New Secretary of State Marco Rubio also announced new personnel policies in line with Trump's executive order ending so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring practices.

His predecessor, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, had emphasized those ideals, requiring department officials to "advance" DEI as a prerequisite for promotion and implement an "equity action plan."

The Biden administration often emphasized that equity must be "at the center."

Under Rubio, the byword will, instead, be equality.

He warned the department will end all evaluation and promotion practices other than those based on "performance and merit," adding that "strict meritocracy is essential to securing our nation's future."

So many so-called experts never look at the cost of things. Medical, law enforcement, education, insurance, etc. You can tell they've never run a business.

Declaring a National Emergency at the Southern Border of the United States
Jan 21, 2025

This Order directs the Secretary of Defense to order as many units of the Armed Forces as he determines appropriate,

including the Ready Reserve and the National Guard,

to support the activities of the Secretary of Homeland Security in obtaining complete operational control of the southern border.

The Secretary of Defense is also directed to provide detention space, transportationincluding aircraftand other logistical services in support of border enforcement operations.

The Order directs construction of additional physical barriers along the southern border, in coordination with any governor of a state willing to assist.

Sending the Marines to the border.

Designation of Ansar Allah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization

Initiates the process to designate the Ansar Allan (Houthis)

as a foreign terrorist organization, involving a State Department report and a USAID review of all related activities.

National Security & Defense

1/22/25

infinity ag said:

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Fitch said:

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The 'no taxes on tips' isn't among the EO's signed yesterday. Yes he mentioned it at the events, but it would be part of the budget bill later this year, if congress includes it.

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I hope there is no tax on unemployment benefits also. Most ridiculous thing.

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Unemployment benefits replace wages and should be taxable.

Fat Black Swan said:

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That's great. But his use of "bruh" should result in two weeks off without pay.

Fat Black Swan said:

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The new Trump EO instructs the federal government to investigate DEI at “institutions of higher education with endowments over 1 billion dollars.”

In other words: Get ready, Harvard. Your Claudine Gay-DEI nightmare has just begun.

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) January 22, 2025

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Should be all of them, regardless of the size of the endowments.

backintexas2013 said:

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Cut all social programs for able bodied adults under retirement age that will increase the labor markets.

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They should audit those on social security disability. Execute the first 100 they find that are not disabled, spread the word and give those on social security disability 48 hours to request being removed from disability or suffer the same fate. Go sit in a social security office and I would bet half to two-thirds of the people in there are under 50 years old.

i am a la que le

one safe place said:

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They should audit those on social security disability. Execute the first 100 they find that are not disabled, spread the word and give those on social security disability 48 hours to request being removed from disability or suffer the same fate. Go sit in a social security office and I would bet half to two-thirds of the people in there are under 50 years old.

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I had to take my mom (91 years old) after my dad died to sign some papers. 10 people in the waiting area - my mom was the only one who appeared to be older than 50.

One can hope thay trump starts penalizing the eu when they try to limit free speech, especially american, through their draconian laws designed to harm american media companies.

You want us in nato? I better not see another fine levelles towards google/apple/x/meta etc.

Who?mikejones! said:

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One can hope thay trump starts penalizing the eu when they try to limit free speech, especially american, through their draconian laws designed to harm american media companies.

You want us in nato? I better not see another fine levelles towards google/apple/x/meta etc.

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F google. Fine the hell out of them if you want. They have been no friend of Trump or conservatives.

No, I will disagree with you here. Despite it's political machinations, it's an American company. We should go hard after something like the EU who is actively trying to curtail our American rights by coming down on a company like Google.

We can simultaneously pressure them to be less ****ty and advocate for America abroad.

aggiehawg said:

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94% of federal employees do not show up in person, full-time. DJT just signed mandates requiring them to all return. pic.twitter.com/BTc0nY1NJB

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 21, 2025

This is eye opening. Not in a good way.

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It's infuriating and gives you a sickening picture of the Washington DC bubble. It's no wonder they are so out of touch with mainstream America.

It also tells you how many jobs could be cut from each department and not effect operations. I hope most of them quit so Trump can eliminate the positions completely.

Who?mikejones! said:

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No, I will disagree with you here. Despite it's political machinations, it's an American company. We should go hard after something like the EU who is actively trying to curtail our American rights by coming down on a company like Google.

We can simultaneously pressure them to be less ****ty and advocate for America abroad.

---

I think if they want to be thought of as an "American" company, they should stop discriminating and censoring opinions and views shared by ~50% of Americans. We shouldn't be going to bat for companies that actively seek to mute the voices of a significant portion of the population. When they start acting like an American company, then we can start defending them in the world.

infinity ag said:

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LMCane said:

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infinity ag said:

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Why the F were we displaying the Pride flag???????????????

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bruh- you been under a rock the last four years?!?

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Oh Lord help us.

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HE is.
HE gave us one miracle on July 13th, and another on November 5th.

Ag87H2O said:

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aggiehawg said:

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94% of federal employees do not show up in person, full-time. DJT just signed mandates requiring them to all return. pic.twitter.com/BTc0nY1NJB

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 21, 2025

This is eye opening. Not in a good way.

---

It's infuriating and gives you a sickening picture of the Washington DC bubble. It's no wonder they are so out of touch with mainstream America.

It also tells you how many jobs could be cut from each department and not effect operations. I hope most of them quit so Trump can eliminate the positions completely.

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Government workers quit? And go work in the real world?
Yeah. That isn't going to happen. DOGE has it's work cut out for it.

one safe place said:

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infinity ag said:

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Fitch said:

---

The 'no taxes on tips' isn't among the EO's signed yesterday. Yes he mentioned it at the events, but it would be part of the budget bill later this year, if congress includes it.

---

I hope there is no tax on unemployment benefits also. Most ridiculous thing.

