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4:05 PM ET, February 19, 2025

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Raheem J. Kassam / The National Pulse:
EXCLUSIVE: VP J.D. Vance Warns Zelensky Over ‘Disgraceful’ Public Attacks on Trump, Confirms Ukrainian Elections Are Now U.S. Policy.  —  EXCLUSIVE: VP J.D. Vance Warns Zelensky Over ‘Disgraceful’ Public Attacks on Trump, Confirms Ukrainian Elections Are Now U.S. Policy.
RELATED:
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
The Cruelty Isn't the Point.  It's the Pleasure.  —  Over the years, we've piled up some indelible images of gutless Republican surrender to Trump.  Ted Cruz's face of pure pain as he phone-banked for Trump in 2016.  Mitt Romney's rueful smile at dinner with Trump after that election.1 And now …
Discussion: New York Post, Daily Kos and Bloomberg
Anton Troianovski / New York Times:
Zelensky and Trump Trade Blows as Feud Escalates Over Peace Talks
CNN:
Zelensky says Trump lives in ‘disinformation space’
Washington Post:
Echoing Kremlin, Trump calls Zelensky a dictator, angering Ukrainians
Ali Bianco / Politico:
Macron to visit Washington next week, Waltz says
Discussion: Politico, The Hill and Reuters
Troy Matthews / MeidasTouch News:
Trump Says Ukraine ‘Should Have Never Started’ War With Russia
David Smith / The Guardian:
Trump blames Ukraine over war with Russia, saying it could have made a deal
Liz Goodwin / Washington Post:
After ceding power of the purse, GOP lawmakers beg Trump team for funds  —  Republican senators are asking Cabinet secretaries and other Trump officials to let money flow back into their states.  —  Republican senators find themselves in an unusual position these days …
RELATED:
Axios:
Trump faces growing DOGE revolt from GOP lawmakers … - DOGE's efforts to shutter the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other agencies could bring matters to a head, one House Republican told Axios.  — “I think you're going to see a clash …
Katherine Tully-McManus / Politico:
‘You would see lawsuits:’ Susan Collins fires new warning shot at Trump on spending  —  The senior Republican senator negotiating a deal to avoid a government shutdown in less than one month says the Trump administration might be breaking the law — and flouting the U.S. Constitution.
Filip Timotija / The Hill:
Trump says ‘inflation is back’: ‘I had nothing to do with it’  —  President Trump is seeking to distance himself from a rise in inflation, arguing that the uptick had “nothing to do” with his return to the Oval Office.  —  Trump instead placed the blame on former President Biden in an interview Tuesday …
Sahil Kapur / NBC News:
Despite DOGE, Trump's agenda calls for adding trillions of dollars to U.S debt
Discussion: UPI and Roll Call
Justine Brent / KGUN-TV:
One confirmed dead in Marana Regional Airport crash Wednesday morning  —  KGUN 9 has a crew on scene  —  MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — A crash has occurred at Marana Regional Airport, 11700 W. Avra Valley Road, Wednesday morning, KGUN 9 has confirmed with airport personnel.
RELATED:
NBC News:
Aircraft collision at Arizona airport leaves at least 1 person dead  —  The crash happened Wednesday at the Marana Regional Airport in Marana.  —  At least one person has died after two planes collided Wednesday morning at an Arizona airport, police said.  —  The crash happened …
Andre Tartar / Bloomberg:
DOGE Says It's Saved $55 Billion; Data Show Much Less  — Cost-cutting effort itemizes about $8.6 billion in savings  — Data includes error that inflates value of DOGE savings so far  —  The federal cost-cutting effort dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency says it has saved $55 billion …
RELATED:
New York Times:
DOGE Claimed It Saved $8 Billion in One Contract. It Was Actually $8 Million.
Nick Bednar / Default:
Did DOGE Take Credit for Spending Cuts Related to President Carter's Death?
Discussion: Tangle and emptywheel
Jason Lange / Reuters:
Trump's approval rating slips as Americans worry about the economy  —  U.S. President Donald Trump's approval rating has ticked slightly lower in recent days as more Americans worried about the direction of the U.S. economy as the new leader threatens a host of countries with tariffs, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Trump administration orders Pentagon to plan for sweeping budget cuts  —  The directive, detailed in a memo dated Tuesday, exempts a handful of programs, including the president's expanded military mission along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
Oops: Trump-Musk Cuts Just Wrecked an NIH Org Championed by GOPers  —  With co-Presidents Donald Trump and Elon Musk now inflicting deep cuts on federal agencies that sponsor medical research, thousands of scientists, researchers, and medical professionals are getting fired.
New York Post:
NYC congestion pricing axed as Trump pulls approval of hated toll  —  Congestion pricing, we hardly knew ye.  —  New York City's spectacularly unpopular congestion pricing scheme is on death row as the Trump administration will announce Wednesday it is pulling its approval of the toll …
RELATED:
New York Times:
Trump Administration Moves to End New York's Congestion Pricing Tolls
Sam Stein / The Bulwark:
The DOGE Brain Drain Has Begun  —  THREE DAYS AFTER the National Institutes of Health abruptly announced it would place a strict, low cap on the money it sends to universities and research institutions for the administrative costs of scientific research, the University of Iowa made an abrupt announcement of its own.
New York Times:
A Frustrated Trump Wants His New Air Force One Planes Pronto  —  Among the ways being discussed to force faster delivery of two presidential planes are relaxing security clearances for Boeing workers and even purchasing a temporary luxury plane and retrofitting it.
The White House:
Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies  —  By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:  —  Section 1.  Policy and Purpose.  The Constitution vests all executive power in the President and charges him with faithfully executing the laws.
RELATED:
Charlie Savage / New York Times:
Trump Issues Order to Expand His Power Over Agencies Congress Made Independent
New York Times:
Migrants, Deported to Panama Under Trump Plan, Detained in Remote Jungle Camp  —  The group of unauthorized migrants, which includes children, were bused to the camp late Tuesday night.  “It looks like a zoo, there are fenced cages,” said one of the detainees.
Jack Nicas / New York Times:
Trump Media Group Sues Brazilian Judge Weighing Arrest of Jair Bolsonaro  —  The lawsuit came hours after the justice received an indictment of Brazil's former president, who is an ally of President Trump.  —  President Trump's media company sued a Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Wednesday …
Kyle Cheney / Politico:
Judge says Trump administration made a ‘mess’ of plans for overseas USAID workers  —  The judge said the Trump administration's latest statement contradicted a “crystal clear” understanding about how overseas government workers would be treated.  —  A federal judge on Wednesday …
Pew Research Center:
How Americans view Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg  —  Americans' views of two prominent tech executives - Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg - tilt more negative than positive.  Musk is a deeply polarizing figure, with Republicans largely viewing him favorably and Democrats largely unfavorably.
Dave Zirin / The Nation:
Why Democrats Won't Throw a Real Punch  —  Faced with existential threats from the right, the Democratic leadership remains timid; faced with demands for justice from the left, it goes on the attack.  —  Bluesky  —  Pocket  —  A relative of mine—an older gent with a penchant for salty language …
Popular Information:
As measles outbreak rages in Texas, RFK Jr. pushes anti-vaccine message  —  The largest measles outbreak Texas has seen in over 30 years is sweeping through the western part of the state.  According to information released yesterday by the Texas Department of State Health Services, 58 cases have been confirmed throughout five counties.
Adam Przeworski / Adam's Substack:
Diary  —  I decided to keep a record of my thoughts as events transpire, a diary.  I have read several reactions by Germans to the rise of Nazism and I was struck by their difficulty to understand where the daily events they lived through could or would lead.  In retrospect, we will know, analyze, and make sense.
Amanda Marcotte / Salon:
RFK 's plan to make America healthy again?  Round up people with mental health conditions in camps  —  Robert F. Kennedy wants to replace standard psychological care with unpaid labor on “wellness farms”  —  Robert F. Kennedy's “make America healthy again” motto is meant to convey …
Katie Roof / Bloomberg:
Musk's X in Talks to Raise Money at a $44 Billion Valuation  — Valuation is the same as Musk's 2022 Twitter acquisition  — Billionaire has recently tapped private markets for big sums  —  Elon Musk's X is in talks to raise money from investors at a $44 billion valuation, according to people familiar with the matter.
Lora Kolodny / CNBC:
Tesla's law firm drafts Delaware bill that could salvage Musk pay package … A law firm that represents Tesla and Elon Musk has written proposed legislation that would alter Delaware corporate law, according to a person directly familiar with the drafting of the bill who asked to remain unnamed in order to speak about the matter.
 
