Top Items:


There Is No Going Back — Even if anyone had elected Elon Musk to anything, the last 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, Slate and Chicago Tribune
RELATED:


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 …


New Democratic bill targets Elon Musk — A veteran House Democrat is introducing new legislation to respond to billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk's overhaul of the federal government: Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) on Wednesday rolled out the Eliminate Looting of Our Nation by Mitigating Unethical State Kleptocracy …


Transcript: Jamie Raskin's Brutal Takedown of Elon Musk Hits the Mark
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Nextgov/FCW, Forbes and Fortune

DOGE-curious Dems dwindle after early Musk moves
Discussion:
HuffPost, Business Insider, Axios, Twitchy, RedState, Roll Call, Eschaton, Truthout, DNyuz and New York Times

Musk shocks lawmakers, setting himself on collision course
Discussion:
IJR

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

Democrats Are Falling For Trump and Musk's Foreign Aid Trap
Discussion:
Digby's Hullabaloo, Fox News, Reuters, Democracy Now, No More Mister Nice Blog, New York Times, Raw Story, Bloomberg and The Bulwark


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:
Bangor Daily News and The Kyiv Independent
RELATED:


Predictability is the victim of Trump's tariff threats — An inconsistent US is an unreliable partner — it's that simple — Donald Trump's 25 per cent tariffs on Canada's and Mexico's exports, along with the 10 per cent tariff on China's, change the world.
Discussion:
Fox News, The Independent and 19FortyFive


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

Trump declares flawless victory in pointless trade war
Discussion:
Law and Chaos, Politico, Baltimore Sun and Rolling Stone

‘He Choked!’: Canadian Lawmaker Taunts Donald Trump, Then Issues Stern Warning
Discussion:
The Hill and Washington Post


Trump Proposes U.S. Takeover of Gaza and Says All Palestinians Should Leave — The president met with the Israeli prime minister at the White House, meeting in person with another world leader for the first time since returning to power. — 1.9k — President Trump declared on Tuesday …
Discussion:
USA Today, CIVIC TEXTS, HuffPost, The Intercept, Politico, Breitbart, Axios, The Hill, Associated Press, Fox News, CNN, Raw Story, Mediaite, Reason, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Los Angeles Times, Asia Times, Reuters, Daily Mail, NPR, Today's Edition Newsletter, DNyuz, Jewish Insider, The Forward, LUIGI MANGIONE FAN, Washington Examiner, Wall Street Journal, ABC News, Bloomberg and WTOP News
RELATED:


With Gaza Plan, an Unbound Trump Pushes an Improbable Idea
Discussion:
CNN, Frontpage Mag, Politico, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, CBS News, Mediaite, Digby's Hullabaloo, The American Spectator, DNyuz, Fox News, The Daily Sceptic, Informed Comment, Reuters, Daily Mail, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, freebeacon.com, RedState, Washington Post, Algemeiner.com, CNBC, Metro.co.uk, USA Today, Grabien and The Independent

Trump's suggestion that US ‘take over’ the Gaza Strip is rejected by allies and adversaries alike

Trump's plan to ‘take over’ Gaza Strip confuses GOP lawmakers
Discussion:
The Guardian, Washington Examiner, The Philadelphia Inquirer, New Republic, Jewish Insider, The Gateway Pundit, DNyuz, Mediaite and NOTUS

Hamas official says Trump's remarks about taking over Gaza could ignite the region
Discussion:
Detroit Free Press, Salon, Politico, New York Times, HuffPost, MeidasTouch News, Associated Press, New York Post, Bloomberg, Foreign Policy, Washington Examiner, RedState, Jerusalem Post, israelhayom.com, Fox News, Washington Post, The Independent, Frontpage Mag, Raw Story, OutsideTheBeltway, HotAir, DNyuz, The Japan Times, Semafor, Axios and Al Jazeera


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 …


The CIA Is About to Get a Trump Makeover — Spy agency's workforce receives buyout-style offer — WASHINGTON—The Central Intelligence Agency offered buyouts to its entire workforce Tuesday, in what officials said is a bid to bring the agency in line with President Trump's priorities, including targeting drug cartels.
RELATED:


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:
Baltimore Sun, DNyuz and Washington Post
RELATED:


Federal judge blocks Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship
Discussion:
Axios, Fox News, Scripps News, Associated Press, DNyuz, Megyn Kelly and WTTG-TV


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 …


Elon Musk gets quiet White House reminders his power isn't unchecked — Trump's aides have signaled behind the scenes that Musk still reports to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. — Tech billionaire and newly minted “special government employee” Elon Musk has received quiet White House reminders …
Discussion:
HuffPost
RELATED:


U.S. government officials privately warn Musk's blitz appears illegal — The billionaire's DOGE team has launched an all-out assault on federal agencies, triggering numerous legal objections. — The chaotic blitz by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has triggered legal …
Discussion:
Politico, New Republic, NPR and Al Jazeera
RELATED:


Too Funny to Check: USAID Checkbook Snaps Shut, Politico Paychecks Shut Down? UPDATE
Discussion:
Ace of Spades HQ, RedState, The Gateway Pundit and American Greatness


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:
Axios, E&E News, Associated Press, Bloomberg and The Hill, more at Techmeme »


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:
The Root and Pharyngula

Republicans stare down massive deficits to extend Trump tax cuts — Caught between the debt and their tax base, Republicans are considering some novel ways to account for the cost of their legislative agenda as disagreements over budget cuts look set to hamstring early moves on their tax bill.
RELATED:


Black D.C. church vandalized by Proud Boys awarded control of group's name — The ruling effectively prohibits Proud Boys chapters from legally using their own name or typical symbols without the permission of the Metropolitan AME Church. — A historic Black church in D.C. that was vandalized …
Discussion:
WUSA, Law & Crime, Raw Story, The Independent and CBS News


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 …


Pam Bondi expected to move quickly to assert control of Justice Department — Newly confirmed Attorney General Pam Bondi will arrive for her first day at the Justice Department Wednesday amid a firestorm over firings of agents and prosecutors who have worked on cases related to Donald Trump and the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riot.
Discussion:
NBC News
RELATED:


U.S. Postal Service Reverses Decision to Halt Parcel Service From China — The Postal Service will continue to accept parcels from Hong Kong and China despite a new executive order that will require greater inspection of packages. — The United States Postal Service on Wednesday …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Associated Press, Fortune, Bloomberg, Wired, USA Today, Hollywood Life, The Verge, Al Jazeera, WXIA-TV, Quartz, Politico, Raw Story, The Independent, DNyuz, UPI, WNYW-TV, WUSA, The Information, CBS News, Semafor and BIG by Matt Stoller, more at Techmeme »


Protests against Trump and Project 2025 are planned in cities across the US — A movement to oppose the early actions of President Donald Trump's administration is taking off online, with plans to protest across the U.S. on Wednesday. — The movement has organized under the hashtags #buildtheresistance …


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