Things Musk (and Trump) Did... Day 32 | Blog#42
It's Friday and we are not allowed to be exhausted.
Please read this post online from the email you received. The posts that go out are longer than can be contained in an email. No additional emails are sent out once a post is published. I update several times an hour all throughout the day and evening. The newest items appear at the bottom.
Yesterday’s post
Yesterday’s news highlights
The Senate had a Vote-a-Rama yesterday.
Senate trudges through vote-a-rama to ready a backup budget
Democrats showed few signs of relenting in their attempts to force Republicans to take politically uncomfortable votes.
Senate Republicans are on track to adopt their budget resolution in the early hours of Friday morning — a bid to show support for a “Plan B” if House GOP lawmakers can’t unite around their more expansive vision for a party-line package necessary to enact President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda.
Senators had voted on more than 10 amendments to their budget resolution before midnight, with plans to continue their “vote-a-rama” into the night. Democrats are using the marathon amendment process to score political points, hoping it will pay dividends in 2026.
“Families lose, billionaires win. That is the proposition at the heart of the Republican budget resolution,” the Senate Budget Committee’s top Democrat, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, said on the floor. “We will see tonight that Democrats vote against irreparable increases in the deficit, and Republicans vote to explode the deficit.”
Democrats have so far used the amendment free-for-all to repeatedly force their GOP colleagues to go on the record against protecting Medicare and Medicaid. They also offered amendments on stopping hedge funds from buying single-family homes, supporting wildland firefighters and rehiring federal workers who have been fired in the first weeks of the Trump administration.
Continue reading at Politico
Senate adopts budget resolution after marathon overnight vote-a-rama
The Senate on Friday adopted a budget resolution intended to serve as a blueprint to deliver the first part of President Trump’s agenda.
Senators voted 52-48 along party lines on the resolution after a marathon overnight voting session. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voted against the measure.
The so-called vote-a-rama lasted about 10 hours, as Democrats sought to dial up the heat on Republicans with dozens of amendments needling the party on taxes and Medicaid.
[…]
The resolution helps pave the way for Republicans to pass roughly $340 billion in funding, including $175 billion in for border operations and immigration enforcement and to carry out Trump’s ambitious deportation plans, as well as $150 billion in defense spending.
Continue reading at The Hill
Senate adopts fallback budget in case Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ falters
Now the onus is on House Republicans to build enough support to advance their own party-line plan, or face pressure to back the Senate’s slimmer vision.
Senate Republicans adopted their budget early Friday morning that could pave the way for enacting President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda — but only if GOP lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol can rally around one strategy.
Senators voted 52-48 on the GOP budget resolution, with Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky joining all Democrats in opposition, after more than 10 hours of debate and 25 roll call votes on amendments.
Under normal circumstances, when one party controls Congress and the White House, adopting a budget resolution is the first step toward unlocking the power to pass major legislation outside the constraints of the Senate filibuster. This time, however, the action was largely symbolic. House Republicans are pursuing a vastly different approach, with Trump’s resounding backing this week, and there’s little indication at the moment of how and when the two chambers will find the common ground necessary to proceed with the massive legislative package they desire.
The Senate action was ultimately about broadcasting a direct message across the Capitol.
“To my House colleagues: I prefer one big, beautiful bill,” Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a floor speech before a marathon of amendment votes. “But we have to have a Plan B if you can’t get it done soon.”
Continue reading at Politico
Note from Rima: The media has been full of reporting on dissent among GOP representatives in both houses. Yesterday’s news post has quite a bit.
‘Air traffic controllers cannot do their work without us’
The Trump administration has defended its cuts at the Federal Aviation Administration by saying safety-critical employees weren’t affected. Experts disagree.
The first wave of White House-ordered firings at the Federal Aviation Administration included employees who play important roles in the safety of air travel — despite the Trump administration’s assurances that no “critical” staff had been axed.
More than 130 of the eliminated workers held jobs that directly or indirectly support the air traffic controllers, facilities and technologies that the FAA uses to keep planes and their passengers safe, according to the union that represents them, the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists. That alone creates reason for concern about the impact of the cuts, people familiar with the terminations said, even if the initial firings spared the air traffic controllers themselves.
Worries about U.S. air safety have escalated since 67 people died in a crash Jan. 29 between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter in the skies near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
“I would argue that every job at the FAA right now is safety critical,” said Jeff Guzzetti, an aviation safety consultant who was a longtime official at both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates accidents. These cuts “certainly [are] not going to improve safety — it can only increase the risk,” he said.
Continue reading at Politico
Treasury, White House agree to limits on DOGE’s access to IRS data
The DOGE efforts at the IRS come as the Trump administration is moving to drastically reduce the size of the tax collection agency.
The Treasury Department and the White House have reached an agreement that restricts how the Department of Government Efficiency can access sensitive tax data at the Internal Revenue Service, according to two people close to the situation who were granted anonymity to discuss the issue.
One of the people described it as a memorandum of understanding that includes “all protections” and prevents DOGE from accessing individual taxpayer information.
The prospect of DOGE accessing taxpayer records, which are closely guarded at the IRS, had set off major alarms from congressional Democrats. Unions and taxpayer advocacy groups have also launched a legal challenge, arguing that the Treasury Department is running afoul of various federal privacy and taxpayer confidentiality laws. Even some Republicans have raised concerns about DOGE’s access to sensitive information.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has defended DOGE’s work at his agency, calling it a serious effort to improve the efficiency of its operation and stamp out fraud and waste. He has said that critics are attacking DOGE because it’s moving quickly to upend the status quo in Washington and threatens entrenched interests.
Continue reading at Politico
IRS deterrence effect is under fire
DOGE has started firing thousands of IRS workers, right in the middle of tax season.
Why it matters: The move is likely to decrease the effect that restrains wealthier Americans from underreporting their taxable income.
The big picture: A new paper from Policy Impacts calculates that the government ends up receiving $12 in extra revenue for every $1 it spends auditing top-decile earners, thanks in large part to what the paper calls the "individual deterrence effect."
How it works: Enforcement actions from the IRS result in collections of about $63 billion, per the Bipartisan Policy Center, but end up increasing the total amount paid in tax by much more than that.
Taxpayers are deterred from underreporting by the fear that they might face an audit.
More importantly, taxpayers are significantly less likely to underreport in the years after receiving an audit.
Effectively, the IRS collects extra money for many subsequent years even without doing any more audits.
Continue reading at Axios
To resist Trump or work with him? This governor says you can do both.
Here’s what Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is telling fellow governors about when to work with Trump and when to oppose him.
Few things are more authentically Washington than a fly-in. As in, the great capital tradition of getting people from all 50 states into town and unleashing them on the halls of Congress for a few days of lobbying.
This week, the group showing up to have their voices heard isn’t local farm bureaus, chambers of commerce or realtors associations. It’s the governors who are here for the National Governors Association’s winter meeting. And the Republicans and Democrats attending have a lot to talk about.
The man in charge of the NGA is Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who has taken more than a few unconventional stances on the issues in his two terms as governor, and during his Congressional career before that.
But Polis has some big fish to fry this week. He and his fellow governors are in the tough position of responding to the fast pace of policymaking coming from Trump, where issues like tariffs and immigration enforcement are about to have tangible effects on their constituents, and possible funding cuts from reconciliation may be around the corner.
Continue reading at Politico
Note from Rima: There has been a lot of blowback against Polis on the left. See yesterday’s news post
The Trump administration is leaky with intel. Allies still have to work with it.
Foreign intelligence officials are treading carefully as they navigate a president with a history of spilling secrets.
U.S. allies that regularly share intelligence with the U.S. are looking at ways to safeguard top-secret information from what they expect to be a very leaky Trump administration — but their options are limited.
These countries have long been worried that Trump’s track record of revealing classified information would continue into his second term. That alarm has deepened as Congress has signed off on his controversial picks to oversee intelligence operations and amid accusations that sensitive data is already being mishandled.
But cooperation on intelligence collection and sharing runs deep — and wouldn’t be easy to disentangle. Washington often gives more than it receives, and U.S. and European intelligence agencies often conduct joint collection and operations.
You “can’t just flip off a switch,” said a northern European defense official who, like others, was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence relationships.
Still, there could be options to add more safeguards around human intelligence, the most prized and closely guarded information gleaned from assets in foreign countries whose lives could be at risk if exposed. They could, for example, leave out details in conversations with U.S. counterparts that might reveal an operative’s location or identity.
Continue reading at Politico
Zelensky's five moves that set off Trump
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky angered Donald Trump so much during the peace talks with Russia that Trump was on the verge of withdrawing American military support from Ukraine, three U.S. officials familiar with the discussions tell Axios.
Why it matters: The conflict between Trump and Zelensky escalated into a war of words between the two that scared European allies who are worried about emboldening Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and rewarding his brutal expansionism.
"President Trump is obviously very frustrated right now with President Zelensky," National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said Thursday at the White House press briefing.
The big picture: Trump and Zelensky have had an awkward relationship ever since Trump was impeached in 2019 for trying to leverage U.S. military aid to the war-torn country in return for Zelensky having Joe Biden's son investigated over his sinecure with a Ukrainian gas company.
Today, Trump is finding it more difficult than expected to make good on his pledge to quickly implement a deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Zoom in: Six administration officials tell Axios that during the past nine days there were five incidents that angered Trump, Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Waltz. Taken together, one administration official said, Zelensky "showed how not to do the 'Art of the Deal' " when it came to courting Trump's support:
Continue reading at Axios
Democrats eyeing 2028 split on how to tackle Trump
Top Democrats eyeing runs for the White House in 2028 are divided on how to confront Donald Trump and his mandate: Fight, or moderate.
Why it matters: Since the election, Democrats are facing an identity crisis: They no longer have a clear one.
After Trump's surprise victory in 2016, many Democrats moved left and united under a "resistance" banner.
This time, there's no consensus on strategy — and prominent Democrats already are taking different paths.
Driving the news: Potential 2028 contenders such as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis have been foremost in touting their bipartisan bonafides, positioning themselves as pragmatic, center-left leaders.
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and JB Pritzker of Illinois have opted for a more aggressive approach — regularly picking fights with the new administration and proposing progressive legislation.
Continue reading at Axios
Tariff threats freeze automakers at critical moment
President Trump hasn't implemented most of the tariffs he's announced, but the uncertainty over when — or even if — he'll do so is already hurting the auto industry.
Why it matters: It's a tumultuous time for automakers, which are already grappling with regulatory uncertainties and worries about consumer acceptance of electric vehicles.
At the very moment they need to be placing huge, multibillion-dollar bets on the future, they're instead caught in a "will he or won't he" limbo over Trump's tariffs.
As they await more clarity, they're pausing or delaying huge investment decisions, increasing the risk they'll fall behind faster-moving Chinese rivals.
The big picture: The auto industry, more than any other, is caught in the crosshairs of Trump's burgeoning trade war.
