The White House has denied reports that President Donald Trump is looking to replace Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissing the claims as “fake news” based on an unreliable anonymous source. Trump has publicly supported Hegseth, stating he is doing a “great job,” particularly referencing his handling of military actions against Yemen’s Houthis. These denials come amid controversy over Hegseth allegedly sharing sensitive information about a Yemen strike in a Signal chat, though Trump called such concerns “a waste of time.”
Other top headlines include:
- Harvard Sues White House: Harvard University is suing the Trump administration, accusing it of harming health research by freezing over $2.2 billion in federal funding and threatening to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status. This follows a rejected White House demand for policy changes to combat antisemitism, which the administration later claimed was an “unauthorized” letter.
- Trump Tariffs Impact Global Trade: A 10% baseline tariff effective April 5, 2025, continues to affect U.S. imports, prompting responses like Japanese automakers shifting production to the U.S. and China dismissing Trump’s tariff threats as a “numbers game.”
- Protests Against Trump Policies: Nationwide demonstrations on April 19 condemned Trump’s policies on immigration, civil liberties, and job cuts, though turnout was smaller than earlier April protests.
For further details, you can check sources like Fox News for the White House response or The Guardian for broader Trump administration news.