Washington, Jan 24 (AP) President Donald Trump said in an interview that he will reach out to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who he described as a “smart guy.” Trump was being interviewed on Fox News by Sean Hannity, who asked the president if he planned to talk to his North Korean counterpart. Trump said he would.

“I got along with him,” Trump said of Kim. “He's not a religious zealot.” New statement from Hegseth's ex-wife continues to raise questions about his alcohol use A new statement by Pete Hegseth's ex-wife to the FBI continues to raise questions about the alcohol use of Trump's nominee for defence secretary.

That statement by Samantha Hegseth, the nominee's second wife, is part of an FBI background investigation that was read to Senate Armed Services Committee leadership Mississippi Republican Roger Wicker and Rhode Island Democrat Jack Reed Jan. 16. It said Pete Hegseth had and continues to have a problem with alcohol abuse, a person familiar with the FBI briefing and its findings told The Associated Press.

Reed has called Hegseth's FBI background check substandard. He said in a statement Thursday that he and Wicker received multiple FBI briefings about the defense secretary nominee, something he had not seen in more than 25 years on the Armed Services Committee, and that “the recent reports about the contents of the background briefings on Mr. Hegseth are true and accurate.” Timothy Parlatore, Hegseth's attorney, said Thursday that “Reed is knowingly lying” because what Samantha Hegseth actually told the FBI is that Pete Hegseth drinks more often than not, but she also acknowledged that she had not spent time with him for about seven years.

White House asks California congressional members to hold roundtable during Trump visit The White House has asked California congressional members, including Democrats, to hold a roundtable at an airplane hangar in Santa Monica during Trump's visit to the fire-ravaged region of California on Friday afternoon.

That's according to a person briefed on the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss them.

Congressional Democrats have sharply criticized the new president's threats to withhold federal disaster aid unless California's leaders change the state's approach on its management of water.

There are currently no plans to visit sites of fire destruction in Altadena, a working class area heavily impacted by the Eaton fire, according to the source familiar, though it was unclear if the president would be visiting other sites.

Trump reiterates support for full federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina Trump signed a memo Thursday directing his administration to help advance full federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, a distinction that would unlock access to federal funds.

Congress acknowledged the tribe in 1956 but stopped short of giving the now 55,000-member tribe federal recognition, which has been granted to 574 other Native American tribes in the U.S. Along with federal funds, the designation comes with access to resources like health care through the Indian Health Service. It also creates a pathway for a tribe to secure a land base.

Trump's memo directs the Department of the Interior, within 90 days, to provide a plan on how to get the Lumbee Tribe federal recognition “through legislation or other available mechanisms.” Treasury Department deploys extraordinary measures' to avoid breaching debt ceiling The Treasury Department says it has deployed “extraordinary measures” to stop the US from breaching the debt ceiling.

Acting Secretary David Lebryk wrote to congressional leaders on Thursday to inform them about the new measures. He says the Treasury Department stopped paying into the G Fund, a retirement fund for government workers.

Once the extraordinary measures run out, the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government's ability to borrow.

First batch of new forces being deployed to El Paso and San Diego to secure southern borde Active duty military troops will begin arriving in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego on Thursday evening, in what defense officials said is the first batch of the new forces being deployed to secure the southern border.

The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that about 1,500 troops were being sent to the border this week, as the department scrambles to put in motion President Donald Trump's executive order demanding an immediate crackdown on immigration.

U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details on troop movements, said they expect additional troops to be ordered to deploy in the next few days as defense and homeland security leaders iron out requests for more support.

The officials said it's not yet clear how many more service members would get tapped in the near future, but they would include active duty, National Guard and Reserves, and come from land, air and sea forces. Other defense and military officials this week estimated that the additional number deployed could be in the thousands.

Trump's demand for lower interest rates isn't that simple Trump has pledged cheaper prices and lower interest rates, but an economy transformed by the pandemic will make those promises difficult to keep.

Economic growth is solid, driven by healthy consumer spending. Budget deficits are huge and could get even larger.

And if Trump follows through on his promises to impose widespread tariffs on imports and deport millions of immigrants, economists expect inflation could worsen, making it less likely the Federal Reserve will cut its key interest rate much this year.

What to know about Trump's executive order regarding transgender people An executive order that Trump signed on his first day back in office offers a new federal government definition of the sexes that could have a major impact on transgender people.

The order calls for the federal government to define sex as only male or female and for that to be reflected on official documents such as passports and policies such as federal prison assignments. As for federal spending, it's not clear what his vow to end broader gender classifications will mean on the ground.

