The Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency wins big in court. And President Donald Trump issues an executive order to make in vitro fertilization more accessible and affordable. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025.
Judge denies Democrat-led effort to block Musk, DOGE access
A federal judge has blocked an attempt by 14 states to deny Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing data systems or making personnel decisions at seven federal agencies. In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan said the “possibility” that DOGE could harm the states is “not enough” to halt its activities.
Chutkan, who presided over President Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference criminal case before he was reelected, said the group of Democratic attorneys general that brought the lawsuit “legitimately call into question what appears to be the unchecked authority of an unelected individual and an entity that was not created by congress and over which it has no oversight,” but added they had not linked any of DOGE’s actions to any “imminent harm” in their states.
The court filing described Musk as a White House employee serving as a “senior advisor to the president,” not an employee of DOGE. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reinforced that position when asked by reporters on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
“President Trump is the ultimate decision-maker for this entire administration,” Leavitt said. “Elon Musk, just like everybody else across the federal government, works at the direction of President Trump.”
She added, “DOGE does not have statutory authority. We’ve been very clear about that. Again, DOGE is advising these agencies. It’s ultimately up to the discretion of these secretaries to make these hirings and these firings.”
Leavitt said Trump’s cabinet members ultimately have the power to fire federal employees; DOGE just makes recommendations.
Late last week, a different U.S. district judge also rejected a request to block DOGE from accessing the records of three government agencies.
Trump signs executive order aimed at advancing IVF treatments
Trump signed another executive order to fulfill one of his campaign promises. The order directs the assistant to the president for domestic policy to provide Trump with a list of policy recommendations within 90 days to protect access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and “aggressively reducing out-of-pocket and health plan costs for IVF treatment.”
Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Taylor looks at how this could impact thousands of American families here.
IVF became a big issue during the 2024 presidential campaign after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are children, and those who destroy or damage them, including IVF providers, could be held liable for wrongful death. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey later signed a bill giving civil and criminal immunity to providers and patients.
Barbara Collura, President and CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, said the White House action looks extremely promising.
Without Ukraine, US and Russia agree to work toward ending war
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, continuing his tour of the Middle East. On Tuesday, he met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. After that meeting, Rubio said the U.S. and Russia had agreed to start working toward ending the war and improving their diplomatic and economic ties.
Rubio told the Associated Press that the two countries have agreed on three goals: restoring staffing at their respective embassies in Washington, D.C., and Moscow, creating a high-level team to support Ukraine peace talks and exploring closer relations and economic cooperation.
The U.S. and Russia excluded Ukraine from Tuesday’s discussions to end the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that his country would not accept any outcomes from those talks. He also postponed his trip to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, while speaking with reporters at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, Trump directed controversial remarks toward Ukraine.
“Today I heard, ‘Well, we weren’t invited,’” Trump said. “Well, you’ve been there for three years. You should have ended it three years — you should have never started it. You could have made a deal.”
U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday for talks with Zelenskyy and military commanders. Zelenskyy has said any settlement ending the three-year war will require American security commitments to keep Russia at bay.
Arctic air brings dangerous cold to large parts of US
The latest round of winter storms is taking direct aim at the east coast Wednesday, spreading across the Tennessee and Ohio valleys and threatening to dump heavy snow with possible ice build-up in several states. That included Kentucky, where at least 14 people died due to the weekend storm that brought devastating flooding.
The National Weather Service said severe weather could bring up to 10 inches of snow along the Atlantic coast in Virginia and forecasted significant ice accumulations in eastern North Carolina.
NWS meteorologists said the most bitter cold is still to come, with record frigid temperatures likely to hit parts of the country early Thursday and Friday.
This all comes on the heels of a polar vortex that took over from Montana to southern Texas on Tuesday.
Judge to hold hearing over DOJ’s move to drop Eric Adams case
Federal Judge Dale Ho will hold a hearing in New York on Wednesday regarding Trump’s DOJ move to dismiss the criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
This comes after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul met with other Democrats on Tuesday to discuss using her powers to remove Adams, a fellow Democrat. The governor decided to wait to see what the federal judge decided before proceeding and possibly ousting Adams.
Four New York City deputy mayors resigned en masse on Monday, Feb. 17, to protest Adams remaining in office.
The federal judge will request that the Justice Department clarify its reasoning for seeking to terminate the public corruption case against Adams. The DOJ’s action occurred as prosecutors in the Southern District of New York were preparing a broader indictment that would have charged Adams with destroying evidence and lying to the FBI
Adams’ supporters believe Democrats are targeting him because he is helping the Trump administration in its push to remove illegal immigrants from New York City.
Egypt announces first discovery of a royal tomb in more than a century
Egyptian officials announced that searchers had discovered the last of the lost tombs belonging to the kings of Ancient Egypt’s 18th Dynasty
A joint Egyptian-British archaeological mission discovered Thutmose II’s tomb in the Thebes region, west of Luxor and the famous Valley of the Kings. Archaeologists uncovered the entrance and central passage into the tomb, previously known only as “tomb No. C4,” in 2022, and excavation efforts have continued since then.
Scientists previously discovered he mummy of King Thutmose II at a different location during the 19th century. Experts said tomb raiders likely moved it after looting it.
Thutmose II’s tomb was the first royal Egyptian tomb discovered since King Tutankhamun’s final resting place was found in 1922.