Trump closes down federal worker buyout offer after judge lifts hold  —  The administration moved to close the buyout program Wednesday evening after a federal judge in Massachusetts rejected a call from several labor groups that sued to block the initiative

“Armored Tesla” forecast to win $400 million State Department contract after Trump's election, government document shows  —  The State Department's procurement forecast, revised as of late December 2024, lists Tesla as the recipient of the largest expected contract, with Marco Rubio's department planning …

Elon Musk's X to pay about $10 million to settle Trump lawsuit over account suspension … Social media company X has agreed to pay about $10 million to settle a lawsuit by President Donald Trump, who has put X's billionaire owner Elon Musk in charge of a major government cost- and staff-cutting effort.

Johnson's budget dare  —  Presented by IN TODAY'S EDITION:  — Johnson dares conservatives to oppose budget plan  — Senate votes on RFK Jr.  — House GOP leaders talking CR  —  BUT FIRST: CONGRESS X POLITICO IN MUNICH — Tune in Friday and Saturday for POLITICO programming live from the Munich Security Conference.

New York Got $80 Million for Migrants.  The White House Took It Back.  —  The New York City comptroller's office, which first noticed the missing money, said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had unilaterally taken the funds from the city's accounts.

Some Migrants Sent by Trump to Guantánamo Are Being Held by Military Guards  —  The Times has obtained a list of 53 Venezuelan men the Trump administration has put in a wartime prison built to hold Al Qaeda suspects.  —  Dozens of Venezuelan migrants sent by the Trump administration …

Measles Outbreak Hits Town in Texas  —  As of Tuesday, 22 children and two adults had been infected, all of whom were unvaccinated, local officials said.  —  A worsening measles outbreak has taken root in Texas, sickening two dozen and hospitalizing nine on the western edge of the state …

Mass firings have begun at federal agencies  —  Mass firings have begun at federal agencies, with terminations of probationary employees underway at the Department of Education and the Small Business Administration, federal employees and union sources told CNN Wednesday.

US sues New York state officials over immigration enforcement, attorney general says  —  The U.S. Justice Department has sued New York State officials over alleged failures to enforce federal immigration law, Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters on Wednesday.

Hegseth's rough start: Pentagon chief faces protest at U.S. base abroad  —  The question isn't why the defense secretary faced pushback at U.S. European Command headquarters; the question is whether he'll see more protests soon.  —  Though it still seems hard to believe, a couple of weeks ago …

Eric Adams Discussed Possible Republican Primary Run With G.O.P. Leader  —  The mayor discussed options to run for re-election in the Republican contest as recently as Monday.  Asked for comment, he said he was running as a Democrat.  —  Mayor Eric Adams of New York City has quietly explored running …

Sen. Elizabeth Warren's Two-Word Plan to Save the CFPB From Elon Musk  —  “Banks hated this agency from the first time I ever talked about it.”  —  Following the 2008 global financial crisis, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was established by Congress to reign …

Trump Removal of Whistleblower Agency Head Blocked by Judge  — Judge held Trump's firing of Hampton Dellinger likely unlawful  — Other independent agency officials are suing over removals  —  A federal judge in Washington blocked for now President Donald Trump from removing the head …

If Indians and Pakistanis Can Relocate, Why Can't Gazans?  —  Population transfers aren't a Trump innovation.  There are plenty of examples from the 20th century.  —  President Trump's idea that the U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip and relocate two million Palestinians has elicited outrage and derision.

Trump and Musk Hunt for Corruption, Very Selectively  —  Spending that the White House does not like is being labeled fraudulent.  At the same time, President Trump is rolling back anticorruption efforts and ethical standards for himself and allies like Elon Musk.

US eggs prices hit a record high of $4.95 and are likely to keep climbing  —  Egg prices hit a record high as the U.S. contends with an ongoing bird flu outbreak, but consumers didn't need government figures released Wednesday to tell them eggs are terribly expensive and hard to find at times because of an ongoing.

McConnell Comments on Gabbard Nomination  —  Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, issued the following statement today on the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to serve as Director of National Intelligence:

Trump-Putin Meeting Should Be Organized ‘Promptly,’ Kremlin Says  —  The Kremlin said Thursday that a face-to-face meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin should be arranged “promptly,” coming a day after the two leaders held a phone call.

Judge won't halt Trump, Musk federal worker buyout program  —  A federal judge declined to further pause a federal government buyout program, enabling the government to forge ahead with its “Fork in the Road” program.  —  U.S. District Court Judge George O'Toole had extended the time frame …

What you can do to fight the Trump agenda  —  “What can I do?”  —  That's the question a lot of you are asking.  —  I've spent the last week exploring that question.  And the overarching answer, based on my research, is that you should reach out and make connections with others …

“Largest data breach in US history”: Three more lawsuits try to stop DOGE … The US DOGE Service's access to the private data of ordinary Americans and federal employees is being challenged in several lawsuits filed this week.  —  Three new complaints seek court orders that would stop …

New Kennedy Center board elects Trump as chair.  Rutter departs as president.  —  President Trump's refashioned board of trustees voted him chairman in a meeting Wednesday afternoon.  President Deborah Rutter told staff she was leaving the institution.  —  The Kennedy Center board …

The GSA Plans to Sell Hundreds of Its Federal Government Buildings  —  The General Services Administration, staffed at its upper levels by Elon Musk associates, plans to sell 500-plus buildings—some of which house government agencies and the offices of US senators.

DOGE's Latest Target is Seen as a Gift to the CCP … The Treasury Department has frozen funding disbursements to the National Endowment for Democracy, a U.S.-government funded organization that promotes democracy around the world and is a longtime bugbear of the Chinese Communist Party.

A Runaway Carr  —  Pressed by Status over text message, FCC boss Brendan Carr defended his actions—including his decision not to go after Rupert Murdoch's Fox. … Carr had already revived petitions filed by pro-MAGA forces against ABC, NBC, and CBS.  He had also announced a string …

Bernie Sanders launches high-profile offensive against ‘the oligarchy’  —  “He likes spreading his message, and likes being adored,” a former aide said.  —  Bernie Sanders, the two-time presidential candidate, is barnstorming Iowa and Nebraska to rally voters against what he calls …