Trump's USA

The President's Team
Vance in a storm – wants his wife to convert

US Vice President JD Vance has been criticized by Indians and Americans with Indian roots this week. The reason is comments about his wife Usha Vance's Hindu faith, writes the New York Times.

During a meeting with Charlie Kirk's Turning Point Foundation this week, the vice president was asked if he hopes his wife, like himself, converts to Catholicism.

– To be honest, yes. Because I believe in the Christian message and I hope my wife will see it the same way.

The answer led to criticism on social media that became so strong that Vance felt compelled to respond to it. In a post on X, he calls Usha Vance "the greatest blessing of my life".

"I intend to continue to love, support and discuss religious issues and life, because she is my wife." 

LGBT rights in the US
Pentagon restricts transgender people in the military

The Pentagon has introduced a new policy that severely limits the ability of transgender people to request to continue working in the US military, reports the AP news agency.

The Trump administration has banned transgender people from working in the armed forces and now they will not have the same opportunity to argue their right to remain before review boards. Transgender people will also have to appear before the boards in uniforms that match their sex at birth, according to the new policy. If they do not do this, their absence can be used against them.

Commanders can also overturn decisions made by review boards that the people can continue to serve, according to a memo that the AP has seen. 

The War on the Media
Journalists are restricted – want to protect materials in the White House

Journalists will no longer have free access to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and other high-ranking officials in the White House, reports Reuters.

The White House issued the rule on Friday and it means that journalists must now book an appointment in advance to gain access to the press room. The justification is to protect potentially sensitive material.

The president of the White House Correspondents' Association, Weijia Jiang, is critical of the decision and says that the association opposes any attempt to restrict journalists from areas within the White House communications operations.

– It hinders the press corps' ability to question officials, ensure transparency and hold the government accountable, to the detriment of the American public, she says in a statement according to Politico.