Harvard University announced Monday that it was suing to halt a federal freeze on more than $2.2 billion in grants after the institution said it would defy the Trump administration鈥檚 demands to limit activism on campus.
Meanwhile, U.S. stocks tumbled as about U.S. investments because of President trade war and his criticism of the Federal Reserve, which are shaking up the traditional order.
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Harvard sues Trump administration to stop the freeze of more than $2 billion in grants
In a letter to Harvard earlier this month, 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 administration had called for broad government and leadership reforms at the university, as well as changes to its admissions policies. It also demanded the university audit views of diversity on campus, and stop recognizing some student clubs.
Harvard President Alan Garber said the university would not bend to the government鈥檚 demands to limit . Hours later, the government froze billions of dollars in federal funding.
Trump to attend Pope Francis鈥� funeral
The U.S. president said on social media that he will be attending the pope鈥檚 upcoming funeral.
鈥淢elania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!鈥�
Wall Street and the dollar tumble as investors retreat further from the US
U.S. stocks have tumbled as investors worldwide get more skeptical about U.S. investments because of 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 trade war and his criticism of the Federal Reserve, which are shaking up the traditional order.
The S&P 500 fell 2.4% Monday and was 16% below its record set two months ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2.5%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 2.6%.
Big Tech stocks led the way lower ahead of earnings reports coming this week from Tesla and others. Perhaps of more concern, U.S. government bonds and the value of the U.S. dollar also sank.
Student loans in default to be referred to debt collection, Education Department says
Currently, roughly 5.3 million borrowers are in default on their federal student loans.
Beginning May 5, the department will begin involuntary collection through the Treasury Department鈥檚 offset program, which withholds payments from the government 鈥� including tax refunds, federal salaries and other benefits 鈥� from people with past-due debts to the government. After a 30-day notice, the department will also begin garnishing wages for borrowers in default.
Already, many borrowers have been bracing for .
In 2020, the paused federal student loan payments and interest accrual as a temporary relief measure for student borrowers. The pause in payments was extended multiple times through 2023, and a final grace period for loan repayments ended in October 2024.
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More change at Pentagon as spokesman Sean Parnell shifts to direct support role for Hegseth
Parnell is moving away temporarily from his media role to more directly support the defense secretary, three U.S. officials told The Associated Press.
The shifts are taking place as Pete Hegseth has removed five staff from his inner circle over the last week. A separate defense official disputed that Parnell鈥檚 role was substantially changing and said Parnell would continue to advise the secretary.
All of the officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.
Over the last week Hegseth has removed his aide ; Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg; and Darin Selnick, Hegseth鈥檚 deputy chief of staff. Those officials as the department hunts down leaks of inside information.
Former Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot announced he was resigning last week, unrelated to the leaks. The Pentagon said, however, that Ullyot was asked to resign. A fifth close Hegseth aide, chief of staff Joe Kasper, also was transitioning to a different role.
鈥� By Tara Copp
American Oversight wants judge to declare new Hegseth Signal chat is subject to federal records law
The Washington-based watchdog group filed a lawsuit last month against Hegseth and other top administration officials alleging violations of the Federal Records Act and Administrative Procedure Act after it was revealed the senior Trump administration officials had used Signal to discuss a military strikes against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
The group told the Associated Press on Monday that it will soon file an amended complaint asking a federal judge to also declare Hegseth鈥檚 separate Signal chat about the strike with a group that included his wife and brother as also subject to the federal records law and records must be preserved.
鈥淭his case concerns a clear and urgent threat to the preservation of government records, so we are asking the court to act swiftly and decisively to ensure this administration complies with the Federal Records Act,鈥� Chioma Chukwu, interim executive director of the group, said in a statement to the AP.
The Federal Records Act requires federal officials to preserve communications related to official government business.
FDA signals plan to phase out artificial colors in foods
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration signaled Monday that it intends to phase out petroleum-based synthetic food dyes from the nation鈥檚 food supply.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said they would announce the effort Tuesday afternoon in Washington, D.C.
No further details were released.
The FDA has approved 36 color additives for use in food, including nine synthetic dyes. Those include the dye called Red 3, which the agency banned in January.
States such as California and West Virginia recently passed laws banning certain food dyes from school meals.
