Trump’s Sanctuary City Warning & DEI Department Purge | 1.23.25

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary Episode: Trump’s Sanctuary City Warning & DEI Department Purge | 1.23.25 Release Date: January 23, 2025

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Introduction

In the latest episode of Morning Wire, hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe delve into President Trump's aggressive strategies concerning immigration and his administration's purge of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the federal government. The discussion highlights the administration's actions, the political maneuvering surrounding Cabinet confirmations, and the broader implications for American politics and society.

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Trump’s Aggressive Immigration Agenda

Immediate Deportations and Military Deployment President Trump wasted no time in implementing his immigration policies upon taking office. Within days, the administration arrested over 300 illegal aliens and deployed U.S. troops to the southern border to bolster border security.

• Georgia Howe introduces the topic: “President Trump is putting state officials on notice, warning them not to interfere with his deportation operation.” [00:03]

• Tim Pierce elaborates on the swift actions: “The Trump administration wasted no time this week in implementing the president's immigration agenda. Just days after Trump took office, hundreds of illegal aliens have been arrested and US Troops have been dispatched to the southern border.” [01:37]

Impact on Sanctuary Cities and Public Opinion Sanctuary cities, previously resistant to federal immigration enforcement, are facing significant pressure. While some local leaders initially resisted, there are signs of compliance, especially when dealing with violent criminals.

• Tim Rice discusses the shift: “...the Denver mayor just a few weeks ago was threatening to deploy police to stop federal immigration agents from entering the city. He's now saying the city will work with immigration officials at least to deport violent criminals.” [03:09]

Public opinion has shown strong support for Trump's deportation policies, with polls indicating a majority favoring the administration’s stance.

• Harry Enton provides poll insights: “There's real uniformity here. ... there's a very clear indication that a majority of Americans... want to deport all immigrants who are here illegally.” [03:48]

Military Presence at the Border Trump has fulfilled his promise to utilize the military in securing the border. An initial deployment of approximately 1,500 troops has been directed, with the potential for up to 10,000 troops as the situation evolves.

• Tim Rice explains the troop deployment: “Trump has already made good on his promise to use the military to help secure the border... up to 10,000 troops could be sent to the border by President Trump.” [04:33]

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Cabinet Confirmations and Political Stalemate

Delays in Cabinet Nominee Confirmations Despite some progress, Democrats are employing delay tactics to slow down the confirmation of Trump’s Cabinet nominees. Notably, Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi’s hearing was postponed, highlighting the partisan struggles within the Senate Judiciary Committee.

• Spencer Lindquist analyzes the delays: “Democrats are starting to drag their feet on confirming Trump's nominees... Bondi had a few clashes with Democrats during her hearing, but otherwise it went pretty smooth.” [05:31]

This tactic contrasts sharply with previous administrations, where Trump had already secured three Cabinet positions, compared to Obama’s eight by the same point in his term.

Defense Department Nomination Challenges Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for the head of the Pentagon, faces significant opposition amid unfounded allegations from the legacy media regarding personal misconduct. Despite these challenges, Hegseth's legal team has effectively countered the claims, suggesting minimal impact on his confirmation prospects.

• Spencer Lindquist addresses the controversy: “...it doesn't look like this will do much to derail Hegseth's road to heading up the Pentagon.” [06:33]

Success in Other Nominee Hearings Conversely, Elise Stefanik’s hearing for Ambassador to the United Nations proceeded smoothly. Her expertise on international relations, particularly concerning China and terrorism, positions her as a strong candidate for confirmation.

• Georgia Howe reflects on Stefanik’s performance: “Stefanik really showed that she knew the ins and outs of the UN and seems poised to be pretty easily confirmed.” [08:11]

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Purge of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives

Executive Order Targeting DEI Programs President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at eliminating DEI roles within federal agencies. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued a memo mandating the suspension of DEI initiatives and placing relevant employees on paid administrative leave.

• Russell Vote details the memo: “The memo also gave agency heads an email template to send to bureaucrats stating that the DEI actions of the previous administration... divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination.” [09:08]

Resistance and Enforcement Measures The administration anticipates resistance from agencies attempting to preserve DEI programs clandestinely. The memo instructs agency heads to identify and report any such efforts, emphasizing strict compliance.

• Russell Vote highlights expected pushback: “There's definitely an expectation... that a lot of these agencies will try to keep DEI alive in order to circumvent this.” [09:50]

Workforce Realignment and In-Person Requirements In addition to the DEI purge, Trump has mandated a return to in-person work for federal employees, reversing the widespread adoption of remote work initiated during the pandemic. This move aims to revitalize local economies and reduce reliance on remote work practices.

