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  • White House: Dangerous anti-ICE rhetoric from Mayor Frey & Gov Walz hasn’t protected anyone, only fueled chaos (Video)

    White House: Dangerous anti-ICE rhetoric from Mayor Frey & Gov Walz hasn’t protected anyone, only fueled chaos (Video)

    The video, titled “Dangerous anti-ICE rhetoric from Mayor Frey & Gov Walz hasn’t protected anyone, only fueled chaos,” discusses the stance of Mayor Frey and Governor Walz against cooperation with ICE and other federal agencies.

    • Non-cooperation with ICE (0:00-0:05): Mayor Frey explicitly states that Minneapolis will not cooperate with ICE or any federal agency.
    • Fueling chaos and distrust (0:07-0:10): The video claims that such actions are causing chaos and distrust.
    • Responsibility to “bring down the temperature” (0:13-0:16): The speaker mentions bearing responsibility to reduce tensions regarding ICE.
    • Protests as patriotic duty (0:26-0:41): Protests in Minneapolis are described as peaceful, and the desire to protest against the administration is considered a “patriotic duty.”
    • Peaceful protests (0:44-0:48): It is noted that tens of thousands of people have been peacefully protesting.
    • Standing up for neighbors (0:52-0:54): People are willing to stand up for their neighbors.
    • No further federal help needed (1:03-1:09): A clear message is sent that no further help is needed from the federal government.

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Chemerinsky Warns “Democracy Won’t Last.” Critics Reply: America Was Built as a Republic to Restrain Mob Rule — and He’s Speaking in NYC Feb. 5

    Chemerinsky Warns “Democracy Won’t Last.” Critics Reply: America Was Built as a Republic to Restrain Mob Rule — and He’s Speaking in NYC Feb. 5

    Erwin Chemerinsky USA Democracy is failiing

    Erwin Chemerinsky—Dean of UC Berkeley School of Law and one of the country’s best-known constitutional law scholars—has a blunt thesis: the United States is facing a crisis of legitimacy and institutional design that could make democratic self-government unsustainable. He lays out that argument in his 2024 book, No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States, and in a widely circulated Berkeley Law alumni talk that frames the book as a warning flare for the American system.

    That warning has sparked an equally blunt rebuttal from many critics: the United States was never designed to be a “pure democracy” governed by simple majorities. It was designed as a constitutional republic—a representative system constrained by a written constitution—precisely to protect individuals from two perennial dangers: tyranny from above (abuse by rulers) and tyranny from below (majority faction turning politics into legalized coercion).

    This debate isn’t an academic parlor game. It’s now moving to a major public stage in New York.

    What Chemerinsky argues in No Democracy Lasts Forever

    Chemerinsky’s core claim is that American democracy is under severe stress because public confidence in institutions has collapsed and political polarization has hardened into something closer to mutual illegitimacy. In the Berkeley book talk, he argues the crisis is not just cultural—it is structural.

    Among the structural issues he highlights:

    • The Electoral College: He argues it can produce presidents who lose the national popular vote and that winner-take-all allocation in most states amplifies that risk.
    • The U.S. Senate: Equal representation for states regardless of population, he argues, violates democratic intuitions about political equality and entrenches “minority rule.”
    • Gerrymandering and representation: He contends partisan map-drawing has made the House less responsive, and that legal constraints limit effective remedies.
    • The Supreme Court’s role and tenure: He criticizes life tenure as placing too much power in too few hands for too long, and describes the Court as a central actor in democratic backsliding.
    • Money in politics: He argues that the scale and opacity of campaign spending corrodes public trust and democratic legitimacy.

    Chemerinsky also proposes remedies—some statutory, some constitutional—and, in the longer arc, suggests Americans should at least begin thinking about what a modern constitutional replacement process might look like (even if not imminent).

    The controversy: “Democracy is failing” vs. “A republic with guardrails is the point”

    The sharpest disagreement is not whether the country is polarized. It is what standard should be used to evaluate constitutional design.

    Chemerinsky often describes the U.S. as a “constitutional democracy” and measures legitimacy against a majoritarian benchmark: outcomes should track popular majorities more consistently, and institutions that systematically distort majority rule are treated as core democratic defects.

    Critics respond that this framing smuggles in a premise the Founders explicitly resisted: that “more direct democracy” is inherently better.

    1) The Constitution guarantees “republican” government—not direct majoritarian rule.
    Article IV, Section 4 requires the United States to guarantee each state a “Republican Form of Government.” Whatever else Americans argue about, the constitutional text chooses “republican” as the baseline civic architecture.

    2) Madison’s warning: “pure democracies” can be violent and unstable.
    In Federalist No. 10, Madison draws a famous contrast between a republic and what he calls “such democracies,” warning they have historically been “spectacles of turbulence and contention” and incompatible with personal security and the rights of property.

