Things Musk (and Trump) Did... Day 35 | Blog#42
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Polling information
CNN’s Harry Enten breaks down latest polls on Trump’s net approval rating
CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten breaks down the latest polls on President Donald Trump’s net approval ratings.
Agencies, unions tell fed workers: Don't answer Musk's threat email
Zoom in: Beyond the unions, a number of federal departments and agencies also appear to have told employees not to respond.
The Department of Defense told its employees that only the department is responsible for "reviewing the performance of its personnel" and it will undertake employee reviews "in accordance with its own procedures." Employees were told to disregard the OPM email.
NBC reported that new FBI director Kash Patel told employees not to answer the email.
Government Executive reported that NOAA and NSA employees were told the same.
The New York Times reported that State Department employees were also told not to respond.
For the record: An OPM spokesperson reiterated that the office was making the request, but said agencies will determine any next steps.
Continue reading at Axios
Key federal agencies refuse to comply with Musk’s latest demand in his cost-cutting crusade
The pushback from appointees of President Donald Trump marked a new level of chaos and confusion within the beleaguered federal workforce, just a month after Trump returned to the White House and quickly began fulfilling campaign promises to shrink the government.
Administration officials scrambled throughout the weekend to interpret Musk’s unusual mandate, which apparently has Trump’s backing despite some lawmakers arguing it is illegal. Unions want the administration to rescind the request and apologize to workers, and are threatening to sue.
Some officials are resisting. Others are encouraging their workers to comply. At some agencies, there was conflicting guidance.
One message on Sunday morning from the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., instructed its roughly 80,000 employees to comply. That was shortly after the acting general counsel, Sean Keveney, had instructed some not to. And by Sunday evening, agency leadership issued new instructions that employees should “pause activities” related to the request until noon on Monday.
Continue reading at the Associated Press
Trump appointees appear to contradict Musk for first time in pushback to OPM email
A rift appeared to open Sunday between some of President Donald Trump’s agency heads and Elon Musk, the billionaire tasked with reforming the federal government, over Musk’s demand that all federal employees state their weekly accomplishments or risk termination.
By Sunday evening, leaders at the Pentagon, Federal Bureau of Investigation, State Department, Department of Homeland Security and Department of Energy had all instructed their staff not to reply to an email that federal workers received from the Office of Personnel Management on Saturday afternoon with the subject line: “What did you do last week?”
Some managers, including at the Department of Health and Human Services, instructed workers to comply with the request to send a list of five accomplishments from the past week to a generic government email address, only to later reverse course. And others simply told their staff to wait until Monday — and not to reply to the note before then.
Continue reading at CNN.com
Fact check: Eight ways Elon Musk has misled Americans about government spending
Elon Musk has repeatedly misled the public about federal spending while playing a leading role in President Donald Trump’s effort to cut that spending.
When Musk was asked earlier this month about one of the inaccurate statements he had promoted, he conceded that “some of the things that I say will be incorrect, and should be corrected.” But “some” might be an understatement. The billionaire businessman has made or amplified numerous false or misleading assertions in the past month alone, largely on the X social media platform he owns.
Here are eight examples.
This list doesn’t include erroneous cost-savings claims on the website of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. And it doesn’t include the many vague Musk assertions that he hasn’t corroborated but that also can’t be definitively debunked at this time.
The White House didn’t respond to CNN requests for comment last week.
Promoting a phony video about USAID and celebrities
As the Trump administration worked to dismantle the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Musk shared an X user’s post that claimed “USAID spent your tax dollars to fund celebrity trips to Ukraine, all to boost Zelensky’s popularity among Americans.” The post included a video, made to look as though it was from entertainment outlet E! News, that listed large sums various celebrities were supposedly paid for visits to Ukraine.
Continue reading at CNN.com
Trump announces Dan Bongino as Deputy FBI Director
“Great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice! Dan Bongino, a man of incredible love and passion for our Country, has just been named the next DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE FBI, by the man who will be the best ever Director, Kash Patel,” Trump said on Truth Social.
Bongino is a former U.S. Secret Service agent that became known for his defense of Trump while previously appearing as a Fox News contributor.
[…]
“He was a member of the New York Police Department (New York’s Finest!), a highly respected Special Agent with the United States Secret Service, and is now one of the most successful Podcasters in the Country, something he is willing and prepared to give up in order to serve,” Trump said.
Continue reading at The Hill
What Germany’s Election Means for America — and the World
The country’s next leader will face pressure from both Trump and the far right.
Germans delivered a major election win to conservatives Sunday — but the likely incoming chancellor may face trouble sooner than he’d like, for reasons foreign and domestic.
Friedrich Merz — the leader of the victorious Christian Democratic Union-Christian Social Union alliance — is a U.S.-loving former lawyer but he may clash with President Donald Trump, as Merz is a fierce defender of Europe and NATO.Meanwhile, Merz faces rising pressure on his right: Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right party with anti-migration and pro-Russian views, came in second place, amid voters’ growing concern over migration and the economy. It was the best showing ever for the party, but it likely won’t serve in a governing coalition; the other leading parties have refused to partner with AfD because they consider it too extreme. That means Merz will have to weave together a potentially fragile governing coalition, in part perhaps with the current ruling center-left Social Democrats, which landed third.
So how can Merz keep AfD at bay? Simple: He has to deliver, according to Gordon Repinski, the executive editor of POLITICO Germany and one of the savviest observers of the nation’s politics.
Continue reading at Politico Europe
These Republicans have a lot to lose if Congress cuts Medicaid
GOP lawmakers expected to vote soon on slashing the insurance program for low-income people represent tens of millions reliant on it.
A POLITICO review of enrollment in Medicaid by congressional district found that 11 Republicans in competitive seats represent larger-than-average Medicaid populations — collectively nearly 2.7 million recipients. A vote to cut the program presents a politically sensitive decision that may come back to haunt them in 2026.
With a 218-215 House split — the tightest in modern history — Republicans will be fighting for every seat during the midterms to keep control of the chamber. And they can only lose one vote in the House and still pass their budget bill.
House Republican leaders plan to use Medicaid cuts to pay for tax relief, border security and energy production in the coming weeks.
“The bulk of these cuts would have to be in Medicaid, and that’s why they’re not going to get the requisite votes they need to get it passed with the margins that they have right now,” said Bill Hoagland, senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a former GOP Senate Budget Committee staffer. “Leaders are going to have a lot of difficulty getting the votes to pass this resolution.”
Continue reading at Politico
Mike Johnson’s moment of truth
He’s pushed for “one big, beautiful bill” for weeks. Now the speaker has to deliver.
The Senate’s Plan B is in place. Now it’s up to Speaker Mike Johnson to deliver on Plan A — the “one big, beautiful bill” he’s been promising for weeks.
[…]
“I’m pulling for the House to pull together and get one big, beautiful bill,” said Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). If Johnson can do so, he added, “I will be his biggest fan.”
But Johnson is facing major skepticism as he plows forward this week. The Rules Committee will meet Monday to ready the House GOP budget plan for the floor as a group of holdouts concerned about deep cuts to Medicaid and other safety-net programs raise increasingly sharp concerns.
Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, normally an ally of GOP leadership, led a group of GOP lawmakers to warn against steep cuts to Medicaid, food assistance and Pell Grants. Several Republicans who held town hall meetings during their recess last week faced boos and criticism from constituents concerned about potential cuts.
Continue reading at Politico
UK targets Russian oligarchs ahead of Trump-Starmer meeting
UK says Russian oligarchs with links to the Kremlin will be banned from entering the country.
LONDON — The British government is promising to ban Russian oligarchs with links to the Kremlin from entering the U.K. as part of its latest set of sanctions marking three years since Russia's full- scale invasion of Ukraine.
The rules — unveiled just days before Prime Minister Keir Starmer heads to Washington, D.C. for crunch talks with U.S. President Donald Trump — would prevent "elites" linked to the Kremlin from entering British territory, the U.K. government said.
That includes those deemed to have provided "significant support" or who owe their "significant status or wealth" to President Vladimir Putin's regime — as well as people "who enjoy access to the highest levels" of the regime, the British Home Office said.
Continue reading at Politico
EU hits Russia with new sanctions amid Trump’s uncertainty
The package includes a ban on servicing oil and gas refineries, but it does not include a full ban on Russian LNG.
The European Union approved a new sanctions package against Russia on Monday, as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for negotiations over Ukraine’s future.
“EU delivers: Foreign Ministers just approved the 16th package of sanctions against Russia,” the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said in a statement.
“It hits everything from shadow fleet ships to gaming controllers used to control drones. We now have the most extensive sanctions ever, weakening Russia’s war effort,” she added.
The package, adopted on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, targets aluminum imports, shadow fleet vessels, and exports of chemicals, chrome and other materials used in precision machine tools.
It also includes a ban on servicing oil and gas refineries, but it does not include a full ban on Russian liquefied natural gas, amid discussions with Washington about potentially increasing U.S. LNG exports to Europe.
Continue reading at Politico
How White House firings are hurting veterans
The Trump administration's big cuts to the federal government are hitting one group particularly hard — the country's veterans.
Why it matters: Many of those who've served in the military derive a sense of purpose and belonging from their government work — viewing it as a way to serve their country and help their peers outside of active duty.
The big picture: It's not yet clear how many military vets have been fired, or will be. Last year veterans made up 28% of the federal workforce, per federal data — a far bigger share than the 5% in the private sector.
About 36% of the vets working in civil service, more than 200,000 in total, are disabled or have a serious health condition, per federal data.
"This is the largest attack on veteran employment in our lifetime," says William Attig, executive director at the Union Veterans Council, a labor group that represents many of these workers.
Continue reading at Axios
The businesses hoping to boom under an RFK Jr.-led HHS
Supplement makers, practitioners of alternative medicine and others in the wellness movement are hoping to capitalize on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s tenure as the nation's top health official.
Why it matters: Kennedy's interest in treating the root causes of chronic illnesses through lifestyle changes could elevate unregulated alternatives and risky pseudoscience while relegating diagnosis and treatment of disease to the back burner, critics warn.
The question is how that will play with many Americans who are fed up with an increasingly corporate health care system and eager to take more direct control over their care. Kennedy, an environmental lawyer with no health background, has long railed against drug companies and other industries profiteering off people's illnesses.
"It's sort of open season for grifters. There's no doubt in my mind," said Peter Lurie, executive director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
But supplement makers who generally don't have to provide evidence for the Food and Drug Administration to determine if their products are safe say they're hoping for a fairer playing field for products that help people live healthier lives.
Continue reading at Axios
‘Uncertainty is rising’: Stock market turbulence could spell trouble for Trump
A growing collection of hedge fund managers, financiers and analysts say the markets are now running too hot and are at risk of a sudden downturn.
