Morning Wire
Trump’s Title 42 Plans & Apple’s US Jobs Pledge | Afternoon Update | 2.24.25
Mon, 24 Feb 2025
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Chapter 1: Who sponsors this episode?
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Trump to reinstate pandemic-era border policy, federal unions challenge Doge, and Pope Francis remains in critical condition. I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley. It's Monday, February 24th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
Chapter 2: What are Trump’s plans for Title 42?
In an effort to speed up deportations, Trump plans to reinstate a pandemic-era border policy. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pearce has the latest.
According to CBS, the CDC is planning to bring back Title 42. That's the order from Trump's first term that classified illegal migrants as public health risks over diseases such as tuberculosis. Title 42 was first implemented in 2020 under Trump and later ended by President Biden in 2023. It remains unclear when the measure will take effect.
Meanwhile, border crossings have plummeted since Trump's return to office. Earlier this month, just 396 illegal aliens were encountered across sections of the once-overwhelmed southwest border.
Chapter 3: What legal challenges are federal unions facing?
A group of federal unions has challenged the Doge email ultimatum. Daily Wire deputy managing editor Tim Rice has the details.
Today in federal court, the unions argued that the Office of Personnel Management's email requiring government employees to report their weekly accomplishments violates federal regulations. The message sent Saturday gave employees until midnight tonight to respond or risk being fired. The unions are seeking emergency intervention. Trump addressed the email during a press conference today.
I thought it was great because we have people that don't show up to work and nobody even knows if they work for the government. So by asking the question, tell us what you did this week, what he's doing is saying, are you actually working? And then if you don't answer like you're sort of semi fired or you're fired because a lot of people are not answering because they don't even exist.
The news comes as Doge, along with the EPA, have frozen over $67 million in grants awarded to environmental groups under the Biden administration.
Chapter 4: What is the current health status of Pope Francis?
Pope Francis remains hospitalized in Rome battling a severe lung infection and early signs of kidney dysfunction. The Vatican says the 88-year-old pontiff is resting after a stable night. While his condition remains critical, doctors report no signs of sepsis, which is a major concern given his frail health.
Francis, who had part of a lung removed in his youth, is receiving oxygen and blood transfusions. Cardinal Timothy Dolan acknowledged the Pope's fragile state.
Chapter 5: How is Apple investing in US jobs and facilities?
We of the Catholic family and so many of our friends and neighbors find ourselves this morning at the bedside of a dying father.
Apple is pledging $500 billion and 20,000 new jobs in the U.S. over the next four years. Apple will build a new 250,000 square foot AI server facility in Houston, Texas, as well as several data centers in eight states. Trump says the investment in U.S. manufacturing is a direct response to his tariff threats, as Apple currently makes most of its products in China.
Cook made smaller pledges during the Biden administration and the first Trump administration, but didn't follow through. Trump calls Apple's plan a sign of faith in what we are doing. Axios co-founder Mike Allen gives Trump the credit for Apple's U.S. investment.
This gives Trump the leverage to say to other companies, Apple can do this. Apple is bringing these jobs into the U.S. Apple is investing in the U.S. Why can't you? Why won't you?
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Senator Marsha Blackburn is pressing the FBI's new director to release the unredacted records on Jeffrey Epstein's associates. In a letter today, Blackburn called for full transparency, demanding Epstein's flight logs, Ghislaine Maxwell's records, and IRS files on their financial ties.
New FBI Director Kash Patel previously pledged to work toward disclosure, but it's unclear how much will be released. Blackburn told Morning Wire that it's important to release this now so Epstein survivors see justice.
We know that Jeffrey Epstein helped develop a global trafficking ring. And by getting this information, it will help us begin to break apart some of this human trafficking, sex trafficking that's taking place around the globe. We understand that human trafficking has become $150 billion a year business.
Epstein died in custody in 2019, sparking ongoing speculation. Attorney General Pam Bondi recently confirmed that Epstein's client list is under review for potential release.
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