President Donald Trump addressed several key issues this week, ranging from immigration policy to infrastructure projects and media restructuring. He publicly defended Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem amid criticism of the administration's immigration enforcement tactics, and expressed his desire to build a monumental arch in Washington D.C.
Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Trump dismissed the idea of firing Noem, stating, "Why would I do that?" He touted her work on illegal immigration, rejecting calls for her dismissal despite mounting criticism, according to Fox News. This defense came after a period of heightened scrutiny over immigration enforcement, particularly following two fatal shootings by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis last month, incidents that have fueled a congressional fight over potential restrictions on ICE, according to ABC News. Democrats are reportedly unified in pushing for these restrictions, raising the specter of another possible government shutdown if an agreement cannot be reached, ABC News reported.
The president also addressed the search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC's "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing over the weekend. Trump said he directed all federal law enforcement to be at the disposal of Savannah Guthrie's family and local law enforcement, according to CBS News. "We are deploying all resources to get her mother home safely," Trump said on social media Wednesday night, CBS News reported. A White House official confirmed that the president called Savannah Guthrie after an interview with NBC, CBS News noted.
In other news, Trump expressed his ambition to construct a new triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., aiming for it to be the "biggest one of all" in the world, CBS News reported. He wants the arch, intended as a gate to the city, to surpass the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which stands at 164 feet tall, according to a White House official, CBS News reported. The Washington Post reported that the president is aiming for a 250-foot arch, aligning with the 250th anniversary of the country, which would exceed the height of the Monumento a la Revolución in Mexico City, the tallest triumphal arch at 220 feet. The proposed site is near Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, CBS News noted.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post announced sweeping layoffs across all departments, scaling back foreign news coverage and shutting down some sections of the paper, CBS News reported. Executive editor Matt Murray announced the layoffs during a Zoom call with employees on Wednesday, CBS News reported. The restructuring plans are intended to "place The Washington Post on a stronger footing," Murray wrote in a letter to the newsroom, CBS News noted. The Post will restructure its local news department and editing staff, close its books department, and reduce the number of journalists stationed overseas, CBS News reported. The media outlet will also close its sports department in its "current form," according to sports columnist Barry Svrluga, CBS News reported.
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