Donald Trump’s election helped turbocharge an already surging bull market in the U.S., sending stocks and cryptocurrencies to record highs.
Now, some on Wall Street are beginning to sound the alarm that the fast times can’t last.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and others have warned that investors are plowing cash into stocks with inflated prices. Hedge fund giant Elliott Management said the blistering rise in crypto over the last year, with bitcoin up 89 percent, is the stuff of bubbles. So-called memestocks — companies like GameStop, whose shares tend to be driven by investor hype — have returned. And on top of that, economists say Trump’s plans for tariffs and an immigration crackdown — along with the dizzying pace of his policy moves — could roil the markets by stoking inflation and fueling uncertainty.
“For good or bad, depending on your politics, we’re back to the chaos presidency,” said Jim Chanos, a hedge fund manager who famously bet against Enron and other failing companies. “Whatever you might think about the Biden administration, if you were a market participant, you generally didn’t need to check your Twitter feed the first thing in the morning when you woke up just to see what was said. But we’re back to that, and with that, comes probably more volatility.”
Continue reading at Politico
The $400 billion Post Office conundrum
Who's going to be left holding the $400 billion bag? That's the ultimate question that undergirds the debate over the future of the post office.
Why it matters: The U.S. Postal Service suffers under a system of pension obligations that is seen at no private company and in no other government department.
But there's also historically been no appetite in Congress to fix this longstanding problem.
Driving the news: The White House on Friday denied a Washington Post report that President Trump intended to dissolve the USPS board and take control of the Post Office — but Trump did say that he wanted some kind of Commerce Department "merger" that would ensure the agency "doesn't lose massive amounts of money."
The big picture: Per a comprehensive report that was released last year by the USPS inspector general, the Post Office ended fiscal year 2022 with pension and healthcare liabilities of $409 billion — against assets of just $290 billion.
Retirement costs alone make up about 12% of the USPS's total expenses — but the Post Office has no control over where that money goes, how it's invested, or how it's disbursed.
Continue reading at Axios
Playbook: A date that will live in infamy
THE LATEST JAW-DROPPER: President Donald Trump announced last night that MAGA podcaster Dan Bongino will be deputy director of the FBI — another intensely political appointee to oversee the bureau alongside newly installed chief Kash Patel. Bongino is a former cop and Secret Service agent who dived headlong into MAGA world in the 2010s and now hosts one of the world’s most popular podcasts, pulling in more than 16 million listeners each month. By NPR’s count, Bongino becomes the 20th ex-Fox News host, journalist or commentator to bag a senior job in the new Trump administration.
Needless to say … Bongino’s appointment alongside Patel is being met with unrestrained glee by Trump supporters — “the WWE never constructed a tag-team better,” tweeted Matt Gaetz — and with utter despair by liberals, who had already grown fearful of a highly politicized FBI. Bongino can at least point to significant law-and-order experience in his previous roles, though critics accuse him of propagating falsehoods and conspiracy theories during his broadcast career. (NBC’s Ken Dilanian reckons current and former FBI types are “appalled.”) Whichever side of the political fence you’re on, this is truly unchartered territory for the feds.
And it’s not just the libs who are wailing: “Kash Patel should have been a redline,” wrote Marco Rubio’s former general counsel, Gregg Nunziata, on X. “Bongino is what you get when R Senators fail to do their jobs and say no to Patel. The Trump Admin is turning federal law enforcement over to unqualified, unprincipled, partisan henchmen. It's unacceptable and conservatives need to say so.”
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Trump’s election helped turbocharge an already surging bull market, sending stocks and cryptocurrencies to record highs. But now, some on Wall Street are beginning to fear the good times can’t last, POLITICO’s Declan Harty reports. “JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and others have warned that investors are plowing cash into stocks with inflated prices,” Declan reports. “Hedge fund giant Elliott Management said the blistering rise in crypto over the last year, with bitcoin up 89 percent, is the stuff of bubbles.” Even so-called memestocks have returned. Taken together, it’s one flashing red light for a president who puts more faith in the state of the stock market than any other economic indicator.
Continue reading Politico Playbook newsletter
Note from Rima: this is a newsletter with a varied number of topics
Politico
Inside Congress
Johnson’s make-or-break budget week
IN TODAY’S EDITION:
Johnson’s budget problems
GOP faces growing DOGE backlash
What Massie’s saying about McConnell’s seat
FIRST IN INSIDE CONGRESS: Meet the Republicans threatened by Medicaid cuts — As Speaker Mike Johnson tries to rally the GOP behind a budget vote Tuesday, one of his biggest problems is whether he can convince his party to make big cuts to Medicaid to help pay for President Donald Trump‘s legislative agenda.
To help you understand just how big of a political dilemma it’s become, check out a new POLITICO deep dive on 11 House Republicans who represent competitive districts with larger-than-average Medicaid populations. They include Reps. Gabe Evans, Robert Bresnahan, Nick Begich, Juan Ciscomani, Ken Calvert and Mike Lawler.
BUDGET STATE OF PLAY — Johnson doesn’t yet have the votes to get his budget plan approved on the House floor. He’s barreling ahead anyway.
Johnson is looking to move the budget resolution through House Rules today and to the floor on Tuesday. The former seems likely, at least — the Rules Committee’s conservative hard-liners, Reps. Chip Roy and Ralph Norman, are on board with Johnson’s framework.
But Tuesday’s floor vote is ambitious, even with Trump endorsing Johnson’s one-bill strategy for passing the president’s border, energy and tax agenda, our Meredith Lee Hill and Jordain Carney report. Johnson can likely only afford to lose one or two Republicans if he wants to move forward on his plan, depending on Democratic attendance. Rep. Victoria Spartz said she’s a no, and Rep. Thomas Massie has privately told members he plans to vote against it.
Other pain points: A handful of politically vulnerable members are still undecided on the measure. Meredith reports that some are planning to meet with Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie and GOP leaders today, as leadership tries to get Republicans on board. E&C is a major player because the budget plan would task it with cutting $880 billion — reductions that it will likely only find in Medicaid.
It doesn’t help that Republicans are returning from a week in their districts where several faced a backlash from constituents over Trump and Elon Musk’s chaotic attempts to downsize the federal workforce and slash spending.
Continue reading this Politico newsletter
Axios AM
1 big thing: Trump's Apple win
Apple this morning announced plans to invest more than $500 billion in the U.S. and hire 20,000 people over the next four years, with expansion and construction planned from coast to coast.
The new jobs will focus on research and development, silicon engineering, software development, and AI and machine learning.
Apple plans to greatly expand chip and server manufacturing in the U.S., plus skills development for students and workers across the country.
Why it matters: Apple's announcement — which the company calls its "largest-ever spend commitment" — is precisely the kind of win President Trump has been looking for with his push to move manufacturing back to the U.S.
Continue reading at Axios
2. Trump's loyalty-first FBI
President Trump named bombastic MAGA podcast star Dan Bongino as deputy FBI director — a role that doesn't request Senate confirmation, and typically goes to a senior agent.
Why it matters: With loyalist Kash Patel confirmed as FBI director, the bureau can function effectively as Trump's private security force.
Bongino served in the NYPD before joining the Secret Service and working in the Presidential Protective Division during the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
The FBI Agents Association wanted an active-duty agent as deputy. So the pick could intensify "mistrust among the rank-and-file," the N.Y. Times reports.
Continue reading at Axios
White House firings hit vets
The Trump administration's big cuts to the federal government are hitting military veterans particularly hard, Axios' Emily Peck writes.
Why it matters: Many of those who served in the military derive a sense of purpose and belonging from government work — viewing it as a way to serve their country and help their peers outside of active duty.
🖼️ The big picture: It's not yet clear how many military vets have been fired, or will be. Last year, veterans made up 28% of the federal workforce, according to federal data — a far bigger share than the 5% in the private sector.
About 36% of vets working in civil service, more than 200,000 in total, are disabled or have a serious health condition.
The other side: Interior has carved out an exception for vets, E&E News reports.
Continue reading at Axios
Disability protections in peril
People with disabilities say President Trump's DEI purge is eroding health care, education and legal protections they've only won in recent decades.
Why it matters: The Trump administration has taken actions that undermine accessibility measures — which are critical for leveling the playing field for people with disabilities — as part of its efforts targeting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
"It's very clear that there is an orchestrated attack by conservatives to dismantle the rights of people with disabilities," said Shawn Murinko, a Washington resident who has cerebral palsy.
The other side: The Trump administration takes issue with lowering standards to achieve diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility goals — not DEIA itself, the White House told Axios.
State of play: Trump last month ordered an end to all federal programs that mandate or invoke accessibility, alongside diversity, equity and inclusion.
Continue reading at Axios
Americans focus on their wallets as Trump policies roam
In today’s issue:
Has Trump ventured beyond consumers’ priority?
Agencies tell workers to ignore DOGE email
Budget progress still iffy in Congress
Zelensky would quit presidency for Ukraine NATO membership
President Trump is flying high while floating back to Earth. His influence is vast but polls at his one-month mark are flashing yellow.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Sunday underscored that Trump is putting “considerable effort into policies that many Americans don’t like, or don’t consider very important.” Fighting inflation motivates 58 percent of the survey’s respondents. Just 32 percent approve of Trump’s performance on prices, according to the survey of 4,000 U.S. adults nationwide. Fifty-three percent of the country opposes what they see from Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, while 42 percent of the country supports the endeavor.
Trump has acknowledged higher inflation but tried to sidestep the topic last week during a Fox News interview. Both the president and Vice President JD Vance have said lowering grocery prices will take time.
If the public takeaway is that Elon Musk and his “you’re fired” sprint through the federal bureaucracy is too much, too fast, Trump’s job approval rating, most recently at 45 percent, could be impacted. A decline in public sentiment could be showing up already, USA Today reports, as multiple polls conducted in mid-February have brought the president’s net approval rating down, FiveThirtyEight’s rolling poll average shows.
Continue reading The Hill’s Morning Report
Angry Democratic donors turn off the flow of money
Democrats are anxious to rebuild their party on the heels of President Trump’s victory in November. But they have a major problem as they try to refashion their brand: The money isn’t there.
Democratic donors — from bundlers to small dollar donors — say they are still angry about the election results and uninspired by anything their side has put forward since then.
“I’ll be blunt here: The Democratic Party is f‑‑‑ing terrible. Plain and simple,” said one major Democratic donor. “In fact, it doesn’t get much worse.”
A second donor was equally as pointed. “They want us to spend money and for what? For no message, no organization, no forward thinking,” the donor said. “The thing that’s clear to a lot of us is that the party never really learned its lesson in 2016. They worked off the same playbook and the same ineffective strategies and to what end?”
Much of the consternation among the donor community stems from the unprecedented 2024 election cycle, where many felt misled by the party and former President Biden’s reelection campaign.
