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Elon Musk's Blitz Shakes U.S. Government as He Sweeps Through Agencies — The billionaire is creating major upheaval as his team sweeps through agencies, in what has been an extraordinary flexing of power by a private individual. — The billionaire is creating major upheaval …
Discussion:
Today's Edition Newsletter, Associated Press, Mediaite, DNyuz and The Daily Wire, more at Techmeme »
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Elon Musk Suggests Getting Rid Of All Regulations In Midnight Call — “If it's not possible now, it'll never be possible,” Musk said of his proposal to simply ignore all federal regulation as a baseline. — LOADING — President Donald Trump's “government efficiency” …
Discussion:
Fortune, The Daily Wire, The Information, USA Today, ABC7 and Politico, more at Techmeme »

DOGE's access to federal data is ‘an absolute nightmare,’ legal experts warn — The latest moves at Treasury have already triggered a lawsuit, with a fight over the dissolution of USAID looming. — Elon Musk's headlong rush to take control of crucial federal agencies and functions …
Discussion:
American Prospect

The ‘Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly’ of the United States Government — Elon Musk's bureaucratic coup is underway. — Elon Musk is not the president, but it does appear that he—a foreign-born, unelected billionaire who was not confirmed by Congress—is exercising profound influence …
Discussion:
Al Jazeera, MPR News, Raw Story, Americans for Financial Reform, Techdirt, The Post Millennial, USA Today and Advocate

Elon Musk Is President — He did not receive a single vote. He did not get confirmed. He does not receive a government paycheck. — The world's richest man has declared war on the federal government and, in a matter of days, has moved to slash its size and reach, while gaining access to some of its most sensitive secrets.
Discussion:
The UnPopulist, Letters from an American, Reuters, Axios, RedState, Daily Mail, New York Magazine and E&E News

Elon Musk Installs Illegal Server to Seize All Federal Workers' Data — Elon Musk has taken control of government employees' private data by having his cronies illegally install a commercial server at the Office of Personnel Management. — Musk and his handpicked associates at the fake …
Discussion:
Business Insider, American Greatness, Washington Examiner and NBC News

CONSTITUTIONAL STANDOFF — *Special Alert from The Contrarian* — Public opposition to the most wholesale and jaw-dropping violation of Americans' privacy and President Trump's unilateral outsourcing of the executive branch's operation to a private individual, Elon Musk, has taken hold.
Discussion:
New York Times, FedScoop and Mediaite

Elon Musk Is an Existential Threat to Big Tech — Elon Musk's direct control over the federal payment infrastructure has elevated him from tech billionaire to existential threat, casting a shadow over every major player in Silicon Valley. — America's bureaucratic machinery now runs through Elon Musk's smartphone.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice and Robert Reich

I'm a Federal Worker. Elon Musk's Government Data Heist Is the Entire Ballgame.
Discussion:
Vox
Politico:
Unions sue to block Musk team's access to Treasury payments
Unions sue to block Musk team's access to Treasury payments
Discussion:
The Hill, Axios, UPI, PoliticusUSA, The Verge, Townhall, The Post Millennial, Talking Points Memo and MeidasTouch News
Miles Klee / Rolling Stone:
Musk, Trump Prosecutor Targeting People Who Divulge Identities of DOGE Staff
Musk, Trump Prosecutor Targeting People Who Divulge Identities of DOGE Staff
Discussion:
New Republic, USA Today, Axios, New York Post and Associated Press
Ryan Broderick / Garbage Day:
Musk's superteam of former iPad babies

Democratic Senator Says He Will Stall Trump Nominees Until USAID Is Back — Schatz said he would hold up Trump's diplomatic confirmations — WASHINGTON—Sen. Brian Schatz (D., Hawaii) said he would place a “blanket hold” on all of President Trump's State Department nominees until …
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Democrats flood the zone with acts of anti-Trump resistance … - “That's not a thing. … - House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) unveiled a 10-part plan for countering Trump that includes using the federal funding process to thwart his efforts to “defund programs important to everyday Americans.”

