Tuesday morning news: January 28, 2025

HEGSETH: Good morning, everybody. How we doin’?

KENT COVINGTON, NEWS ANCHOR: Hegseth begins work, changes at Defence Department » Newly sworn in Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth greeted reporters outside the Pentagon … as he arrived for his first day on the job.

And the secretary says he — and President Trump — intend to waste no time making big changes within the Defense Department.

HEGSETH:  Removing DEI, uh, inside the Pentagon, reinstating troops who were pushed out because of COVID mandates, uh, Iron Dome for America. Uh, this is happening quickly.

The ‘Iron Dome’ is the nickname given to Israel’s missile defense system.

President Trump has indicated that he plans to reinstate a ban on transgender individuals serving in the U.S. military. Those suffering from gender dysphoria could receive medical discharges.

Pete Hegseth, a combat veteran, was confirmed on Friday, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.

JD Vance in Virginia for first official trip » And speaking of the vice president, he met on Monday with residents in Damascus, Virginia, which was hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Vance said while it hasn't gotten as much attention as damage in Western North Carolina:

VANCE:  There's also a lot of devastation here in Virginia and also in East Tennessee. So our, our, our promise and our focus is going to be on leaving no American behind.

Vice President Vance criticized the disaster response under the Biden administration, and said more disaster funding needs to make its way into communities like Damascus quickly.

He added that agencies such as Housing and Urban Development, will be part of the recovery in areas struck by powerful storms.

Senate confirmation proceedings » The U.S. Senate has approved another member of President Trump’s cabinet.

AUDIO:   The yeas are 68. The nays are 29. The confirmation is confirmed.

And with that, billionaire investor Scott Bessent was confirmed treasury secretary.

Bessent has said the U.S. faces economic calamity if Congress does not renew key provisions of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts which are set to expire at the end of this year.

The secretary faces the balancing act of cutting taxes and curbing deficits. The Trump administration says pro-growth policies will ultimately be the key, along with spending cuts.

Illegal immigration crackdown » In Washington state, onlookers celebrated as Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson signed an executive order creating a team that aims to shield residents from President Trump's immigration enforcement policies.

And on the East Coast, President of the New York Immigration Coalition Murad Awawdeh told reporters:

AWAWDEH:  The lawsuits have started, the fights are going to continue, and we have an enormous amount of work ahead of us.

But Immigration Customs Enforcement — ICE, for short — is undeterred. It has already carried out raids from Chicago to Miami, arrests in Philadelphia. And soon ICE says New York City is next.

Border czar Tom Homan:.

HOMAN: We’re going to do this job, and we’re going to enforce the laws of this country. If they don’t like it, then go to Congress and change the law.

Homan says anyone in the country illegally faces deportation, but they’re concentrating—his words— “the worst first” meaning gang members and those with criminal records.

Colombia update » Meantime, President Trump says he sent a clear message over the weekend, after Colombian President Gustavo Petro turned away a deportation flight from the United States.

TRUMP:  We've made it clear to every country that they will be taking back people that we're sending out. The criminals, the illegal aliens coming from their countries, we're taking them back and they're going to take them back fast. And if they don't, they'll pay a very high economic price.

Trump’s response was swift, announcing tariffs of up to 50 percent on all Colombian imports. Petro then reversed course the same day, saying his government will allow the deportation flights after all.

Trump, in turn, canceled the planned tariffs. But he said visa sanctions that were announced alongside the tariffs will remain in place until the first flight from the U.S. is successfully completed.

Israel latest » Devastating news out of Israel. Israeli government spokesman David Mencer announced Monday:

MENCER: Israel has received from the Hamas terrorist organization a list that includes the status of all of the 33 hostages due to be released in this first stage.

And of those 33, only 25 of them are still alive.

Meantime in Gaza:

SOUND: [Packed streets]

Thousands of vehicles packed the streets in the Gaza Strip Monday, as displaced Palestinians returned to northern Gaza.

They're returning to their homes after Israel lifted its closure of the area as part of the new ceasefire with the terror group Hamas.

PALESTINIAN: [Speaking Arabic]

One woman said she has mixed feelings as she returns: Feelings of pain, hope, and joy, because while she says she's returning to her homeland, much of the area has been destroyed.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: tens of thousands of pro-lifers marched on Washington D.C. this weekend. We’ll meet a few of them. Plus, an American businessman spent nearly 900 days detained by the Taliban. Now he’s finally home.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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