Texas bans DeepSeek, RedNote, other Chinese apps from government devices

President Donald Trump’s new Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has given Tesla CEO Elon Musk full access to the federal payment system late Friday. This gives Musk a powerful tool to monitor and possibly limit government spending.

This comes after an incident last week when a top Treasury official resisted giving officials with Musk’s Department of Governmental Efficiency access to the system. According to The New York Times, the system sends money on behalf of the entire federal government.

The official, David Lebryk, was a career civil servant. The department put him on leave after the incident before he retired on Friday, according to The Times.

Why does Musk want access to the system?

Some experts say that taking control of this system could allow the Trump administration another way to restrict the disbursement of money approved for specific purposes by Congress. Musk has recently criticized the Treasury Department in a social media post.

The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups.

They literally never denied a payment in their entire career.

Not even once. https://t.co/kInoGWdw4C

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)

February 1, 2025

“The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups,” Musk said in the post. “They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once.”

At this time, it’s not clear if Musk or DOGE has blocked any payments since gaining access to the system.

Besides granting payments, the system also includes critical and sensitive data about the millions of Americans who receive Social Security benefits.

Have there been issues with federal payments?

Improper payments in federal programs have long been an issue that has drawn the attention of government watchdogs and congressional lawmakers. Improper payments spiked in recent years when the government approved large relief programs to help during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Politico. 

The Government Accountability Office estimated that the government could be losing up to $521 billion each year due to fraud. Federal agencies reported $236 billion in improper payments in the 2024 fiscal year. According to Politico, the majority of the improper payments came from Medicare, Medicaid and unemployment insurance.

California officials announced Friday, Jan. 31, that fire crews have fully contained the Eaton and Palisades wildfires after three weeks of fighting. At least 29 people were killed by the two fires.

According to Cal Fire, the 14,000-acre Eaton Fire was first reported on Jan. 7, in southern California. The Palisades Fire started the same day and burned more than 23,000 acres.

What caused the fires?

Fire officials have not determined a confirmed cause of the fires. However, high winds and dry vegetation caused the fire to ignite quickly and burn large areas rapidly. The high wind also prevented helicopters and planes from assisting firefighters on the ground. 

Local authorities have made several arrests following the fires. The most notorious of the arrests was on Jan. 9, after neighbors helped arrest a man they said was trying to start fires with a blowtorch. A convicted arsonist was later arrested in Los Angeles after impersonating a firefighter. Authorities said the man and his wife were driving a fake fire truck when police found them near the Palisades Fire on Jan. 18.

What was the response to the fire like?

State officials said more than 16,000 personnel responded to the fire. They said this was the state’s biggest investment in fire response in history.

As the fire was burning, fire crews said they ran out of water to reduce the flames. Los Angeles fire officials said that during the height of the fire, some hydrants ran dry due to the high demand. They said at one point, about 1,000 buildings were simultaneously on fire. 

The issue caused some politicians to blame the state’s water policy. However, experts and officials said supply wasn’t an issue, it was just the system being overstressed during the fire.

Are Newsom and Trump cooperating?

Initially, after the fire, President Donald Trump threatened to withhold aid from California unless the state changed its water laws and implemented laws requiring an ID to vote, according to BBC News.  

“After that, I will be the greatest president that California has ever seen,” Trump said.

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom released a statement after the comment saying, “Conditioning aid for American citizens is wrong.” 

President Trump also claimed that he ordered the military to go into the states and “turn on the water” so firefighters would have more water to soak the flames. However, state officials said they had to stop the Army Corps of Engineers from increasing flow to two reservoirs that were at max capacity. Before the Corps stopped, local authorities had to move equipment and notify farms in the area about potential flooding.

Trump and Newsom met as they toured the damage left behind by the fire. During the meeting, both leaders talked about helping the area rebuild.

“We wanna get it fixed. We wanna get the problem fixed,” Trump said while he and Newsom met with reporters.

“Most importantly, thank you for being here,” Newsom said to Trump. “It means a great deal to all of us. We’re gonna need your support.”

With both major fires contained, local leaders are now working to build back the communities devastated by the fires. Officials said more than 12,000 structures were destroyed by the fires.