Transportation department bucks long-held support for 鈥榬oad diets鈥�
The Trump administration says projects that reduce the number of traffic lanes will be viewed less favorably in an upcoming round of road safety grants.
For years, federal transportation officials have embraced 鈥渞oad diets鈥� as a strategy for discouraging speeders, citing a 19% to 47% decline in crashes. The DOT now claims road diets can lead to crashes, erratic maneuvers and a false sense of security putting everyone at risk.
Often the projects involve converting four-lane local roads to three lanes 鈥� one in each direction and a shared turn lane. Advocates maintain they鈥檙e inexpensive and supported by years of research showing safety improvements.
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JD Vance was one of the last leaders to meet with Pope Francis
One of final encounters before his death was with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who visited the Vatican over the weekend.
took place on Easter Sunday. Vance, a Catholic convert, entered the room and reached down for the pope鈥檚 hand. 鈥淗ello,鈥� the vice president said. 鈥淪o good to see you.鈥�
Vance鈥檚 visit was not without political sensitivities, and he met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Saturday for what the Vatican described as 鈥渁n exchange of opinions.鈥� The Catholic Church, under Francis鈥� leadership, has championed the rights of migrants, while Vance and President Donald Trump have advocated for crackdowns.
Vance鈥檚 office said the vice president and the cardinal 鈥渄iscussed their shared religious faith, Catholicism in the United States, the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world, and President 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 commitment to restoring world peace.鈥�
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that she had spoken to members of Vance鈥檚 team on Monday morning after Francis鈥� death.
鈥淭hey expressed how excited and grateful they were for the opportunity to have met with the pope just yesterday,鈥� she said.
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Autoparts industry seeks tariff relief from Trump
The U.S. autoparts industry is asking Trump to pause his tariffs so that manufacturers have time to open domestic manufacturing.
The Specialty Equipment Market Association, which represents manufacturers, distributors and retailers in the autoparts sector, sent Trump and his top aides on trade policy a letter Monday that seeks economic relief.
In addition to a 鈥渢ransition period鈥� to 鈥渞e-shore鈥� manufacturing, the group is seeking 鈥渟ome form of economic relief鈥� that could include tariff exemptions for molds, tooling and machinery brought into the United States as well as tax incentives to defray the costs of doing so. The letter gives a specific example of how a Louisiana factory would struggle to manage the cost of expanding because its machinery needs to be imported from Germany or China.
Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on autos, though there are some protections under the USMCA North American free trade pact.
Homeland Security Secretary Noem鈥檚 purse stolen at D.C. restaurant
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem鈥檚 purse was stolen at a Washington, D.C., restaurant on Easter night, according to department officials.
Noem鈥檚 children and grandchildren were in town for the holiday Sunday, and she had money in her purse to treat them to dinner and activities and to buy gifts, an email from Homeland Security said.
The email didn鈥檛 specify what was stolen, but CNN 鈥� which was first to report the story 鈥� said the thief took about $3,000 in cash, as well as Noem鈥檚 keys, driver鈥檚 license, passport, checks, makeup bag, medication and Homeland Security badge.
The secretary of Homeland Security is protected by U.S. Secret Service agents.
The Secret Service referred questions about the incident to Homeland Security headquarters.
Trump meeting with major retailers as tariffs create anxieties
President Donald Trump is slated to meet on Monday with executives from Walmart, Target, Home Depot and Lowe鈥檚, as concerns about his tariffs have rattled major U.S. retailers.
罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 baseline tariffs of 10% and import taxes of 145% on Chinese goods have created broader concerns about higher inflation and an economic slowdown. That鈥檚 created uncertainty and increased fears of a recession. The meeting was confirmed by an administration official who insisted on anonymity as the sitdown is not on 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 public schedule.
Bloomberg 蜜桃视频app first reported the meeting.
-By Joshua Boak
Trump says he was elected to move migrants out of the US
Trump is defending evoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, suggesting that cracking down on immigration was why he won in November.
Those comments followed Trump suggested that he agreed with Pope Francis鈥� message of tolerance for migrants.
鈥淚 was elected to clean up the mess in this country,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e had millions and millions of people come in who are criminals.鈥�
He added, 鈥淚 was elected to move them out.鈥�
The about-face came as Trump spoke to reporters amid Easter festivities.
