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DOGE Employees Ordered to Stop Using Slack While Agency Transitions to a Records System Not Subject to FOIA — Employees working for the agency now known as DOGE have been ordered to stop using Slack while government lawyers attempt to transition the agency to one that is not subject …
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There Is No Going Back — Even if anyone had elected Elon Musk to anything, the past week would still be one of the most serious examples of executive branch malfeasance in American history. — Musk has seized hold of critical levers of power and authority within the federal government …
Discussion:
purveyor of Tamora …, DNyuz and Chicago Tribune
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Trump Brazenly Defies Laws in Escalating Executive Power Grab — In the radical opening weeks of his second term, President Trump has appeared to feel little constraint by any need to show respect for the rule of law. — In his first term, President Trump seemed to relish ripping through …

Why Washington is getting nervous about a shutdown
Discussion:
Raw Story


C.I.A. Sends White House an Unclassified Email With Names of Some Employees — The list of partial names was provided in an effort to comply with an executive order to trim the federal work force. — The C.I.A. sent the White House an unclassified email listing all employees hired …
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The CIA Is About to Get a Trump Makeover
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Reuters, New Republic, HotAir, Washington Examiner, Scripps News, The Daily Caller, CNN, ZeroHedge News, New York Times, Raw Story, Daily Caller News Foundation, OutsideTheBeltway, Blaze Media, The Daily Wire, HuffPost, Fox News, The Gateway Pundit, RedState, New York Post, Daily Mail, WBOY-TV, Townhall and The Post Millennial


Trump White House Moves to Allow for a Musk Takeover of Government IT — The Office of Personnel Management is trying to make it easier to put ideologues and cronies in key tech roles. — It's a rather wonky position in the US government: chief information officer. Most federal agencies and departments have one.
Discussion:
NBC News, FedScoop, Blaze Media, Fortune, Bloomberg, New York Magazine, NPR and Raw Story, more at Techmeme »
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King Musk's Government Purge Hits a Snag — Before Elon Musk can exercise authoritarian power, he must purge the federal bureaucracy. But federal workers aren't playing ball. — Protesters gather outside the United States Office of Personal Management (OPM) headquarters, February 4, 2025, in Washington.
Discussion:
EsstN and Daily Mail


Trump's suggestion that US ‘take over’ the Gaza Strip is rejected by allies and adversaries alike — President Donald Trump's proposal that the United States “take over” the Gaza Strip and permanently resettle its Palestinian residents was swiftly rejected and denounced on Wednesday by American allies and adversaries alike.
Discussion:
New York Times, The Guardian, BBC, The Hill, Al Jazeera, Reuters, Fox News, Hürriyet Daily News, DNyuz, Frontpage Mag, ABC7, Raw Story, Exposing the role …, Townhall, New Republic, Axios, Financial Times, Associated Press, Washington Post, Politico, Mediaite, Metro.co.uk, israelhayom.com, Daily Kos, The Daily Wire, WTOP News, Fortune, The Daily Sceptic, MeidasTouch News, CBS News, The American Spectator, Algemeiner.com, Semafor, Bloomberg, The Defense Post, Informed Comment, Daily Mail, Slate, RedState and Florida Politics
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Trump says the U.S. will ‘take over’ Gaza and relocate its people. What does it mean? — TEL AVIV, Israel — President Trump floated two bombshell ideas Tuesday about Gaza that has Palestinians, Israelis and the wider Middle East scrambling. — The first: that the U.S. would take over the territory.
Discussion:
The Hill, freebeacon.com, New York Magazine, The Guardian, USA Today, New York Times, The Diplomat, American Thinker, The Independent, Mediaite, New York Daily News, israelhayom.com, DNyuz, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, UPI, Reuters, New York Post, The Atlantic, Jewish Insider, Breitbart, Al Jazeera, Washington Examiner, CNBC, Semafor, WSVN-TV and Washington Post


