News Wrap: D.C. Sues Trump Administration Over National Guard Deployment, Fed Nominee Statement, Israel-Hamas War Update

Federal Reserve Nominee Stephen Miran

• 📌 Stephen Miran, President Trump's nominee for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, stated he would take an unpaid leave of absence from his White House role if confirmed, rather than resign.
• 💡 He pledged to uphold the independence of the Fed and make decisions based on economic data and his own judgment.
• ⚠️ Democrats expressed concern that his continued White House ties would taint his impartiality, viewing him as potentially acting as "Donald Trump's puppet."
• 📈 Administration officials hope for Miran's confirmation before the Fed's upcoming meeting on interest rates.

Legal Challenges and Federal Actions

• 🏛️ The District of Columbia is suing the Trump administration to end the National Guard deployment in the city, with the D.C. attorney general calling it an "illegal military occupation."
• ⚖️ A White House spokesperson countered, labeling the lawsuit an attempt to undermine the president's operations to stop violent crime.
• ✈️ A federal appeals court in Florida paused an order to close the Everglades detention center, known as Alligator Alcatraz, pending the administration's appeal.
• 🚨 Separately, an appeals court is pausing restrictions on President Trump's use of force in Los Angeles, maintaining the status quo while the administration appeals a ruling that found the deployment of military forces illegal.
• ⚖️ The Trump administration is appealing to the Supreme Court a lower court decision that ruled most of President Trump's tariffs were an illegal use of emergency powers.

International Conflicts and Disasters

• 💔 Gaza health officials report over 64,000 Palestinians killed in the Israel-Hamas war, with recent strikes killing at least 28 people.
• 🕊️ Hamas offered to free its remaining 48 hostages (dead or alive) in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and Palestinian prisoners, an offer dismissed as "spin" by Prime Minister Netanyahu's office.
• ⛰️ The Taliban government in Afghanistan reported the death toll from a recent earthquake has risen to over 2,200 people, with treacherous terrain hindering relief efforts.

Ukraine Security and Global Alliances

• 🤝 French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 Western nations have pledged to send troops to Ukraine after the fighting ends with Russia.
• 🛡️ This force aims to provide a lasting security guarantee and prevent new major aggression, operating within a cease-fire framework.
• 🇺🇸 It remains unclear if and how the U.S. will participate, with Macron and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy working with Washington to finalize a plan.

Other News

• 🎓 Michael Schill, president of Northwestern University, is stepping down amid tensions with the Trump administration, following cuts to research funding and criticism over the university's response to pro-Palestine demonstrations.
• 📈 On Wall Street, stocks ended higher ahead of the monthly jobs report, with the Dow Jones industrial average, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 all showing solid gains.