A new study shows President Donald Trump’s newly enacted tariffs could cost the average American family nearly $1,000 annually. Trump signed a trio of executive order imposing the new tariffs on Saturday, Feb. 1. 

How much will this cost Americans?

The new study published by the nonpartisan nonprofit Tax Foundation found that the tariffs would cost the average U.S. household $830 in 2025. The foundation also found that the tariffs could shrink the economic output of the U.S. by 0.4% and increase taxes by $1.2 trillion between 2025 and 2034.

Who is Trump targeting in the tariffs? 

Trump on Friday announced he would sign an executive order imposing new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. Canada and Mexico, two of America’s biggest trade partners, would receive a 25% tariff on goods entering the U.S. China would receive a 10%.

On Saturday, Trump changed a part of his plan to exclude Canadian energy imports from the 25% tariff. Energy exports from Canada will be a 10% tariff. The Trump administration said this change was to, “minimize any disruptive effects we might have on gasoline and home heating oil prices.”

Trump said there was little the countries could do to stop the tariffs, according to Reuters. He said the tariffs were due to the countries not doing enough to stop the influx of fentanyl and migrants over the border.

In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump reiterated that message, saying, “We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all.”

What will increase in price?

The tariffs will increase the price on several items, according to USA Today. Things like wood, charcoal and aluminum will increase in price due to the tariffs on Canada. Those tariffs will also increase the price of food items like cereal, flour and milk products.

Importantly, Canada is America’s biggest supplier of foreign oil. From January to November 2024, the U.S. imported $90 billion worth of crude oil from Canada, according to Reuters. This is far ahead of the second-biggest foreign oil supplier, Mexico, which only exported $11 billion to the U.S. during the same time. 

Economists predict Trump’s tariffs could raise a gallon of gas up to 70 cents more.

The tariffs on Mexico would increase the cost of goods like fertilizers, paper products and cotton. Food items like tropical fruits, coffee and raw sugar will rise due to these tariffs. 

The Chinese tariffs would likely raise the price of soaps, lubricants, waxes and candles. Foods like fish and crustaceans would likely rise, as well as, dairy products, eggs and oils. 

What has been the response to the tariffs?

Canada recently placed Black Hawk helicopters on the U.S.-Canada border after Trump previously threatened tariffs on the country. They have also said that any tariffs Trump places on Canada, Canada would place on the U.S. 

Canada had previously said its tariffs would involve crude oil. However, recently, Canadian officials have said that may no longer be the case.

The Trump administration announced it had fired Rohit Chopra, the chief of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The administration made the announcement on Saturday.

Chopra said he expected to be fired immediately after President Donald Trump took office. However, he spent the nearly two weeks following the beginning of Trump’s second term imposing a $2 million fine on a money transmitter and releasing reports on auto lending costs. 

Before he left, Chopra posted on X, saying how important the work of the CFPB is.

It’s been an honor serving as your @CFPB Director.

Every day, Americans from across the country shared their ideas and experiences with us. You helped us hold powerful companies & their executives accountable for breaking the law, and you made our work better.

Thank you. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/JD7lIcwmHa

— Rohit Chopra (@chopracfpb)

February 1, 2025

“With so much power concentrated in the hands of a few, agencies like the C.F.P.B. have never been more critical,” Mr. Chopra wrote on X.

During his time as the chief of the CFPB, Chopra focused on tightening the rules governing big technology companies’ consumer payment services and the use of customer data. His efforts won praise from banking trade groups, according to The Times.

Chopra also was crucial in the Biden administration’s fight against “junk fees.” Last year, he issued a rule limiting most credit card late-payment fees to no more than $8 a month. However, banking trade groups sued and won an injunction temporarily blocking it. The bureau is currently fighting that lawsuit but a new chief could stop that. 

The CFPB will now be helmed by Deputy Director Zixta Martinez until Trump chooses a new acting leader. 

Experts believe the bureau under Trump will likely pull back its oversight. They also believe it will issue fewer regulations and freeze or rescind many of Chopra’s previous regulations. 

Just before he left his role, Chopra said the bureau had looked at capping credit card interest rates at 10%, something President Trump endorsed on the campaign trail. Chopra said he had seen a path for enacting the proposal.

