The Kansas Highway Patrol had the privilege of sending 25 troopers to be part of the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies in Washington D.C., along with local, state, and federal agencies to provide security.&nbsp; On Friday, the patrol shared a photo of the Troopers who went to Washington.


Prior to the events in Washington, the troopers were briefed and sworn in by the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshal Service.



The 2025 Kansas Highway Patrol Presidential Inauguration Detail endured cold and blustery conditions to provide security. 

"We appreciate your dedication to <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/servicecourtesyprotection?src=hashtag_click">#servicecourtesyprotection</a> during this detail." the patrol wrote on their social media page.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737813688554.png" alt="courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Highway Patrol had the privilege of sending 25 troopers to be part of the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies in Washington D.C., along with local, state, and federal agencies to provide security.&nbsp; On Friday, the patrol shared a photo of the Troopers who went to Washington.
Prior to the events in Washington, the troopers were briefed and sworn in by the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshal Service.

The 2025 Kansas Highway Patrol Presidential Inauguration Detail endured cold and blustery conditions to provide security. "We appreciate your dedication to <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/servicecourtesyprotection?src=hashtag_click">#servicecourtesyprotection</a> during this detail." the patrol wrote on their social media page.

Kansas Troopers served in Washington during the Inaugural ceremonies

President Donald Trump started his second administration with a blitz of policy actions to reorient the U.S. government.

His executive orders cover issues that range from trade, immigration and U.S. foreign aid to demographic diversity, civil rights and the hiring of federal workers. Some have an immediate policy impact. Others are more symbolic. And some already are being challenged by federal lawsuits.

In total, the Republican president's sweeping actions reflect many of his campaign promises and determination to concentrate executive branch power in the West Wing, while moving the country sharply rightward.

Here is a comprehensive look at Trump's directives so far in his first three days:

• Designate an "invasion across the southern border of the United States," a move that triggers certain executive branch powers so, Trump says, his Cabinet "shall take appropriate action to repel, repatriate or remove any alien engaged in the invasion."

• Allow U.S. military service members to act as immigration and border enforcement officers as part of Trump's promised mass deportation program. Trump's order covers the Ready Reserve and National Guard, military property that could be used as detention space, ground and air transport vehicles and "other logistics services in support of civilian-controlled law enforcement operations." The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 has historically limited use of military personnel in domestic law enforcement actions. Trump's orders frame migrant flow as a national security threat, which he reasons justifies his military orders as commander in chief.

• Stop refugee arrivals and suspend the U.S. Refugee Admission Program effective Jan. 27, 2025, pending a 90-day review and recommendations from Homeland Security, the State Department and others.

• Redefine birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment. A Trump order asserts that a child born in the U.S. is not a citizen if 1) the mother does not have legal immigration status or is in the country legally but only temporarily and 2) the father is not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. The order forbids U.S. agencies from issuing any document recognizing such a child as a citizen or accept any state document recognizing citizenship. This order is already being challenged in federal court.

• Prioritize continued construction of a wall and "other barriers" along the U.S.-Mexico border.

• Direct the attorney general and Homeland Security secretary to create Homeland Security Task Forces in all 50 states, comprising of state and local law enforcement charged with "ending the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations."

• Give the Homeland Security secretary wide latitude to establish agreements with individual state and local law enforcement agencies, "to the maximum extent permitted by law," that empower those non-federal officials to act as federal immigration officers.

• Require collection of DNA samples and fingerprints from immigration detainees under a 2005 federal law.

• Forbid so-called "catch-and-release" – which allows some migrants to remain in the U.S. while awaiting their immigration court proceedings – in favor of detention and deportation of anyone in the U.S. illegally.

• Direct Homeland Security to immediately devote resources and secure contractors "to construct, operate, control, or use facilities to detain removable aliens."

• End so-called "parole programs" (often referred to as "family reunification") that allow family members of certain citizens and permanent-resident immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to come to the U.S. while their visa applications are still pending.

• Require a review of all cases for all immigrants now in the U.S. under "Temporary Protected Status," with the stated intent of "ensuring ... that such designations are appropriately limited in scope" and last the minimum amount of time "necessary to fulfill the textual requirement" of federal law.

• Revert to vetting and screening standards used during Trump's first term for any person seeking a visa or "immigration benefit of any kind" and apply the standard visa vetting procedures to "any refugee or stateless individual" seeking admission.

• Repeal a Biden order requiring planning for the effects of climate change on world migration patterns.

• Direct the secretary of state and U.S. diplomats effectively to threaten sanctions against any nation seen as reluctant to accept and facilitate the return of its citizens the U.S. deports.

• Direct the State Department, Homeland Security and others to review and recommend changes to vetting for visas and produce a report to the president within 60 days. The order calls for identifying countries "for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension" of admission to the U.S. for their citizens.

• Direct the attorney general and others to deny federal money to "so-called 'sanctuary'" cities the administration sees as interfering with federal immigration enforcement, with the caveat that the Trump administration pursues action "to the maximum extent possible under the law."

• Pause distribution of federal money to non-governmental organizations "supporting or providing services, either directly or indirectly, to removable or illegal aliens" pending reviews and audits to identify any operations that may "promote or facilitate violations of our immigration laws."

• Designate international cartels as "Foreign Terrorist Organizations" or "Specially Designated Global Terrorists" under existing federal law. The order triggers the Alien Enemies Act to combat cartels and their members.

• Require, within 30 days, the attorney general, secretary of state and others to "evaluate the adequacy of programs designed to ensure the proper assimilation of lawful immigrants into the United States, and recommend any additional measures ... that promote a unified American identity."

International trade, business and the economy

• Broadly direct all executive agencies to tailor their policies to reduce consumer prices. Trump wants a progress report from a top White House economic adviser every 30 days.

• Direct the treasury and commerce secretaries, U.S trade representative and others to examine causes of U.S. trade deficits, identify unfair trade practices and make recommendations, potentially including "a global supplemental tariff."

• Begin review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, Trump's first-administration rewrite of NAFTA, with an eye to a renegotiation in 2026 or sooner. Trump said he plans 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods as of Feb. 1, but he has not signed such executive actions so far.

• Begin establishment of an "External Revenue Service to collect tariffs, duties and other foreign trade-related revenues."