Continue reading at The Hill
In Texas, ‘energy dominance’ is the solar industry’s new motto
AUSTIN, Texas — Solar energy might be clean, cheap and slow the heating of the planet. But that’s not what the solar industry wants lawmakers to focus on.
Instead, solar leaders are at the Texas Capitol this week presenting their industry as a lucrative pathway toward American “energy dominance.”
On Wednesday, they pitched solar and battery storage to Texas legislators as a key source of jobs and rural renewal and — above all — the fastest possible way to get new electricity onto the state grid.
“We’re spreading the good news,” said Daniel Giese, Texas director for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), as he walked between legislators’ offices.
Continue reading at The Hill
GOP scrambles to win over moderates on budget resolution
Senate passage of a budget resolution designed to execute large parts of President Trump’s policy agenda throws the ball back to the House, where GOP leaders are hoping to move swiftly on legislation encompassing an even broader swath of Trump’s first-year wishlist.
Behind Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Republicans were already advancing Trump’s “one big beautiful bill” strategy even before Senate GOP leaders chose to charge ahead with their competing — and more narrow — budget blueprint, which passed through the upper chamber in the early hours of Friday morning.
But Trump’s surprise endorsement of the House package — which came amid the Senate process and blindsided GOP leaders — has heightened the stakes for Johnson and other top Republicans, who are now under even greater pressure to unite their divided conference behind the massive spending plan in order to secure an early win for the president, who’s facing mounting criticism for rising inflation and efforts to gut the federal bureaucracy.
The GOP budget bill is poised to hit the House floor this week, but passage is no slam dunk.
Continue reading at The Hill
How Trump’s government-cutting moves risk exposing the CIA’s secrets
The CIA is conducting a formal review to assess any potential damage from an unclassified email sent to the White House in early February that identified for possible layoffs some officers by first name and last initial and could’ve exposed the roles of people working undercover, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
That’s just one of multiple aftershocks from President Donald Trump’s push to take a jackhammer to the federal government – including the CIA. The administration’s efforts to cut the workforce and audit spending at the CIA and elsewhere threaten to jeopardize some of the government’s most sensitive work, current and former US officials familiar with internal deliberations say.
Across the river in Washington, a senior career Treasury Department official delivered a memo warning Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that granting a 25-year-old computer engineer with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency access to the government’s ultra-sensitive payments system risked exposing highly classified CIA payments that flow through it.
[…]
‘The position is now burned’
In an effort to comply with an executive order to downsize the federal workforce, the CIA earlier this month sent the White House an extraordinarily unusual email listing all new hires that have been with the agency for two years or less — a list that included CIA officers who were preparing to operate under cover — over an unclassified email server.
The agency is now considering whether some of the employees listed in the email to the White House who were previously slated for covert deployments in sensitive locations overseas should now be held back or reassigned, sources familiar with the matter said, because the risk that their identity may have been exposed to foreign government hackers is too high.
There is also a concern that some US embassy positions that are actually filled by CIA officers under cover may now be at risk of being revealed — potentially angering the host nation and exposing companies or endangering CIA assets who are known to have met with past occupants of the role.
Continue reading at CNN.com
Supreme Court turns down chance to claw back abortion clinic buffer zones
The Supreme Court turned down an opportunity to overturn its precedent permitting buffer zones around abortion clinics over the objections of two of the court’s leading conservatives.
In two orders issued Monday, the court declined to take up challenges to ordinances in Carbondale, Ill., and Englewood, N.J., that ban anti-abortion activists from approaching someone entering an abortion clinic, sometimes dubbed “sidewalk counseling.”
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito both indicated they would’ve taken up the case, but it requires four justices’ votes to do so.
Continue reading at The Hill
Bongino, Trump’s pick for No. 2 at FBI, ripped GOP senators
Speaking on his program, “The Dan Bongino Show,” in 2021, Bongino slammed Cassidy as “a dreadful RINO [Republican in name only] senator” during a conversation with radio personality Moon Griffon about the bipartisan push for a $1 trillion infrastructure bill, one of former President Biden’s biggest accomplishments.
Bongino bashed Murkowski last month after she voted against Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Defense, calling her a “disgrace to humankind” and “a total fraud” on the social platform X.
He argued her Alaska seat “is the one seat where we’re almost better off with a Democrat.”
Continue reading at The Hill
Just 1 in 3 approve of job Trump doing on inflation: Survey
Just 1 in 3 people approve of the job President Trump is doing to curb inflation, a survey released Sunday found.
Thirty-two percent of respondents in the poll, released Sunday by Reuters and Ipsos, approve of the job Trump is doing on inflation, a top issue he focused on during the 2024 campaign. Battling inflation propelled him to victory in last November’s election after 58 percent of people said it would be a major factor determining their vote, Reuters noted.
Trump has sought to distance himself from the recent rise in inflation, arguing he has “nothing to do” with the uptick since he returned to the White House and blamed former President Biden.
Majorities also disapprove of other priorities and actions during Trump’s first month back in the Oval Office, according to the survey.
Continue reading at The Hill
Judge blocks Department of Education, OPM from disclosing troves of sensitive personal data to DOGE
A federal judge on Monday temporarily barred the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing troves of sensitive personal data from federal agencies.
U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman ruled that the Department of Education and its employees may not disclose to DOGE the personally identifying information of six Americans and the members of five union organizations who sued three agencies over DOGE’s access to their sensitive data.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is similarly barred from disclosing the personal data of the plaintiffs with any OPM employee working “principally” on the DOGE agenda.
However, the same rule does not apply to the Department of Treasury, from which Boardman declined to banish DOGE. She wrote in a footnote that a different federal judge already granted a preliminary injunction effectuating the relief plaintiffs sought against Treasury.
Continue reading at The Hill
Jeffries urges full Dem attendance for GOP budget vote: ‘Pivotal’
In a Monday letter to all House Democrats, Jeffries noted that the vote will be razor thin, whichever way it falls, and urged his colleagues to be on hand to optimize their powers to block President Trump’s domestic agenda before it can get off the ground.
“Given the expected closeness of the vote, it’s imperative that we are present with maximum attendance,” Jeffries wrote.
Jeffries’s task is both simple and arduous. Simple, in the sense that it’s always easier, on Capitol Hill, to rally the minority party against the partisan proposals of the majority. And House Democrats are firmly united against the GOP’s budget plan.
Continue reading at The Hill
Video of Trump kissing Musk’s feet plays on TVs in HUD building
A video depicting President Trump rubbing and kissing Elon Musk’s feet played on television screens in the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) building on Monday, in an apparent mocking of the relationship between the two men.
The words “Long live the real king,” were displayed over the top of the computer-generated video, a reference to Trump’s Truth Social post last week in which he wrote, “Long Live the King!”
The Hill obtained a photo of the screens in the HUD building as they video was playing.
Continue reading at The Hill
Booker: Trump ‘going after critical jobs’ to ‘save pennies’
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) Sunday accused President Trump of “going after critical jobs to save pennies,” saying he is doing so to “give big tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans.”
“He’s going after critical jobs to save pennies in order to give himself more room to give big tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans and the wealthiest corporations,” Booker said on MSNBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Booker said while former Presidents Clinton and Obama closed the annual deficit, Trump created “the biggest gulfs.”
“He is a profligate spender,” the New Jersey Democrat said of Trump. “And he does it all to give tax cuts to the wealthiest.”
Continue reading at The Hill
Crockett: ‘Actual ecosystem’ pumps out disinformation on behalf of Republicans
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) said Sunday there is an “actual ecosystem” of conservative media and online influencers that spreads disinformation on behalf of the Republican Party.
“There’s an actual ecosystem that pumps out this disinformation consistently on behalf of them,” she said on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show,” adding that Democrats in Congress need to figure out how best to communicate with the public.
“We’ve got to settle into that and recognize that not everyone is going to sit on a podcast. Not everyone’s going to be social media savvy. But they are going to have to find their communication lane,” she said of Democratic politicians.
Continue reading at The Hill
Federal employee unions expand lawsuit to Musk firing threat if they don’t justify work
It marks the first legal challenge to the governmentwide email sent by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which instructs employees to respond with five accomplishments by 11:59 p.m. EST Monday.
The updated lawsuit claims the initiative “has not complied with any procedural requirements” under the Administrative Procedure Act, such as first providing a notice-and-comment period.
Continue reading at The Hill
Americans’ views of Israel, Ukraine, Mexico more divided than ever: Gallup
A new poll suggests dramatically deepening partisan rifts over Israel, Ukraine and Mexico as President Trump focuses on all three countries just more than a month into his second term.
Gallup’s annual World Affairs survey found Republicans overwhelmingly view Israel more favorably than Democrats, 83 percent to 33 percent, while Democrats polled hold more favorable views toward Mexico, 83 percent to 47 percent, and Ukraine, 83 percent to 34 percent.
Independents hold opinions of Israel and Mexico closer to those of Democrats, while their views on Ukraine more closely align with Republicans, the Gallup poll found.
All three double-digit splits between the two major political parties are near records and represent the deepest divides in views toward other countries, according to Gallup.
Continue reading at The Hill
Trump Ukraine policy looks like an episode of ‘The Sopranos’: Democratic rep
Democratic Rep. Jim Himes (Conn.) says President Trump’s push for Ukraine’s rare earths and minerals amid the nation’s war with Russia feels like an extortion plotline out of “The Sopranos.”
Himes joined “Fox News Sunday’s” Shannon Bream to discuss Trump’s plan to end the three-year war and the president’s friendly relationship with Russia. He was asked about a Trump proposal to have Ukraine pay back the U.S. for all the aid that it has received through the conflict.
“I have two problems with that concept,” Himes replied. “One, it just looks like an episode of ‘The Sopranos,’ right? ‘Give us your minerals or we’re not going to help you fight a bloody butcher.’”
“I mean, is this really what we want the greatest country in history to be known for? For … some mafia thing?” he asked.
Continue reading at The Hill
Trump celebrates end of Joy Reid MSNBC show: ‘Finally’
Saying the network has “finally gotten the nerve up to fire one of the least talented people in television,” Trump blasted Reid in a Truth Social post on Monday saying she “should have been canned a long time ago.”
Reid, one of the most vocal Trump critics on the progressive cable channel, is having her show canceled as part of a wider retooling of the network’s programming under Trump’s second term, The Hill confirmed over the weekend.
Reid’s final show is planned for some time this week, a source familiar with the changes said, noting former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is among the media personalities being considered to anchor one of the week’s prime-time hours.
Continue reading at The Hill
Lester Holt is stepping down as anchor of ‘NBC Nightly News’
House Democrats are ramping up their attacks on the GOP agenda
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries urged "maximum attendance" this week ahead of a tight vote.
House Democrats are sharpening their attacks on the Republican policy agenda ahead of an expected Tuesday budget vote, with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries laying out a plan for pushback in a letter to Democratic colleagues Monday.
