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9:45 AM 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 …
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:
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.
Dan Froomkin / Press Watch:
Political reporters are actively covering up Trump's racism  —  Even as bodies were still being fished out of the Potomac River, Donald Trump went on a racist, partisan, and dishonest rant on Thursday, blaming diversity hires and Democrats for Wednesday's calamitous nighttime collision between …
RELATED:
Jonathan Lemire / The Atlantic:
The Day Trump Became Un-President  —  “We're so back,” one reporter whispered to another.  —  All of the chairs in the White House briefing room were filled, and reporters and photographers were crammed into every available nook and cranny.  I was standing in the back …
Jonathan Chait / The Atlantic:
Is There Anything Trump Won't Blame on DEI?
USA Today:
Trump and new Transportation chief face first major test after deadly DC plane crash
Isaac Arnsdorf / Washington Post:
Trump baselessly blames diversity program for fatal air collision
Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:
Trump launched air controller diversity program that he now decries  —  At news conference, Trump read a list of disabilities he calls disqualifying, but his administration started such hiring in 2019  —  “All qualify for the position of a controller of airplanes pouring into our country …
RELATED:
New York Times:
Staffing Was ‘Not Normal’ at Reagan Airport Tower, According to F.A.A. Report  —  The report, reviewed by The New York Times, said that one controller was communicating with both helicopters and planes.  Those jobs are typically assigned to two people, not one.
Aaron Rupar / Public Notice:
DCA crash puts Trump's appalling unfitness on full display
Discussion: The Hill and The Independent
Hafiz Rashid / New Republic:
FAA Report on D.C. Plane Crash Is Out—and It's an Indictment of Trump
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:
Reuters:
Trump says US could soon put 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada
New York Times:
F.C.C. Chair Orders Investigation Into NPR and PBS Stations  —  Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, recently expressed concern about NPR and PBS's sponsorships.  —  Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, informed NPR and PBS …
RELATED:
Ashleigh Fields / The Hill:
Senate Democrat: Republicans ‘really uncomfortable’ with Gabbard nomination  —  Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) says he's unsure about the fate of former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's nomination as director of national intelligence, casting doubt on her ability to garner enough support for confirmation.
RELATED:
John Sakellariadis / Politico:
Gabbard was hoping for the Pete Hegseth hearing treatment. She didn't get it.
New York Times:
Gabbard's Hearing Turns Tense Over Snowden Questions
Eric Boodman / STAT:
National Science Foundation suspends salary payments, leaving researchers unable to pay their bills  —  NSF payment system remained offline despite the lifting of Trump administration funding freeze  —  One scientist texted his landlord to say February rent would be late.
Bloomberg:
Trump Sparks Lasting Panic With Funding Ban That Ended in Two Days  — Nonprofits and agencies are questioning budget plans  — DEI initiatives remain a target of Trump administration  —  The Impact of Trump's DEI Actions The Impact of Trump's DEI Actions The Impact of Trump's DEI Actions
RELATED:
Bill Allison / Bloomberg:
Trump Raised Millions From Crypto Firms for His Inauguration
Discussion: NOTUS
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.
Jason Koebler / 404 Media:
‘Everything I Say Leaks,’ Zuckerberg Says in Leaked Meeting Audio  —  At an all hands meeting inside Meta Thursday, Mark Zuckerberg did not address Meta's $25 million settlement with Donald Trump that will see the company paying $22 million for the eventual establishment of the Trump Presidential Library.
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.
Washington Post:
Several senior FBI leaders told to leave agency or be fired, people familiar with matter say  —  The ultimatum was unusual for the FBI and suggested that President Donald Trump is purging leadership at an agency he has harshly criticized.  —  Multiple senior FBI officials have been ordered …
New York Times:
Musk's Twitter Takeover Offers Trump a Blueprint  —  Federal agencies have offered exits to millions of employees and tested the prowess of engineers — just like when Elon Musk bought Twitter.  The similarities have been uncanny.  —  The email landed in employees' inboxes with the subject line: “Fork in the Road.”
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 …
Chris Truax / The Hill:
Can Elon Musk harness the power of AI to fix the government's immigration issues?  —  President Trump's recent announcement of the Stargate project — a joint venture between Open AI, Softbank (a Japanese company), Oracle and MGX (a UAE-based investment fund) — could be a very big deal.
Neko Pitcher / The Japan News:
JAEA Plans Hydrogen Facility Integrated with N-Reactor; Goal Is Steady Supply of Hydrogen without CO2 Byproduct  —  The Japan Atomic Energy Agency plans to ask the Nuclear Regulation Authority to review its plan for building a hydrogen production facility as early as February, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.
Discussion: RedState
Adam B. Vary / Variety:
‘Emilia Pérez’ Star Karla Sofía Gascón Under Fire Over Tweets About Muslims, George Floyd, Oscars Diversity  —  “Emilia Pérez” star Karla Sofía Gascón is under fire for a series of social media posts to her account on X, formerly known as Twitter …
NBC News:
Several top FBI officials are told to resign or face demotion as Trump continues federal purge  —  The affected employees include about a half dozen “executive assistant directors,” who are some of the bureau's top managers.  —  Several top FBI executives promoted by former Director Christopher Wray …
Andrew J. Hawkins / The Verge:
The FAA is facing a major crisis without a leader because Elon Musk pushed him out  —  Musk has publicly clashed with the FAA and its former chief, Michael Whitaker.  —  Musk has publicly clashed with the FAA and its former chief, Michael Whitaker. … The Federal Aviation Administration …
Wojciech Kość / Politico:
Ex-Polish justice minister ducks police, avoids Pegasus probe  —  WARSAW — Former Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro dodged police for hours Friday and stymied a parliamentary commission investigating alleged misuse of Pegasus spyware.  —  Ziobro finally handed himself over at the headquarters …
Discussion: Bloomberg
New York Times:
North Korean Troops No Longer Seen on Front Lines Fighting Ukraine  —  North Korea sent its best troops to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine.  But after months of suffering severe losses, they have been taken off the front line.  —  North Korean soldiers who joined their Russian allies …
Discussion: Reuters
STAT:
With little fanfare, Biden administration stacked vaccine advisory committee with new members  —  ACIP plays a critical role on issues where RFK Jr., if confirmed, may initiate major changes  —  Before leaving office, President Biden's health secretary approved the appointments of eight …
 
