Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Liveupdated
4 hours ago

Trump inauguration moved indoors amid record-breaking cold as list of Democrats skipping event grows: Live updates

President-elect says he has ordered inauguration and speeches to take place in the Capitol Rotunda ‘as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985’

Oliver O'Connell,Joe Sommerlad,Gustaf Kilander
Saturday 18 January 2025 14:56 GMT
Comments
Kristi Noem quizzed by senators at confirmation hearing

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will be moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda on Monday because frigid temperatures are expected in the nation’s capital.

It’s set to be the coldest inauguration day in four decades.

“I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who has overseen a number of January 6 cases, said during a sentencing hearing Friday that her recent visit to the Capitol served as a reminder that “people came in and desecrated that beautiful space,” Politico reported.

This comes as South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem – Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security and best known for bragging about shooting dead her dog Cricket in her memoir – dodged questions by senators at her confirmation hearing on Friday on whether she would dare stand up to the president-elect if he threatened to withhold federal disaster relief funding from blue states.

Meanwhile, the number of Democrats who have reportedly said they will skip the inauguration, continues to grow.

1 day ago

Noem succeeding Mayorkas would be ‘greatest upgrade in history’

The governor’s Senate confirmation hearing in front of Rand Paul’s committee is still ongoing and has taken in everything from the mysterious drones over New Jersey to the dangers of remote working.

There has also been plenty of backslapping and compliments flying, with none oilier than this offered by freshman Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, who told Noem that her replacing Alejandro Mayorkas would be the “greatest upgrade in history”.

“When Mayorkas was confirmed, every single Democrat voted to confirm him, and six Republicans joined,” Moreno tutted with disgust.

“If we get to the vote, hopefully, chairman, we could do that Monday because we cannot wait one single day without you being in charge of that department.

“We should have 100 percent, 100 senators vote for your confirmation. This will be the litmus test in my mind as to whether we have a Democrat party that’s actually serious about doing bipartisan things like securing this country.”

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 16:20
1 day ago

Ohio Governor set to announce pick for JD Vance’s Senate seat

Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted appears to be Mike DeWine’s choice to succeed the Vice President-elect in the Senate, according to NBC News.

There will be a 1pm ET (6pm GMT) press conference with DeWine at which that will be confirmed.

We’ll bring you the latest on that as it happens.

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 16:10
1 day ago

Donald Trump Jr announces father’s new Secret Service pick

The president-elect himself hasn’t posted anything on this yet so appears to have been scooped by his own son.

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 15:55
1 day ago

Watch: ‘The southern border is not secure’, says Noem

This was the governor’s big line a short while earlier, given in response to a lay-up from Missouri Republican Josh Hawley.

Hawley called the incumbent secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas a “disgrace” and called Noem’s honesty “refreshing”.

The same exchange also saw her back the return of the “Remain in Mexico” policy.

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 15:45
1 day ago

Noem asked whether she will actually be in charge of the border

New Jersey Democrat Andy Kim asks the governor who will really be in charge of border security under the incoming administration.

She answers that Trump will, given that it is a national security concern.

Kim then raises conflicting comments made on the issue by the president-elect and by his border czar Tom Homan, each indicating that they will be taking charge, prompting the senator to say he is concerned that the Department of Homeland Security will not be “empowered” and imply that confusion could reign.

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 15:35
1 day ago

Biden claims Equal Rights Amendment is ‘law of the land’ after decades-long ratification fight

Joe Biden is claiming to recognize a new constitutional amendment to enshrine protections against sex discrimination, but it’s unclear whether the president intends to take any action to publish it before Donald Trump enters office.

Biden’s statement is just a statement and not an order, proclamation or other presidential action and it carries absolutely zero legal force, as abortion rights advocates and LGBT+ civil rights groups demand urgent protections with just days before Trump returns to the White House.

A senior administration official refused to say whether there had been any communications with the National Archivist’s office during a briefing early on Monday and repeatedly demurred when asked about the meaning or effect of the president’s statement.

The Equal Rights Amendment was passed by Congress in the 1970s and gradually, over decades, approved by enough states to make it the 28th Amendment. But that ratification effort blew past the deadline, so it was never officially published.

Alex Woodward has this report.

Biden claims Equal Rights Amendment is ‘law of the land’ after decades-long fight

Biden’s statement has no legal force and a White House official said courts would have to decide whether the amendment is a valid part of America’s constitution

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 15:25
1 day ago

Democrat presses Noem on whether she would stand up to Trump on disaster relief

Back at the Senate, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal has been pushing the South Dakota Governor, who would be responsible for FEMA if she were made Homeland Security Secretary, to say she would stand up to the president-elect if he threatened to withhold federal disaster relief funding from blue states, as he has often done in the past.

She is careful to say only that she would follow the rule of law in such a situation but adds that “leadership has consequences”, ostensibly a dig at Governor Gavin Newsom’s liberal California.

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 15:15
1 day ago

Breaking: US Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban

As things stand, that means the popular social video app will be shut down in the United States on Sunday.

Here’s the very latest from Ariana Baio.

Supreme Court backs TikTok ban: App set to shut down Sunday

Law passed by Congress forces TikTok to be sold to a U.S. company or banned by Sunday

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 15:10
1 day ago

Noem talks north and south borders and rebukes cyber security agency for going ‘off mission'

Kristi Noem has promised not to neglect America’s northern border, given all the focus on the south, commenting:

“I think there’s been some universal concern from some of the committee members that as we focus on the southern border, and what we’re seeing as far as the invasion there and the amount of people crossing, that the northern border would lose focus, but that will not happen.

“The number one threat to our homeland security is the southern border.”

Asked about the threat posed by domestic terrorism, Noem warns that “homegrown terrorism is on the rise”.

“We see more and more incidents of people that are US citizens, that have become radicalized, and knowing when people are leaving the country and coming back and changes to their behaviors and what their actions are is critically important.

“So the resources that the Department of Homeland Security has needs to be utilized as far as identifying those threats and being proactive to prevent them, but also protecting civil rights and liberties in that process.”

Asked about cyberattacks, she says the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) “has gotten far off mission”.

“The mission of it is to hunt and harden. It’s to find those bad actors and help work with local and state infrastructure, critical infrastructure entities, so that they can help them be prepared for such cyberattacks, and that they can make sure that they’re hardening their systems to protect them in the future, recognizing the vulnerabilities that they have. This has gotten far off mission.”

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 15:05
1 day ago

Noem pledges to keep Americans ‘safe and secure’

Back to the South Dakota Governor, who had this to say in her opening remarks a short while ago:

“Securing our homeland is a serious, sacred trust that must be relentlessly pursued and can never be taken for granted

“Being safe within our borders is an American right, yet Americans feel less safe than they have in decades.

“For the first time in 30 years, more than 40 percent of Americans are afraid to walk alone at night within a mile of their home.

“President-Elect Trump is going to change that.”

She also touted her own record in the governor’s mansion:

“I have led South Dakota for the last six years with a focus every day on making our state safer, stronger, and freer.

“I have focused every day on making the best decisions not just for right now, but for generations to come.

“I have overseen a state budget of over $7bn and a state employee workforce of more than 13,000, including more than 7,000 reporting to the governor.

“I have addressed important issues like cybersecurity, human trafficking, drug interdiction, and natural disasters – the same challenges facing so many of you here and the people you represent back at home.”

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 14:55

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in