Trump Proposes U.S. Takeover of Gaza and Says All Palestinians Should Leave
Discussion:
USA Today, Fox News, Politico, Rolling Stone, Axios, Vanity Fair, CIVIC TEXTS, The Intercept, Mediaite, American Greatness, The Daily Signal, Jacobin, NPR, CNN, Breitbart, Reuters, Foreign Policy, RedState, Reason, Asia Times, Washington Examiner, HuffPost, Raw Story, Digby's Hullabaloo, Los Angeles Times, Daily Mail, DNyuz, Today's Edition Newsletter, The Forward, LUIGI MANGIONE FAN, OutsideTheBeltway, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera, Associated Press, Bloomberg and WTOP News

‘Riviera’ in Gaza and Aid Agency Assault Capture Trump's Vision of U.S. Power
Discussion:
Al Jazeera, Fox News, The Lever, Politico, Reuters, Associated Press, Metro.co.uk, The New European, NPR, Bloomberg, The Poke and freebeacon.com


DOGE Aides Search Medicare Agency Payment Systems for Fraud — Elon Musk's allies have been on site at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services offices this week — Representatives of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency have been working at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services …
Discussion:
Fox News, Bloomberg, CBS News, masslive.com and The Post Millennial


Why Elon Will Be Trump's Undoing — Yes, yes, “the wheels of justice grind slowly” and all that. But when do the courts get involved? — Happy Wednesday. — Never Musk — by William Kristol — It's grim out there. Limiting the damage done by Donald Trump and the Trumpists …
Discussion:
The Kyiv Independent and Bangor Daily News
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This Is So Much Worse Than Last Time … There is practically no way to describe …
Discussion:
RedState

Trump Is Turning Out To Be a Very Pro-China President
Discussion:
Financial Times, NJTODAY.NET and BBC


Top Trump prosecutor in DC dropped federal case against Capitol rioter he represented — As President Donald Trump moved last month to free the people who stormed the U.S. Capitol, his newly appointed top prosecutor in Washington put his name on a request that a judge drop charges …
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The 24-Hour Reality Check: Musk's Impossible Power Grab And America's Crisis — There are twenty-four hours in a day. This isn't a matter of political opinion or technological disruption—it's as immutable as the fact that two plus two equals four. No amount of genius, innovation …


Senate's top appropriator says Elon Musk has gone too far — The Senate's top appropriator thinks Elon Musk has gone too far. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, is raising alarms about the influence that billionaire Elon Musk is wielding inside the Trump administration and across federal agencies.
Discussion:
Bangor Daily News


Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper's security detail revoked — The security detail for former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, which was provided by the Defense Department, was revoked Tuesday night, a U.S. official and a Defense Department official told CBS News.
Discussion:
Forbes
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House Democrat plans articles of impeachment against Trump … - “Ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not a joke, especially when it emanates from the president of the United States,” Green said. — Green continued: “I rise to announce that the movement to impeach the president has begun.
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Rep. Al Green is filing new impeachment articles against Trump
Discussion:
Daily Mail, The Guardian, PoliticusUSA, Twitchy, Townhall and Daily Caller News Foundation


Judge cements block on Trump's order restricting birthright citizenship — GREENBELT, Md. — A federal judge Wednesday furthered a block of President Trump's executive order preventing the children of migrants without legal status from receiving birthright citizenship.
Discussion:
Axios, CNN, Washington Post, New York Times, Forbes, Reuters, Fox News, Bloomberg, Roll Call, Los Angeles Times, Scripps News, SCOTUSblog, Associated Press and DNyuz
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Second judge orders temporary halt to Trump's effort to end birthright citizenship
Discussion:
The Post Millennial and Public Interest Legal …


Trump-voting states have more to lose if Education Department dismantled … - States that voted for Trump last November, on average, use more federal funding in their education apportions than states that voted for former Vice President Harris. — “That dependence is, in large part …
Discussion:
USA Today, WNYW-TV, Instapundit, Bloomberg and Breitbart


