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President Trump signs Executive Order requiring universities to disclose foreign funding.

President Trump signs an executive order creating new educational and workforce development opportunities for American youth in artificial intelligence.

Jake Sullivan didn’t mince words when speaking about President Trump’s leadership in the early days of his second term, branding it an “unadulterated disaster” during a recent interview.

Speaking on the “MeidasTouch” podcast, Sullivan—who was a top official in the Biden administration—criticized Trump’s approach to global leadership. “And it’s not just about the policy. It’s that President Trump and his team have gone at the core American advantages in the world and systematically tried to dismantle them,” he said.

Sullivan turned his attention to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, faulting him for major upheavals within the Department of Defense. He referenced large-scale layoffs, budget cuts, and major reorganizations under Hegseth’s watch. “Now, I’m one who believed … that Secretary Hegseth should never have been nominated and should never have been confirmed in the first place. So all of this, in a way, wasn’t just predictable. It was predicted by a lot of people who said that putting a person like this into this role would result in disastrous leadership at the Pentagon, and that’s exactly what we’ve seen across the board,” said Sullivan.

He added that confusion and discontent among military staff have become commonplace under Hegseth’s management. “And we’ve seen other extraordinary statements from his former senior aides basically saying, we were fired for no good reason. We don’t get what’s going on, and if Secretary Hegseth can’t even run his front office, how can he possibly run the entire Pentagon?”

Sullivan argued that the administration’s domestic and foreign policy choices—ranging from immigration crackdowns to scientific defunding—have weakened the country’s global standing. “Across all of the major dimensions of the things that have been America’s major advantages, in less than 100 days, President Trump has put them all at risk. And that’s not even speaking about Ukraine or China or Gaza or the other issues that we could get into,” he told host Ben Meiselas.

According to Sullivan, this isn’t just about a shift in policy—it’s a fundamental weakening of America’s role in the world. “This is about the core foundations of American power and purpose in the world and President Trump’s effort essentially to knock them out,” he said.

He was particularly dismissive of Trump’s repeated claim that he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of resuming office. “That is such a catastrophic misread of the situation, I don’t even know where to start. This war is Russia’s fault, and it’s ultimately [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin’s to end,” Sullivan said.

He accused Trump of misunderstanding global dynamics and misjudging the real drivers of the conflict. “Backwards,” was how Sullivan described Trump’s reading of the geopolitical landscape.

Looking ahead, Sullivan warned that international trust in U.S. leadership could continue to erode, pushing key allies closer to adversaries like China. He cited the ongoing trade conflicts and Trump’s past remarks about buying Greenland as examples of erratic diplomacy. “Only the United States of America has this network of strong, capable, democratic allies, and now what President Trump is doing is China’s work for it,” Sullivan warned.

“He is single-handedly taking away this huge asset, and I would say that there are a number of costs to that, but one of the biggest ones is that for us to compete effectively with China in the future, we need to be flanked by strong allies, capable allies, and going it alone in this trade war and the broader competition with China is a weaker way to approach things than with the strength of having a lot of people standing with us,” he elaborated.

Sullivan concluded with a sharp critique of how the administration is handling federal personnel, particularly in defense and scientific roles. He described a pattern of underqualified appointees being deployed to critical agencies, only to leave chaos in their wake. “They’re just sending young guys who know nothing into various agencies and slashing and burning in ways that they then have to go fix, like firing the folks responsible for our nuclear program,” he said.

His final remarks stressed the moral and practical consequences of these actions. “I find this absolutely unacceptable, cruel, and the kind of thing that should shock the conscience of Americans, who, yes, want to see more efficiency, but also want to see decent public servants treated the way they deserve to be treated.”

