helen Jahn

On May 4, 2025, aboard Air Force One, former President Donald J. Trump made headlines by revealing that Stephen Miller, his long-time senior advisor and architect of some of the administration's most controversial policies, is under serious consideration for the role of National Security Adviser (NSA). This announcement followed the dismissal of Rep. Mike Waltz from the position, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stepping in temporarily. While Trump stressed no urgency in finalizing the appointment, the mere suggestion of Miller’s name has reignited fierce debates across the legal, academic, and policy communities.

In November 2024, Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani were indicted by U.S. authorities on charges of paying bribes to secure power supply contracts in India and misleading U.S. investors during a $750 million bond sale by Adani Green Energy Ltd. . These allegations have not only impacted the Adani Group's market value but have also raised significant questions about the enforcement of international anti-corruption laws and the influence of political considerations on legal proceedings.

In the opening months of President Donald J. Trump's second term, the United States finds itself navigating a period marked by unprecedented assertions of executive authority. Following a tumultuous reelection campaign and an equally polarizing inauguration, the Trump administration has initiated a wave of executive actions aimed at restructuring key federal agencies, reconfiguring national security strategy, and reshaping America’s global posture. These initiatives have reignited enduring constitutional debates over the scope of presidential power and the safeguarding of democratic institutions.

In April 2025, former President Donald J. Trump, having returned to the White House, unveiled a sweeping new round of tariffs targeting China and other major trade partners, including the European Union, Canada, and Mexico. The most severe measures include tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese imports and steep increases on goods ranging from automobiles to electronics from allied nations. Though pitched as a bold assertion of economic sovereignty, this new tariff regime has already begun reshaping global markets, sparking retaliatory threats, and provoking urgent legal and political scrutiny.

On May 5, 2025, former President Donald Trump, now the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election, declared in an interview that he seeks a "fair" trade deal with China. The statement followed his recent proposal of sweeping tariffs, including a 10% levy on imports from most countries and an unprecedented 145% tariff specifically targeting Chinese goods. Though Trump emphasized that direct negotiations with Chinese President Xi Jinping were not imminent, he claimed that diplomatic backchannels between U.S. and Chinese officials remained active.

In March 2025, former President Donald J. Trump, then the leading Republican candidate for the 2024 election, issued an executive order that dismantled the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). This action abruptly defunded Voice of America (VOA), suspended over 1,300 employees, and placed the international broadcasting institution under direct political oversight. This executive move marked an aggressive deviation from decades of bipartisan consensus regarding the necessity of editorial independence in state-funded journalism. The resulting legal challenge, brought forth by VOA’s White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara, multiple journalists, and unions, is now positioned as a pivotal case for defining the contours of press freedom in America.