This announcement of the Oregon investigation comes after the education department’s Office of Civil Rights received a complaint from a conservative nonprofit group — America First Policy Institute. It alleged the state was violating civil rights law by allowing transgender girls to compete on girls sports teams, according to the Associated Press.

It also comes after accusations against five Northern Virginia counties for allegedly violating Title IX with their transgender bathroom and locker room policies. Earlier in July, the administration sued the California Department of Education for allowing transgender girls to compete on girls sports teams.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said, “It’s just also making girls feel vulnerable. They don’t want to sit there and have boys watch them undress or have boys undress in front of themWe mean business about this. Title IX9 is very important.”

In a related development, U.S. Olympic officials have adopted a new rule banning transgender women from participating in events. The officials say they have an “obligation to comply” with President Donald Trump’s executive order, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” signed in February.

U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland and President Gene Sykes in a letter emphasized the importance of ensuring fair and safe competition environments for women, according to AP.

Stephanie Turner, a competitive fencer who went viral for taking a knee during a competition rather than face a transgender opponent, expressed relief, saying, “It’s just such a relief now that common sense is prevailing, finally and we can move forward with sports and focus on the amazing talented women who will be completing and be able to showcase female athletic excellence.”

However, the National Women’s Law Center criticized the move, according to AP. Fatima Goss Graves, the group’s president and CEO, wrote, “By giving into the political demands, the USOPC is sacrificing the needs and safety of its own athletes.”

In Oregon, Jessica Hart Steinmann, executive general counsel at the America First Policy Institute, said the investigation by the Department of Education is a step toward restoring equal opportunities for girls and women in sports.

“Title IX was meant to protect girls — not to undermine them — and we’re hopeful this signals a return to that original purpose,” Steinmann said in a news release.

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The $9.4 billion rescissions package — already passed by the House — proposes cutting $1.1 billion allocated to public media. The move has ignited fierce debate among lawmakers, even within the Republican Party.

“I’ll be for it because it cuts spending,” said Sen. Rand Paul., R-Ky. “But I’m not completely against having various points of view and having public television be one of those.”

Conservatives have long accused NPR and PBS of ideological bias. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who voted for the measure, called them “radical left-wing echo chambers.”

Trump has made his position clear. In May, he signed an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to halt taxpayer support for the outlets, accusing them of promoting “partisanship and left-wing propaganda.”

On Truth Social last week, he warned, “Any Republican that votes to allow this monstrosity to continue broadcasting will not have my support or Endorsement.” He added that PBS and NPR are “worse than CNN & MSDNC put together.”

Still, the proposal is facing resistance from several Senate Republicans — particularly those from rural states where public broadcasters play a vital role in emergency communications and local coverage.

“In Maine, this funding supports everything from emergency communications in rural areas to coverage of high school basketball championships,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said. “There are more constructive ways to address perceived bias than gutting the local broadcasters our communities rely on.”

Leaders at NPR and PBS are defending their organizations — and acknowledging the need to rebuild public trust. At a March House hearing, NPR CEO Katherine Maher said, “We have work to do, and we are doing it. In May, we launched a review of our editorial processes to ensure all pieces are fair and comprehensive.”

NPR and PBS are contesting the federal defunding efforts in court, setting the stage for a legal showdown over the future of public media.

The Senate is expected to vote on the package later this week.

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The administration this past week criticized Harvard’s accreditation, a crucial endorsement that confirms a university meets acceptable quality standards. Without accreditation, students cannot use federal loans to attend.

“Accrediting bodies play a significant role in preserving academic integrity and a campus culture conducive to truth-seeking and learning,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement on Wednesday. “Part of that is ensuring students are safe on campus and abiding by federal laws that guarantee educational opportunities to all students.

“Harvard University has failed in its obligation to students, educators, and American taxpayers.”

The White House does not have the direct power to revoke accreditation, but has alerted Harvard’s accreditor about the university’s non-compliance with standards.

This move follows an investigation that found Harvard in violation of federal civil rights law for allowing antisemitism to flourish on campus after the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict. When asked about Harvard on Wednesday, President Donald Trump responded, “Harvard’s been very bad. Totally antisemitic.”

Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security issued subpoenas to Harvard on Wednesday, demanding information on its more than 7,000 international students, including disciplinary records, any criminal charges, and audio and video of protests involving students.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, “Harvard brought these consequences upon themselves. They have promoted and allowed violent activity on campus.”

In response, a Harvard spokesperson labeled the subpoenas as “unwarranted” but assured that the university would “continue to cooperate with lawful requests.”

The conflict between the administration and Harvard has been ongoing for months. The White House has urged the university to address antisemitism and it has concerns over ideological and racial discrimination in Harvard’s hiring and admissions processes.