Continue reading at Axios
How to rent chickens in Denver to combat egg prices and shortages
High egg prices and empty store shelves are leading many consumers to take matters into their own hands by hatching their own supply.
State of play: New services make it easier than ever for residents to flock to backyard chicken-keeping.
A company called Rent The Chicken offers delivery and setup of a coop on wheels, two or four young egg-laying hens, chicken feed, and food dishes for a five- to six-month rental period across the nation, including in Denver.
The standard rental package locally runs $545.
Zoom in: Denver residents can legally keep up to eight chickens in their backyards with a food-producing animal permit, which costs $25 and lasts a lifetime at the registered address.
Threat level: The continued spread of avian flu among wild birds, domestic flocks and even humans who work with poultry makes this a risky move right now.
Continue reading at Axios
The Trump administration is leaky with intel. Allies still have to work with it.
Foreign intelligence officials are treading carefully as they navigate a president with a history of spilling secrets.
U.S. allies that regularly share intelligence with the U.S. are looking at ways to safeguard top-secret information from what they expect to be a very leaky Trump administration — but their options are limited.
These countries have long been worried that Trump’s track record of revealing classified information would continue into his second term. That alarm has deepened as Congress has signed off on his controversial picks to oversee intelligence operations and amid accusations that sensitive data is already being mishandled.
But cooperation on intelligence collection and sharing runs deep — and wouldn’t be easy to disentangle. Washington often gives more than it receives, and U.S. and European intelligence agencies often conduct joint collection and operations.
You “can’t just flip off a switch,” said a northern European defense official who, like others, was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence relationships.
Continue reading at Politico
Vance floats US troop withdrawal from Germany over free-speech concerns
The U.S. vice president links continued military support to Berlin’s speech policies.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday night suggested that the Trump administration could reconsider its military presence in Germany, tying continued American defense commitments to Berlin’s stance on free speech.
Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, Vance took direct aim at Germany’s handling of online speech restrictions, warning that the American public would not support funding the country’s defense while its government cracks down on political expression.
“Think about this,” Vance said. “Germany's entire defense is subsidized by the American taxpayer. There are thousands upon thousands of American troops in Germany today. Do you think that the American taxpayer is going to stand for that if you get thrown in jail in Germany for posting a mean tweet? Of course, they're not.”
His comments, which received loud applause from the CPAC crowd, continue a stark escalation in the Trump administration’s approach to transatlantic relations. The remarks follow a fiery speech Vance delivered earlier this month at the Munich Security Conference, where he lambasted European leaders for their migration policies and alleged censorship of political dissent.
Continue reading at Politico Europe
Russia wants to declare ‘victory’ on Feb. 24, Ukrainian intel says
Moscow wants to show itself ‘victorious’ against Ukraine and NATO on third anniversary of invasion, Kyiv’s HUR says.
Russia wants to declare “victory” in its war against Ukraine — and even against NATO — on the third anniversary of the start of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian intelligence claims.
Russian propagandists have been instructed to promote “victorious” narratives on the symbolic date of Feb. 24 to incite disbelief in Ukrainian society, destabilize the country, and discredit Kyiv partners as “enemies of peace,” according to the Ukrainian Military Intelligence, known as HUR.
The campaign would suit the landmark shift in U.S. foreign policy, as Washington appears to find consensus with President Putin, who launched Moscow’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In its Telegram post, HUR claims that the key narratives of the information campaign include slogans such as “The West betrayed Ukraine,” “Neither Moscow nor Washington cares about the opinion of Europeans and Ukrainians,” or that “the Ukrainian government is illegitimate” — a narrative that has been pushed in recent days not only by the Kremlin, but also by the White House.
Continue reading at Politico Europe
Europe should brace for Trump to end NATO protection, Germany’s Merz warns
Merz said there was need to discuss Germany coming under British and French nuclear protection.
BERLIN — Friedrich Merz, the front-runner to become Germany's next chancellor, issued a stark warning on Friday that Europe must be prepare to defend itself without the U.S.
“We must prepare for the possibility that Donald Trump will no longer uphold NATO’s mutual defense commitment unconditionally,” Merz said in an interview with a German broadcaster on Friday. “That is why, in my view, it is crucial that Europeans make the greatest possible efforts to ensure that we are at least capable of defending the European continent on our own.”
In recent days, U.S. President Trump has appeared to increasingly align with Russian President Vladimir Putin, blaming Ukraine — not the Kremlin — for starting the war that began with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Those comments followed an appearance by U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference in which he depicted mainstream European parties — not Russia — as the greatest threat to European security.
European leaders have since grown increasingly worried that they can no longer rely on the U.S. and the NATO collective defense clause that have provided the foundation for Europe's security since the Cold War.
Continue reading at Politico Europe
Macron beats Starmer to be first European leader to visit White House in new Trump era
French president is headed to Washington on Monday. U.K. prime minister will follow on Thursday.
French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Donald Trump in Washington Monday, both the Elysée and White House confirmed, making him the first European leader to travel to the U.S. capital since Trump’s inauguration.
Macron narrowly edged out U.K. leader Keir Starmer, who is visiting Washington three days later.
Trump “talked to President Macron of France repeatedly last week. President Macron convened European leaders and then is coming here on Monday. Prime Minister Starmer is coming next Thursday,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing on Thursday.
The meeting comes as Western leaders are scrambling to respond to the U.S. president’s decision to negotiate directly with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, potentially sidelining Kyiv and Europe from the process entirely.Macron on Thursday held a live Q&A on social media during which he said he will try to convince Trump that such a move would be seen as caving to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands and would portray him as weak in the eyes of China and Iran.
Continue reading at Politico Europe
Macron’s message to Trump: ‘You can’t be weak in the face of Putin’
PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron said that he intends to tell U.S. counterpart Donald Trump that it’s in the joint interest of Americans and Europeans not to “be weak” in the face of Russian leader Vladimir Putin amid U.S.-led negotiations to end the nearly three-year war in Ukraine.
Macron will travel to Washington to meet with Trump on Monday, the White House said.
In a one-hour question and answer session on social media Thursday, Macron said that he’ll tell Trump: “‘You can’t be weak in the face of President Putin. It’s not you, it’s not your trademark, it’s not in your interest. How can you then be credible in the face of China if you’re weak in the face of Putin?’”
Continue reading at the Associated Press
Ukraine’s allies in DC tell Zelenskyy: Take the rare earths deal
Mending ties with Trump means allowing US stakes in Ukraine’s mineral riches, officials say.
Ukraine’s allies in Washington say there’s a way for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to rescue his relationship with President Donald Trump, but it hinges on accepting a U.S.-proposed rare earths deal that Kyiv has so far snubbed.
Administration insiders say Trump’s blistering attacks against Kyiv — which left Europeans stunned (and Russia gleeful) — don’t constitute a pivot toward Russia but rather resentment over Ukraine’s response to Washington’s efforts to secure a deal that would open Ukraine’s vast deposits of rare earth minerals to U.S. investment.
“They had to learn the hard way that criticizing Trump publicly is just going to backfire in a big way,” said one Republican advising top administration officials on Ukraine policy. (This person, like the others, was granted anonymity to speak candidly about internal administration matters.) “There’s a small but loud wing of the party who are very anti-Ukraine, but many inside who are still pro-Ukraine. Bashing Trump only adds fuel to the side against you.”
In Kyiv, however, Trump’s hardball tactics have fueled anger and shock — even though it was Ukraine which first proposed a rare earths deal to the new president’s team. Trump’s full proposed version of the deal has not yet been made public, but the Ukrainian side apparently bristled at the lack of adequate security guarantees.
Continue reading at Politico
Capitol agenda: What you missed in the overnight vote-a-rama
Senate Republicans approved their budget resolution, which they're billing as a Plan B to the House version.
Senate Republicans just approved their budget resolution after a more than 10-hour vote-a-rama. For now, it’s the GOP's "Plan B," as President Donald Trump's preferred budget may not have the support to move ahead next week in the House.
Senators slogged through 25 roll-call votes on amendments as Democrats tried to squeeze the opposing party and lay the groundwork for 2026 attack ads.
Some Republicans grumbled about having to go through the exercise. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told reporters he spoke to Trump on Thursday evening, relaying that while the president did give a “little nod” towards the Senate budget in a Truth Social post, “He made clear to me … he wants one big, beautiful bill. He said that two or three times on the phone.”
Senators have insisted their resolution is just a back-up plan if Speaker Mike Johnson can’t get his one-bill version approved in the House. Still, Hawley wasn’t convinced — and neither, apparently, is Trump.
Continue reading at Politico
Trudeau after Canada hockey win over US: ‘You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game’
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took a veiled swipe at President Trump on Thursday, after Canada defeated the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey game.
“You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game,” the outgoing prime minister wrote on social platform X, indirectly referencing Trump’s proposal to make Canada the 51st state.
Canada’s 3-2 victory came after center Connor McDavid scored during overtime to clinch the win. Hockey lovers are looking forward to another match up at the 2026 Olympics, where the Great White North beat the United States in 2002 and 2010.
Continue reading at The Hill
Read: Judge says Trump admin has withheld foreign aid despite court order
Driving the news: The Trump administration said it had complied with the order Ali issued last week that it temporarily reinstate foreign aid funding, as two nonprofits challenge in a lawsuit the axing of the assistance via USAID and the State Department.
"By enjoining Defendants and their agents from implementing any directives to undertake such blanket suspension, the Court was not inviting Defendants to continue the suspension while they reviewed contracts and legal authorities to come up with a new, post-hoc rationalization for the en masse suspension," Ali wrote.
The judge found the Trump administration had continued a funding freeze "pending review of agreements," something the temporary restraining order "enjoined pending the parties' requested briefing schedule and the Court's prompt resolution of whether to issue a preliminary injunction."
However, the judge said "contempt is not warranted on the current record and given Defendants' explicit recognition that 'prompt compliance with the order' is required."
Continue reading at Axios
Huge cuts in National Institutes of Health research funding go before a federal judge
BOSTON (AP) — A court battle is set to resume Friday over the Trump administration’s drastic cuts in medical research funding that many scientists say will endanger patients and delay new lifesaving discoveries.
A federal judge in Massachusetts temporarily blocked the cuts from taking effect earlier this month in response to separate lawsuits filed by a group of 22 states plus organizations representing universities, hospitals and research institutions nationwide.
The new National Institutes of Health policy would strip research groups of hundreds of millions of dollars to cover so-called indirect expenses of studying Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease and a host of other illnesses — anything from clinical trials of new treatments to basic lab research that is the foundation for discoveries. Now U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley, who was appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden, must decide whether to extend the temporary restraining order blocking those cuts.
The states and research groups say such a move is illegal, pointing to bipartisan congressional action during President Donald Trump’s first term to prohibit it.
Continue reading at the Associated Press
Trump orders database on federal police misconduct to close
President Trump has ordered the shutdown of the first nationwide database tracking misconduct by federal police officers.