Progressive Democrats accuse Trump and Musk of ‘a plutocratic coup’
Discussion:
Reuters, Raw Story and Talking Points Memo
Wall Street Journal:
Trump Hints at Curbs on Musk's Powers After Billionaire Shakes Up Washington
Trump Hints at Curbs on Musk's Powers After Billionaire Shakes Up Washington
Discussion:
Tennessee Star, Bloomberg and Reuters
David Edwards / Raw Story:
‘What is happening here is illegal’: Dem senator confronts security at USAID headquarters
‘What is happening here is illegal’: Dem senator confronts security at USAID headquarters
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money, Politico, GovExec.com, Mediaite, MPR News, NOTUS and Business Insider

Trump preps order to dismantle Education Dept. as DOGE probes data — Closing the agency would require congressional approval, so the new administration hopes to diminish it in the meantime. — President Donald Trump is preparing an executive order aimed at eventually closing the Education Department and …
Discussion:
New York Times, Forbes, DNyuz, Reuters, Chalkbeat, The Post Millennial, USA Today, Fox News and The Independent
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Trump Advisers Weigh Plan to Dismantle Education Department — Administration officials are discussing executive order that could shut down key functions of the agency — Trump administration officials are weighing executive actions to dismantle the Education Department as part of the campaign …
Discussion:
Reuters, Semafor, USA Today, NPR, Politico, New York Post, RedState, Washington Examiner, The Guardian, Jewish Insider, Raw Story, Scripps News, The Gateway Pundit and Townhall

Trump administration finalizing plans to shutter Education Department
Discussion:
NBC News
Josh Kovensky / Talking Points Memo:
Trump II Punishes Fed Workers For Attending Trump I Diversity Training
Trump II Punishes Fed Workers For Attending Trump I Diversity Training
Discussion:
ABC News

USAID personnel told to stay away from headquarters after Elon Musk's shutdown comments — Marocco held several national security positions during the first Trump administration, including at USAID, where he tried to consolidate power and slash funding. — WASHINGTON — Secretary …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Mercury News, The Independent, Forbes, The Gateway Pundit, The Root and Daily Mail
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Elon Musk's DOGE Is Still Blocking HIV/AIDS Relief Exempted From Foreign Aid Cuts — The Trump Administration claims it is allowing “lifesaving” foreign aid to continue, but in reality, DOGE is preventing vital work on HIV and AIDS from saving lives. — One of President Donald Trump's …
Discussion:
C-SPAN.org, Mother Jones, Global Dispatches, NBC News and Washington Examiner
Sean Seddon / BBC:
What is USAID and why is Trump reportedly poised to close it?
What is USAID and why is Trump reportedly poised to close it?
Discussion:
Forbes, New Republic, Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, LewRockwell, CBS News, Fox Business, Al Jazeera, Associated Press, Blaze Media, Daily Mail, UnHerd, Mashable, Common Dreams, NPR and USA Today

