Patriots owner’s son Josh Kraft announces candidacy for Boston mayor
Mayor Michelle Wu now has at least one challenger in her bid for reelection, with a recognizable name for many Bostonians: Josh Kraft, the youngest son of the Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Kraft, who has never served as an elected official, announced his campaign Feb. 4 from Prince Hall in Dorchester.
In the speech announcing his candidacy, Kraft, a registered Democrat, urged people to look beyond the local dynasty synonymous with his last name and emphasized his philanthropic background and nonprofit work, according to The Boston Globe.
“I’m asking the people of Boston to set aside any ideas they might have about me based on my last name,” said Kraft. “There’s more for me to give this city, and that’s why today, because I love this city and its people, I’m excited to declare my candidacy to be the next mayor of the city of Boston.”
Kraft worked for the Boys and Girls Club of Boston for three decades, acting as the organization’s CEO from 2008 to 2020 and also helped establish a new club in Chelsea with a $2 million donation from his family, The Globe reported. He is the chair of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts and has overseen the Kraft family’s philanthropic efforts full-time since 2023.
Shortly after announcing his mayoral bid, Kraft took shots at bike lanes, championed by Wu, and city spending, claiming Wu “does not listen” to others. He said he would have greater success finding compromise with lawmakers on Beacon Hill than Wu.
At an unrelated event the same day, Wu responded to Kraft’s comments, The Globe reported.
“I’m a little surprised that someone who’s never even voted for mayor or city councilor before in Boston feels like he’s ready to lead the city,” said Wu. Kraft purchased a $2.35 million North End condo in 2023 after residing in Newton for many years, according to WBUR.
Kraft said his campaign would prioritize the construction of affordable housing, including an alternative to Wu’s rent control plan that has stalled within the State House.
Wu made history in 2021 as the first woman and person of color to be elected mayor of Boston. In January, she gave birth to a daughter, her third child.
Trump, Musk-led DOGE cause shakeups in federal agencies
As President Donald Trump moves forward with new initiatives and policies for his second term, Elon Musk has been a prominent figure in decisions related to new government efficiency measures.
The Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Musk, has officially become part of the government in an effort to significantly cut federal spending. Trump has eliminated diversity initiatives and is exclusively looking for loyalists to be a part of his administration. Now, millions of federal employees have been plagued with a choice: accept new policies or resign.
On Jan. 28, an email was sent to millions of government employees outlining the new policies everyone was expected to follow. The ultimatum presented at the end of the message resonated with many as it was eerily similar to the message that Musk sent out to thousands of Twitter employees after he bought the company in 2022, according to The New York Times.
The email subject line was, “Fork in the Road” and it outlined the new four pillars of the federal workforce. This included a return to offices after many federal workers have been remote since the pandemic, a performance culture that indicates that all employees would be held to higher standards, an increase in staff in some departments and a significant decrease in workers in others, and the last pillar is an enhanced standard of conduct that further explains that employees may be subject to investigation or termination if suspected to be engaging in illegal activities.
At the end of the message, it is explained that if you decide to continue with your current position, there cannot be a guarantee of job security at this time. However, if you choose to resign there is an exit package from Jan. 28 – Feb. 6 where your resignation would allow you to retain all pay and benefits until Sept. 30, 2025.
Trump’s cabinet for second term takes shape with Senate confirmations
President Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks face confirmation hearings in front of the United States Senate, a requirement for the second-term president’s nominees to assume the federal leadership positions.
As of Feb. 4, the Senate confirmed 10 of Trump’s picks, according to the New York Times. Here are the current confirmations, the roles they fill and their political resumes.
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
Florida Senator Marco Rubio received unanimous approval from the Senate on Trump’s first day in office Jan. 20 to become the nation’s secretary of state.
As the country’s 72nd secretary of state, Rubio will advise Trump and his administration on foreign affairs and carry out foreign policies, according to the U.S. Department of State.
The son of Cuban immigrants and a Florida native, Rubio first won his U.S. Senate seat in 2010.
Although now one of Trump’s main advisors, Rubio called him a “con artist” and “vulgar” during his brief run against Trump for the presidency in 2016, which ended in March 2016, according to the Associated Press.
John Ratcliffe, C.I.A. Director
The Senate confirmed Trump’s former Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe 74 to 25 to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, according to the New York Times.
In the role, Ratcliffe will be tasked with managing C.I.A. intelligence, actions and relationships with foreign services, according to the agency’s website.