• Russell Vote explains the mandate: “He also signed this order requiring most employees to work in person... This will be unpopular with the workers, but has support from politicians on both sides of the aisle.” [10:21]

Reinstatement of Schedule F Trump has reinstated Schedule F, allowing for the designation of career bureaucrats with fewer employment protections. This measure is intended to prevent federal employees from obstructing the administration’s policies, potentially affecting nearly 50,000 federal workers.

• Russell Vote discusses Schedule F: “The order strips these employees of certain employment protections that make them very difficult to fire... allow the President to fire those who have a role in the policy making process.” [11:35]

Legal Challenges and Future Implications The executive order faces legal challenges from federal employee unions, setting the stage for potential battles over administrative control and employment rights within the federal government.

• Russell Vote comments on the challenges: “The order now faces a legal challenge from a federal employee union.” [12:15]

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Conclusion

The episode of Morning Wire presents a comprehensive overview of President Trump’s initial actions in his re-administration, particularly focusing on immigration enforcement and the dismantling of DEI initiatives within the federal government. The hosts provide critical insights into the political dynamics at play, highlighting both the administration's aggressive policy implementations and the significant resistance they encounter from Democrats and impacted federal employees. As Trump navigates Cabinet confirmations amid partisan delays, his administration's policies indicate a continued commitment to reshaping federal priorities in line with his voter base’s preferences.

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Notable Quotes:

• Georgia Howe [00:03]: "President Trump is putting state officials on notice, warning them not to interfere with his deportation operation."

• Harry Enton [03:48]: "There's real uniformity here... a majority of Americans... want to deport all immigrants who are here illegally."

• Spencer Lindquist [05:31]: "Democrats have tried on numerous occasions to extend questioning beyond the scheduled hearing day. And these delays are starting to add up."

• Russell Vote [09:08]: "The DEIA actions of the previous administration... divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination."

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the Morning Wire episode, offering a clear and detailed account of the topics for listeners and non-listeners alike.

Transcript

[Georgia Howe]

President Trump is putting state officials on notice, warning them not to interfere with his deportation operation.

[John Bickley]

ISA is doing their job and they're prioritizing just as the president said they would. And they're going to continue every day.

[Tim Pierce]

Will sanctuary cities cooperate? And how has the public's opinion shifted?

[Georgia Howe]

I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire editor in chief John Bickley. It's Thursday, January 23rd, and this is Morning Wire. As President Trump revs up his administration, Democrats are slamming the brakes on his Cabinet confirmations.

[Tim Pierce]

We tried to cooperate with the Democrats.

[Harry Enton]

The cooperation has not been forthcoming. So I guess it's going to be the hard way.

[Tim Pierce]

And the federal employee purge has begun with DEI agencies and staffers first on the chopping block.

[Georgia Howe]

Thanks for waking up with MORNING wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.

[Brandon]

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[Tim Pierce]

The Trump administration wasted no time this week in implementing the president's immigration agenda. Just days after Trump took office, hundreds of illegal aliens have been arrested and US Troops have been dispatched to the southern border.

[Georgia Howe]

Here to talk about the furious pace set by Trump on immigration is Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce. So, Tim, we've seen a constant stream of news on immigration since Trump took office on Monday. With what's the latest?

[Tim Rice]

One of the big items that dropped yesterday was that immigration officials have already detained more than 300 illegal aliens for deportation. Here's border czar Tom Homan talking about that on Fox News right now.

[John Bickley]

As we said repeatedly in the President Trump's been clear. We're concentrating on the worst. First, the public safety threats and national security threats. And just yesterday, in the last 24 hours, ISIS arrested over 308, 308 serious criminals. Some of them were murderers, some of them were rapists, some of them raped a child, some were sexual son of a child.

[Tim Rice]

So even before his cabinet is in place, Trump's immigration agenda is well underway. And it's had an impact, too, not only on those arrested and deported. But we've seen cases of self deports by aliens who have left the country voluntarily rather than waiting for ice. We see the impact as well in places such as Chicago's Little Village, commonly referred to as the, quote, Mexico of the Midwest. It's known as a bustling shopping district. But recently, foot traffic in Little Village has plummeted by half.

[Georgia Howe]

Wow. So it sounds like an aggressive start to Trump's second term. What about these self designated sanctuary jurisdictions? How are they responding?

