US President Donald Trump’s plan to revoke birthright citizenship has stalled after a judge ruled it unconstitutional.
The ban was signed by Mr Trump on Monday, one of several executive orders issued since his inauguration on Tuesday local time.
These are the highlights of the latest day of the Trump administration.
The judge termed the birthright citizenship order as ‘blatantly unconstitutional’
The court’s decision to temporarily halt the ban on birthright citizenship follows a challenge launched by several Democratic-led states.
Birthright citizenship, long considered a constitutional right, means that anyone born in the United States is automatically considered a citizen.
Mr. Trump’s executive order will have a major impact on children born to undocumented or temporary immigrants in the United States.
Federal District Court Judge John C. Cognore sided with the four states suing the Trump administration — Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon.
Signing the order to stay the executive order for 14 days, Mr Cognore called it “blatantly unconstitutional”.
“Frankly, I have a hard time understanding how a member of the bar would unequivocally say that this is a constitutional order,” he told Trump administration lawyers during the hearing.
“It just blows my mind.”
Mr Trump has already said he will appeal the decision.
A total of 22 states have filed six lawsuits trying to block the executive order.
Pro-life protesters were pardoned before the March for Life event.
At least 23 anti-abortion activists have been pardoned by Mr Trump, who he said “should not have been prosecuted”.
Anti-abortion activist Lauren Handy. (Reuters: Sarah Sulbiger)
These included protesters who were involved in blocking a Washington, DC abortion clinic in October 2020.
They were charged with conspiring against civil rights and violating laws protecting access to abortion clinics.
One of those acquitted, Lauren Handy, was sentenced to nearly five years in prison and gained international attention when police announced they had found several fetuses in her home after her arrest.
Mr Trump’s announcement came just a day before the annual anti-abortion March for Life event in Washington, where he is expected to address the crowd via video.
Trump orders declassification of JFK, Martin Luther King Jr. assassination files.
John F. Kennedy’s grandson has hit out at Donald Trump over his executive order to declassify files related to the former president’s assassination.
Mr. Trump ordered the release of thousands of classified government documents about the 1963 assassination, as well as the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Jack Schlossberg, grandson of JFK and son of former US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy, said there was nothing “brave” about releasing the files.
“[The assassination was] A tragedy that didn’t need to happen,” he wrote on X.
During his first term, Mr. Trump bowed to appeals from the CIA and FBI to withhold certain documents.
He promised during the campaign that he would make public the last batch of documents still filed on the Kennedy assassination.
The unpublished documents have fueled conspiracy theories for decades.
It’s unclear when the records will be released, but the order directs the director of national intelligence and the attorney general to develop a plan within 15 days to release the remaining JFK records.
A plan to release documents related to the other two cases should be prepared within 45 days.
Trump told the World Economic Forum that China could help Russia with a Ukraine peace deal.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Donald Trump said he hopes Chinese President Xi Jinping can help broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
He later added that he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin “immediately” if possible.
“That [China] Russia has too much power,” he said in the Oval Office.
“They supply energy to Russia, and Russia supplies them with energy … it’s a really big trade.
“So I think Russia has to make a deal. Maybe they want to make a deal. From what I’m hearing, I think Putin would like to meet with me as soon as possible.”
Mr Trump also told the media that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “would like to stop” and was “willing to negotiate a deal”.
In a televised interview with Fox host Sean Hannity, Mr Trump said he would impose “massive tariffs” on Russia if Mr Putin did not end the war.
Pat Hegseth is awaiting a confirmation vote amid ongoing controversy.
Mr Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon, Pat Hegseth, has reportedly admitted paying $US50,000 ($79,135) as part of a confidentiality agreement with a woman who alleged that he cheated on her in 2017. Sexually abused.
Mr. Hegseth said he paid Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren in written responses she provided in response to additional questions as part of the vetting process, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press and CNN. According to
His attorney declined to comment on the dollar figure, which was previously unknown.
Mr. Hegseth testified during his confirmation hearings that he had been “falsely accused” and was completely exonerated.
The controversy comes after a confirmation hearing where Democrats raised concerns about his alleged heavy drinking and past opposition to women in combat.
The former Fox News host and Army National Guard veteran vowed to abstain from alcohol when confirmed
He later told Republican Senator Joni Ernst, himself a veteran, that he would support women in combat roles “as long as the standards remain high, and we’ll do a review to make sure that The standard has not been abolished”.
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski announced she would oppose Mr. Hegseth’s nomination for defense secretary, saying she could not “in good conscience” support him.
He said in a statement that his opposition was due to Mr Hegseth’s lack of experience, past comments about women in combat and a “lack of judgement”.
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She added that the allegations of sexual abuse “did nothing to silence” her concerns.
Mr Hegseth’s lawyer said his client had been “falsely accused” last month. Mr Hegseth also denied the allegations during his testimony.
Senator Susan Collins, another Republican, said she did not believe Mr Hegseth had the necessary “experience and perspective” for the job.
The Senate voted 51-49 to advance Mr. Hegseth’s nomination.
Final voting is expected late Friday local time.
ABC/AP
