"USEFUL IDIOT"

Trump Envoy Helps Putin Troll CIA Official With ‘Medal’ for Dead Son

Tom Sanders
Thu, August 21, 2025 

The Daily Beast 


Gavriil Grigorov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff inadvertently helped Vladimir Putin troll the grieving family of an American man who was killed while fighting for Russia.

Michael Gloss was killed in Ukraine last year after traveling to Moscow and volunteering for the Russian military after dismissing criticism of their invasion as “Western propaganda.”

The 21-year-old, who reportedly struggled with severe mental health problems for most of his life, was later revealed to be the son of Juliane Gallina, the CIA’s deputy director for digital innovation, and Larry Gloss, an Iraq war vet and CEO of a security tech firm.

During a meeting with Putin on a trip to Moscow earlier this month, Witkoff was presented with an award for Gloss by the Russian president and instructed to present it to Gloss’ grieving family—a move considered by many to be a diplomatic slight, given his parents’ line of work.

Yet Witkoff, a real estate friend of President Donald Trump who had no diplomatic experience before becoming his special envoy to the Middle East and special envoy for peace missions, instead took Putin at his word and delivered the medal to Gloss’ relatives, with an administration source telling CNN he considered the matter to be one that transcended geopolitics.

The name of the award remains unclear—CNN reported Putin gave Witkoff the Order of Courage, while the BBC and CBS reported it to be the Soviet-era Order of Lenin, which recognizes outstanding civilian service.

In Witkoff’s eyes, the moment was “not about who he fought for, but rather the memories of our children and the overarching message of ‘Let’s end this war,’” the source said, also claiming that Gallina “wept with her husband” upon receiving the medal.

In a statement to CNN, the CIA said: “The entire CIA family is heartbroken for their loss. Juliane and her husband shared that ‘we adored our son and grieve his loss every moment. We appreciate privacy at this difficult time.”

“Juliane Gallina and her family suffered an unimaginable personal tragedy in the spring of 2024 when her son Michael Gloss, who struggled with mental health issues, died while fighting in the conflict in Ukraine. CIA considers Michael’s passing to be a private family matter for the Gloss family – not a national security issue,” they added.

Steve Witkoff presented the medal to Gloss’ family following a meeting with Putin. / Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

Earlier this year, Michael’s father, Larry Gloss, told The Washington Post about his son’s struggle with mental illness and said it was “absolutely news to us that he was involved in any military relationship with Russia.”

Their son, he said, was “the ultimate anti-establishment, anti-authority young man the minute he came into the world,” and traveled to Russia after he became convinced the country was the only place he could accomplish his dream of “building a water purifier” to help people without access to clean water.

“I can only attribute it to his mental illness,” the father said. “It clearly defies logic.”

Gloss was killed during an artillery strike on Russian troops in the Donetsk region. / Libkos / Getty Images

Gloss eventually died from a “massive blood loss” caused by an artillery strike in Donetsk last April, with his remains repatriated to the U.S. in December.

His parents were fearful during that time that “someone over there [in Moscow] would put two and two together and figure out who his mother was, and use him as a prop,” Gloss’ father said, but a Kremlin source later told CBS that they were not initially aware of his family background.

The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for further comment.


Witkoff delivered Russian medal from Putin to family of American who was killed fighting for Russia in 2024

Jake Tapper, CNN
Wed, August 20, 2025 


US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff waits for the start of a press conference between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday. - Andrew Harnik/Getty ImagesMore

US special envoy Steve Witkoff delivered a Russian medal to the grieving family of an American who was killed fighting for Russia in 2024, a senior administration official told CNN.

Earlier this month, when Russian president Vladimir Putin gave the medal – the Order of Courage – to Witkoff, some observers saw it as something of a diplomatic dig, given that the American who was killed, Michael Gloss, 21, was the son of a senior CIA official.

But that wasn’t how Witkoff saw it. The Order of Courage is a Russian Federation decoration typically given to Russian citizens to recognize selfless acts of courage and valor during times of emergency, disaster and war. For Witkoff, who lost a son in the opioid epidemic, losing a child is a traumatic experience that transcends geopolitics. And he thought it worthwhile to give the medal to Juliane Gallina, the CIA’s deputy director for digital innovation, and her husband, according to the official.

“She wept with her husband,” the senior administration official told CNN.

For Witkoff, the moment “was not about who he fought for, but rather the memories of our children and the overarching message of ‘Let’s end this war,’” the official told CNN.

A CIA spokesperson issued a statement to CNN: “The entire CIA family is heartbroken for their loss. Juliane and her husband shared that ‘we adored our son and grieve his loss every moment. We appreciate privacy at this difficult time.’”

