CBS News to Air Delayed 60 Minutes Report on El Salvador’s CECOT Mega-Prison 
Minnesota U.S. Citizen Detained by ICE in Armed Raid Sparks Outrage and Civil Rights Concerns 
Pentagon Prepares Troops for Possible Minnesota Deployment Amid Deportation Protests 
Supreme Court Tests Federal Reserve Independence Amid Trump’s Bid to Fire Lisa Cook 
Japan Snap Election Fuels Debate Over Consumption Tax Cut Amid Rising Living Costs 
Guatemala Declares State of Siege After Deadly Gang Violence and Prison Hostage Crisis 
Ukraine Unveils New Drone-Based Air Defence Strategy Amid Rising Russian Threats 
EU Prepares Retaliation as Trump Tariff Threats Over Greenland Escalate Transatlantic Tensions 
Syrian Government Consolidates Control as Kurdish Forces Withdraw from Key Regions 
Trump Escalates Greenland Rhetoric, Citing Russia Threat and Pressure on Denmark 
EU Ambassadors Hold Emergency Talks as Trump Threatens Tariffs Over Greenland Dispute 
Trump Threatens 200% Tariff on French Wine Over Macron’s Refusal to Join Peace Board 
Starmer Criticizes Tariffs on NATO Allies in Call With Trump 
Russian Drone and Missile Attack Disrupts Power and Water in Kyiv 
Trump Administration Held Secret Talks With Venezuela’s Diosdado Cabello Ahead of Maduro Ouster 
Vietnam Communist Party Congress to Shape Leadership and Economic Strategy 
JD Vance to Lead U.S. Presidential Delegation at Milano Cortina Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony 
President Donald Trump is still in the midst of doing a clean up of personnel within the government. His latest clear up was made recently when he withdrew his nomination of Elaine McCusker.
The Washington Times reports that Trump withdrew his nomination of McCusker for a post at the Pentagon. The White House did not disclose the exact reason why her nomination was withdrawn, but Democrats in Congress said that this was another act of retaliation towards those who were involved in Trump’s impeachment trials. McCusker questioned Trump’s temporary withholding of financial assistance to Ukraine, which triggered the impeachment process.
According to Democrat Senator Jack Reed, who is also a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, “Elaine McCusker is another casualty of the Trump administration’s efforts to purge public servants who put country over fealty to the president.” Reed continued to explain that the withdrawal of her nomination is “collateral damage by a president who has vindictively purged career national security professionals caught up in the impeachment inquiry.” Reed noted that McCusker is a prominent public servant with decades of experience within the Department of Defense.
Trump allegedly withheld the millions in Congress-appointed aid to Ukraine, pressuring the Ukrainian officials to conduct an investigation into former vice president Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. Witnesses had also testified to this allegation during the impeachment trials. However, the Senate voted to acquit Trump of both articles of impeachment. Since then, Trump has dismissed the witnesses from their positions as a way to only keep around those who are loyal to him.
Meanwhile, Trump is set to speak at the 2020 HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition. The president will be addressing the attendees on the 9th of March, and he will be the first active president to become a speaker at the event.
Trump’s address will touch on aspects of digital health, including interoperability and innovation. His attendance will also likely mean that there will be an announcement regarding the final rules on information blocking as well as patient access from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT. The administration’s response to the coronavirus as well as updates regarding what their task force intends to do may also be revealed at the event.