Zoom in: The closure, first reported by the Washington Post on Thursday, ends the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database — a resource experts said improved public safety by preventing bad officers from jumping from agency to agency.
A note on the database on the Department of Justice's website says Trump revoked an executive order signed by then-President Biden and the database will be decommissioned.
The big picture: The move by Trump fulfills a campaign promise to reverse police reforms that came out of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests following the murder of George Floyd.
Trump reversed Biden's order creating the database, even though he had proposed it himself.
It ends one of the defining moments of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations as many of the police reforms died amid infighting, political stalemate and a rising conservative backlash.
Context: Biden's Executive Order (EO) 14074 established a national database of police misconduct and required all federal law enforcement agencies to participate and use the database to screen personnel.
Continue reading at Axios
1. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em
The pharmaceutical industry is framing itself as a key partner for President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in their quest to alleviate America's chronic disease burden.
The problem: Kennedy doesn't seem to be buying it.
Why it matters: One of America's most powerful industries is in uncharted territory. It's now in the position of convincing critics that its products are not just safe, but crucial to solving the country's diciest health problems.
Driving the news: The PhRMA forum, held this week at one of D.C.'s coolest concert venues, featured a stream of not-so-subtle indications that the industry wants to make the case that the best way to reduce the country's chronic disease burden is to find more and better drugs to treat chronic conditions.
Attendees received name tag lanyards with the event's slogan — "Commitment to a Healthier America" — printed at the top.
While speakers hit on familiar policy goals, such as cracking down on pharmacy benefit managers and removing the government's hand from pricing, there was a lot of talk about how to keep people out of hospitals through more preventative care.
Pharmaceutical leaders kicked off Kennedy's tenure at the helm of HHS not with defensiveness or aggressiveness, but with declarations of optimism and mutual goal-sharing.
Continue reading at Axios
2. The China stick
If optimism about a healthier future is the carrot pharma is offering the Trump administration, the threat China poses to America's biotech industry is its stick.
Between the lines: Industry leaders spelled out in clear terms that without support, the U.S. will cede its lead in biomedical innovation to China — and pretty soon we'll all be taking Chinese drugs.
The language unmistakably dovetails with Trump's America-first rhetoric and more bipartisan concerns about the rise of Chinese global power.
"I think we should prioritize what we have in common, which is to lead with American-born innovation. You don't need to be an American company; you need to be American committed," GSK's Walmsley told me.
What they said: "Practically nonexistent 10 years ago, China's medicine pipeline is now the fastest growing in the world. If trends continue, they will surpass the U.S. by the end of the decade," Ubl told event attendees.
"Public policy is the single most important factor to our future," he added.
"I'm afraid if we don't do something to change the course, pretty soon in the next three to four years, we will see Chinese innovation to dominate the medical field," Bourla said.
Continue reading at Axios
Graham defends Senate budget resolution amid Trump opposition: ‘Complete game changer’
“This budget resolution is a complete game changer when it comes to securing our border and making our military more lethal. It will allow President Trump to fulfill the promises he made to the American people — a very big deal,” Graham said in a Friday statement lauding the text.
He commended his GOP colleagues for their “discipline” in adopting a framework that he said would be the “most transformational border security bill in history.”
The $340 billion resolution carves out $175 billion for border operations and immigration enforcement, in addition to $150 billion in defense spending.
Graham made it clear that the funding bill only outlines a spending number but does not direct how money will be spent. Notably, it does not feature the tax portion of Trump’s agenda, which Senate Republicans hope to pass later in the year.
Continue reading at The Hill
Note from Rima: That last paragraph, plus the reconciliation process, plus many Republicans unwilling to decimate Medicare and Medicaid.
What to know about Kash Patel, Trump's FBI director
The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Kash Patel as the next director of the FBI, cementing the ardent MAGA loyalist's role atop the powerful federal law enforcement agency.
Why it matters: Patel's confirmation comes as President Trump seeks to test the limits of presidential power and expand the powers of law enforcement.
Patel has proven himself aligned with Trump's goal to roll back the "deep state" — even writing a book that features a list of "deep state" officials to target.
In an endorsement promoting the 2023 book, Trump is quoted as saying he will "use this blueprint to help us take back the White House and remove these Gangsters from all of Government!"
The latest: The Senate voted 51-49 Thursday to confirm Patel.
Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) were the only Republicans to vote against him.
Continue reading at Axios
Why oil markets are calm in Trump's global storm
Seismic policy shifts underway in Trump 2.0 are having surprisingly little effect on oil prices so far.
Why it matters: Crude costs ripple across the economy.
And their movement signals what traders think about how policy upheaval will — or won't — change supply and demand.
The big picture: Oil has traded in a narrow range since President Trump's election, with Brent mostly chilling in the $70-$80-ish band, and prices were also pretty stable throughout 2024.
That's especially true compared to huge swings when COVID crushed demand in 2020 and then Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine sent prices skyward (check out the chart above).
State of play: There's no shortage of market-moving news lately, including tariffs, but lots of it rows in opposing directions.
Trump's hopes to boost supply with a "drill baby drill" blitz, though macroeconomic forces influence oil companies more than regulatory changes. A near-term surge doesn't look likely.
Continue reading at Axios
Note from Rima: These kinds of stories are now becoming prominent on CNN.
U.S.-Ukraine mineral talks at "make or break moment for Ukraine": U.S. official
Why it matters: The disagreement over minerals helped spark a wider crisis in relations this week. Now Trump administration officials and some in the Ukrainian government are pressing President Volodymyr Zelensky to make a deal.
The U.S. official and the source familiar said the decision is now up to Zelensky, and both expressed concern that the U.S.-Ukraine crisis will deepen if he rejects the offer.
The U.S. official called it a "make or break scenario for the Ukrainians."
Breaking it down: The rare earth minerals in question could be worth trillions of dollars in total.
Zelensky rejected an initial U.S. offer presented by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent which would have given the U.S. 50% of all revenues from the mining project, infuriating Trump.
Zelensky had concerns about some provisions of the deal and the fact that it offered no security guarantees for Ukraine. The U.S. side came back with an "improved" offer earlier this week, and has now made additional modifications.
The exact terms of the current U.S. offer are not clear.
Continue reading at Axios
Squeezed by Trump and Putin, Denmark Spends Big on Defense
Given the gush of initiatives and pronouncements emanating from Donald Trump, it’s easy to have missed a significant development a “big, beautiful ocean” away in Scandinavia.
Denmark announced its biggest military investment in half a century, speeding up arms purchases by dropping the usual tender processes and enabling the head of the armed forces to decide how the money is spent.
“We have one message for the defense chief: buy, buy, buy,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Wednesday.
But for the Nordic nation, this isn’t simply about arming up — it’s about navigating a treacherous path between Vladimir Putin’s aggression and the US president’s demands.
Officially, Denmark is seeking to counter a growing security threat from Russia. In taking defense spending to more than 3% of economic output, the Danes are ramping up military preparedness after their intelligence service warned that a ceasefire in Ukraine could embolden Moscow to target a NATO country.
Continue reading at Bloomberg
From my Pew Research newsletter:
Note from Rima: This gives you a look at what is going on in the states
AR: Free school breakfast, maternal health Medicaid, school cellphone ban all become Arkansas law | Arkansas Advocate
FL: Florida House panel OKs the use of ‘granny cams’ in long-term care facilities | Florida Phoenix
AZ: Arizona Republicans want to pay police bounties for immigrant deportations | Arizona Mirror
ND: Bill targeting library content passes North Dakota Senate | North Dakota Monitor
VA: Maternal health bills move forward in Virginia | Virginia Mercury
MS: Mississippi judge orders newspaper to remove editorial, alarming press advocates | Mississippi Today
IL: Illinois cracks down on Chicago gas utility as other utilities ask for rate increase | Capitol News Illinois
NE: Nebraska lawmakers advance competing bills to end twice-yearly clock changing | Nebraska Examiner
SC: South Carolina House voucher plan is intentionally similar to what high court threw out | South Carolina Daily Gazette
TX: Texas banned abortion. Then sepsis rates soared. | ProPublica
NJ: New Jersey lawmakers advance bills that would restrict gun access | New Jersey Monitor
SD: South Dakota House advances bill that lawmaker slams as ‘locking up librarians’ | South Dakota Searchlight
DE: Delaware Democrats push for financial assistance for households amid energy bill price surges | Delaware Public Media
MD: Maryland may block Trump administration from state databases | Capital News Service
MO: Missouri Republicans target voter-approved paid sick leave, minimum wage measure | Missouri Independent
CT: Connecticut Aging Committee weighs bill on long-term care insurance | CT Mirror
AL: Alabama House bills would limit social media access for minors | Alabama Reflector
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DOJ moves to drop discrimination suit against Musk's SpaceX
The Department of Justice (DOJ) indicated Thursday that it will drop a case accusing Elon Musk's company SpaceX of discriminating against asylees and refugees in its hiring process.
Why it matters: Musk's companies had faced a slew of potential legal and regulatory ramifications under the Biden administration, but Thursday's filing could make the SpaceX discrimination case one of the first to be formally dropped under President Trump.
SpaceX — like some of Musk's other companies — receives lucrative government contracts.
Neither the Justice Department nor SpaceX immediately responded to Axios' requests for comment on Friday.
Driving the news: The Biden administration brought the suit against Musk's company, arguing it had violated federal law by refusing to hire or consider applicants based on their citizenship status.
The case was blocked from proceeding in November 2023 pending a challenge over the Justice Department's administrative authority in the case.
In a filing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas on Thursday, federal prosecutors asked that the pause on proceedings be lifted so that they could file a notice of dismissal with prejudice — a move that would bar them from bringing the charges again, Reuters reported.
Continue reading at Axios
Democrat: Europe worried Czech Republic, Poland, Baltic states could be next for Putin
Coons, a close ally to former President Biden, said he’d had a number of discussions at a security conference this week in Germany where officials had relayed their fears.
“All of them are alarmed – concerned – that giving Putin a free pass to roll over the rest of Ukraine will send a signal that President Trump no longer respects our commitment to NATO and that Putin will just keep going,” Coons told MSNBC’s Jen Psaki in the interview.
“Once [Putin] reconstitutes his full military, they believe that he will next threaten the Baltic states, Poland, the Czech Republic, that he will threaten all of our core allies in Europe.”
Coons, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was among a bipartisan group of lawmakers who attended the recent Munich Security Conference and met with foreign leaders from across Europe while there.
Continue reading at The Hill
VA secretary: ‘We’re not cutting benefits’
Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins on Thursday defended the Trump administration’s recent layoffs at the department, arguing that cuts have not been made to “critical health care” or other benefits.
“We’re not cutting critical health care, we’re not cutting health care benefits. We’re not cutting benefits,” Collins said Thursday evening on NewsNation’s “The Hill.”