Alan Dershowitz, professor emeritus at Harvard Law School, noted, “Harvard needed a kick in the rear end, it wasn’t doing enough.”

Harvard has resisted the government’s demands, citing an infringement on academic freedom.

Alan Garber, president of Harvard University, expressed confusion over the measures taken, stating, “What is perplexing is the measure that they have taken to address these that don’t even hit the same people that they believe are causing the problems.”

As the issue unfolds in court, the administration remains confident that a resolution will be reached.

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Critics have highlighted Mamdani’s apparent defense of Yemeni American al-Qaida leader Anwar al-Awlaki and his criticism of the FBI’s surveillance of al-Awlaki after the 9/11 attacks. At the time, al-Awlaki was an imam at a Northern Virginia mosque attended by two of the 9/11 hijackers. After 9/11, al-Awlaki left the U.S. and settled in Yemen, where he became an al-Qaida leader and gained attention for posting radical videos encouraging the killing of Americans.

Former President Barack Obama ordered the strike that killed al-Awlaki in 2011. Mamdani’s social media posts about al-Awlaki suggested the FBI’s surveillance is what “eventually led him to #alqaeda.”

Retired FDNY Lt. Jim McCaffrey, who lost a brother-in-law in the Twin Towers collapse, told the New York Post that Mamdani’s posts are “very offensive to 9/11 victims and their families.” Former New York Rep. Peter King reportedly said, “Mamdani is making excuses and rationalizing al-Awlaki joining al Qaeda…He’s trying to blame the US for him becoming a terrorist.”

Mamdani has made controversial statements on a number of issues, yet his campaign has found success focusing on addressing the rising cost-of-living issues in New York City. Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., said, “He tapped into the same thing that Donald Trump tapped into which is that people are concerned the economy is not working for them.”

Some are calling for a full investigation into allegations that Mamdani said he was African American on his 2009 application to Columbia University.

A recent survey by Gotham Polling and Analytics shows Mamdani leading the mayoral race with 41% support. Cuomo, running as an independent, follows with 27%, while current Mayor Eric Adams, also running as an independent, is polling at 16%. Republican Curtis Sliwa has just under 10%.

Adams and Cuomo have urged each other to drop out, hoping to consolidate support against Mamdani, but neither has relented.

Elected in 2021 as a Democrat, Adams told Fox News that he said to Cuomo, “Are you that level of arrogance? I’m the sitting mayor. I’m the sitting mayor of the city of New York, and you expect for me to step aside when you just lost to [Zohran Mamdani] by 12 points.”

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The legislation proposes reforms to Medicaid, the government-backed healthcare program for low-income and disabled Americans, as a means to cut costs. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said, “You have people on the rolls here today who are here illegally. You have people here on the rolls today who are not eligible for this program.”

One of the proposed reforms includes adding work requirements for Medicaid recipients. “If you’re an able-bodied adult, not disabled and not a child, and you don’t have any children under 14, you have to work 20-hours a week to continue Medicaid. I think that’s imminently reasonable,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC, said.

However, critics argue the reforms are effectively cuts that will remove healthcare access from millions of vulnerable Americans. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumerm D-NY, questioned, “How can any senator go home and tell their constituents, ‘I’m sorry I took away your health care because I wanted to give tax breaks to billionaires.’ ”

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, expressed strong opposition to the Medicaid changes, saying, “Now Republicans are about to make a mistake on healthcare, and betray a promise.” Following criticism from Trump for not supporting the bill, Tillis announced he would not seek re-election.

To address concerns about the bill’s effect on rural hospitals, Senate Republicans have increased the Rural Hospital Relief Fund from $15 billion to $25 billion. The House must approve the Senate’s changes before the bill can be sent to Trump’s desk for a signature.

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The court document says that “although antisemitism had been alive on the MIT campus for years, after Oct. 7 [2023] the campus became a hotbed of anti-Semitic hate and lawlessness,” citing incidents of students cheering for Hamas, chanting for an intifada and creating an encampment that excluded Jewish people.

The lawsuit says incidents have caused Jewish and Israeli students at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts “to live in fear for their personal safety, have hindered their ability to complete their academic studies.” It has also “marred their ability to participate in MIT campus life.”

The date, Oct. 7, 2023, is when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel killing at least 1,200 and leading to the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

In response to the federal lawsuit, an MIT spokesperson said, “MIT will defend itself in court regarding the allegations raised in the lawsuit. To be clear, MIT rejects antisemitism.”

Antisemitism has become a problem on college campuses and universities have seen increased scrutiny over addressing it from the Trump administration. A House report in late 2024 found that antisemitism has “engulfed college campuses and administrators prioritized ‘terrorist sympathizers’ over the Jewish community.”

On Capitol Hill, hundreds of Jewish community leaders from across the country have met with lawmakers, seeking federal assistance to offset the costs of increased security.