“Juliane Gallina and her family suffered an unimaginable personal tragedy in the spring of 2024 when her son Michael Gloss, who struggled with mental health issues, died while fighting in the conflict in Ukraine. CIA considers Michael’s passing to be a private family matter for the Gloss family – not a national security issue,” the spokesperson said.

Witkoff has played a significant role in the US effort to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, including sitting alongside President Donald Trump in his summit with Putin in Alaska on Friday.

He told CNN that the leaders made “game changing” agreements related to security guarantees for Ukraine, though questions remain about how serious Putin is in pursuing a peace agreement.

Witkoff traveled to Moscow this month to meet with Putin, and also played a role in talks with top Russian and Ukrainian officials held in Saudi Arabia earlier this year in order to work towards ending the war.

Karoline Leavitt Ripped for ‘Making Up Trump Resolving Fake Wars’

Emell Derra Adolphus
Wed, August 20, 2025



Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images


White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spun President Donald Trump’s flop meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin by claiming the MAGA leader has already prevented nuclear war.

Leavitt went on a tear against the “left-wing media” at the Tuesday White House press briefing for negatively covering Trump’s Russian-Ukraine war peace talks with Putin and “actively rooting against the president.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that Trump stopped a regional conflict that could have escalated into “nuclear war.” / Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

With her signature silver cross back on display, Leavitt claimed that the outcome of the meeting was a success for America—despite the so-called “Dealmaker-in-Chief“ walking away empty-handed—because “Russia and all countries around this world actually respect the United States again.”

She added, “We’ve seen that not just lead to progress with Russia and Ukraine, but also we’ve seen it in the closing of seven global conflicts around the world as well.”

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas rips Karoline Leavitt’s claims that Trump has had a hand in directly preventing seven wars in his second term. / Screeshot: YouTube/MeidasTouch

However, MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas called BS on those claims in the outlet’s Tuesday recap of the White House briefing.

“India says you didn’t do anything. You’re just making up Trump resolving fake wars, and you look so utterly pathetic and weak,” said Meiselas.

In thirsty social media posts lauding his worthiness for a Nobel Peace Prize, Trump has on several occasions claimed that he had a direct hand in ending six to seven wars, including the four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan in May that Leavitt claim “could have” escalated into “nuclear war.

However, the New York Times reported that the truth behind such claims have been dubious at best. Moreover, India has denied Trump’s claims of an intervention altogether, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that no leader of any country asked it to stop its operation launched at Pakistani terror groups, News On Air reported.

“Maybe go to war with Venezuela and then declare a peace treaty,” said Meiselas. “That could be [Trump’s] eighth piece victory.” / Win McNamee / Getty Images

CNN reported that 4,000 American Naval forces have been deployed to waters around Venezuela to help contain the drug trafficking operations in the region. Meiselas jokingly suggested that Trump could use the opportunity to declare war against Venezuela then immediately call for peace just to take credit.

China races to build world's largest solar farm to meet emissions targets

KEN MORITSUGU and NG HAN GUAN
Wed, August 20, 2025 


Tibetan sheep graze at a solar farm in Hainan prefecture of western China's Qinghai province on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)ASSOCIATED PRESS

A bird rests on a cable strung between solar panels in Hainan prefecture of western China's Qinghai province on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)ASSOCIATED PRESS

A herder releases Tibetan sheep to graze at a solar farm in Hainan prefecture of western China's Qinghai province on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tibetan sheep graze at a solar farm in Hainan prefecture of western China's Qinghai province on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)ASSOCIATED PRESS

A solar farm is visible in Hainan prefecture of western China's Qinghai province on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)ASSOCIATED PRESS


TALATAN, China (AP) — Chinese government officials last month showed off what they say will be the world's largest solar farm when completed high on a Tibetan plateau. It will cover 610 square kilometers (235 square miles), which is the size of Chicago.

China has been installing solar panels far faster than anywhere else in the world, and the investment is starting to pay off. A study released Thursday found that the country's carbon emissions edged down 1% in the first six months of 2025 compared to a year earlier, extending a trend that began in March 2024.

The good news is China's carbon emissions may have peaked well ahead of a government target of doing so before 2030. But China, the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, will need to bring them down much more sharply to play its part in slowing global climate change.

For China to reach its declared goal of carbon neutrality by 2060, emissions would need to fall 3% on average over the next 35 years, said Lauri Myllyvirta, the Finland-based author of the study and lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

“China needs to get to that 3% territory as soon as possible,” he said.

'Moment of global significance'

China's emissions have fallen before during economic slowdowns. What's different this time is electricity demand is growing — up 3.7% in the first half of this year — but the increase in power from solar, wind and nuclear has easily outpaced that, according to Myllyvirta, who analyzes the most recent data in a study published on the U.K.-based Carbon Brief website.

“We’re talking really for the first time about a structural declining trend in China’s emissions,” he said.