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has issued an executive order banning Chinese-owned artificial intelligence and social media apps from all state-issued devices, citing security concerns over data harvesting. The move expands previous bans on TikTok and reflects growing tensions over foreign-owned technology in the U.S.

New executive order expands restrictions

Abbott’s order, announced Wednesday, Jan. 29, directs the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Department of Information Resources to enforce the ban. The blacklist includes DeepSeek, an AI chatbot gaining popularity among American users, as well as social media apps RedNote (also known as Xiaohongshu), Lemon8 and financial trading platforms Webull, Tiger Brokers and Moomoo.

“Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state’s critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps,” Abbott said in a statement. His office declined further comment.

DeepSeek AI: A rising competitor in the industry

DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, recently introduced DeepSeek-V3, an advanced AI model competing with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The model has drawn attention for its capabilities, despite being developed at a fraction of the cost of its American counterparts.

Its rapid rise has triggered concerns over data privacy, particularly as U.S. lawmakers continue to scrutinize the influence of Chinese technology on American consumers and businesses.

RedNote and Lemon8 gain traction amid TikTok uncertainty

RedNote, a Chinese-owned social media platform, has also surged in popularity in the U.S., especially among users seeking an alternative to TikTok amid ongoing legal battles over its potential ban.

Lemon8, another app owned by TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, was also included in the Texas ban. Both platforms gained traction as TikTok faced legal pressure from federal regulators, leading some users to migrate to alternative Chinese-owned social apps.

Texas aligns with federal concerns over Chinese technology

Texas joins several other states and the federal government in restricting Chinese tech firms over national security concerns. The Congressional Research Service has warned that China mandates data storage and export controls on social media algorithms, raising fears that these platforms could be exploited for espionage.

In 2022, Abbott previously banned TikTok from Texas government devices, aligning with broader U.S. efforts to scrutinize foreign-owned apps. The latest move underscores escalating concerns over how Chinese-owned platforms handle American user data.

Several major media companies were told they would need to vacate their office spaces at the Pentagon, in favor of other outlets. Pentagon officials told the news agencies on Friday night. 

NBC News, The New York Times, National Public Radio and Politico must vacate their dedicated workspaces. The organizations learned about the new directive in a memo sent to the press corps without being individually notified, according to NBC News. The Pentagon released an email saying in part, “no additional information will be provided at this time.”

Why is the Pentagon kicking out these news agencies?

The Pentagon said this is part of a new program. They call it the Annual Media Rotation Program. They said it would give other news outlets a better privilege to work within the Pentagon. 

“For over a half-century, the Pentagon Press Corps has benefited from working out of individual office spaces that provide coveted and open access to some of the Department’s top military and civilian leaders,” read the memo Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot sent to the Pentagon Press Association. 

“In order to broaden access to the limited space of the Correspondents’ Corridor to outlets that have not previously enjoyed the privilege and journalist value of working from physical office space in the Pentagon, beginning February 14, 2025,” Ullyot wrote, there will be “a new Annual Media Rotation Program for those dedicated media spaces.”

Who will be moving into the vacated spots?

The Pentagon said One America News Network, the New York Post, Breitbart News and HuffPost would be moving into the spots.

According to AllSides, a website that rates media bias, OANN, the Post and Breitbart are all considered right-leaning news sources. HuffPost is the only one of the new sources that lean to the left, according to AllSides. 

What has the response been to the news?

Officials at NBC News said they are disappointed by the decision. The company said despite the new complications, it will continue to, “gather and report news in the national public interest, we will continue to report with the same integrity and rigor NBC News always has.”

HuffPost doesn’t currently have a Pentagon correspondent. However, the company told CNN that it’s ready to deliver. 

“If the Trump administration and Secretary Hegseth are interested in more hard-hitting coverage of their stewardship of the defense department from HuffPost, we are ready to deliver,” a spokesperson for the outlet told CNN.

Officials with The Times said it was concerned about the recent developments.

“The Department of Defense has the largest discretionary budget in the government, millions of Americans in uniform under its direction and control of a vast arsenal funded by taxpayers. The Times is committed to covering the Pentagon fully and fairly. Steps designed to impede access are clearly not in the public interest,” the paper added in an email statement.

