Trump gives verdict on Musk buying TikTok as president attacks ‘nasty’ bishop for defending migrants: Live

Donald Trump’s administration has rescinded long-standing policy that prohibits federal immigration authorities from enforcement actions in places like schools, daycare centers, hospitals, churches and other so-called “sensitive areas” as the president lays the groundwork for his “mass deportation” agenda.

“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement.

“The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”

For more than a decade, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents had been restricted from arrests in “sensitive” sites without approval from more senior officials.

The latest directive under Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman rescinds previous guidance under Joe Biden’s administration, which further established “protected areas,” including places where “children gather, disaster or emergency relief sites, and social services establishments.”

The changes have drawn sharp rebukes and warnings from faith leaders, teachers unions, school districts and immigrant advocacy groups, with state and local leaders in so-called “sanctuary” policies pledging to defend their jurisdictions in court.

Here’s more from Alex Woodward.

Here’s the president throwing down the gauntlet to Vladimir Putin, warning him he will target Russia with tariffs, taxes and sanctions if it does not agree a deal to end the war in Ukraine:

In one of the first acts of his second administration, the new president pardoned nearly all of the 1,500 people charged over their roles in the attempted insurrection at the US Capitol four years ago.

Now, fresh details are emerging that reveal the spur-of-the-moment nature of the decision that led to the move.

“Trump just said: ‘F*** it: Release ’em all,’” an adviser familiar with the discussions told the Axios.

Meanwhile, it’s worth noting that the aforementioned Speaker Johnson has been making it abundantly clear just now that this is the president’s call and, ideally, not something he wants to be associated with:

Here’s Kelly Rissman with the inside story behind a highly divisive act of clemency.

The president’s first social media activity of the morning finds him wishing the first lady a “Happy Anniversary!” by, er, reposting a load of old pictures and fan art from his supporters in pretty half-assed fashion.

He also threw up this AI lion meme because why not?

Also on MAGA social media, House Speaker Mike Johnson has posted this video of Vice President Vance, jaw agape, being shown the Oval Office for the first time by Trump.

The man was sworn in as president 46 hours ago and we’re already seeing headlines like the above… It is going to be a LONG four years.

Here’s the latest on bishop-gate from James Liddell.

The president has been advancing his “culture wars” agenda by ordering that all federal employees hired under diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs be put on paid leave with a view to their ultimate dismissal.

It is not yet known precisely how many people the order applies to but agencies have been told to put relevant on leave “immediately,” according to an executive order signed by Trump on Tueday night.

Employers are instructed to notify their staff by 5pm Wednesday.

The order also asks federal agencies for a plan to be submitted by January 31 on dismissing its diversity hires.

The Delaware Representative, the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, brushed off Trump’s anti-transgender executive order Tuesday evening, which declared that there are only two genders and attempted to define them on a biological level.

Here’s Eric Garcia on her mockery of the flawed wording of the president’s order.

The Tesla, SpaceX and X boss been enraged by the internet encylopaedia’s characterization of his aforementioned gesture and called for the site’s “defunding”, inviting a wry response from its founder Jimmy Wales.

Here’s Madeline Sherratt with more.

During his first term, the president didn’t know his way around Washington, writes Jon Sopel.

But this time is different.

This time, he knows exactly what he’s doing – and how to do it.