China installed 212 gigawatts of solar capacity in the first six months of the year, more than America's entire capacity of 178 gigawatts as of the end of 2024, the study said. Electricity from solar has overtaken hydropower in China and is poised to surpass wind this year to become the country's largest source of clean energy. Some 51 gigawatts of wind power was added from January to June.

Li Shuo, the director of the China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington, described the plateauing of China's carbon emissions as a turning point in the effort to combat climate change.

“This is a moment of global significance, offering a rare glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak climate landscape,” he wrote in an email response. It also shows that a country can cut emissions while still growing economically, he said.

But Li cautioned that China's heavy reliance on coal remains a serious threat to progress on climate and said the economy needs to shift to less resource-intensive sectors. “There's still a long road ahead,” he said.

Power for 5m households

A seemingly endless expanse of solar panels stretches toward the horizon on the Tibetan plateau. White two-story buildings rise above them at regular intervals.

In an area that is largely desert, the massive solar project has wrought a surprising change on the landscape. The panels act as windbreaks to reduce dust and sand and slow soil evaporation, giving vegetation a foothold. Thousands of sheep, dubbed “photovoltaic sheep,” graze happily on the scrubby plants.

Wang Anwei, the energy administration chief of Hainan Prefecture, called it a “win-win” situation on multiple levels.

“In terms of production, enterprises generate electricity on the top level, and in terms of ecology, grass grows at the bottom under the solar panels, and villagers can herd sheep in between," he said.

Solar panels have been installed on about two-thirds of the land, with power already flowing from completed phases. When fully complete, the project will have more than 7 million panels and be capable of generating enough power for 5 million households.

Like many of China’s solar and wind farms, it was built in the relatively sparsely populated west. A major challenge is getting electricity to the population centers and factories in China’s east.

“The distribution of green energy resources is perfectly misaligned with the current industrial distribution of our country,” Zhang Jinming, the vice governor of Qinghai province, told journalists on a government-organized tour.

Coal-fired power plants

Part of the solution is building transmission lines traversing the country.

One connects Qinghai to Henan province. Two more are planned, including one to Guangdong province in the southeast, almost at the opposite corner of the country.

Making full use of the power is hindered by the relatively inflexible way that China's electricity grid is managed, tailored to the steady output of coal plants rather than more variable and less predictable wind and solar, Myllyvirta said.

“This is an issue that the policymakers have recognized and are trying to manage, but it does require big changes to the way coal-fired power plants operate and big changes to the way the transmission network operates,” he said. “So it’s no small task.”

___

Moritsugu reported from Beijing. Associated Press video producer Wayne Zhang contributed.

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M

Sanctions-hit Indian refiner Nayara turns to dark fleet, tanker data shows

Logo of Nayara is seen at its fuel station on the outskirts of Ahmedabad · Reuters

Wed, August 20, 2025 

By Nidhi Verma

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Indian refiner Nayara Energy, backed by Russia and under European Union sanctions, is relying on a dark fleet to import oil and transport refined fuels, according to shipping reports and LSEG flows.

Nayara, which controls about 8% of India's 5.2 million barrel-per-day refining capacity, has been struggling to transport fuel since being placed under EU sanctions in July, a move that prompted shippers to back out, forcing the refiner to cut its crude runs.

India, the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer, abides by UN sanctions and not unilateral actions, allowing refiners to import oil and ship products in vessels also under EU sanctions.

This month, Nayara has imported at least seven cargoes of Russian oil, including on sanctions-hit vessels Centurion, Mars 6, Pushpa, Horae and Devika, formerly known as Apar, according to shipping reports and LSEG data. All were carrying about 700,000 barrels of Russian flagship Urals crude, the data shows.

Nayara did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Prior to the sanctions, Nayara was selling about 70% of the refined fuels produced at its 400,000 bpd day Vadinar refinery in western Gujarat state through its local network of more than 6,600 fuel stations, and exporting the rest.

Nayara, majority owned by Russian entities including Rosneft, is seeking government help to secure ships and maintain stable operations at the refinery, where it has cut runs to 70-80% of capacity.

A shipping source said Indian lines that undertake overseas voyages are not willing to carry oil and refined products for Nayara, while an official at a company that regularly shipped Nayara's refined products said they could not get insurance cover for their vessels in such cases.

Another shipping source said Russian entities were helping Nayara arrange ships.

According to LSEG trade flows, the company has used the Next, Tempest Dream, Leruo, Nova, Varg, Sard and Uriel - all under EU sanctions - to ship refined fuels, mainly gasoline and gasoil. Some of the vessels were renamed after being placed under sanctions.

Evgeniy Griva, Russia's deputy trade representative to India, on Wednesday said Nayara is getting oil supplies from Russian oil major Rosneft and is not facing problems.

(Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Additional reporting by Krishna N. Das, Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

WAIT, WHAT?!