    This is a foundational insight for critics: the system was designed not to maximize majority power, but to control the predictable pathologies of majority power.

    3) The “two tyrannies” problem: protect society from rulers and from majorities.
    Federalist No. 51 states the principle in plain language: it is vital “in a republic” not only to guard society against oppression by its rulers, but also to guard “one part of the society against the injustice of the other part,” because if a majority unites around a common interest, the rights of the minority will be insecure.

    This is the conceptual backbone of the “constitutional republic” critique of Chemerinsky: many so-called “anti-democratic” features are better understood as anti-tyrannical guardrails—constraints that prevent elections from becoming a moral permission slip to punish disfavored groups.

    4) Courts are not meant to be majoritarian institutions.
    Chemerinsky’s critique of judicial power and long tenure often collides with Hamilton’s argument in Federalist No. 78 that life tenure “during good behavior” is a barrier against despotism in a monarchy—and, in a republic, a barrier against “encroachments and oppressions of the representative body.”

    In this view, the judiciary’s legitimacy is not measured by popularity; it is measured by fidelity to higher law—especially when popular majorities demand shortcuts.

    A key clarification that strengthens the critique

    Even many constitutional conservatives concede an important nuance: the Constitution does not literally contain the phrase “constitutional republic.” The more precise claim is that the U.S. is a representative republic operating under a written constitution, and that “democracy” (as used in modern speech) should be understood as representative democracy, not pure direct democracy.

    This matters rhetorically. It allows critics to challenge Chemerinsky’s framing without making an easily refutable claim like “America isn’t a democracy at all.” The stronger, more defensible line is: America is not a pure democracy—and it was never intended to be; it is a constitutional republic built to protect liberty against both top-down tyranny and majority faction.

    Coming up in NYC: Brennan Center Jorde Symposium, Feb. 5

    This dispute over constitutional legitimacy will intersect with an in-person NYU event next month.

    On Thursday, February 5, 2026, the Brennan Center for Justice will host the Jorde Symposium: “Against Constitutional Theory” at NYU School of Law (Greenberg Lounge), 40 Washington Square South, New York, NY.
    The program runs 4:00–5:50 p.m. ET, followed by a reception 5:50–6:30 p.m.

    Erwin Chemerinsky is the featured lecturer. Commentators include Leah Litman (University of Michigan Law School) and Sherif Girgis (University of Notre Dame Law School). The event is open to the public but requires RSVP, and is listed as free.

    For anyone tracking the national argument over “democracy,” constitutional limits, and the role of courts, this is one of the most substantive public constitutional law events on the New York calendar—especially because it puts Chemerinsky’s broader book thesis in conversation with scholars who do not share all of his premises.

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • New York. Anti ICE Protestors Issue Me a Chilling Warning

    New York. Anti ICE Protestors Issue Me a Chilling Warning

    The video “Anti-ICE Protestors Issue Me a Chilling Warning” by intrepid (and apparently frostbite-resistant) independent journalist Nate Friedman is a hilarious, teeth-chattering dispatch straight from the frozen tundra of a New York City anti-ICE rally—conveniently timed one year after Trump’s big comeback. Nate rolls up early, hands turning into popsicles while he quips about yanking off his gloves, and right away drops the million-dollar question that’s clearly kept every virtue-signaling hipster up at night: “Why are we shivering outside a library like sad penguins when we could be blocking traffic at Trump Tower literally every single day?”

    Cue the greatest hits of performative outrage. A private chef brandishes a “Murderer” sign aimed at the big bad orange man, confidently brands Tom Homan (ICE’s deportation champ) a full-on Nazi… until Nate casually mentions Obama slapped a shiny medal on Homan in 2015 for crushing deportation records. Plot twist! Her enlightened response: “Uh… Trump probably got to him somehow.” Because nothing says “deep thinker” like retroactively canceling your own side’s heroes.

    Then there’s the visionary who wants open borders drenched in “empathy” (because empathy fixes logistics, apparently), and the absolute galaxy-brain suggestion to abolish ICE and replace it with… the immigrants themselves. Yes, folks: let the people who just crossed the border moonlight as border guards. What could possibly go wrong? Efficiency, accountability, national security—pfft, details. A Maoist Communist Union duo earnestly pitches their “pre-party organization,” lecturing on mass line theory and brushing off Mao-era famines and purges as mere “bourgeois smears.” But relax—they assure us coffee will survive the revolution. “The workers harvested the beans, comrade.”

    The vibe gets extra spicy with masked coordinators slinking around like low-budget spies, hissing “Don’t talk to that Zionist” to anyone who makes eye contact with Nate. When he innocently inquires, “Hey, when’s the Free Iran rally scheduled?” the response is pure gold: “Talk to the People’s Forum.” Classic deflection—because nothing screams “principled solidarity” like selective outrage.