[Tim Rice]

Yeah, there were quite a few defiant statements made during the transition by local leaders of these jurisdictions, and many will presumably stand by them. But some have softened. For instance, the Denver mayor just a few weeks ago was threatening to deploy police to stop federal immigration agents from entering the city. He's now saying the city will work with immigration officials at least to deport violent criminals. This comes as the Department of Justice has directed federal prosecutors to look into local officials who try to get in ICE's way. But perhaps as persuasive as the DOJ, recent polls say that Americans back Trump's deportation agenda. Listen to this clip of CNN poll analyst Harry Enton explain.

[Harry Enton]

There's real uniformity here. That's what I really think you see. You see real uniformity. Deported all immigrants who are here illegally. 55% of the New York Times, Marquette, 64% CBS News, 57% ABC News with a slightly different question. 50. So what you're seeing essentially here is a very clear indication that a majority of Americans, in fact, when they're asked this blunt question, which I believe gets at the underlying feelings, do in fact want to deport all immigrants who are here illegally. There's no arguing with these different numbers because they're all essentially the same across four different pollsters.

[Georgia Howe]

Well, and we've seen a huge shift in opinion take place over just the last four years, obviously dovetailing with unprecedented levels of illegal immigration. Now, what action is Trump taking on the border itself?

[Tim Rice]

Trump has already made good on his promise to use the military to help secure the border. It's not clear how many troops will end up on the border, but according to CNN, the Pentagon has directed an initial wave of about 1500 troops to assist border personnel. Now, that's on top of about 2,200 troops that were already stationed at the border to help out with logistical and bureaucratic work while border agents do the actual enforcement. According to CNN, up to 10,000 troops could be sent to the border by President Trump.

[Georgia Howe]

Well, this was the number one issue for a lot of voters, and Trump is acting on that mandate. Tim, thanks for reporting.

[Tim Rice]

Thanks for having me.

[Georgia Howe]

As Marco Rubio gets to work at the State Department, the rest of Trump's Cabinet picks are still working their way towards confirmation, while some are being stalled by Democrats.

[Tim Pierce]

Here with the latest on that front is Daily Wire Deputy Managing editor Tim Rice. Tim, so there's been lots to watch on the Cabinet beat. What's the latest with Trump's nominees?

[Spencer Lindquist]

Well, John, after a pretty smooth week of hearings, Democrats are starting to drag their feet on confirming Trump's nominees. Pam Bondi, Trump's pick to be attorney general, was supposed to go up for a vote yesterday. But on Tuesday, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee pushed the hearing for at least a week. They didn't give a reason why and they don't have to. Any member of the committee can place a hold on any agenda item for a week at minimum. Now, this was a little bit surprising. Bondi had a few clashes with Democrats during her hearing, but otherwise it went pretty smooth. But it seems like because hearings went so smooth, Democrats are now trying delay tactics to keep Trump from confirming his nominees. Democrats have tried on numerous occasions to extend questioning beyond the scheduled hearing day. And these delays are starting to add up. By this time in 2009, Barack Obama already had eight cabinet secretaries confirmed. And by this point in 2017, Trump had three cabinet secretaries installed, including his secretaries of defense and Homeland Security.

[Tim Pierce]

That's certainly a stark contrast there. Speaking of the Defense Department, what's the latest on Pete Hegseth?

[Spencer Lindquist]

Well, the legacy media has spent the past few days salivating a new story about Hegseth. NBC was the first to report the story in which Hegseth's ex sister in law claims that he physically abused his ex wife. Now, judging from the headlines on NBC, the New York Times, and the Washington Post, you'd think this was a pretty open and shut story. There's just one problem. Samantha Hegseth denies that her ex husband ever abused her. She signed legal documents to that effect and when reached for comment by NBC, denied it once again. And while the headlines all kind of imply this was Hegseth's ex wife's sister, it's actually Hegseth's brother's ex wife. Hegseth's lawyers have dismissed her as, quote, an anti Trump far left Democrat who was divorced from Mr. Hegseth's brother and never got along with the Hegseth family. So it doesn't look like this will do much to derail Hegseth's road to heading up the Pentagon. But it just shows that he's not out of the woods yet and still has some opposition to his confirmation.

[Tim Pierce]

Right. As we've reported, Hegseth is facing the hardest journey out of really all of Trump's nominees. Any other nomination news to note?

