As in Europe, the clocks in the USA are set forward one hour in the spring and back again in the fall. Changing clocks allows people to use daylight longer. It is also supposed to help save energy, but this has little effect. It is just as controversial in the USA as it is in the European Union.
2:20 a.m.: Amazon plans to donate $1 million to Donald Trump’s inauguration, as well as providing another $1 million by streaming the event for free on Amazon Video. Founder Jeff Bezos will meet Trump in person to strengthen the relationship after both spoke in the summer. Bezos publicly praised Trump after an attempted attack. Trump is becoming increasingly open towards tech companies, which he previously blamed for his 2020 election defeat.
Facebook parent Meta also said it donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration. Founder Mark Zuckerberg and Donald Trump met privately at Mar-a-Lago two weeks ago.
5.40 a.m.: Donald Trump wants to appoint his loyal supporter Kari Lake from Arizona as head of the state-run US foreign broadcasting service “Voice of America”. The Republican announced this on his Truth Social platform.
Lake worked for many years as a news anchor at local television station Fox 10 Phoenix in Arizona. She later switched to politics. She represents a radical orientation of the Republican Party. In November, she failed in her bid for an open Senate seat in Arizona. She was already defeated in the state’s gubernatorial election in 2022. Lake did not recognize her defeat at the time; instead, she spread unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about election fraud.
The 55-year-old still has to be formally appointed by the future management of the responsible broadcasting authority – the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM for short). The agency oversees all government-funded foreign broadcast programs in the United States that are not controlled by the military. Trump announced that he would soon fill the leadership of USAGM. Appointment to this position requires Senate approval.
Trump said Lake and the incoming USAGM leadership would “work closely to ensure that American values of freedom and independence are broadcast FAIRLY and ACCURATELY around the world” – contrary to the “lies told by the fake news media”. Trump regularly questions the credibility of the established media. Critics fear he may try to use Voice of America to further his political agenda.