    All the while, the crowd chants “F*** ICE” on loop, waves trans flags alongside Ukrainian ones (priorities!), hawks $20 “revolutionary” T-shirts, and engages in profound philosophical debates about whether storming a Minneapolis church mid-service to heckle an ICE-linked parishioner is “a bit much” or “totally fine if the pastor’s chill.” Spoiler: opinions are split, but the nuance is razor-thin.

    Nate, bless his chilled soul, endures the nonstop rejection, the “drop dead, fascist” love notes, and actual tailing by what he suspects are paid pros trying to dox his address—all while asking the one question nobody wants to answer: “Okay, abolish ICE… then what?” The answers range from vague “empathy reforms” to letting immigrants self-police the border to straight-up “shut down the whole system.” Passion? Overflowing. Concrete plans? Crickets. It’s a masterclass in feelings-over-facts theater.

    His raw, no-makeup style—freezing in the snow, shrugging off insults, and politely pressing for actual solutions—peels back the curtain on this glorious circus: endless rage, zero roadmap, and a burning desire to dismantle government, borders, and common sense itself in the Trump era. All masterfully orchestrated, we can only assume, by the usual shadowy hand behind the curtain (you know the one—rhymes with “People’s Forum funding streams”).

    Sources: Midtown Tribune news , Video : Anti ICE Protestors Issue Me a Chilling Warning Nate Friedman

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • White House: Trump Unveils Phase Two Framework to End Gaza Conflict, Launches Governance and Security Bodies

    White House: Trump Unveils Phase Two Framework to End Gaza Conflict, Launches Governance and Security Bodies

    White House: Trump Unveils Phase Two Framework to End Gaza Conflict, Launches Governance and Security Bodies

    The White House said President Donald J. Trump welcomed the formation of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) as a key step in Phase Two of his 20-point “Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict,” with NCAG leader Dr. Ali Sha’ath tasked with restoring public services, rebuilding civil institutions, stabilizing daily life, and laying the groundwork for self-sustaining governance. The statement claims the framework aligns with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025) and is overseen by a “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump, supported by a founding Executive Board—named as Secretary Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Sir Tony Blair, Marc Rowan, Ajay Banga, and Robert Gabriel—plus senior advisors Aryeh Lightstone and Josh Gruenbaum for day-to-day execution. It also names Nickolay Mladenov as High Representative for Gaza to coordinate between the Board and NCAG, appoints Major General Jasper Jeffers to command an International Stabilization Force to support security, demilitarization, and aid delivery, and establishes a Gaza Executive Board (including Witkoff, Kushner, Turkey’s Minister Hakan Fidan, Sir Tony Blair, Marc Rowan, Minister Reem Al-Hashimy, Sigrid Kaag, and others) to assist governance and service delivery, with additional members to be announced in the coming weeks.

    Statement on President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict

    Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump congratulated the formation of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a vital step forward in implementing Phase Two of his Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict—a 20-point roadmap for lasting peace, stability, reconstruction, and prosperity in the region.

    The NCAG will be led by Dr. Ali Sha’ath, a widely respected technocratic leader who will oversee the restoration of core public services, the rebuilding of civil institutions, and the stabilization of daily life in Gaza, while laying the foundation for long-term, self-sustaining governance. Dr. Sha’ath brings deep experience in public administration, economic development, and international engagement, and is widely respected for his pragmatic, technocratic leadership and understanding of Gaza’s institutional realities.

    This milestone perfectly aligns with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025), which endorsed President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan and welcomed the establishment of the Board of Peace. The Board of Peace will play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the President’s plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development.

    To operationalize the Board of Peace’s vision—under the chairmanship of President Donald J. Trump—a founding Executive Board has been formed, composed of leaders with experience across diplomacy, development, infrastructure, and economic strategy. The appointed members are:

    • Secretary Marco Rubio
    • Steve Witkoff
    • Jared Kushner
    • Sir Tony Blair
    • Marc Rowan
    • Ajay Banga
    • Robert Gabriel

    Each Executive Board member will oversee a defined portfolio critical to Gaza’s stabilization and long-term success, including, but not limited to, governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilization.

    In support of this operating model, the Chairman has appointed Aryeh Lightstone and Josh Gruenbaum as senior advisors to the Board of Peace, charged with leading day-to-day strategy and operations, and translating the Board’s mandate and diplomatic priorities into disciplined execution.

    H.E. Nickolay Mladenov, an Executive Board member, will serve as the High Representative for Gaza. In this capacity, he will act as the on-the-ground link between the Board of Peace and the NCAG. He will support the Board’s oversight of all aspects of Gaza’s governance, reconstruction, and development, while ensuring coordination across civilian and security pillars.

