Check out Mini-memeorandum for simple mobiles or memeorandum Mobile for modern smartphones.
4:25 PM ET, February 12, 2025

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Lawrence Hurley / NBC News:
This obscure law is one reason Trump's agenda keeps losing in court  —  Lawsuits challenging Trump policies raise big constitutional questions, but they also rely on a law that requires the government to follow the correct procedures when changing course.  —  WASHINGTON — Lawyers challenging …
RELATED:
Associated Press:
White House says judges balking at Trump's actions are provoking a ‘constitutional crisis’  —  The White House said Wednesday that court rulings going against the Trump administration are coming from “judicial activists” on the bench whose decisions amount to a “constitutional crisis.”
Bill Scher / Washington Monthly:
It's a Good Thing Democrats Didn't Pack the Courts
Discussion: The Gateway Pundit
Brett Samuels / The Hill:   White House calls judges blocking Trump's agenda ‘real constitutional crisis’
Associated Press:
As Trump pushes whirlwind agenda, DOJ is challenged to defend his orders in court
Discussion: New Republic
New York Times:
Live Updates: Trump Holds Call With Putin to Start Talks on Ending Ukraine War  —  Where Things Stand  — Trump-Putin call: President Trump said that he had “a lengthy and highly productive” call with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Wednesday that he characterized as the start of the negotiation to end the war in Ukraine.
RELATED:
NBC News:
Senate votes to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as top U.S. intelligence official  —  Gabbard overcame initial skepticism from some Republican senators about her nomination, underscoring Trump's grip on the party.  —  WASHINGTON — The GOP-controlled Senate early Wednesday morning voted …
Catie Edmondson / New York Times:
Defying Johnson, Graham and Senate G.O.P. Push Their Own Budget Plan  —  Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who relishes being in the middle of the action, is leapfrogging the House G.O.P., which is still tied in knots over how to pass its budget.
CNN:
Accused Russian money launderer is being released in exchange for Marc Fogel
New York Times:
Trump Softens Tone on Inflation After Pledging to Lower Prices  —  President Trump pledged to lower costs on “Day 1” as a candidate.  His administration now acknowledges it will take more time.  —  President Trump promised voters that, if elected, he would enact policies that would bring prices down on “Day 1” in office.
RELATED:
Colby Smith / New York Times:
CPI Report: Inflation Rose Unexpectedly in January  —  The Consumer Price Index rose 3.0 percent from a year earlier as food and energy prices picked up.  —  U.S. inflation rose to 3 percent in January, strengthening the case for the Federal Reserve to extend a pause on interest rate cuts.
Andrew Ackerman / Washington Post:
Inflation heated up in January, as prices for groceries and housing picked up
Jenna McLaughlin / NPR:
Tulsi Gabbard confirmed as director of national intelligence, overcoming skepticism  —  The U.S. Senate has confirmed former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to lead the intelligence community as director of national intelligence, despite initial skepticism.  —  Gabbard was confirmed 52-48 …
RELATED:
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:   McConnell only Republican to vote against Gabbard
RELATED:
Lee Moran / HuffPost:
Donald Trump Taunted Over ‘Most Powerless Image Of A President’ Ever  —  It's “a picture of presidential subservience the likes of which we have never seen,” said MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell.  —  LOADING  —  MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell pointed out the power plays that Elon Musk appeared …
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
When President Musk Speaks, Donald Trump Listens
Discussion: CNN and NBC News
Judd Legum / Popular Information:
BREAKING: NIH admits funding freeze is illegal, will resume issuing grants  —  On Monday afternoon, Popular Information broke the news that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) had frozen virtually all grant funding in violation of two federal court orders.
Steven Erlanger / New York Times:
Hegseth Says Return to Ukraine's Pre-2014 Borders Is ‘Unrealistic’  —  In his first trip abroad, the new U.S. defense secretary told Ukrainian and NATO officials that a durable peace could only come ‘with a realistic assessment of the battlefield.’  —  A return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is …
RELATED:
Haley Ott / CBS News:
Hegseth rules out Ukraine NATO membership as part of any ceasefire with Russia
New York Times:
Family of Venezuelan Migrant Sent to Guantánamo: ‘My Brother Is Not a Criminal.’ … Luis Alberto Castillo, a father of one from Venezuela, entered the United States on Jan. 19, one day before Donald Trump became president for a second term — swept into office on a promise to treat undocumented migrants with a heavy hand.
emptywheel:
Trump Fired Inspectors General Who Identified $183.5 Billion in Waste, Fraud, and Abuse  —  There have and will be a slew of lawsuits in response to Trump's attack on government.  But this lawsuit, from eight of the Inspectors General that Trump fired on January 24, has been much anticipated.
RELATED:
CBS News:
How Trump is reshaping the Kennedy Center, moving away from “woke culture”  —  President Trump is reshaping the Kennedy Center's board and performances, moving away from what he views as “woke culture,” multiple sources tell CBS News.  —  After Mr. Trump announced plans last week to remove …
Discussion: Variety, them. and Breitbart
RELATED:
Bobby Allyn / NPR:
Elon Musk's DOGE takes aim at agency that had plans of regulating X  —  Elon Musk made a big leap late last month toward his long-shot goal of turning X into an “everything app,” a service that could encompass a broad range of services, including the ability to transfer money, similar to Venmo or PayPal.
RELATED:
New York Times:   With Attack on Consumer Bureau, Musk Removes Obstacle to His ‘X Money’ Vision
David Zipper / Slate:
Americans Are Actually in a Position to Make Elon Musk Feel Our Rage  —  The company is in a precarious position.  This is a case where buying choices can effectively communicate rage.  —  There are myriad reasons to loathe Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, who has become a top ally of Donald Trump.
Discussion: Raw Story and Forbes
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Her parents were injured in a Tesla crash. She ended up having to pay Tesla damages
Discussion: Electrek and TechCrunch
New York Daily News:
Trump revokes $80 million from NYC after threat to claw back FEMA cash used to care for migrants  —  The Trump administration has revoked more than $80 million in funds from New York City bank accounts after Elon Musk earlier this week threatened to claw back FEMA money used to house migrants in …
Ashleigh Fields / The Hill:
House Republican circulates petition to deport Omar  —  Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) is circulating a petition for his supporters to sign to deport a fellow member of Congress, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).  —  Gil had previously called on Omar to be deported, arguing she is more loyal …
Discussion: New York Post and Axios
Perla Shaheen / KGTV-TV:
Military fighter jet crashes into San Diego Bay off Point Loma coast  —  SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Two pilots were rescued after a fighter jet crashed into the San Diego Bay in the area of 1401 Shelter Island Drive Wednesday morning, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.
Justine Calma / The Verge:
The Trump administration restores federal webpages after court order  —  A federal judge told the CDC and FDA to restore pages containing key health information.  —  A federal judge told the CDC and FDA to restore pages containing key health information.
New York Times:
Republicans Love Trump's Spending Cuts.  Just Not in Their States.  —  Even as they praise the president's unilateral actions to slash federal spending, G.O.P. lawmakers have quietly moved to seek carve outs or exemptions for their own constituents.  —  Republicans in Congress have responded …
Discussion: Raw Story
Charles Franklin / Homepage:
New Marquette Law School Poll national survey finds public strongly favors some Trump policies, strongly opposes others  —  Recognizing only two sexes and immigrant orders are most popular, “Gulf of America” naming and Jan. 6 pardons least popular  —  Other highlights:  — Overall opinion is skeptical on tariffs
Ivana Saric / Axios:
Top Dem on DOGE subcommittee calls on Elon Musk to testify … - “While we're sitting here, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are recklessly and illegally dismantling the federal government,” Stansbury said.  — She went on to accuse Republicans of shielding Musk and Trump as they break the law …
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
Pope Francis's Stunning Rebuke of JD Vance Exposes MAGA's Dark Soul  —  The other day, JD Vance sought to reconcile President Donald Trump's “America First” vision with the tenets of Christianity.  Vance argued for a “Christian concept” that orders our ethical obligations in a series of concentric circles …
Emily Brooks / The Hill:
First DOGE committee hearing becomes referendum on Elon Musk  —  The star of the first Delivering on Government Efficiency subcommittee hearing in the House Wednesday was an individual not in attendance: Elon Musk.  —  Democrats on the panel took intense aim at Musk, who is heading …
Discussion: New Republic
Joyce Vance / Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance:
Cutting Cancer Research  —  Sometimes, it gets personal.  —  My daughter is finishing up a master's degree.  Her work is completely over my head, but it involves the intersection of nutrition, agriculture, and climate change. … In other words, she's doing important work, real work that could help make many lives better.
 