In the final year of Trump’s first term, Ratcliffe was the director of national intelligence. Previously, the Republican represented Texas’s fourth district in Congress from 2015 to 2020.
In the confirmation vote, all voting Republicans approved Ratcliffe while Democrats were split nearly half and half.
Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary
Pete Hegseth’s confirmation to become the country’s next defense secretary came at the closest margin for any pick for the role in American history, according to the New York Times, as Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote to push Trump’s pick through 51 to 50.
The defense secretary oversees the Defense Department and advises the president on defense policy.
Hegseth is a former Fox News host and infantry officer in the U.S. Army National Guard.
Kristi Noem, Homeland Security Secretary
Former Governor of South Dakota Kristi Noem is the secretary of homeland security following a 59 to 34 confirmation vote in the Senate.
Noem will oversee counterterrorism, cybersecurity, immigration law enforcement and other domestic security affairs and policies in the role.
Prior to becoming governor, Noem served as South Dakota’s only representative for four terms.
Sean Duffy, Transportation Secretary
Former Wisconsin Congressman and District Attorney Sean Duffy assumed the role of transportation secretary after a Senate confirmation of 77 to 22.
Overseeing national transportation policy across modes will be Duffy’s main responsibility in the Cabinet position.
Duffy’s leadership was put to the test the same day he was sworn in after a deadly plane crash at Reagan National Airport when an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet, leaving no survivors according to the Associated Press.
After his 10 years in Congress, Duffy hosted a show on Fox Business.
Doug Burgum, Interior Secretary
Doug Burgum, the two-time former governor of North Dakota, began his time as Secretary of the Interior Jan. 31, with a 79 to 18 Senate confirmation vote in his favor.
He launched a presidential campaign in 2023 but dropped out of the race and endorsed President Donald Trump only after a few months.
Burgum is spearheading the Unleash American Energy initiatives President Trump spoke about throughout his campaign. The secretary has begun signing orders to enhance efficiency and innovation in the department and push for American energy independence.
Chris Wright, Energy Secretary
The Senate confirmed Chris Wright, a fossil-fuel CEO, as energy secretary in a 59 to 38 approval. Eight Democrats, including his home state of Colorado’s senators, voted in his favor.
Wright will lead initiatives to bring more fossil fuel production to the U.S., focusing on natural gas and coal, nuclear power, hydropower and geothermal energy.
Pam Bondi, Attorney General
The Senate confirmed Pam Bondi as the next attorney general in a 54 to 46 party-line vote.
Bondi will oversee departments like the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The former Florida attorney enters the position at a tumultuous time, with the FBI and Justice Department under scrutiny from the presidency, facing firings of employees and repercussions for agents involved in investigations relating to the president.
Remains recovered from Potomac following plane crash
American Airlines Flight 5342 collided in-air with an Army helicopter before landing in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan National Airport Jan. 30. The crash killed all 67 passengers and crew members on both aircrafts, and a recovery effort in the Potomac has continued into this week.
All 67 victims’ remains have been recovered, and two navy barges are continuing efforts to extract the wreckage.
The jet was coming from Wichita, Kansas. The Federal Aviation Administration said the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was operating a training exercise with three crew members on board. Air traffic control conditions were “not normal” according to the FAA, who said that the Reagan National Airport tower was understaffed at the time of the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating other data from the vehicle’s flight information but some data from the helicopter is still in the process of being recovered from the wreckage. Investigators hope to have a preliminary report within 30 days, although a full investigation usually takes more than a year.
President Donald Trump blamed diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for the collision during a press conference Jan. 30, focusing on the hiring practices of the Obama and Biden administrations. Trump referenced the FAA’s website’s language about hiring people with disabilities.
“We must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system,” Trump said.
Among the victims were six from the Skating Club of Boston, who were returning from a training camp after the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Skater Spencer Lane and his mother Christine, Jinna Han and her mother Jin were on the flight, as well as coaches Vadim Naumov and his wife, Evgenia Shishkova.
The skating community in Boston mourned the loss of the vibrant community members, with Massachusetts skating legends Nancy Kerrigan and Tenley Alrbright making their way to the club in Norwood to encourage the skaters, families and coaches to lean on the community to heal.
“You get back up. Keep on trying. Even when it’s hard, you get back up. Even when you’re crying, hurt or in pain, get back up and move forward,” said Kerrigan at the event Jan. 31.