Trump to pause promised tariffs for 30 days after speaking with Trudeau — Trump, Trudeau spoke last hour for the second time today — Trump, Trudeau have 2nd phone call as tariff deadline nears — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump will hold off …
Discussion:
Reuters, Politico, New York Times, Detroit Free Press, USA Today, Daily Mail, Breitbart and The Guardian
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Trump backs off tariff threat with Mexico, digs in on Canada
Discussion:
Bloomberg, New York Daily News, The Guardian, New York Post, NBC News, UnHerd, West Virginia Watch, Kyodo News+, DNyuz, Global News, Blaze Media, The Gateway Pundit, CNBC, American Greatness, Al Jazeera, WNYW-TV, Daily Kos, Texas Standard, New York Times, New Republic, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, Boston Herald, Semafor, Scripps News, E&E News, CBS News, HotAir, Washington Post, The Verge, Raw Story, NPR and Grabien
Meredith Lee Hill / Politico:
Republicans eye bigger farm bailout amid Trump trade wars
Republicans eye bigger farm bailout amid Trump trade wars
Discussion:
Washington Post, Mediaite, Tennessee Star, DNyuz, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Raw Story and Axios
Politico:
The trade war in Trump's mind
The trade war in Trump's mind
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Gateway Pundit, Axios, Breitbart and DNyuz
Dan Mangan / CNBC:
Trump pauses tariffs on Canada imports for 30 days after doing the same for Mexico
Trump pauses tariffs on Canada imports for 30 days after doing the same for Mexico
Discussion:
CNN, Fox News, Reuters, Global News, New York Post, DNyuz, Business Insider, New York Times, UPI, IJR, The Floridian, The Guardian, Ace of Spades HQ, freebeacon.com, Chicago Tribune, WHYY, Axios, Politico, The Post Millennial, CBS News, Raw Story, Al Jazeera and Variety
Mike Masnick / Techdirt:
A Coup Is In Progress In America — A coup is underway in the United States, and we must stop pretending otherwise. The signs are unmistakable and accelerating: in just the past 48 hours, Elon Musk's DOGE commission has seized control of Treasury payment systems and gained unauthorized access …

DOJ Says Trump Administration Doesn't Have to Follow Court Order Halting Funding Freeze — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) argued Monday that a federal court order blocking President Donald Trump's federal funding freeze doesn't halt the administration's efforts.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner
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Federal judge issues restraining order blocking federal spending freeze
Discussion:
Raw Story, The Independent, RedState, Advocate, Scripps News and Roll Call
Charlie Savage / New York Times:
Judge Further Blocks White House Spending Freeze
Judge Further Blocks White House Spending Freeze
Discussion:
Civil Discourse …, Law & Crime and DNyuz

Top ‘60 Minutes’ Producer Says He Will Not Apologize Over Trump Lawsuit — Bill Owens, the show's executive producer, addressed his staff as CBS's parent company, Paramount, pursues a legal settlement with the president. — The head of “60 Minutes” told the show's staff on Monday …
Discussion:
DNyuz, more at Mediagazer »
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Brian Stelter / CNN:
The FCC's battle with CBS over its Harris interview is raising red flags
The FCC's battle with CBS over its Harris interview is raising red flags
Discussion:
New York Post, Daily Mail, Newsbusters and Washington Examiner

Trump appoints speechwriter fired for attending conference with White nationalists to top State Department role — Darren Beattie, a former Donald Trump speechwriter who was fired in 2018 after CNN revealed he spoke at a conference attended by White nationalists, has been elevated to a top job …
Discussion:
Raw Story, Jewish Insider, Twin Cities, Mediaite, The Independent, Rolling Stone and New Republic
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Texas National Guard to make immigration arrests under agreement with Trump administration, Abbott says — Gov. Greg Abbott said that the agreement was effective immediately. — Texas National Guard soldiers now have the authority to make immigration arrests and help detain …
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Al Weaver / The Hill:
GOP's Susan Collins to back Tulsi Gabbard confirmation — Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced on Monday that she will support Tulsi Gabbard to become director of national intelligence (DNI), giving her a key boost in her confirmation push. — Collins was considered a crucial swing vote …
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Connor O'Brien / Politico:
Collins, Lankford back Gabbard for top Intel job ahead of committee vote
Collins, Lankford back Gabbard for top Intel job ahead of committee vote
Discussion:
Fox News

At USAID, Waste and Abuse Runs Deep — Here are only a few examples of the WASTE and ABUSE: — $1.5 million to “advance diversity equity and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities” — $70,000 for production of a “DEI musical” in Ireland — $2.5 million for electric vehicles for Vietnam
Discussion:
Blaze Media

Chris Wright Is Confirmed to Be Secretary of Energy — The former fracking executive said in confirmation hearings that his top priority would be to “unleash” American energy production. — The Senate confirmed Chris Wright to lead the U.S. Department of Energy on Monday …