“In fact, we’re actually making it faster in our VBA [Veterans Benefit Act], our benefit side, to get your answer quicker, we’ve already instituted we’ve had some record decisions weeks where we’re actually posting more and more benefits to claimed and conclusion than we ever have,” he added.
The former Georgia lawmaker’s response comes after a slew of executive orders from President Trump raised concerns that treatment options for service members, veterans and their families could be impacted.
Continue reading at The Hill
US not co-sponsoring UN resolution supporting Ukraine: report
The U.S. is reportedly refusing to co-sponsor a draft U.N. resolution marking three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, signaling weakening U.S. political support for Ukraine as President Trump is reaching out to Russia to end its war against the country.
Three diplomatic sources told Reuters that the U.S. is refusing to sign onto a resolution that backs Ukraine’s territorial integrity and again demands Russia withdraw its troops. The resolution is expected to go before the General Assembly for a vote on Monday.
The diplomatic standoff at the U.N. comes as the U.S. is also objecting to language in a Group of 7 draft statement marking three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow launched on Feb. 24, 2022.
Continue reading at The Hill
Trump’s Ukraine envoy calls Zelensky ’embattled and courageous leader’
“A long and intense day with the senior leadership of Ukraine. Extensive and positive discussions with @ZelenskyyUa, the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war and his talented national security team,” Keith Kellogg posted Thursday morning on social platform X.
Kellogg, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general who served as a national security official in Trump’s first term, met with Zelensky to discuss the path forward as the Trump administration pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine.
Zelensky wrote on social media that the meeting “was one that restores hope, and we need strong agreements with the U.S. — agreements that will truly work.”
Continue reading at The Hill
Coinbase says SEC agrees to toss lawsuit, signaling end of crypto battle
Filed in the aftermath of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX collapse, the case was widely seen to be the biggest legal fight in crypto.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has preliminarily agreed to throw out its case against cryptocurrency behemoth Coinbase, according to the company, a big step toward slamming the door on the Wall Street regulator’s enforcement crusade against the $3 trillion market.
Staff at the agency have agreed in principle to dismiss the lawsuit against Coinbase, the company said in a blog post Friday. The agreement is pending approval from the SEC’s three commissioners, who are expected to vote on the dismissal next week, according to Coinbase.
Continue reading at Politico
Ukrainian intel blew up Russian drone pilots’ goggles, official says
At least 8 Russian drone pilots were blinded, pro-war bloggers report.
KYIV — Ukraine's military intelligence planted hidden explosives in goggles worn by Russian army drone pilots, causing them to explode and blind at least eight soldiers this month, an intelligence official told POLITICO.
In an operation reminiscent of Israel's mass detonation of hidden explosives in Hezbollah operatives' pagers in Lebanon last September, the Ukrainian agency — also known as HUR — obtained a large batch of around 80 video piloting goggles for the Russian army drone pilots then equipped them with a "remote detonation function."
“After that, in coordination with the HUR, Russian volunteers sent the 'explosive' goggles free of charge, as a charitable donation, to the UAV units of the enemy army,” the Ukrainian intelligence official, granted anonymity to speak about an ongoing classified mission, told POLITICO.
Continue reading at Politico
CDC Kills Vaccine Campaign; Bird Flu Now in Rats; Pope Francis Improving
Amid one of the most severe flu seasons in recent history, the Trump administration pulled the plug on CDC's "Wild to Mild" flu vaccine ad campaignopens in a new tab or window, which targeted high-risk groups. (NPR)
Anti-vaccine politics are surging in Europe tooopens in a new tab or window. (STAT)
President Trump reversed cuts to the World Trade Center Health Programopens in a new tab or window after bipartisan uproar. (ABC7)
Meanwhile, Trump ordered the terminationopens in a new tab or window of advisory committees on long COVID and health equity. (Fierce Healthcare)
After Texas banned abortion, sepsis rates surgedopens in a new tab or window among hospitalized women who lost pregnancies. (ProPublica)
Bird flu has been detected in ratsopens in a new tab or window for the first time. (CBS News)
Continue reading at MedPageToday
Axios Pro Rata
More Than Musk
Earlier this week, a bill was introduced in the Delaware General Assembly that could create a pathway for Elon Musk to get back his 2018 Tesla CEO pay package.
Why it matters: For once, this is a story that is about more than just Musk.
The big picture: This proposal could make it harder for investors to sue their majority shareholding executives, and potentially easier for a company to get a contested acquisition or merger approved.
Context: Currently, transactions that involve a controlling shareholder require approval from both a majority of minority shareholders, and from an independent committee.
The proposed law would require only one of the two.
Background: Paramount is currently facing a high-profile lawsuit in which investors are challenging its $8 billion deal with Skydance, alleging that Shari Redstone had "conflicting interests."
The plaintiffs may have a steeper hill to climb under the proposed new Delaware rules, says Chris Harvey, a lawyer at Harvey Esquire.
Between the lines: The law carves out "going private" transactions from these potentially relaxed rules — or any deal in which the minority shareholders' stake is canceled or acquired.
Continue reading at Axios Pro Rata
DOJ dropping immigration case against Musk’s SpaceX
The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Thursday it is planning to drop its lawsuit against Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which alleged the company discriminated against refugees and asylees during the hiring process.
In a filing Thursday, the DOJ asked a federal court in Texas to lift a pause on the proceeding of the case to allow the agency’s Civil Rights Division to file a dismissal notice.
“If the administrative proceeding has been dismissed by the end of the 30-day period, Defendants will promptly move to dismiss this case on mootness grounds, and SpaceX will not oppose that relief,” the filing stated.
The suit, filed in August 2023, accused SpaceX, a major aerospace company, of “routinely” discouraging refugees and those granted asylum from applying for jobs. Federal prosecutors argued SpaceX would often refuse to hire or consider them from positions, specifically due to their citizenship status.
Continue reading at The Hill
Most say health care costs, inflation biggest issue facing Americans: Pew
A new survey from Pew Research Center has found that most Americans think inflation, health care cost, and the federal budget deficit are major issues confronting the nation.
Of those polled, 45 percent said the country’s economy is “fair,” while 31 percent think it is “poor.”
A significant percentage of Americans, including majorities from both the Republican and Democratic parties, consider various economic factors as serious national issues.
Inflation is a “very big problem” for 63 percent of those polled. According to Pew, this figure is similar to what it was last May and has decreased from a peak of 70 percent in 2022.
But the percentage of adults who consider the affordability of health care to be a major national issue has increased by 10 percentage points compared to last year, with 67 percent saying it is a significant problem, up from 57 percent in 2024.
Continue reading at The Hill
Dr. Mehmet Oz holds millions from companies that he’d wield power over if confirmed, report shows
WASHINGTON (AP) — The wealth of Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity heart surgeon nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has swelled in part from for-profit health care companies over which he’d wield significant power if confirmed, according to a newly filed government ethics report.
In the filing, the 64-year-old former talk show host pledged to divest from those companies within three months of confirmation and said that until then, he wouldn’t participate in any matter that could affect his investments.
Oz’s net worth is between $98 million and $332 million, according to an analysis of the disclosure, which lists asset values in ranges but does not give precise dollar figures. Oz shot to fame and made millions off his daytime talk show. His most recent disclosure shows he also holds millions of dollars worth of shares in health insurance, fertility, pharmaceutical and vitamin companies.
Continue reading at the Associated Press
Kids’ disability rights cases stalled as Trump began to overhaul Education Department
WASHINGTON (AP) — It was obvious to Christine Smith Olsey that her son was not doing well at school, despite educators telling her to leave it to the experts. The second-grade student stumbled over words, and other kids teased him so much he started to call himself “an idiot.”
Though her son had been receiving speech and occupational therapy, Smith Olsey said his Denver charter school resisted her requests for additional academic support. She filed a complaint with the state and then, in September, the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights.
In January, her son’s case came to a halt.
“I have to postpone meetings with you to discuss the case,” a department mediator wrote to her on Jan. 23, three days after President Donald Trump’s inauguration. “I am sorry for the inconvenience. I will be in touch as I am able.”
As Trump began to reshape the Education Department, investigations and mediations around disability rights issues came to a standstill.
Continue reading at the Associated Press
Florida files suit against Target, claiming DEI initiatives ‘misled investors’
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s new attorney general filed a federal court lawsuit against Target on Thursday, claiming the discount store chain “misled investors” by promoting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that prompted a backlash and hurt sales, ultimately costing shareholders.
Before it scaled back its DEI efforts last month, Target was long considered a corporate advocate for the rights of Black and LGBTQ+ people. The retailer’s decision in 2023 to roll out LGBTQ+ merchandise in honor of Pride month outraged some shoppers and sparked confrontations in some stores.
In the lawsuit filed in Fort Myers, Florida, Attorney General James Uthmeier argued that Target violated the Securities Exchange Act by failing to disclose “the known risks” of its DEI and Pride month initiatives.
Continue reading at the Associated Press
Staff at multiple agencies instructed not to speak to Congress, says Democrat
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) sent several letters Thursday to various federal agency heads seeking answers regarding directives banning employees from speaking to Congress.
“The Committee on Appropriations has a longstanding relationship with Agency career staff who are integral to providing the data used to inform our decisions,” she wrote in separate letters to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin.
“These staff have always conducted themselves in a professional way with integrity,” the Democratic lawmaker added.
“Unfortunately, nearly all communication has stopped since President Trump took office. My understanding is that these staff have been directed not to communicate with Congress.”
Continue reading at The Hill
Supreme Court unanimously sides with Hungary in Holocaust survivors’ lawsuit
The court’s decision rebuffs the survivors’ claims that they are entitled to funds from the Hungarian treasury for the government and national railway confiscating their assets during World War II, which have been liquidated and “comingled” with general government funds in the decades since.
“The Court concludes that a commingling theory, without more, cannot satisfy the commercial nexus requirement,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor, former President Obama’s first nominee to the court, wrote for the court.
Sotomayor sympathized with the U.S. government’s concerns about the lawsuit and agreed that allowing it to move forward could “undermine the United States’ foreign relations and reciprocal self-interest” and “conformity with international law.”
Continue reading at The Hill
Sinn Féin to snub Trump on St. Patrick’s Day
Irish opposition party’s move highlights a diplomatic minefield for Ireland’s government ahead of expected White House meeting on March 17.
DUBLIN — Sinn Féin has set the stage for a potentially fractious St. Patrick’s Day in the White House by announcing it’s boycotting events involving Donald Trump.
The move by Ireland’s main opposition party, though dismissed as an attention-seeking stunt by Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, reflects deep-seated Irish antipathy to the United States president’s latest ideas on clearing the Gaza Strip of Palestinians.
Ireland, along with Norway and Spain, last year recognized Palestinian statehood and is openly reviled by Israel.
Martin still hopes to be invited to the White House for annual events including the ceremonial handover of a bowl of shamrock, a decades-old tradition maintained throughout Trump’s first term.