Trump says he is not bothered by Musk's criticism of the Stargate projec Trump said he is unbothered by the fact that Elon Musk has been critical of the Stargate artificial intelligence infrastructure project he announced this week, telling reporters that Musk is critical because one of the people involved in the deal is “one of the people he happens to hate.” Trump brushed aside the clash that's been unfurling online between two of his tech business allies, Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Musk has questioned the value of the AI investment, of which OpenAI is a partner.

“People in the deal are very, very smart people. But, Elon, one of the people he happens to hate. But I have certain hatreds of people, too,” Trump said. The president did not elaborate.

Trump pardons anti-abortion activists who blockaded clinic entrances Trump announced Thursday he would pardon anti-abortion activists convicted of blockading abortion clinic entrances.

Trump called it “a great honor to sign this.” “They should not have been prosecuted,” he said as he signed pardons for “peaceful pro-life protesters.” Among the people pardoned were those involved in the October 2020 invasion and blockade of a Washington clinic.

In the first week of Trump's presidency, anti-abortion advocates have ramped up calls for Trump to pardon protesters charged with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which is designed to protect abortion clinics from obstruction and threats. The 1994 law was passed during a time where clinic protests and blockades were on the rise, as well as violence against abortion providers, such as the murder of Dr. David Gunn in 1993.

Trump says no date set yet for new tariffs on China Trump said he hasn't set a date on imposing new tariffs on China, but he's reiterating that he wants a 10% tax on Chinese imports in retaliation for it making the chemicals used in fentanyl.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Thursday that he still plans to tariff Canada and Mexico at 25% rates starting as soon as Feb. 1. He said he was comfortable charging higher tariffs on those countries because he had already placed higher tariffs on China during his first term.

Trump says he expects Fed to listen to him on lowering rates Trump says he expects a chain reaction in which lower oil prices will lead to lower interest rates across the U.S. economy, but he also plans to bring up the issue with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that “when the energy (prices) comes down” it would also knock down overall inflation and “automatically bring the interest rates down.” Asked if he expects the Fed to listen to him on rates, Trump said: “Yeah.” Trump says he will talk to Powell about lowering rates “at the right time.” The Fed controls short-term rates that influence inflation and the supply of money in the economy.

Trump has talked to lawmakers about reshaping FEMA Trump is preparing to reshape the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has been on the frontlines of responding to recent wildfires in California and last year's hurricane in North Carolina.

He spoke at length about the issue with congressional Republican leaders on Tuesday, discussing whether the agency should continue providing assistance to states in the same way, according to a person familiar with the conversation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss it.

Conservatives have previously suggested reducing the amount that states are reimbursed for preventing and responding to disasters like floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and more.

?Read more about Trump's plans for FEMA The Department of Justice will vigorously defend' Trump's executive order redefining birthright citizenship In a statement after the federal judge's ruling Thursday that temporarily blocked the order, the department said the executive order “correctly interprets the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.” “We look forward to presenting a full merits argument to the Court and to the American people, who are desperate to see our Nation's laws enforced,” the department said.

US District Judge John Coughenour in Seattle called the executive order “blatantly unconstitutional” during the first hearing Thursday in a multi-state effort challenging the order.

Trump says he's open to meeting people charged or convicted for the Jan 6 Capitol attack President Donald Trump says he's open to meeting with the roughly 1,500 people charged or convicted for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack whom he pardoned on Monday in his first hours in the White House.

Trump said he didn't know if he would meet with those who faced criminal consequences for trying - violently in many cases - to prevent Congress from certifying his 2020 election defeat, but added, “I'd be open to it, certainly.” Trump expected to give prerecorded address to March for Life President Donald Trump is expected give a prerecorded video address to anti-abortion protesters Friday at the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C.

The news come after Trump offered vague, contradictory answers to questions on abortion on the campaign trail and often attempted to distance himself from anti-abortion allies, despite boasting about nominating three Supreme Court justices who helped strike down a federal right to abortion.

“This pro-life president has gone nowhere,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the national anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America, while announcing Trump's appearance during a Thursday press briefing.

Abortion rights advocates pointed to his appearance at the event as evidence of what they've been saying all along -- that Trump cannot be trusted to stay out of abortion rights.

“No matter what they said on the campaign trail to win an election, this shows their intentions to continue to attack abortion access,” said Ryan Stitzlein, vice president of political and government relations for the national abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All. “This is just proving us right.” (AP) NSA NSA