With one House Republican, Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) already publicly opposing the plan and others privately dug in against it, Jeffries urged "maximum attendance" from his caucus to keep the pressure on Speaker Mike Johnson and his minuscule GOP majority. Democrats are also playing up the backlash some Republican members of Congress faced at recent town halls (some of it organized by liberal advocacy groups) as they try to harness grassroots resistance to the GOP.
House Democrats will gather Tuesday on the House steps, Jeffries said, to "make sure that the country can hear from everyday Americans whose lives will be devastated by the Republican budget scheme."
Continue reading at Politico
Trump personally decided to limit Associated Press’ access to White House
The acknowledgement came in a lawsuit filed by the news organization.
President Donald Trump personally decided to bar The Associated Press from some White House events and spaces, the White House said in court documents Monday.
The decision to grant journalists “special access” is a “quintessentially discretionary presidential choice,” government lawyers wrote in a 23-page brief submitted in advance of an emergency court hearing Monday afternoon.
Continue reading at Politico
Forget DOGE. Republicans are playing with political fire as they move to gut Medicaid.
With several GOP lawmakers getting roasted at town halls this past week, there’s already a lot of speculation about how Elon Musk’s Project Chainsaw — er, Department of Government Efficiency — could be the beginning of the end for the GOP’s congressional majorities.
There’s obvious parallels to the beginnings of the 2010 Republican romp or, eight years later, the public uproar that preceded the “blue wave” that swept the GOP from power in the House.
But I’ve spoken to a bunch of smart folks in both parties who say the DOGE-fueled protests we saw this week aren’t directly comparable.
At least not yet — and I think they’re right.
Another Republican priority is making them far more nervous. Consider what was at the center of both the 2010 and 2018 House landslides — the creation and attempted repeal, respectively, of the Affordable Care Act, the biggest overhaul of American health care in a generation.
Continue reading at Politico Magazine
Republicans’ plans for Medicaid have a political problem
GOP lawmakers expected to vote soon on slashing the insurance program for low-income people represent tens of millions reliant on it.
House Republicans who represent large numbers of Medicaid recipients are pushing back on their leaders’ plans to slash billions in funding for the insurance program for low-income people.
That dissension could grow considering that President Donald Trump has made the GOP more appealing to the working class. Republicans rely on low-income voters more than they have in decades, with Trump the first Republican presidential candidate to win the poorest third of the electorate since the 1960s.
A POLITICO review of enrollment in Medicaid by congressional district found that 11 Republicans in competitive seats represent larger-than-average Medicaid populations — collectively nearly 2.7 million recipients. A vote to cut the program presents a politically sensitive decision that may come back to haunt them in 2026.
With a 218-215 House split — the tightest in modern history — Republicans will be fighting for every seat during the midterms to keep control of the chamber. And they can only lose one vote in the House and still pass their budget bill.
House Republican leaders plan to use Medicaid cuts to pay for tax relief, border security and energy production in the coming weeks.
Continue reading at Politico
Inside the proposed U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal
The U.S. and Ukraine are closing in on minerals agreement worth hundreds of billions of dollars under which the U.S. would express its desire to keep Ukraine "free, sovereign and secure," according to a draft obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: The Trump administration sees the agreement as a way to get a return on U.S. investment in Ukraine, which has vast untapped mineral wealth. Ukrainian officials see the deal as a way to halt the deterioration of relations with the Trump administration and establish a longer-term partnership with the U.S.
A Ukrainian official told Axios a deal is close and could be signed as soon as Monday. The official said the document Axios has reviewed is the most recent version, but could still be amended.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna confirmed in an X post Monday that the sides were close to a deal, and said signing it would "showcase our commitment for decades to come."
Driving the news: The draft agreement calls for the establishment of a "Reconstruction Investment Fund" that will be co-managed by the U.S. and Ukraine.
Key quote: "The Government of the United States of America intends to provide a long-term financial commitment to the development of a stable and economically prosperous Ukraine," the draft says.
Continue reading at Axios
Tariffs make consumers and businesses anxious
The new administration's policies appear to be weighing on purchasing plans, hiring intentions and hopes of lower inflation, according to recent survey data.
Why it matters: In the immediate aftermath of the election, markets rallied and businesses celebrated the dawn of a friendlier era for regulation. Now, tariff threats look to be putting a dent in the economic outlook of consumers and businesses.
It's likely that signs would first appear in key surveys of businesses and shoppers — though it is still early and the pandemic recovery exposed the flaws of these measurements.
The big picture: Excitement about potential Trump-era deregulation and tax cuts drove consumer and executive sentiment higher right after the election. Now fears about trade war fallout might overshadow those business-friendly policies.
The University of Michigan's measure of consumer sentiment fell about 10% this month relative to January, the second consecutive decline.
Buying conditions for large-ticket items plunged almost 20% in February, a sign that consumers anticipate tariff-related price increases.
Continue reading at Axios
Food delivery giants agree to merge
Prosus on Monday announced an agreement to buy food delivery company Just Eat Takeaway for €4.1 billion in cash.
Why it matters: This would make Prosus the world's fourth-largest food delivery company, per ING analysts, even though no one has ever opened a "Prosus" app to get their burrito.
The Dutch company has operations in over 70 countries, including through minority stakes in Delivery Hero, Swiggy, and Meituan.
By the numbers: The €20.30 per share deal represents a 63% premium over Friday's closing price for Just Eat Takeaway shares on the Amsterdam exchange, and a 49% premium to the three-month trading average (including when it still traded in London).
Just Eat Takeaway was formed in 2020 when Takeaway bought Just East for around $7.8 billion in stock, after having rejected a £5.1b takeover offer from Prosus.
The bottom line: Food delivery keeps consolidating.
Continue reading at Axios
Lester Holt to step down as anchor of NBC's "Nightly News"
Lester Holt is stepping down as anchor of NBC News' "Nightly News" after a decade, he told staffers in a memo obtained by Axios Monday. He will continue to work for NBC News in a new, expanded anchor role at the network's crime news drama show, Dateline.
Why it matters: Holt, 65, is one of the most well-known and most-watched news anchors in the industry.
"Nightly News" — the network's longtime weekday nightly primetime news program — has an average of around 6 million viewers each night.
Holt will continue anchoring until the summer. NBC News has not yet named his replacement.
Continue reading at Axios
Starbucks menu cuts starting soon, layoffs announced
Starbucks announced Monday that it is cutting more than 1,100 jobs and outlined some of the "less popular beverages" being removed from the menu.
Why it matters: The coffee giant under CEO Brian Niccol has been moving to return to its roots to try reversing a decline in foot traffic and sales.
Niccol said in late January that the company will trim "roughly 30%" of its menu items by the end of the 2025 fiscal year.
Starbucks layoffs 2025
Driving the news: Niccol said in a message to employees Monday that the company has made the "hard decision to eliminate 1,100 current support partner roles and several hundred additional open and unfilled positions."
"We are simplifying our structure, removing layers and duplication and creating smaller, more nimble teams," Niccol wrote. "Our intent is to operate more efficiently, increase accountability, reduce complexity and drive better integration."
When is Starbucks cutting drinks from menu?
The big picture: Starbucks announced Monday that its menu cuts will begin March 4.
The list includes several Frappuccino blended beverages and items the company says "aren't commonly purchased, can be complex to make, or are like other beverages on our menu."
Continue reading at Axios
Axios Macro newsletter
It is early days, but there are clues that business executives and consumers are becoming more wary of the economic outlook. Today, we look at what that means (or possibly doesn't!) for the months ahead.
👀 Situational awareness: The center-right party led by Friedrich Merz prevailed in German elections over the weekend, calming European financial markets.
"My absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA," said Merz, the likely chancellor once a coalition government is formed. 🇩🇪
1 big thing: New Trump economy caution
The new administration's policies appear to be weighing on purchasing plans, hiring intentions and hopes of lower inflation, according to recent survey data.
Why it matters: In the immediate aftermath of the election, markets rallied and businesses celebrated the dawn of a friendlier era for regulation. Now, tariff threats look to be putting a dent in the economic outlook of consumers and businesses.
It's likely that signs would first appear in key surveys of businesses and shoppers — though it is still early and the pandemic recovery exposed the flaws of these measurements.
2. Yes, but ...
Surveys of businesses and consumers may have become less reliable as early indicators of how the economy will perform in this highly polarized age.
The intrigue: In the Biden era, there was a mismatch between tanking sentiment and strong economic activity — a factor that might have been influenced by politics. That phenomenon may extend into the Trump years.
For instance, depressed sentiment and higher inflation expectations in February were concentrated among Democrats and independents, according to UMich.
UMich's sentiment index dropped 14 points among Democrats and roughly half as much for independents.
Continue reading at Axios Macro newsletter
US votes against UN resolution condemning Russia for Ukraine war
The U.S. voted against a resolution condemning Russia as the aggressor in the war in Ukraine that passed the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, marking three years since Russia’s launched its full-scale invasion of the country.
The resolution is an expression of the body, and not a binding action, but signals weakening U.S. political support for Ukraine under the Trump administration, in favor of improved relations with Russia.
Trump in recent days has blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the war, which started when Moscow initiated a full-scale invasion into the neighboring country on Feb. 24, 2023.
Continue reading at The Hill
UN rejects US resolution that urges an end to the Ukraine war without noting Russian aggression
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — In a win for Ukraine on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, the U.N. General Assembly on Monday refused to approve a U.S.-backed resolution that urged an end to the war without mentioning Moscow’s aggression. Instead, it approved a European-backed Ukrainian resolution demanding Russia immediately withdraw its forces, which the Trump administration opposed.
It was a setback for the Trump administration in the 193-member world body, whose resolutions are not legally binding but are seen as a barometer of world opinion. But it also showed some diminished support for Ukraine, whose resolution passed 93-18, with 65 abstentions. That’s lower than previous votes, which saw more than 140 nations condemn Russia’s aggression and demand its immediate withdrawal.
The United States had tried to pressure the Ukrainians to withdraw their resolution in favor of its proposal, including a last-minute appeal by U.S. deputy ambassador Dorothy Shea. Ukraine refused, and the assembly approved three European-proposed amendments adding language to the U.S. proposal making clear that Russia invaded its smaller neighbor in violation of the U.N. Charter.
Continue reading at the Associated Press
Ukraine membership in NATO ‘not back on the table’: Waltz
Ukraine membership in NATO is “not back on the table,” national security adviser Mike Waltz said Monday.
Waltz’s remarks underscored previous suggestions from President Trump and other officials in his government that they will not agree to consider putting Ukraine in NATO, which has been seen as a red line for Russia.
“That is not back on the table,” Waltz said on “Fox and Friends.” “I do not see the United States having Ukraine enter into NATO and then having United States troops essentially obligated immediately … in terms of Article 5 or coming to have U.S. troops, coming directly in for the defense of Ukraine. That is very different.”
