Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Liveupdated
2 hours ago

Trump moves inauguration indoors to chamber Jan 6 rioters ‘desecrated’ four years ago: 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’

Kristi Noem won't say if she will withhold disaster aid if Trump asks

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 – was pressed 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.

Noem suggested she would adhere to the law while adding that “leadership has consequences”.

12 hours ago

Rudy Giuliani settles with defamed election workers after blowing off property seizure trial

“America’s mayor” was nowhere to be seen when his trial in a federal courtroom in Manhattan was scheduled to begin on Thursday morning.

Four hours later, with a post on social media, Giuliani celebrated a settlement in a long-running legal battle for control of his properties and assets.

Alex Woodward reports from the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Lower Manhattan.

Rudy Giuliani settles with defamed election workers after blowing off trial

Cash-strapped former mayor won’t be forced to forfeit assets but he must pay the women, according to attorneys

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 13:00
12 hours ago

Democrat brands Trump ‘alter ego for speaker’ after Intelligence Committee chair ousted

California Senator Adam Schiff, absolutely loathed by Trump, has mocked House Speaker Mike Johnson for taking orders from the president-elect after Republican tearaway Mike Turner was dropped from the chairmanship of the House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, allegedly on the orange one’s say-so.

His House colleague Jaime Raskin had a similar assessment to offer:

Here’s more on the removal of Turner.

Was Mike Turner removed from the House Intelligence Committee to appease Trump?

Speaker Mike Johnson has announced the Ohio Republican will no longer lead powerful investigatory panel, reportedly under pressure from the president-elect

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 12:30
13 hours ago

Analysis: Will Trump save TikTok from Joe Biden? He’s going to try

The president-elect sees halting the bipartisan ban on the social video app as an easy way to show he’s delivering results.

He’s probably right, says John Bowden.

Will Donald Trump save TikTok from Joe Biden? He’s going to try

Analysis: Trump sees halting the bipartisan TikTok ban as an easy way to show he’s delivering results. He’s probably right, writes John Bowden

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 12:00
13 hours ago

Inside DC’s insane Trump inauguration parties, featuring everyone from Snoop Dogg to Joe Rogan

America’s elite will descend on Washington, DC, this weekend to ring in the second Trump era by attending a series of lavish and exclusive inaugural parties.

Some of the biggest names in tech and finance will be at the celebrations happening across the city this weekend and next week when the president-elect will be sworn in.

Rhian Lubin has the lowdown.

Snoop Dogg performance to Joe Rogan brunch: Inside DC’s Trump inauguration parties

Some of the biggest names in tech and finance will be at the parties happening across the city

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 11:30
14 hours ago

New York City mayor to pay court to Trump at Mar-a-Lago

The president-elect will reportedly be hosting Eric Adams at his Florida lair today, with the Mayor’s Office saying they will discuss ways to move the city and country forward.

However, it should also be noted that Adams is under federal indictment and that Trump has expressed sympathy for him as a fellow sufferer and promised to look into the possibility of issuing a presidential pardon.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (AP)
Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 11:00
14 hours ago

Greenland PM: ‘We don’t want to be Americans’

Mute Egede appeared on Fox News last night to say that his country’s residents “don’t want to be Americans”, no matter how often Donald Trump Jr jets in to Nuuk to press the flesh.

“We will always be a part of Nato,” Egede told anchor Bret Baier.

“We will always be a strong partner for the US. We are close neighbors. We have been cooperating in the last 80 years, and I think the future has a lot to offer to cooperate with.

“But we want to also be clear. We don’t want to be Americans. We don’t want to be a part of the US, but we want a strong cooperation together with the US.”

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 10:30
15 hours ago

Biden urges troops to ‘remember your oath’ at Pentagon farewell

With just four days remaining in his term as the commander-in-chief of America’s military, President Joe Biden urged members of the six armed services branches to remain true to their pledge to uphold the US Constitution as he addressed them for the final time.

“Our commitment to honor, to integrity, to unity, to protecting and defending not a person or a party or a place, but an idea,” Biden said on Thursday.

Andrew Feinberg has this full report.

Biden urges troops to ‘remember your oath’ at Defense Department farewell ceremony

Biden urges service members to uphold pledge to ‘support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic’

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 10:00
15 hours ago

Truth Social: Trump accuses FBI of ‘corruption’ as it closes DEI office

Here’s the latest rant from the president-elect on his social media platform, complaining about the bureau for ever having a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) arm to promote unprejudiced hiring as that very office closes:

He has also been continuing to announce more junior appointments to his incoming administration, naming seven more people to work for agencies including the Department of Agriculture, the Federal Communications Commission and the US Air Force.

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 09:30
16 hours ago

Kristi Noem’s delayed Senate confirmation hearing taking place on Friday

Good morning!

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, will finally have her Senate confirmation hearing today after it was abruptly postponed earlier this week.

Noem had been due to be grilled by senators from the chamber’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday about her suitability for the role, only for it to be suddenly pulled from the roster.

Here’s why that happened – and an introduction to the puppy shootin’ governor for the uninitiated.

Kristi Noem’s Senate confirmation hearing mysteriously postponed over issues with FBI

Paperwork blamed for two-day delay to South Dakota Governor’s job interview with Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Joe Sommerlad17 January 2025 09:00
16 hours ago

Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight join Trump administration — no, really...

President-elect Donald Trump has appointed actors Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, and Jon Voight to be his “special ambassadors” to Hollywood, calling it a “great but very troubled place.”

Gustaf Kilander has the details.

Mel Gibson, Sly Stallone and Jon Voight join Trump administration - in made up roles

‘These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest,’ Trump says

Oliver O'Connell17 January 2025 08:30

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