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U.S. intelligence, law enforcement candidates face Trump loyalty test — Candidates for top intelligence and law enforcement jobs were asked to give “yes” or “no” responses to questions such as: Was Jan. 6 “an inside job?” — Candidates for top national security positions in the Trump administration …
Discussion:
OutsideTheBeltway and Axios, more at Techmeme »
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Visualizing the international reach of U.S. funding cut by Trump — Using graphics to illustrate the scope of U.S. foreign aid spending and analyzing how the Trump administration's sweeping cuts could play out across the world. — In a matter of weeks, President Donald Trump has moved …
Discussion:
Digby's Hullabaloo


Trump Voters Angry at ‘Chaos’: ‘Not What We Signed Up For’
Discussion:
Grabien, Daily Kos, Washington Post and WGN-TV

As the Trump upheaval continues, are there restraints that could slow him down?
Discussion:
One America News Network and Raw Story

A Quick Guide to the Lawsuits Against the Trump Orders
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Washington Examiner and UnHerd

As Trump steamrolls Washington, courts flex their power to slow him down
Discussion:
Raw Story

Federal Courts Are the Frontline for Those Opposing Trump Executive Orders
Discussion:
The Guardian


CBS News poll — Trump has positive approval amid “energetic” opening weeks; seen as doing what he promised — With most describing him as “tough,” “energetic,” “focused” and “effective” — and as doing what he'd promised during his campaign — President Trump has started his term with net positive marks from Americans overall.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Daily Mail and Forbes


Katie Britt vows to work with RFK Jr. after NIH funding cuts cause concern in Alabama — Alabama's junior U.S. senator said she will work with President Donald Trump's health secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to “ensure our nation remains at the forefront” of innovation …
Discussion:
Alternet.org and Lawyers, Guns & Money
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‘Bama Senator Howls Like Stuck Pig After She Sees NIH Cuts’ Impact in State — Yesterday I made the point that while research universities and academic medical centers may be coded blue in many ways, they're far from limited to blue states. Indeed, overall they tend to be more crucial …


February 8, 2025 — Yesterday the National Institutes of Health under the Trump administration announced …
Discussion:
Reason, al.com, Washington Examiner, The Mahablog, Raw Story and STAT

Researchers decry ‘disastrously bad idea’ as NIH slashes payments for research infrastructure
Discussion:
HuffPost, NBC News, STAT, Los Angeles Times, The Hill, Talking Points Memo, Washington Examiner, Saywhat Politics, The Guardian, Washington Post, Forbes, New York Times and Bloomberg


Federal Financial Watchdog Ordered to Cease Activity — In an email to staff of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agency's acting director ordered workers to cease “all supervision and examination activity.” — Employees of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau were instructed to cease …
Discussion:
American Prospect, Reuters, USA Today, How Things Work, CNN, RedState and Politico
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Musk calls for impeachment of judge who blocked DOGE access at Treasury — Elon Musk is calling for the impeachment of the federal judge who made a decision early Saturday morning that the Treasury Department should block access to anyone “other than civil servants with a need for access …
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Musk Team's Treasury Access Raises Security Fears, Despite Judge's Ordered Halt — A judge ruled Saturday that the activities of Elon Musk's government cost-cutting effort risk “the disclosure of sensitive and confidential information” and render them “more vulnerable than before to hacking.”
Discussion:
Baltimore Sun


Exclusive: Inside Trump's Iran fear … - Iran clearly is still on Trump's mind: Last week, he said he'd given his team instructions to “obliterate” Iran if its operatives were to kill him. — He later tempered that remark by saying he wanted a “verified nuclear peace agreement” with Iran …
Discussion:
The Independent


Early Crypto Traders Had Speedy Profit on Trump Coin as Others Suffered Losses — Some traders made tens of millions off a new cryptocurrency launched by President Trump and his sons. Many others lost out. — The curious trade came a little past 9 p.m. on Jan. 17 …


Kristi Noem: ‘Get rid of FEMA the way it exists today’ — The DHS secretary backed Trump's proposal to shutter the disaster response agency. — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she supports the idea of getting “rid of FEMA” as part of President Donald Trump's massive overhaul of the federal government.
Discussion:
Axios, Alternet.org, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit, Breitbart, Washington Post, Orlando Sentinel and The Daily Signal


House Republicans mull taxes on scholarships and changes to student loan programs — As Republicans in Congress look for ways to slash spending, some legislators are floating new taxes on college scholarships, an end to student loan repayment plans and a big hike in taxes on university endowments.


‘The feel of a coup’: Elon Musk said to be poised to ‘defy’ major judicial order — Elon Musk appears poised to defy a judicial order, according to observers. — Musk, the richest man in the world and an appointee of Donald Trump, was dealt a blow over the weekend when a judge reportedly …

Noem confident in legality of housing migrants at Guantánamo Bay — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she's confident that steps the government is taking to deport certain migrants from the U.S. mainland to Guantánamo Bay are legal.
Discussion:
PolitiFact and Fox News
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NSA Waltz says gutting USAID ‘absolutely not’ handing power to China and Russia: Full interview — National Security Adviser Mike Waltz tells Meet the Press in an exclusive interview that USAID needs to realign its mission to fit President Trump's foreign policy vision, as the Trump administration takes steps to dismantle the agency.
Discussion:
Grabien

Democratic senator: We are on ‘the cusp’ of a constitutional crisis — Democratic Senator Andy Kim (N.J.) argued that his party is ready to take a stand against PResident Trump's recent actions and believes the United States is on “the cusp” of a constitutional crisis.


Trump reveals he's spoken with Putin by phone, says Russian president ‘wants to see people stop dying’ in Ukraine war — President Trump has spoken to Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the phone to try to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war, he told The Post in an exclusive interview aboard Air Force One Friday.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Axios, The Moscow Times, CNN, Reuters, Politico, EADaily, Washington Examiner and Los Angeles Times
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Kremlin Declines to Confirm or Deny Putin Call Trump Hints At
Discussion:
Reuters, Daily Mail, EADaily and The Japan Times


Trump stripping the security clearances of numerous antagonists — including NY AG Letitia James, DA Alvin Bragg — President Trump has ordered security clearances stripped from a new hit list of antagonists. — Just days after revoking Joe Biden's access to classified information …
Discussion:
CNN, PJ Media, The Daily Caller, Mediaite, The Guardian, The Independent, Townhall, USA Today, Breitbart, Twitchy, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Examiner and The Post Millennial
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