US Judge says Trump cannot fire democratic member of federal labor board
The decision by U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan in Washington, D.C. is a setback to Trump's bid to bring independent agencies like the FLRA under his control, and potentially to his efforts to drastically shrink the federal workforce.
Sooknanan's decision reinstating Grundmann to the agency gives it a 2-1 Democratic majority until her term expires in July.
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Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
It's great to be here, I love standing on the soil of Scotland, Trump says
Donald Trump has said he 'loves standing on the soil of Scotland' after landing in the country on Friday evening, according to the Scottish Secretary. Ian Murray told the PA news agency what the US President's first words were after disembarking from Air Force One in Prestwick. The UK Government minister was the first person to greet the president in Scotland as he begins his visit to the country. Speaking after meeting the American leader, Mr Murray told PA: 'The president came off the flight, and I said, 'Mr president, welcome to Scotland – the home country of your dear mother', and he said, 'It's great to be here, I always love standing on the soil of Scotland'. 'I said, 'I hope you're looking forward to a bit of downtime with some golf this weekend', and he said, 'Yes'. And I said, 'Well, we've whipped up a bit of a wind for you to make it a bit more competitive', and he went, 'I'm looking forward to it'.' Mr Murray said Mr Trump was given a warm reception as he got off his presidential plane. Hundreds gathered on the Mound overlooking Prestwick Airport for the president's arrival. A Trump flag was flown while a few spectators wore 'Make America Great Again' hats, although many of those attending were locals and aviation enthusiasts, including some who had travelled from England. Mr Murray said: 'Spotters hills, as it's called, where all the plane spotters come to Prestwick, was absolutely full. 'You could see that from the tarmac and as Air Force One came in, people were snapping away on their photographs. 'To see all that happening is quite a spectacle in itself. 'It's really good to have that kind of focus on Scotland.' Mr Trump will meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during his trip to discuss the UK-US trade deal as Britain hopes to be spared from the president's tariff regime. The Scottish Secretary said: 'Really, the purpose of this weekend, the purpose of greeting the president off the plane, the purpose of the Prime Minister's relationship with the president is to build that close relationship, to make sure that that old alliance is nurtured, and to do that for the benefit of the national interest, which is about jobs and growth here in the UK, and particularly Scotland.' Mr Trump will meet Scottish First Minister John Swinney during his trip as he opens a new golf course in Aberdeenshire. Before flying to Prestwick, Mr Trump said in Washington that he was 'looking forward' to meeting Mr Swinney, describing him as a 'good man' – the same phrase he used for the Prime Minister after landing in Scotland. Asked about the president's relationship with the UK, Mr Murray said: 'The Prime Minister has taken a very pragmatic approach to the relationship with the president of the United States, because it's in our national interest to do so, whether it be on defence, security, trade, cultural, historic ties. 'It's a historic alliance, and that alliance has to be nurtured and continue through to the future, because it's quite clear that our relationship with United States is good for jobs and growth here in Scotland and across the UK. 'The Prime Minister knows that, and knows that working very closely with the US is in our national interest.' Asked about protests, which are expected across the country, Mr Murray said people had a right to demonstrate, adding: 'Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom to protest is a key cornerstone of both countries, America and the UK, and the right to be able to protest if they so wish to so.'