• Begin review of U.S. trade dealings with China to consider new or increased tariffs. As a candidate, Trump threatened Chinese tariffs as high as 60%.

• Order review of fentanyl flows into the U.S., specifically from Canada, Mexico and China, and make recommendations, including potential tariffs and sanctions.

• Direct the commerce and trade secretaries and the U.S. trade representative to consolidate multiple reviews and assessments. Trump ordered consolidated reports by April 1.

• Suspend U.S. participation in the Global Tax Deal, an international agreement intended to set a minimum corporate tax globally to prevent multinational corporations from avoiding taxation altogether.

• Pause the U.S. ban on TikTok for 75 days, specifically barring the attorney general from enforcing the law Congress passed in 2024 to allow the new administration to assess national security concerns and seek a potential American buyer for the popular digital platform.

• Bar U.S. government officials from pushing social media companies to combat misinformation and disinformation. Trump's order states that such previous efforts "infringed on the constitutionally protected speech rights of American citizens" and "advanced the Government's preferred narrative about significant matters of public debate."

• Withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, which committed nations to pursue policies limiting carbon emissions that cause climate change. The order blocks transfer of U.S. funds previously obligated to the International Climate Finance Plan.

• Declare a "national energy emergency." This is both a symbolic measure reflecting Trump's promise of energy expansion but also specifically urges federal use of eminent domain and the Defense Production Act, measures that allow the government to commandeer private land and resources to produce goods deemed to be a national necessity.

• Compel the Army Corps of Engineers to use "to the fullest extent possible" its emergency permitting provisions to speed energy projects and urge all agencies to use similar emergency procedures that expedite or bypass permitting processes under the Endangered Species Act or other federal laws that protect wildlife.

• Eliminate Biden policies intended to encourage electrical vehicle development and purchases — part of Trump's effort to limit non-fossil fuel energy sectors.

• Require all agencies within 30 days to submit to the White House Office of Management and Budget their plans to eliminate regulations and rules deemed "burdensome" to domestic energy production and consumption, "with particular attention to oil, natural gas, coal, hydropower, biofuels, critical mineral, and nuclear energy."

• Repeal multiple Biden orders and memoranda regarding climate change, including guidelines for implementing climate-related provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; an effort to assess financial risks of not combating climate change; and establishment of a President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

• Streamline other fossil fuel extraction in Alaska with a command to "rescind, revoke, revise, amend, defer or grant exemptions from any and all" regulatory actions relevant in the state. Specifically, Trump is restoring any suspended fossil fuel leases within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

• Deny a pending U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service request to create an indigenous sacred site within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

• Restore first Trump administration rules on hunting and trapping in national preserves in Alaska. Order the Interior Department to align federal rules on hunting and fishing in Alaska with rules for state-government lands.

• Roll back other Biden era limits or regulations on fossil fuel extraction on federal lands.

• Make the Outer Continental Shelf ineligible for wind energy leases — another limitation on non-fossil fuel development.

• Reengage a legal and regulatory battle with California state government over water routes from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Trump wants to override fish and wildlife protection efforts to route more of the water to the Central Valley and Southern California.

Diversity, transgender rights and civil rights

• Give executive branch departments and agencies 60 days to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs, including all "chief diversity officer" jobs, "equity action plans" and "environmental justice" positions. Require departments and agencies to give the White House Office of Management and Budget an accounting of previous DEI efforts, including names of relevant DEI contractors and DEI grant recipients. Terminate a 60-year-old executive order setting anti-discrimination requirements for government agencies and contractors.

• A separate OMB memo effectively put all federal DEI officers on immediate leave pending their elimination.

• Repeal several Biden-era directives on racial and ethnic equity and LGBTQ rights. They included orders intending to ensure equitable distribution of federal money based on the 2020 census; preventing government discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation and specifically encouraging inclusion in school settings; White House educational initiatives for Native Americans, Hispanics and Black Americans; and an order expressly allowing transgender persons to serve in the military.

• Require that the U.S. government recognize two genders only – male and female – on passports, visas, Global Entry cards and all other forms and documents, and in all programs and communications.

• Mandate that all federal civil rights law and labor law be interpreted and enforced with the understanding that "'sex' is not a synonym for and does not include the concept of 'gender identity.'"

• Dissolve the White House Gender Policy Council and repeal Department of Education guidelines on Title IX concerning transgender rights and various documents advising schools on how to support and protect LGBTQ persons.

• Forbid federal money, including grants, from being used to "promote gender ideology" and direct the attorney general and Homeland Security secretary to "ensure that males are not detained in women's prisons or housed in women's detention centers."

• Establish the Department of Government Efficiency under the Executive Office of the President until July 4, 2026. This is the entity led by Elon Musk, the world's richest man, and is charged with recommending cuts in federal programs and spending.

• Require each agency head to establish their own DOGE team of at least four people to work with Musk's operation.

• Freeze federal hiring, with exceptions – notably immigration and border enforcement posts and U.S. military jobs, plus a generic exception for to "maintain essential services." The directive also does not apply to top presidential political appointees. The action bars contracting with outside labor to circumvent the hiring freeze.

• Block new federal rules and regulations in all agencies where Trump's appointed agency chief is not yet on the job to approve new edicts. The White House Office of Budget and Management can override the ban in emergency situations.

• Require all federal workers to return full-time to in-person work.

• Direct reviews across the Executive Branch of "career senior executive service" officials and effectively make it easier to fire, demote or reassign those federal employees — generally the highest-ranking civil service employees whose jobs historically have been protected through administration changes. "Because SES officials wield significant government authority, they must serve at the pleasure of the president," Trump's memoranda states.

• Make it easier to fire federal workers by reinstituting an executive order from the first Trump administration, which was later repealed under Biden. The latest Trump policy adds provisions that state that federal employees and applicants "are not required to personally or politically support the current president" but must "faithfully implement administration policies," understanding that "failure to do so is grounds for dismissal."

• Require a "Federal Hiring Plan" within 120 days to set new standards for hiring federal workers. The order prioritizes "recruitment of individuals ... passionate about the ideals of our American republic" and preventing "the hiring of individuals based on their race, sex or religion," while also blocking those "who are unwilling to defend the Constitution or to faithfully serve in the Executive Branch."

• Formally nominate Cabinet and sub-Cabinet officers and name many acting Cabinet officers, agency chiefs and commission chairs as Trump nominees await Senate confirmation.

