The deportations of Venezuelans held in northern Texas under an 18th-century wartime law have been temporarily halted by the Supreme Court. The court issued a brief order instructing the Trump administration to refrain from removing Venezuelans detained at the Bluebonnet Detention Center “until further order of this court.” Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the decision.
Protesters against President Trump gathered nationwide over the past weekend, expressing concerns about perceived threats to the country’s democratic principles. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has called for the dismissal of Pete Hegseth following reports from sources cited by The New York Times and The Associated Press that the defense secretary established an additional Signal messaging chat to share details of military air strikes.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are set to host 40,000 guests at the White House Easter Egg Roll, marking the event’s return for the first time in his second term. However, the festivities may be dampened by the possibility of scattered showers in Monday’s weather forecast. Both the president and the first lady were scheduled to speak to the attendees from a White House balcony before partaking in the activities.
The Latest:
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’s Houthi militants that were similar to those sent in another chain 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 “stands strongly behind” Hegseth. She tried to dismiss the reporting by saying “this is what happens when the entire Pentagon is working against you.”
Hegseth told reporters Monday that he had spoken with the president and “we are going to continue fighting.”
Read more about Hegseth’s Signal chats controversy
—- 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 how expensive it’s become to buy a dozen.
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.
“You cannot have the White House Easter Egg Roll without real eggs,” Metz said in an interview.
Trumps to preside as thousands attend the White House Easter Egg Roll
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump expected to welcome 40,000 people to the first White House Easter Egg Roll of his second term — an event that could turn soggy with scattered showers in Monday’s forecast.
Children will line up to guide colorfully dyed hard-boiled eggs across a patch of lawn to a finish line. There’s also an egg hunt and activities to promote next year’s 250th anniversary of America’s founding.
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.
Read more about the White House Easter Egg Roll
China warns other countries against US deals that harm Chinese trade
“China firmly opposes any party reaching a deal at the expense of China’s interests,” China’s Commerce Ministry said in a statement Monday. “If this happens, China will never accept it and will resolutely take countermeasures in a reciprocal manner.”
Governments including those of Taiwan, Japan and South Korea have begun negotiations with Washington after Trump announced sweeping tariffs against almost all of America’s 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 “approach China as a group” together with Washington.
Read more on China’s reaction to Trump’s tariffs
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’s Houthi militants that were sent in another chain 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 — which is a commercially available app not authorized to be used to communicate sensitive or classified national defense information — included 13 people, the person said. They also confirmed the chat was dubbed “Defense ′ Team Huddle.”
The New York Times reported that the group included Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, who is a former Fox News producer, and his brother Phil Hegseth, who was hired at the Pentagon as a Department of Homeland Security liaison and senior adviser. Both have traveled with the defense secretary and attended high-level meetings.
Read more about Hegseth’s reported second Signal chat
Alito’s dissent says court rushed to block Trump with middle-of-the night order
The Supreme Court acted “literally in the middle of the night” and without sufficient explanation, Justice Samuel Alito wrote in a sharp dissent that castigated the seven-member majority.
Joined by fellow conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, Alito said there was “dubious factual support” 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 Alien Enemies Act 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 “a reasonable time” to contest their pending removals.
The justices’ brief order directed the administration not to remove Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet Detention Center “until further order of this court.”
Alito said that “unprecedented” relief was “hastily and prematurely granted.”
Read more about Alito’s dissent
Supreme Court blocks, for now, new deportations under 18th-century wartime law
The Supreme Court 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 “until further order of this court.”
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 Alien Enemies Act 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 “a reasonable time” 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: “We are confident we will ultimately prevail against the onslaught of meritless litigation brought by radical activists.”
Read more about the court’s ruling
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