Members of NATO under Article 5 are to respond to an attack on one as an attack on all.
Continue reading at The Hill
Supreme Court appears swayed by Texas death row inmate’s request for DNA testing
The Supreme Court appeared swayed by a Texas death row inmate’s argument he has the legal right to sue over the state’s laws governing DNA testing, as he seeks to obtain testing on evidence he claims would prevent his execution.
Ruben Gutierrez was convicted of capital murder and other charges tied to the 1998 robbery and killing of 85-year-old Escolastica Harrison. Prosecutors said Gutierrez and two others plotted to lure Harrison out of her mobile home to steal cash, but instead, two men entered the home and killed her.
For more than a decade, the death row inmate has sought DNA testing to prove that he is ineligible for capital punishment because he wasn’t a major participant in the crime, asserting that he was not one of the two men to enter the home though he did participate in the robbery.
Continue reading at The Hill
DeSantis: Donalds hasn’t been part of victories we’ve had in Florida
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) took a swipe at Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) Monday as the congressman inches closer to launching his gubernatorial campaign in the state.
“My view is Donald Trump just got into office. I want these congressmen focused on enacting his agenda. They haven’t done very much yet,” DeSantis told reporters when asked whether he planned to endorse Donalds.
“They’re not putting his executive orders into place. We’ll see what they do on the spending, but we have such a narrow majority that to be trying to campaign other places and missing these votes, I think, is not something that’s advisable at all,” he continued.
“The reality is we’ve achieved victories in Florida. We need to start achieving those victories up there,” he said. “I think people look at it and say you’ve got a guy like Byron, he just hasn’t been a part of any of the victories that we’ve had here over the left over these last years. He’s just not been a part of it. He’s been in other states campaigning doing that and that’s fine, but OK, then deliver results up there.”
Continue reading at The Hill
Note from Rima: Byron Donalds has Trump’s backing for a run for governor
Ron DeSantis was laying the groundwork for his successor. Then Trump took a different path.
Now DeSantis, who has arguably risen to become the most powerful governor in Florida history, may leave office without someone determined to preserve his legacy.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Gov. Ron DeSantis and first lady Casey DeSantis had a message for donors and other important Republican backers over the last few weeks: Don’t throw your support to Rep. Byron Donalds, because Casey DeSantis was seriously considering jumping into the 2026 race for governor.
That message was upended last Thursday night with a single social media post by President Donald Trump emphatically endorsing Donalds. And Trump’s decision may have also derailed an effort to preserve Gov. DeSantis’ conservative legacy ahead of another potential presidential run.
Three Republican operatives and consultants, who were granted anonymity to disclose details of the effort to promote Casey DeSantis, said the governor made calls requesting people hold off on support for the congressmember to donors and potential Donalds boosters — including some who showed up on a social media post in which Trump touted a poll showing Donalds leading among potential GOP candidates. (That poll did not include Casey DeSantis.)
Continue reading at Politico
House Democrat planning ‘Bad DOGE Act’
Rep. Dave Min (D-Calif.) is planning to introduce a bill titled “Bad DOGE Act” in the House against the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), arguing that it is engaged in an “abuse of power.”
Speaking on MSNBC’s “Way Too Early” Monday morning, Min said his bill aims to question “the abuses of power, the illegalities, the blatant attacks on our Constitution that Elon Musk and DOGE are engaged in right now.”
The executive order from the White House that established DOGE grants it the authority to undertake a data modernization project. Min argued that it has exceeded its mandate by conducting federal firings and trying to shut down entire agencies without congressional approval.
Min acknowledged that the GOP enjoys a slim majority in the House, but said he hopes some Republicans will support the legislation. “I’m hoping that we can get some Republicans on this bill,” he said.
Continue reading at The Hill
Judge blocks Trump administration from making immigration arrests at some places of worship
Washington — A federal judge in Maryland blocked the Trump administration on Monday from carrying out immigration enforcement actions at certain places of worship for Quakers, Cooperative Baptists and Sikhs, who filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump's unwinding of a Biden-era memo that barred immigration arrests at certain protected locations.
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang granted a request for a narrow preliminary injunction sought by the religious groups as they pursue their challenge to Mr. Trump's directive allowing federal immigration authorities to conduct enforcement actions at places of worship. Chuang's order does not block the administration's policy nationwide, and only applies to houses of worship owned or used by the challengers — the Quakers, Cooperative Baptists and Sikhs.
The groups had argued that the new policy allowing immigration arrests at places that were previously considered protected violates their First Amendment rights and burdens the free exercise of religion under federal law.
Continue reading at CBS News
Roberta Flack, Grammy Award-winning singer, dead at 88
Roberta Flack, the Grammy-winning soul singer best known for her celebrated interpretations of romantic ballads like “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” as well as her professional collaborations and social activism, has died, according to a statement from her publicist.
She was 88.
Continue reading at CNN
Trump administration backs off Musk’s 5 things threat
An administration official said it is “not a one-size-fits-all” approach.
The Trump administration is backing off Elon Musk’s weekend mandate that federal employees submit five things they accomplished in the last week or face dismissal ahead of a Monday evening deadline.
An administration official, granted anonymity to share details about the White House’s thinking, said Monday morning that federal employees should defer to their agencies on how to respond to a government-wide email from the Office of Personnel Management on Saturday. Many agency heads have told employees not to respond.
Continue reading at Politico
Note from Rima: Reports are still coming in about employees being told they will be put on leave this week.
Crafts retailer Joann going out of business; 19,000 jobs lost
Bankrupt arts and crafts retailer Joann will close all of its stores, after its restructuring plans faltered and a liquidator agreed to buy its assets.
Why it matters: Joann had about 800 stores and 19,000 employees when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January, including 15,600 part-time workers.
Between the lines: The company had plans to shutter about 500 of its stores earlier this month, but those collapsed in recent days after liquidator GA Group won a bid to acquire substantially all of its assets.
A final sale hearing to approve the liquidation sale is set for Wednesday, Feb. 26 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
Flashback: Founded in 1943 as the Cleveland Fabric Shop in Ohio, the retailer expanded to 18 locations by 1963, when it renamed itself Jo-Ann Fabrics.
Continue reading at Axios
What to know about Dan Bongino, new FBI deputy director
Dan Bongino, newly appointed deputy FBI director, is a former Secret Service agent who's more recently gained prominence as a conservative podcaster with a background on Fox News.
Why it matters: Bongino is a staunch ally of President Trump, who has set out to overhaul the Justice Department in alignment with his agenda.
"I've spent my life in public service, beginning with the NYPD and continuing through my time as a Secret Service agent, working under both Republican and Democrat administrations," he said in a statement.
He's also spread conspiracy theories about the FBI's role in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections and questioned the integrity of its investigations into the assassination attempts targeting Trump, Axios previously reported.
State of play: The deputy FBI director role doesn't require Senate confirmation and typically goes to a senior career agent. Kash Patel, one of Trump's most controversial mega-MAGA picks, was confirmed by the Senate 51-49 last week as director.
Continue reading at Axios
Watch: The U.S. joins Russia in voting against the UN resolution condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine
These 17 countries voted with US against Ukraine UN resolution
The 16 that voted against Monday’s resolution alongside the U.S. and Russia were Israel, Haiti, Hungary, Palau and the Marshall Islands; the African countries Burkina Faso, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Niger and Sudan; and Belarus, North Korea, Syria, Eritrea, Mali and Nicaragua, six countries that voted against the 2023 resolution:.
Continue reading at The Hill
Xi says China, Russia true friends as Trump pursues Putin talks
Chinese leader Xi Jinping says China and Russia are true friends after speaking on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Xi reportedly said history and reality show the two countries are good neighbors and allies that support one another, Chinese state media reported on Monday, adding that Xi and Putin made plans for relations between the two countries throughout the year and “strengthened coordination on a series of major international and regional issues.”
It’s the latest in the developing relations between countries, coming as President Trump places more tariffs on China and seeks to break up the Russia-China partnership while increasingly engaging with Moscow on ending the war in Ukraine.
Continue reading at The Hill
Republican files article of impeachment against judge who ordered agencies to restore scrubbed data
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) on Monday introduced an impeachment resolution against a federal judge who ordered federal health agencies to temporarily restore online datasets scrubbed as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on “gender ideology.”
The article of impeachment says U.S. District Judge John Bates’s conduct in the case was “so utterly lacking in intellectual honesty and basic integrity that he is guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Earlier this month, Bates agreed with a left-leaning physicians group that federal health agencies likely violated federal law when they took down various data to align with President Trump’s executive order recognizing only two sexes.
Continue reading at The Hill
McConnell suggests Trump has ‘gross misunderstanding’ of Ukraine talks
McConnell declared in a statement marking the three-year anniversary of the war that the “human catastrophe rests solely on Vladimir Putin” and that if Ukrainian forces laid down their arms, “Putin’s aims would not stop with Kyiv.”
“Mistaking this fact is as embarrassing as it is costly,” McConnell said.
He also criticized what he called the Biden administration’s “shameful hesitation and half-measures” in responding to Russian aggression but, without naming Trump specifically, he warned that refusing to recognize the United States’ interest in defeating Russian aggression would be “even more disgraceful.”
Continue reading at The Hill
OPM tells HR leaders that response to Musk is ‘voluntary’
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) informed agency leaders that employee response to an email asking for a recap of what they accomplished last week is voluntary and that failure to do so will not be considered a resignation.
The guidance given to the human resources officers at every agency undercuts a Saturday push from Elon Musk demanding all federal employees send five bullet notes of what they accomplished in the week prior by 11:50 p.m. EST Monday or face removal.
“This afternoon, OPM during a Chief Human Capital Officers Council meeting, informed agencies that employee responses to the OPM email is voluntarily,” according to an email obtained by The Hill.
“OPM also clarified that a non-response to the email does not equate to a resignation.”
Continue reading at The Hill
Budget won't be changed to address Medicaid concerns, Johnson says
Swing-district Republicans are concerned about $880 billion Energy and Commerce instruction.
Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday that he isn’t planning to make any changes to his budget plan to placate Republicans concerned about possible Medicaid cuts.
“No,” Johnson replied when asked if he would offer any concessions to those members, some of whom he’s planning to meet with later Monday.
“Look, everybody needs to understand that the resolution is merely the starting point for the process,” Johnson said. “So there’s nothing specific about Medicaid in the resolution. The legislation comes later, so this is the important first start.”
The budget blueprint sets out a minimum of $880 billion in cuts from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and a group of vulnerable House Republicans is arguing that the bulk of those reductions will have to come out of Medicaid given that the panel has virtually no other options to make cuts of that magnitude.
