News of the Week for January 26th, 2025
- Abortion
- Gun Rights
- Hide the Decline
- Obamacare
- War & Terror
- National News
- Economy & Taxes
- International News
- Opinion
Abortion
Dobbs Decision
Challenges and Opportunities for the Pro-Life Movement in 2025
This week marks the 52-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s tragic Roe v. Wade decision. Friday’s March for Life is a great opportunity for pro-life pilgrims to come to Washington, D.C., and mourn the millions lives lost to legal abortion in this country. Of course, it is also a chance reconnect with friends, hear some great speakers, and return home inspired to build a culture of life. March for Life weekend is also a good opportunity to look at the current state of abortion policy in the United States and strategize about how best to build a culture of life in the future.
Mississippi lawmaker introduces ‘Contraception Begins at Erection Act’
The bill, which is unlikely to pass, would make it unlawful for “a person to discharge genetic material without the intent to fertilize an embryo.”
Gun Rights
The demographics of gun owners are changing
The 119th Congress is one of the most diverse delegations in the history of the U.S. One-quarter of the members are people of color, and it represents the first time two black women have simultaneously served in the U.S. Senate. This delegation will also see the first Korean American in the Senate, among other firsts.
Hide the Decline
Environment &“Green Energy”
Carbon Capture & Property Rights: There Is No Justification for Using Carbon Capture and Storage Projects to Abrogate Property Rights
Government-funded private CCS companies—such as Summit Carbon Solutions—are using eminent domain to seize privately held land to transport and store captured carbon dioxide, on the basis that they are common carriers that serve the public good.
Obamacare
Government in Healthcare
RFK Jr.’s allies have a plan to upend childhood vaccination
Robert F. Kennedy’s Jr. advisers are sparring over how far he should go on vaccines as health secretary.
Mike Pence Group Urges GOP Senators to Oppose RFK Jr. HHS Secretary Confirmation
Former vice president Mike Pence’s advocacy group is urging Republican Senators to oppose President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
War & Terror
First US shipment of state-of-the-art Abrams tanks delivered to Poland
Poland has its first batch of the United States’ most modern battle tank, taking delivery of more than two dozen of them amid a broader military buildup in conjunction with its growing role in hosting American personnel.
Files detail bid to contain fallout from Tulsi Gabbard meetings with Assad
Trip to Syria in 2017 is expected to be a focus of questions from senators weighing her nomination to be director of national intelligence.
Syria’s new government ends Russian lease of Tartous port: What we know
The new authorities in Syria ended an agreement with the Russian company managing the key port of Tartous in the latest sign of Russia’s waning influence in the country after the fall of the regime.
Iran is ‘pressing the gas pedal’ on uranium enrichment, IAEA chief says
Iran is “pressing the gas pedal” on its enrichment of uranium to near weapons grade, U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday, adding that Iran’s recently announced acceleration in enrichment was starting to take effect.
Vladimir the Weak
Is Trump getting tough with Russia?
Trump’s Rush List for Security Clearances Poses Risks, and Congress Will Have No Oversight
Republican senators admit Trump’s unprecedented order to allow immediate security clearances without a background check could be dangerous, but most shrugged their shoulders.
National
Biden issues preemptive pardons for Trump critics and Biden family members
President Joe Biden on Monday issued an extraordinary slate of preemptive pardons for prominent critics of President-elect Donald Trump and members of his own family, using executive prerogative as a shield against revenge by his incoming successor while also guaranteeing his closest relatives aren’t subject to future prosecutions.
Biden pardons Fauci, Milley and the Jan. 6 committee in effort to guard against ‘revenge’ by Trump
President Joe Biden on Monday pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, in an extraordinary use of the powers of the presidency in his final hours to guard against potential “revenge” by the incoming Trump administration.
Biden pardons Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Milley, Jan. 6 committee members
President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley and members of Congress who investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Tucker Carlson remains seated during standing ovation for hostages in Trump’s inaugural address
Carlson has platformed critics of Israel and Holocaust deniers in recent months
Trump administration sued over DOGE as soon as swearing-in over
President Trump’s new “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) was sued multiple times before his inauguration ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda concluded.
MIT still requires DEI essay of grad students after abandoning faculty pledge
Essay asks students to describe ‘a time when you contributed toward making a work environment or organization more welcoming, inclusive, and diverse’
Trump picks fights with his party
As jubilant as Republican lawmakers are over Donald Trump’s second term, they’re facing a familiar reality: The president is back to picking fights with them and trying to bend them to his will.
