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1:30 PM ET, January 31, 2025

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Washington Post:
Senior U.S. official to exit after rift with Musk allies over payment system  —  A top Treasury career staffer is expected to depart.  Surrogates of Musk's DOGE effort had sought access to sensitive payment systems.  —  The highest-ranking career official at the Treasury Department …
RELATED:
Hafiz Rashid / New Republic:
Elon Musk Is Trying to Get Control of Key Payment System—at Any Cost  —  A top-ranking official in the U.S. Department of the Treasury is resigning after a fight with Elon Musk over a sensitive payment system.  —  The Washington Post reports that David Lebryk, who has worked in the department …
RELATED:
Peter Baker / New York Times:
From Anguish to Aggression: Trump Goes on Offense After Midair Collision  —  President Trump at moments of national tragedy has always been more comfortable finding fault than providing comfort or expressing empathy.  —  After TWA Flight 800 crashed in New York in 1996, President Bill Clinton asked …
Discussion: The Japan Times, Advocate and The Hill
Axios:
What the data says about Trump's DEI air crash claims
Joseph Shapiro / NPR:
People with intellectual disabilities do lots of jobs — but they don't direct air traffic
Jonathan Chait / The Atlantic:
Is There Anything Trump Won't Blame on DEI?
New York Times:
Paramount in Settlement Talks With Trump Over ‘60 Minutes’ Lawsuit  —  A settlement, if reached, would be an extraordinary concession by a major U.S. media company to a sitting president.  —  When Donald J. Trump sued CBS for $10 billion days before the 2024 election, accusing the company …
RELATED:
Brian Stelter / CNN:
CBS staff alarmed by reports of settlement talks with Trump over ‘60 Minutes’ Harris interview  —  Journalists, including some at CBS News, are expressing alarm at reports that CBS parent company Paramount Global is trying to settle a legally dubious lawsuit lodged by President Donald Trump last fall.
Discussion: Deadline and Daily Kos
Oliver Darcy / Status:
The Art of the Kneel  —  If a settlement deal is inked with Donald Trump, Shari Redstone will be remembered as the mogul who sold out “60 Minutes.”  —  The journalists at CBS News are livid at Paramount Global boss Shari Redstone over the company's move to engage in settlement talks with Donald Trump.
Discussion: New York Post and Mediaite
Wall Street Journal:
Trump Aides Hunt for 11th-Hour Deal to Dial Back Canada-Mexico Tariffs  —  President says he will decide tonight whether oil will be included in levies … President Trump's advisers are considering several offramps to avoid enacting the universal tariffs on Mexico and Canada that he had pledged …
RELATED:
John Hudson / Washington Post:
A career official tried to undo Trump's purge at USAID.  He was then purged, too.  —  The dramatic purge and counter-purge played out in emails obtained by The Washington Post, as Trump's pause on aid upends humanitarian work around the world.  —  The Trump administration's purge of dozens …
RELATED:
Sam Stein / The Bulwark:
Rising Dem: Don't Raise Debt Limit Without Concessions From Trump  —  Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) joins Sam Stein to discuss Trump's first 10 days, including the chaos around federal funding, mass deportation orders, the possibility he may run for governor, and how the Democratic Party can find success in the age of Trump.
Politico:
Pentagon shocked by Trump's order to house migrants in Guantanamo Bay  —  Defense officials are trying to figure out how to hold thousands of people on an aging military base with minimal staff.  —  President Donald Trump's plan to use Guantanamo Bay to detain migrants thrusts the Pentagon …
RELATED:
CNN:
Trump said he hadn't read Project 2025 - but most of his early executive actions overlap with its proposals
Brady Leonard / Washington Examiner:   Trump 2.0 is miles ahead of the Democrats
Natasha Korecki / NBC News:
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker blocks Jan. 6 rioters from state jobs after Trump pardons  —  In a written directive, the Democratic Illinois governor tells his hiring office that “no one who attempts to overthrow a government should serve in government.”  —  Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is blocking …
Discussion: Raw Story
E&E News by POLITICO:
The fight over spending just got a lot more complicated … Russell Vought's likely confirmation to be President Donald Trump's White House budget chief is stoking fears among Democrats and other observers that the administration will disregard federal spending laws and throw a wrench into Congress' efforts to reach a funding deal.
RELATED:
Politico:
Hey, where's that Trump-proofing money already?
David Corn / Mother Jones:
SCOOP: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Admits Settlement for “Misconduct” Accusation  —  Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has admitted to the US Senate that he has reached at least one settlement agreement in which he was accused of misconduct or inappropriate behavior.  —  After the Senate Finance Committee …
Discussion: New Republic
Phil Williams / WTVF-TV:
Career prosecutors withdraw from federal criminal investigation of GOP Congressman Andy Ogles  —  Local prosecutors are not commenting, but move may signal plans to drop investigation of one of President Trump's Republican allies  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Federal prosecutors based …
Meg Kinnard / Associated Press:
The DNC's outgoing chair says Democrats should have stuck with Joe Biden in 2024  —  As the Democratic National Committee prepares to elect a new chair, its departing leader says Democrats should have stuck with Joe Biden in the 2024 race.  In an interview with The Associated Press …
Kate Kelly / New York Times:
Official Email Urges Federal Workers to Find More Productive Jobs  —  On Thursday, vast numbers of the government work force received an “F.A.Q.s” e-mail on how to leave their “lower productivity jobs” in government for more productive ones in business.  —  Late on Thursday …
Discussion: Reuters and Townhall
Jay Stahl / USA Today:
Chuck Todd exiting NBC News after nearly 20 years as Trump starts second term  —  Chuck Todd is leaving NBC News.  —  The NBC chief political analyst and former “Meet The Press” moderator announced the news in a memo shared with staff Friday.  The exit comes amid broad shifts …
Sanjana Karanth / HuffPost:
New DOT Memo Directs Funds To Communities With Higher ‘Marriage And Birth Rates’  —  The memo also said recipients of federal transportation funding must also cooperate with immigration enforcement, a hit to so-called sanctuary cities.  —  LOADING  —  The Department of Transportation …
Discussion: Raw Story, Daily Kos and CT Mirror
James Romoser / Politico:
How Trump Could Snatch a Third Term — Despite the 22nd Amendment  —  Four ways Trump could stay in power beyond 2028.  —  Less than two weeks have passed since the last presidential inauguration, but try to imagine the next one.  —  It's Jan. 20, 2029.  The nation has weathered another tumultuous four years under Donald Trump.
Stephanie Kirchgaessner / The Guardian:
WhatsApp says journalists and civil society members were targets of Israeli spyware  —  Messaging app said it had ‘high confidence’ some users were targeted and ‘possibly compromised’ by Paragon Solutions spyware  —  Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington DC
Washington Post:
Records undercut Tulsi Gabbard's claim of ignorance on cleric's views  —  The nominee for director of national intelligence said, under oath, that she did not know “until today” that a prominent cleric she met in Syria threatened to unleash suicide bombers in the United States.
Matt Heilman / KBSL-TV:
Civil rights attorney, former Miss Kansas contestant killed in plane crash near DC airport  —  WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - As families and communities identify victims in Wednesday night's plane crash near Washington, D.C., we're learning that a well-known civil rights attorney and former Miss Kansas contestant is among the 67 people dead.
Amanda Friedman / Politico:
Biden-appointed Census Bureau director resigns midway through term  —  Census Bureau Director Robert Santos' resignation will allow Trump to reshape the agency.  —  The director of the Census Bureau announced this week he is resigning, clearing the way for President Donald Trump to appoint …
Discussion: Associated Press, NPR and LinkedIn
Bloomberg:
Brawl Over Tariffs on EV Graphite Will Test Musk's Sway With Trump  — US trade panel backs China graphite antidumping investigation  — Potential duties of 920% would deal a blow to Tesla, EV makers  —  Elon Musk's Tesla Inc. is spearheading an effort to block new tariffs on graphite imports …
Discussion: Fortune
ABC News:
Federal employees told to remove pronouns from email signatures by end of day  —  The mandate is the latest effort in the Trump administration's push to end DEI.  —  President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, Jan. 30, 2025.
Discussion: Twitchy
NBC News:
Defense agency bans Black History Month and other ‘special observances’  —  The Pentagon's intelligence arm has barred any celebrations related to MLK Jr. Day, Women's History Month and other such observances to comply with Trump's executive orders.  —  The Defense Intelligence Agency …
Discussion: DNyuz and The Hill
New York Times:
Trump Administration Shocks Senior F.B.I. Ranks by Moving to Replace Them  —  Top officials have been told to retire or be fired in the coming days, fueling fear within an agency that has been a target of President Trump and Kash Patel, his nominee to be F.B.I. director.
 