Continue reading at Politico
Trump says Putin will accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine
Trump made the remarks during a lightning visit by French President Emmanuel Macron.
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine in a potential breakthrough that could help end the Kremlin's war against Kyiv.
“He will accept that. I have asked him that question,” Trump said of Putin, when asked directly about the deployment of European troops. “Look, if we do this deal, he’s not looking for more war ... I’ve specifically asked him that question. He has no problem with it.”
If Trump has interpreted Putin correctly, it would be a major U-turn from the Russians, who have insisted that deploying foreign peacekeepers in Ukraine would represent an escalation.
Sitting beside French President Emmanuel Macron in the Oval Office, Trump also expressed confidence the war could end "within weeks," but warned that, without an agreement, the fighting could spiral into "World War III."
Continue reading at Politico Europe
AP finally gets to question Trump
The White House banned the outlet for refusing to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico.
President Donald Trump is still feuding with the Associated Press over its refusal to adopt the phrase “Gulf of America.” But on Monday, the outlet gained access to Trump’s news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron — and then got to ask a question.
Trump called on a reporter with the AP’s Paris bureau after the press corps traveling with Macron collectively decided the outlet should get the first opportunity among the France-based reporters to address the two leaders.
Continue reading at Politico
Livestream: Macron and Trump at the White House
Gold still on his mind…
Youngkin: I have ‘extraordinary empathy’ for federal workers at risk of losing jobs
“I understand and I actually have extraordinary empathy for the fact that there are many workers in Virginia today from our federal workforce who are experiencing real concerns,” Youngkin said at a press conference in Northern Virginia highlighting new economic opportunities in the state.
“Listen, we have a federal government that is inefficient and we have an administration that is taking on that challenge of rooting our waste, fraud, and abuse,” he continued.
“I would suggest that our federal workforce is not at fault here but the reality is any CEO who steps into a position where there is an organization that has such deep financial challenges is going to have to make change and therefore I recognize that this change will impact Virginians. We have a lot of federal workers in the commonwealth,” he said.
Continue reading at The Hill
Most voters support having agency focused on government efficiency: Poll
Two-thirds of respondents said the current level of debt for the federal government is unsustainable, and 83 percent said the government should reduce its expenditures rather than raise taxes to lower budget deficits. More than three quarters of respondents said a full examination of all government expenditures should be undertaken rather than not interfering with current contracts and expenditures.
All three questions had clear bipartisan agreement from Republicans, Democrats and independents.
Seven in 10 also said government expenditures are “filled with waste, fraud and inefficiency,” including at least three quarters of Republicans and independents and 58 percent of Democrats.
But partisan splits are exposed on questions concerning more specific plans from the Trump administration and actions from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been pushing for widespread layoffs across numerous agencies in the federal government.
Continue reading at The Hill
Dems press agencies to ignore Musk: ‘Reckless, cruel, unlawful, and unenforceable’
House Democrats are pressing every major agency head in Washington to reject the recent demand from Elon Musk that federal workers must detail their recent work accomplishments or be fired.
More than 100 Democrats endorsed a Monday letter to the leaders of 24 federal agencies characterizing Musk’s missive — and a subsequent memo from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reinforcing it — as an illegal move without precedent or binding force.
They’re urging the agency heads not only to dismiss the order, but to state explicitly that no federal workers will be fired for noncompliance.
Continue reading at The Hill
Democrats spot opening to kneecap GOP's budget plans
House Democrats want to hobble Republicans' efforts to pass wide-reaching fiscal policy legislation — and a key vote this week on a budget framework is emerging as a possible golden opportunity for them to do just that.
Why it matters: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is grappling with several potential defections on their side. With a razor-thin majority, unified Democratic opposition could cement the budget bill's demise.
But House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is dealing with the fact that some of their older and ailing members have regularly missed votes this year, and he will need to be at full strength to make his power felt.
Democratic leadership will also have to ensure its centrist members — prone to breaking ranks on key bills — are fully behind them this time.
State of play: House Republicans are planning a Tuesday vote on a budget resolution that lays out at least $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and a $4 trillion debt limit increase, as well as $2 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, nutrition assistance, student loans and other federal programs.
Continue reading at Axios
Politico National Security Daily
A ghost of past Ukraine peace deals returns
PUTIN PONDERS EU PEACEKEEPERS: It seems that Putin may not be opposed to the idea of European peacekeepers deployed in Ukraine as part of a peace deal to end Moscow’s three-year invasion, our own Clea Caulcutt and Eli Stokols report.
Sitting with French President EMMANUEL MACRON in the Oval Office, Trump said that he spoke about the deployment of European peacekeepers and “he will accept that. I have asked him that question … I’ve specifically asked him that question. He has no problem with it.”
It’s a reversal from comments last week from Kremlin spokesperson DMITRY PESKOV, who said any such language would be unacceptable to Moscow as part of a deal to end the war. The Kremlin as of now has neither confirmed nor denied Trump’s characterization of that discussion with Putin. Russia’s embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
ROUGH GERMAN RESULTS: German center-right leader FRIEDRICH MERZ came out on top in Sunday’s German legislative elections, but relief in Brussels has been undercut by the strong showing of the far-right Alternative for Germany party.
It’s good news for boosters of Ukraine, as Merz has promised he’ll be even more supportive of Kyiv than the current chancellor, OLAF SCHOLZ, of the Social Democratic Party (which came in third). And Merz is a supporter of European integration and transatlantic cooperation, even as he’s expressed an openness to reducing security dependence on the United States.
But second-place finisher Alternative for Germany posted the best showing for a far-right party in Germany since the Second World War. Their strong performance and that of the left-wing Die Linke party will give the opposition sufficient seats to prevent the government from easily taking on more sovereign debt to support the country’s defense buildup or offer more help to Ukraine. It may also slow Berlin’s efforts to eventually meet an increased NATO defense spending target.
Continue reading at Politico National Security Daily
Note from Rima: Be sure to read the preamble to this newsletter as it contains a pretty good summary of previous failures
Axios PM
1 big thing: Macron's plea
"Peace must not mean a surrender of Ukraine," French President Emmanuel Macron said at the White House today, on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion.
Macron praised Trump during a joint news conference, but also sought to push the U.S. away from a negotiating position that leans in Russia's favor.
Macron interrupted Trump to clarify that Europe has given real financial aid to Ukraine, after Trump said the money was only a loan and that "they get their money back."
🌎 Yes, but: The U.S. position doesn't seem to be changing.
The U.S. voted against a UN resolution today condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, siding with Moscow and other non-democratic countries like North Korea, Belarus and Sudan.
Continue reading at Axios PM'
3. Catch me up
🇺🇦 The Eiffel Tower is lit today in blue and yellow, the national colors of Ukraine.
📺 Lester Holt, 65, is stepping down as anchor of "NBC Nightly News" at the start of summer. The evening newscast has averaged roughly 7 million viewers per night during his 10 years in the chair. Holt will continue with a full-time role at "Dateline," where he has been the principal anchor for almost 15 years. A successor wasn't named. Go deeper.
Continue reading at Axios
Top GOP negotiator warns stopgap becoming more likely to avert shutdown
House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said Monday negotiators are still trading offers as both sides seek a compromise to keep the government funded into autumn – but he cautioned a stopgap is becoming more likely the longer Congress goes without a deal.
Pressed about the prospect of a stopgap on Monday, Cole told reporters on Monday, “The longer we go, the more likely that is.”
He added that both sides are still trading offers as top negotiators have worked for weeks to try to reach a deal on a topline level for government funding for fiscal year 2025, which began last October.
His comments come amid the ongoing fallout over sweeping efforts by President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to shrink the size of government and implement funding cuts without approval from Congress.
Continue reading at The Hill
Bank accounts for $20B climate program frozen amid Trump administration scrutiny
The bank accounts of nonprofits administering a $20 billion climate program have been frozen as the program faces significant scrutiny from the Trump administration.
One grant recipient has confirmed to The Hill that their account with Citibank has been frozen in the wake of pressure from the administration. At least two others told E&E News, which first reported the freeze, that they were in the same boat.
The program in question, which is funded by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, provides $20 billion to help finance the deployment of climate-friendly projects.
Last year, the Biden administration awarded that cash to eight institutions that are in charge of doling it out to projects aimed at mitigating climate change.
Continue reading at The Hill
Trump, Macron project unity despite clear Ukraine-Russia divide
President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron sought to project unity during a White House meeting Monday, even as cracks opened further in the alliance between the U.S. and Europe over the path forward in Ukraine.
The two met at the Oval Office as the U.S. at the United Nations in New York voted against a resolution condemning Russia as the aggressor on the third anniversary of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
In doing so, the U.S. joined Russia and 16 other countries, including North Korea, Syria and Belarus as well as Israel and Hungary, while standing against longtime allies such as France, Germany, Great Britain and Canada.
Continue reading at The Hill
Trump indicates Canada, Mexico tariffs will take effect next week
President Donald Trump indicated that he intends to go ahead with plans to impose a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican goods.
President Donald Trump indicated on Monday that he intends to go ahead with plans to impose a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican goods beginning early next week.
“The tariffs are going forward on time, on schedule,” Trump said at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is in Washington for talks on Ukraine and other matters.
Trump has threatened to impose a 25 percent tariffs on the two North American neighbors in order to pressure them to do more to stop undocumented migrants and fentanyl from entering the United States. The duties were originally scheduled to go into effect on Feb. 4, but Trump delayed them for 30 days after talking by phone with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Continue reading at Politico
Democrats plot difficult votes for Energy and Commerce Republicans
The House Energy and Commerce Committee has unveiled its oversight agenda for the 119th Congress.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee will on Tuesday adopt its oversight plans for the new Congress — and Democrats might make it all about Medicaid.
Members of the minority party who sit on the powerful panel intend to force their Republican colleagues to take difficult votes on amendments to the majority’s 17-page document that outlines the types of hearings and legislative efforts it will prioritize in the coming months.
Some of those amendments could put Republicans on the record about their support for Medicaid on the very same day the full House is scheduled to vote on a budget resolution that would instruct the committee to slash $880 billion from programs under its purview. The spending cuts will be necessary to finance legislation to enact President Donald Trump’s domestic policy agenda — and the lion’s share will likely have to come from Medicaid, which is making many vulnerable Republican incumbents increasingly nervous.
Continue reading at Politico
Jordan uses first subpoena of new Congress to target Biden admin
The House Judiciary chair wants information from the FBI on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, social media company communications and more.
House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan subpoenaed the FBI for a trove of new materials related to the Biden administration’s activities, including investigations around the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and communications with Big Tech companies.
The letter to new FBI Director Kash Patel is the first subpoena request from Jordan this Congress, as the Ohio Republican’s key ally and former staffer assumes the top post at the law enforcement agency. Jordan argued that former FBI Director Christopher Wray failed to produce some materials requested by the committee last Congress — and he likely has a much more willing partner in Patel.
