The Pour Over Today - Hegseth Confirmed, Target Ends DEI, Gaza Ceasefire Update, & More | 01.27.25

Episode Date: January 27, 2025

Today, we’re talking about the Senate confirming multiple cabinet nominees; Target ending its DEI initiatives; ceasefire concerns in Gaza and Lebanon; and other top news for Monday, January 27th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over Today. Please support our TPO sponsors! The Voice of the Martyrs: vom.org/TPO Parenting with Ginger Hubbard: https://links.thepourover.org/ParentingwithGingerHubbard The Bulletin: MoreCT.com/BulletinPodcast Upside: https://links.thepourover.org/Upside Cru: give.cru.org/pour LMNT: https://links.thepourover.org/LMNT_Podcast Hello Fresh: https://hellofresh.com/pourover10fm

Today, we're talking about the Senate confirming multiple cabinet nominees, Target ending its DEI initiatives, ceasefire concerns in Gaza and Lebanon, and other top news for Monday, January 27th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with the poor over today. Here's the quote of the day, A tree is known by its fruit, a man by his deeds, a good deed is never lost. He who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love. St. Basil.

Let's get started with some espresso shots. The Senate clocked some extra hours over the weekend, confirming several more of President Trump's cabinet picks. Friday, John Ratliff, who served as National Intelligence Director in Trump's first term, was confirmed as CIA Director. Hours later, Army veteran and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth was narrowly confirmed as Secretary of Defense after VP Vance cast a rare tie-breaking vote. Saturday, Kristi Noem resigned as governor of South Dakota after being confirmed as Secretary of Homeland Security. Confirmation hearings resume Wednesday, starting with RFK Jr. In other new cabinet member news, Secretary of State Marco Rubio paused almost all U.S.

foreign aid, exceptions on emergency food assistance and military aid to Israel and Egypt, to conduct a government-wide comprehensive review and ensure funds are not duplicated, are effective, and are consistent with President Trump's foreign policy. Believers must balance engaging in politics, which can be important and impactful, with a calm, unshakable confidence in God, whose plans are not dependent on who fills a cabinet vacancy.

Philippians 3.20 says, Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Target announced Friday that it's taking diversity, equity, and inclusion DEI policies off the shelves, citing many years of data, insights, listening, and learning. The home of Bullseye's Playground joins a growing list of corporations, including McDonald's, Ford, Amazon, Walmart, and Metta, scaling back DEI efforts in recent months, a response to conservative activism, and now the White House, which criticized the policies as discriminatory and unlawful. Others are holding the DEI line.

At a recent annual meeting, 98% of Costco shareholders rejected a proposal urging the company to evaluate risks associated with its DEI initiatives. The board emphasized that DEI, like its rotisserie chicken prices, isn't budging and promised to defend respect and inclusion. Apple's board and JP Morgan's CEO have also committed to maintaining DEI initiatives. Here's a verse to consider as governments, companies, and people change. Though the mountains move and the hills shake, my love will not be removed from you, Lord, and my covenant of peace will not be shaken, says your compassionate Lord." Isaiah 54, 10. Israel's ceasefires are proving fragile.

Saturday, Hamas released four female Israeli soldiers in good health in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners. Then, Sunday, the IDF prevented thousands of Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza, saying Hamas violated the agreement because it didn't free a civilian hostage scheduled to be released before the soldiers. Hamas said the hostage was alive and promised to release. Meanwhile, Israel's two-month-old ceasefire with Lebanon-based Hezbollah threatens to uncease. The deal requires Israel to withdraw and Lebanon to deploy forces and clear Hezbollah weapons. Israel says it won't leave until Lebanon forces arrive, but Lebanon forces refuse to deploy

until Israel leaves. Friday, the IDF said it wouldn't meet Sunday's withdrawal deadline, warning civilians not to return home. Thousands tried to return anyway. At least 22 were killed when the IDF opened fire. Human plans for peace are temporary and fallible, but God's purpose for eternal peace cannot be undone by human brokenness. Seek Him in all you do do and you'll radiate His peace

in a chaotic world. John 14, 27, and 28 says, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don't let your heart be troubled or fearful. You have heard me tell you, I am going away and I am coming to you. It saves me from the endless recipe searching in those last-minute grocery store runs. Total game changer. Just pick your meals and everything you need is delivered right to your door. Every HelloFresh recipe features high quality, sustainably sourced ingredients like FarmFresh produce.

With 50 chef-crafted recipes to choose from each week, there's always something you'll love. And they make it super easy to pause or skip a week. No commitments, no stress. Get up to 10 free meals and a free high protein item for life at hellofresh.com slash pour over 10 FM. One item per box with active subscription, free meals applied as discount on first box. New subscribers only varies by plan. That's up to 10 free HelloFresh meals. Just go to hellofresh.com slash pour over 10 FM. In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates.

Super Bowl 59 is set after the three-peat chasing Kansas City Chiefs ended the Buffalo Bill Super Bowl dreams again with a 32 to 29 victory. They'll take on the Philadelphia Eagles who flew past the Washington commanders 55 to 23. Catch the game, the ads and halftime headliner Kendrick Lamar Sunday, February 2nd at 6 30 PM Eastern Standard Time. Colombia turned away two U.S. military aircraft carrying deported migrants yesterday. In response, President Trump ordered a 25% tariff on Colombian imports, primarily coffee and produce, and revoked visas for Colombian officials. Colombia's president then issued a retaliatory 25% increase

on imported U.S. goods before saying he'd arrange for his presidential plane to facilitate the dignified return of the deportees. President Trump said, you're fired to at least 17 inspectors general, sparking controversy. While most Republicans seem open to replacing the government watchdogs, multiple have criticized Trump for not providing the legally mandated 30-day notice to Congress.

Democrats disliked the whole shebang with Senator Warren accusing No. 47 of dismantling checks on his power. The White House has not commented. Kia America is recalling 80,000 Niro models due to a wiring issue that could prevent front airbags from deploying when needed or cause side airbags to deploy unexpectedly. Kia says there have been no injuries related to the issue and that dealerships will make the around 80,000 fixes for free. President Trump is still working on a plan to keep the talk ticking. The platform isn't

short on suitors. Oracle, Microsoft, YouTube sensation MrBeast, Elon Musk, and Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary are all on the app's FYP. A work in progress deal has ByteDance, TikTok's China-based owner, maintaining a minority stake stake and a US-based company overseeing the algorithm, data, and software. And that's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. If you're listening on the Apple Podcast app, give us a 5-star rating and drop a review. If you're listening on Spotify, give us a follow and hit the notification bell to never miss a new episode.

We appreciate your support and hope you have a great day. We'll see you on Wednesday. Ever feel like your kids have trained you more than you've trained them? You're not the only one. The Parenting with Ginger Hubbard podcast equips parents to reach beyond outward behavior and point children to the transformational power of Christ. It's time to move past the frustrations of not knowing how to handle issues of defiance and step into a confident and heart-oriented approach to raising children.

Subscribe to Parenting with Ginger Hubbard wherever you listen to podcasts for weekly encouragement.