Appointments and Executive Changes

Senate Confirms Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary

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Bessent, a hedge fund manager, becomes the nation’s 79th Treasury secretary. He will lead President Trump’s economic agenda.

Trump Paralyzes Independent Rights Watchdog, Firing Members Selected by Democrats

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The move removed three of the four sitting members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, leaving it unable to act as the Trump administration begins reshaping intelligence agencies.

Kennedy Center’s Leader to Step Down, Adding to Uncertainty

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The announced departure of Deborah F. Rutter, the center’s president since 2014, comes as the center continues to search for a new board chair while navigating a second Trump term.

Trump Tests the Boundaries of the Presidency

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Even more than in his first term, President Trump has mounted a fundamental challenge to the norms and expectations of what a president can and should do.

Hegseth’s Views May Clash With Reality at Defense Department

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The new defense secretary’s goals run counter to the military’s apolitical tradition and efforts to build a force that mirrors America.

C.I.A. Now Favors Lab Leak Theory to Explain Covid’s Origins

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A new analysis that began under the Biden administration is released by the C.I.A.’s new director, John Ratcliffe, who wants the agency to get “off the sidelines” in the debate.