Trump set to bar college graduates from debt relief program if employers undermine ‘American values’

Joe Sommerlad
Wed, August 20, 2025 

Donald Trump’s administration is considering introducing a new rule that would block college graduates with outstanding loans from having their debt forgiven if their employers are found to be “undermining national security and American values through illegal means.”

The proposal, announced this week by the Linda McMahon-led Department for Education, would bar people from being considered for the federal Public Student Loan Forgiveness program if the businesses they work for engage in “activities with a substantial illegal purpose.”

The examples given by the DOE of what offenses might qualify include “supporting terrorism, aiding or abetting discrimination or violations of immigration laws, or child abuse.”

Education Secretary Linda McMahon, whose department could be about to restrict access to a key student loan forgiveness program (AP)

Announcing the draft rule change proposal, Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said: “President Trump has given the department a historic mandate to restore the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to its original purpose – supporting public servants who strengthen their communities and serve the public good, not benefiting businesses engaged in illegal activity that harm Americans.

“The federal government has a vital interest in deterring unlawful conduct, and we’re moving quickly to ensure employers don’t benefit while breaking the law.”

The PSLF was first introduced in 2007 under George W Bush with the intention of rewarding graduates who enter public service professions like teaching or law enforcement by relieving them of the burden of student debt at the outset of their careers.

The DOE insists the rule change it is pitching is necessary to preserve the original spirit of the taxpayer-funded program while penalizing companies found to be operating outside of the law.

It is now soliciting public comments on its proposal until September 17.

According to CBS News, critics of the revision have already warned that it would open the door to DOE officials moving to “improperly exclude” public servants from the scheme on ideological grounds.

In advance of the draft proposal being published, the Student Borrower Protection Center campaign group slammed it last month as “harmful, horrific, and illegal,” warning it could empower the Trump administration to persecute agencies and firms whose work or ethos conflicts with its own goals.


“To be clear, if implemented this proposal would allow the secretary to disqualify from PSLF any employees of school systems that accurately teach the U.S.’s history of slavery, of healthcare providers who offer gender-affirming care and of legal aid organizations that represent individuals against unlawful deportations,” said the SBPC’s legal director Winston Berkman-Breen in late June.

The Independent has reached out to the DOE for further comment.

Earlier this month, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem offered student loan forgiveness as an incentive to encourage graduates to apply to join ICE as part of a massive recruitment drive to boost the administration’s crackdown on undocumented migrants.

Trump admin eyes a disturbing new way to politicize student debt

Ja'han Jones
Thu, August 21, 2025 
MSNBC


Education Secretary Linda McMahon speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on April 30. (Andrew Harnik / Getty Images)

The Trump administration is again looking to politicize student loans.

A new proposal would deny debt relief to graduates working for organizations the administration decides “are undermining national security and American values through illegal means.”

Announced Monday, the proposal targets what’s known as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which allows public servants such as school teachers and health officials to qualify for debt forgiveness if they make 10 years' worth of payments under their student debt payment plan.

The program has long served as a way to encourage people to enter public service. But as we’ve seen through the administration’s attempts to fire federal workers, Trump and his allies appear to carry deep disdain for public servants who don’t share their political agenda.

There are all kinds of ways this proposal could go wrong. It might be used to punish employees of organizations that promote diversity. Or the administration might withhold forgiveness for a teacher whose schools didn't punish students for peacefully protesting Israel's bombardment of Gaza. Or it might go after a nurse whose hospital administers gender-affirming care.

These aren't hypothetical examples. The administration has already sought to use its powers in other areas to punish organizations for these exact things.

In fact, a Trump executive order in March — ordering his administration to restrict the Public Student Loan Forgiveness program — contains language that suggests just these things.

For example, the order refers to organizations that permit the “chemical and surgical castration or mutilation of children,” which basically sums up the administration’s false description of gender-affirming care. And it targets graduates working for organizations that engage in "illegal discrimination," a term the administration has used to demonize diversity efforts that conservatives falsely claim are discriminatory against white people.

The rule change, if confirmed, could grant the administration a cudgel to try to force nonprofits, schools and other outside groups to adhere to its agenda.

You can share your thoughts on the proposed rule change here until Sept. 17.

Can you prove to Trump you’re not anti? 

An (absurd) immigration checklist  

"McCarthyism returns to immigration law," 

Opinion

the Miami Herald Editorial Board
Wed, August 20, 2025 

New guidelines by the Trump administration will require applicants for immigration benefits to be screened for anti-American ideologies.


The Trump administration’s announcement Wednesday that immigrants applying for U.S. citizenship and other benefits will be screened to determine whether they have displayed anti-American ideas or behavior is problematic to say the least. Who gets to decide what exactly is anti-American?

And that got us thinking. If U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents are the ones deciding whether you stay or go, what will they be considering?

