The Evening: Judge halts Trump’s immigration move

Also, the Sacklers increased their settlement offer, with a catch.

View in browser|nytimes.com January 23, 2025 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Thursday. A legal setback for Trump Republican support for Hegseth Plus, the Oscar nominations President Trump signed more executive orders today. Doug Mills/The New York Times A judge halted Trump's plan to end birthright citizenship A federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump's executive order declaring that children born on U.S. soil to undocumented immigrants would no longer be treated as citizens. The judge, John Coughenour, sided with states that had sued Trump arguing that the president's order violated the 14th Amendment. "This is a blatantly unconstitutional order," he said today. "Frankly," Judge Coughenour, a Reagan appointee, added, "I have difficulty understanding how a member of the bar would state unequivocally that this is a constitutional order. It just boggles my mind." The order to end birthright citizenship, set to take effect on Feb. 20, also extends to babies born to mothers who are in the country legally but temporarily, such as tourists, university students or temporary workers. The judge's injunction, which lasts two weeks, marks the beginning of what will almost certainly be a long battle between the new administration and the courts over Trump's ambitious second-term agenda. Kenny Holston/The New York Times The Senate pushed Hegseth toward approval The vast majority of Senate Republicans voted today to advance Pete Hegseth's nomination as secretary of defense. His final confirmation vote in the Senate is expected tomorrow evening. Every single Democrat in the Senate voted against Hegseth, some citing a sworn statement from his former sister-in-law calling him "abusive." Hegseth has denied the account, along with several other allegations of misconduct. Just two Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joined the Democrats in opposition to Hegseth. Murkowski said that she could not "in good conscience" support installing him at the Pentagon. Two more Republicans would need to oppose Hegseth in order to sink his nomination. In other politics news: Trump revoked security protection for his former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and a former top aide, despite threats from Iran. Kash Patel, Trump's pick to lead the F.B.I., has pushed false claims about the bureau he is set to lead and embraced conspiracist thinking. The Senate confirmed John Ratcliffe as C.I.A. director. Republicans in Congress are looking for ways to pay for Trump's plans. Read their ideas here. Trump criticized Europe and doubled down on across-the-board tariffs in a speech to Davos attendees. The president's anti-D.E.I. order created "fear and confusion" among corporate leaders. The new administration wants to slash aid for health, food and housing, programs that reach many of Trump's supporters. Many of the Jan. 6 rioters pardoned by Trump had attacked the police. Here are the videos. Trump has reveled in a presidential perk: the omnipresent press pool. Purdue Pharma's headquarters in Stamford, Conn. Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg The Sacklers increased their settlement offer, with a catch Members of the Sackler family reached a tentative deal to resolve thousands of opioid cases against Purdue Pharma, the company they own. They would pay up to $6.5 billion — $500 million more than their previous offer — without receiving immunity from future opioid lawsuits, a provision the Supreme Court had rejected. Instead, claimants, including states, municipalities and individuals, would have to set aside as much as $800 million in an account akin to a legal-defense fund for the billionaires to fight such cases. New York's attorney general hailed the deal, but thousands of other claimants would still need to sign on. Javier Jaén A start-up said its device could cure cancer. Then patients died. Dozens of patients were lured to Antigua by a start-up and its secretive billionaire partner that promoted a blood filtering treatment they said could cure cancer. However, those claims have yet to be backed up by any human clinical trial. And the treatment, which costs $45,000 per course, is out of reach of U.S. regulators. Of the more than 20 patients treated in Antigua, The Times has identified at least six who have died since their treatments. Read the full story from my colleague John Carreyrou. More top news Economy: The S&P 500 climbed to a record, lifted in part by strong earnings reports and easing concerns about inflation. California: The fast-growing Hughes fire, north of Los Angeles, broke out yesterday and has already burned more than 10,000 acres. Ukraine: The war with Russia is killing soldiers at a pace unseen in Europe since World War II. Ukraine is losing fewer soldiers, but Russia still has the advantage. Gaza: The war dealt tremendous damage to Hamas, but the group has been working overtime in an attempt to show it still controls the Palestinian enclave. Weather: The winter storm is over in the South, but not the cold, and roads could remain icy until the weekend. Congo: Rwanda-backed rebels have surrounded the city of Goma, a provincial capital of two million people, in one of the sharpest escalations in years of the conflict. Media: CNN's chief executive is taking his biggest steps to overhaul the company in his 15 months on the job. In an interview with The Times, he spoke about CNN's future. Health: A study found that people with A.D.H.D. are dying earlier than their counterparts in the general population. Pets: Scientists are confronting a spate of bird flu cases in cats. Some may have gotten it from raw pet food. TIME TO UNWIND Karla Sofía Gascón, left, and Zoe Saldaña in a scene from "Emilia Pérez." Shanna Besson/Netflix, via Associated Press This year's Oscar nominations The Academy Award nominations, which were announced this morning, showered praise on little-seen movies rooted in progressive politics. "Emilia Pérez," a musical exploration of trans identity, led the way with 13 nominations. "The Brutalist," a three-and-a-half-hour study of immigrant trauma, received 10. Check out the full list. "It's an eclectic bunch," our awards season columnist, Kyle Buchanan, told me. "It also makes a lot of Oscar history." Karla Sofía Gascón, the "Emilia Pérez" star, became the first openly trans actress to earn an Oscar nod. Also, Kyle pointed out: "Two of today's nominees have mothers who were also nominated in the past." (Fernanda Torres is the daughter of Fernanda Montenegro; Isabella Rossellini is the daughter of Ingrid Bergman.) For more: Kyle explained this year's snubs and surprises. Here's how to stream the nominees. Haley Jiang A good book can help you appreciate the winter months The next few days are going to be freezing across most of the country. Such conditions can be pretty dreary, or — if you're willing to look on the bright side — they can make for a compelling backdrop to a novel. Here are 10 worthwhile books that embrace the spirit of the season. Elliott Verdier for The New York Times Dinner table topics 150 years and counting: Take a look inside the grandest opera house in Paris. Revenge of the ski bums: Devotees of Mt. Bachelor are working to rescue the ski area from the titans of the industry. Standing 7-foot-4: Victor Wembanyama has embraced the idea that he is the N.B.A.'s future. Dress Shirts: Like ties, dress shirts have migrated from the center to the periphery of white-collar workers' wardrobes. But trends suggest that may change. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Armando Rafael for The New York Times Cook: Embrace the nontraditional with a cabbage parm. Action verb: These booze-free beverages can help you get through Dry January. Watch: "I'm Still Here" has been a major hit in Brazil, and it's easy to see why. Plan: We have tips for visiting Quebec City. Rest: These are the sleep myths that experts want you to ignore. Hunt: Which house in New Jersey would you buy with an $800,000 budget? Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. ONE LAST THING Ashley Dumulong, with her china. Josh Huskin for The New York Times 'Just use it' My colleague Rukmini Callimachi received feedback from hundreds of Times readers after she wrote a story about the declining use of fine china, and how one mother was grappling with it. Many suggested just doing away with the formality and using the fancy dishes as much as possible. That advice was reminiscent of a comment the writer Joan Didion made to this newspaper nearly a half century ago. Didion said she used her "good" silver every day, because "every day is all there is." Have an elegant evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Sean Kawasaki-Culligan was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018