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What Did Trump’s Executive Order Do?

On the first day of his second presidential term, Trump issued an executive order titled, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” The order directed federal agencies to recognize “two sexes, male and female,” which “are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.” The order specifies passports, as well as other forms of government-issued identification, must reflect sex assigned at birth. The order also prohibits federal funds from being used to “promote gender ideology,” which it defines as “the idea that there is a vast spectrum of genders that are disconnected from one’s sex.” Trump has issued other executive orders targeting trans people, including one that prohibits trans people from serving in the military, and another that bars trans women from participating in women’s sports.

Crucial Quote

“I don’t give a f— that they put a M on my passport. It doesn’t change really anything about me or my transness, however, it does make life a little harder,” Schafer said, adding she will likely have to out herself as trans to border patrol agents when she travels.

Tangent

Trump’s executive order preventing gender markers from being changed on passports has already faced legal challenges. A group of transgender people, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Boston earlier this month alleging the policy discriminates against individuals based on sex and transgender status and infringes First Amendment rights to free speech and expression.

Further Reading

Transgender Americans Challenge Trump’s Passport Policy in Court (New York Times)

The US stopped allowing passport gender marker changes. Here are some of the people affected (Associated Press)

The actor and Ventaneando host has passed away at 51 after weeks of hospitalization. Colleague Pati Chapoy confirmed the news with heartfelt words.eloved actor and Ventaneando host Daniel has passed away at 51 after weeks of hospitalization due to a severe health crisis. The entertainment world is mourning the loss of one of Mexico’s most beloved television personalities. The news was confirmed through the official social media accounts of Ventaneando, the TV Azteca program that had been his professional home since the 1990s.

© Getty Images

His longtime colleague, friend, and mentor, Paty Chapoy, echoed the heartbreaking news, sharing a photo of them together. On X, she wrote, "It is with immense sadness that I inform you that Daniel Bisogno has passed away." Her brief yet poignant message captured the deep loss felt by many.

Daniel Bisogno’s Health Struggles

A talented actor, comedian, and TV host, Daniel Bisogno was born on May 19, 1973, in Mexico. He rose to fame after joining Ventaneando, where his sharp wit, humor, and unapologetic criticism captivated audiences. In addition to his work in television, he pursued acting, having studied drama at Televisa’s Centro de Educación Artística (CEA) in his youth.

© Alan Espinosa

A career cut short by illness

Affectionately nicknamed "El Muñe," Bisogno remained a staple on Ventaneando until health concerns began affecting him in recent months. Amid public speculation, he candidly disclosed his battle with serious health issues that led to intensive care and, ultimately, a liver transplant.

His brother, Alejandro Bisogno, recently shared details about the complications: "The problem is that a bacterium settled in the bile ducts. It’s a bacteria that has been mutating—each time antibiotics are administered, it becomes stronger," he explained.

Alejandro further revealed that Daniel had been in and out of the hospital frequently. During his most recent hospitalization, doctors had to remove bile duct prostheses, which had become a breeding ground for the bacteria. The removal caused the infection to spread into his bloodstream. Reports indicated that Daniel was awaiting another liver and kidney transplant.

© LatinContent via Getty Images

A devoted father and unforgettable personality

Following the tragic news, an outpouring of condolences flooded social media from friends, colleagues, and fans. Many extended their sympathies to his family, particularly his eight-year-old daughter, Michaela, whom he shared with his former partner Cristina Riva Palacio. The couple was married from 2014 to 2019.

Remembering Daniel Bisogno

Daniel Bisogno leaves behind a legacy in Mexican entertainment, remembered for his sharp commentary, quick humor, and charismatic on-screen presence. His absence will be deeply felt by those who knew and admired him.

 The Senate on Thursday voted 51-49 to confirm Kash Patel as FBI director. 

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., voted "yes" on the conservative firebrand's confirmation, even while moderates Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted "no." 

A vote to invoke cloture and begin two hours of debate on the nominee passed 51 to 47 earlier Thursday. 

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted earlier this month, 12 to 10, to advance Patel to the full floor for a vote. 

Still, Patel faced a rockier path to confirmation, even in the Republican-majority chamber, after Democrats on the panel used their political weight to delay Patel’s confirmation vote earlier this month. 