    To establish security, preserve peace, and establish a durable terror-free environment, Major General Jasper Jeffers has been appointed Commander of the International Stabilization Force (ISF), where he will lead security operations, support comprehensive demilitarization, and enable the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials.

    In support of the Office of the High Representative and the NCAG, a Gaza Executive Board is being established. The Board will help support effective governance and the delivery of best-in-class services that advance peace, stability, and prosperity for the people of Gaza. The appointed members are:

    • Steve Witkoff
    • Jared Kushner
    • Minister Hakan Fidan
    • Ali Al-Thawadi
    • General Hassan Rashad
    • Sir Tony Blair
    • Marc Rowan
    • Minister Reem Al-Hashimy
    • Nickolay Mladenov
    • Yakir Gabay
    • Sigrid Kaag

    The United States remains fully committed to supporting this transitional framework, working in close partnership with Israel, key Arab nations, and the international community to achieve the objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. The President calls on all parties to cooperate fully with the NCAG, the Board of Peace, and the International Stabilization Force to ensure the swift and successful implementation of the Comprehensive Plan.

    Additional Executive Board and Gaza Executive Board members will be announced over the coming weeks.

    The White House

    January 16, 2026

    Sources: WH.gov , Midtown Tribune news

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • White House. First Lady Frames AI as a “New Engine” for Curiosity—With a Warning Not to Outsource Thinking ( Official Video )

    White House. First Lady Frames AI as a “New Engine” for Curiosity—With a Warning Not to Outsource Thinking ( Official Video )

    In remarks delivered from the White House for a national Zoom webinar, Melania Trump urged students to treat AI as a creative tool, not a substitute for judgment.

    WASHINGTON—First Lady Melania Trump used a virtual address to thousands of classrooms Friday to pitch artificial intelligence as a once-in-a-generation accelerator of learning and creativity—while cautioning students not to let the technology do their thinking for them. (The White House)

    Speaking in opening remarks for “Zoom Ahead: AI for Tomorrow’s Leaders,” a national learning event hosted by Zoom, Mrs. Trump described an “Age of Imagination” in which curiosity can be satisfied “almost magically, in seconds,” and argued that the decisive skill in the AI era is not memorization but asking better questions. (The White House)

    The event—scheduled for Jan. 16 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific via Zoom Webinar—was positioned by the company and the White House as part of a broader push to build AI literacy for K–12 students and educators, with a particular emphasis on responsible use. (Zoom)

    “Age of Imagination,” “intellectual freedom”

    Mrs. Trump’s prepared remarks read like a motivational address aimed at demystifying AI for young audiences: a student who wants to design fashion, write music, or create an animated superhero series can now use AI tools from home to draft concepts, characters and scripts. (The White House)

    But the core of the speech was less about software than mindset. “In the new AI era, the most powerful skill is knowing what to ask, why it matters, and how to think beyond the first answer,” she said, urging students to be “stubbornly curious” and to “question everything.” (The White House)

    Her closing message, however, drew a bright line between generation and meaning. AI can create “images and information,” she said, but “only humans can generate meaning and purpose.” She urged students to “never surrender your thinking to AI,” warning against treating the technology as a shortcut. (The White House)

    A corporate partnership with a classroom pitch

    The White House said the initiative is intended to “improve America’s children’s understanding” of AI and to “empower the next generation” to use it in education and later careers, with Zoom as a partner reaching “thousands of schools nationwide.” (The White House)

    Zoom, for its part, framed the webinar as part of a wider AI literacy program and emphasized confidence and ethics in adoption. The company’s release said its event is designed to help students understand how AI can be used “responsibly, creatively, and confidently,” and noted that Mrs. Trump would deliver opening remarks live from the White House. (Zoom)

    Eric Yuan, Zoom’s chief executive and founder, echoed the responsible-use theme, arguing that the spread of AI in learning and work makes literacy and ethical norms essential for students and educators. (The White House)

    The politics of AI education

    Mrs. Trump has increasingly made technology and youth-focused education a signature lane, using the language of national competitiveness alongside personal development. The Zoom release quoted her as saying students and educators have a “unique chance to get ahead” by learning AI early, positioning literacy as a workforce advantage and a way for communities to shape, not simply absorb, technological change. (Zoom)

    The White House statement also tied Friday’s remarks to a broader agenda, noting that Mrs. Trump had called on the international community at the 2025 United Nations General Assembly to join her efforts and that she plans to host an inaugural meeting of a related initiative, “Fostering the Future Together,” at the White House this spring. (The White House)

    A simple message for a complicated technology

    For all the talk of “imagination,” the subtext of the address reflected a debate that has moved quickly from Silicon Valley to school districts: how to harness AI’s ability to draft, summarize and generate media without weakening core skills like reasoning, writing and judgment.