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said Wednesday he will not seek reelection in 2026, ending his more than four-decade career representing Illinois and accelerating a generational shift in Senate Democratic leadership where he has long held the No. 2 position. Durbin, 80, is in his fifth Senate term and was first elected to the House in 1982. His decision not to run will set off a scramble for his Senate seat in solidly Democratic Illinois and for his leadership position in Washington as many in the party agitate for a new and more aggressive approach to confronting Republican President Donald Trump in his second term. “The decision of whether to run has not been easy,” Durbin said in a video posted to X. “I truly love the job of being a United States senator. But in my heart I know it’s time to pass the torch.” Durbin served seven terms in the House before succeeding his mentor, Paul Simon, in the Senate in 1996. Durbin has been the No. 2 Senate Democrat since 2005. From that post, he helped shape the career of an up-and-comer from Illinois, Barack Obama, who was only four years into his first term in the Senate when he was elected president. As the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee during Democratic President Joe Biden’s term, Durbin led the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in 2022. He also organized the Democrats’ pushback when Trump and Senate Republicans pushed through the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett in late 2020. Durbin is part of a Senate leadership team that has been in place for almost two decades, alongside the current Senate Democratic leader, New York’s Chuck Schumer, 74, and the late Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who retired in 2017 and died in 2021. The race for Durbin’s No. 2 spot is likely to be seen as an early test for who could eventually replace Schumer as younger members of the caucus have eyed a new generation of leaders. Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz, one of the Democrats who is considered a possible contender for the second-ranking job, put out a statement within minutes of Durbin’s announcement saying that Durbin has been “a pillar of leadership, integrity, and unwavering dedication to the people of his home state of Illinois and the nation.” Among Durbin’s more significant legislative achievements, he is largely credited with putting in motion the movement to ban indoor smoking. Having watched his 53-year-old father die of lung cancer when he was 14, Durbin won approval of legislation he sponsored in 1987 prohibiting smoking on short commercial flights and expanded it to nearly all domestic flights two years later. “People started asking, ‘If secondhand smoke wasn’t safe on airplanes — why is it safe in public buildings, schools, hospitals or restaurants?’ The answer is simple: It’s not,” Durbin said on the 25th anniversary of the law. In the early 2000s, he introduced the DREAM Act, which would give immigrants in the U.S. illegally who grew up in the country a pathway toward U.S. citizenship. It has never become law, but in 2010, Durbin and Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., wrote Obama asking him to stop deporting so-called Dreamers. Obama responded with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which has covered about 830,000 […]

During a session with reporters, President Trump expressed confidence that the elevated tariff rates currently applied to Chinese imports would be reduced through upcoming negotiations with Chinese President Xi Jinping, signaling progress toward a potential agreement.

“145 percent is very high. It won’t be that high, it’s not going to be that high … it won’t be anywhere near that high,” Trump said from the Oval Office. “It will come down substantially, but it won’t be zero.”

The current 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods was maintained after Trump granted a 90-day delay on new “reciprocal” tariffs aimed at other trade allies, with those rates temporarily lowered to 10 percent.

Trump indicated that the tone of the negotiations would be cooperative but firm. “We’re going to be very nice. They’re going to be very nice, and we’ll see what happens. But ultimately, they have to make a deal, because otherwise they’re not going to be able to deal in the United States,” he stated, referencing China’s economic position.

He pointed to his strong personal rapport with Xi as a key factor in the potential for resolution. The White House also issued a statement earlier in the day framing the administration’s moves as “setting the stage for a deal with China,” aiming to soothe market concerns and show that tangible steps were being taken.

“China was taking us for a ride, and it’s not going to happen. We’re going to be very good to China, have a great relationship with President Xi. But, they would make billions and billions and billions of dollars a year, and they would build their military out of the United States and what they made. So, that won’t happen,” Trump explained. “But they’re going to do very well, and I think they’re going to be happy, and I think we’re going to live together very happily and ideally work together.”

In a separate briefing with investors, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent conveyed that tensions between the U.S. and China over trade could soon begin to cool. Reports from those present at the meeting said Bessent predicted a “de-escalation” of the trade dispute. China, for its part, has imposed counter-tariffs on U.S. products.

Trump said that if trade partners fail to finalize agreements by the time the temporary tariff freeze concludes, his administration will move forward with implementing terms unilaterally. He also noted ongoing discussions with a large number of world leaders since announcing the pause, anticipating swift developments. “Many, many” leaders have been part of those talks, he said, and he expects the pace of negotiations to be brisk.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt informed reporters that the U.S. has so far received 18 trade proposals from various nations amid these discussions, demonstrating wide-ranging interest in forming new trade arrangements.

