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8:15 AM ET, February 5, 2025

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Washington Post:
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 …
RELATED:
The Atlantic:
Trump Advisers Stopped Musk From Hiring a Noncitizen at DOGE  —  As Elon Musk set out to upend the federal bureaucracy on behalf of Donald Trump, he reached out to Trump's team with an unusual request: U.S. law generally prohibits noncitizens from working for the federal government …
NBC News:
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 …
Reuters:
Musk creates new power base in Washington with takeover of US agencies  —  Elon Musk's rapid takeover of two U.S. government agencies has enabled the South African-born billionaire to exert unprecedented control over America's 2.2-million-member federal workforce and begin a dramatic reshaping of government.
CNN:
FBI turns over names of 5,000 employees who worked on January 6 cases to Trump Justice Department, as agents sue  —  FBI officials have complied with demands to provide the Justice Department with a list of thousands of employees who worked on investigations related to the January 6, 2021 …
NBC News:
‘Deranged’ and ‘problematic’: Bipartisan lawmakers bash Trump's Gaza proposal  —  Trump said Tuesday night that the U.S. “will take over Gaza” and send in troops “if necessary.”  —  Criticism and concern spread across both sides of the aisle Tuesday night following President Donald Trump's announcement …
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Trump proposes U.S. ‘take over’ Gaza, permanent displacement of residents  —  The idea, a first indicator of Trump's approach to the conflict, was sure to inflame the region given the history of Palestinians' displacement from their territory.
Politico:
Trump's plan to ‘take over’ Gaza Strip confuses GOP lawmakers
Discussion: Mediaite and NOTUS
Associated Press:
Trump suggests displaced Palestinians in Gaza be ‘permanently’ resettled outside war-torn territory
Peter Baker / New York Times:
With Gaza Plan, an Unbound Trump Pushes an Improbable Idea
Will Weissert / Associated Press:
Live updates: Trump wants US to take ownership of Gaza Strip
New York Times:
Trump Administration Live Updates: Committee Votes to Advance Tulsi Gabbard's Bid for Intelligence Post
Paul Campos / Lawyers, Guns & Money:
Fetterman Supports US Occupation Of Gaza
Discussion: New York Post and Grabien
Wall Street Journal:
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:
CNN:   CIA sends ‘buyout’ offers to entire workforce
Dan De Luce / NBC News:
CIA offers buyouts to workforce as Trump administration continues efforts to scale back government
Charlie Savage / New York Times:
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 …
RELATED:
Jennifer Scholtes / Politico:   Shutdown anxiety rises on Capitol Hill amid Trump chaos
Sahil Kapur / NBC News:
Negotiations stall ahead of shutdown deadline as Democrats slam Trump for subverting spending laws
Discussion: New York Times
NBC News:
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 …
RELATED:
Phil Mattingly / CNN:
Treasury says Musk's DOGE has not rejected payments in first attempt to clarify access granted to critical system  —  The Treasury Department said Elon Musk aides detailed to the agency have “read-only” access to its sensitive $5 trillion US payments system and that no payments have been suspended …
RELATED:
Alan Rappeport / New York Times:
Treasury Defends Musk Team's Access to Federal Payment System
Michael Sainato / The Guardian:
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 …
Jamelle Bouie / New York Times:
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: Slate, DNyuz and Chicago Tribune
RELATED:
Eric Levitz / Vox:
America's constitutional crisis could come to a head in four months
Discussion: NPR and HotAir
Elizabeth Popp Berman / Liberal Currents:
Personal Discretion Over the Treasury's Payments System Means the End of Democracy
Discussion: maaarine
ABC News:
State Department moving to evacuate USAID staff worldwide: Sources  —  The State Department has begun working to assist in evacuating all USAID staff who are on foreign assignments worldwide, sources familiar with the effort told ABC News.  —  The Department is aiming to recall all USAID employees …
RELATED:
Andreas Kluth / Bloomberg:   Trump and Musk Are Vandalizing the World
Rachael Bade / Politico:
Democrats Are Falling For Trump and Musk's Foreign Aid Trap  —  Three veteran strategists want their party to be more thoughtful about fighting Trump's anti-bureaucracy campaign.  —  After three months of soul-searching about how to revive their party, some Democrats this week believe …
Associated Press:
Trump and Musk demand termination of federal office leases through General Services Administration  —  One of the next moves in President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's sweeping effort to fire government employees and curtail operations is using the agency that manages thousands …
CNN:
Multiple ICE impersonation arrests made during nationwide immigration crackdown  —  Editor's note: This story contains profane and hateful language.  —  Authorities in at least three states have arrested individuals allegedly impersonating Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers …
Aseem Bassi / India Today:
US military plane carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants lands in Amritsar  —  Police and civil administration officials were at the airport to receive the 104 illegal immigrants comprising 79 men and 25 women.  An official from the US Embassy was also present. … In Short
Discussion: DNyuz
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
How Trump Gutted America's $40 Billion Aid Agency in Two Weeks  —  Dismantling of USAID appears to be a test case for new administration  —  WASHINGTON—The cuts came so fast that one dismissed employee had to be rehired to process other employees' time sheets.
Discussion: New Republic
 
 
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 More Items: 
Liz Dye / Public Notice:
Trump declares flawless victory in pointless trade war
Dylan Scott / Vox:
The mysterious statisticians shaping how we think about fertility
Dylan Scott / Vox:
Trump's tariffs could make it harder for Americans to get their medications
Discussion: Quartz
Veronica Riccobene / The Lever:
From Watergate to Elon-gate  —  Musk is trying to shut down the agency probing his company's equipment …
 Earlier Items: 
Rebecca Beitsch / The Hill:
Senate confirms Pam Bondi to lead Justice Department
Discussion: CBS News and New York Times
Ross O'Keefe / Washington Examiner:
Biden signs with Hollywood agency
Cathy Gellis / Techdirt:
When It's Not Just A Coup But A CFAA Violation Too