    Mrs. Trump offered a practical rule of thumb: use AI to widen the field of ideas—but keep ownership of conclusions. “Be intellectually honest with yourself,” she said. “Use AI as a tool—but do not let it replace your personal intelligence.” (The White House)

    In an era when students can produce a passable essay or a polished slide deck in minutes, the First Lady’s prescription was old-fashioned: do the hard part yourself. The technology may be new; the standard she set was not.

    Jan 16, 2026 White House Washington , DC

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • White House. Democrats Once Demanded Maduro’s Ouster. Now They Mourn His Capture — Because Trump Did It.

    White House. Democrats Once Demanded Maduro’s Ouster. Now They Mourn His Capture — Because Trump Did It.

    President Donald J. Trump has scored another remarkable foreign policy triumph: the bold capture and extradition of Nicolas Maduro, the indicted narcoterrorist and socialist dictator who plunged Venezuela into chaos, starved its people, and menaced American security, now detained on U.S. soil to face long-overdue justice.

    Democrats spent years howling that Maduro was a ruthless tyrant who had to be delegitimized, pressured, and removed. But the instant President Trump succeeds where they failed, they erupt in furious hypocrisy — prioritizing their unhinged hatred of President Trump over American interests and national security.

    Here are just a few of the many hypocritical Democrats then vs. now:

    Sen. Chuck Schumer

    • THEN: “And the President brags about his Venezuela policy. Give us a break. He hasn’t brought an end to the Maduro regime. The Maduro regime is more powerful today and more entrenched today than it was when the President began.” (2/5/20)
    • NOW: “This is reckless. And the American people are just, this morning, in fear of what’s going to happen here.” (1/4/26)

    Sen. Dick Durbin

    • THEN: “The people of Venezuela deserve better than this. We can’t allow this President’s short attention span to stop us from delivering on our promise to help the Venezuelan people rebuild their country… Though President Trump may seem ready to throw in the towel, I stand committed to aiding the people of Venezuela.” (6/20/19)
    • NOW: “I disagree with President Trump’s use of U.S. military forces without Congressional approval & worry deeply about this Admin’s follow through on foreign policy interventions.” (1/3/26)

    Sen. Chris Van Hollen

    • THEN: “[T]he United States is now going to use its levers and influence to push for a negotiation to have a transition to the truly elected leader… Obviously, we know Maduro and his cronies do not want to go quietly into the night, but the United States needs to work with its partners and allies in the region to ratchet up the pressure…” (8/2/24)
    • NOW: “It is an illegal act of war to replace Maduro.” (1/3/26)

    Sen. Chris Murphy

    • THEN: “If Trump cared about consistency, he would make the realist case for intervention in Venezuela (getting rid of Maduro is good for the United States) rather than trying to pretend his Administration all of the sudden cares about toppling anti-democratic regimes.” (1/23/19)
    • NOW: “The invasion of Venezuela has nothing to do with American security. Venezuela is not a security threat to the U.S.” (1/4/26)

    Sen. Tim Kaine

    • THEN: “This is a deeply concerning development for Venezuelans and for the entire region, since instability abroad impacts us here at home, too.” (9/2/24)
    • NOW: “President Trump’s unauthorized military attack on Venezuela to arrest Maduro… is a sickening return to a day when the United States asserted the right to dominate the internal political affairs of all nations in the Western Hemisphere.” (1/3/26)

    Sen. Amy Klobuchar

    • THEN: “I have of course supported bringing in the new president and delegitimizing the Maduro government. You always leave things on the table.” (5/2/19)
    • NOW: “I have strongly opposed sending American forces into harm’s way in Venezuela without authorization from Congress. We should not put Americans at risk in this way without careful deliberation among the people’s elected representatives. Wars for regime change can lead to unintended consequences.”(1/3/26)

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren

    • THEN: “Maduro is a dictator and a crook who has wrecked his country’s economy, dismantled its democratic institutions, and profited while his people suffer. The United States should lead the international community in addressing Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis and supporting regional efforts to negotiate a political transition.” (7/30/2019)
    • NOW: “What does it mean that the U.S. will ‘run’ Venezuela, and what will Trump do next around the world? The American people voted for lower costs, not for Trump’s dangerous military adventurism overseas that won’t make the American people safer.” (1/3/26)

    Rep. Jamie Raskin

    • THEN: “The democratic world must stand up for the rule of law in Venezuela and oppose Maduro’s assault on the electoral process and free speech. The right-wing attack on democratic institutions anywhere is a threat to freedom everywhere.” (8/2/24)
    • NOW: “Trump is not only violating our Constitution, but he is shredding the rules-based international order created after World War II, whose essential building block is the political sovereignty and territorial integrity of each nation.” (1/4/26)