{Matzav.com}

Security spending at many U.S. Jewish schools has surged dramatically in the wake of Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, according to a new study by the Orthodox Union’s Teach Coalition. The study, based on data from 63 member schools across Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, found that average school security spending rose 84% from the 2022–2023 school year to the current one. Schools now spend an average of $339,297, up from $184,228. Per-student costs also jumped from $445 to $807. In New York, security expenditures nearly doubled, with the average school spending $569,789—a 99% increase—and per-pupil spending climbing 102%. Security guards accounted for 69% of security budgets, followed by building upgrades and new equipment like radios and cameras. Overall, security has grown from 1.85% to 3.09% of school budgets and is rising nearly ten times faster than other costs. Smaller schools, while spending less in total, reported higher per-student costs. Institutions with under 100 students spent an average of $1,735 per pupil since October 7. The surveyed schools, educating 26,473 students, represent roughly 10% of Jewish school enrollment in the included states. While all are part of the Teach Coalition network and may not reflect national trends, the findings highlight the widespread concern over safety in the Jewish community. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In the wake of a major counterterrorism breakthrough in Jordan, the country’s Interior Minister, Mazen Al-Faraya, announced a sweeping move against the Muslim Brotherhood, declaring the group’s operations illegal within the kingdom.

“It has been proven that members of the Muslim Brotherhood are engaged in activities that undermine stability and undermine security. This is something that no country can accept,” he said.

Minister Al-Faraya stated that Jordan would immediately begin applying legal measures against the Muslim Brotherhood, citing its classification as an unlawful group. “We are announcing the immediate enforcement of the provisions of the law against the Muslim Brotherhood, which is considered an illegal association. We have decided to confiscate the assets of the Muslim Brotherhood and ban all their activities.”

This announcement came on the heels of a major security bust, during which Jordanian intelligence apprehended 16 people believed to be orchestrating a large-scale attack. Officials revealed that the raid turned up rockets, a stash of explosives, and a drone production site.

Authorities allege the suspects were working to manufacture and smuggle weaponry into Jordan, including rockets intended for “illegal purposes.” A cache of arms and bomb-making materials was recovered. Among those detained was Khaled al-Juhani, identified as the head of the Muslim Brotherhood’s parliamentary office in Jordan, who was taken from his residence earlier in the day, local media reported.

The investigation suggests that the group had already prepared a launch-ready rocket, initiated a drone development program, and was attempting to expand its terrorist infrastructure by recruiting and training operatives inside the country—and even dispatching some abroad for further instruction.

{Matzav.com}

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump is “frustrated” with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky as peace negotiations continue with Russia. Leavitt spoke to the press on Wednesday following the president taking to social media and accusing Zelensky of stalling negotiations with his “inflammatory” comments. Trump was responding to Zelensky declaring Ukraine will not formally cede Crimea to Russia as part of the negotiations to end Russia’s invasion. Trump blasted Zelensky and former President Barack Obama — who was president when Crimea was invaded in 2014 — in his message. “This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion. Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” he wrote. The president said they are “close” to a deal but Zelensky is making things more difficult. He wrote: It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about! The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country. I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever. The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the “killing field,” and nobody wants that! Leavitt continued the president’s attacks outside the White House on Wednesday, accusing Zelensky of trying to “litigate” the war in the press. She also made clear Ukraine is not being asked to formally cede Crimea. “President Zelensky has been trying to litigate this peace negotiation in the press. And that’s unacceptable to the president. These should be closed-door negotiations. The president’s national security team, his advisers, has exuded significant time, energy and effort to try to bring this war to an end. The American taxpayer has funded billions of dollars in this effort. And enough is enough. The president’s frustrated. His patience is running very thin.”

