Trump orders federal DEI employees to be put on paid leave

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS NOT SLOWING HIS MOMENTUM SINCE MOVING BACK INTO THE OVAL OFFICE ON MONDAY. 

FOLLOWING UP ON AN EXECUTIVE ORDER HE SIGNED AFTER BEING SWORN-IN, THE PRESIDENT ISSUED A DIRECTIVE THAT ALL FEDERAL DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION EMPLOYEES WILL SOON BE OUT OF A JOB. 

ACCORDING TO A MEMO FROM THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, THOSE EMPLOYEES – CURRENTLY IN D-E-I ROLES – MUST BE PLACED ON PAID LEAVE BY 5 P-M EASTERN TIME TODAY.   FEDERAL AGENCIES ARE TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN PLAN FOR THEIR DISMISSAL BY JANUARY 31-ST. 

IN THE MEMO, THE PRESIDENT ALSO ORDERED THE CLOSURE OF ALL D-E-I-RELATED OFFICES AND PROGRAMS AND THE REMOVAL OF ALL WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS FOR SUCH OFFICES. 

THE ENDING OF D-E-I PROGRAMS WAS JUST ONE OF THE DOZENS OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS THE PRESIDENT SIGNED IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKING OFFICE MONDAY, FROM ROLLING BACK MANY BIDEN ADMINISTRATION INITIATIVES, TO ENDING BIRTH RIGHT CITIZENSHIP, AS PART OF HIS PLAN TO STOP UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS FROM ENTERING THE COUNTRY. 

IN RESPONSE — ATTORNEYS GENERAL FROM 22 STATES HAVE SUED TO BLOCK TRUMP’S BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER. IN A STATEMENT, THE WHITE HOUSE SAID IT IS READY TO FACE THE STATES IN COURT.

STAYING WITH THE KEY ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND HOW THE ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO CARRY OUT DONALD TRUMP’S PLAN.  

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS NOW FOLLOWING UP ON ANOTHER EXECUTIVE ORDER ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENT ON MONDAY — REVOKING A BIDEN-ERA POLICY PROHIBITING IMMIGRATION AGENTS FROM ARRESTING PEOPLE AT OR NEAR SCHOOLS, PLACES OF WORSHIP AND OTHER PLACES DEEMED TO BE “SENSITIVE LOCATIONS.” 

THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ISSUED A STATEMENT, SAYING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION QUOTE “WILL NOT TIE THE HANDS OF OUR BRAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND INSTEAD TRUSTS THEM TO USE COMMON SENSE.” 

IT ALSO ACCUSED THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OF ABUSING THE HUMANITARIAN PAROLE PROGRAM TO QUOTE “INDISCRIMINATELY ALLOW 1 POINT 5 MILLION MIGRANTS TO ENTER OUR COUNTRY.” 

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS ALSO EXPECTED TO RESCIND OTHER BIDEN ADMINISTRATION MEMOS THAT PUT an END TO MASS IMMIGRATION SWEEPS AT WORKSITES AND LIMITED ICE ARRESTS TO SERIOUS CRIMINALS, NATIONAL SECURITY THREATS AND RECENT BORDER ARRIVALS.

PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ALSO ANNOUNCED SOME OF THE NATION’S TOP TECH FIRMS ARE CREATING A NEW VENTURE TO GROW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. 

ORACLE CHAIRMAN LARRY ELLISON, OPEN A-I C-E-O SAM ALTMAN AND SOFTBANK C-E-O MASAYOSHI SON JOINED TRUMP AT THE WHITE HOUSE  TO ANNOUNCE  — “STARGATE” — WHICH TRUMP CALLED THE “LARGEST A-I INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT IN HISTORY.” 

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP 

“Beginning immediately, Stargate will be building the physical and virtual infrastructure to power the next generation of advancements in AI, and this will include the construction of colossal data centers, very, very massive structures.” 

PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID THE COMPANIES WILL INVEST 100 BILLION DOLLARS IN THE PROJECT TO START,  AND PLAN TO PUT  $500 BILLION,  INTO STARGATE,  IN THE COMING YEARS. 