Robert Milgrim, father of Sarah Milgrim, one of the two young Israeli staffers shot and killed last month at a Jewish event in Washington, said, “had there been more security at the event where Sarah and Yaron [Lischinsky] were tragically murdered, had there been more security outside, watching the crowd, I feel that it possibly could have identified the shooter pacing back and forth and possibly disarmed him.”

According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents in the U.S. have surged nearly 900% over the past decade.

In New York, Zohran Mamdani, the Democrats’ likely pick for mayor, faces accusations of antisemitism for defending anti-Israel demonstrators’ chants for a “global intifada,” a slogan historically associated with the Israel-Palestine conflict as a call for violence against Jewish people.

Mamdani has also said if elected, he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “This is a city where our values are in line with international law. It’s time that our actions are also.”

Some members of Mamdani’s own party, including New York House Democrats, have expressed deep concerns. Rep. Laura Gillen, D-N.Y., wrote that Mamdani has “a deeply disturbing pattern of unacceptable antisemitic comments which stoke hate at a time when antisemitism is skyrocketing.” She was referencing his refusal during the campaign to denounce the slogan “globalize the intifada,” according to Time.

Mamdani, who is trying to become New York City’s first Muslim and Indian-American mayor, responded to critics by asserting that as mayor he will protect all New Yorkers.

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One of President Donald Trump’s first priorities after returning to office was to address what many conservatives perceive as a liberal bias at elite universities, something they argue fosters a hostile environment for dissenting viewpoints and contributes to rising antisemitism on campuses.

The White House initially presented Harvard with a list of changes to implement to course correct campus culture. The university rejected those suggestions, arguing the administration is attempting to impede on its academic freedom.

In response, Trump froze billions of dollars in federal grant money and has attempted to block Harvard from admitting foreign students, arguing they were not properly vetted. A Barack Obama-appointed judge in Massachusetts has blocked the bans on student visas, allowing international students to remain enrolled at Harvard for now.

Alan Dershowitz, professor emeritus at Harvard Law School, said he believes a compromise will come soon.

“I think they’ll reach a compromise to compromise,” Dershowitz said. “You know, Trump loves to announce victory, and I think there will be enough there for him to say, we got Harvard to give in. And then the question is will President [Alan] Garber of Harvard be able to persuade his radical faculty that he did the right thing. He may be falling on the sword here. He may be trying to save Harvard by sacrificing himself.”

In his new book coming out this summer, Dershowitz analyzes what a compromise might look like, called “Trump to Harvard: Go Fund Yourself.”

Dershowitz said Garber has his work cut out for him.

“When you make a deal with Trump, academics on the left think you’re making a deal with the devil,” Dershowitz said. “So it’s very, very difficult to negotiate.”

Dershowitz predicts Garber will try to get a deal done before the fall semester starts to avoid protest encampments, although acknowledging those encampments will likely happen regardless.

Sixteen Republican state attorneys general have publicly backed the White House in this dispute. The outcome of Harvard’s legal battle could serve as a blueprint for other universities facing similar conflicts with Washington.

Harvard’s federal lawsuit over the Trump administration’s demands has been watched closed by other schools as the Trump adminstration tries to force changes at universities, especially Ivy League schools, that Trump says have become driven by liberalism and antisemitism.

The administration also has cut funding to other Ivy League schools, including Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University.

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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte this week urged the international community to remain alert to China’s actions, saying “we are all very worried, of course, about the situation in Taiwan.”

“Please be watchful of what China is doing,” Rutte said on Monday before the NATO summit began in the Netherlands. “China, itself, rapidly building up its armed forces to levels we have never ever seen before. So the international security situation has changed dramatically.”

China President Xi Jinping in October maintained his desire for the “complete reunification of the motherland” at a state dinner to celebrate his country’s birthday. “It’s an irreversible trend, a cause of righteousness and the common aspiration of the people. No one can stop the march of history,” he said, according to CNN.

Earlier this month, the Chinese navy conducted drills in the Pacific involving two of its three aircraft carriers. Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim said China’s aggressive posture is not limited to Taiwan.

“It’s not only around Taiwan, they are all over the South China Sea, they’re to the north around Japan,” Bi-khim said.

As China flexes its naval might, the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict has prompted the U.S. to move the Nimitz aircraft carrier and strike group from Asia to the Middle East.

Despite its friendly ties with Iran, China has refrained from supporting the country, likely because of concerns over the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for 20% of the world’s oil supply.

“China is limited,” said Peter Schweizer, president of the Government Accountability Institute. “They certainly don’t want the Strait of Hormuz closed because that’s where they rely on the bulk of their energy. Their oil comes from Iran so what they don’t want is an escalation that leads Israel to strike oil refineries.”