A fast-moving wildfire engulfing part of New Jersey’s Pine Barrens has not resulted in any injuries, officials said, though it’s expected to continue to grow before forecast rain later this week. The fire in southern New Jersey’s Lacey and Ocean townships grew to roughly 18 square miles (47 square kilometers) and could continue to burn for days, officials said during an update on Wednesday. No one has been injured so far in the blaze, and 5,000 residents were evacuated but have been permitted to return home. A single commercial building and some vehicles were destroyed in the fire. “This is still a very active fire,” said Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette. “As we continue to get this under full control the expectation is that the number of acres will grow and will grow in a place that is unpopulated.” The Garden State Parkway, one of New Jersey’s busiest highways, also reopened Wednesday morning after officials closed a roughly 7-mile (12-kilometer) stretch in the southern part of the state. Acting Gov. Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency early Wednesday as officials said they’ve contained about 30% of the wildfire. Video released by the state agency overseeing the fire service showed billowing white and black clouds of smoke, intense flames engulfing pines and firefighters dousing a charred structure. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, authorities said. Forest fires are a common occurrence in the Pine Barrens, a 1.1 million-acre (445,000-hectare) state and federally protected reserve about the size of the Grand Canyon lying halfway between Philadelphia to the west and the Atlantic coast to the east. The region, with its quick-draining sandy soil, is amid peak forest fire season. The trees are still developing leaves, humidity remains low and winds can kick up, drying out the forest floor. It’s a vast wilderness in the country’s most densely populated state. LaTourette, the DEP commissioner, said the fire is straddling an area on the edge of wilderness and residential areas. “It’s the interface where the environment and development meet,” he said. The area had been under a severe drought until recently, when early spring rains helped dampen the region, but officials cautioned recent low humidity and a dry stretch have heightened the risk of fire. The Jersey Central Power and Light Company cut power to about 25,000 customers at the request of the Forest Fire Service and the wildfire’s command post Tuesday evening, including thousands in Barnegat Township. A spokesman for the company said Wednesday that some customers could have power restored later in the day. “This is for the safety of crews battling the fire,” the company wrote on X. Debi Schaffer was caught in gridlocked traffic after evacuating with her two dogs while her husband agreed to stay with their 22 chickens, The Press of Atlantic City reported. “I wanted to take them in the car with me; can you imagine 22 chickens in a car?” she told the newspaper. Around her Waretown house it was “like a war zone,” she said, describing smoke, sirens and the buzz of helicopters. The site of the fire is near an alpaca farm. The farm said in a Facebook post that the property wasn’t threatened and all of the animals were safe. The blaze is the second major forest […]

2 police officers have been shot in Fairfax County, Virginia. The shooter has been apprehended by police.

Karolina Leavitt: “There will be no unilateral reduction in tariffs against China. The President has made it clear that China needs to make a deal with the United States of America.”

The richest 19 American households saw an astonishing $1 trillion wealth increase in 2024. That is the largest 12-month surge on record, according to one economist. The small group—which makes up just 0.00001 percent of the population—commands a 1.8 percent share (around $2.6 trillion) of America’s total household wealth (around $148 trillion). Their share is therefore worth more than the total value of Switzerland’s economy, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

In 2023, the 0.00001 percent’s share of total U.S. household wealth stood at 1.2 percent, making the jump to 1.8 percent the largest on record for a single 12-month period, said Gabriel Zucman, an economist at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Paris School of Economics.

“You see this gradual rise and then, very recently, dramatic acceleration in the rise of the share of wealth owned by the truly super-wealthy,” said Zucman.

Trump acolytes Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg are in the rarified group, as are other high-profile businessmen Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. Read more at the Wall Street Journal.

{Matzav.com}

On Tuesday night, members of Hatzolah of Central Jersey participated in a specialized and eye-opening training session covering two areas of emergency care. The first presentation, focused on ophthalmological emergencies, was delivered by Dr. Daniel B. Roth, M.D., Retina Specialist & Vitreoretinal Surgeon and Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, in conjunction with Dr. Harry Kopolovich, M.D., Chairman of Emergency Medicine at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. Dr. Roth presented an in-depth overview of the identification and management of eye-related emergencies, equipping Hatzolah members with crucial knowledge for treating time-sensitive and potentially vision-threatening cases in the pre-hospital setting. In the second half of the evening, Rabbi Nissan Mozes, a world-renowned mohel, shared his expertise on the recognition and treatment of post-bris complications in newborns. His session focused on practical evaluation and immediate response to ensure infant safety following circumcision. The program was part of Hatzolah of Central Jersey’s ongoing series of advanced training classes, designed to enhance the knowledge and readiness of its EMTs and Paramedics across all aspects of Emergency Medicine. These sessions ensure that Hatzolah members remain at the forefront of pre-hospital care, delivering expert-level treatment in a wide range of medical situations. Hatzolah of Central Jersey thanks Dr. Roth, Dr. Kopolovich, and Rabbi Mozes for their invaluable time and dedication to community health and safety. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Senator Ron Johnson is actively pursuing a new congressional investigation into the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks—nearly 25 years after the deadliest assault on American soil—sparking controversy after he publicly questioned the official narrative of the event. A spokesperson for Johnson confirmed Wednesday that the senator, who chairs the powerful Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, is seeking information and documents with the goal of holding formal hearings into aspects of the 9/11 attacks. The committee, known for its historic probes into war profiteering, organized crime, and financial corruption, offers its chair wide latitude in launching investigations. The announcement comes just one day after Johnson appeared on a podcast hosted by conservative media personality Benny Johnson, where the senator promoted long-debunked conspiracy theories surrounding the attacks—particularly the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7. Referencing a fringe documentary, Johnson suggested the building was brought down in a “controlled demolition” and accused the federal government’s official investigation—led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)—of being “corrupted.” The senator also raised broader suspicions of a government cover-up, saying, “My guess is there’s an awful lot being covered up in terms of what the American government knows about 9/11.” Building 7 collapsed several hours after the Twin Towers fell, the result of fires sparked by debris from the original attack. Theories that it was deliberately demolished have been repeatedly discredited by engineers, investigators, and the 9/11 Commission. Johnson, who has previously described the January 6 Capitol riot as subject to a “massive cover-up,” acknowledged during the podcast that he is often labeled a conspiracy theorist, adding, “That’s how they keep things covered up.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