Continue reading at Politico Europe
Tesla recalling more than 375,000 vehicles due to power steering issue
Tesla is recalling more than 375,000 vehicles due to a power steering issue.
The recall is for certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles operating software prior to 2023.38.4, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The printed circuit board for the electronic power steering assist may become overstressed, causing a loss of power steering assist when the vehicle reaches a stop and then accelerates again, the agency said.
The loss of power could required more effort to control the car by drivers, particularly at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tesla isn’t aware of any crashes, injuries, or deaths related to the condition.
Continue reading at the Associated Press
NOAA set to slash jobs ‘imminently’
The person, who asked to speak anonymously due to fear of reprisal, said the agency had not yet been subjected to the steep cuts announced elsewhere due to the then-pending confirmation of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
The Commerce Department oversees NOAA and the National Weather Service. Lutnick is set to be sworn in Friday afternoon.
Many of the federal cuts thus far have targeted probationary workers, which includes recent hires but also those who have been recently promoted.
The source told The Hill that an original list of workers set to be fired comprised of new workers, except for veterans and Schedule A employees or noncompetitively appointed disabled workers. However, on Tuesday, the director and deputy director of NOAA were asked to add the excluded workers back on the list, the source added.
Continue reading at The Hill
Climate change is coming for coastlines, from ancient cities to modern California: study
Climate change-induced seawater intrusions are hastening the collapse of buildings in the ancient Egyptian port city of Alexandria — posing threats similar to those challenging coastal California, a new study has found.
While such breakdowns were once a rare occurrence in Alexandria, these events have surged from approximately one to about 40 per year over the past decades, according to the study, published on Thursday in Earth’s Future.
“For centuries, Alexandria’s structures stood as marvels of resilient engineering, enduring earthquakes, storm surges, tsunamis and more,” lead author Sara Fouad, a landscape architect at the Technical University of Munich, said in a statement.
“But now, rising seas and intensifying storms — fueled by climate change — are undoing in decades what took millennia of human ingenuity to create,” Fouad added.
Continue reading at The Hill
Russia-linked fake videos spread German election fraud claims, authorities warn
Disinfo claiming AfD ballots are missing or being shredded is spreading online just days before Germany’s election.
BERLIN — The German Interior Ministry has identified a Russia-linked disinformation campaign spreading fake claims of election fraud in Germany just days before Sunday’s vote.
Fabricated videos circulating on social media falsely suggest ballots in Leipzig are missing the name of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) candidate. Another video appears to show a machine shredding ballots cast for the AfD. As first reported by Der Spiegel, city officials and security agencies have debunked both videos and warned of an attempt to mislead voters.
“This is a targeted campaign designed to influence the Bundestag election,” a spokesperson for the interior ministry told POLITICO. “Authorities in Leipzig and Hamburg quickly verified these videos as fake. The characteristics of this disinformation effort point to ‘Storm-1516,’ a Russian-affiliated influence operation that has been active in past elections.”
Continue reading at Politico Europe
MAGA takes aim at the hawks
Trump loyalists are sending a message to the GOP’s foreign policy traditionalists.
Top allies of President Donald Trump are in an escalating clash with the Republican Party’s once-powerful defense hawks, viewing them as key obstacles standing in the way of a thorough remaking of U.S. foreign policy that would realign the world order with Trump’s America First vision.
Vice President JD Vance and several administration officials who are close to Donald Trump Jr. have been central to the effort to sideline those with traditional conservative foreign policy views, which has accelerated over the past week.
Their targets have included a well-known Trump ally, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who has raised concerns about the nominee for a top Defense Department post, and the administration’s own special envoy on the Russia-Ukraine war, former Gen. Keith Kellogg, who is being undermined in Washington as he meets this week with top Ukrainian officials in Kyiv.
Given their past lives as Russia hawks, Trump’s own secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and national security adviser, Michael Waltz, are under intense internal scrutiny inside a White House where deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Sergio Gor, who oversees personnel decisions, have shown little tolerance for anyone who diverges from the MAGA mindset.
Continue reading at Politico
US Marshals Service deputizes Musk’s security team: reports
DOGE’s work has led to mass layoffs of federal workers, closures of entire independent agencies and access to sensitive information.
The DOJ, White House and Secret Service did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.
Despite his closeness to the White House, Musk does not have a U.S. Secret Service security detail, limiting his personal detail’s abilities.
With the deputation of some of his security members, they can carry weapons on federal grounds and if an issue occurred with the detail, the Marshals Service could be held legally liable, CNN reported Friday.
Continue reading at The Hill
Trump: Zelensky ‘has no cards,’ ‘shouldn’t be at meetings’ with Russia
Trump in an interview with Brian Kilmeade on Fox News Radio acknowledged Russia attacked Ukraine but still suggested former President Biden and Zelensky shared blame for failing to talk down Moscow.
“I’ve been watching for years, and I’ve been watching him negotiate with no cards,” Trump said of Zelensky. “He has no cards. And you get sick of it.”
“So, I don’t think he’s very important to be at meetings, to be honest with you,” Trump added. “He makes it very hard to make deals.”
Continue reading at The Hill
Trump continues to muddy the waters on path forward for budget plan
The president said on a radio show Friday lawmakers could break his agenda up into "three" or "10" separate bills.
Donald Trump is continuing to complicate the path forward for congressional Republicans, who are desperate for clarity on what the president wants them to do to enact his massive domestic agenda.
In comments on Brian Kilmeade’s radio show Friday, Trump openly entertained a notion that the GOP's efforts to extend expiring tax cuts with new policies on border security and energy production may need to be broken up into smaller bills to clear Congress.
The Senate approved a budget resolution early in the morning after hours of amendment votes that would pave the way for two bills to accomplish those priorities, while the House is set to muscle through a budget blueprint next week that would set the stage for one piece of legislation encapsulating everything.
"Now what they approved yesterday is one part of it, and then they approve another part of it,” Trump said on Kilmeade’s radio show. “And, you know, you could, I guess, you could make the case. You could do three. You could do 10.”
Continue reading at Politico
Concerns about possible Pentagon firings
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers wants answers from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid reports that President Donald Trump's administration is gearing up to dismiss high-ranking military officers.
"There are valid reasons to remove a General or Flag Officer, but there must be clear, transparent, and apolitical criteria and processes associated with any such dismissal," Reps. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) and Jared Golden (D-Maine) wrote in their letter to Hegseth. "An apolitical military is an essential component of our democracy and our national security," they added.
Continue reading at Politico
Trump Ukraine envoy calls Zelenskyy ‘courageous,’ breaking from recent administration criticism
Keith Kellogg called the Ukrainian president an “embattled and courageous leader” in a Friday post on X.
Continue reading at Politico
Note from Rima: This is in clear contradiction to Trump. I predict Kellogg will be the first to be fired by Trump.
Judge vacates Eric Adams corruption trial but doesn’t immediately dismiss charges
A federal judge has vacated the upcoming trial date for New York City Mayor Eric Adams, but declined to immediately dismiss the charges all together.
This story and breaking and will be updated.
French leader cancels CPAC speech after Bannon's apparent Nazi salute
French far-right leader Jordan Bardella canceled planned remarks at CPAC Friday, after ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon made a "gesture referring to Nazi ideology," according to a statement to French news agency Agence France-Presse.
Why it matters: Bardella's change of plans is the strongest rebuke yet of Bannon, who, during his remarks at the annual conservative conference made a gesture that appeared to mimic a Hitlergruß, or Nazi salute.
Bannon did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
A CPAC representative did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
Driving the news: "At this forum, (Thursday), while I was not present in the room, one of the speakers allowed himself, out of provocation, a gesture referring to Nazi ideology," Bardella said in a statement to AFP.
Continue reading at Axios
Texas measles outbreak nears 100 cases, raising concerns about undetected spread
Some private schools have shut down because of a rapidly escalating measles outbreak in West Texas. Local health departments are overstretched, pausing other important work as they race to limit the spread of this highly contagious virus.
Since the outbreak emerged three weeks ago, the Texas health department has confirmed 90 cases with at least 16 hospitalizations, as of Feb. 21. Most of those infected are under age 18. Officials suspect that nine additional measles cases reported in New Mexico, across the border from the epicenter of the Texas outbreak in Gaines, are linked to the Texas outbreak. Ongoing investigations seek to confirm that connection.
Health officials worry they're missing cases. Undetected infections bode poorly for communities because doctors and health officials can't contain transmission if they can't identify who is infected.
"This is the tip of the iceberg," said Rekha Lakshmanan, chief strategy officer for The Immunization Partnership in Houston, a nonprofit that advocates for vaccine access. "I think this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better."
Continue reading at CBS News
Judge taps top Supreme Court lawyer to present ‘adversarial’ arguments on DOJ’s bid to drop Eric Adams case
The judge said the appointment of an outside lawyer — an unusual move in a criminal prosecution — will “assist the court’s decision-making.”
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho tapped Paul Clement, a former U.S. solicitor general who often represents conservative causes at the Supreme Court, to submit a legal brief by March 7. The judge said the appointment of an outside lawyer — an unusual move in a criminal prosecution — will “assist the court’s decision-making” given that both the Justice Department and Adams want the case dismissed.
Bringing in Clement is particularly “appropriate,” Ho wrote, “in light of the public importance of this case, which calls for careful deliberation.”
Ho’s decision is a clear sign that the judge, an appointee of President Joe Biden, will not rubber-stamp the request from Justice Department leaders to end the case. The effort to do so, led by Emil Bove, the department’s acting No. 2 official, has triggered a revolt inside the department. Some prosecutors have alleged that Bove and Adams are engaged in an unethical deal aimed at shoring up the Democratic mayor’s help with President Donald Trump’s policy agenda.
Continue reading at Politico
Dem governor tells Trump she will see him in court
Maine Gov. Janet Mills clashed with Trump over transgender rights during a White House meeting.
The Democratic governor of Maine warned President Donald Trump in the White House state dining room that she’ll go to court to fight his actions to restrict transgender athletes’ participation in school sports.
Governors of both parties gathered at the White House Friday to hear from Trump as part of an annual meeting of state leaders. About an hour into his remarks, Trump turned to his executive order that keeps transgender athletes from participating on sports teams that align with their gender identity, noting that “the NCAA has complied immediately.” (The order requires that athletes play on teams that align with the sex they were assigned at birth.)
Trump turned to Maine Gov. Janet Mills, asking her if she was going to comply with his executive order.
“I’m going to comply with state and federal law,” Mills said to the president.
Trump responded that she “better do it because you’re not going to get any federal funding” otherwise. He added that her “population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports.”
Continue reading at Politico
Richard Grenell: There will be conditions on Los Angeles fire aid
The Trump administration special envoy said the White House is talking about what the conditions will be.
President Donald Trump’s special envoy Richard Grenell said there will be strings attached to California wildfire aid.