 
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 More Items: 
Kelly Hooper / Politico:
Biden CMS chief warns DOGE is moving too fast
Discussion: The Hill and WisPolitics
Bernie Sanders / The Guardian:
We are on the road for democracy and justice
Discussion: The Hill
The Boston Globe:
‘It makes no logical sense’: A Mass. immigration judge is among more than 20 fired by Trump administration
Discussion: Documented
Matt Wilstein / The Daily Beast:
Trump Wanted ‘Millions’ for 15-Minute Meeting With Execs
The Economist:
Now is the time for Europe to show strength, not division, argues Sanna Marin
Discussion: Townhall
 Earlier Items: 
Laura Strickler / NBC News:
New Immigration and Customs Enforcement data shows administration isn't just arresting criminals
Jennifer Rubin / The Contrarian:
Showing Up & Walking Out  —  The Musk-Trump regime thrives on confusion, chaos, and capitulation.
Ryan Cooper / American Prospect:
Musk and Trump Are Causing the Dumbest Imperial Collapse in History
Discussion: Raw Story
Liz Dye / Public Notice:
Unelected billionaire breaks laws to “restore” democracy
Andrew Beaujon / Washingtonian:
Trump's Kennedy Center Cancels Pride Concert That Would Have Featured Gay Men's Chorus of Washington
Discussion: The Daily Caller, Advocate and WUSA
Fatima Hussein / Associated Press:
Tens of millions of dead people aren't getting Social Security checks, despite Trump and Musk claims
Allan Smith / NBC News:
USDA says it accidentally fired officials working on bird flu and is trying to rehire them
 

 
From Techmeme:

Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
The EU fines X €120M for breaching online content rules, the first fine under the DSA, citing issues including the deceptive design of its blue checkmarks

Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
Netflix agrees to buy WBD's studios and streaming business in an $82.7B cash and stock deal; the transaction is expected to close after Q3 2026

Kif Leswing / CNBC:
Apple says general counsel Kate Adams and policy chief Lisa Jackson will retire, and Jennifer Newstead, Meta's former chief legal officer, will replace Adams

 
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