Ken Martin, longtime leader of the Minnesota Democratic Party, was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee on Saturday, Feb. 1, defeating Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley. Martin now faces the challenge of leading a party looking to recover from major electoral losses in 2024.

Martin secured 246.5 votes from the 428 total voting members, clinching a first-ballot victory. Wikler received 134.5 votes, while O’Malley finished with 44 votes. The election marked the first major leadership transition for Democrats since their sweeping losses left them without control of the White House, Senate, or House of Representatives.

“We have one team, the Democratic Party, and we have one fight,” Martin told DNC members in his victory speech. “The fight right now is against Donald Trump and the billionaires who bought this country.”

A race focused on strategy, not ideology

Unlike the 2017 DNC chair race, which saw ideological divisions, this year’s contest focused on fundraising, organizing, and strategy. Martin was considered the front-runner due to his deep relationships within the party and strong electoral track record in Minnesota.

As chair of the Association of State Democratic Chairs and a DNC vice chair, Martin campaigned on his experience and the need to strengthen party infrastructure. His supporters included Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice-presidential nominee, and South Carolina Democratic Rep. James Clyburn, a key figure in President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign.

Martin emphasized the importance of grassroots organizing over celebrity endorsements to improve the party’s connection with voters.

“Instead of sending celebrities out, we should send workers out to talk to workers,” he said.

The road ahead for Democrats

Martin takes the helm as the party navigates internal fractures, a struggling message with key voter groups and the looming 2026 midterms. His immediate goals include:

• Conducting a postmortem on 2024 campaign spending after Democrats outspent Republicans but lost key races.
• Expanding Democratic outreach to young and Hispanic voters, two groups where the party underperformed.
• Strengthening the DNC’s state and local infrastructure to compete in all 50 states and U.S. territories.
• Defining the Republican Party in aggressive terms, saying, “My job is to get out there and define the Republicans. I will take the low road so they can take the high road.”

While Martin will lead party strategy, Democrats do not view him as the preeminent leader of the party.

“We’re a party out of power, so we don’t have a leader,” Democratic strategist Matt Corridoni said.

Martin criticizes Trump’s rhetoric

During a speech to the DNC’s Poverty Council, Martin slammed President Donald Trump for comments linking a recent aircraft collision in Washington, D.C., to DEI programs.

“What we’ve seen these last two weeks is despicable. They’re shattering people’s lives, they’re destroying communities,” he said.

Raised by a young mother in poverty, Martin framed his leadership as a fight for the working class. “Think about Donald Trump’s administration, their cabinet is worth $460 billion. You think they give a damn about people like me, people like you, or working families like mine?”

With the 2026 midterms on the horizon, Martin faces the immediate challenge of rallying Democrats as they seek to regain power and counter Trump’s influence.

Officials at CBS said they will hand over the transcripts from the “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris to the Federal Communications Commission. This comes after President Donald Trump voiced concerns about how the network handled a story about his former opponent.

Why did Trump take issue with the interview?

President Trump sued CBS for $10 million after he claimed the network deceptively edited the piece to make Harris look good. The interview drew attention after CBS News showed Harris responding differently to a question from correspondent Bill Whitaker. The clips were aired on “Face the Nation” on Oct. 6 and the other was aired on “60 Minutes” the next night.

The network said the clips came from a long response from Harris to the question. However, the response was edited to fit time constraints on both broadcasts.

Trump filed a lawsuit in early November 2024 in a Texas court, claiming the network was deceptive in its edits and they were designed to help Harris. Trump said the edits amounted to “partisan and unlawful acts of voter interference.”

Why did CBS agree to give the transcripts?

The network said on Friday, Jan. 31, that Brendan Carr, Trump’s appointee as FCC chairman, compelled them to release the transcripts, according to The Associated Press. Executives at “60 Minutes” have pushed back on releasing the transcripts. They said this was to not look like they were second-guessing their editing process.

CBS News’ parent company Paramount Global is also in talks to sell the company to Skydance Media. The sale would require the FCC’s greenlight to go through.

The New York Times reported that Paramount Global’s controlling shareholder Shari Redstone strongly supported a settlement.

“This shouldn’t be surprising. A deal would make things a lot easier for Shari and the whole company going forward,” a Paramount insider told Deadline on Thursday, Jan. 30.

What has been the reaction?