• Repeal Biden directives intended to make it easier to enroll in Medicaid services, secure insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act and lower prescription drug costs. The Trump action, however, does not actually repeal the Biden-era $35 monthly cap on insulin, Medicare's $2,000 annual out-of-pocket cap on prescription drugs or Medicare's ability to negotiate drug pricing. Those policies remain enforced by federal statutes passed by Congress.

• Repeal multiple Biden orders and directives on COVID-19.

• Withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization, direct the White House Office of Management and Budget to stop future transfers of U.S. money to WHO and order the secretary of state to end negotiations on the WHO Pandemic Agreement.

• Order the secretary of state and OMB director to identify "credible and transparent United States and international partners" to replace the U.S. relationship with WHO.

Foreign policy, national security and 'America First'

• Cancel Biden-era sanctions on far-right Israeli groups and individuals accused of violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Biden's order had frozen U.S. assets and barred Americans from dealing with Israelis covered by his order.

• Direct Secretary of State Marco Rubio to issue guidance to put all State Department "politics, programs, personnel and operations in line with an America First foreign policy, which puts America and its interests first."

• Re-designate Yemen's Houthis as a terrorist organization. Trump's administration designated the Houthis as global terrorists and a foreign terrorist organization in one of his last acts in office in 2021. But Biden reversed course early on, at the time citing the humanitarian threat that the sanctions posed to ordinary Yemenis.

• Define the membership and establish operating procedures for the National Security Council.

• Pause all U.S. foreign development aid pending reviews of "efficiencies and consistency" with administration aims, to be conducted within 90 days by relevant agency heads "under guidelines" from Rubio the White House Office of Management and Budget. Rubio can lift the freeze for any program.

• Immediately grant six-month security clearances to certain administration officials whose background checks are pending. The White House counsel determines which aides get the temporary clearance.

• Repeal Biden's executive order on artificial intelligence that aimed to set guardrails on the development of AI.

• Restore the name of Mount McKinley in Alaska. The change for North America's tallest peak recognizes William McKinley, the 25th U.S. president, whom Trump has praised for economic leadership and expanding U.S. territory through the Spanish-American War. President Barack Obama had in 2015 renamed the mountain Denali — what native tribes called it historically. Trump's order did not change the name of the surrounding Denali National Park and Reserve.

• Require Trump's personal approval of new architectural and design standards for federal buildings so the president can ensure federal structures "respect regional, traditional, and classical architectural heritage in order to uplift and beautify public spaces and ennoble the United States."

• Order that U.S. flags always be flown at full-staff on Inauguration Day. The immediate effect was to countermand Biden's traditional 30-day order lowering flags as a mourning tribute to former President Jimmy Carter, who died Dec. 29, 2024. Trump's order returned flags on federal installations to half-staff on Jan. 21, through the end of the Carter mourning period.

• Direct the attorney general to explore whether 37 federal prisoners who had death sentences commuted to life imprisonment by Biden can be charged and tried with capital crimes in state courts.

• Direct the attorney general to "take all necessary and lawful action" to supply states with adequate drugs to carry out lethal injection.

• Direct the attorney general to seek reversals of U.S. Supreme Court precedents that limit application of the death penalty in state and federal jurisdictions.

• In a symbolic gesture, direct the attorney general to "encourage state attorneys general and district attorneys" to pursue the death penalty in all possible cases.

• Commute the sentences and grant full pardons to hundreds of individuals convicted or still being prosecuted for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol as Congress convened to certify Biden's victory over Trump in the 2020 election.

• Order the attorney general and others to review all agencies' investigative and enforcement actions during Biden's tenure to identify what Trump describes as "weaponization of the federal government" against his supporters. The directive identifies the Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the intelligence community. It requires a report to the president on the findings, with recommended "remedial actions."

• Direct the attorney general to investigate U.S. government dealings with social media platforms during Biden's tenure and make "recommendations for appropriate remedial actions" in response to what Trump frames as censorship efforts.

• Revoke the security clearances of 50 people Trump accuses of aiding Biden's 2020 campaign via their collective public statement about a laptop that belonged to Biden's son, Hunter Biden. The list includes former top intelligence officials James Clapper, Michael Hayden and Leon Panetta, along with Trump's onetime National Security Adviser John Bolton.

• Direct the director of national intelligence and CIA director to submit a report within 90 days with recommendations for additional "disciplinary action" and how to "prevent the Intelligence Community or anyone who works for or within it from inappropriately influencing domestic elections."

Everything Trump did in the first executive orders of his presidency

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Public school advocates are asking lawmakers to proceed with caution as they consider slashing the statewide property tax that directly funds public education.

Legislation in the House would lower the state rate from 20 to 18.5 mills in the next fiscal year, which starts June 1, and then freeze the annual tax collections at the current level for future years. The Kansas Department of Revenue&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/fisc_note_hb2011_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">estimates the impact</a>&nbsp;would be $823.6 million over five years, assuming property values grow by 5% each year from 2026 to 2030.

Debate Wednesday in the House Taxation Committee centered on concerns that the Legislature would return to a familiar pattern of lowering tax collections to the point that lawmakers eventually would cut public school funding and instigate another legal battle.

The Kansas Supreme Court has repeatedly forced the Legislature to abide by a constitutional mandate to adequately and equitably fund public schools. Last year, the Supreme Court released jurisdiction over the most recent case, elevating fears by public schools that the Legislature could again pull the rug out from under them.

Republicans on the House committee said that isn’t the goal of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2011/" target="_blank">House Bill 2011</a>, but they stopped short of agreeing to include language that would require transfers from the State General Fund to ensure schools would retain full funding. Without the transfer, the base state aid would be lowered by $100 and $169 per pupil in the next two years.

“Seems like the courts have taken over appropriation for schools, and the Legislature surrendered that to them,” said Rep. Francis Awerkamp, R-St. Marys. “So whatever the courts tell the Legislature we need to pay schools, we’re going to pay schools.”

Tim Graham, with the Kansas National Education Association, said public schools have been shorted in the past when the Legislature adopted aggressive tax cuts.

“You know the court has given up jurisdiction to this case, and quite frankly, we have a lot of anxiety of what’s happened in the past 24-25 years with school funding,” Graham told Awerkamp.

After five seconds of silence, Graham asked: “Are were in a staring contest?”

