On Wednesday, protesters gathered in American cities to voice their disapproval of the Trump administration's initial policies, condemning everything from the president's crackdown on immigration to his revocation of transgender rights and his plan to forcibly relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. Signs condemning President Donald Trump, billionaire Elon Musk, the head of Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency, and Project 2025, a hard-right blueprint for American society and government, were waved by protesters in Philadelphia and at state capitols in California, Minnesota, Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin, Indiana, and elsewhere. For live coverage, click this link. At a demonstration outside the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, Margaret Wilmeth declared, "I'm appalled by democracy's...

Washington According to two persons familiar with the matter, former Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan was evicted from her residence by President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday with only three hours' notice, leaving her with little time to gather her personal belongings. On Trump's second day in office, Fagan, a four-star admiral and the first female military leader, was relieved of her position as the top officer of the Coast Guard. Her termination was due to border security concerns and an overemphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, according to officials at the Homeland Security Department, which is in charge of the Coast Guard. A new president looking to show off his power found Fagan to be an easy target. Compared to firing the chiefs of the four major branches of ...

DENVER As part of the Trump administration's massive deportation campaign targeting major cities, heavily armed federal officials searched apartment buildings throughout metro Denver early Wednesday seeking Venezuelan gang members and other migrants. Before dawn, at least two dozen officers with powerful weapons stormed multiple complexes. They were occasionally supported by huge, military-style automobiles. On social media, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it was pursuing the arrest and custody of 100 members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The number of those arrested was not specified. Officers from the Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement participated in the ...

Brunswick, Georgia. The week-long case was abruptly stopped before it reached the jury stage on Wednesday when a judge dismissed the felony indictment used to charge a former Georgia prosecutor who was accused of exploiting her position to shield the men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery. Former District Attorney Jackie Johnson, who was the senior state prosecutor at the time, has long denied pressuring police officers who originally chose not to make arrests when Arbery was shot dead in coastal Glynn County over five years ago. The judge's decision put an end to the criminal allegations that had plagued Johnson for almost three years. When Johnson's trial began last week, she was charged with a felony, a misdemeanor count of hindering police, and breaching her oath of office. After fi...

Welcome to the online edition of From the Politics Desk, an evening email that provides you with the most recent coverage and commentary from the campaign trail, Capitol Hill, and the White House by the NBC News Politics team. Following President Donald Trump's startling remarks about Gaza, Sahil Kapur and Yamiche Alcindor speak with members of the uncommitted movement in today's program. Adam Edelman also delves into the ways that Republican lawmakers and governors are hurrying to support or even imitate Trump's agenda at the state level. Register here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox each daily. Wollner, Adam 'Uncommitted' leaders stand by 2024 strategy after Trump floats Gaza takeover By Sahil Kapur and Yamiche Alcindor Democrats are once again debating how the uncom...

As corporate America feels the repercussions of the Trump administration's targeting of DEI policies within the federal government, Google's parent company ended its hiring goals for representation this week and eliminated any reference to diversity, equity, and inclusion from its annual report to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Alphabet deleted wording from its 10-K report to the SEC, which was released on Tuesday, that stated the company was dedicated to incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of its operations and to developing a staff that reflects the consumers it serves. A Google representative said in a statement that the company has been evaluating its initiatives for the past year as part of its dedication to establishing an environment where all wo...

Harrison Butker, the kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, had no regrets about his contentious graduating speech at Benedictine College. Butker's statements to the graduating class of the Catholic liberal arts college in May garnered media attention. In his speech, he attacked Pride Month, IVF, and the most heinous lies that women grads had been taught. He also speculated that most female students were most thrilled about getting married and starting a family. As he and his teammates get ready to play the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2025 Super Bowl, Butker is responding to his controversial remarks once more, nearly a year after he said them. Butker and other players traveled to New Orleans, the site of the Super Bowl, for a media gathering a few days prior to the game at Caesars Superdome. T...

According to a U.S. official, the CIA sent an unclassified email containing a list of all newly hired employees in order to comply with the president's executive order to reduce the federal workforce. This raised concerns among lawmakers and former intelligence officials that the list could be used by America's enemies. According to the current U.S. official, the list included the last names of persons hired within the last two years along with their first names and initials. These are the names of probationary employees. Probationary periods at the CIA can last for years. According to a former senior intelligence official, any foreign intelligence agency with a reasonable level of resources might use research and analytical tools to match these names and initials with other publicly avail...

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Wednesday that it had found a strain of bird flu in dairy cattle that had not been before observed in cows. Prior to this discovery, the USDA announced that the same strain of the virus was responsible for all 957 avian flu cases in dairy cow herds that had been documented since the outbreak started last year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that over 70 persons in the United States have contracted bird flu, with the majority of those affected being farm workers. The virus has spread among dairy herds and poultry flocks. In addition to killing tens of millions of egg-laying chickens, bird flu has caused egg costs to soar to all-time highs. In a press release, the USDA sta...

Kendrick Lamar, who is also coming off of an especially hot 2024, has already had a busy February. Additionally, he will be the main attraction for the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday night in the Caesers Superdome in New Orleans. In September, the NFL revealed that Lamar would be the main attraction at the much anticipated concert. "Rap music continues to be the most influential genre. And I'll be there to remind everyone of the reason. In a statement made public by the NFL at the time, Lamar, 37, stated, "They got the right one." It was revealed late last month that SZA would take the stage with him. The last time Lamar performed at the Super Bowl was in 2022, when he joined a number of other rappers and hip-hop artists for a West Coast-themed performance at SoFi Stadium in Los Angele...