    Rep. Darren Soto

    • THEN: “Honored to speak with @cdvorlando yesterday about Venezuelan TPS, raising the reward for Maduro’s capture to $100M, and bringing democracy back to Venezuela. #VenezuelaLibre” (10/6/24)
    • NOW: “Trump’s trading one dictator for another just to get oil? This will do NOTHING to help my constituents’ family members who just lost their TPS and still can’t return home.” (1/5/26)

    The White House

    January 5, 2026

    Sources: White House WH.gov , Midtown Tribune news

  • Pledge to America’s Youth

    Pledge to America’s Youth

    DVANCING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE EDUCATION FOR AMERICAN YOUTH

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Background.  Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the modern world, driving innovation across industries, enhancing productivity, and reshaping the way we live and work.  To ensure the United States remains a global leader in this technological revolution, we must provide our Nation’s youth with opportunities to cultivate the skills and understanding necessary to use and create the next generation of AI technology.  By fostering AI competency, we will equip our students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to and thrive in an increasingly digital society.  Early learning and exposure to AI concepts not only demystifies this powerful technology but also sparks curiosity and creativity, preparing students to become active and responsible participants in the workforce of the future and nurturing the next generation of American AI innovators to propel our Nation to new heights of scientific and economic achievement.
    To achieve this vision, we must also invest in our educators and equip them with the tools and knowledge to not only train students about AI, but also to utilize AI in their classrooms to improve educational outcomes.  Professional development programs focused on AI education will empower educators to confidently guide students through this complex and evolving field.  Educators, industry leaders, and employers who rely on an AI-skilled workforce should partner to create educational programs that equip students with essential AI skills and competencies across all learning pathways.  While AI education in kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) is critical, our Nation must also make resources available for lifelong learners to develop new skills for a changing workforce.  By establishing a strong framework that integrates early student exposure with comprehensive teacher training and other resources for workforce development, we can ensure that every American has the opportunity to learn about AI from the earliest stages of their educational journey through postsecondary education, fostering a culture of innovation and critical thinking that will solidify our Nation’s leadership in the AI-driven future.

    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States to promote AI literacy and proficiency among Americans by promoting the appropriate integration of AI into education, providing comprehensive AI training for educators, and fostering early exposure to AI concepts and technology to develop an AI-ready workforce and the next generation of American AI innovators.

    Sec. 3.  Definition.  For the purposes of this order, “artificial intelligence” or “AI” has the meaning set forth in 15 U.S.C. 9401(3).

    Sec. 4.  Establishing an Artificial Intelligence Education Task Force.  (a)  There is hereby established the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education (Task Force).
    (b)  The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall be the Chair of the Task Force.
    (c)  The Task Force membership shall consist of the following members:
    (i)     the Secretary of Agriculture;
    (ii)    the Secretary of Labor;
    (iii)   the Secretary of Energy;
    (iv)    the Secretary of Education;
    (v)     the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF);
    (vi)    the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy;
    (vii)   the Special Advisor for AI & Crypto;
     (viii)  the Assistant to the President for Policy; and
    (ix)    the heads of other such executive departments and agencies (agencies) and offices that the Chair may designate or invite to participate.
    (d)  The Task Force shall be responsible for implementing the policy stated in section 2 of this order and coordinating Federal efforts related to AI education, including the actions outlined in this order.

    Sec. 5.  Establishing the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge.  (a)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Task Force shall establish plans for a Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge (Challenge), and the agencies represented on the Task Force shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, implement the plans by holding the Challenge no later than 12 months from the submission of the plan.  The Challenge shall encourage and highlight student and educator achievements in AI, promote wide geographic adoption of technological advancement, and foster collaboration between government, academia, philanthropy, and industry to address national challenges with AI solutions.
    (b)  The Challenge shall feature multiple age categories, distinct geographic regions for competition, and a variety of topical themes of competition to reflect the breadth of AI applications, encouraging interdisciplinary exploration. 
    (c)  The Task Force and, as appropriate, agencies represented on the Task Force shall collaborate with relevant agencies and private sector entities to provide technical expertise, resources, and promotional support for implementing the Challenge, including through existing funding vehicles.  

    Sec. 6.  Improving Education Through Artificial Intelligence.  (a)  To provide resources for K-12 AI education, agencies represented on the Task Force shall seek to establish public-private partnerships with leading AI industry organizations, academic institutions, nonprofit entities, and other organizations with expertise in AI and computer science education to collaboratively develop online resources focused on teaching K-12 students foundational AI literacy and critical thinking skills.  The Task Force shall promptly announce such public-private partnerships on a rolling basis as they are formed.
    (i)   The Task Force shall seek to utilize industry commitments and identify any Federal funding mechanisms, including discretionary grants, that can be used to provide resources for K-12 AI education.  To the extent practicable and as consistent with applicable law, agencies shall prioritize funding for such purposes when it would further the aims of the program for which funding is available.
    (ii)  The Task Force shall work to ensure the resources funded as described in subsection (i) of this section are ready for use in K-12 instruction within 180 days following the Task Force’s formal announcement of the first slate of public-private partnerships.
    (b)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Task Force shall identify existing Federal AI resources on which agencies may rely, such as the NSF- and Department of Agriculture-sponsored National AI Research Institutes, to support partnerships with State and local educational agencies to improve AI education.
    (c)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Education shall issue guidance regarding the use of formula and discretionary grant funds to improve education outcomes using AI, including but not limited to AI-based high-quality instructional resources; high-impact tutoring; and college and career pathway exploration, advising, and navigation.
    (d)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Education shall identify and implement ways to utilize existing research programs to assist State and local efforts to use AI for improved student achievement, attainment, and mobility.

