Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
The White House defended President Donald Trump’s late-night pause on all federal grants, loans, and other financial assistance in a memo distributed by the Office of Management and Budget
At her first briefing on Tuesday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that this pause will not impact individual assistance, including Social Security, Medicare, food stamps, and welfare benefits.
A new statement said the pause is limited to programs and projects implicated under Trump’s flurry of executive orders.
In a lively first briefing, Leavitt also announced that the New Jersey drones were all FAA-approved and that plans to slap tariffs on Canada and Mexico were still on track for February 1.
When asked about the immigration crackdown and how many of those detained have criminal records, Leavitt replied that they are all criminals having entered the U.S. illegally.
Federal agents began enforcing the strict new immigration agenda in New York City on Tuesday morning.
Twenty teams of ICE officers – assisted by the FBI and DEA – were deployed just days after the Justice Department announced it had begun multiagency raids in Chicago at the weekend.
Ramaswamy responds to claims Musk fired him from DOGE
Gustaf Kilander reports from Washington, D.C.
Oliver O’Connell28 January 2025 21:05
Exclusive: Mike Lindell’s bid to evade massive debt is totally ‘preposterous,’ cash advance firm says
Pillow pitchman, right-wing conspiracy theorist, and outspoken Donald Trump disciple Mike Lindell’s fiery allegations about a New York cash advance firm’s supposed “pattern of racketeering” are nothing more than an “absurdity,” according to the lender, which is now taking aim in court filings at the MyPillow founder as an unrepentant fabulist whose “preposterous” lawsuit should be thrown out altogether.
Oliver O’Connell28 January 2025 20:56
ANALYSIS: Trump’s funding freeze pushes Democrats over the edge
Eric Garcia reports on how Democrats, having offered little pushback to Trump since he won, are now preparing for battle.
Oliver O’Connell28 January 2025 20:50
Full story: Transgender service members sue Trump over military executive order
Oliver O’Connell28 January 2025 20:24
White House says Medicaid portal ‘will be back online shortly’ as Trump funding freeze blamed
While White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during her first White House briefing that beneficiaries of programs like Social Security and Medicare would not be affected by the freeze on federal aid, she did not say Medicaid wouldn’t be affected.
When asked about Medicaid payments being cut off to individuals, Leavitt said: “I’ll check back on that.”
Subsequently, the White House said Medicaid wouldn’t be affected, but Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon said reimbursement portals were down in all 50 states, amid concern that the program had been caught up in the freeze.
Leavitt then tweeted: “The White House is aware of the Medicaid website portal outage.
“We have confirmed no payments have been affected — they are still being processed and sent.
“We expect the portal will be back online shortly.”
Oliver O’Connell28 January 2025 20:17
First lawsuit challenging Trump ban on trans service members is filed
Eight current or prospective transgender military members have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for its ban on trans service members. They say it violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 5th Amendment.
“The categorical exclusion of transgender people from military service lacks a rational basis, is arbitrary, and cannot be justified by sufficient federal interests.”
Here’s what you need to know about legal challenges to Trump’s executive order:
Ariana Baio28 January 2025 20:15
Tucker Carlson’s son lands White House job
The son of conservative media pundit Tucker Carlson has landed a new job in the White House.
Buckley Carlson, 28, is set to start work as deputy press secretary in Vice President J.D. Vance’s office, sources first told ABC News.
The younger Carlson has worked on Capitol Hill since 2019, including as communications director for then-Indiana Representative Jim Banks in 2021.
Oliver O’Connell28 January 2025 20:00
Who voted against Sean Duffy’s confirmation as transportation secretary?
Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois told The Independent that she would oppose making former congressman Sean Duffy Transportation Secretary in protest of Donald Trump’s federal aid pause. On Monday evening, he received a cloture vote of 97-0. Duckworth said she would normally be a yes but said that she would be a “no” in response.
Below are all the Democrats who voted against his confirmation:
- Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
- Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)
- Cory Booker (D-NJ)
- Chris Coons (D-DE)
- Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
- Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
- Dick Durbin (D-IL)
- Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
- Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
- Andy Kim (D-NJ)
- Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM)
- Ed Markey (D-MA)
- Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
- Chris Murphy (D-CT)
- Patty Murray (D-WA)
- Jack Reed (D-RI)
- Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
- Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)
- Tina Smith (D-MN)
- Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
- Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
- Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Eric Garcia28 January 2025 19:46
State AGs sue Trump administration over freeze in federal grant funding
Several states are suing Donald Trump’s administration to block an order from his administration that freezes federal grant funding across the government.
A lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James — joined by attorneys general from California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island — is imminently expected to hit court dockets. The suit will seek a court order to immediately halt the implementation of the directive from the White House Office of Management and Budget.
“This president has exceeded his authority, he has violated the constitution and he has trampled on a co-equal branch of government,” James told reporters in a video briefing on Tuesday. “There is no question, this policy is reckless, dangerous, illegal, and unconstitutional.”
She called the Trump administration memo “arbitrary and capricious.”
“What we are doing is protecting democracy and the rule of law,” she said.
Here’s Kelly Rissman with the background to the freeze:
Alex Woodward28 January 2025 19:42