“As a Californian I’m all for it,” Grenell said during a conversation with POLITICO’s Dasha Burns at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington on Friday.
Grenell said the administration is talking about what these conditions will be. He floated the idea of targeting the California Coastal Commission, which he called “a disaster” and an unelected group of people who are “crazy woke left.”
Grenell has served in a wide-ranging role in the first month of Trump’s administration — including accompanying the president while touring wildfire damage and leading the Kennedy Center in Washington.
Continue reading at Politico
Hegseth previews Pentagon staffing cuts, targets probationary employees
Hegseth said that the government’s largest agency was doing a “reevaluation of our probationary workforce” in compliance with President Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order to cull the federal workforce by at least 10 percent. That effort, undertaken by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), could affect over 50,000 civilian employees across the U.S. military.
DOD officials for the past week have braced for mass firings after internal communications across multiple military services indicated probationary workers – those hired within the past year – were on the chopping block. But that plan may be temporarily delayed while the Pentagon’s Office of General Counsel carries out a review of how the impacts could have on military readiness, among other areas, CNN reported.
“It is simply not in the public interest to retain individuals whose contributions are not mission critical,” Hegseth said in a video posted to X late Thursday. “Taxpayers deserve to have us take a really thorough look at our workforce top to bottom – and it will be top to bottom – to see where we can find and eliminate redundancy.”
Continue reading at The Hill
83 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons: Poll
A majority of Americans are displeased with President Trump over his decision to pardon nearly all of those charged for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, according to a poll.
The Washington Post/Ipsos survey, released Thursday, found that 83 percent of respondents were opposed to Trump’s offer of clemency for violent criminal offenders. Roughly 55 percent said the same about pardons for rioters convicted of nonviolent crimes. Another 14 percent had the opposite view, supporting the president, while 3 percent chose not to answer.
The numbers indicate an uptick in disapproval for the move after a Reuters/Ipsos poll from last month found that 58 percent of Americans were not in favor of the president pardoning the insurrectionists.
Continue reading at The Hill
Trump talks of a third term amid growing concerns about a constitutional crisis
The president is barred from being elected more than twice by the Constitution.
The Constitution expressly forbids presidents from running for a third term. But that hasn’t stopped Donald Trump from raising it repeatedly — and this time from an official White House event.
“Should I run again? You tell me.” Trump said on Thursday before a crowded East Room filled with mostly Black supporters who were there for a Black History Month event held just a month into his second term.
The crowd, which included elected officials, like Republicans Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Rep. John James of Michigan, as well as political appointees and athletes like famed golfer Tiger Woods, responded with chants of: “Four more years!”
Continue reading at Politico
In photos: Marking 60 years since the assassination of Malcolm X
Through the lens: Here are some images of Malcolm X's evolution from a life of crime, to a prominent leader in the Nation of Islam, to an international traveler investigating racism against Asians, to a cultural icon.
Bass removes Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Crowley
In a statement released to media Friday, Bass said the decision to remove Crowley from the position was made in the “best interests of Los Angeles‘ public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department.”
The decision to remove Crowley comes amid a tennis match of accusations between the Mayor and the Chief.
Bass, who received widespread criticism for traveling to Ghana on an ambassadorial trip prior to the outbreak of the deadly January wildfires in the Palisades and San Gabriel Valley, has accused Crowley of underselling and failing to communicate the true risk of catastrophe before she departed on her trip.
Continue reading at KTLA.com
Note from Rima: Mayor Bass is about to give a press conference. You can watch it on KTLA
EU leaders plan €20B Ukraine aid package as Trump rails against Zelenskyy
As the U.S. turns its back, Europe is scrambling to step up.
European leaders are working on a military aid package for Ukraine — worth at least €20 billion — to bolster Kyiv's negotiating position ahead of upcoming peace talks, three EU diplomats told POLITICO.
The planned package comes after U.S. President Donald Trump blamed his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for the war in Ukraine, calling him a “dictator” who had tricked the U.S. into spending billions of dollars in military aid. The Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives also said Thursday there was "no appetite" in Washington to send further aid to Kyiv.
The amount of European aid, which would include military hardware like artillery shells and missiles as well as cash, could yet rise farther as diplomats continue intensive consultations ahead of a gathering of foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday. POLITICO reported earlier this week that the package's projected value was €6 billion to €10 billion, but that amount has changed during the talks and could still evolve.
Continue reading at Politico Europe
Playbook PM: Trump pushes for two Ukraine deals
UKRAINE LATEST: President Donald Trump and other top officials sent some mixed signals today on Ukraine, alternately castigating and cajoling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the U.S. seeks to land two major deals: first a minerals agreement with Kyiv, and then — much harder — a cease-fire in the war with Russia.
What they said: In an interview with Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade, Trump acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin was indeed the attacker who started the war by invading its neighbor. But he reserved most of his animus for Zelenskyy, saying the Ukrainian leader had failed to negotiate or make progress for three years: “He has no cards,” Trump said. “You just get sick of it. And I’ve had it.” He blamed Ukraine for not talking Russia out of the war or ending it quickly, leading to lots of needless death. As for Zelenskyy’s protest at being excluded from initial U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia? “I don’t think he’s very important to be at meetings.”
To Russia, with love: Trump said Putin “wants to make a deal,” even though he doesn’t need to. “I’m not trying to make Putin [seem] nicer or better,” he added. When Kilmeade pressed Trump repeatedly on whether the war’s atrocities were Putin’s fault, the president replied, “I get tired of listening to it.” In remarks to governors, Trump added that he’s had “very good talks” with Russia but not with Ukraine.
The art of the deal: Trump grumbling aside (he said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s visit to Ukraine had been “a wasted trip”), his administration is pressing forward with talks on a deal for U.S. access to Ukrainian rare earth minerals. National security adviser Mike Waltz declared at the Conservative Political Action Conference today that Zelenskyy “will sign” the deal — and soon. Negotiations lasted overnight, and the U.S. is applying the squeeze: One U.S. official tells Axios’ Barak Ravid that it’s now up to Zelenskyy in a “make-or-break scenario for the Ukrainians.”
Continue reading at Politico Playbook PM
Note: This is a newsletter and there is much more content
Rubio on Trump’s Ukraine rhetoric: ‘Joe Biden had frustrations with Zelensky’
“I think President Trump is very upset at President Zelensky and rightfully so. Look, number one, Joe Biden had frustrations with Zelensky. People shouldn’t forget it,” Rubio said in an exclusive interview with CBS News highlighting his first 100 days leading the State Department.
“There are newspaper articles out there about how he cursed at him in a phone call because Zelensky, instead of saying thank you for all your help, is immediately out there messaging what we’re not doing or what he’s not getting.”
Continue reading at The Hill
Ex-Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio arrested at Capitol
Enrique Tarrio, the former national chairman of the Proud Boys, was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police on Friday following a press conference with other Proud Boys members and Oath Keepers’ founder Stewart Rhodes.
A spokesperson for USCP said formal charges have not yet been announced but a statement is imminent.
The arrest, which appeared to stem from an altercation with a counter protester, took place between the Capitol and Washington’s Union Station. Two counter protesters were seen filling out what appeared to be police reports.
Continue reading at The Hill
Note: This is developing news
Dow tumbles 800 points as inflation and tariff fears mount
US stock markets fell sharply Friday after an economic report showed American consumers are growing increasingly fearful of price increases and how President Donald Trump’s tariffs could reignite the inflation crisis.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 800 points, or 1.7%. The broader S&P 500 sank 1.6% and the Nasdaq fell 2.1%.
The University of Michigan’s latest survey, released Friday, showed that US consumer sentiment declined in February for the second consecutive month, according to a final reading, down by a steep 10% from January. That was double the decline initially reported earlier this month.
The survey found that Americans are losing confidence in the economy, driven primarily by worries over Trump’s tariffs potentially jacking up prices.
Continue reading at CNN
AP sues 3 Trump administration officials, citing freedom of speech
The Associated Press sued three Trump administration officials Friday over access to presidential events, citing freedom of speech in asking a federal judge to stop the 10-day blocking of its journalists.
The lawsuit was filed Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
The AP says its case is about an unconstitutional effort by the White House to control speech — in this case refusing to change its style from the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” as President Donald Trump did last month with an executive order.
“The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government,” the AP said in its lawsuit, which names White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“This targeted attack on the AP’s editorial independence and ability to gather and report the news strikes at the very core of the First Amendment,” the news agency said. “This court should remedy it immediately.”
Continue reading at the Associated Press
Sanders: Democrats’ strategy to combat Trump policies ‘not good enough’
“I think Democrats are trying. But what Trump has capitalized on is a simple reality that is true — and that is our system is broken,” Sanders, 83, said in a new interview with the New York Times. “There are a number of people in the House, the Senate and elsewhere who are doing a really good job. But I think the point is, it’s not good enough to attack Trump’s policies of tax breaks for the rich and cuts to Medicaid and other desperately needed programs. It’s not good enough to attack his authoritarianism.
“I certainly do not hear enough discussion on the point that the system is, in fact, broken and needs fundamental changes, not just patching it up.”
Sanders took aim at the nation’s current political climate and involvement from billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, a key Trump ally and donor whom the president has appointed to a top White House adviser role.
Continue reading at The Hill
Judge clears path to pull USAID personnel off the job
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols dissolved his order temporarily staving off the purge and declined to provide further relief, contending that the plaintiffs’ initial assertions of harm were “overstated.”
“Weighing plaintiffs’ assertions on these questions against the government’s is like comparing apples to oranges,” Nichols wrote in a 26-page order. “Where one side claims that USAID’s operations are essential to human flourishing and the other side claims they are presently at odds with it, it simply is not possible for the Court to conclude, as a matter of law or equity, that the public interest favors or disfavors an injunction.”
Continue reading at The Hill
Trump ‘thinking about’ absorbing Postal Service into administration
“We want to have a post office that works well and doesn’t lose massive amounts of money, and we’re thinking about doing that,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “And it will be a form of a merger, but it’ll remain the Postal Service, and I think it’ll operate a lot better than it has been over the years.
“It’s been just a tremendous loser for this country, tremendous amounts of money they’ve lost,” he added. “And we think we can do something that will be very good and keep it a very similar way, but whether it’s a merger or just using some of the very talented people that we have elsewhere so it doesn’t lose so much.”
Continue reading at The Hill
‘Time is running out’: Lawmakers scramble for a deal to stop a shutdown
Short of a major breakthrough in the coming days, Congress is staring down the barrel of yet another crisis over government funding.
A Capitol Hill clash over President Donald Trump’s extraordinary moves to take control of federal spending is upping the chances that lawmakers won’t have a deal to fund the government before a shutdown deadline in just three weeks.
Talks between the top appropriators in the House and Senate have soured in the past week, with lawmakers still searching for an agreement on topline spending levels that are a prerequisite for funding individual agencies and programs for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Negotiators have insisted they are staying at the table to hash out an accord. But there’s no clear strategy to break the logjam, and House Republican leaders privately acknowledge that contingency plans need to be drawn up in case the impasse continues ahead of the March 14 deadline.