Is the applicant’s social media free of rainbows? Come on in. Do they have preferred pronouns? The exit is that way. What about the person’s car — is it (more or less) American made? A positive sign.

Yes, this is a serious matter. But measuring anti-American-ness? That’s a joke. U.S. immigration officers have always used their discretion to award citizenship and other benefits to people born outside the country. It’s unclear what will actually change under the updated immigration policy manual, though “Anti-American activity will be an overwhelmingly negative factor in any discretionary analysis,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services wrote in a Tuesday news release.

The guidelines target “anti-American ideologies” but don’t describe what they are, which is the problem. That will be in the eyes of the beholder — and the beholder being the Trump administration, we can imagine how that might turn out.

Given that the new guidance also includes “social media vetting,” we encourage officers to print out the following checklist, which we’re sure will please the president and his top aide/anti-immigration zealot Stephen Miller:

Does this future patriot drive a truck that does no more than 5 mpg of beautiful fossil fuel? Approve.


Did the wannabe American show up to the immigration interview in a Prius or electrical vehicle? (Please consult your supervisor regarding the status of Tesla, as the president and Elon Musk may still patch things up.) Deny. Send applicants straight to Alligator Alcatraz if they rode a bike, because this is America, not Europe.

Was the future model citizen spotted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021? Approve.

Has this ungrateful person posted anything complaining about the cost of groceries since Jan. 20, 2025 — because “inflation is down to a perfect, beautiful number,” the president has to constantly remind us? Deny.


Does this soon-to-be great American thank the president every day for protecting us from mail ballots, windmills, foreign invaders and paper straws? Approve — immediately.


With this list, USCIS officers will be sure to ensure that whoever is allowed in the country has pledged their allegiance not only to America but to a particular ideology that the president has decided is the only one acceptable. Whoever disagrees should not be granted the privilege of American citizenship, does not belong in the Smithsonian museums or in the federal government, especially if they will produce any jobs reports that make Trump’s economy look bad.

And if you find the above list absurd, it’s because it is meant to be. These are, in fact, absurd times.


U.S. to probe "anti-American" views of those applying for immigration benefits

Camilo Montoya-Galvez
Wed, August 20, 2025

CBS

The Trump administration has directed government officials to probe any "anti-American" views and activities of immigrants applying for immigration benefits like green cards and work permits, further expanding the grounds that can be cited to deny those applications.

The policy unveiled on Tuesday by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is the latest front in a broader Trump administration effort to restrict access to legal immigration benefits, including by broadening the levels of scrutiny and vetting to which applicants are subjected.

The guidance issued this week directs officials at USCIS to determine whether applicants for certain immigration benefits have "endorsed, promoted, supported, or otherwise espoused anti-American views or the views of a terrorist organization or group," including on social media. USCIS said those groups could include organizations that espouse or promote antisemitic views and terrorism.

If officials find applicants have any ties to these groups or share their views, the directive instructs the officials to consider that an "overwhelmingly negative factor" justifying the denial of an application.

The policy will affect requests for immigration benefits that are discretionary, meaning that USCIS can deny them even if applicants meet the qualifications outlined in U.S. law. Those cases include many applications for permanent U.S. residency (also known as a green card), work permits and status changes for foreign students.

While it wasn't immediately clear how expansively USCIS will define "anti-American" views and activities, the agency said it would make the determination based on a provision of U.S. immigration law that bans immigrants from becoming U.S. citizens if it is found that they advocate for world communism, totalitarianism, violence against officials or the overthrow of the U.S. government.

The guidance issued Tuesday also orders USCIS officials to probe whether applicants improperly used an immigration policy known as parole to enter the U.S. In the immigration context, parole allows for the arrival of immigrants who are otherwise ineligible to enter the U.S. It was used by the Biden administration on an unprecedented scale, mainly to ease pressure at the U.S.-Mexico border by offering migrants a legal way to enter the country.

USCIS said it would look into whether applicants' parole applications contained "false or fraudulent" information.

Matthew Tragesser, USCIS' top spokesperson, said Tuesday's memo underscored that U.S. immigration benefits should not be granted to people who "despise the country."

"U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is committed to implementing policies and procedures that root out anti-Americanism and supporting the enforcement of rigorous screening and vetting measures to the fullest extent possible," Tragesser added.

Stephen Yale-Loehr, an expert in U.S. immigration law, expressed concerns about how USCIS would implement its latest guidance, calling the language in it "very subjective."

"This memo gives USCIS adjudicators even more reasons than before to deny a petition on discretionary grounds," Yale-Loehr said.

While President Trump has made cracking down on illegal immigration central to his second-term agenda, his administration has also tightened access to the legal immigration system.