San Francisco Chronicle
20 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Democrats and advocates criticize Trump's executive order on homelessness
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Leading Democrats and advocates for homeless people are criticizing an executive order President Donald Trump signed this week aimed at removing people from the streets, possibly by committing them for mental health or drug treatment without their consent. Trump directed some of his Cabinet heads to prioritize funding to cities that crack down on open drug use and street camping, with the goal of making people feel safer. It's not compassionate to do nothing, the order states. 'Shifting these individuals into long-term institutional settings for humane treatment is the most proven way to restore public order,' the order reads. Homelessness has become a bigger problem in recent years as the cost of housing increased, especially in states such as California where there aren't enough homes to meet demand. At the same time, drug addiction and overdoses have soared with the availability of cheap and potent fentanyl. The president's order might be aimed at liberal cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, which Trump views as too lax about conditions on their streets. But many of the concepts have already been proposed or tested in California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic mayors have worked for years to get people off the streets and into treatment. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court made it easier for cities to clear encampments even if the people living in them have nowhere else to go. Still, advocates say Trump's new order is vague, punitive and won't effectively end homelessness. His office said Friday that Trump's order relies on harmful stereotypes and focuses more on "creating distracting headlines and settling old scores." "But, his imitation (even poorly executed) is the highest form of flattery,' spokesperson Tara Gallegos said in a statement, referring to the president calling for strategies already in use in California. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has also emphasized the importance of clean and orderly streets in banning homeless people from living in RVs and urging people to accept the city's offers of shelter. In Silicon Valley, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan recently pushed a policy change that makes a person eligible for jail if they reject three offers of shelter. Trump's executive order tasks Attorney General Pam Bondi and the secretaries for health, housing and transportation to prioritize grants to states and local governments that enforce bans on open drug use and street camping. Devon Kurtz, the public safety policy director at the Cicero Institute, a conservative policy group that has advocated for several of the provisions of the executive order, said the organization is 'delighted' by the order. He acknowledged that California has already been moving to ban encampments since the Supreme Court's decision. But he said Trump's order adds teeth to that shift, Kurtz said. 'It's a clear message to these communities that were still sort of uncomfortable because it was such a big change in policy,' Kurtz said. But Steve Berg, chief policy officer at the National Alliance to End Homelessness, called parts of the order vague. He said the U.S. abandoned forced institutionalization decades ago because it was too expensive and raised moral and legal concerns. 'What is problematic about this executive order is not so much that law enforcement is involved — it's what it calls on law enforcement to do, which is to forcibly lock people up,' Berg said. 'That's not the right approach to dealing with homelessness.' The mayor of California's most populous city, Los Angeles, is at odds with the Newsom and Trump administrations on homelessness. Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, opposes punishing sweeps and says the city has reduced street homelessness by working with homeless people to get them into shelter or housing. ___
Newsweek
21 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump's Approval Rating on Key Issue Goes Underwater—Poll
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump was dealt a new blow to a key administrative pillar, as a poll released Friday by Emerson College showed his approval rating down regarding his handling of immigration. Why It Matters Immigration remains a cornerstone of Trump's presidency and a defining issue of his administration. Trump campaigned on the promise of mass deportations and an expanded border infrastructure. His administration's actions, which include a marked increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and substantial emphasis on detention facilities, have underscored this focus. When Trump returned to the White House in January, he arrived with high overall approval ratings. However, the president's numbers began to dip after months marked by economic strife and criticism over other policies, including his handling of immigration and his recently passed tax legislation, which he dubbed the "big, beautiful bill." The up-and-down nature of approval rating polling can paint a picture of the landscape heading into the 2026 midterm elections, where Democrats hope to regain control of the House and the Senate. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he departs the White House on July 15, 2025. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he departs the White House on July 15, To Know In the Emerson College poll, the president received an approval rating of 45 percent on immigration versus a 46 percent disapproval rating. This is the first time the president's approval rating on the issue has been negative with the pollster during his second term in office. The poll surveyed 1,400 U.S. voters from July 21 to July 22 with a margin of error of 2.5 percent. In an April poll, the president had a 45 percent approval rating on the issue with a 44 percent disapproval rating. In March, the president had a 48 percent approval rating on the issue versus a 40 percent disapproval rating, the pollster says. Earlier this month, Trump also hit a record low on the issue in another poll by CNN. What People Are Saying Political analyst Craig Agranoff previously told Newsweek about the president losing ground on the issue: "The decline underscores a notable erosion of support on what has long been one of his defining issues. This shift likely stems from increasing public discomfort with the administration's aggressive deportation policies and proposals for massive new detention centers, which polls show a majority of Americans oppose as going too far. It is indeed concerning, as sustained low approval here could weaken his leverage on other priorities and signal vulnerabilities for Republicans in future races." Agranoff concluded, "Regarding whether Trump cares about this drop, his history suggests he tends to downplay polls that contradict his narrative, prioritizing the enthusiasm of his base over chasing broader consensus on immigration." What Happens Next Trump's deteriorating approval numbers on immigration could threaten one of his principal campaign pillars and could shape the political climate as attention turns to the 2026 midterm elections, analysts have said.