“No, we’re not,” Awerkamp said. “So you made the statement, the Legislature appropriates the dollars, we control the purse strings. Are you saying it’s wrong for the courts to tell the Legislature —”

“I’m not going to get into that,” Graham said.

Graham, school officials and public school advocates identified themselves as neutral on the bill while raising concerns about whether the state could afford such a large property tax cut.

Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican who chairs the committee, said the property tax relief would “basically” be subsidized by income and sales tax collections that go into the State General Fund, making it more difficult to lower those taxes in the future.

Lobbyists for business and agriculture groups testified in support of the legislation.

Dan Murray, of the National Federation of Independent Business, said the organization had surveyed members and found 88% supported lowering the state property tax rate.

“This is the top priority for our members,” Murray said. “I think you all heard this at the doorstep. Issue one, two and three were property tax relief. This fits in line.”

John Donley, of the Kansas Farm Bureau, said his organization wanted property tax relief last year, when GOP leaders favored income tax cuts instead. He said he was pleased the Legislature is “finally” looking at broad-based property tax relief.

The discussion appeared to confuse Rep. Clarke Sanders, a Salina Republican, because the bill refers to the property tax rate as “the rate of ad valorem tax.”

“You’re calling it property tax relief, which is what it seems to me, but yet, in the bill, it’s talking about ad valorem tax,” Clarke said as Donley appeared before the committee. “So could I get an explanation either from you, Mr. chair, from the conferee, about what the difference between, if any, between property tax and ad valorem tax?”

Donley: “ ’Ad valorem’ equals ‘property,’ I think, is the simplest way to explain it.”

Sanders: “Six to one, half a dozen the other?”

Donley: “Somebody liked Latin at some point in our history.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737754750891.jpeg" alt=" Rep. Francis Awerkamp, a St. Marys Republican, appears during a June 17, 2024, legislative hearing. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Francis Awerkamp, a St. Marys Republican, appears during a June 17, 2024, legislative hearing. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Public school advocates are asking lawmakers to proceed with caution as they consider slashing the statewide property tax that directly funds public education.Legislation in the House would lower the state rate from 20 to 18.5 mills in the next fiscal year, which starts June 1, and then freeze the annual tax collections at the current level for future years. The Kansas Department of Revenue&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/fisc_note_hb2011_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">estimates the impact</a>&nbsp;would be $823.6 million over five years, assuming property values grow by 5% each year from 2026 to 2030.Debate Wednesday in the House Taxation Committee centered on concerns that the Legislature would return to a familiar pattern of lowering tax collections to the point that lawmakers eventually would cut public school funding and instigate another legal battle.The Kansas Supreme Court has repeatedly forced the Legislature to abide by a constitutional mandate to adequately and equitably fund public schools. Last year, the Supreme Court released jurisdiction over the most recent case, elevating fears by public schools that the Legislature could again pull the rug out from under them.Republicans on the House committee said that isn’t the goal of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2011/" target="_blank">House Bill 2011</a>, but they stopped short of agreeing to include language that would require transfers from the State General Fund to ensure schools would retain full funding. Without the transfer, the base state aid would be lowered by $100 and $169 per pupil in the next two years.“Seems like the courts have taken over appropriation for schools, and the Legislature surrendered that to them,” said Rep. Francis Awerkamp, R-St. Marys. “So whatever the courts tell the Legislature we need to pay schools, we’re going to pay schools.”Tim Graham, with the Kansas National Education Association, said public schools have been shorted in the past when the Legislature adopted aggressive tax cuts.“You know the court has given up jurisdiction to this case, and quite frankly, we have a lot of anxiety of what’s happened in the past 24-25 years with school funding,” Graham told Awerkamp.After five seconds of silence, Graham asked: “Are were in a staring contest?”“No, we’re not,” Awerkamp said. “So you made the statement, the Legislature appropriates the dollars, we control the purse strings. Are you saying it’s wrong for the courts to tell the Legislature —”“I’m not going to get into that,” Graham said.Graham, school officials and public school advocates identified themselves as neutral on the bill while raising concerns about whether the state could afford such a large property tax cut.Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican who chairs the committee, said the property tax relief would “basically” be subsidized by income and sales tax collections that go into the State General Fund, making it more difficult to lower those taxes in the future.Lobbyists for business and agriculture groups testified in support of the legislation.Dan Murray, of the National Federation of Independent Business, said the organization had surveyed members and found 88% supported lowering the state property tax rate.“This is the top priority for our members,” Murray said. “I think you all heard this at the doorstep. Issue one, two and three were property tax relief. This fits in line.”John Donley, of the Kansas Farm Bureau, said his organization wanted property tax relief last year, when GOP leaders favored income tax cuts instead. He said he was pleased the Legislature is “finally” looking at broad-based property tax relief.The discussion appeared to confuse Rep. Clarke Sanders, a Salina Republican, because the bill refers to the property tax rate as “the rate of ad valorem tax.”“You’re calling it property tax relief, which is what it seems to me, but yet, in the bill, it’s talking about ad valorem tax,” Clarke said as Donley appeared before the committee. “So could I get an explanation either from you, Mr. chair, from the conferee, about what the difference between, if any, between property tax and ad valorem tax?”Donley: “ ’Ad valorem’ equals ‘property,’ I think, is the simplest way to explain it.”Sanders: “Six to one, half a dozen the other?”Donley: “Somebody liked Latin at some point in our history.”

Kansas House looks to cut property tax that funds public schools by $800M over five years

JERUSALEM (AP) —Hamas militants on Saturday released&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-01-25-2025-150674e17bd8b22f2c2c3aa4991cf061">four female Israeli soldiers</a>&nbsp;they held captive for 15 months for 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees in Israel.

It's the second exchange since a fragile ceasefire took effect last weekend, halting the fighting in Gaza for at least six weeks during which dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed while more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/palestinians-in-gaza-scramble-for-aid-as-trucks-drive-through-rafah-81264dbbe89c40c889fc788412c9d1df">aid flows in</a>.

In return for the four soldiers, Israel freed 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees, including 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks. The first exchange&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-01-19-2025-437f7f1bf49c9d2936718cf78bdf272c">took place Sunday</a>&nbsp;with the release of three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-hostages-ceasefire-709efbcf93714a562640133d836bb31c">Israeli hostages</a>&nbsp;and 90&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinian-prisoners-west-bank-ceasefire-gaza-df39559252ee2303b35f378ed61c68e1">Palestinian prisoners</a>.

Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-rights-amnesty-genocide-19aa8fb76f7271942e73d5d7a42434e0">47,000 Palestinians</a>, according to Gaza health authorities. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians. The war was sparked by Hamas'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-01-21-2025-f836d6eb2d939c3c4bd241c79cad1ee2">Oct. 7, 2023</a>, attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people.

Israel releases 200 Palestinian prisoners in a Gaza ceasefire deal after Hamas freed 4 soldiers

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank city of Ramallah celebrated the arrival of buses carrying dozens of prisoners released as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

Israel said it released a total of 200 prisoners after Hamas freed four young, female Israeli soldiers.

The prisoners include 120 who were serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks on Israelis. Around 70 were released into Egypt.

Israel warns Palestinians not to return to northern Gaza

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military is warning Palestinians in Gaza not to return to northern Gaza.

The army’s Arabic spokesman, Avichay Adraee, published a post on social media telling Palestinians not to approach the east-west Netzarim route, which bisects Gaza.

Israel had been expected to open the route by Sunday as part of the latest stage of the ceasefire. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pullback was on hold because of delays in the release of an Israeli civilian woman from captivity in Gaza.

Mediators say they are trying to resolve the dispute.

Some Palestinian prisoners being released will be sent to other Arab countries

RAMALLAH, West Bank — The head of a Palestinian prisoner advocacy group says that some of the 70 convicted militants being transferred to Egypt after their release from Israeli prison will ultimately be sent to other Arab countries.

Abdullah al-Zaghari, the head of the Palestinian Prisoner’s Club, told The Associated Press that Algeria, Tunisia and Turkey have all expressed willingness to receive some of those required to live in exile according to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

A total of 200 prisoners, 120 of them sentenced to life prison on charges related to deadly attacks against Israelis, were being freed Saturday after Hamas released four female soldiers from captivity in Gaza.

Al-Zaghari said that the details of how many of the 70 deported Palestinian prisoners will stay living in Egypt and how many will travel on to other countries are still being worked out.

Video shows freed hostages in an Israeli army base

JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has released a video showing the freed hostages being welcomed at an army base in southern Israel.

Some of the hostages hugged the female soldiers who greeted them. One of them, Liri Albag, 19, smiled, gave two thumbs-up and made a heart shape with her hands before boarding a van.

Israel's president welcomes hostages home

JERUSALEM — Israel’s president has welcomed home the four female soldiers released from captivity.

“You are heroes,” President Isaac Herzog said in a post on X.

Herzog wished them healthy recoveries, but says the nation “will not rest” until all hostages return.

Israel releases 70 Palestinian prisoners into Egypt in Gaza ceasefire deal

CAIRO — Egypt’s state-run Qahera TV says Israel has released 70 Palestinian prisoners into Egypt under the Gaza ceasefire deal.

The network says they arrived at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip.

Hamas had earlier released four female Israeli soldiers. Israel is expected to release a total of 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees, many of whom will be sent into exile.

Israel says it won't allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza until hostage Arbel Yehoud is released

JERUSALEM — Israel says it will not allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza until Arbel Yehoud, one of the dozens of hostages held by Hamas, is released.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Yehoud was supposed to have been released Saturday as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Hamas had earlier released four female Israeli soldiers.

Israeli army spokesman criticizes Hamas' display of hostages

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel’s army spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says the released hostages are “in our hands” and on their way home.

In a televised statement Saturday, Hagari criticized what he called the “cynical” public display of the young women by Hamas before their release.

He also said that Israel is concerned about the fate of the two youngest hostages — Kfir and Ariel Bibas — and their mother Shiri. Kfir Bibas marked his second birthday in captivity earlier this month.

Hagari says the army is committed to bringing all hostages home.

Palestinians release a list of 200 prisoners to be released from Israel

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian authorities have released a list of 200 Palestinian prisoners and detainees expected to be released from Israel in exchange for four female Israeli soldiers held by Hamas in Gaza.

The list includes 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. The rest are serving lengthy sentences.

The list shows that 70 of the prisoners will not be allowed to return to their homes in the occupied West Bank or Jerusalem and will be required to live in exile. It’s unclear exactly where they will go.

The more notorious militants being released include Mohammad Odeh, 52, and Wael Qassim, 54, both from east Jerusalem. They were accused of carrying out a series of deadly Hamas attacks against Israelis, including a bombing at a cafeteria at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2002 that killed nine people, including five U.S. citizens.