Jordan gave the FBI a March 17 deadline to provide the materials.
The requests are wide-ranging. Jordan is looking for communications with social media platforms that Jordan argued amounted to federal government collusion to suppress free speech, details on the investigation of pipe bombs outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters in January 2021 and information about the FBI’s use of confidential human sources on the day of the Capitol riot.
Continue reading at Politico
NATO prepares for a post-America alliance
More than just "a big, beautiful Ocean," in President Trump's words, separates the U.S. from its European allies on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The big picture: The Trump administration has cast a shadow of doubt not only across embattled Kyiv, but across an entire continent that has trusted the U.S. for decades as its most powerful protector and partner.
Trump smearing President Zelensky as a "dictator without elections" brought the U.S.-Ukraine relationship to a new low — and the U.S.-Europe marriage to a fork in the road.
The verbal spat followed U.S.-Russia talks on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia, with no seats at the table for Ukrainian or European voices.
As the war enters its fourth year, the U.S. is no longer aligned with the Ukrainian cause or with its NATO allies, and European leaders are bracing for a post-U.S. alliance.
Continue reading at Axios
Federal workers sue over "what did you do last week" email
The federal agency that sent out an email over the weekend asking workers what they accomplished last week can't fire those workers for not responding, claims an amended lawsuit filed Monday on behalf of federal employees.
Why it matters: It's the latest potential legal stumbling block for DOGE and Elon Musk's slash-and-burn workforce strategy.
Catch up fast: Over the weekend, at President Trump's prodding to be more aggressive, Musk announced that workers would get an email asking what they'd done in the past week. "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation," he said.
The email went out on Saturday to millions of workers — subject line "What did you do last week"? — causing confusion and an array of responses inside federal agencies, with many telling employees not to respond.
Crucially, the email did not threaten workers with termination.
Continue reading at Axios
Schumer accuses Trump of ‘siding’ with Putin over U.S. allies
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) in a statement on the Senate floor marking the three-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine accused President Trump of “siding” with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the United States’ traditional NATO allies.
“Today on this third anniversary of Putin’s war, Donald Trump is turning his back on the values that America stands for, of democracy, of security, and of liberty,” Schumer said. “Instead of standing up to Putin, Donald Trump is siding with him and against our own allies.”
Schumer argued that the United States has “been clear” on where it stands on who provoked the war and has “stood on the side” of democracy, the inviolability of border and freedom.
Continue reading at The Hill
Musk flexes political muscle in Wisconsin Supreme Court race
Elon Musk is flexing his political muscle in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race in an effort to tip the scales in favor of the conservative candidate.
The tech billionaire, who has emerged as a key force in President Trump’s administration as the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), threw his support behind candidate Brad Schimel last month. And just last week, a financial statement was made public revealing his America PAC spent $1 million in the race.
Another group called Building America’s Future, which has received funding from Musk in the past, also waded into the race with a pricey TV ad campaign. Musk’s involvement underscores both his growing political influence outside the Beltway and the high stakes of the Wisconsin Supreme Court in particular, as it could alter the ideological makeup of the top court in a key swing state.
Continue reading at The Hill
Dan Crenshaw appears to threaten Tucker Carlson in hot mic moment
A Republican congressman from Texas was caught on a hot mic Monday apparently threatening to kill former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
In an exchange with a British journalist, Rep. Dan Crenshaw called Carlson “the worst person” and said they had never met in person.
“If I ever meet him, I’ll fucking kill him,” said Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL who represents a Houston-area district.
Continue reading at Politico
Macron says alongside Trump peace "must not mean a surrender of Ukraine"
The big picture: While the meeting on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine was cordial, the peacekeeping plan was about the only significant plan the two world leaders agreed during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office.
What they're saying: Trump said during a briefing he believed the war could end "soon" and said he and his representatives had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and "they want to do something."
The war could end "within weeks... if we're smart," Trump told reporters. "If we're not smart, it'll keep going and we'll keep losing."
Macron said, "Peace must not mean a surrender of Ukraine, it must not mean a ceasefire without guarantees."
Continue reading at Axios
VA axes another 1,400 employees
The Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday fired another 1,400 employees amid outcry over a lack of transparency from the agency after 1,000 workers were axed earlier this month.
The VA said the individuals dismissed were “non-mission critical” probationary employees who have served less than two years, according to a department statement.
The agency defined the non-mission critical positions as those that were diversity, inclusion and equity-related, “among other roles.” It also claimed their dismissals will save the VA more than $83 million per year — to be redirected back toward health care, benefits and services for veterans.
Continue reading at The Hill
Senate Republicans criticize Musk over email to government employees
Nevertheless, some Senate GOP members took issue with Musk’s request as he continues his push to cut the ranks of federal workers.
“I don’t think it was handled very well in terms of the surprise element of it or what the point of it was,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). “That, I think, was confusing because I think there were a couple different explanations.”
“I think a little clarification on the voluntary part is probably good,” she added, pointing to OPM telling agencies that responses were optional.
Continue reading at The Hill
Musk says failure to respond a second time to email will end in termination
Tech billionaire Elon Musk said federal employees will get a second chance to respond to an email asking for a recap of their last week’s accomplishments — or else face termination.
“Subject to the discretion of the President, they will be given another chance,” Musk wrote on X on Monday, referring to federal employees who did not respond to an initial email asking them to list 5 things they accomplished in the week prior by 11:59 p.m. Monday or face removal.
“Failure to respond a second time will result in termination,” Musk added, in his latest post.
Continue reading at The Hill
Judge questions constitutionality of DOGE, Musk’s role
The judge said that it’s possible DOGE is running afoul of the appointments clause of the Constitution, which generally requires federal agencies to be run by Senate-confirmed officials.
A federal judge on Monday pressed the Trump administration on who exactly runs the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency Service that’s tied to billionaire Elon Musk and said she had “concerns” the group may be operating in an unconstitutional manner.
District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly made the comments in a nearly three-hour hearing in Washington in a lawsuit over DOGE’s access to the Treasury Department’s sensitive systems that control trillions of dollars of payments.
Kollar-Kotelly, an appointee of President Bill Clinton, did not issue a ruling on the spot. But she repeatedly expressed reservations about the Justice Department not having answers to questions about who oversaw the U.S. DOGE Service, which has undertaken a sweeping effort to cut spending and fire federal workers across the government.
Continue reading at Politico
Europe
Zelenskyy refuses to sign Trump’s rare earths deal — but official says pact is close
“Nearly all key details finalized,” says Ukrainian deputy PM about the controversial minerals agreement.
KYIV — Kyiv is still refusing to sign a critical minerals deal with U.S. President Donald Trump, arguing that the terms proposed by America will punitively hit generations of Ukrainians.
“I will not sign what ten generations of Ukrainians will have to pay back,” said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a press conference Sunday.
The deal involves the U.S. gaining preferential access to hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Ukraine's critical minerals, which the Trump administration is demanding as payback for already-provided aid, while offering no clear security guarantees or prospects of future aid for Kyiv in return.
On Monday, a senior Ukrainian official said that the contours of a deal were coming into view.
"Ukrainian and U.S. teams are in the final stages of negotiations regarding the minerals agreement. The negotiations have been very constructive, with nearly all key details finalized. We are committed to completing this swiftly to proceed with its signature," Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Olga Stefanishyna said in a post on X on Monday.
Continue reading at Politico EU
Foreign leaders visit Ukraine’s capital to mark third war anniversary
A dozen leaders from Europe and Canada visited Ukraine’s capital Monday to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion in a show of continued support from some of Kyiv’s most important backers.
The visitors were greeted at the train station by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and the president’s chief of staff Andrii Yermak. Among them were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
In a post on X, von der Leyen wrote that Europe was in Kyiv “because Ukraine is in Europe.”
“In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. It’s Europe’s destiny,” she wrote.
The guests, also including European Council President Antonio Costa as well as the prime ministers of Northern European countries and Spain, were set to attend events dedicated to the anniversary and discuss supporting Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid a recent U.S. policy shift under President Donald Trump.
Continue reading at the Associated Press
Macron meets Trump, Europeans head to Kyiv in two-pronged effort to save Ukraine
European leaders hope to reverse Trump’s retreat from Europe and Ukraine’s dire prospects.
WASHINGTON — European leaders will seek to salvage what’s left of their traditional alliances on Monday with a two-pronged strategy aimed at keeping U.S. President Donald Trump on their side and saving Ukraine from being sacrificed to Vladimir Putin.
After a week spent reeling from one shock statement after another from the U.S. administration, European governments are trying to regain the initiative.
French President Emmanuel Macron is in Washington for talks with Trump on Monday, where he will argue that letting President Putin win in Ukraine would be “a huge strategic mistake,” he said in comments ahead of the trip.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to follow with a White House meeting on Thursday, after saying the U.K. would be “ready and willing” to put U.K. troops on the ground in Ukraine as a security guarantee in a peace deal.
Continue reading at Politico Europe
Ukraine’s EU trade future in limbo as Trump turns hostile
With Ukraine’s privileged access to the EU market expiring soon, Kyiv pleads for clarity — while Brussels hesitates and Washington’s backing disintegrates.
BRUSSELS — When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Union leaders roll into Kyiv on Monday to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Ukraine will be looking for answers — on military aid, political backing and a critical economic question: trade.
At risk of losing its privileged access to the EU market this June, Ukraine is scrambling to get an extension of tariff suspensions that have helped keep its economy afloat in wartime. But as Kyiv presses for clarity, European leaders are stalling, caught between pledging continued solidarity, the shifting stance of United States President Donald Trump, and appeasing antsy farmers at home.
Trump’s return to the White House has rattled Kyiv. In his first month on the job, he has signaled that U.S. support for Ukraine is no longer assured, refused to take calls from von der Leyen, and suggested that Kyiv should cede territory to Russia to end the war. His latest remarks — falsely blaming Ukraine for “starting” the war and branding President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” — have heightened concerns that Washington could pull its support.
“If Washington forces a peace on Moscow’s terms, we’ll need Europe more than ever,” a Ukrainian official told POLITICO, granted anonymity like others interviewed in this story due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Continue reading at Politico Europe
US pressures Ukraine to nix its UN resolution demanding Russian forces withdraw
The U.S. has pressured Ukraine to withdraw its European-backed U.N. resolution demanding an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine in favor of an American proposal that does not mention Moscow’s invasion, a U.S. official and a European diplomat said Sunday.
But Ukraine refused to pull its draft resolution, and the U.N. General Assembly will vote on it Monday, the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, two European diplomats said.
The 193-nation General Assembly then is expected to vote on the U.S. draft resolution, according to the diplomats and the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because private negotiations are still ongoing.