Last week, USCIS said it would expand a "good moral character" assessment in the U.S. citizenship process. That requirement was historically satisfied when applicants lacked serious criminal histories or disqualifying conduct on their record. But now, officials have been instructed to weigh different positive factors, like applicants' involvement in the community, and negative factors, like repeat traffic infractions, to determine whether someone has good moral character.

The Trump administration also previously announced measures to more aggressively screen those applying for a U.S. immigration status, including by placing a greater emphasis on the social media activity of applicants.

Trump administration to vet legal immigrant applicants for 'anti-Americanism' and antisemitism

Michael Dorgan
Wed, August 20, 2025

FOX NEWS


Trump administration to vet legal immigrant applicants for 'anti-Americanism' and antisemitism
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways


Federal officials are now being instructed to vet immigrants looking to legally live and work in the U.S. for "anti-American," terrorist, or antisemitic views under new guidance.

The updated policy, part of President Donald Trump’s broader immigration clampdown, gives U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers broad discretion to treat such views as "overwhelmingly negative factors" when deciding whether to approve green cards, visas or citizenship. The guidance took effect immediately and applies to both new and pending applications.

"America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies," USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said.

Federal officials are now being instructed to vet immigrants looking to legally live and work in the U.S. for "anti-American," terrorist, or antisemitic views under new guidance.

He added that USCIS is committed to implementing policies that root out anti-Americanism and strengthen vetting.

"Immigration benefits — including to live and work in the United States — remain a privilege, not a right."

While the release offered no clear definition of "anti-Americanism," USCIS referenced the Immigration and Nationality Act, which prohibits people linked to terrorism, antisemitism or "world communism" from gaining citizenship.

It noted that officers, when conducting a discretionary analysis, will weigh whether an applicant’s requests were made in line with existing laws and policies.

The change comes alongside a wave of new immigration measures in Trump’s second term, including expanded social media vetting and a tougher "good moral character" standard for naturalization.

USCIS said reviews of anti-American activity will now be folded into social media screenings.

New U.S. citizens listen as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks during a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization ceremony inside the Robert N.C. Nix Federal Courthouse on Oct. 19, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Federal officials are now being instructed to vet immigrants looking to legally live and work in the U.S. for "anti-American," terrorist, or antisemitic views under new guidance.

Trump Is Targeting Nonviolent And Legal Immigrants. americans Are Starting To Notice

"The message is that the U.S. and immigration agencies are going to be less tolerant of anti-Americanism or antisemitism when making immigration decisions," Elizabeth Jacobs, director of regulatory affairs and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that advocates for immigration restrictions, said on Tuesday.

Jacobs said the government is being more explicit in the kind of behaviors and practices officers should consider, but emphasized that discretion is still in place. "The agency cannot tell officers that they have to deny — just to consider it as a negative discretion," she said.

But Ruby Robinson of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center argued constitutional rights apply to all people in the U.S. regardless of status — and predicted legal challenges.

"A lot of this administration’s activities infringe on constitutional rights and do need to be resolved, ultimately, in courts," Robinson added.

Critics like David J. Bier, the director of immigration policy at the libertarian Cato Institute, warned the policy could be wielded to silence dissent and punish political opponents.

"This is a new powerful weapon in President Trump’s arsenal against politically disfavored groups," Bier told the Washington Post.

Jonathan Grode, managing partner of Green and Spiegel immigration law firm, said the policy fits Trump’s longstanding approach and that the administration is within its authority.

"This is what was elected. They’re allowed to interpret the rules the way they want," Grode told the Washington Post. "The policy always to them is to shrink the strike zone. The law is still the same."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Trump administration to screen immigrants for 'anti-Americanism'

Ja'han Jones
Wed, August 20, 2025

MSNBC



A new citizen holds an American flag during a naturalization ceremony in Metheun, Mass., in 2024. (David L. Ryan / Boston Globe via Getty Images)

The Trump administration is planning to roll out a new screening process to prevent people from working or gaining citizenship in the United States if they purportedly express what officials generally describe as "anti-Americanism."

Unlike the administration’s disturbing plans to create a new layer of screening to make sure naturalized citizens exhibit "good moral character" — a trait most Americans don’t even seem to think the president possesses, according to a recent poll — the new "anti-Americanism" screening will apply both to aspiring citizens and anyone seeking a green card to work in the United States.

As The Associated Press reports:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said officers will now consider whether an applicant for benefits, such as a green card, “endorsed, promoted, supported, or otherwise espoused” anti-American, terrorist or antisemitic views. “America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies,” Matthew Tragesser, USCIS spokesman, said in a statement. “Immigration benefits—including to live and work in the United States—remain a privilege, not a right.” It isn’t specified what constitutes anti-Americanism and it isn’t clear how and when the directive would be applied.

As I reported last week, the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is Joseph Edlow, who in a recent Breitbart interview advanced the central tenets of the "great replacement" conspiracy theory, which posits that a liberal cabal is attempting to replace white Americans with nonwhite people through immigration, interracial marriage and, eventually, violence. It's a racist theory that has motivated numerous mass murderers.