Another prisoner set to be released is Mohammed Aradeh, 42, an Islamic Jihad militant, who become something of a Palestinian folk hero in 2021 along with five other prisoners after they used spoons to tunnel their way out of Israel’s most secure prison in an extraordinary escape that stunned Israelis and Palestinians alike.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737769908611.png" alt="Karina Ariev" />
 <figcaption>Karina Ariev</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) —Hamas militants on Saturday released&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-01-25-2025-150674e17bd8b22f2c2c3aa4991cf061">four female Israeli soldiers</a>&nbsp;they held captive for 15 months for 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees in Israel.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737770025011.png" alt="Liri Albag" />
 <figcaption>Liri Albag</figcaption>
 </figure>It's the second exchange since a fragile ceasefire took effect last weekend, halting the fighting in Gaza for at least six weeks during which dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed while more&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/palestinians-in-gaza-scramble-for-aid-as-trucks-drive-through-rafah-81264dbbe89c40c889fc788412c9d1df">aid flows in</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737769840144.png" alt="-Daniella Gilboa" />
 <figcaption>-Daniella Gilboa</figcaption>
 </figure>In return for the four soldiers, Israel freed 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees, including 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks. The first exchange&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-01-19-2025-437f7f1bf49c9d2936718cf78bdf272c">took place Sunday</a>&nbsp;with the release of three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-hostages-ceasefire-709efbcf93714a562640133d836bb31c">Israeli hostages</a>&nbsp;and 90&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinian-prisoners-west-bank-ceasefire-gaza-df39559252ee2303b35f378ed61c68e1">Palestinian prisoners</a>.Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-rights-amnesty-genocide-19aa8fb76f7271942e73d5d7a42434e0">47,000 Palestinians</a>, according to Gaza health authorities. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians. The war was sparked by Hamas'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-01-21-2025-f836d6eb2d939c3c4bd241c79cad1ee2">Oct. 7, 2023</a>, attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737770094931.png" alt="Naama Levy&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Naama Levy&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Here's the latest:<h2>Israel releases 200 Palestinian prisoners in a Gaza ceasefire deal after Hamas freed 4 soldiers</h2>RAMALLAH, West Bank — Thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank city of Ramallah celebrated the arrival of buses carrying dozens of prisoners released as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.Israel said it released a total of 200 prisoners after Hamas freed four young, female Israeli soldiers.The prisoners include 120 who were serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks on Israelis. Around 70 were released into Egypt.<h2>Israel warns Palestinians not to return to northern Gaza</h2>JERUSALEM — The Israeli military is warning Palestinians in Gaza not to return to northern Gaza.The army’s Arabic spokesman, Avichay Adraee, published a post on social media telling Palestinians not to approach the east-west Netzarim route, which bisects Gaza.Israel had been expected to open the route by Sunday as part of the latest stage of the ceasefire. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pullback was on hold because of delays in the release of an Israeli civilian woman from captivity in Gaza.Mediators say they are trying to resolve the dispute.<h2>Some Palestinian prisoners being released will be sent to other Arab countries</h2>RAMALLAH, West Bank — The head of a Palestinian prisoner advocacy group says that some of the 70 convicted militants being transferred to Egypt after their release from Israeli prison will ultimately be sent to other Arab countries.Abdullah al-Zaghari, the head of the Palestinian Prisoner’s Club, told The Associated Press that Algeria, Tunisia and Turkey have all expressed willingness to receive some of those required to live in exile according to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.A total of 200 prisoners, 120 of them sentenced to life prison on charges related to deadly attacks against Israelis, were being freed Saturday after Hamas released four female soldiers from captivity in Gaza.Al-Zaghari said that the details of how many of the 70 deported Palestinian prisoners will stay living in Egypt and how many will travel on to other countries are still being worked out.<h2>Video shows freed hostages in an Israeli army base</h2>JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has released a video showing the freed hostages being welcomed at an army base in southern Israel.Some of the hostages hugged the female soldiers who greeted them. One of them, Liri Albag, 19, smiled, gave two thumbs-up and made a heart shape with her hands before boarding a van.<h2>Israel's president welcomes hostages home</h2>JERUSALEM — Israel’s president has welcomed home the four female soldiers released from captivity.“You are heroes,” President Isaac Herzog said in a post on X.Herzog wished them healthy recoveries, but says the nation “will not rest” until all hostages return.<h2>Israel releases 70 Palestinian prisoners into Egypt in Gaza ceasefire deal</h2>CAIRO — Egypt’s state-run Qahera TV says Israel has released 70 Palestinian prisoners into Egypt under the Gaza ceasefire deal.The network says they arrived at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip.Hamas had earlier released four female Israeli soldiers. Israel is expected to release a total of 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees, many of whom will be sent into exile.<h2>Israel says it won't allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza until hostage Arbel Yehoud is released</h2>JERUSALEM — Israel says it will not allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza until Arbel Yehoud, one of the dozens of hostages held by Hamas, is released.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Yehoud was supposed to have been released Saturday as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.Hamas had earlier released four female Israeli soldiers.<h2>Israeli army spokesman criticizes Hamas' display of hostages</h2>TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel’s army spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says the released hostages are “in our hands” and on their way home.In a televised statement Saturday, Hagari criticized what he called the “cynical” public display of the young women by Hamas before their release.He also said that Israel is concerned about the fate of the two youngest hostages — Kfir and Ariel Bibas — and their mother Shiri. Kfir Bibas marked his second birthday in captivity earlier this month.Hagari says the army is committed to bringing all hostages home.<h2>Palestinians release a list of 200 prisoners to be released from Israel</h2>RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian authorities have released a list of 200 Palestinian prisoners and detainees expected to be released from Israel in exchange for four female Israeli soldiers held by Hamas in Gaza.The list includes 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. The rest are serving lengthy sentences.The list shows that 70 of the prisoners will not be allowed to return to their homes in the occupied West Bank or Jerusalem and will be required to live in exile. It’s unclear exactly where they will go.The more notorious militants being released include Mohammad Odeh, 52, and Wael Qassim, 54, both from east Jerusalem. They were accused of carrying out a series of deadly Hamas attacks against Israelis, including a bombing at a cafeteria at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2002 that killed nine people, including five U.S. citizens.Another prisoner set to be released is Mohammed Aradeh, 42, an Islamic Jihad militant, who become something of a Palestinian folk hero in 2021 along with five other prisoners after they used spoons to tunnel their way out of Israel’s most secure prison in an extraordinary escape that stunned Israelis and Palestinians alike.

 Hamas releases 4 more hostages in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 21-year-old&nbsp;Angelo Brayboy, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just before 9:00p.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 4800 block of Independence Avenue in Kansas City

As officers arrived they were directed inside the convenience store. There they located a Brayboy suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers began performing lifesaving measures and ordered emergency medical personnel to the scene. EMS transported Brayboy to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.

This is being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary investigation revealed there was an altercation between two individuals inside of the store prior to shots being fired.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737752890791.png" alt="Scene of the deadly shooting -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Scene of the deadly shooting -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 21-year-old&nbsp;Angelo Brayboy, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Just before 9:00p.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 4800 block of Independence Avenue in Kansas CityAs officers arrived they were directed inside the convenience store. There they located a Brayboy suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers began performing lifesaving measures and ordered emergency medical personnel to the scene. EMS transported Brayboy to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.This is being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary investigation revealed there was an altercation between two individuals inside of the store prior to shots being fired.&nbsp;

KCPD: Man dies after altercation inside convenience store

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-allegations-defense-trump-194e39797595d87f621db641d0f35ff1">Pete Hegseth</a>&nbsp;as the nation's defense secretary Friday in a dramatic late-night vote, swatting back questions about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-defense-trump-women-allegations-cd3bfa2dbc35afa37a7f98b72e576233">allegations of heavy drinking and aggressive behavior</a>&nbsp;toward women.

