troops who were kicked out for refusing COVID vaccines during the pandemic, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday. Trump is also scheduled to make a keynote speech about his legislative agenda at the House Republicans’ annual retreat. The event is held this year at Trump National Doral Miami.

World leaders and survivors are marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet forces. The ceremony was widely recognized as the last major commemorative event in which survivors could participate.

A 3.8-magnitude earthquake centered near the Maine coast rattled houses in northern New England and was felt by surprised residents of states hundreds of miles away.

President Donald Trump on Friday said he would sign an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally overhauling or eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He made the remarks during a tour of North Carolina to see damage done by Hurricane Helene last year. Trump also said he wanted to secure two things from a visit to California later in the day: voter identification laws and changes to water policy in the wake of massive wildfires.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has announced that deportation flights have already begun. "President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences," Leavitt said.