--:-- John Bickley: Why shop at Burlington? Maybe it's the deals that are new each time you drop by. Maybe it's the brand names you'll be shocked Burlington has in store. Or maybe it's the quality of the items, the amazing selection, and the newest trends. If you like to save but also like to stay in style, Burlington is your answer. And the question you'll be asking yourself is, why go anywhere else? Burlington. Deals. Brands. Wow.
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--:-- John Bickley: This episode is brought to you by Good Ranchers. Tired of mystery meat at the grocery store? Make new meat your New Year's resolution at GoodRanchers.com. Subscribe now using code WIRE to get $25 off, free express shipping, and your choice of add-ons for an entire year. Good Ranchers, American meat delivered.
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--:-- John Bickley: I'm Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Tuesday, February 4th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Two of President Trump's most controversial cabinet picks are moving closer to being confirmed. Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips has more.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has passed the Senate Finance Committee hurdle by a narrow 14-13 party line vote. He now heads to a floor vote in his bid to head up the Department of Health and Human Services. Meanwhile, Tulsi Gabbard has made it through the Senate Intelligence Committee in her nomination for director of national intelligence, despite having a tough confirmation hearing. She made it through with a narrow 9-8 party line vote. Ahead of the vote, Gabbard secured critical GOP support from Senators Collins, Lankford, and Young, who had been on the fence. During her hearing, she defended her record, pledging stronger oversight on intelligence leaks.
--:-- Georgia Howe: We'll have more on the confirmations tomorrow morning.
--:-- John Bickley: President Trump is considering using his executive powers to gut the Department of Education. He then plans to push Congress to abolish the agency entirely. Daily Wire deputy managing editor Tim Rice has the details.
--:-- Tim Rice: The order would slash most of the department functions, reassign some programs to other federal agencies, and retain certain functions required by law. The move aligns with Trump's campaign promise to return control of education to the states and stop the agency from promoting what he calls the indoctrination of American youth. The plan may be delayed until after Education Secretary-designate Linda McMahon's Senate confirmation, as officials worry it could impact her confirmation. If implemented, the order would mark one of the most significant federal education rollbacks in U.S. history.
--:-- Georgia Howe: As Erica Donalds of the America First Policy Institute told News Nation, this order gives power back to parents. We know that the Department of Education at the federal level has certainly failed us. The NAEP scores continue to show us that. As last week, we saw just a third of our eighth graders in America are reading and doing math proficiently on grade level. What President Trump wants to do and what he got elected to do was put the power and ultimately the funding in the hands of parents to decide the best education environment for their children. And we think that is what's going to help children thrive academically.
--:-- John Bickley: The Daily Wire has learned that the president is also set to sign an executive order related to men competing in women's sports. Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olihan has the scoop.
--:-- Mary Margaret Olihan: We first reported that Trump will sign the order tomorrow surrounded by advocates for women's sports and opponents of gender ideology. It's currently unclear what exactly the bill will cover as far as age ranges and grades, but the move comes amid growing national debate fueled by high-profile cases like that of Riley Gaines, who competed against a male athlete who went by Leah Thomas. This issue was a key concern for American parents, especially suburban women, during the 2024 election, and the Trump campaign leaned into the topic aggressively, citing fairness and safety in women's spaces. The signing coincides with National Girls and Women in Sports Day, emphasizing the administration's focus on protecting female athletic opportunities.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Morning Wire also spoke to Congressman August Pflueger. Here's what he told us.
--:-- August Pflueger: This is common sense. This is fairness. It's being transparent. It's helping not Republican women, not Democrat women. It's helping all women. It's helping our society come to grips with it's okay to be a male, but you need to play male sports. It's okay to be a woman. You need to play women's sports. I think the first litmus test is just go check in with your communities and ask them what they think, because I guarantee you this isn't a Republican or Democrat thing. This is an American thing.
--:-- John Bickley: New York Attorney General Letitia James is telling hospitals to ignore Trump's executive order and to continue performing sex change procedures on minors. In a letter to hospitals, James cited state discrimination laws warning that refusing to provide so-called gender-affirming care would result in a violation. James wrote, "Regardless of the availability of federal funding, we write to further remind you of your obligations to comply with New York state laws."
--:-- Georgia Howe: Trump's executive order bans federal money from going toward child sex change procedures, something he called a dangerous trend.
--:-- John Bickley: This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at Shopify.com slash MorningWire, all lowercase. Established in 2025 has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Head over to shopify.com slash morningwire to start selling with Shopify today.
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--:-- John Bickley: Over 20,000 federal workers are taking the Trump administration up on their invitation to resign. Daily Wire reporter Amanda Presta-Giacomo has more.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: As we've previously reported, the buyout deal allows federal workers to continue receiving salaries through September, even after leaving their posts. The Trump administration aims to cut the federal workforce by 10 percent. And while the current number only comes out to about 1 percent, they do expect a spike as Thursday's deadline approaches. Meanwhile, unions are urging caution, calling the program an effort to pressure workers into quitting. The Office of Personnel Management has provided detailed guidance to address concerns with more departures expected soon.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Here's White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt last week.
--:-- Caroline Levitt: The order simply directs federal agencies to come up with a return to work plan. And so this isn't a purge, and this isn't forcing every single individual in Washington, D.C. to return to work only if they are able and, of course, within the law.
--:-- John Bickley: The Trump administration has begun the transfer of detained illegal immigrants to Guantanamo Bay. The first two flights landed this morning at the U.S. naval base in Cuba. Guantanamo has historically held migrants intercepted at sea, but its current capacity of 120 detainees is set to expand dramatically. The administration plans to accommodate up to 30,000 migrants as part of its broader immigration enforcement strategy.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And China is now hitting back after Trump's new 10% tariff on all Chinese imports. China's now slapping a 15% levy on coal and liquefied natural gas and 10% on crude oil, agricultural equipment, and large engine cars. Trump's newly imposed 10% tariff is on top of others that were already hoisted onto Chinese imports. Beijing will also restrict exports of rare earth metals vital for tech. President Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping soon.
--:-- John Bickley: Those are your drive home updates this afternoon. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And in case you missed it this morning, we covered some big stories, including the ongoing tariff war, growing immigration protests, and the USAID shutdown. Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with another full edition of Morning Wire.
