The change of power in the US

Trump's first term
Sources: Donald Trump fires several inspector generals

Late Friday night, US President Donald Trump fired 17 inspector generals for a number of different agencies, sources told the New York Times.

According to the newspaper, it marks the end of a dramatic week in which Trump is trying to strengthen his own power.

One who is critical of the information is Democratic Senator Elisabeth Warren. She believes that Trump's actions are paving the way for widespread corruption.

- Inspector generals are tasked with cracking down on waste, fraud, abuse and to prevent irregularities within the government. President Trump is dismantling those control mechanisms, she says in a statement according to the NYT.

The newspaper's information has not yet been confirmed by the White House.

US-China Relations
China's Response to New US Secretary of State: "Behave"

The new US administration will strive for a relationship with China that promotes American interests and puts the American people first. That was the message from new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio when he had his first formal phone call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, writes Bloomberg.

According to State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, Rubio also expressed "serious concern" about China's aggression in the South China Sea and behavior toward Taiwan.

The Chinese response to Rubio was sour. According to a statement from China's Foreign Ministry, Wang Yi said he hoped Rubio would "act accordingly." According to the AP, the phrase can be read as Wang urging Rubio to "behave," but otherwise China maintained the polite tone necessary for continued diplomatic relations.

Trump's team
Analysis: Political strategy gave Trump his new minister

It is unlikely that the three Republicans who voted against Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense tonight will join forces in a breakaway team in the Senate. That is the assessment made by NBC's political commentator Julie Tsirkin.

She believes that they voted against Hegseth for different reasons. In general, she sees the vote as a clear test of loyalty to Donald Trump. Many senators will face voters in the 2026 midterm elections and cannot afford to make enemies with the president.

- Political considerations undoubtedly played a large role in this, she says.

Trump does not care much if some senators turn their backs on him, writes Ed Kilgore in an analysis in New York Magazine that was published shortly before the vote.

The Republicans have a three-man majority, as well as a casting vote in the event of a tie, which creates room for maneuver. He further notes that one of the critics who voted no tonight, Mitch McConnell, who has been a senator for 40 years, is a “party man” to the core and hardly wants to destroy more than necessary.

Hegseth sworn in as the new US Secretary of Defense

After last night's dramatic vote in the Senate, Pete Hegseth has now been sworn in as the new US Secretary of Defense, several media outlets report. About twelve hours after Hegseth was approved in the Senate by a tie-breaking vote, he placed his hand on the Bible during a ceremony in Washington.

After being sworn in, Hegseth thanked Vice President JD Vance, who cast the tie-breaking vote. The former Fox News host, whose appointment has been controversial and criticized, said after the ceremony that the US does not want to fight any wars.

- We want to end them and we want to end them responsibly, he says according to the AP and emphasizes that the US will use "overwhelming force" to destroy enemies if necessary.

Votes on the inauguration
Voter Tony: “Glad that Trump keeps his promises”

There are divided opinions about how Donald Trump has behaved in his first days in office as US president. The BBC has spoken to American voters on different sides of the political spectrum. Some praise Trump, and others have followed his first days in the White House with a lump in their stomach.

– It feels like he has become a little tougher, a little more hard-line, says 58-year-old Shantonu, who voted for Harris.

– I am glad that he is keeping his promises, says Republican voter Tony.

47-year-old Larry, who voted for Trump, says that he is happy with all the decisions that Trump has already made. But the numbers made it a little difficult to keep up, he admits.