TRUMP FBI DIRECTOR NOMINEE KASH PATEL PICKS UP SUPPORT FROM KEY GOP SENATOR

Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's choice to be director of the FBI, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 30. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Top Judiciary Democrat Dick Durbin claimed on the Senate floor that Patel had been behind recent mass firings at the FBI, citing what he described as "highly credible" whistleblower reports indicating Patel had personally directed the ongoing purge of FBI employees prior to his confirmation.

But that was sharply refuted by Senate Republicans, who described the allegation as a baseless and politically motivated attempt to delay Patel's confirmation, and by a Patel aide, who described Durbin's claim as categorically false.

This person told Fox News Digital that Patel flew home to Las Vegas after his confirmation hearing and had "been sitting there waiting for the process to play out."

Patel, a vociferous opponent of the investigations into President Donald Trump and one who served at the forefront of Trump's 2020 election fraud claims, vowed during his confirmation hearing last month that he would not engage in political retribution against agents who worked on the classified documents case against Trump and other politically sensitive matters.

But his confirmation comes at a time when the FBI’s activities, leadership and personnel decisions are being closely scrutinized for signs of politicization or retaliation.

Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Donald Trump have promised to reform the FBI and end political "weaponization" of law enforcement. (Getty Images | iStock)

Thousands of FBI agents and their superiors were ordered to fill out a questionnaire detailing their roles in the Jan. 6 investigation, prompting concerns of retaliation or retribution. 

A group of FBI agents filed an emergency lawsuit this month seeking to block the public identification of any agents who worked on the Jan. 6 investigations, in an attempt to head off what they described as potentially retaliatory efforts against personnel involved. 

"There will be no politicization at the FBI," Patel told lawmakers during his confirmation hearing. "There will be no retributive action."

But making good on that promise could prove to be complicated. 

Trump told reporters this month that he intends to fire "some" of the FBI personnel involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots, characterizing the agents' actions as "corrupt," even as he stopped short of providing any additional details as to how he reached that conclusion.

"We had some corrupt agents," Trump told reporters, adding that "those people are gone, or they will be gone — and it will be done quickly, and very surgically."

The White House has not responded to questions over how it reached that conclusion, or how many personnel could be impacted, though a federal judge in D.C. agreed to consider the lawsuit.

4 OF THE BIGGEST CLASHES BETWEEN PATEL, SENATE DEMS AT HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING

And in another message meant to assuage senators, Patel said he didn’t find it feasible to require a warrant for intelligence agencies to surveil U.S. citizens suspected to be involved in national security matters, referring to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

"Having a warrant requirement to go through that information in real time is just not comported with the requirement to protect American citizens," Patel said. "It’s almost impossible to make that function and serve the national, no-fail mission."

Patel has faced steep Democratic opposition throughout the confirmation process. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

"Get a warrant" had become a rallying cry of right-wing conservatives worried about the privacy of U.S. citizens, and almost derailed the reauthorization of the surveillance program entirely. Patel said the program has been misused, but he does not support making investigators go to court and plea their case before being able to wiretap any U.S. citizen. 

Patel held a number of national security roles during Trump's first administration — chief of staff to acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller, senior advisor to the acting director of national intelligence and National Security Council official. 

FORMER TRUMP OFFICIALS REJECT WHISTLEBLOWER CLAIM THAT FBI DIRECTOR NOMINEE KASH PATEL BROKE HOSTAGE PROTOCOL

He worked as a senior aide on counterterrorism for former House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes, where he fought to declassify records he alleged would show the FBI's application for a surveillance warrant for 2016 Trump campaign aide Carter Page was illegitimate, and served as a national security prosecutor in the Justice Department. 

Trump has called Patel the right man to clean up the FBI. (AP/iStock)

In public comments, Patel has suggested he would refocus the FBI on law enforcement and away from involvement in any prosecutorial decisions. 

In a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, he suggested his top two priorities are to "let good cops be cops" and transparency, which he described as "essential."

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"If confirmed, I will focus on streamlining operations at headquarters while bolstering the presence of field agents across the nation," Patel wrote. "Collaboration with local law enforcement is crucial to fulfilling the FBI’s mission."

He went on: "Members of Congress have hundreds of unanswered requests to the FBI. If confirmed, I will be a strong advocate for congressional oversight, ensuring that the FBI operates with the openness necessary to rebuild trust by simply replying to lawmakers."