Now, Edlow’s job will reportedly include overseeing an agency that will screen immigrants’ supposed Americanness to determine whether they are worthy of working in the country or earning citizenship — with little or no official guidance on how these decisions should be made.

Jane Lilly Lopez, an associate professor of sociology at Brigham Young University, told the AP the move is “opening the door for stereotypes and prejudice and implicit bias to take the wheel.”

In a social media post, Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a former immigration lawyer and now a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, a nonprofit advocacy group, denounced the new screening as a return of “McCarthyism” to U.S. immigration law, comparing the new screenings to the crusade to root out purported communists led by Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., in the 1950s.

“McCarthyism returns to immigration law, as @USCIS announces that it will begin screening applicants for immigration benefits for ‘Anti-America ideologies or activities.’" he wrote. “The term has no prior precedent in immigration law and its definition is entirely up to the Trump admin.”

The move comes as the Trump administration has sought to police expression and impose its worldview in other ways, whether through attempts to whitewash Smithsonian museum exhibits and or exert more control over what is taught at American colleges and universities.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com

Trump administration to vet immigration applications for 'anti-Americanism'

Kanishka Singh
Wed, August 20, 2025

Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) naturalization ceremony in New York City

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration has said it will assess applicants for U.S. work, study and immigration visas for "anti-Americanism" and count any such finding against them, sparking concern about implications for free speech.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said in a "policy alert" dated Tuesday that it gave immigration officers new guidance on how to exercise discretion in cases where foreign applicants "support or promote anti-American ideologies or activities" as well as "antisemitic terrorism."

Trump has labeled a range of voices as anti-American, including historians and museums documenting U.S. slavery and pro-Palestinian protesters opposing U.S. ally Israel's military assault on Gaza.

"Anti-American activity will be an overwhelmingly negative factor in any discretionary analysis," USCIS said.

"America's benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies."

The announcement did not define anti-Americanism. But the policy manual refers to a section of federal law about prohibiting naturalization of people "opposed to government or law, or who favor totalitarian forms of government."

The full text mentions supporters of communism or totalitarian regimes and people who advocate overthrow of the U.S. government and violence against government officers, among other factors.

USCIS said it expanded the types of applications that have social media vetting, and reviews for "anti-American activity" will be added to that vetting.

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, said the step hearkened to the 1950s when Senator Joseph McCarthy hunted alleged communists in a campaign that became synonymous with political persecution.

"McCarthyism returns to immigration law," he said. Anti-Americanism "has no prior precedent in immigration law and its definition is entirely up to the Trump admin."

In April, the U.S. government said it would begin screening the social media of immigrants and visa applicants for what it called antisemitic activity. Rights advocates raised free speech and surveillance concerns.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

THE WORST OF THE WORST

BREAKING: Trump administration immediately pausing all new commercial truck driver work visas

Thomas Wasson
Thu, August 21, 2025 

/FreightWaves

(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

The Trump administration announced Thursday night that it has issued an immediate pause on the issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X, “The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers.”

Under current regulations, a foreign driver may obtain a U.S. commercial driver’s license but must have an employment authorization document.

Such documents include the temporary H-2B visa, which allows U.S. companies to hire foreign workers for temporary, seasonal or nonagricultural jobs. They are valid for up to nine months and require the company to demonstrate a labor shortage or the inability to hire a qualified U.S. worker.

Another option is permanent residency via an EB-3 visa, which is used to sponsor foreign drivers for permanent, long-term positions and provides a pathway to a green card. The permanent resident card, more commonly known as a green card, allows the individual to work permanently in the U.S. and is valid for 10 years.

The Trump administration’s recent moves targeting commercial driver work visas appear to be in reaction to headlines involving a fatal semitruck crash in Florida that killed three people.

Following the accident, Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Tuesday that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is investigating both the driver and White Hawk Carrier, the motor carrier that was involved.

This is a developing story.

IRONY

Trump administration expands ‘good moral character’ requirement to become naturalized citizen

Michael Williams, 

CNN
Wed, August 20, 2025 

The Trump administration is expanding the requirement for immigrants who are hoping to become US citizens to display “good moral character,” in a move that some immigration lawyers denounced as a troubling change that adds uncertainty to the naturalization process.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security that administers the country’s legal immigration system, directed its officers in a memo last week to more heavily consider both positive and negative “attributes or contributions” of people going through the naturalization process to become US citizens.

The memo, which was sent to USCIS officers on Friday, requires them to take a more “holistic approach in evaluating whether or not an alien seeking naturalization has affirmatively established that he or she has met their burden of establishing that they are worthy of assuming the rights and responsibilities of United States Citizenship.”