Actually, people living in the U.S. illegally are less likely than native-born Americans to have been arrested for violent, drug and property crimes.
Trump evoked the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan migrants to a mega-prison in El Salvador. That鈥檚 drawn legal challenges, including a hearing in federal court later Monday.
Vance鈥檚 team says trade talks with India are progressing
Vice President JD Vance鈥檚 office says that 鈥榮ignificant progress鈥� has been made in trade talks with India.
Vance and his wife, Usha, met on Monday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They discussed the U.S.-India Bilateral Trade Agreement, which could possibly help to integrate supply chains between the two countries, according to a statement by Vance鈥檚 office.
Vance鈥檚 office said the talks had laid down 鈥渁 roadmap for further discussions about our shared economic priorities.鈥�
The Trump administration has made trade deals that box out China, the world鈥檚 dominant manufacturer, a priority.
Trump calls Francis 鈥榓 good man鈥� and says he agrees with popes message of tolerance for migrants 鈥� despite hardline immigration policies
Trump called Pope Francis 鈥渁 very good man who loved the world.鈥�
鈥淎nd he especially loved people that were having a hard time, and that鈥檚 good with me,鈥� the president added.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Easter festivities at the White House, Trump said he was still working on his schedule and wasn鈥檛 sure he attended Frances鈥� funeral. Asked if he agreed with the pope鈥檚 message of tolerance for migrants, Trump responded 鈥淵eah, I do鈥� but didn鈥檛 elaborate.
That comment came despite Trump making cracking down on the U.S.-Mexico border and championing hardline immigration policies a centerpiece of his second term. That鈥檚 included deporting migrants from the U.S. to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, and a Salvadoran mega-prison.
Trump appears to scoff at questioning about Hegseth鈥檚 use of Signal app
Trump turned a question about his defense secretary back onto the reporter.
鈥淲hy do you even ask a question like that?鈥� Trump asked. He then talked about higher military recruitment since he took office. 鈥漈he spirit in the Armed Forces is fantastic. Great confidence.鈥�
Asked if he was comfortable with Hegseth using Signal, Trump said, 鈥淎re you bringing up Signal again? I thought they gave that up two weeks ago. It鈥檚 all, uh, it鈥檚 the same old stuff 鈥� that鈥檚 an old one. Try finding something new.鈥�
Trump says media should 鈥榓sk the Houthis鈥� how Hegseth is doing
The president offered full-throated backing of his defense secretary following media reports that Hegseth shared sensitive military details in , including with his wife and brother.
Asked by reporters if he still had confidence in Hegseth amid the latest revelations, Trump responded the media should pose that question to the Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, who have been facing a barrage of U.S. airstrikes in recent weeks.
鈥淎sk the Houthis how he鈥檚 doing,鈥� Trump said. He added, 鈥淎sk the Houthis how much dysfunction...There is none.鈥�
Trump also appeared to blame recently dismissed Pentagon aides for being behind the reports.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just fake news. They just bring up stories,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淚 guess it sounds like disgruntled employees. You know, he was put there to get rid of a lot of bad people, and that鈥檚 what he鈥檚 doing. So you don鈥檛 always have friends when you do that.鈥�
Melania Trump reads to children at White House Easter Egg Roll
She read 鈥淏unny with a Big Heart鈥� by Marilyn Sadler at a reading nook.
When she was done, the first lady asked the kids to tell her what they learned from the story. A couple said 鈥渒indness.鈥�
Other administration officials scheduled to read books at the event include White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Trump praises military recruitment during Easter Egg Roll speech
Trump used his remarks kicking off the White House Easter Egg Roll to touch on some non-Easter themes after promising the children they would have 鈥渁 lot of fun.鈥�
The president said the U.S. is 鈥渄oing very well,鈥� and to support this, said military and law enforcement recruitment and enrollment have been 鈥渟etting records鈥� since he was elected to a second term.
鈥淗appy Easter and enjoy your lives,鈥� Trump declared from the Blue Room balcony, where he was flanked by the first lady and a person in a bunny costume. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have a great four years.鈥�
The Trumps then descended the stairs and the president blew a gold whistle to start the roll. Some children lobbed their eggs skyward rather than rolling them.
U.S. stocks are tumbling Monday as investors pull further from the United States over worries about Trump.
