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Trump's Actions Spark Legal Battles and Congressional Inquiries
Several legal and political controversies involving former President Donald Trump and related entities unfolded this week, ranging from infrastructure funding disputes to concerns over foreign influence and a withdrawn deal.
New York and New Jersey sued the Trump administration on Tuesday over the freezing of $16 billion in federal funding for the Gateway project, a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River connecting the two states, according to Fox News. The states accused the federal government of "illegally withholding" funding committed to the project and sought emergency relief to force the release of the frozen funds. The lawsuit stated that construction was already underway, and the project could be forced to shut down as early as Friday, potentially eliminating thousands of jobs.
Meanwhile, potential deal talks between Harvard University and the White House were thrown into doubt after Trump unleashed a series of late-night social media posts attacking the Ivy League school, according to The New York Times. Just last week, Trump had privately told negotiators he was willing to drop his demand for a $200 million payment from Harvard to the government if that would secure an agreement to end his pressure campaign against the university, which he views as hostile to conservatives and his presidency. However, after a report from The New York Times about the change of heart, Trump's Truth Social posts made clear he had lost interest, at least for now, in such a compromise.
In other news, federal lawmakers are demanding answers from the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) over its partnership with a Chinese Communist Party-controlled agribusiness and its push for DEI initiatives, citing national security concerns and questions about its tax-exempt status, Fox News reported. The inquiry is being led by the House Ways and Means Committee and the Congressional FFA Caucus, which say the organization's relationship with Syngenta Group raises concerns.
On the international front, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy sector as "barbaric" and "particularly depraved," according to BBC World. Starmer made the comments after speaking to US President Donald Trump hours after Russia hit power plants and critical infrastructure in the capital, Kyiv, and elsewhere. The attacks came at the end of a week-long pause that Trump had asked Russia's President Vladimir Putin to observe as a fierce cold swept Ukraine. Trump said on Tuesday that Putin had "kept his word" and that he would let the attacks continue.
Finally, Ryan Kennedy, a Michigan resident and self-described Detroit Lions fan, filed a $100 million lawsuit following a December altercation with Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf at Ford Field, Fox News reported. Attorneys representing Kennedy announced that the lawsuit had been filed in Wayne County Court.
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