President Trump holds cabinet meeting amid protests and growing tensions
The meeting follows one of the largest waves of protests over government cuts, with demonstrators voicing their concerns across the country.
(NBC)- President Donald Trump is set to hold his next cabinet meeting today, following reports of growing rifts among some cabinet secretaries after the last meeting. The tensions come at a time when billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, known for his cost-cutting strategies, is reportedly involved in discussions with the administration. The meeting also follows one of the largest waves of protests over government cuts, with demonstrators voicing their concerns across the country. Over the weekend, protests erupted, with many citizens standing against the Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts.
Renae Dymond, a Social Security Administration worker from Plains Township, said, “This is just craziness happening right now and we’re just fighting back.” Keith Hooks, president of NALC Branch 142, echoed similar sentiments, shouting, “I will yell to the top of my lungs: We the People.” Progressive leaders such as Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have drawn tens of thousands to their cause, opposing the Trump administration’s overhaul efforts. Sanders, speaking to a crowd, declared, “The people of America are going to stand up to Trumpism.”
Amidst these protests, Democrats are struggling to find direction. Protests even reached the doorstep of Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer after he supported a Republican funding bill to prevent a government shutdown. Schumer, speaking to the press, defiantly said, “Look, I’m not stepping down,” before adding, “Donald Trump is a lawless, angry man. He thinks he should be king.”
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is intensifying its efforts to challenge judges and lawyers who have opposed its policies. The administration is preparing to take a case to the Supreme Court regarding the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador under a rarely-used 1798 law. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the deportations, stating, “There are 261 reasons why Americans are safer today, and that’s because those people are now in an El Salvador prison.” In another bold move, the administration deported a group of Venezuelan migrants, including alleged gang members, directly to Venezuela after the country’s leader agreed to resume accepting its citizens under the threat of additional U.S. sanctions. Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s “Border Czar,” emphasized the government’s commitment, saying, “We’re going to continue to arrest public safety threats and national security threats.”