Continue reading at the Associated Press
Zelenskyy says progress made on reaching an agreement with the US on rare minerals deal
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A contentious Trump administration proposal to give the U.S. $500 billion worth of profits from Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as compensation for its wartime assistance to Kyiv has been taken off the table, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday, indicating a more equitable deal is in the works.
Zelenskyy had earlier declined a U.S. draft agreement on exploitation of his country’s valuable minerals such as lithium used in the aerospace, defense and nuclear industries because it did not contain security guarantees and came with the $500 billion price tag.
“The question of $500 billion is no longer there,” Zelenskyy told a news conference at a forum of government officials in Kyiv marking the three-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader said considering aid as a debt to be repaid would be a “Pandora’s box” that would set a precedent requiring Kyiv to reimburse all its backers.
Continue reading at the Associated Press
Merz warns Europe should seek ‘independence’ from US after conservatives win German election - and far-right support surges
Europe must seek to “achieve independence” from the United States, Germany’s likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz said after his opposition conservatives won elections on Sunday, in a vote that also saw surging support for the far-right.
Merz, an old-school conservative who has never held a government role previously, is set to lead Europe’s biggest economy and most populous state, after his center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party won 28.6% of the vote, according to preliminary official results.
“Let’s get the party started,” Merz, 69, told supporters as he declared victory at the CDU’s party headquarters in central Berlin, an apparent nod to wanting to get coalition negotiations underway quickly as the region grapples with US President Donald Trump’s upending of Europe and US relations.
[…]
“I would never have believed that I would have to say something like that on television. But at the very least, after Donald Trump’s statements last week, it is clear that the Americans - at least this part of the Americans in this administration - are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe,” he added.
Continue reading at CNN.com
‘This is insane’: Democratic senator rips DOJ official calling prosecutors ‘Trump’s lawyers’
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) strongly criticized the interim attorney for D.C., Ed Martin, for describing prosecutors as “President Trump’s lawyers,” calling his statement “insane.”
In a social media post from the official account of the U.S. Attorney for D.C. released Monday, Martin, who was nominated to the post by Trump last week, said, “As President Trump’s lawyers, we are proud to fight to protect his leadership as our president and we are vigilant in standing against entities like the A.P. that refuse to put America first.”
Reacting to the post, Murphy said, “The U.S. Attorney for DC is not ‘President Trump’s lawyer’ and its job is not to ‘protect his leadership’ nor prosecute people who ‘refuse to put America first.'”
Continue reading at The Hill
Special counsel determines some probationary layoffs violate law, asks for intervention
The Office of the Special Counsel (OSC) has determined that six probationary employees were improperly terminated, asking an employment body to intervene and temporarily bar the removals in a matter that could impact thousands of recently fired employees.
In redacted filings now shared publicly, special counsel Hampton Dellinger said the firing of the probationary employees likely violated laws requiring that employees be removed for cause, asking the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) to issue a 45-day stay blocking the terminations.
Dellinger concluded that the probationary firings violate the law governing the civil service, as well as the principles underpinning the merit-based hiring system.
Continue reading at The Hill
Measles outbreak in Southwest sickens nearly 100 people
An outbreak of measles is wreaking havoc in the South Plains region of Texas and New Mexico, where nearly 100 children have been confirmed to be infected.
Continue reading at The Hill Healthcare
Recipient isn’t giving in as Trump’s EPA tries to revoke climate grants
“We have an obligation to fulfill” the grant agreement, Power Forward Communities CEO Tim Mayopoulos said in an interview with POLITICO.
A coalition of nonprofits under fire from President Donald Trump’s appointees says it will begin doling out money from a $2 billion climate grant it received during the Biden era — despite the Environmental Protection Agency’s attempts to claw back the funds.
“When the EPA made a grant to us and grants to other awardees, there’s an official contract that the government enters into,” said Tim Mayopoulos, the CEO of Power Forward Communities, in an interview with POLITICO. “The agreement has not been terminated, and we have an obligation to fulfill it.”
He said his group, an umbrella for five nonprofits that include United Way and Habitat for Humanity, will deploy its initial $539 million disbursement from the grant over the coming weeks to help communities across the country build energy-efficient housing.
Continue reading at Politico
Mike Johnson boxed in by House GOP defectors on "big, beautiful bill"
The list of no's is growing for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), and time isn't on his side.
Why it matters: Flipping votes on a budget resolution isn't impossible, but it could force Johnson to delay bringing it to the floor.
⏰ That would further undermine the House's effort to get "one big, beautiful bill" over to the Senate by the end of April.
💥 Two current public "no" votes, Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), say the spending cuts aren't enough.
🙉 At least one other Republican is a private "no" vote, Burchett told reporters Monday evening.
Johnson and his leadership team are projecting public confidence they will be able to pass the resolution Tuesday evening.
Continue reading at Axios
Government funding deal ‘very close’ as negotiations hinge on Trump power struggle
Ahead of the March 14 government shutdown deadline, top lawmakers say there's one huge dispute between them and a deal: curbing the president's ability to withhold federal money.
The fight over curbing President Donald Trump’s ability to freeze cash is now the make-or-break dispute as leading lawmakers close in on a deal to avert a government shutdown next month.
[…]
“I think we've moved a long way on the numbers. We're very close. I would say essentially there,” Cole told reporters. “The real question is conditions on presidential action. And look, there's no way a Republican Senate and Republican House are going to limit what a Republican president can do.”
Continue reading at Politico
Trump’s Cabinet members have already backtracked on some promises made before being confirmed
WASHINGTON (AP) — As they mustered support for their confirmations by the U.S. Senate, some of President Donald Trump’s appointees made statements from which they’ve already distanced themselves upon taking office.
From the leadership of the FBI to vaccine schedules and Russia sanctions, here’s a look at some of those promises and the subsequent action in their own words.
Requests for comment with all four agencies on their chiefs’ remarks were not immediately returned Monday afternoon.
Continue reading at the Associated Press
The House GOP's Medicaid holdouts are coming around
Leaders gave generic but reassuring details about their plans for the health care program.
GOP leaders provided some generic but reassuring details about how they would protect certain Medicaid services and not cut into the share of federal payments for Medicaid, a joint state-federal program, according to several lawmakers who attended the late night confab in Johnson's office.
[…]
A group of swing-district Republicans and others representing redder areas were in the meeting, along with House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.). Those members have demanded more detail from GOP leaders on how they would reach the $2 trillion in spending cuts they are laying out without making deep cuts to Medicaid services and benefits.
Leaving the meeting, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) said that Guthrie addressed some of the issues that had been of concern to her — including increasing the share of states’ responsibility in the joint state-federal Medicaid program. She said she is now leaning toward voting for the budget plan, claiming there are “hundreds of billions” of dollars in savings from addressing waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid as well as separate energy policy options that could reach the $880 billion in savings set out for Guthrie's panel.
Continue reading at Politico
California agrees to drop parts of social media law challenged by Elon Musk’s X
The state DOJ says it will enforce what remains of the law, which X had argued violated free speech rights.
SACRAMENTO, California — California has agreed to drop portions of a law that requires large social media companies to disclose their policies for handling hate speech, disinformation, harassment and extremism following a legal challenge from Elon Musk’s X.
A settlement reached Monday between state Attorney General Rob Bonta and Musk’s social media platform stops short of tossing the entire law, as X demanded when it first filed the case in 2023, citing First Amendment complaints.
But it deals a blow to California’s push to publicize how social media platforms define and referee speech on their platforms. It also comes as other Big Tech CEOs like Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg have attempted to curry favor with President Donald Trump by loosening their own content moderation policies and cutting third-party fact-checkers from their platforms.
Monday’s settlement follows a September ruling from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which temporarily paused the law from taking effect after a three-judge panel found parts of the law violated the First Amendment.
Continue reading at Politico
House Rules Committee advances budget resolution as path forward remains uncertain
The House Rules Committee voted Monday to advance the GOP conference’s plan to pass President Trump’s legislative agenda, sending the budget resolution to the full chamber even as its fate on the floor remains uncertain.
The panel voted 9-4 along party lines to adopt the rule, which governs debate on the legislation. The successful vote allows the measure to advance to the floor for debate and a final vote.
It remains unclear, however, when the full chamber will weigh in on the legislation, with a number of Republicans across the political spectrum — including moderates and deficit hawks — withholding their support from the measure. Asked on Monday night if the chamber would vote on the legislation Tuesday, which some had anticipated, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) responded, “We’ll see.”
“We got a lot of meetings tonight, and we’ll see about the timing, but it’ll happen this week,” he added.
Continue reading at The Hill
EU offers its own ‘win-win’ minerals deal to Ukraine
“The added value Europe offers is that we will never demand a deal that’s not mutually beneficial,” top official Stéphane Séjourné says.
The European Union offered its own agreement on “critical materials” to Ukraine on Monday, just as U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Washington was close to inking a deal with Kyiv for the rights to its vast natural resources.
Europe’s Commissioner for Industrial Strategy Stéphane Séjourné said he’d pitched the rival proposal to Ukrainian officials he met in Kyiv during a visit by the European Commission to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“Twenty-one of the 30 critical materials Europe needs can be provided by Ukraine in a win-win partnership,” Séjourné said, according to AFP.
Continue reading at Politico Europe
House Republicans unfazed by protests: ‘We’re moving forward with the cuts’
Many GOP lawmakers insisted their constituents back Musk’s moves.
Rep. Jay Obernolte’s town hall in California last week was drowned out by shouts of “No king!” Rep. Glenn Grothman entered his Wisconsin town hall to boos and jeers, while Rep. Cliff Bentz of Oregon faced so much heckling that he threatened to leave.
But when the Republican lawmakers returned to the Capitol on Monday, few had wavered in their support for Elon Musk or his attempts to cut giant swaths of the federal government.
“It’s easy to be critical, but the people voted for change in November, and that’s exactly what they’re getting,” Obernolte said in an interview.
“It’s unfortunate,” he said, “that the other party’s chosen to turn this into a political stunt.”
Continue reading at Politico
Economics
Economist Paul Krugman
Economist Dean Baker
Economist Jared Bernstein
Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality cross-posted a post from Jared’s Substack
Brad DeLongFeb 23 · Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality
What does a truly fair economy look like? In this piece, Jared Bernstein dismantles the empty promises of faux populism and argues that the real solutions—rebuilding worker bargaining power, progressive taxation, a public sector that works for working Americans, and smart harvesting of our share of the enormous benefits from global economic integration—are hiding in plain sight. If we in the opposition party can articulate and implement these ideas, we stand to build a powerful and durable political-economic coalition.
Economist Brad DeLong
Brad DeLong is an economics professor. He posts various things, including the slides for his lectures. This one, we can all learn from
News Clips
How They See Us
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My Opinion
Misogyny and Misanthropy Under Musk (and Trump) | Blog#42
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