Trump team eyes quick rollback of Biden student debt relief
By Michael Stratford President-elect Donald Trump is poised to pull the plug on President Joe Biden’s yearslong push to cancel student debt for tens of millions of people as Republicans sweep into power in the coming months. Trump transition advisers and outside allies have been discussing ways to quickly unwind the various Biden-era initiatives that offered new or easier paths to loan forgiveness for borrowers, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The move would be the culmination of nearly four years of attacks by GOP lawmakers and attorneys general on Biden’s student debt relief policies. On the campaign
Special counsel Jack Smith moves to drop both federal criminal cases against Trump
By Kyle Cheney Special counsel Jack Smith on Monday dropped one of his criminal cases against President-elect Donald Trump and was on the verge of dropping the other — a termination that is required, Smith said, by Justice Department policy that bars continuing the prosecutions once Trump is inaugurated. In a pair of court filings, Smith said he consulted with Justice Department officials about whether an ongoing prosecution against a person elected president might proceed. Officials in the department’s Office of Legal Counsel, Smith said, concluded that a longstanding prohibition on prosecuting a sitting president applied to the two cases against Trump.
Red States Back Trump’s Plan to Abolish Education Department
Written By Jessica Blake An increasing number of Republican state officials are supporting President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to dismantle the federal Department of Education. One even formed an advisory committee to prepare for any new responsibilities the state may take on as a result. “What we want to make sure that we’re able to do is implement big changes in the fastest way possible,” Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters said Nov. 11 as he announced the formation of a Trump Education Advisory Committee. “We’ve been at the tip of the spear for the most aggressive, conservative education agenda already, and now with President
Congress will have a record-setting number of Black members in its ranks next year
By Curtis Bunn The Congressional Black Caucus will boast a record 62 members for the next session of Congress, contributing toward the highest number of Black federal lawmakers in history, according to the organization. In all, 67 Black people will serve in Congress. Five Republican members are not listed as members of the CBC. While the caucus’s members had planned to uphold a policy agenda for Black and marginalized people under a Kamala Harris administration, instead Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said the CBC’s role will be to hold President-elect Donald Trump and his congressional supporters accountable. Both the House and Senate
Concern Follow Trump’s Decision to Tap Former WWE Exec as Education Secretary
Written By Jessica Blake When President-elect Donald Trump wanted to find his next education secretary, he turned not to state officials with a record of overhauling education, but rather to a former wrestling executive with a short résumé in the sector. It’s a move that shocked some analysts while delighting Republican lawmakers and conservative groups. Other politicians and education experts alike are withholding judgment until Linda McMahon is formally nominated. Reactions to McMahon’s selection centered on her background as cofounder and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment and what her lack of education policy experience could mean for the future of
These Loyal Black Conservatives Just Got Left in the Dust By Trump’s Post-Election Picks
By Candace McDuffie As President-elect Donald Trump continues to handpick members of his Cabinet, it appears as though the Black conservatives who backed him at mind-boggling levels are nowhere to be found. Here are the ones that got noticeably left in the dust. After he tried—and failed—to become the Republican presidential nominee, U.S. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott went on to endorse Trump. This meant appearing at Trump’s campaign rallies and confessing his undying love for him. Beyond humiliating himself.s..atleast in front of Black folk, Scott has yet to be selected as a member of his Cabinet. Political Commentator Candace Owens Conservative
GOP holds onto House majority — clinching the trifecta
By Jordain Carney Republicans have achieved the government trifecta — keeping control of the House as well as winning the Senate and the presidency. It will be the first time Republicans have had full control of Congress and the White House since 2018. House Republicans have been quietly preparing their legislative agenda on tax cuts and other priorities for months, though an expected narrow majority will likely complicate those efforts, as well as Speaker Mike Johnson’s bid to hold onto the gavel in a January floor vote. The GOP held onto a slew of at-risk incumbents as results trickled in over
Daily Record Names President Breaux of Bowie State University to Higher Education Power List
Courtesy of Bowie State University Bowie State University President Aminta Breaux has been named to The Maryland Daily Record’s 2024 Higher Education Power List joining other higher education presidents, administrators, faculty and policy makers from across Maryland on the coveted roll. The publication noted one of Breaux’s greatest accomplishments has been increasing the university’s endowment from $7 million in 2018 to $45 million in 2024. As the endowment grows, more scholarship dollars are available for students which reduces student loan debt. The paper’s editorial team chose who would be on the list with input from readers and other individuals.
Spelman College Receives Grant to Establish Center to Train the Next Generation of Leaders in Intelligence and International Strategic Affairs
Courtesy of Spelman College Spelman College has been awarded a $2.5 million grant from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to establish the Spelman Strategic and Security Studies Center. The Center will serve as an advanced educational hub specializing in training women of color to be the next generation of international strategic affairs and intelligence community leaders. The five-year grant is awarded under ODNI’s Intelligence Community Centers for Academic Excellence, which aims to enhance the strategic priorities of the United States through education and development. It will fund study abroad opportunities, critical languages study, and student scholarships for
Trump, GOP Congress aim for swift governing start
By Alexis Simendinger While the Democratic Party searches for its black box buried under an election crash site, Senate and House Republicans are celebrating with President-elect Trump and plotting rapid action to deliver on a historically conservative agenda. Voters handed them a mandate, Trump says, and his party intends to deliver. On Wednesday, President Biden will host Trump at the White House as part of the handoff between two men who have scant respect for one another. Each has run for president three times. One, who will be 82 in nine days, is exiting a lifetime in politics on Jan. 20 and could see his