 
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 More Items: 
Amanda Marcotte / Salon:
MAGA's revenge of the mediocre: Trump's war on federal workers targets the meritorious
Discussion: NOTUS
Harold Hutchison / The Daily Caller:
'That's Good': MSNBC Host Applauds DNC Chair Candidates Blaming ‘Racism And Misogyny’ For Kamala's 2024 Loss
Discussion: Louder With Crowder and RedState
Brian Rokos / Daily News:
Neo-Nazi group coerced 2 San Bernardino County children to film child porn, harm themselves, feds say
Discussion: Los Angeles Times
Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica:
Trump's FCC chair investigates NPR and PBS, urges Congress to defund them
Joseph Choi / The Hill:
Democrats want answers on cost-cutting prescription payment models abandoned by Trump
New York Times:
Clues From D.C. Plane Crash Suggest Multiple Failures in Aviation Safety
Bloomberg:
Costco Raises Pay to Over $30 an Hour for Most Store Workers
Discussion: NPR, Quartz and FOX 13 Tampa Bay
 Earlier Items: 
Peggy Noonan / Wall Street Journal:
Trump and the Collapse of the Old Order
Discussion: HotAir
Washington Monthly:
Trump is About to Step on Putin's Trap
Discussion: The National Interest and The Hill
ProPublica:
ProPublica's Coverage of Donald Trump's Appointments — and How They Could Reshape Federal Agencies
New York Times:
How the World Is Reeling From Trump's Aid Freeze
Discussion: Axios, Progress Pond and The Hill
STAT:
With little fanfare, Biden administration stacked vaccine advisory committee with new members
ProPublica:
Boxed Up: A Portrait of an Immigrant Community Living Under Threat of Deportation
Catherine Rampell / Washington Post:
A new era of government censorship has dawned
Adam B. Vary / Variety:
‘Emilia Pérez’ Star Karla Sofía Gascón Under Fire Over Tweets About Muslims, George Floyd, Oscars Diversity
 

 
From Techmeme:

Igor Bonifacic / Engadget:
OpenAI expands Deep Research to ChatGPT Plus, Team, Edu, and Enterprise users, with 10 queries per month; Pro users now have 120 queries per month, up from 100

Jason Schreier / Bloomberg:
WBD closes three game studios and cancels a highly anticipated Wonder Woman title in a bid to boost the profitability of its interactive entertainment business

Anissa Gardizy / The Information:
Sources: Meta is in talks to build a new data center campus for AI that could cost over $200B, based on the number of chips and the amount of power for the site

 
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