HE ALSO SAID THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO CREATE 100-THOUSAND U-S JOBS. 

AN UNPRECEDENTED WINTER STORM IS SLAMMING MAJOR PARTS OF THE SOUTH – WITH LOUISIANA RECORDING MORE THAN 10 INCHES OF SNOW. 

THE STORM IS BRINGING TRAFFIC TO A HALT IN STATES LIKE ALABAMA, FLORIDA, SOUTH CAROLINA.  FOLKS THERE ARE SIMPLY  NOT ACCUSTOMED TO THIS TYPE OF WINTER WEATHER. 

THE WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED THE FIRST-EVER BLIZZARD WARNING IN THE GULF COAST TUESDAY MORNING FOR PARTS OF LOUISIANA AND TEXAS. 

AND IN FLORIDA TAKE A LOOK THIS :  BEACH-GOERS IN PANAMA CITY,  NOT IN BATHING SUITS BUT INSTEAD WEARING WINTER COATS AS SNOW BLANKETS THE SAND.  THE MOST UNLIKELY OF COMBINATIONS.  

AT LEAST NINE DEATHS ARE BELIEVED TO BE DUE TO THE DANGEROUS TEMPERATURES OR THE ICY CONDITIONS FROM THE STORM.  

SCHOOLS ACROSS THE SOUTH ARE CLOSED AND THE LOUISIANA GOVERNOR SAYS ALL STATE OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS. 

AND IT’S NOT JUST THE ROADS AND BEACHES AFFECTED – HOUSTON SHUT DOWN ITS TWO MAJOR AIRPORTS ON TUESDAY.     MANY PARTS OF THE HOUSTON AREA RECEIVED BETWEEN FIVE AND SIX INCHES OF SNOW.  

FLIGHT OPERATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RESUME LATER THIS MORNING.

IF YOU ARE A NETFLIX SUBSCRIBER – GET READY TO PAY MORE. NETFLIX ANNOUNCED TUESDAY IT WILL BE RAISING PRICES FOR AMERICAN CUSTOMERS – INCLUDING THE FIRST PRICE HIKE FOR ITS AD-SUPPORTED PLAN.   

THAT SPECIFIC PLAN WILL NOW COST 7 DOLLARS AND NINETY NINE CENTS – UP ONE DOLLAR. 

MEANTIME THE PRICE FOR NETFLIX’S STANDARD PLAN,  WITHOUT ADS,  IS INCREASING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THREE YEARS. IT WILL NOW COST 17 DOLLARS AND NINETY-NINE CENTS – THAT’S AN INCREASE OF  2 DOLLARS-AND-50 CENTS. 

IN A STATEMENT NETFLIX,  SAYS THE COMPANY WILL OCCASIONALLY ASK ITS MEMBERS TO “PAY A LITTLE MORE” SO IT CAN “RE-INVEST TO FURTHER IMPROVE” THE STREAMING SERVICE. 

THE NEWS OF THE PRICE HIKE CAME ON THE SAME DAY NETFLIX ANNOUNCED IT HAD ITS BIGGEST QUARTERLY INCREASE IN PAID SUBSCRIBERS – GAINING ALMOST 19-MILLION – ENDING 2024 WITH MORE THAN 300 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS AROUND THE WORLD.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – BASEBALL HISTORY WILL BE MADE THIS JULY.  ON TUESDAY,  THE 2025 NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES WERE ANNOUNCED. THE CLASS CONSISTS OF PITCHING GREATS CC SABATHIA AND BILLY WAGNER. AS WELL AS OUTFIELDER ICHIRO SUZUKI – THE FIRST JAPANESE-BORN PLAYER ELECTED TO THE HALL.  HERE NOW IS STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS SPORTS REPORTER CHRIS FRANCIS WITH MORE ON ICHIRO’S ACHIEVEMENTS AND HIS FANTASTIC CAREER. 

YOU CAN FIND CHRIS’ FULL STORY ON THE 20-25 HALL OF FAME CLASS NOW ON OUR WEBSITE SAN DOT COM AND ON THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP.