File (2024): Schatz speaks about funding for Lahaina’s long-term recovery at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Nov. 19, 2024. PC: US Sen. Brian Schatz
On Wednesday, US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) was named Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. Schatz is also a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“This new role will put me in a better position to continue the hard work of strengthening US diplomacy overseas,” Schatz said. “I’m committed to working with Chairman [Lindsey] Graham and my committee colleagues to stand by our friends, partners, and allies around the world, honor our international commitments, and deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to those most in need.”
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations is responsible for appropriating billions of dollars in funding for the US Department of State, US Agency for International Development (USAID) and other critical agencies and programs that provide humanitarian aid, global health support and economic and security assistance, among other things to those in need around the world.
In a recent development, Senator Brian Schatz has been named the lead Democrat on the appropriations subcommittee overseeing State Department and USAID funding. This important role will allow Schatz to play a key role in shaping funding decisions that impact international affairs and diplomacy. Stay tuned for updates on how Schatz’s leadership will influence these critical funding decisions. #MauiNow #SenatorBrianSchatz #StateDepartment #USAID #FundingDecisions
The website for the US Agency for International Development, or USAid, appeared to be offline on Saturday, as the Trump administration moves to put the free-standing agency, and its current $42.8bn budget for global humanitarian operations, under state department control.
A message stating that the “server IP address could not be found” appeared when attempts were made to access the website on Saturday.
Two sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters on Friday that the Trump administration was moving to strip USAid of its independence as a government agency and put it under state department control.
The apparent failure of the website comes after plaques embossed with the agency’s official seal were removed on Friday, according to Reuters, a sign that the merger into the state department was in the works.
The move comes as the Trump administration has vowed to overhaul the distribution of foreign aid, saying last week it was freezing foreign aid while conducting a review to ensure that assistance worldwide is aligned with Trump’s “America First” foreign policies.
Current and former USAid officials said this week that a purge of senior staff appeared designed to silence any dissent and that bringing the agency under the state department would be a “seismic shift”.
“This moves the United States government to a place where the humanitarian voice will not be in high-level policy discussions,” the official said.
In an opinion column in the Wall Street Journal, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio – who would assume oversight over USAid if it were or had been placed under the state department – outlined a new US diplomatic focus on the western hemisphere.
Rubio said he would make his first trip as the nation’s most senior diplomat to El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic.
“These nations were neglected by past administrations that prioritized the global over the local and pursued policies that accelerated China’s economic development, often at our neighbors’ expense,” Rubio wrote.
Reuters reported that the White House was exploring legal authority that Trump could use to issue an executive order to end USAid’s independence and that he could sign such a directive as soon as Friday night or Saturday.
“Watch USAID tonight,” Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator and member of the Senate foreign relations committee, said in a post on X on Friday evening.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, citing a “rumor” that Trump planned to dissolve USAid as an independent agency, said in an X post that such a move would be “illegal and against our national interests”.
But it is unclear whether the president has the legal authority to bypass Congress and order USAid’s merger into the state department.
If placed under the state department, USAid could become a more explicit armature of foreign policy goals than it has been as the world’s largest single donor of life-saving humanitarian operations.
USAid has in the past been able to assist countries with whom the United States has no diplomatic relations, including Iran. A source at the agency told Reuters that the non-alignment with the US diplomatic mission had helped build bridges that might not have come to be under purely political objectives.
Perhaps signaling the new administration’s plan to fold the agency under the state department, Trump has not nominated a person to run USAid.
The costs of a freeze on US foreign aid grants is already being felt. Field hospitals in Thai refugee camps, landmine clearance in war zones, and drugs to treat millions suffering from diseases such as HIV are among the programs facing defunding.
In fiscal year 2023, the United States disbursed $72bn of assistance worldwide on everything from women’s health in conflict zones to access to clean water, HIV/Aids treatments, energy security and anti-corruption work. It provided 42% of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations in 2024.
Following Trump’s executive order last week, the state department issued worldwide stop-work directives, effectively freezing all foreign aid with the exception of emergency food assistance in a move that experts warned risked killing people.
Rubio earlier this week issued an additional waiver for “life-saving humanitarian assistance” while Washington undertakes the 90-day review.
As the Trump administration continues to make changes to the structure of government agencies, the USAid website has gone offline as President Trump moves to put the agency under the State Department. This decision has raised concerns about the future of USAid’s independence and effectiveness in providing aid to countries in need.
Many are questioning the motives behind this move and what it means for the future of USAid’s work. Critics worry that placing USAid under the State Department could politicize the agency’s humanitarian efforts and diminish its impact on the ground.
As the website remains offline, many are left wondering about the fate of USAid and how this decision will ultimately impact those who rely on its assistance. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
In today’s fast-paced business world, technology plays a crucial role in the success of any organization. Whether it’s ensuring seamless communication, enhancing productivity, or safeguarding sensitive data, having a reliable IT infrastructure is essential. However, the question that many businesses face is whether to rely on a Managed Service Provider (MSP) or maintain an in-house IT department.
Managed Service Providers are third-party companies that offer a range of IT services, including network monitoring, cybersecurity, data backup, and more. On the other hand, an in-house IT department consists of internal employees who are dedicated to managing and maintaining the company’s IT systems.
One of the main advantages of partnering with an MSP is cost savings. By outsourcing IT services, businesses can avoid the expenses associated with hiring and training IT staff, as well as investing in expensive hardware and software. MSPs also offer flexible pricing models, allowing businesses to scale their IT services based on their needs and budget.
Another benefit of working with an MSP is access to a team of highly skilled IT professionals. MSPs often have a diverse range of experts with specialized knowledge in various areas of IT, enabling businesses to tap into a wealth of expertise that may not be available in an in-house IT department. This can be particularly advantageous for small and medium-sized businesses that may not have the resources to hire a full team of IT professionals.
On the other hand, maintaining an in-house IT department provides businesses with greater control and customization over their IT infrastructure. Internal IT staff are familiar with the company’s operations and can tailor solutions to meet specific needs and goals. In-house IT departments also offer more immediate support and responsiveness, as employees are readily available on-site to address any issues that may arise.
However, building and maintaining an in-house IT department can be costly and time-consuming. Businesses must invest in recruiting, training, and retaining skilled IT professionals, as well as purchasing and maintaining hardware and software. Additionally, in-house IT departments may struggle to keep up with rapidly changing technology trends and cybersecurity threats, leading to potential vulnerabilities.
So, which option is right for your business? Ultimately, the decision between partnering with an MSP or maintaining an in-house IT department depends on your specific needs, budget, and goals. For businesses looking to streamline operations, reduce costs, and access a broad range of expertise, partnering with an MSP may be the ideal solution. On the other hand, if your business requires customized solutions, immediate support, and greater control over your IT infrastructure, maintaining an in-house IT department may be the better choice.
In conclusion, both Managed Service Providers and in-house IT departments have their own advantages and disadvantages. It’s essential for businesses to carefully evaluate their needs and resources before making a decision. Ultimately, the goal is to choose the option that will best support your business’s growth and success in the long run.
LEWISTON, ID — The Lewiston Police Department is preparing for its annual Citizen Police Academy, offering community members a unique opportunity to engage with law enforcement through a comprehensive 10-week program. Participants will explore various aspects of policing, including investigations, patrol, and specialized units such as the K-9 program and SWAT team.
During the program, citizens will engage in hands-on presentations, visit the department’s shooting range, and experience a virtual simulator that presents scenarios officers may face. Additionally, participants will have the chance to join a 10-hour ride-along, observing officers during their shifts and gaining insight into their responsibilities.
“They’re in the patrol car, responding to calls for service,” said Captain Chris Reese.
The Citizen Police Academy aims to provide individuals with an inside look at the department’s operations and strengthen the relationship between citizens and police officers. “There is a lot of moving parts of the police department and I don’t think the public for the most part understands what those moving parts are,” Captain Reese said.
Applications for the academy are open until February 26, with the department seeking 20 to 25 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. The program begins on March 11 and runs through May 13, with classes held every Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the LPD Training Center. Participants must be at least 18 years old, and the program is free of charge.
“The only thing that we ask is that if you are accepted into the program that you have that commitment to show up every Tuesday,” Captain Reese said.
Interested individuals can apply online, with an online background check required. Applications are also available at the Lewiston Police Department and can be hand-delivered or mailed. Here is the link to the application & background check.
Are you interested in learning more about how your local police department operates? The Lewiston Police Department is now accepting applications for its annual Citizen Police Academy program!
This 10-week program offers participants a behind-the-scenes look at the daily operations of the police department, including hands-on activities, demonstrations, and informational sessions. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about various aspects of law enforcement, such as patrol procedures, criminal investigations, and community outreach.
The program is open to residents of Lewiston and surrounding areas who are 18 years or older. Participants must pass a background check and commit to attending all scheduled sessions.
If you’re interested in gaining a better understanding of law enforcement and building relationships with your local police officers, consider applying for the Citizen Police Academy program. Applications can be found on the Lewiston Police Department’s website and must be submitted by [deadline].
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to get an inside look at the work of the men and women who keep our community safe. Apply today!
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Lewiston Citizen Police Academy applications
Lewiston Police Department community engagement
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Lewiston Police Department Citizen Academy enrollment
Lewiston Police Department community involvement
Lewiston Police Department citizen training program
Lewiston Police Department community education
Lewiston Police Department police-citizen partnership
A few weeks before Donald Trump was sworn in as president, members of his transition team went to the Treasury Department to talk about the handover of power.
But what is normally a routine discussion turned into an alarming series of interactions for a handful of top career Treasury officials.
Trump’s team, which included members of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency peppered Treasury officials about one of the department’s most sensitive and critical functions: processing trillions of dollars in government payments a year.
Through a series of specific requests, Trump’s landing team attempted to lift the hood on the department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, an arcane branch that distributes nearly 90 percent of all federal payments, including Social Security benefits, tax refunds and payments to federal workers and contractors. That adds up to a billion annual transactions totaling more than $5 trillion.
A month later, this obscure Treasury office is now a key battlefront in a wider war being waged by Trump and his allies over federal spending. Signs of the fight have emerged this week.
The top civil servant at the Treasury Department, David Lebryk, is leaving unexpectedly after Trump-affiliated officials expressed interest in stopping certain payments made by the federal government, according to three people familiar with the situation.
According to one person familiar with the department, Trump-affiliated employees had asked about Treasury’s ability to stop payments. But Lebryk’s pushback was, “We don’t do that,” the person said.
“They seem to want Treasury to be the chokepoint on payments, and that’s unprecedented,” the person added, emphasizing that it is not the bureau’s role to decide which payments to make — it is “just to make the f-ing payments.”
Before Trump’s inauguration, members of his transition landing team wanted to know granular details about the bureau’s proprietary computer systems, including “each step in the disbursement process.” They also wanted to visit field offices where government workers, in Philadelphia or Kansas, work on computers that disburse payments.
The requests puzzled many career officials initially. The transition operation hadn’t requested substantive briefings on any of Treasury’s other critical areas of operation, multiple people familiar with the matter said. Veterans of past transition efforts, representing presidents of both parties, couldn’t recall precedent for the Trump team’s entreaty.
With Trump set to take office in a matter of days, officials found little reason to open the doors to the nation’s payment nerve center. But the persistence of the transition operation’s focus on the payments infrastructure rattled some Treasury officials.
The arcane process of cutting the government’s checks is normally overlooked by political leadership, though the incoming administration exhibited an odd interest in its inner workings, sources said — raising suspicions among career officials about the intent to tinker with a crucial financial pipeline that keeps the nation’s economy running.
Tension between Lebryk and Trump political appointees, including those affiliated with DOGE, had been mounting, with sources telling CNN that things escalated this week after the Office of Management and Budget on Monday ordered a sweeping freeze on trillions of dollars in federal spending.
At the time, Lebryk was the acting Treasury Secretary. Trump’s pick to lead Treasury, Scott Bessent, was sworn in Tuesday. OMB rescinded that order a few days later after an uproar that’s still being litigated in court.
Lebryk’s departure, which he announced by email to his team on Friday morning, has shaken up career Treasury officials, several sources have told CNN this week.
Lebryk’s exit was first reported by the Washington Post, but the full scale of the tension inside the Treasury Department has not been previously reported. Lebryk didn’t respond to an inquiry from CNN on Friday morning.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, called for an investigation on Friday following news of Lebryk’s departure.
“It’s alarming that Elon Musk is attempting to gain access to the Federal Government’s critical payment system, which is responsible for delivering Social Security checks, tax refunds, and Medicare benefits to Americans across the country,” Warren said in a statement provided to CNN. “It is equally alarming that Musk and the Trump Administration drove out the most senior career official at Treasury as the agency is already taking extraordinary measures to avoid a US default.”
Multiple Trump administration officials, including people at Treasury, didn’t respond to several requests for comment this week.
Musk himself acknowledged his interest in the Treasury Department’s payment processing in a middle-of-the-night post on his social media platform Saturday.
He wrote his team “discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups.They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once.”
The post appeared to ignore the mechanisms already in place for Treasury to simply fulfill lawful payment decisions made by other agencies, and that the system’s value to the federal bureaucracy and the nation’s economy lies in its reliability.
Jack Lew, who ran the Treasury Department during President Barack Obama’s second term, said any attempt to disrupt payments made by the BFS would be dangerous to the world’s markets.
“The American people should not have to worry about political interference when it comes to receiving Social Security and other payments the fiscal service makes,” Lew told CNN. “And as the world’s reserve currency, it is crucial to maintain confidence around the globe that the US Government will make timely payments on its obligations.”
Some of the members of Trump’s landing team present for the initial transition meetings are now working at the Treasury Department.
Among them is Baris Akis, a Musk ally who is the co-founder of a venture capital firm, Human Capital. Akis’ presence raised alarms among some of the Treasury officials present for those early meetings, since he was not an official member of the incoming Trump administration and didn’t have a security clearance at the time, the sources told CNN.
Akis, along with a few others affiliated with Musk’s DOGE, has been in the Treasury building in recent days. Sources familiar with the department tell CNN they “rove around as a pack” — emphasizing how the group is working in the building in a way that is separate from the rest of the department’s staff.
Akis did not respond to a request for comment from CNN.
Meanwhile, several blocks away in downtown Washington, Musk has asserted significant influence at the Office of Personnel Management, with at least one other employee formerly with Human Capital. The agency, which serves as the overarching human resources headquarters for the federal government, has historically been an operation driven by career officials who have worked across administrations of both parties.
Political appointees have long played a role, but according to one long-time official, the current iteration “is like a different world.”
That world is now populated with a number of Musk acolytes.
Amanda Scales, who previously worked for Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI after working for Human Capital, arrived at OPM as the agency chief of staff on Inauguration Day and has been the central figure identified with the agency’s sweeping efforts to restructure the federal workforce, multiple agency officials said. She previously worked at Akis’ company.
Brian Bjelde, the human resources chief for SpaceX, and Anthony Armstrong, a Morgan Stanley banker who worked on Musk’s purchase of Twitter, have also taken on substantial roles. Musk worked out of the OPM headquarters – with his surrogates by his side – last week, the officials said.
Trump’s nominee to run OPM, Scott Kupor, is awaiting confirmation but also holds deep ties to the Silicon Valley universe integral to Musk’s DOGE operations.
Nonprofits and Democrat-led states are already suing to try to block the Trump administration’s attempts to freeze federal spending. Despite the rescission of the memo directing the pause, they say the lawsuits need to continue, because of evidence the funding is being withheld.
On Friday, a federal judge in Rhode Island told the Trump administration it couldn’t block payments to states, nor could it try to revive stopping payments in any agency under Trump. More hearings are to come, including on Monday morning in a separate federal court, in DC.
The court fights show how any action by the administration that tampers with congressionally mandated funding could attract aggressive litigation.
The lawsuits haven’t yet touched upon the Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s work inside the Treasury Department.
This story has been updated with new reporting.
CNN’s Alayna Treene contributed to this report.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has traditionally been a relatively obscure office within the Treasury Department, responsible for overseeing the federal budget and ensuring that government funds are allocated efficiently and effectively. However, in recent months, the OMB has become ground zero in the war over federal spending as the Biden administration and congressional Republicans clash over budget priorities.
At the heart of the conflict is President Biden’s ambitious domestic agenda, which includes massive investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and other social programs. Republicans, on the other hand, are pushing for more limited government spending and are wary of the potential impact of Biden’s proposals on the federal deficit.
With the OMB playing a crucial role in crafting and implementing the federal budget, the office has become a focal point for both sides as they seek to influence the allocation of government funds. The stakes are high, with the outcome of this budget battle likely to shape the future of federal spending for years to come.
As the Biden administration and congressional Republicans continue to clash over budget priorities, all eyes are on the OMB to see how this arcane Treasury Department office will ultimately shape the course of federal spending in the coming years.
Sonoma State University, located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in California, has announced that it will eliminate its entire NCAA Division II athletics department as being eliminated as part of a sweeping campus-wide cost-cutting measure with a larger-than-expected budget deficit looming.
A letter posted on the school’s website from interim campus president Emily Cutrer says that the school is facing a $23.9 million deficit, bigger than the projected $21 million deficit. Among the other cuts include 46 faculty cuts, closing of six entire academic departments, and a campus-wide hiring freeze.
The school’s athletics department will cease competition at the end of the spring season. Sonoma State has competed in the NCAA since 1964 and has won three NCAA Division II national championships (women’s soccer in 1990, men’s soccer in 2002, and men’s golf in 2009).
As has been the story at smaller colleges across the country, Cutrer blamed the budget deficit on shrinking enrollment. The student body has declined by 38% from its peak in 2015. In fall 2024, SSU had 5,784 students enrolled, with 5,191 of those being undergrads. That alone was a drop of almost 900 students from a year prior.
The cut to the athletics department is projected to save $3.7 million, with the total savings from the new austerity measures estimated at $20.1 million.
While the school didn’t support varsity swimming, diving, or water polo*, it is at least the second college we’ve seen do this in recent years after D1 St. Francis Brooklyn cut their athletics program in 2023. While there is a lot of fear about D1 cuts coming post House settlement (Cleveland State recently announced cuts of wrestling, women’s softball, and women’s golf), it is a canary in the coalmine for small colleges that are closing their doors at a record rate.
The pressure faced by smaller schools is caused by wholly different factors than those faced by D1 schools in the wake of the House settlement – including a Power 4 swimming program rumored to be on the chopping block at season’s end. Smaller D2 programs like Sonoma State and D2 swim programs like Emory & Henry continue to face budget crises driven outside of the athletics departments that are forcing spending cuts.
The school reported 110 men and 133 women on their varsity athletics teams this season. Even if all of those student-athletes were paying full-rate tuition (they aren’t), it would still barely cover the annual deficit of the athletics department.
Among the things that the school is famous for is baseball pitcher Marika Lyszczyk, who in 2020 became the first woman to play catcher in a men’s collegiate baseball game and is the first Canadian woman to play NCAA baseball.
The school says that it will honor athletic scholarships for those student-athletes who wish to remain at the school.
In a shocking turn of events, Sonoma State University has announced the elimination of its entire athletics department, including all NCAA Division II sports teams. This decision comes as a result of budget constraints and the need to reallocate resources to other areas of the university.
The move has sparked outrage among students, alumni, and fans of Sonoma State athletics, many of whom have expressed their disappointment and sadness over the loss of their beloved sports teams. The decision will affect a total of 14 sports programs, including basketball, soccer, and track and field.
Sonoma State University officials have stated that they will work with affected student-athletes to help them transfer to other schools or continue their athletic careers elsewhere. Despite this, the news has left a dark cloud hanging over the university’s campus, as students and staff come to terms with the end of an era for Sonoma State athletics.
As the university moves forward with this controversial decision, it remains to be seen how it will impact the school’s reputation and overall culture. Only time will tell what the future holds for Sonoma State University and its former athletes who will now have to find new homes for their athletic talents.
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On Friday June 23, 2023 the Justice Department announced the arrest of two individuals and the unsealing of three indictments in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York charging China-based companies and their employees with crimes related to fentanyl production, distribution, and sales resulting from precursor chemicals. These indictments represent the first prosecutions to charge China-based chemical manufacturing companies and nationals of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for trafficking fentanyl precursor chemicals into the United States. Specifically, the indictments allege the defendants knowingly manufactured, marketed, sold, and supplied precursor chemicals for fentanyl production in the United States in violation of federal law.
The Office of Public Affairs at the Justice Department has announced significant charges against China-based chemical manufacturing companies involved in the illicit production of fentanyl. Additionally, arrests have been made of executives involved in the manufacturing and distribution of this deadly synthetic opioid.
Fentanyl has been a major contributor to the opioid crisis in the United States, causing countless overdose deaths and devastating families and communities. The Justice Department is taking a strong stance against those who are fueling this epidemic by targeting the manufacturers and distributors of this dangerous drug.
The charges and arrests made in this case are a significant step in combatting the flow of illicit fentanyl into the United States and holding those responsible accountable for their actions. The Justice Department is committed to working with international partners to dismantle the illegal drug trade and protect the public from the devastating effects of fentanyl.
Stay tuned for further updates on this important case as the Justice Department continues its efforts to combat the opioid crisis and bring those responsible to justice.
Stephen Colbert started his Tuesday monologue assuring his audience that he didn’t want to “cause panic,” but he said this while discussing a lot of panic-inducing stuff, beginning with the latest illegal and unconstitutional actions Donald Trump has taken since taking office: his mass-firings of federal workers.
“I want to welcome everybody here, out there watching and any recently fired federal employees who were looking to travel for a while,” Colbert joked. “Hey, remember when Donald Trump said he was going to be a dictator only on day one? Well, evidently, his first act as dictator was declaring that day one never ends.”
“Now I don’t want to cause panic. Frankly, I don’t have the energy, but I will say that it’s not the greatest news that Trump and the Justice Department have fired the officials who investigated Trump. Keep in mind, the January 6 investigation was the largest single investigation in the history of the federal government. And if you fire all those people, there’s going to be nobody left. We’ll have to change the name to the Department of just this guy,” Colbert continued.
“This firing is probably, and I hope you’re sitting down, illegal, because it violates civil service protections, and it’s clearly retribution,” he explained. “Unless you ask some Republicans like Congressman Dan Crenshaw.”
At this, Colbert played a clip of the Texas congressman equivocating when asked about it, saying, “I think it is open to interpretation” whether the actions Trump has taken can be considered retribution.
“Sure. Who knows if it’s revenge. It’s just like that movie V for Vambiguous,” Colbert cracked.
“Trump’s DOJ isn’t just firing lawyers who worked on the January 6 cases,” the “Late Show” host continued. “They’re also launching investigations into specific prosecutors, which they’re calling a ‘special project.’ Going after honest civil servants just doing their job is not a special project. It is a disgrace.”
“A special project is when, to protect you from the bullies on the playground, instead of going to recess, you get to help Miss Brogdon clean the erasers. That is a very special project for a very special boy,” Colbert joked.
“It’s no surprise many DOJ employees are freaking out. In fact, Biden era prosecutors are starting to hire their own lawyers for their defense, and soon, those lawyers will need their own lawyers, and so on and so on. You can see it all in the new Dick Wolf show ‘Law and Law and Law and Law and Law and Law and Law and Order,’ just getting more law,” Colbert added.
There’s a lot more to the monologue, and you can watch the whole thing, below:
Stephen Colbert, host of “The Late Show,” recently took aim at the Department of Justice (DoJ) in a hilarious monologue, dubbing it “The Department of Just This Guy.”
During his segment, Colbert poked fun at the DoJ’s handling of various high-profile cases, suggesting that the department only seems to focus on prosecuting individuals rather than holding powerful institutions accountable.
Colbert’s witty commentary shed light on the perception that the DoJ may not always prioritize justice for all, but rather for select individuals or groups.
As always, Colbert’s sharp humor and political commentary continue to entertain and provoke thought among his viewers. Stay tuned for more insightful and humorous takes on current events from the one and only Stephen Colbert.
The Trump administration on Tuesday issued a waiver for lifesaving medicines and medical services, offering a reprieve for a worldwide H.I.V. treatment program that was halted last week.
The waiver, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seemed to allow for the distribution of H.I.V. medications, but whether the waiver extended to preventive drugs or other services offered by the program, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, was not immediately clear.
Still, PEPFAR’s future remains in jeopardy, with potential consequences for more than 20 million people — including 500,000 children — who could lose access to lifesaving medications. Without treatment, millions of people with H.I.V. in low-income countries would be at risk of full-blown AIDS and of premature death.
“We can very rapidly return to where the pandemic is exploding, like it was back in the 1980s,” said Dr. Steve Deeks, an H.I.V. expert at the University of California, San Francisco.
“This really cannot happen,” he said.
On Monday, the Trump administration ordered health organizations in other countries to immediately stop distributing H.I.V. medications purchased with U.S. aid. The directive stemmed from a freeze — which may become permanent — in the activities of PEPFAR, a $7.5 billion program overseen by the State Department.
Since it started in 2003, PEPFAR is estimated to have saved more than 25 million lives; more than 5.5 million children have been born free of H.I.V. who otherwise would have been infected.
In South Africa alone, PEPFAR’s shutdown would add more than a half million new H.I.V. infections and more than 600,000 related deaths over the next decade, according to one estimate.
The organization employs 270,000 doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health workers. They had been told not to report to work or to serve patients.
PEPFAR’s end would “create instability and potentially collapse several countries’s AIDS programs that will be difficult to repair, if and when PEPFAR funding becomes available again,” said Dr. Salim Abdool Karim, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa.
Dr. Abdool Karim said countries should stop relying on PEPFAR and support their own citizens, a goal that the program’s staff and partners had been working toward. But ideally that shift would happen gradually, over years during which PEPFAR would train local health workers and prepare them for the transition, he said.
“This is not a bad opportunity for countries to take greater responsibility,” he said. “But I think they can’t do it if it’s done in this kind of haphazard and unplanned way.”
Here’s what he and others expect from PEPFAR’s unexpected pause.
Sudden stops to H.I.V. treatment can quickly turn dangerous.
Every day, more than 220,000 people pick up H.I.V. medications at clinics funded by PEPFAR; the number included more than 7,400 children under 15, according to data published on Tuesday by AMFAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.
The drugs work by suppressing H.I.V. in the body. When patients go off the drugs, the virus grabs the opportunity to rebound — and quickly. Within a week, H.I.V. levels will skyrocket from undetectable levels to more than 100,000 copies per milliliter of blood.
“That may be a time where you are very much at risk of passing the virus on to others,” Dr. Sallie Permar, a pediatrician and H.I.V. expert at Weill Cornell Medicine, said.
Then, the virus will start attacking a certain type of immune cell, crippling the body’s ability to fend off other infections, including tuberculosis, which frequently accompanies H.I.V. infection.
Spiking H.I.V. levels at first may cause flulike symptoms, including sore throat, swollen glands and fatigue. The immune system will likely marshal enough force to suppress the virus temporarily, but H.I.V. is adept at hiding until it finds the right opportunity to re-emerge.
When that occasion arises, “they can develop AIDS and progress,” Dr. Deeks said.
Children may be among the hardest hit.
PEPFAR is best known for financing H.I.V. treatment programs, but its funds also go to drugs for prevention, outreach and testing, and to support for orphans and women experiencing gender-based violence.
The loss of resources for each of these efforts will derail the fight against AIDS, said Dr. Glenda Gray, a pediatric H.I.V. expert at Wits University in South Africa.
“If H.I.V. testing falls by the wayside, it’s unlikely that we will be able to even diagnose people who need to go into treatment,” she said.
If a pregnant or breastfeeding woman has H.IV. but is not tested and not treated, she may pass the virus to her child. The higher her viral load, the more likely this is to occur.
Children with H.I.V. are less likely to be diagnosed than adults, and may not be treated till the virus makes them visibly very sick. This progression can be much more rapid in children than in adults, Dr. Gray said, “and obviously, children who are untreated are likely to die.”
Inconsistent treatment drives drug resistance.
As people lose access to medications, they may try to spread out their supplies by alternating days or to share their pills with others. If the virus replicates in people with only partial protection, it can learn to evade those defenses and become resistant to the medications.
People living with the virus may then pass the resistant virus on to others.
“That becomes a big problem, because now, suddenly, our cheap first-line drugs might not work when we have to restart them on treatment,” Dr. Abdool Karim said.
A virus that is resistant to treatments will also be better at evading vaccine candidates being tested.
“Not only are we looking at more drug resistance, but we’re looking at losing whatever ability we had to make an effective vaccine,” Dr. Permar said.
PEPFAR’s end may affect Americans, too.
More than one million Americans are living with the virus, and more than 30,000 become infected each year. If H.I.V. becomes resistant to available medications, it isn’t likely to remain in low-income countries. Americans, too, will be at risk.
They may also face indirect harms from ending PEPFAR. Creating huge populations of immunocompromised people may mean that other pathogens have an opportunity to spread. For example, dangerous Covid variants, including Omicron, are thought to have evolved in immunocompromised people with H.I.V.
At the same time, people worldwide have benefited from trials conducted under PEPFAR’s auspices, showing the importance of treating H.I.V. early, demonstrating that pregnant women can safely breastfeed as long as they are treated and that H.I.V. infections can be prevented with long-acting drugs.
“America has gotten an amazing amount of love around the world because of what it’s done,” Dr. Deeks said.
“From a humanitarian perspective, I can’t imagine anyone really wants to go along this pathway,” he added. “This doesn’t make any sense on any level.”
The State Department has announced that it will permit the distribution of H.I.V. medications to resume, at least temporarily. This decision comes after a temporary halt in shipments of the life-saving drugs due to a dispute over funding between the U.S. government and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
The halt in shipments had raised concerns about the potential impact on the health and well-being of millions of people living with H.I.V. around the world. Many advocacy groups and health experts had warned that the interruption in medication distribution could lead to dire consequences, including drug resistance and increased transmission of the virus.
The State Department’s decision to allow the distribution of H.I.V. medications to resume is a welcome relief for those who rely on these drugs to stay healthy and alive. However, it is unclear how long this temporary reprieve will last, and there are still concerns about the long-term sustainability of funding for these essential medications.
Advocates are urging the U.S. government to work with other countries and international organizations to ensure that funding for H.I.V. medications remains stable and reliable. In the meantime, those who depend on these life-saving drugs can breathe a temporary sigh of relief knowing that their access to treatment has been restored — for now.
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State Department, H.I.V. medications, distribution, resume, State Department permits, H.I.V. treatment, global health, public health, HIV/AIDS, medication access, government regulations, health policy, international aid
The Senate is scheduled to vote Tuesday to confirm President Donald Trump‘s pick to lead the Transportation Department, Sean Duffy.
The Senate voted on Monday to advance Duffy’s nomination by a margin of 97-0, and his confirmation is expected Tuesday.
Duffy, who previously represented Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, appeared before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in January and outlined his priorities for the Transportation Department, including aviation and highway safety, addressing the air traffic controller shortage and restoring trust in Boeing following several major scandals.
Sean Duffy, right, greets senators at his confirmation hearing on Jan. 15, 2025, with the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.(Charlie Creitz/Fox News Digital)
“No federal agency impacts Americans’ daily lives and loved ones like the Department of Transportation,” Duffy told lawmakers at his confirmation hearing on Jan. 15.
“We want the best and the brightest air traffic controllers. We must modernize our systems with cutting edge technologies. I’ll work with Congress and the FAA to restore global confidence in Boeing, and to ensure that our skies are safe,” he said.
Duffy also vowed to initiate work on rebuilding a portion of Interstate 40 near the North Carolina-Tennessee line shut down by extensive Hurricane Helene damage in September 2024.
Sean Duffy at his confirmation hearing for Secretary of Transportation on Jan. 15.(Fox News Digital/Charlie Creitz)
“We’re continuing to try to work through this process to get that rebuild, but we need to know this will be front and center with you so we can get that interstate rebuilt and reopened,” Duffy said.
Meanwhile, Trump visited North Carolina on Friday and promised some reforms to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that has overseen recovery of North Carolina following the hurricane.
“We’re going to fix it, and we’re going to fix it as fast as you can,” Trump said Friday. “It’s a massive amount of damage. FEMA has really let us down. Let the country down.”
Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.
The Senate is expected to approve President Trump’s pick for the Transportation Department, Sean Duffy. Duffy, a former congressman from Wisconsin, has been nominated to serve as the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy.
Duffy’s nomination has garnered bipartisan support, with lawmakers praising his experience and qualifications for the role. If confirmed, he will be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of transportation policies and initiatives at the federal level.
Stay tuned for updates on the Senate’s vote on Duffy’s nomination and what this could mean for the future of transportation policy in the United States.