The S&P 500 fell 2.6% Monday and was 16% below its record set two months ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,000 points, and the Nasdaq composite sank 2.9%.
Perhaps more worryingly, the value of the U.S. dollar also sank as a retreat continues from U.S. markets. This is unusual because the dollar has historically strengthened during past episodes of nervousness.
This time around, it鈥檚 the Trump administration鈥檚 policies that are causing the fear and potentially weakening the dollar鈥檚 reputation as a pillar of the global economy and one of the safest possible investments.
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Trump participates in the White House Easter Egg Roll, says 鈥榬eligion is coming back鈥� in America
The president made comments from the White House balcony, flanked by Mrs. Trump and a person wearing an Easter bunny costume.
Trump thanked the National Park Service for 鈥渕aking everything so beautiful and spiffy,鈥� and the first lady for organizing the egg roll.
鈥淚鈥檓 very difficult when it comes to that,鈥� Trump said of preparations for White House celebrations. 鈥淭hey have done an incredible job. You just have to look around and see.鈥�
Trump added, 鈥淓aster is special and it鈥檚 one of our favorite days.鈥�
Defense Secretary lashes out after reports he shared military details in a second Signal chat
鈥淭his is what the media does,鈥� Pete Hegseth said at the White House Easter Egg Roll.
鈥淭hey take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees, and then they try to slash and burn people and ruin their reputations. Not going to work with me.鈥�
Hegseth did not deny the reports.
鈥淚 have spoken to the president, and we are going to continue fighting, on the same page all the way,鈥� he said.
Trump calls Federal Reserve chairman a 鈥榤ajor loser鈥� as markets sink
Trump again urged Jerome Powell to boost the economy by lowering the central bank鈥檚 key short-term interest rate.
Trump asserted that energy and grocery prices are 鈥渟ubstantially lower鈥� and 鈥渢here is virtually No Inflation.鈥� Gas prices have fallen, in part because oil costs have dropped on fears of slower growth, but food prices have risen and overall inflation remains above the Fed鈥檚 2% target.
Stock prices were already falling after White House economist Kevin Hassett said Friday that the administration is studying whether it can fire Powell. With 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 Truth Social post Monday, the S&P 500 stock index dropped nearly 2% in morning trading.
罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 threats also have driven down the dollar and pushed up the interest rate on 10-year Treasuries, a benchmark for mortgage rates.
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Secondhand stores are poised to benefit as tariffs drive up new clothing costs
clothing sold in the U.S. is made elsewhere, and that means higher prices as seek to survive
The Yale University Budget Lab last week estimated short-term consumer price increases of 65% for clothes and 87% for leather goods. The price hikes may drive to search for bargains and get cash from their own wardrobes.
Mobile apps for are being downloaded at a rate not seen in years, according to . It鈥檚 not yet clear though whether 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 tariffs will hold long enough to change behavior. And the purveyors of secondhand goods may raise their own prices.
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60,000 Americans to lose their rental assistance and risk eviction unless Congress acts
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says the $5 billion program launched by President Joe Biden to help pull people out of homelessness, domestic violence and human trafficking will run out of money by the end of next year.
Analysts say the Emergency Housing Vouchers were intended to keep paying rents for nearly a decade, but the money is running out as rents rise. It鈥檚 up to Congress to extend the funding, but the Republicans in control are dead-set on cutting spending to support tax cuts.
Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters championed the program and is pushing for another $8 billion infusion. Four GOP lawmakers who oversee the budget negotiations did not respond to AP requests for comment.
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White House expresses support for Hegseth following new Signal chat revelations
The White House is expressing support for Pete Hegseth following media reports that the defense secretary created another Signal messaging chat that included his wife and brother where sensitive military information was shared.
The New York Times first reported Sunday evening that the embattled Pentagon leader shared details of a March military airstrike against Yemen鈥檚 Houthi militants that were similar to those with top Trump administration leaders. A person familiar with the contents and those who received the messages confirmed the second chat to The Associated Press.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that Trump 鈥渟tands strongly behind鈥� Hegseth. She tried to dismiss the reporting by saying 鈥渢his is what happens when the entire Pentagon is working against you.鈥�
Hegseth told reporters Monday that he had spoken with the president and 鈥渨e are going to continue fighting.鈥�
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鈥�- By Tara Copp.