[Spencer Lindquist]

We have a much lighter hearing schedule this week, and the main event was definitely Tuesday's hearing for Elise Stefanik, Trump's pick for ambassador to the United Nations. Stefanik spent the majority of her time talking about China and its influence on the un, saying specifically that the United States needed to work more with small countries to fight Chinese influence in the global South. She also urged lawmakers to exercise caution with the new Syrian government and said that countering Iran would be one of the Trump administration's top priorities. And she spoke out about the UN's role in funding terrorism through its Relief and Works Agency. Trump had cut off American funding to the agency just before Stefanik's hearing.

[Georgia Howe]

We should never tolerate any US taxpayer funds going towards terrorism. As in my question with the ranking member, Shaheen. I was one of the members that voted to defund unwra. I was one of leaders in standing for that important appropriations vote which there is a bipartisan consensus on with significant members, Republicans as well as some Democrats who voted to defund it.

[Spencer Lindquist]

All in all, Stefanik really showed that she knew the ins and outs of the UN and seems poised to be pretty easily confirmed.

[Tim Pierce]

All right, so a good hearing for Stefanik and at least some signs of progress on an otherwise slow moving week. Tim, thanks for reporting.

[Spencer Lindquist]

Thanks for having me.

[Tim Pierce]

President Trump has signed an executive order intended to purge diversity, equity and inclusion employees from the federal government. It's part of his larger anti DEI agenda.

[Georgia Howe]

Here with more on the president's action against DEI is Daily Wire investigative reporter Spencer Lindquist. So, Spencer, first off, tell us about this memo killing dei.

[Russell Vote]

So that executive order is now being implemented by the Office of Personnel Management, which has sent a memo ordering agency heads to, quote, send a notification to all employees of DEIA offices that they are being placed on paid administrative leave effective immediately as the agency takes steps to close and end all DEIA initiatives, offices and programs. The memo also gave agency heads an email template to send to bureaucrats stating that the DEI actions of the previous administration, quote, divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, this represents a lot of employees and some of these programs are pretty entrenched. Are they acquiescing or is there a lot of pushback?

[Russell Vote]

There's definitely an expectation in the Trump administration that a lot of these agencies will try to keep DEI alive in order to circumvent this. The memo also instructs agency heads to, quote, send an agency wide notice to employees informing them of the closure and asking employees if they know of any efforts to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, beyond just trying to root out dei, Trump has also addressed the work from home situation that represents a huge portion of government workers. Even still, what is he saying there?

[Russell Vote]

Yeah, that's right. He also signed this order requiring most employees to work in person. The measure on remote work is a significant change from the status quo because only about 50% of all government workers currently work in office every day. About 10% of federal workers have fully remote positions as of right now. This will be unpopular with the workers, but as a lot of support from politicians on both sides of the aisle. For example, Governor Glenn Youngkin of Virginia has been pushing for a return to in person work to boost public transit ridership in Northern Virginia to avoid a budget deficit. Likewise, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser has for years now pushed the White House for workers to return due to the economic impact of empty buildings in downtown DC. Here she is back in 2023.

[Muriel Bowser]

The federal government represents 1/4 of DC's pre pandemic jobs and owns or leases one third of our office space. We need decisive action by the White House to either get most federal workers back to the office most of the time or to realign their vast property holdings for use by the local government, by nonprofits, by businesses, and by any user willing to revitalize it.

[Russell Vote]

Trump also reinstated an executive order from his first term called Schedule F which was implemented in 2020. Employees designated F are career bureaucrats who previously had a lot of protections. This executive order strips these employees of certain employment protections that make them very difficult to fire. This is a part of an effort to prevent bureaucrats from stonewalling or undermining Trump's agenda, which was an issue during his first term. The goal is to allow the President to fire those who have a role in the policy making process and this could affect nearly 50,000 federal employees. It's something that Russell Vote Trump's pick for Office of Management and Budget Supports. Here he is at his confirmation hearing Wednesday. Schedule F is a different classification. It is meant to ensure that the.

[Georgia Howe]

Administration, the President, has people who are working for him that are actually going.

[Russell Vote]

To do the policies that he ran on that he's articulating. And the order states that, quote, there have been numerous well documented cases of career federal employees resisting and undermining the policies and directives of their executive leadership. The order now faces a legal challenge from a federal employee union.

[Georgia Howe]

All right, well, we're going to keep an eye on the fight over DEI as well as these civil service protections. Spencer, thanks for reporting.

[Russell Vote]

Thanks for having me.

[Tim Pierce]

Hey, thank you for listening this morning. We created this show to bring more balance to the national conversation. If you love our show and stand with that mission, consider subscribing giving us a five star rating and most importantly, sharing our podcast with a friend.

[Georgia Howe]

Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back later this afternoon with more news you need to know the.

[Brandon]

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