Daily Digest Online

U.S. President Donald Trump has defended his executive order to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States to non-citizen parents, asserting the constitutional provision was historically intended for the children of enslaved people, not for "wealthy foreigners." In an interview, Trump stated that the legal basis for birthright citizenship "had everything to do with the babies of slaves" following the Civil War. "That case was not meant for some rich person coming from another country … and all of a sudden their whole family becomes United States citizens," he argued. The 14th Amendment and Legal Challenge The policy hinges on the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, which states that all persons "born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens." It was originally adopted to guarantee citizenship for formerly enslaved Africa...

In a case that could fundamentally reshape the balance of power within the U.S. government, the Supreme Court's conservative majority on Monday signaled a readiness to grant President Donald Trump sweeping authority to remove officials from key independent federal agencies—a move that would dramatically expand presidential power and potentially dismantle a 90-year-old legal precedent. The justices heard arguments in Trump v. Slaughter, a case that centers on President Trump's firing in March of Rebecca Slaughter, a Democratic-appointed member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The core question is whether a president can fire officials from independent agencies for any reason, or only for specific causes like "inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office," as current law for the FTC stipulates. Challenging a "Decaying Husk" of a Precedent Arguing for the Trump administration, U.S. Solicitor General John Saue...

Beneath the war-ravaged city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, a silent and desperate standoff is threatening to unravel a fragile ceasefire. An estimated 100 to 200 Hamas fighters are trapped underground on the Israeli-controlled side of the line, cut off from supplies and facing a grim choice: surrender, attempt a breakout, or perish. This prolonged subterranean siege is now a major obstacle to diplomatic efforts aimed at establishing lasting stability in Gaza. According to Israeli and Arab officials cited by The Wall Street Journal , the militants were caught behind Israeli lines when a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect in late October 2025. Isolated in a labyrinth of tunnels, their situation is deteriorating as food and water supplies dwindle. In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have launched a methodical campaign to dismantle the tunnel network, employing drilling, explosives, and in some areas, flooding sections with seawater to force the fighters out...

A Pentagon inspector general report has concluded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated regulations and potentially endangered U.S. troops by sharing sensitive military details from a classified email in a private Signal group chat, according to sources familiar with the findings. A Pentagon watchdog investigation has found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated Department of Defense policies and could have jeopardized the safety of American service members by sharing sensitive military information in a private, encrypted Signal chat earlier this year. According to sources familiar with the unreleased report, the Defense Department's Inspector General determined that Hegseth used his personal device to transmit details about U.S. military operations in Yemen that were derived from a classified email marked "SECRET//NOFORN"—meaning the information was restricted to U.S. personnel only.  The report concluded that if the infor...

The FBI is investigating whether the suspect in last month's fatal shooting of a National Guard member in Washington, D.C. had connections to the Islamic missionary movement Tablighi Jamaat, as new details emerge about his activities before the attack. Federal investigators are examining potential ties between National Guard shooting suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal and the global Islamic missionary movement Tablighi Jamaat, according to sources familiar with the investigation. Lakanwal, a former Afghan commando, is accused of ambushing and shooting two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House on November 26. Soldier Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her injuries, while Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains hospitalized in critical condition. Sources indicate that in phone calls with his wife before the attack, Lakanwal stated he was "doing Tablighi"—a reference to missionary work associated with Tablighi Jamaat. This detail, provided by the suspect...

The Trump administration has imposed new visa restrictions targeting Nigerians accused of funding or supporting violence against Christians, escalating U.S. diplomatic pressure over religious freedom concerns amid strong denials from the Nigerian government. The United States has announced visa restrictions against individuals implicated in financing or supporting violence targeting Christians in Nigeria, framing the move as a response to ongoing atrocities. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed the policy on Wednesday via social media platform X. In his statement, he said the U.S. would restrict visas for those who “knowingly direct, authorize, fund, support, or carry out violations of religious freedom,” explicitly naming Nigeria among the affected nations. "The United States is taking decisive action in response to the atrocities and violence against Christians in Nigeria and around the world," Rubio wrote. The announcement follo...

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the unilateral cancellation of all documents signed by an autopen during his predecessor's administration, declaring pardons, executive orders, and other legal instruments from the Biden era legally invalid. In a sweeping and unprecedented move, President Donald Trump has declared all official documents signed via autopen under the Biden administration to be "null, void, and of no further force or effect." The announcement was made by the President on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday. The order targets a wide range of documents, including executive orders, memoranda, contracts, and notably, legal pardons granted by former President Joe Biden. "Anyone receiving 'Pardons', 'Commutations,' or any other Legal Document so signed, please be advised that said Document has been fully and completely terminated," President Trump stated in the post. This action follows through on Trump...