Donald Trump’s First Soft-on-Iran Move
Trump has a curious way of defending American citizens from threats from hostile foreign regimes.
Birthright Citizenship Is Still in the Constitution
Donald Trump is trying to end birthright citizenship by executive order, specifically by limiting it to children born to citizens or to lawful permanent residents (i.e., green-card holders). The legal problem this encounters is twofold. First, the 14th Amendment explicitly states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” (Emphasis added.) The language is broad and explicit, subject to the very narrow exception that the person born here must be “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States (more on that in a second). Second, the Supreme Court held in United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898) that birthright citizenship extends to the children of non-citizens; in Plyler v. Doe (1982), the Court ruled that illegal aliens are “persons” protected by the due process and equal protection clauses.
Man arrested on suspicion of arson after brush fire in Griffith Park
Los Angeles police arrested a man Monday on suspicion of arson after a small brush fire broke out in Griffith Park under the observatory.
Trump starts new term with 47% approval; Jan. 6 pardons unpopular, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
Some 47% of Americans approved of Donald Trump’s presidency as he returned to the White House this week, a sign of a polarized nation following the Republican’s victory in November, a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Tuesday found.
Trump Fires All Government DEI Staffers, Ends Affirmative Action for Contractors
The Trump administration took a sledgehammer to progressive diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives Tuesday night with executive orders designed to root racialist ideology out of the federal government and American institutions at large.
Trump Rescinds Executive Order 11,246
It is being reported that President Trump has rescinded Executive Order 11,246, which has long required “affirmative action” programs for companies doing contract work with the federal government. You can skip the first paragraph of this old NRO post and then read why this EO’s notorious implementing regulations — which, one presumes and hopes, will vanish with the EO itself — are riddled with bad law and bad policy.
Pence group launches ad campaign opposing RFK Jr. nomination
An advocacy group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence launched a six-figure ad campaign Wednesday opposing President Trump’s nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
‘An elephant is not a person’: Colorado Supreme Court denies appeal over zoo containment
“An elephant is not a person” and is not afforded the same liberties as a person under the Colorado Constitution, the Colorado Supreme Court decided Tuesday.
Trump’s Mass Deportation Operation Begins with Over 300 Criminal Aliens Rounded Up on Day One
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested at least 308 illegal immigrants on President Donald Trump’s first full day in office, border czar Tom Homan announced Wednesday.
Convicted US Capitol rioter turns down Trump pardon
One of the people who served jail time for taking part in the US Capitol riot four years ago has refused a pardon from President Donald Trump, saying: “We were wrong that day.”
Feds arrest freed Jan. 6 defendant on gun charges from nearly two years ago — one day after Capitol riot charges were dismissed
A Florida man released from jail after President Trump pardoned Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot prisoners is back behind bars Wednesday on unrelated federal gun charges from nearly two years ago.
Judge temporarily blocks Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship
Numerous states have sued over Trump’s plan to end the 14th Amendment policy
The Country’s Largest Police Union, Which Repeatedly Endorsed Trump, Is Dismayed by His Capitol Riot Pardons
The Fraternal Order of Police mistakenly thought that the president “supports our law enforcement officers” and “has our backs.”
Mexico refuses to accept a U.S. deportation flight
The Mexican government has criticized President Donald Trump’s unilateral immigration actions, and the landing would have required Mexico’s assistance.
The latest Trump merch drop? A ‘Gulf of America’ t-shirt – it can be yours with a $47 contribution
Trump merch drops are showing no signs of slowing down.
Supreme Court to Consider Oklahoma’s Catholic Charter School
The current Supreme Court majority has cleared away a lot of nonsense in how the First Amendment addresses religious liberty and what counts as the forbidden “establishment” of a government church. A good deal of the action has been in school choice.
Johnson aide discouraged Hutchinson subpoena over concerns about lawmakers’ ‘sexual texts’
The move was intended in part to prevent the release of sexually explicit texts that lawmakers sent Cassidy Hutchinson.
UC Irvine hosting musical ‘performative lecture’ about ‘White Privilege’
The lecture ‘engages white privilege as a discourse, casting the performative space as an opportunity to enlarge care and do better.’
Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Hoary doctrines, lurking theories, and atomic bombs.
Inside State-Run ‘Bias-Response Hotlines,’ Where Fellow Citizens Can Report Your ‘Offensive Joke’
In January 2020, the top law enforcement agency in the state of Oregon launched a “Bias Response Hotline” for residents to report “offensive ‘jokes.'”