Rarely has a Cabinet nominee faced such wide-ranging concerns about his experience and behavior as Hegseth, particularly for such a high-profile role atop the U.S. military. But the Republican-led Senate was determined to confirm Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran who has vowed to bring a “warrior culture” to the Pentagon, rounding out President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;top national security Cabinet officials.

Vice President JD Vance was on hand to cast a tie-breaking vote, unusual in the Senate for Cabinet nominees, who typically win wider support. Hegseth himself was at the Capitol with his family.

Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/john-thune-is-striving-to-be-the-next-republican-senate-leader-but-can-he-rise-in-trumps-gop/">John Thune</a>&nbsp;said Hegseth, as a veteran of the Army National Guard who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, “will bring a warrior's perspective" to the top military job.

“Gone will be the days of woke distractions,” Thune said, referring to the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives being slashed across the federal government. “The Pentagon's focus will be on war fighting.”

The Senate's ability to confirm Hegseth despite a grave series of allegations against him will provide a measure of Trump's political power and ability to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gaetz-rfk-nominations-senate-59a69fe1758f5fb106d574895c70eba5">get what he wants from the GOP-led Congress</a>, and of the potency of the culture wars to fuel his agenda at the White House.

Next week senators will be facing Trump's other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-confirmation-hearings-e12dcbc5d26d675414331d9a35cab6a6">outside Cabinet choices</a>&nbsp;including particularly Kash Patel, a Trump ally who has published an enemies list, as the FBI director; Tulsi Gabbard as director of the office of national intelligence; and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, the anti-vaccine advocate at Health and Human Services.

“Is Pete Hegseth truly the best we have to offer?” said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, urging his colleagues to think seriously about their vote.

Hegseth himself was working the phones late Friday to shore up his support, his confirmation at stake.

“He’s a good man," Trump said of Hegseth while departing the White House to visit disaster-hit North Carolina and Los Angeles. "I hope he makes it.”

Trump leveled criticism of Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who announced they would vote against Hegseth. And Tump raised fresh questions about Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., saying, “And of course Mitch is always a no vote, I guess. Is Mitch a no vote?”

In the end all three voted against Hegseth, as tensions soared late Friday at the Capitol.

McConnell, the former GOP leader in the Senate, had not declared his vote, but signaled skepticism in an earlier speech when he declared he would confirm nominees to senior national security roles “whose record and experience will make them immediate assets, not liabilities.” He voted against.

It takes a simple majority to confirm Hegseth, and Republicans, with a 53-47 majority in the Senate, could only lose one more objection.

One Republican, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, sent the Senate swirling as he raised questions and was provided information and answers, said a person familiar with the situation Thursday and granted anonymity to discuss it.

But Tillis ultimately voted to confirm Hegseth who he said “has a unique perspective” and is passionate about modernizing the military. He said he spoke to Hegseth for “nearly two hour” about his concerns.

Democrats, as the minority party, have helped confirm Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marco-rubio">Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;and CIA Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cia-director-ratcliffe-trump-cabinet-national-intelligence-a73ceaef42086d46a728979189a9826b">John Ratcliffe</a>&nbsp;in bipartisan votes to Trump's national security team within days of his return to the White House.

But Democrats gravely opposed to Hegseth have little power to stop him, and instead have resorted to dragging out the process.

Hours before the vote, Democrat after Democrat took to the Senate floor to object.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said during the debate there are few Trump nominees as “dangerously and woefully unqualified as Hegseth.”

Hegseth faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-sexual-assault-allegations-trump-defense-secretary-677b2df5859a338feac4714c60ef369d">allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman</a>&nbsp;at a Republican conference in California, though he has denied the claims and said the encounter was consensual. He later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-sex-assault-payment-trump-6674cc8cfee654c374725948e01ff666">paid $50,000 to the woman</a>.

More recently, Hegseth's former sister-in-law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-affidavit-defense-secretary-pentagon-trump-e195ba72a3f47060f7a1b7a81981cba2">said in an affidavit</a>&nbsp;that he was abusive to his second wife to the point that she feared for her safety. Hegseth has denied the allegation, and in divorce proceedings, neither Hegseth nor the woman claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse.

During a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/pete-hegseth-roger-wicker-greenland-virginia-military-and-defense-cc8aef7f27e44f55a3f4e6476fed3086">fiery confirmation</a>&nbsp;hearing, Hegseth dismissed allegations of wrongdoing one by one, and vowed to bring “warrior culture” to the top Pentagon post.

Hegseth has promised not to drink on the job if confirmed.

But Republican senators facing an intensive pressure campaign by Trump allies to support Hegseth have stood by his nomination, echoing his claims of a “smear” campaign against him.

A Princeton and Harvard graduate, Hegseth represents a newer generation of veterans who came of age in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. He went on to a career at Fox News as the host of a weekend show, and was unknown to many on Capitol Hill until Trump tapped him for the top Defense job.

Hegseth's comments that women should have no role in military combat drew particular concern on Capitol Hill, including from lawmakers who themselves served. He has since tempered those views as he met with senators during the confirmation process.

Murkowski said in a lengthy statement ahead of a test vote on Hegseth that his behaviors “starkly contrast” with what is expected of the military.

