Trump reacts to Supreme Court deportation rulings: 'ridiculous situation'

In a post on Truth Social on Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump said the U.S. is in a "ridiculous situation" as he reacted to recent a recent Supreme Court ruling directing Trump's administration to pause deportations of Venezuelan detainees under the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) of 1798 until further notice.

Trump posted, "I'm doing what I was elected to do, remove criminals from our Country, but the Courts don't seem to want me to do that. My team is fantastic, doing an incredible job, however, they are being stymied at every turn by even the U.S. Supreme Court, which I have such great respect for, but which seemingly doesn't want me to send violent criminals and terrorists back to Venezuela, or any other Country, for that matter — People that came here illegally! The Courts are intimidated by the Radical Left who are, "playing the Ref." Great Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito correctly wants to dissolve the pause on deportations. He is right on this! If we don't get these criminals out of our Country, we are not going to have a Country any longer. We cannot give everyone a trial, because to do so would take, without exaggeration, 200 years. We would need hundreds of thousands of trials for the hundreds of thousands of Illegals we are sending out of the Country. Such a thing is not possible to do. What a ridiculous situation we are in. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Read the full story by Anna Commander and Gabe Whisnant on Newsweek.

Harvard resists Trump administration demands, funding frozen

Harvard University rejected demands from the Trump administration to overhaul its leadership, admissions policies, and campus activism rules, university president Alan Garber said.

In a letter sent earlier this month, the administration had also called for an audit of diversity practices and the derecognition of some student groups. Garber said Harvard would not comply with efforts to restrict student activism.

Hours after his statement, the federal government froze billions in funding to the university.

WATCH: Trump comments on new Hegseth Signal war plans chat: 'That's an old one'

Supreme Court appears likely to uphold key Obamacare preventive care rule

The Supreme Court on Monday signaled it may uphold a major provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires insurers to cover preventive health services at no cost. Conservative Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett joined the court's three liberal justices in appearing skeptical of claims that the law's process for determining coverage is unconstitutional.

At issue is whether a volunteer medical panel that recommends preventive services, like statins, cancer screenings, and HIV-prevention drugs, needs Senate confirmation. Plaintiffs argued the panel wields too much power without oversight, while also raising religious objections.

Despite President Donald Trump's past criticism of Obamacare, his administration defended the provision, saying the board doesn't need Senate approval because its members can be removed by the health secretary.

Most justices seemed to agree. Kavanaugh noted that Congress didn't appear to create an independent agency requiring confirmation, and Barrett questioned the challengers' interpretation. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas were more sympathetic to the challenge.

A ruling is expected by the end of June.

Trump hosts White House Easter egg roll with over 40,000 participants

Trump welcomed tens of thousands to the White House Easter egg roll on Monday, celebrating the event despite overcast weather. Speaking from the White House balcony with First Lady Melania Trump and an Easter bunny mascot, Trump expressed excitement about the day's activities, joking that the cloudy weather meant no one would worry about sunburns.

The event drew more than 40,000 attendees, with children participating in races, card-writing stations for service members, and a special reading by Melania Trump of the story "Bunny with a Big Heart." The day also featured wooden spoon races, where children guided colorful hard-boiled eggs across the lawn, and activities promoting America's 250th anniversary.

Trump thanked the National Park Service for their efforts in organizing the event and acknowledged the American Egg Board for donating 30,000 hand-dyed eggs. The egg roll, a tradition dating back to 1878, is one of the oldest in U.S. history.

Education Department to begin collecting on defaulted student loans

The U.S. Education Department will start collecting on federal student loans in default next month, including garnishing wages for millions of borrowers. Currently, about 5.3 million borrowers are in default. This marks the end of a COVID-19 era pause on collections that began in March 2020.

Starting May 5, the department will use the Treasury Department's offset program to withhold payments, including tax refunds and federal benefits, from those with overdue debts. A 30-day notice will precede wage garnishments for borrowers in default.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon emphasized that the collection process is aimed at relieving taxpayers from the financial burden of student loan policies. She also stated that the department would manage the student loan program responsibly, in contrast to previous relief measures under President Biden, which included extensive loan forgiveness.

The pause in loan payments and interest ended in October 2024, leading to a resumption of payments for millions of borrowers, many of whom are now in default or behind on payments.

MAGA selebrates World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab's departure

MAGA is celebrating the resignation of Klaus Schwab, the founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF), after he announced he was stepping down as chair of the board of trustees.

The WEF board said in the statement on Monday that it had accepted Schwab's resignation at a meeting on April 20. It follow's his decision last year to quit as WEF CEO.

The WEF did not provide any details of why he was stepping down.

Newsweek has reached out to Schwab via email for comment.

Read the full story by Hannah Parry on Newsweek.

U.S. stocks tumble as investors grow wary of Trump's trade war and Fed criticism

U.S. stocks took a sharp dive on Monday as global investors expressed growing concerns over U.S. investments due to President Trump's trade war and ongoing criticism of the Federal Reserve, shaking up the traditional financial order.

The S&P 500 dropped 2.4%, now 16% below its recent record set just two months ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2.5%, while the Nasdaq composite saw a decline of 2.6%.

Big Tech stocks led the downward trend as investors anticipated earnings reports from companies like Tesla. In addition to the stock market drops, U.S. government bonds and the value of the U.S. dollar also experienced declines.