“Time is running out,” Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins of Maine told reporters.
The stalemate has been driven in part by partisan distrust over the Trump administration’s remarkable seizure of the federal purse strings. Democrats want assurances from Republicans that the administration will adhere to Congress’s wishes on spending as Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk summarily cut jobs and programs.
Continue reading at Politico
Trump’s plan to rein in agencies sparks alarm for the Fed
The executive order is particularly challenging for the central bank because its insulation from short-term politics helps give it credibility in financial markets.
[…]
The administration took sweeping action this week to increase its influence over all independent agencies with an executive order that tasks Budget Director Russ Vought with scrutinizing the performance of regulators like the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The order gives an important nod to the Fed’s traditional political independence by carving out monetary policy from its scope. But it does apply to the Fed’s regulatory functions — it’s the government’s chief supervisor of large banks — that have a tremendous bearing on the overall economy, raising thorny questions about how much the administration could lean on the central bank.
Continue reading at Politico
Pentagon prepares to fire thousands of civilian employees in dramatic culling
The Department of Defense is preparing to eliminate 8 percent of its civilian workforce
The Pentagon is planning to fire 5,400 civilian employees starting next week as it prepares to eliminate 8 percent of its civilian workforce, the department announced Friday.
The sweeping cuts will gut civilians who have only been employed for one or two years and are still considered “probationary,” meaning the terminations are not based on performance.
“It is simply not in the public interest to retain individuals whose contributions are not mission-critical,” Darin Selnick, acting undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness, said in a statement.
Continue reading at Politico
Hegseth moves to shake up the Pentagon
DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH is moving to overhaul the Pentagon through steep budget and staffing cuts.
Hegseth said Friday that a hiring freeze and an “aggressive” effort to fire civilian employees is on the way.
“We’re going to be thoughtful, but we’re also going to be aggressive, up and down the chain,” he said in a video posted on X.
In a memo issued this week, Hegseth directed senior Pentagon officials and military leaders to plan for an 8 percent cut to the defense budget for each year over the next five years, which would amount to about $300 billion less in military spending.
Reductions are aimed at the military command in Europe and the Middle East, while programs pertaining to nuclear weapons, submarines, attack drones, missile defense and cybersecurity would be spared.
Continue reading at The Hill
NOAA braces for steep job cuts
Mass firings are set to hit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) “imminently,” a source with knowledge told The Hill.
The Commerce Department oversees NOAA and the National Weather Service. Lutnick was sworn in Friday afternoon.
Many of the federal cuts thus far have targeted probationary workers, which include recent hires but also those who have been recently promoted.
The source told The Hill that an original list of workers set to be fired comprised of new workers, except for veterans and Schedule A employees or noncompetitively appointed disabled workers. However, on Tuesday, the director and deputy director of NOAA were asked to add the excluded workers back to the list, the source added.
Continue reading at The Hill
Florida Republican, alleged victim deny altercation after DC police open assault probe
Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) and the alleged victim at the center of an assault investigation by Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) are both denying that a “physical altercation” took place on Wednesday when D.C. authorities were called to the scene.
The MPD is investigating Mills, who represents Florida’s 7th Congressional District, after they were called to a Maryland Ave. address in the District. It is an active criminal probe, according to MPD.
Mills’s office told The Hill in an emailed statement on Friday that “law enforcement was asked to resolve a private matter at Congressman Mills’ residence. Congressman Mills vehemently denies any wrongdoing whatsoever, and is confident any investigation will clear this matter quickly.”
Continue reading at The Hill
Note from Rima: See item above from a few hours ago…
Bondi says Epstein client list ‘sitting on my desk’ for review
The alleged “client list” of disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is on Attorney General Pam Bondi’s desk, she said in an interview Friday, making the elusive document one step closer to potential public release.
Bondi said she has “not yet” seen any major revelations from the closely guarded document but she’s in the process of reviewing it at President Trump’s direction under an executive order to declassify federal “secrets.”
“It’s sitting on my desk right now to review,” Bondi told Fox News. “That’s been a directive by President Trump. I’m reviewing that.”
Continue reading at The Hill
Note from Rima: Priorities…
Some Republicans shrug off DOGE protests and town halls
While DOGE has begun facing a measure of GOP backlash, some Republicans are privately brushing off a spate of raucous protests and town halls in their districts targeting President Trump's government efficiency efforts.
Why it matters: The muted reaction signals at least some willingness, even by electorally vulnerable Republicans, to continue marching into this firestorm on behalf of the president to whom they've tethered their fates.
Democrats, however, see echoes of their triumphant 2018 election cycle and are eager to press their advantage.
"House Republicans have galvanized voters across the country to come out in protest against their Medicaid cuts, veteran layoffs, and defunding of health care for 9/11 first responders," said CJ Warnke, a spokesperson for Democrats' House Majority PAC.
Driving the news: Angry constituents flocked to House Republicans' town hall events and district offices this week to protest DOGE's efforts to slash spending and lay off huge chunks of the federal workforce.
Continue reading at Axios
Note from Rima: See videos in the clip section below
Supreme Court rules that government watchdog fired by Trump may temporarily remain on the job
The Supreme Court on Friday dashed President Donald Trump’s plan to immediately fire the head of an independent agency that investigates whistleblower claims, allowing Hampton Dellinger to remain in the job through at least the middle of next week.
By declining to back Trump’s emergency appeal, the conservative court nominally sided with Dellinger, who President Joe Biden appointed in 2024 to lead the Office of Special Counsel for a five-year term but who White House officials fired in a brief email days after Trump returned to power.
The Dellinger appeal was the first to reach the Supreme Court tied to Trump’s whirlwind of activity since returning to the White House last month. A flood of litigation over executive actions, immigration, other firings and Elon Musk’s work for the government are simultaneously making their way through lower courts.
In an unsigned order, the court said it would hold the case on pause until February 26, when a temporary order handed down by a lower court is set to expire. A district court hearing scheduled then.
Continue reading at CNN.com
DOGE Staffer Known as ‘Big Balls’ Reportedly the Grandkid of a KGB Spy
Sure, why not?
Look, sure it’s not ideal that decisions that the federal government is being gutted agency by agency, stripped of purpose, funding, and staffing by Elon Musk and a team of 20-something-year-old edgelords who were sourced from a network of tech bro crypto-fascists and boost the messaging of white nationalists in their free time, but at least none of them are directly related to anyone deeply involved in the intelligence apparatus of a foreign adversary. Now, let me take a big sip of water and check out journalist Jacob Silverman’s latest report…
So, you know that DOGE staffer who goes by “Big Balls,” otherwise known as 19-year-old Edward Coristine—an alleged former member of online cybercriminal organization The Com and a cybersecurity worker who reportedly got fired from his job for leaking company secrets? Well, turns out there’s another layer to his dubious background. According to independent journalist Jacob Silverman, Coristine is the grandson of Valery Martynov, a former KGB spy.
Continue reading at Gizmodo
CBC calls Trump suspension of USDA 1890 Scholars program ‘outrageous’
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is calling on President Trump to reinstate an education program designed to support students from rural and underserved communities pursuing degrees in agriculture and related fields at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indefinitely suspended the 1890 Scholarship Program on Thursday. According to the USDA’s website, the program is “pending further review.”
“The Trump Administration’s decision to suspend the 1890 Scholars Program ‘pending further review’ is an outrageous disruption that undermines efforts to make higher education accessible for Black students and correct our nation’s history of systemic racial discrimination within the land-grant system,” said Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), chair of the CBC, on Friday.
Continue reading at The Hill
‘Arbitrary and discriminatory’: Judge blocks Trump’s effort to deter DEI programs
A federal judge blocked President Donald Trump’s bid to deprive federal funding from programs that incorporate “diversity, equity and inclusion” initiatives.
U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson ruled that Trump’s policy likely violates the First Amendment because it penalizes private organizations based on their viewpoints. And the judge said the policy is written so vaguely that it chills the free speech of federal contractors concerned they will be punished if they don’t eliminate programs meant to encourage a diverse workforce.
Abelson, a Baltimore-based appointee of President Joe Biden, said longstanding court precedent bars the federal government from “leveraging its funding to restrict federal contractors and grantees from otherwise exercising their First Amendment rights.”
Continue reading at Politico
NYC sues Trump after FEMA claws back $80 million migrant housing grant
Citing concerns of “illegal activity,” the Trump administration took back the sum as it seeks to crack down on the program, which is funded by Congress and administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The federal government disbursed $80.5 million to New York City’s central bank account on Feb. 4 but took back the payment without warning on Feb. 11, the lawsuit states.
After the program came under fire this month, fueled by Elon Musk and posts on social media, administration officials announced they were suspending payments.
“No lawful procedure permits Defendants—as they did here—to take back grant funds previously approved and paid without legitimate basis and without first following and complying with the steps required under the applicable rules, grant terms and conditions,” reads the complaint.
Continue reading at The Hill
Supreme Court stiffs Trump, punts on firing whistleblower agency head
The Supreme Court stiffed President Trump in his administration’s first high court appeal by punting Friday on a request to greenlight the firing of the head of a whistleblower protection office.
The administration filed an emergency application asking the justices to wipe a lower court’s temporary reinstatement of U.S. special counsel Hampton Dellinger, whose office is tasked with protecting whistleblowers and prosecuting misconduct in the federal workforce.
The court “held in abeyance” the application until the lower court’s order expires Wednesday, effectively punting on whether the firing was legal and keeping Dellinger in his post for at least another few days.
Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, both members of the court’s liberal wing, voted to outright deny the administration’s request to greenlight the firing.
Continue reading at The Hill
Dems demand answers on workforce safety cuts
The top Democrats on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce want answers from the Department of Health and Human Services about staff cuts at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
NIOSH, which is housed within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is a research agency focused on the study of worker safety and health.
“As news reports circulate about staffing cuts at CDC, in addition to a host of reports about stalled contract and grant payments throughout the federal government, we need a focused accounting on the cost to NIOSH overall so that we can assess the consequences for NIOSH’s capacity to get things done for American workers,” Reps. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) wrote to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr in a letter first shared with The Hill.
Continue reading at The Hill
House, Senate GOP to begin undoing Biden regulations
The Senate is gearing up to begin considering Congressional Review Act resolutions in the coming weeks that would undo rules on bank mergers and other matters.
Republican lawmakers in both chambers are set to begin voting soon on legislation to undo a range of Biden-era rules, teeing up their first major steps toward rolling back the previous administration’s regulatory agenda.
The Senate is gearing up to begin considering Congressional Review Act resolutions in the coming weeks that would undo rules on bank mergers, methane emissions and other matters, according to a Senate GOP aide with knowledge of the matter who was granted anonymity to discuss unannounced plans. The chamber could begin voting on the roll-backs as soon as next week, though the exact timeline remains unclear.