    Sec. 7.  Enhancing Training for Educators on Artificial Intelligence.  (a)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Education shall take steps to prioritize the use of AI in discretionary grant programs for teacher training authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-10), as amended, and Title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-329), as amended, including for:
    (i)    reducing time-intensive administrative tasks;
    (ii)   improving teacher training and evaluation; 
    (iii)  providing professional development for all educators, so they can integrate the fundamentals of AI into all subject areas; and
    (iv)   providing professional development in foundational computer science and AI, preparing educators to effectively teach AI in stand-alone computer science and other relevant courses.
    (b)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Director of the NSF shall take steps to prioritize research on the use of AI in education.  The Director of the NSF shall also utilize existing programs to create teacher training opportunities that help educators effectively integrate AI-based tools and modalities in classrooms. 
    (c)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Agriculture shall take steps to prioritize research, extension, and education on the use of AI in formal and non-formal education through 4-H and the Cooperative Extension System.  The Secretary of Agriculture shall also utilize existing programs to create teacher and educator training opportunities that help effectively integrate AI-based tools and modalities into classrooms and curriculum.

    Sec. 8.  Promoting Registered Apprenticeships.  (a)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Labor shall seek to increase participation in AI-related Registered Apprenticeships, including by:
    (i)   Prioritizing the development and growth of Registered Apprenticeships in AI-related occupations.  The Secretary of Labor shall establish specific goals for growing Registered Apprenticeships in AI-related occupations across industries; and
    (ii)  Using apprenticeship intermediary contracts and allocating existing discretionary funds, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to engage industry organizations and employers and facilitate the development of Registered Apprenticeship programs in AI-related occupations.  In doing so, the Secretary of Labor shall support the creation of industry-developed program standards to be registered on a nationwide basis, enabling individual employers to adopt the standards without requiring individual registry.
    (b)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Labor shall encourage States and grantees to use funding provided under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) (Public Law 113-128), as amended, to develop AI skills and support work-based learning opportunities within occupations utilizing AI by:
    (i)    issuing guidance to State and local workforce development boards encouraging the use of WIOA youth formula funds to help youth develop AI skills;
    (ii)   clarifying that States can use Governor set-asides to integrate AI learning opportunities into youth programs across the State; and
    (iii)  consistent with applicable law, establishing AI skills training and work-based learning as a grant priority in all Employment and Training Administration youth-focused discretionary grant programs.
    (c)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Labor, through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training, and in collaboration with the Director of the NSF, shall engage with relevant State and local workforce development boards, industry organizations, education and training providers, and employers to identify and promote high-quality AI skills education coursework and certifications across the country.  Through such engagement, the Secretary of Labor shall:
    (i)    identify applicable funding opportunities to expand access to high-quality AI coursework and certifications;
    (ii)   set performance targets for youth participation through any grants awarded for this purpose; and
    (iii)  utilize industry and philanthropic partnerships to the extent practicable.
    (d)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, and in consultation with the Secretary of Education and the Director of the NSF, the Secretary of Labor shall support the creation of opportunities for high school students to take AI courses and certification programs by giving priority consideration in awarding grants as appropriate and consistent with applicable law to providers that commit to use funds to develop or expand AI courses and certification programs.  The Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education shall encourage recipients to build partnerships with States and local school districts to encourage those entities to consider offering high school students dual enrollment opportunities to take courses to earn postsecondary credentials and industry-recognized AI credentials concurrent with high school education.
    (e)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, all agencies that provide educational grants shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consider AI as a priority area within existing Federal fellowship and scholarship for service programs.

    Sec. 9.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

                            DONALD J. TRUMP Executive Orders

    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        April 23, 2025.

