Last Saturday, huge crowds of people gathered in cities across the United States to protest against the government of President Donald Trump. Hundreds of thousands of people took part in the "Hands Off!" protests, which were organized in over 1,300 locations in all 50 states.
Published in “US Politics”
Since January 20, huge changes have been taking place in US politics. The effects of some of these changes will be felt around the world, and could last for a very long time. The situation is complicated and is changing constantly. NFK isn't able to cover it all, but this "US Politics" section is an effort to track these changes.
President Donald Trump's government has continued to fire massive numbers of people working for the US government. Tens of thousands of workers have been let go. The loss of workers will make it much harder for many government agencies to carry out their work.
President Donald Trump is using his power as president to punish law firms that he sees as opposing him, and to control the way universities are run.
The US government said that it has made a mistake by sending a Maryland man to a dangerous prison in El Salvador, even though he was legally allowed to stay in the US. The government has admitted its mistake, but it's not clear whether the man will be returned to the US.
In mid-March, a group of high-level members of President Donald Trump's government discussed a US military operation in a group chat using an app called Signal. A reporter was accidentally added to the chat. The chat did not meet US rules for secure communication. No one has been punished.
On March 14, President Donald Trump ordered the US government to stop nearly all of the work being done by Voice of America and other government news organizations. The move, which has put thousands of people out of work, is a huge change for the US.
Last Saturday, President Donald Trump's government sent a group of Venezuelans out of the country, even though it was told not to by a judge. The judge has demanded that the government explain why it disobeyed his orders. Mr. Trump has responded by attacking the judge.
Last Saturday, Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian who holds a US green card, was arrested by US immigration agents. His arrest has led to protests and raised questions about the US government's efforts to silence people for their political opinions.
On Tuesday, the US Department of Education laid off over 1,300 workers. The cuts are part of a plan by President Donald Trump to completely shut down the department, which is responsible for the country's schools. The news is causing concern among many Americans, who believe the move will be bad for education in the US.
Over the last six weeks, US President Donald Trump has threatened - and then paused - tariffs on Canada and Mexico several times. The threats and pauses aren't only confusing Canada and Mexico. They're also confusing and worrying countries and businesses around the world.
On Saturday, President Trump signed an order making English the official language of the United States. Some groups have welcomed the order. Others are upset about it.