CROWN HEIGHTS: FDNY firefighters and other emergency personnel responded to a fully engulfed car fire earlier at Eastern Parkway and Utica Avenue. No injuries were reported.

The US Navy Carl Vinson aircraft carrier remains positioned to counter threats from Iran-backed Houthi forces.

Karoline Leavitt says if California continues to protect the criminal alien who killed two teens in a DUI crash, Pam Bondi and the DOJ will go after a conviction themselves.

Hamas released new evidence on Wednesday confirming that Omri Miran, one of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza, is still alive. In accordance with the wishes of the Hostages Families Forum, Matzav.com has chosen not to broadcast the footage.

Earlier in the day, Omri’s wife, Lishay, gave an emotional interview to Arutz Sheva, stating: “I went to the Knesset today, the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day, to remember the six million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust, and to remind everyone that on October 7th there was a new Holocaust, a Holocaust in our time. My Omri is still in the Holocaust in Gaza.”

Speaking before the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, she addressed what she sees as an unbearable contradiction. “Lately, they tell me that the families speak out of feelings, and that you can’t talk only out of feelings since a state is run with logic. What logic is there for a three-and-a-half-year-old girl and a two-year-old girl to be standing in the square in Tel Aviv and to blow out a candle for their father, who has been in captivity for and year and a half?” she wondered.

Lishay emphasized the heartbreaking reality her family is enduring. “This is his second birthday in captivity. They talk about logic? How do you think our children could go to the army today? How do you think girls like my girls, who have been abandoned for a year and a half, after they were hostages, one two years old, the other half a year old, and no one comes? And for over a year and a half, they left their father. We have been living in a fiction for a year and a half.”

She concluded her remarks with a scathing critique of the government’s handling of the situation. “What independence are you talking about? We surrender every day to a terror organization when we wake up in the hostages are still in Gaza. That is true surrender,” Lishay Miron claimed.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump on Wednesday lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying Zelenskyy is prolonging the ‘killing field’ after he pushed back on ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace plan. Ukraine’s leader on Tuesday ruled out the idea of ceding territory to Russia in any deal before talks set for Wednesday in London among U.S., European and Ukrainian officials. “There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy said. During similar talks last week in Paris, U.S. officials presented a proposal that included allowing Russia to keep control of occupied Ukrainian territory as part of a deal, according to a European official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump called Zelenkyy’s pushback “very harmful” to talks. “Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” he wrote on social media. Trump added that “inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s” are making “it so difficult to settle this War.” “The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” Trump wrote. Zelenskyy’s statement “will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that! We are very close to a Deal, but the man with “no cards to play” should now, finally, GET IT DONE.” Wednesday’s meeting was pared back at the last minute, while Vice President JD Vance said negotiations are reaching a moment of truth. “We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to walk away from this process,” Vance told reporters during a visit to India. He said it was “a very fair proposal” that would “freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today,” with both sides having to give up some territory they currently hold. He did not provide details. A senior European official familiar with the ongoing talks involving the American team said a proposal that the U.S. says is “final” was initially presented last week in Paris, where it was described as “just ideas” — and that they could be changed. When those “ideas” surfaced in media reports, Ukrainian officials were surprised to find that Washington portrayed them as final, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations that might bring a ceasefire and open the door to full peace negotiations, as he mourned nine civilians killed when a Russian drone struck a bus earlier in the day. “We insist on an immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media, in accordance with a proposal he said the United States tabled six weeks ago. Ukraine and some Western European governments have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet on that proposal as his army tries to capture more Ukrainian land. Western analysts say Moscow is in no rush to conclude peace talks because […]