The agency said in a statement that the new policy is intended to ensure its officers are accounting more heavily for an immigrant’s positive attributes, rather than simply the “absence of misconduct,” to reflect their character.

“U.S. citizenship is the gold standard of citizenship—it should only be offered to the world’s best of the best,” USCIS spokesperson Matthew J. Tragesser said in a statement.

The standard to show good moral character has long been part of the naturalization process in the US. But immigration attorneys told CNN that the memo is designed in a way that places additional burdens on people going through the process.

Emily Ryo, a professor of law and sociology at Duke University whose research focuses on immigration, said the “mandate is likely to introduce a great deal of uncertainty, unpredictability, and administrative burden.”

“What does it mean to require that a noncitizen ‘affirmatively’ establish that they are ‘worthy’ of US citizenship?” Ryo said in an email. “What kind of documentation will noncitizens be required to provide to make this affirmative showing, and how exactly are the officials to weigh and verify such evidence?”

Susan Ramos, an immigration attorney based in Arizona, described the policy change as “troubling” and said it “appears to effectively change the substantive requirements for naturalization without notice and comment, just by policy.”

“It creates a new subjective standard without providing the analysis that will be performed in adjudicating an application for naturalization,” Ramos said. “For example, how much volunteer work is enough to tip the scales in favor of the applicant? Who decides that formula, and using what analysis? What will USCIS consider sufficient achievement for someone who doesn’t work?”

And because the directive is broadly written, it makes it more difficult to challenge an individual officer’s decision on whether the character standard has been met, said Kathrin Mautino, a California-based immigration attorney.


“Generally, it will give individual officers more authority to ask about private lives,” Mautino said.

But the memo does contain some more concrete and stringent requirements for potential new citizens.

Previously, immigrants who owed overdue taxes were required to only show they were participating in a payment plan with the IRS to meet the character standard, Mautino said. But the new memo now requires the “full payment” of overdue taxes, as well as other obligations including child-support payments.

USCIS said in the memo this is to make sure immigrants “who have engaged in wrongdoing are properly rehabilitated and reformed.”

People who have multiple traffic tickets can now be found to lack good moral character, as well as people who engage in “harassment or aggressive solicitation,” though it is not clear what the memo means by that.

The updated policy is just one way the Trump administration is more heavily scrutinizing the lives of people applying for citizenship or for the right to live, work or study in the United States.

In late May, the US State Department ordered embassies to pause visa interviews for international students so they could more heavily scrutinize students’ social media. The pause was lifted after the State Department told embassies to screen for “hostile attitudes towards our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles.”

On Tuesday, USCIS announced that type of vetting will expand to seek out “anti-American” attitudes in those seeking immigration-related benefits such as the right to live or work in the US.



Trump Administration Gives Federal Officers More Leeway To Reject Citizenship Applications

Li Zhou
Wed, August 20, 2025 

HUFFPOST

New guidance from the Trump administration gives federal officers more leeway to reject citizenship applications on the basis of individuals lacking “good moral character.”

That criteria, which has long been a part of citizenship evaluations, has typically been satisfied if a person doesn’t have a history of violence or unlawful conduct, CBS News’ Camilo Montoya-Galvez reports. Following a Friday memo from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, however, officers have been directed to take a “holistic” look at what “good moral character” entails, allowing them to flag applications for a much wider swath of reasons.

Related: Trump Shows Off His ‘4 MORE YEARS’ Hat To Zelenskyy During Baffling White House Detour

Those include whether a person has sufficient “positive attributes and contributions” such as involvement in the community, employment history and educational attainment. And they also include whether an individual has a history of lesser offenses like repeated traffic infractions or a pattern of other “acts that are contrary to the average behavior of citizens in the jurisdiction where aliens reside.”

“Going forward, USCIS officers must account for an alien’s positive attributes and not simply the absence of misconduct,” the memo reads.

This approach means that people could theoretically see their applications denied if officers don’t believe they’ve contributed enough to their communities, or if they take issue with certain past activities.

“This new guidance seems to give more discretion to officers and increase what factors can be relied upon to deny naturalization,”Jean Reisz, a USC law professor and co-director of the university’s Immigration Clinic, tells HuffPost. “Especially in light of how broadly one can interpret ‘contributions’ to the U.S. or what would constitute socially questionable behavior. For example, participating in certain protests could be viewed as socially questionable if it conflicts with an administration’s agenda.”

The agency’s new approach comes as the administration has launched a crackdown on undocumented immigrants and simultaneously sought to restrict pathways to legal immigration. In addition to ramping up deportations of undocumented people, the administration has also revoked visas for students who are in the U.S. lawfully and tried to roll back programs like Temporary Protected Status, which offer legal protections that shield tens of thousands of immigrants from deportation.

Giving officers more grounds to reject citizenship applications only adds to this push.