“I remain concerned about the message that confirming Mr. Hegseth sends to women currently serving and those aspiring to join,” Murkowski wrote on social media.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737751384250.png" alt="Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, his wife and then President-elect Trump at the Army -Navy Game last month-courtesy photi" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, his wife and then President-elect Trump at the Army -Navy Game last month-courtesy photi</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-allegations-defense-trump-194e39797595d87f621db641d0f35ff1">Pete Hegseth</a>&nbsp;as the nation's defense secretary Friday in a dramatic late-night vote, swatting back questions about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-defense-trump-women-allegations-cd3bfa2dbc35afa37a7f98b72e576233">allegations of heavy drinking and aggressive behavior</a>&nbsp;toward women.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737771904109.png" alt="Kansas Senior U.S. Senator Jerry Moran met with Hegseth January 10- photo courtesy Moran's office" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Senior U.S. Senator Jerry Moran met with Hegseth January 10- photo courtesy Moran's office</figcaption>
 </figure>Rarely has a Cabinet nominee faced such wide-ranging concerns about his experience and behavior as Hegseth, particularly for such a high-profile role atop the U.S. military. But the Republican-led Senate was determined to confirm Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran who has vowed to bring a “warrior culture” to the Pentagon, rounding out President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;top national security Cabinet officials.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737773600294.png" alt="Vice President Vance with the tie-breaking vote-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Vance with the tie-breaking vote-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Vice President JD Vance was on hand to cast a tie-breaking vote, unusual in the Senate for Cabinet nominees, who typically win wider support. Hegseth himself was at the Capitol with his family.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737772412121.png" alt="Kansas Junior U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (center) during the vote count-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Junior U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (center) during the vote count-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/john-thune-is-striving-to-be-the-next-republican-senate-leader-but-can-he-rise-in-trumps-gop/">John Thune</a>&nbsp;said Hegseth, as a veteran of the Army National Guard who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, “will bring a warrior's perspective" to the top military job.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Previously, the only Vice President to break a tie on a Cabinet nominee confirmation vote was Mike Pence in 2017 on Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education. <a href="https://t.co/nSYD0uiTiP">https://t.co/nSYD0uiTiP</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1882978941100871852?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Gone will be the days of woke distractions,” Thune said, referring to the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives being slashed across the federal government. “The Pentagon's focus will be on war fighting.”The Senate's ability to confirm Hegseth despite a grave series of allegations against him will provide a measure of Trump's political power and ability to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gaetz-rfk-nominations-senate-59a69fe1758f5fb106d574895c70eba5">get what he wants from the GOP-led Congress</a>, and of the potency of the culture wars to fuel his agenda at the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you for your confidence Mr. President. Thank you for the tie-breaker Mr. Vice President. Thank you Senators for 50 votes. This is for the troops. For the warriors. For our country. America First. Every day. We will never back down. 🇺🇸&mdash; Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1883022600676188588?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Next week senators will be facing Trump's other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-confirmation-hearings-e12dcbc5d26d675414331d9a35cab6a6">outside Cabinet choices</a>&nbsp;including particularly Kash Patel, a Trump ally who has published an enemies list, as the FBI director; Tulsi Gabbard as director of the office of national intelligence; and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, the anti-vaccine advocate at Health and Human Services.“Is Pete Hegseth truly the best we have to offer?” said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, urging his colleagues to think seriously about their vote.Hegseth himself was working the phones late Friday to shore up his support, his confirmation at stake.“He’s a good man," Trump said of Hegseth while departing the White House to visit disaster-hit North Carolina and Los Angeles. "I hope he makes it.”Trump leveled criticism of Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who announced they would vote against Hegseth. And Tump raised fresh questions about Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., saying, “And of course Mitch is always a no vote, I guess. Is Mitch a no vote?”In the end all three voted against Hegseth, as tensions soared late Friday at the Capitol.McConnell, the former GOP leader in the Senate, had not declared his vote, but signaled skepticism in an earlier speech when he declared he would confirm nominees to senior national security roles “whose record and experience will make them immediate assets, not liabilities.” He voted against.It takes a simple majority to confirm Hegseth, and Republicans, with a 53-47 majority in the Senate, could only lose one more objection.One Republican, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, sent the Senate swirling as he raised questions and was provided information and answers, said a person familiar with the situation Thursday and granted anonymity to discuss it.But Tillis ultimately voted to confirm Hegseth who he said “has a unique perspective” and is passionate about modernizing the military. He said he spoke to Hegseth for “nearly two hour” about his concerns.Democrats, as the minority party, have helped confirm Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marco-rubio">Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;and CIA Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cia-director-ratcliffe-trump-cabinet-national-intelligence-a73ceaef42086d46a728979189a9826b">John Ratcliffe</a>&nbsp;in bipartisan votes to Trump's national security team within days of his return to the White House.But Democrats gravely opposed to Hegseth have little power to stop him, and instead have resorted to dragging out the process.Hours before the vote, Democrat after Democrat took to the Senate floor to object.Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said during the debate there are few Trump nominees as “dangerously and woefully unqualified as Hegseth.”Hegseth faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-sexual-assault-allegations-trump-defense-secretary-677b2df5859a338feac4714c60ef369d">allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman</a>&nbsp;at a Republican conference in California, though he has denied the claims and said the encounter was consensual. He later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-sex-assault-payment-trump-6674cc8cfee654c374725948e01ff666">paid $50,000 to the woman</a>.More recently, Hegseth's former sister-in-law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-affidavit-defense-secretary-pentagon-trump-e195ba72a3f47060f7a1b7a81981cba2">said in an affidavit</a>&nbsp;that he was abusive to his second wife to the point that she feared for her safety. Hegseth has denied the allegation, and in divorce proceedings, neither Hegseth nor the woman claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse.During a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/pete-hegseth-roger-wicker-greenland-virginia-military-and-defense-cc8aef7f27e44f55a3f4e6476fed3086">fiery confirmation</a>&nbsp;hearing, Hegseth dismissed allegations of wrongdoing one by one, and vowed to bring “warrior culture” to the top Pentagon post.Hegseth has promised not to drink on the job if confirmed.But Republican senators facing an intensive pressure campaign by Trump allies to support Hegseth have stood by his nomination, echoing his claims of a “smear” campaign against him.A Princeton and Harvard graduate, Hegseth represents a newer generation of veterans who came of age in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. He went on to a career at Fox News as the host of a weekend show, and was unknown to many on Capitol Hill until Trump tapped him for the top Defense job.Hegseth's comments that women should have no role in military combat drew particular concern on Capitol Hill, including from lawmakers who themselves served. He has since tempered those views as he met with senators during the confirmation process.Murkowski said in a lengthy statement ahead of a test vote on Hegseth that his behaviors “starkly contrast” with what is expected of the military.“I remain concerned about the message that confirming Mr. Hegseth sends to women currently serving and those aspiring to join,” Murkowski wrote on social media.Collins said that after a lengthy discussion with Hegseth, “I am not convinced that his position on women serving in combat roles has changed.”But one prominent Republican, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, herself a veteran and sexual assault survivor, came under harsh criticism for her skepticism toward Hegseth and eventually announced she would back him.Hegseth would lead an organization with nearly 2.1 million service members, about 780,000 civilians and a budget of $850 billion.In exercising its advise and consent role over Trump’s nominees, the Senate is also trying to stave off his suggestion that the GOP leaders simply do away with the confirmation process altogether, and allow him to appoint his Cabinet choices when the Congress is on recess.Trump raised the idea of so-called “recess appointments” during a private White House meeting with Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, a step many senators are trying to avoid.___