Watchdog group sues Hegseth over alleged violations of federal records law

A Washington-based watchdog group filed a lawsuit last month against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top Trump administration officials, accusing them of violating the Federal Records Act and Administrative Procedure Act. The lawsuit follows reports that senior officials used Signal to discuss a military strike against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

On Monday, the group announced it will file an amended complaint, seeking to include a separate Signal chat about the strike that Hegseth had with his wife and brother. The group is requesting a federal judge declare the conversation subject to federal records law, requiring the preservation of these communications.

"This case concerns a clear and urgent threat to the preservation of government records," said Chioma Chukwu, the group's interim executive director, in a statement. The Federal Records Act mandates that federal officials preserve communications related to official government business.

Republican says 'meltdown' at Pentagon amid Pete Hegseth controversies

Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska took aim at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as the Pentagon faces the wake of further reported leaks of sensitive military information and high-profile firings.

Bacon, a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a retired Air Force brigadier general, told Politico on Monday: "It looks like there's a meltdown going on. There's a lot—a lot—of smoke come out of the Pentagon, and I got to believe there's some fire there somewhere."

Bacon added in comments to Newsweek: "If the reporting is true, this is unacceptable. I would never tell the White House what to do, but I wouldn't tolerate it."

John Ullyot, a former senior Department of Defense (DOD) spokesperson who resigned last week, said in an opinion piece published by Politico on Saturday that it is "hard to see" Hegseth remaining in his position for much longer after presiding over "a month of total chaos at the Pentagon."

"No matter how many times the legacy media tries to resurrect the same non-story, they can't change the fact that no classified information was shared," White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told Newsweek. "Recently fired 'leakers' are continuing to misrepresent the truth to soothe their shattered egos and undermine the president's agenda, but the administration will continue to hold them accountable."

Read the full story by Jenna Sundel and Gabe Whisnant on Newsweek.

Kristi Noem's purse stolen during Easter dinner in D.C.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had her purse stolen while dining at a Washington, D.C., restaurant on Easter night, department officials confirmed.

According to an internal email, Noem was in town with her children and grandchildren for the holiday and had cash on hand to pay for meals, activities, and gifts. While the email did not list specifics, CNN reported that the thief took roughly $3,000 in cash, along with Noem's driver's license, passport, keys, checks, makeup, medication, and her Homeland Security badge.

Noem is protected by the U.S. Secret Service, which referred questions about the theft to the Department of Homeland Security.

Autoparts industry asks Trump to pause tariffs for domestic shift

The U.S. autoparts industry is urging Trump to temporarily suspend tariffs to give manufacturers time to move operations back to the United States. In a letter sent Monday, the Specialty Equipment Market Association called for a transition period to "re-shore" production and requested economic relief measures.

The group, which represents manufacturers and retailers, asked for tariff exemptions on imported molds, tools, and machinery, as well as tax incentives to ease the financial burden. They cited concerns that a Louisiana factory, for example, would struggle to expand due to the high cost of importing necessary equipment from Germany or China.

Trump's 25% auto tariffs remain in place, though some protections exist under the USMCA trade deal.

Harvard campus unites amid Trump administration battle

The Trump administration's demands for Harvard University to make key policy changes have unexpectedly united the campus, according to a Harvard, per CNN on Monday. President Alan Garber's rejection of White House requests last week made Harvard the first elite U.S. university to firmly push back against the administration.

"Garber's letter sent a jolt of energy through the campus," the anonymous employee said, noting that the administration's demands were seen as extreme. This move has galvanized a previously divided campus, particularly in light of ongoing controversy over antisemitism on campus and the administration's handling of the issue.

Harvard's confrontation with the Trump administration comes as the university faces the threat of losing billions in federal funding and potential changes to its tax-exempt status. Harvard had previously hired a lobbying firm with strong ties to Trump, as it braced for scrutiny under the new administration. The standoff has placed Garber and the university in a public clash with the White House, drawing attention from other higher education institutions.

Trump defends use of Alien Enemies Act amid immigration backlash

Trump on Monday defended his decision to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, linking the immigration crackdown to his election victory in November.

"I was elected to clean up the mess in this country," Trump told reporters during Easter events. "We had millions and millions of people come in who are criminals. I was elected to move them out."

The remarks came shortly after Trump said he agreed with Pope Francis' message of tolerance toward migrants.

Trump's use of the law has sparked legal challenges after his administration began deporting Venezuelan migrants to a mega-prison in El Salvador. A federal court hearing is scheduled later Monday.

Studies show immigrants living in the U.S. illegally are statistically less likely to be arrested for violent, drug, or property crimes than native-born Americans.

President Trump to meet with retail executives amid tariff concerns

= Trump is scheduled to meet Monday with executives from Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and Lowe's as growing concerns over his tariff policy ripple through the retail industry.

Trump's sweeping tariffs—10% baseline and up to 145% on Chinese imports—have fueled fears of rising inflation and an economic slowdown, raising alarms across major U.S. retailers. An administration official confirmed the meeting, which was not listed on Trump's public schedule, on the condition of anonymity.

The planned sit-down was first reported by Bloomberg News.

Donald Trump's approval rating suffers triple blow

President Donald Trump's approval rating has slipped in three major polls in recent weeks, suggesting increased voter unease following a turbulent month for the administration.

Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email.

While the drops in each poll are modest, the consistent pattern across the different polling firms could suggest a broader shift in public sentiment.

The latest polls follow global turmoil triggered by sweeping tariffs announced by the Trump administration on April 2.

Several polls following the tariffs suggested that many Americans were feeling anxious about their potential economic impact, and that Trump's approval rating on the economy was decreasing.

Read the full story by Alia Schwabb on Newsweek.