---

Unemployment benefits replace wages and should be taxable.

---

But the reason is different. Unemployment benefits are because you lost your job. Something bad happened and you need help. Taxing that is cruel.
Wages are a good and healthy situation and should be taxed. .

infinity ag said:

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one safe place said:

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infinity ag said:

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Fitch said:

---

The 'no taxes on tips' isn't among the EO's signed yesterday. Yes he mentioned it at the events, but it would be part of the budget bill later this year, if congress includes it.

---

I hope there is no tax on unemployment benefits also. Most ridiculous thing.

---

Unemployment benefits replace wages and should be taxable.

---

But the reason is different. Unemployment benefits are because you lost your job. Something bad happened and you need help. Taxing that is cruel.
Wages are a good and healthy situation and should be taxed. .

---

I thought that unemployment benefits had always been subject to income tax?

agent-maroon said:

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infinity ag said:

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one safe place said:

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infinity ag said:

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Fitch said:

---

The 'no taxes on tips' isn't among the EO's signed yesterday. Yes he mentioned it at the events, but it would be part of the budget bill later this year, if congress includes it.

---

I hope there is no tax on unemployment benefits also. Most ridiculous thing.

---

Unemployment benefits replace wages and should be taxable.

---

But the reason is different. Unemployment benefits are because you lost your job. Something bad happened and you need help. Taxing that is cruel.
Wages are a good and healthy situation and should be taxed. .

---

I thought that unemployment benefits had always been subject to income tax?

---

In Texas, UE benefits can ne either taxed at 10% or 0 tax withheld. Either or option at start of application.

agent-maroon said:

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infinity ag said:

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one safe place said:

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infinity ag said:

---

Fitch said:

---

The 'no taxes on tips' isn't among the EO's signed yesterday. Yes he mentioned it at the events, but it would be part of the budget bill later this year, if congress includes it.

---

I hope there is no tax on unemployment benefits also. Most ridiculous thing.

---

Unemployment benefits replace wages and should be taxable.

---

But the reason is different. Unemployment benefits are because you lost your job. Something bad happened and you need help. Taxing that is cruel.
Wages are a good and healthy situation and should be taxed. .

---

I thought that unemployment benefits had always been subject to income tax?

---

They are. As far as I know.

Ag87H2O said:

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Trump is hitting so hard and so fast that the Democrats and legacy media don't have time to get fixated and attack any one thing for very long. They don't have close to enough bandwidth to keep up.

I hope Trump keeps this up for 1455 more days. Don't let them up for air.

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He has learned a lot in 8 years. I think he thought 8 years ago that long time bureaucrats would do what he wanted because they worked for him, and he has learned that lesson.

I also think he didn't want too many EOs because he didn't want to be called a dictator, but they called him one anyways so EO away.

infinity ag said:

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agent-maroon said:

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infinity ag said:

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one safe place said:

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infinity ag said:

---

Fitch said:

---

The 'no taxes on tips' isn't among the EO's signed yesterday. Yes he mentioned it at the events, but it would be part of the budget bill later this year, if congress includes it.

---

I hope there is no tax on unemployment benefits also. Most ridiculous thing.

---

Unemployment benefits replace wages and should be taxable.

---

But the reason is different. Unemployment benefits are because you lost your job. Something bad happened and you need help. Taxing that is cruel.
Wages are a good and healthy situation and should be taxed. .

---

I thought that unemployment benefits had always been subject to income tax?

---

They are. As far as I know.

---

That's a withholding point of view. Its still taxable income, but how much you end up paying is calculated on your 1040 based on your total income.

Ferg said:

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infinity ag said:

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agent-maroon said:

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infinity ag said:

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one safe place said:

---

infinity ag said:

---

Fitch said:

---

The 'no taxes on tips' isn't among the EO's signed yesterday. Yes he mentioned it at the events, but it would be part of the budget bill later this year, if congress includes it.

---

I hope there is no tax on unemployment benefits also. Most ridiculous thing.

---

Unemployment benefits replace wages and should be taxable.

---

But the reason is different. Unemployment benefits are because you lost your job. Something bad happened and you need help. Taxing that is cruel.
Wages are a good and healthy situation and should be taxed. .

---

I thought that unemployment benefits had always been subject to income tax?

---

They are. As far as I know.

---

That's a withholding point of view. Its still taxable income, but how much you end up paying is calculated on your 1040 based on your total income.

---

Withholding is optional. You can ask for them to withhold or not.

Taxationon that is not optional.

What I am saying is people who deserve unemployment are mostly very poor. I personally don't need it but then it was available and lawful for me to ask for it so I did (during certain times). So for people who are poor and lose their jobs, I think taxing them is cruel. Unemployment income isn't a lot anyway, it should be completely taxfree.

I'd rather one of our own citizens make some money to pay rent than the billions we send to Ukraine or Pakistan.

aezmvp said:

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BREAKING: Trump administration just suspended all new foreign aid pending review, per Ken Klippenstein.

— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) January 24, 2025

Can't wait for him to look at UN funding, probably after Stefanik gets approved. But this... this is what we hoped for in 2017. It will be the model for all Presidents going forward on both sides.

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Awesome. USe the saved money to pay down our debt.

Any info on how much aid and to which countries?

Exception is Israel and Egypt.

infinity ag said:

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Any info on how much aid and to which countries?

Exception is Israel and Egypt.

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In fiscal year 2024, the United States Congress approved approximately $60 billion in discretionary funding for the International Affairs Budget, which includes foreign aid3. This represents a reduction of about $3.7 billion (6%) compared to the fiscal year 2023 enacted level3.

eta: More details here if interested. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/in-2024-what-was-the-usa-budge-VbViDjKKREaNdNR.COCUOA#1