Those at the network have said there’s been a “range of emotions from mild unhappiness to alarm,” according to Deadline.

President and CEO of CBS News and Stations Wendy McMahon, and Bill Owens, executive producer of “60 Minutes” are said to have expressed their opposition to the agreement. However, staffers are said to be resigned to the fact that the decision was made at the company’s highest level.

CBS News hasn’t commented on the talks of a possible settlement in the case.

Venezuela released six detained Americans on Friday, Jan. 31, following a high-level meeting between President Nicolás Maduro and Richard Grenell, an envoy for President Donald Trump. The release comes amid renewed tensions over U.S. deportation policies and ongoing disputes regarding Maduro’s legitimacy as Venezuela’s leader.

Grenell Meets With Maduro in Caracas

Grenell, who served as Trump’s acting director of national intelligence, traveled to Caracas for a short diplomatic visit focused on securing the Americans’ release and urging Venezuela to accept deported criminals, particularly members of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang.

The six freed detainees, whose identities have not been disclosed, were seen in light-blue Venezuelan prison uniforms as they boarded a U.S.-bound plane with Grenell.

“They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him,” Grenell posted on X, sharing a photo of the smiling former prisoners on the flight home.

Trump celebrates the Americans’ return

Trump also praised Grenell’s efforts on social media, calling it a “great job” by his envoy and administration.

“Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job,” Trump posted.

More Americans still detained in Venezuela

At least 10 other U.S. citizens remain imprisoned in Venezuela, including a former Navy SEAL and three Americans accused by the Maduro regime of plotting against the government.

The exact charges against the six released Americans remain unclear, but U.S. officials maintain that their release was not part of a diplomatic trade or negotiation.

U.S. officials: “No quid pro quo“

Mauricio Claver-Carone, the U.S. special envoy on Latin America, emphasized that the hostages’ release was not the result of a political exchange.

“The release of American hostages needs to be immediate and unequivocal,” Claver-Carone said. “This is not a quid pro quo. It’s not a negotiation in exchange for anything. Trump himself has made that very clear.”

U.S. pressures Venezuela to accept deported criminals

In addition to securing the detainees’ release, Grenell’s visit also addressed U.S. efforts to deport hundreds of Venezuelan criminals back to their home country.

The Trump administration has demanded that Venezuela accept the return of Tren de Aragua gang members, but Maduro’s government has resisted taking them back.

“This is non-negotiable,” Claver-Carone stated.

Policy shift: U.S. revokes protected status for Venezuelan migrants

The release of the six Americans comes just days after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the Trump administration revoked Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 600,000 Venezuelan migrants in the U.S.

The decision marks a major shift in immigration policy and is expected to further strain relations between Washington and Caracas.

Maduro’s controversial third term

Maduro, who was sworn in for a third six-year term earlier this year, remains unrecognized by the U.S. government. Instead, the U.S. recognizes opposition leader Edmundo González as the legitimate president, claiming he won Venezuela’s most recent election by a two-to-one margin.

American companies have their headquarters all over the country. However, many incorporate in Delaware, taking advantage of the state’s tax protections and strong business court system.

But Meta is considering the opposite—moving its incorporation out of Delaware, with The Wall Street Journal naming Texas as a potential candidate.

The move would not involve relocating Meta’s headquarters to the Silicon Valley region of Northern California.

However, in recent years, Delaware’s courts have been more open to legal challenges that shareholders have brought against companies.

Multiple Meta board members, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, face a shareholder lawsuit in Delaware stemming from the 2018 scandal involving data firm Cambridge Analytica and user data collection for political advertising. The case is heading to trial in April, and the court has allowed plaintiffs to bring in Zuckerberg for a deposition.

This has led to several other major companies leaving the state. Dropbox announced this week that it gained approval to move its incorporation to Nevada. Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has moved several of his companies out of Delaware in recent years.

Musk moved his biotech startup, Neuralink, to Nevada. He has also moved Tesla and SpaceX to Texas, which has been working to pitch businesses on the notion that its courts will be friendlier to them.

Musk’s move follows a court ruling in Delaware that required him to give up a compensation package worth more than $55 billion after shareholders sued, alleging the company was breaking its duty to shareholders by offering Musk the lucrative deal.