As tensions continue to simmer, Beijing is closely monitoring President Donald Trump’s actions regarding the Israel-Iran situation to better understand Trump’s often unpredictable foreign policy approach. These observations are likely to influence China’s decisions regarding Taiwan.

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NBC News reported that Iran warned President Donald Trump before the strikes that they would activate sleeper terror cells in the U.S. if the U.S. dropped bombs on its nuclear sites.

“Sleeper cells carrying out acts of terrorism here in the United States, the administration is being vigilant. Law enforcement across the country is being vigilant. But it is a real danger because we’ve had four years of open borders,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

Border Patrol statistics indicate an increasing number of Iranians attempting to enter the U.S. illegally by the southern border. During the four years President Joe Biden was in office, at least 1,500 Iranians crossed over the southern border, about half were released into the U.S. with little to no vetting. In fiscal year 2021, 48 Iranians were arrested by Border Patrol. In fiscal year 2024, that number jumped to 797 Iranians arrested.

In a line of questioning over national security with Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday confirmed more than 1,000 Iranians who have illegally entered the U.S. in recent years.

“I can tell you we are on high alert and everyone is looking at that very closely,” Bondi said during the House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, adding she could not go into details publicly about potential sleeper cell threats. She said the DOJ currently has “countless” active cases of threats to the homeland, but could not elaborate.

Charles Marino, a former DHS senior adviser, said, “The fact is nobody, if they’re speaking honestly, from US intelligence or law enforcement can tell you as a matter of fact how badly we’ve been infiltrated here in the United States.”

According to congressional Republicans, between 2021 and 2024, immigration officers caught 382 people on the terror watch list trying to enter the country at the U.S.-Mexico border. Marino said, “We’re talking about ISIS, Al Qaeda, we’re talking about the Houthis, Hamas and Hezbollah, the list goes on and on and all of these special interests locations have, under the Biden administration, been able to make their way into the country.”

Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott reportedly issued a memo saying the threat of sleeper cells activating on Iran’s behalf has never been higher.

Iranian sleeper cells in the U.S. could conduct terror attacks and take hostages. James Carafano, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, has previously said “the problem is if they’re a really good sleeper cell, you don’t know about them until they do something.”

Other options for Iran to retaliate include targeting U.S. military assets in the Middle East, where approximately 40,000 to 50,000 U.S. personnel and 19 military operation posts are stationed. There is also an increased presence of U.S. naval assets in the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea that could be at risk. And shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes, could affect the global oil supply.

On Sunday, Homeland Security issued a national terrorism advisory, warning Americans to be on alert, including from “violent extremists independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict.”

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U.S. officials said this past week that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei. Trump later posted on Truth Social demanding “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” from Iran and alerted the supreme leader the U.S. knows where he is but has no plans to kill him, “at least not for now.” Khamenei responded on X that “it isn’t wise to tell the Iranian nation to surrender. … We will never surrender in response to the attacks of anyone.”

He also warned against U.S. intervention.

“The Americans should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage,” Khamenei said. “The U.S. entering in this matter [war] is 100% to its own detriment. The damage it will suffer will be far greater than any harm that Iran may encounter.”

How would Iran retaliate against the U.S.?

It could hit the U.S. in a few ways. First, Iran could target U.S. military assets in the Middle East, where approximately 40,000 to 50,000 U.S. personnel and 19 military operation posts are stationed. Increased presence of U.S. naval assets in the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea could also be at risk.

James Carafano, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said Iranian missiles have limitations.

“The Iranian missiles, they’re just not accurate. They can’t hit a precise target,” he said. “They might hit a US compound, they might hit an embassy, or they might hit a parking lot a half mile away. If Iran could honestly strike at a U.S. target and kill somebody, it’s because they’re more lucky than good.”

The global oil supply could be affected as well, with ships potentially avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes. Carafano said, “These are commercial lanes and people make decisions based on things like risk and insurance costs.”

Iran could also disrupt global shipping by instructing the Houthis to target ships passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Additionally, there is a risk of cyber attacks, although these are considered less likely because of potential effects on Iran’s own power grid and internet.

Some experts suggest that lone wolf attacks could pose the greatest danger to the United States.

Iran might have the potential to activate sleeper cells scattered globally, including in the U.S., to conduct terror attacks and take hostages. Carafano said, “The problem is if they’re a really good sleeper cell, you don’t know about them until they do something.”

For his part, Trump said this past week he will decide within the next two weeks whether to launch a strike on Iran.

“I may do it, I may not do it, nobody knows what I’m going to do. … I can tell you this. Iran’s got a lot of trouble,” Trump said. “They want to negotiate. I said, ‘Why didn’t you negotiate with me before? All this death and destruction.’ ”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers on Wednesday the Pentagon was providing possible options to Trump as he decides his next steps on Iran.

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