 
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 More Items: 
James Romoser / Politico:
How Trump Could Defy the Constitution — or Find a Loophole — and Seize a Third Term
Andrew Solender / Axios:
Scoop: Democrats want cable companies to pay for TV blackouts
Politico:
Hey, where's that Trump-proofing money already?
ProPublica:
Boxed Up: A Portrait of an Immigrant Community Living Under Threat of Deportation
Zack Stanton / Politico:
Playbook: Trump's narrative shift
Discussion: Just Security
Eloise Goldsmith / Common Dreams:
It's Been Just 11 Days, But 100,000 Have Already Signed Petition to ‘Impeach Trump Again’
Hansi Lo Wang / NPR:
Census Bureau Director Robert Santos is resigning, making way for Trump's pick
Discussion: Chicago Tribune
 Earlier Items: 
Wired:
Government Tech Workers Forced to Defend Projects to Random Elon Musk Bros
Cheyanne M. Daniels / The Hill:
Alsobrooks grills Kennedy on belief that Black Americans should get different vaccine schedules
Discussion: MPR News, GovExec.com and New Republic
Ellen Mitchell / The Hill:
Pentagon scrubs Biden-era abortion travel policy
Discussion: Townhall
Patrick Reis / Vox:
The Logoff: Trump's plan to send deportees to Guantánamo, explained
NBC News:
DOJ's LGBTQ employee group shuts down after three decades
 

 
From Techmeme:

Saritha Rai / Bloomberg:
DeepSeek says its V3 and R1 models' cost of inferencing relative to sales during a 24-hour-period on February 28 put “theoretical” profit margins at 545%

Axios:
President Trump plans to speak at the first-ever White House Crypto Summit on March 7, to be chaired by David Sacks, amid a global sell-off in cryptocurrencies

Om Malik / On my Om:
Skype was an early harbinger of technology as culture, and its demise is a good lesson in how ineffective middle management can destroy good acquisitions
 
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