Continue reading at Politico
‘Childbirth isn’t fun, but it’s necessary’: Republicans at CPAC shrug off voter anger at Musk
A backlash against DOGE is brewing.
OXON HILL, Maryland — A political backlash is sneaking up on billionaire Elon Musk and President Donald Trump across America as they take an ax to the government.
But inside the gleeful halls of the Conservative Political Action Conference, the vanguard of the Republican Party couldn’t care less.
At the annual gathering of conservatives inaugurated by Ronald Reagan, attendees are buying up Musk-related merchandise and the tech mogul is being feted as a chainsaw-wielding warrior taking on the deep state on behalf of Trump. If that gets a little messy sometimes, it’s just part of the process.
“Childbirth isn’t fun, but it’s necessary for the perpetuation of the species, right? I love what he’s doing. He’s a smarter guy than I am,” said Mark McCloskey, the attorney who became a celebrity on the right after he and his wife brandished guns at protesters in St. Louis in 2020. “I can tell you this, that it’s going to transform the country. He and Donald Trump are going to make all the difference in the world.”
Continue reading at Politico
President Donald Trump fires the top US general
President Donald Trump fired the top US general on Friday night in a move that had been expected for weeks.
Trump called Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. a “fine gentleman” and an “outstanding leader.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Continue reading at CNN
Trump fires Joint Chiefs Gen. C.Q. Brown
Trump, in a Truth Social post, said he was nominating retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to take Brown’s place.
President Donald Trump fired Chair of the Joint Chiefs Gen. C.Q. Brown on Friday night in an unprecedented move that could portend more shakeups among top military officials.
Trump, in a Truth Social post, said he was nominating retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to take Brown’s place. Cain, a retired Air Force Lieutenant General, is a partner at Shield Capital, a venture capital firm.
Trump indicated more firings could be coming. He said he directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “to solicit nominations for five additional high level positions, which will be announced soon.”
Continue reading at Politico
White House restores 9/11 health program funding after uproar
The White House restored funding for the 9/11 first responder survivors’ health program after an uproar from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle ensued following the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) cuts last week.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, one of the eight New York and New Jersey GOP lawmakers who urged President Trump to reverse course, said Thursday night that the legislators “received confirmation from the White House that there will be no cuts to staffing at the World Trade Center Healthcare Program and research grants related to 9/11 illnesses.”
The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program provides research, medical monitoring and treatment to more than 100,000 survivors who were diagnosed with conditions after working in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Continue reading at The Hill
DC police probe incident involving Rep. Cory Mills
The department is undertaking an "immediate review of our initial response to ensure all procedures were followed."
D.C. police have launched an internal investigation into the department's handling of a Wednesday incident involving an alleged assault by Florida Rep. Cory Mills.
Metropolitan Police Department officers were called midday to a home in southwest Washington for a reported assault involving the use of force with hands or feet, according to a police report obtained Friday by POLITICO. A department spokesperson confirmed that Mills, a two-term Republican, is the alleged assailant.
Continue reading at Politico
Europe targets homegrown nuclear deterrent as Trump sides with Putin
Germany’s Merz says Britain and France may need to “share” their nuclear weapons as America can’t be relied on to defend NATO.
Europe's politicians are openly discussing how they could tackle the threat of nuclear attack without American help, in a dramatic sign of the deep crisis engulfing the transatlantic alliance under Donald Trump.
In what would be a huge shift in position, the runaway favorite to be Germany’s next leader said the continent must find new ways to defend itself without the U.S. military underpinning its nuclear protection through NATO.
Friedrich Merz, whom polls suggest is on course to become chancellor after Sunday’s German elections, said his country would need to look beyond the U.S. to Britain and France for nuclear safeguards. Under Trump, he said, America could no longer be relied on.
Continue reading at Politico Europe
Trump administration reinstates funds for lawyers representing 26,000 children in immigration court
The Trump administration on Friday restored a program that funds lawyers representing unaccompanied minors in immigration court, days after halting it with little explanation.
“This letter cancels the Stop Work Order issued Feb. 18, 2025,” said a memo to the Acacia Center for Justice, which is contracted to administer the nationwide program.
The program provides legal representation to about 26,000 children, some too young to read or speak. Many of those children survived abuse, persecution or trafficking and are in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees that agency, did not respond to a request for comment.
Continue reading at the Los Angeles Times
Federal judge extends decision blocking DOGE from Treasury payment system
A federal judge on Friday extended an earlier decision barring employees with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing a sensitive federal payment system at the Treasury Department.
U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas partially granted the request of 19 Democratic attorneys general, who are suing to block the DOGE team from the Bureau of Fiscal Service. The system handles 90 percent of federal payments.
However, Vargas narrowed her earlier decision, which had barred all political appointees and special government employees except Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other senior department leaders who received Senate confirmation.
Instead of seeking to block a particular category of employees as before, the Democratic attorneys general had asked the court to bar the Trump administration from developing processes to halt payments coming through the payment system.
Continue reading at The Hill
Time is running out to get a Real ID ahead of May 7 deadline
If you have travel plans for May or beyond, check your ID to see if it meets federal requirements.
Why it matters: Starting May 7, a Real ID compliant license or identification card — or another acceptable document — is needed to board a commercial aircraft in the U.S.
The guidelines also apply when visiting military bases and secure federal buildings like courthouses.
What is a Real ID?
The big picture: A Real ID is a state-issued driver's license or identification card that meets federal security standards.
Continue reading at Axios
Trump fires top military leaders in unprecedented move
The Friday night terminations include Chair of the Joint Chiefs Gen. C.Q. Brown.
President Donald Trump fired Chair of the Joint Chiefs Gen. C.Q. Brown on Friday night, and said he intends to dismiss the Navy’s top admiral and the Air Force’s second in command — an unprecedented shakeup of the Pentagon’s top brass that will create ripple effects throughout the military.
Trump, in a Truth Social post, said he was nominating retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to take Brown’s place. Cain is a partner at Shield Capital, a venture capital firm.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, minutes later, said in a statement that he is “requesting nominations” for replacements for Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti and Air Force Vice Chief Gen. James Slife.
The Pentagon chief also said he was also looking for new nominations for senior judicial officers for the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Brown’s firing became public while he was in Texas visiting troops on the southern border, and days after he huddled with European allies at a defense leaders summit in Germany. Franchetti learned of her firing in a call from Hegseth on Friday night.
Both had been historic picks. Franchetti was the first woman to serve on the joint chiefs and Brown had been just the second Black chair.
Continue reading at Politico
Supreme Court delays Trump’s effort to fire federal ethics watchdog
The justices deferred ruling, for now, on the first test of executive power to reach the high court during Donald Trump’s second term.
The Supreme Court is allowing a federal ethics watchdog to remain in his job for at least a few more days, despite President Donald Trump’s attempt to fire him immediately.
The dispute is the first showdown over executive power to reach the high court in Trump’s second term. That showdown may soon clarify Trump’s authority to summarily remove executive branch officials. But the first round of the fight ended with a fizzle Friday evening as the justices deferred ruling on it for now.
Trump filed an emergency appeal earlier this week asking the justices to unwind a lower-court order that reinstated Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger to his post. Dellinger runs the federal agency in the executive branch that fields whistleblower complaints and enforces limits on political activities by federal workers.
A majority of the Supreme Court opted to hold Trump’s appeal “in abeyance” — a decision that punts the matter until Feb. 26, when the lower court’s order is set to expire. By then, the lower court judge, Amy Berman Jackson, may issue a longer-term order, prompting a new fight that could quickly return to the justices.
For now, Dellinger can stay in his post. He was appointed by President Joe Biden last year for a term that is supposed to last five years.
Continue reading at Politico
Pentagon prepares to fire thousands of civilian employees in dramatic culling
Updated: 02/21/2025 06:36 PM EST
The Pentagon plans to fire 5,400 civilian employees next week as the largest federal agency seeks to eliminate 8 percent of its civilian workforce, the department announced Friday.
The sweeping cuts — which could eventually extend to around 50,000 people — will gut civilians who have only been employed for one or two years and are still considered “probationary,” meaning the terminations aren’t tied to performance.
“It is simply not in the public interest to retain individuals whose contributions are not mission critical,” Darin Selnick, acting Defense undersecretary for personnel and readiness, said in a statement.
The cuts follow other massive firings at government agencies, largely spurred by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and its efforts to whack federal costs.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a Thursday video message, said he welcomed the DOGE team when it arrived at the Pentagon late last week.
“They’re going to have broad access, obviously, with all the safeguards on classification,” he said.
The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 250,000 Pentagon civilians, called the move “a slap in the face to veterans and military families everywhere that will not soon be forgotten.”
Continue reading at Politico
Newsom sends Congress $40 billion request for LA fire aid
The letter comes amid weeks of intense debate in Washington centered around whether the anticipated disaster aid for California would come with conditions
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom late Friday sent a request to congressional leaders outlining nearly $40 billion in federal funding to cover the long-term recovery and rebuilding effort for last month’s devastating Los Angeles fires.
Driven by hurricane-force winds, the firestorms destroyed more than 16,000 structures in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena in what’s estimated to be the most expensive disaster in U.S. history.
In the 14-page letter late Friday, addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Reps. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) of the Appropriations Committee, Newsom wrote that as the state continues to assess the damage while conducting active response and recovery efforts, officials expect to identify additional funding needs beyond the $39.68 billion he outlined Friday.
“Make no mistake, Los Angeles will use this money wisely,” Newsom wrote. “California will ensure that funds will serve individuals, communities, property owners, and businesses that suffered losses from these devastating fires.”
Added Newsom: “California has long been the tentpole of the American economy, a state whose GDP is the fifth largest on the planet and which contributes more tax receipts to the federal government than any other state — by far. California’s success is America’s success.”
Continue reading at Politico
Economics
Economist Jared Bernstein
Economist Paul Krugman
The footnote that just might save Fed independence
By Neil Irwin
Since President Trump's executive order claiming new power over historically independent federal agencies this week, Fed watchers have been trying to parse what it means for America's central bank.
Some answers can be found in the law that created the Fed, plus a legal footnote.
Why it matters: The Fed's independence from direct political influence is more deeply established in law and precedent than some of the discussion around Trump's assertion of power might suggest.
Catch up quick: This week's executive order states that independent agencies must submit proposed regulations to the White House for approval and have their leaders accountable to the Office of Management and Budget's director.
The OMB director is also granted the authority to withhold funding from agencies to ensure they are complying with the president's agenda.
The order did carve out the Fed's monetary policy responsibilities as exempt from White House control — though as a choice by Trump, not a constraint under law.
Yes, but: The Federal Reserve Act — passed by Congress 112 years ago and amended many times since — describes clear authorities for the Fed's Board of Governors, making no mention of White House review.
Continue reading at Axios
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