President Donald Trump on Thursday appointed national security adviser Mike Waltz as the next U.N. ambassador. The president said Secretary of State Marco Rubio would serve as interim national security adviser. The president also announced the creation of a new commission on religious liberty, aimed at emphasizing the role of faith in America’s national identity.
The White House released more details Thursday about the minerals agreement Washington and Kyiv signed Wednesday night. Although Trump previously said he wanted to use Ukraine’s rare earth minerals to repay the United States, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the agreement does not include repayment for aid already received.
A federal judge appointed by Trump has blocked the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport suspected gang members. The judge ruled that the law doesn’t provide due process for detainees to challenge their removal, and doesn’t properly apply because there is no invasion or foreign government involved.