    Source: whitehouse.gov

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • DOJ Sues Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and AG Kwame Raoul Over State Immigration Laws

    DOJ Sues Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and AG Kwame Raoul Over State Immigration Laws

    DOJ Sues Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and AG Kwame Raoul Over State Immigration Laws Targeting Federal Enforcement USA News

    The U.S. Department of Justice has sued Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul in federal court, arguing that a pair of Illinois immigration-related laws unlawfully interfere with federal authority and operations—an example of the administration’s broader pushback against state measures it views as obstructing federal immigration enforcement. The challenged package includes the “Illinois Bivens Act,” which creates a state-law cause of action tied to alleged constitutional violations committed during “civil immigration enforcement,” and the “Court Access, Safety, and Participation Act,” which bars civil immigration arrests at (and, as described in reporting and advocacy materials, within a buffer zone around) Illinois courthouses; supporters frame the laws as due-process and courthouse-access protections, while DOJ frames them as unconstitutional constraints and liability exposure designed to chill federal enforcement.

    Justice Department Sues J.B. Pritzker,
    Kwame Raoul Over the Illinois Bivens Act

    Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul, challenging their unconstitutional attempt to regulate federal law enforcement officers through the so-called “Illinois Bivens Act” and “Court Access, Safety, and Participation Act.”

    Not only are the laws illegal attempts to regulate and discriminate against the federal government through novel causes of action, but, as alleged in the complaint, the laws threaten the safety of federal officers who have faced an unprecedented wave of harassment, doxxing, and even violence. Threatening officers with ruinous liability and even punitive damages for executing federal law and for simply protecting their identities and their families also chills the enforcement of federal law and compromises sensitive law enforcement operations. The danger is acute.

    “The Department of Justice will steadfastly protect law enforcement from unconstitutional state laws like Illinois’ that threaten massive punitive liability and compromise the safety of our officers,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.

    “Unfortunately, Illinois politicians prefer to attack law enforcement with lawsuits and punitive damages rather than support ICE’s Criminal Alien Program, which prioritizes the safe removal of dangerous criminal aliens like murderers, child rapists, and other serious offenders,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft for the Southern District of Illinois. “Courthouse arrests are only necessary in the first place because Illinois refuses to honor federal detainers at the jails and prisons, instead preferring to release criminals back into our communities.”

    On her first day in office, Attorney General Bondi instructed the Department’s Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal laws or impede lawful federal operations. Today’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of lawsuits brought by the Civil Division targeting illegal policies designed to thwart federal law enforcement across the country, including in New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, California. 

    December 22, 2025 Office of Public Affairs
    U.S. Department of Justice
    950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
    Washington DC 20530 Press Release Number: 25-1235

    Sources: Midtown Tribune news , Justice.gov
    Big New York news BigNY.com

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • White House. DONALD TRUMP CONGRESSIONAL BILL S. 1071 SIGNED INTO LAW

    White House. DONALD TRUMP CONGRESSIONAL BILL S. 1071 SIGNED INTO LAW

    On Thursday, December 18, 2025, the President signed into law:

    S. 1071, the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026,” which authorizes fiscal year 2026 appropriations principally for Department of War programs and military construction, Department of Energy national security programs, Intelligence programs, and Department of State programs; supports a military basic pay increase and other authorities relating to the United States Armed Forces; and provides authorities related to and makes other modifications to national security, foreign affairs, homeland, commerce, judiciary, and other related programs.

    The White House

    December 18, 2025

    Sources: Midtown Tribune news , White House

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • President Trump Participates in a Hanukkah Reception (Video )

    President Trump Participates in a Hanukkah Reception (Video )

    Presidential Message on Hanukkah

    I extend my warmest greetings to the Jewish community in the United States and all around the world as they begin their celebration of Hanukkah—the Festival of Lights and a joyous season of reflection and hope.

    More than 2,000 years ago, the Jewish people rose up against the forces of tyranny and restored their freedom to worship and live according to their faith, fighting for the inalienable rights endowed by our Creator.  Following their tremendous victory, they sought to rededicate their Holy Temple.  As tradition tells us, although they only had enough oil to light the lamp in the Temple for one night, in a glorious sign of the Almighty’s divine providence, it remained aflame for 8 days.  In remembrance of this great miracle, over the next 8 days, families and loved ones will gather to light the menorah, which serves as an enduring symbol of light’s victory over darkness and the eternal triumph of good over evil.  Hanukkah is a thanksgiving for these miracles.

    To this day, the menorah stands as an enduring symbol of liberty, of the idea that each citizen, in the words that George Washington wrote to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, “shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.”

    This holiday season, my Administration continues to stand firmly with the Jewish people and defend the right of every believer to worship freely and without fear of persecution.  The flames of Hanukkah stand as a reminder of the strength and resilience of the Jewish people and of the spirit that continues to guide our Nation toward a brighter future.

    Just as the grace of the Almighty brought the Maccabees to victory, it has sustained the miracle of America—a shining light to the entire world—for nearly 250 years.  As we continue to usher in the Golden Age, may the blessings of this season bring renewed peace, joy, and warmth to all those who celebrate.  Happy Hanukkah!

    The White House

    December 14, 2025 Video December 16, 2025

    Sources: WH.gov , Midtown Tribune News

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York