The United Non-Auto Non-Workers
The UAW is a corrupt retiree association and progressive activist group that represents some autoworkers on the side.
Economy & Taxes
Why the Deep State Loves Tariffs
They enable bureaucrats and lobbyists to manipulate the system to their own benefit. For the rest of us, all they do is bring higher costs.
Why Isn’t It Unconstitutional for Congress to Delegate Tariffs
Now that the day-one burst of executive orders has been completed, many political observers are turning their attentions to another pressing question: What tariffs will President Trump decide to impose? As far as I can see, this question is wide open, encompassing the sub-questions of a) upon whom the tariffs will be placed; b) how big those tariffs will be; and c) for what purpose they will be sought. In return, I have a question of my own: At what point, exactly, did this become the preserve of the presidency?
A New Era for Worker Freedom: Why Portable Benefits Matter
There’s a promising policy development sweeping the nation: portable benefits.
Interview with Robert Lighthizer Reveals the Arrogance of Protectionism
Benjamin Wallace-Wells has written a piece about Robert Lighthizer, the U.S. trade representative during Donald Trump’s first term, for the New Yorker. It wonders why Lighthizer, one of the most prominent protectionists in America, is not part of the administration. One of his former aides is Trump’s nominee for trade representative this time around, and his ideas certainly have not left the administration.
Costco shareholders overwhelmingly reject anti-DEI measure
More than 98% of Costco shareholders voted down an anti-DEI proposal Thursday at the company’s annual shareholders meeting, according to the preliminary vote results.
Trump orders tariffs on Colombia over rejection of US military deportation flights
U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he was ordering tariffs, visa restrictions and other retaliatory measures to be taken against Colombia after its government rejected two U.S. military flights carrying migrants.
The world is moving on to trade without the US
Many nations have been responding to Trump tariffs not by retaliating but by courting other trade partners
Trump’s ‘External Revenue Service’ Is a Public Relations Effort. It Won’t Change How Tariffs Work.
Trump promises to “tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens.” That’s not how it works.
International
U.K.: Government digital document app launching in summer
Earlier, it was announced civil servants will soon be given access to a set of tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and named “Humphrey” after the scheming official from the classic sitcom Yes, Minister.
Why Japan Matters More in the New Trump Era
On the menu today: You may not have thought much about U.S.-Japanese relations lately, but it’s worth our attention as Donald Trump’s second term begins. The threats from China and North Korea aren’t going anywhere, Japan is in the midst of a historic arms buildup, and a Japanese company is one of the three big investors in the newly announced “Stargate” program. Our new secretary of state, Marco Rubio, could have met with any countries’ counterparts on his first day, but he met with representatives of the three other members of “the Quad,” India, Australia, and Japan. Read on.
Ramaphosa signs expropriation law that allows the state to take land without paying for it
President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the controversial Expropriation Bill into law, which sets out how organs of state can expropriate land in the public interest.
Armenia Signals Intention to Join the European Union
Asbarez.com, the Glendale California based bilingual newspaper (Armenian and English) reported that Armenian “Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government officially announced that it will back a bid for Armenia’s membership in the European Union”
Germany’s General Election: Put Up/Tear Down that Wall
Germany’s general election will be held on February 23. As of January 20, Politico’s poll of polls revealed that the center-right partnership between the CDU and CSU, Angela Merkel’s old bloc, was still ahead on 30 percent, but had shed a point or two (a later poll suggests that that may have reversed). Some way behind were the right-populist party AfD (Alternative for Germany) on 20 percent, and behind them (on 17 percent) were the center-left SPD of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, followed by the Greens on 14 percent. The current government is made up of the Greens and the SPD. The election was precipitated by the departure from the coalition of the free market(ish) FDP, which seems unlikely to reach the 5 percent benchmark needed to get back into parliament (it is currently stuck on 4 percent).
The Left-wing Cambridge days of America’s new second lady
Usha Vance, wife of the new US vice-president, spent a year studying for an MPhil in early modern history on a Gates scholarship
Opinion
Trump’s Illegal First-Day Executive Actions
Several of his announced actions are likely to be illegal, especially some related to immigration.
Enforce the TikTok Ban
TikTok’s humiliating defeat at the Supreme Court on Friday, and the company’s ensuing, quickly reversed choice to “go dark,” presents Donald Trump with an early test in his second term. The early signs are not encouraging.