The American Egg Board acknowledges shortage as it donates 30,000 eggs for the roll
Egg Board President and CEO Emily Metz says the eggs were hand-dyed by board staff and volunteers and delivered to the White House on Friday.
She said the board understands the frustration felt by egg farmers and consumers over the egg shortage caused by the spread of avian flu and
She said these donated eggs were small and medium, sizes not typically sold by retailers, to avoid contributing to even higher prices. Nearly 9 million dozen eggs are sold daily in the United States, she noted.
鈥淵ou cannot have the White House Easter Egg Roll without ,鈥� Metz said in an interview.
Trumps to preside as thousands attend the White House Easter Egg Roll
President and first lady expected to welcome 40,000 people to the first of his second term 鈥� an event that could turn soggy with scattered showers in Monday鈥檚 forecast.
Children will line up to guide colorfully dyed hard-boiled eggs across a patch of lawn to a finish line. There鈥檚 also an egg hunt and activities to promote next year鈥檚 .
Kids and families can sign a mini-Declaration of Independence or dress up as Founding Fathers during the daylong event that will feature multiple activity stations, live performances and story times, including readings by the first lady and administration officials.
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China warns other countries against US deals that harm Chinese trade
鈥淐hina firmly opposes any party reaching a deal at the expense of China鈥檚 interests,鈥� in a statement Monday. 鈥淚f this happens, China will never accept it and will resolutely take countermeasures in a reciprocal manner.鈥�
Governments including those of Taiwan, Japan and South Korea have begun negotiations with Washington after Trump against almost all of America鈥檚 trading partners on April 2. The import taxes were quickly paused against most countries after markets panicked, but he increased his already steep tariffs against China.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said that other countries should 鈥渁pproach China as a group鈥� together with Washington.
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Hegseth shared details of Yemen strike in a second Signal chat
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth created another Signal messaging chat that included his wife and brother where he shared similar details of a March military airstrike against Yemen鈥檚 Houthi militants that were with top Trump administration leaders, The New York Times reported.
A person familiar with the contents and those who received the messages, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, confirmed the second chat to The Associated Press.
The second chat on Signal 鈥� which is a not authorized to be used to communicate sensitive or classified national defense information 鈥� included 13 people, the person said. They also confirmed the chat was dubbed 鈥淒efense 鈥� Team Huddle.鈥�
The New York Times reported that the group included Hegseth鈥檚 wife, Jennifer, who is a former Fox 蜜桃视频app producer, and his brother as a Department of Homeland Security liaison and senior adviser. Both have traveled with the defense secretary and attended high-level meetings.
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Alito鈥檚 dissent says court rushed to block Trump with middle-of-the night order
The Supreme Court acted 鈥渓iterally in the middle of the night鈥� and without sufficient explanation, Justice Samuel Alito wrote in a that castigated the .
Joined by fellow conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, Alito said there was 鈥渄ubious factual support鈥� for granting the request in an emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union. The group contended that immigration authorities appeared to be moving to restart such removals under the of 1798.
The majority did not provide a detailed explanation in the order early Saturday, as is typical, but the court previously said deportations could proceed only after those about to be removed had a chance to argue their case in court and were given 鈥渁 reasonable time鈥� to contest their pending removals.
The justices鈥� brief order directed the administration not to remove Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet Detention Center 鈥渦ntil further order of this court.鈥�
Alito said that 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� relief was 鈥渉astily and prematurely granted.鈥�
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Supreme Court blocks, for now, new deportations under 18th-century wartime law
The on Saturday blocked, for now, the deportations of any Venezuelans held in northern Texas under an 18th-century wartime law.
In a brief order, the court directed the Trump administration not to remove Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet Detention Center 鈥渦ntil further order of this court.鈥�
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented.
The high court acted in an emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union contending that immigration authorities appeared to be moving to restart removals under the of 1798. The Supreme Court had said earlier in April that deportations could proceed only if those about to be removed had a chance to argue their case in court and were given 鈥渁 reasonable time鈥� to contest their pending removals.
The Trump administration later Saturday filed paperwork urging the high court to reconsider its hold. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Saturday in a post on X: 鈥淲e are confident we will ultimately prevail against the onslaught of meritless litigation brought by radical activists.鈥�
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The Associated Press