 
 Archived Page Info: 
This is a snapshot of memeorandum at 4:25 PM ET, February 12, 2025.

View the current page or another snapshot:


Page version:
 
 See Also: 
memeorandum: site main
memeorandum River: reverse chronological memeorandum
memeorandum Mobile: for phones
memeorandum Leaderboard: memeorandum's top sources
 
 Subscribe: 
memeorandum RSS feed
memeorandum on Mastodon
 
 
 More Items: 
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
Top N.I.H. Official Abruptly Resigns as Trump Orders Deep Cuts
Judy Kurtz / The Hill:
Trump says new Kennedy Center board has elected him chair
Discussion: CNN
Hansi Lo Wang / NPR:
The public lost access to Census Bureau data for days after a Trump order
Alex Gangitano / The Hill:
Musk calls for ‘wave of judicial impeachments’
Jonathan V. Last / The Bulwark:
Wall Street Loves Trump Because LOL Nothing Matters
 Earlier Items: 
Greisa Martínez Rosas / New York Times:
Democrats Need to Learn How to Throw a Punch
Discussion: Florida Phoenix
Max Read / Read Max:
Soy Right ascendant
Alan Charles Raul / Washington Post:
Why DOGE is unconstitutional  —  Trump is acting extra-constitutionally.
Discussion: Civil Discourse …
Vladimir Isachenkov / Associated Press:
Kremlin says unidentified Russian freed in US in exchange for Moscow's release of Marc Fogel
 

 
From Mediagazer:

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty:
RFE/RL sues USAGM and its officials Kari Lake and Victor Morales, arguing they acted unlawfully and unconstitutionally in blocking funds allocated by Congress

David Roeder / Chicago Sun Times:
Around 20% of Chicago Sun-Times staff, or 30 employees, took buyouts and have resigned, including most of the editorial board; 5 WBEZ workers also took buyouts

Danielle Kaye / New York Times:
The US DOJ charges film director Carl Erik Rinsch for allegedly defrauding a “streaming platform” for $11M; an arbitrator ruled in May that he owed Netflix ~$9M
 
Sister Sites:

Techmeme
 Top news and commentary for technology's leaders, from all around the web
Mediagazer
 Top news and commentary for media professionals from all around the web
WeSmirch
 The top celebrity news from all around the web on a single page