A Repulsive Display of Total Spinelessness
Among the first flurry of executive orders President Donald Trump will sign after he takes the oath of office will be an edict throwing the Chinese spyware app TikTok a lifeline. That’s right; after Trump designates foreign drug cartels a foreign terrorist organization, declares a national emergency at the border, and rolls back Joe Biden’s restrictions on domestic energy exploration — all in the name of “national security” — Trump will decline to enforce a measure designed to protect U.S. citizens from a hostile foreign power.
Short Thoughts on Several Of President Trump’s Executive Actions
I have now reviewed each of the new presidential actions signed by President Trump. Here, I will offer some short thoughts on some of the lower-profile orders. I’ll address several of the more significant actions in different posts.
Can Conservative Media Survive Trump’s Presidency?
CNN’s Jim Acosta is fond of the self-indulgent, vainglorious rant.
For Whom Shall We Build?
Marc Andreessen wants us to go faster. But what does that matter if nobody’s left in the car?
Trump Redux Begins
It’s too bad that Donald Trump’s second inauguration had to be moved indoors.
Can Birthright Citizenship Be Repealed by Executive Order?
On the menu today: On a marathon first half-day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring that the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment does not apply to the children of illegal immigrants born on American soil, and that those children are not U.S. citizens. As you’d expect, this order had a legal challenge before the ink was dry, and it will face tough scrutiny from the judicial branch of our government.
Stop Overregulating Research
Campus “Institutional Review Boards” are ineffective and unconstitutional.
Arguing the Opportunity Costs of Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Push
I had the pleasure of joining Fox News Channel’s Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer on Thursday morning, alongside Boston Globe editorial board member (and NR alum) Carine Hajjar, where we discussed the merits of Donald Trump’s push to neutralize the 14th Amendment’s birthright citizenship provisions via an executive order.
A Perilous Argument for January 6 Pardons
As our editorial noted, and as I argued last month and Noah Rothman argued yesterday, you can make a case that Donald Trump should have pardoned some or even many of the January 6 defendants on a case-by-case basis, and you can even make a case that there is not that much harm in a blanket pardon for the non-violent offenders who have mostly been punished enough by now, but an across-the-board pardon for all the people who assaulted cops is such a terrible idea that even the people around Trump were treating it as radioactive and a non-starter right up until the moment he signed it.
Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order is Even Worse than Expected – and Even More Blatantly Unconstitutional
It applies to children of large numbers of legal visa-holders, as well as those of undocumented immigrants.
The Washington Lawyers Who Suddenly Love Trump
Firms that blacklisted his officials in 2020 are now claiming special expertise to work with them in 2025.
Has Trump Learned That Russia Is the Problem?
The world looks different from behind the Resolute Desk.
The January 6 Pardons and the Rule of Law
Trump’s sweeping proclamation sets free many who violently attacked police.
The Divine Right of CEOs
You can’t run a free society like a business.
Let’s Fight
On racism, fascism, and cherry-picking only what’s convenient.
DOGE and the Lure of Conservative Technocracy
In late November, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy co-authored a much-discussed op-ed on how DOGE (the “Department of Government Efficiency”) would overhaul the federal government. These two tech titans—unelected, brash, and aiming to affect hundreds of millions of lives and trillions of dollars—took to the pages of the Wall Street Journal to bemoan the influence of… unelected, brash officials who affect hundreds of millions of lives and trillions of dollars.
How the Heritage Foundation Sold Its Birthright
The storied think tank traded Reaganite conservatism for rabid populism in the Trump era.
American Hegemony Is Not a ‘Distraction’
If the United States sacrifices its obligations, our threatened partners will seek accommodations with their aggressive neighbors at America’s expense.
Birthright Citizenship Is Still in the Constitution
Donald Trump is trying to end birthright citizenship by executive order, specifically by limiting it to children born to citizens or to lawful permanent residents (i.e., green-card holders). The legal problem this encounters is twofold. First, the 14th Amendment explicitly states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” (Emphasis added.) The language is broad and explicit, subject to the very narrow exception that the person born here must be “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States (more on that in a second). Second, the Supreme Court held in United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898) that birthright citizenship extends to the children of non-citizens; in Plyler v. Doe (1982), the Court ruled that illegal aliens are “persons” protected by the due process and equal protection clauses.
Trump and Fox News locked in ‘invigorated’ marriage of convenience
Since being sworn in as president of the world’s most powerful nation, Donald Trump has been sure to lavish the standard bearer of the conservative right Fox News with scoops, favors and an exclusive interview.