Doge staffers enter Noaa headquarters and incite reports of cuts and threats — Members reportedly sought access to IT systems at agency that Project 2025 has called ‘harmful to US prosperity’ — Staffers with Elon Musk's “department of government efficiency” (Doge) reportedly entered …
Discussion:
Mother Jones, E&E News, Axios, Orlando Sentinel, Washingtonian and The Hill


Thousands protest Trump administration policies in cities across the US — A movement to protest the early actions of President Donald Trump's administration took off Wednesday, as thousands of demonstrators gathered outside a federal courthouse in Philadelphia and at state capitols in Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin and Indiana.
Discussion:
Denver Post, WAGA-TV, WNYW-TV, WTOP News and WUSA


FBI agents who ‘simply followed orders’ in Jan. 6 probes won't be fired, a Justice official says — FBI agents “who simply followed orders and carried out their duties in an ethical manner” while investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol are not at risk of being fired …
Discussion:
CNN, Reuters, NPR, New York Times, Baltimore Sun, Blaze Media, Wall Street Journal, CBS News, Bloomberg, Fox News, Associated Press, GovExec.com, USA Today, DNyuz, Daily Caller News Foundation, WTOP News, Axios and The Daily Caller
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Top DOJ official says FBI employees who ‘simply followed orders’ on Jan 6 investigations won't be fired
Discussion:
RedState, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Post, WUSA, Breitbart, HotAir and Ace of Spades HQ


Musk's cost-cutters to ‘plug in’ to air traffic control system, Trump's transportation chief says — Sean Duffy said that he'd spoken with Musk, calling him a “pretty remarkable guy” who has “access to the best technological people, the best engineers in the world.”


Federal health workers terrified after ‘DEI’ website publishes list of ‘targets’ — The site calls out workers who have been involved with DEI initiatives. A majority are Black. — Federal health workers are expressing fear and alarm after a website called “DEI Watch List” published the photos …
Discussion:
WXIA-TV, The Root, Pharyngula and Untitled


Politico pays employees late; staffers believe Elon Musk's crackdown on government spending played a role — Politico has received at least $8.2 million from the US government — Politico staffers received their bi-weekly direct deposits late this week, irking staffers who believe Elon Musk's crackdown …
Discussion:
HotAir, ZeroHedge News, Rolling Stone, Digby's Hullabaloo, Twitchy, Shore News Network and The Gateway Pundit


Watch The Credit-Ratings Agencies — If the illegal commandeering of the federal budget doesn't make the U.S. less creditworthy, then Wall Street is cowed and misleading investors. — ∙ Paid — In August 2011, after Republicans brought the country to the brink of default on the national debt …


Elon Musk and the League of Shadows — America gets government by vigilante. — ∙ Paid — 1. Vigilante Shit — What is Elon Musk's role within the federal government? — He is not an elected official. He is not an appointed bureaucrat. He is not even a formal employee.
Discussion:
The Hill, Axios and Washington Post


McConnell suffers fall after Senate vote — Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) fell as he exited the Senate chamber on Wednesday, though he did not immediately appear injured and walked away under his own power. — McConnell, who stepped down as Senate GOP leader in January …
Discussion:
Ace of Spades HQ

Democratic attorneys general pledge to protect gender-affirming care following Trump order — More than a dozen Democratic state attorneys general on Wednesday affirmed their support for gender-affirming health care for transgender youth after an executive order issued late last week …
Discussion:
Truthout

McConnell slips and falls outside Senate Chamber — Former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) slipped and fell on the stairs leaving the Senate Chamber on Wednesday afternoon, prompting concerned aides to rush to help the 82-year-old lawmaker. — McConnell appeared to slip …


Senate panel will advance budget next week, Graham says — The Senate will move forward with a budget blueprint next week setting out a two-track approach to enacting President Donald Trump's domestic agenda, key senators said Wednesday. The announcement, made by Senate Budget Committee …


Google removes pledge to not use AI for weapons from website — Google removed a pledge to not build AI for weapons or surveillance from its website this week. The change was first spotted by Bloomberg. The company appears to have updated its public AI principles page, erasing a section titled …