Top Items:

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:
Associated Press, DNyuz, Mediaite and The Daily Wire, more at Techmeme »
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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:
Washington Examiner, Business Insider, NBC News, American Greatness and Musk Watch, more at Techmeme »

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:
Associated Press, Fortune, The Daily Wire, The Information, USA Today and Politico

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

I'm a Federal Worker. Elon Musk's Government Data Heist Is the Entire Ballgame. — On Friday night, reports emerged that Elon Musk's aides had tussled with Office of Personnel Management and Treasury staffers while demanding access to troves of information about federal employees.
Discussion:
Vox

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, Raw Story, NPR, Advocate, Americans for Financial Reform, Techdirt, The Post Millennial, New York Post and Associated Press

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, Axios, New Republic, New York Magazine, Daily Mail, RedState, Reuters, USA Today and E&E 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
Ryan Broderick / Garbage Day:
Musk's superteam of former iPad babies
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, UPI, Axios, The Verge, PoliticusUSA and The Post Millennial

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.”

‘What is happening here is illegal’: Dem senator confronts security at USAID headquarters
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money, CBS News, Politico, NOTUS, GovExec.com, MPR News, Business Insider and Mediaite
NBC News:
Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz puts a hold on Trump's State Department nominees
Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz puts a hold on Trump's State Department nominees
Discussion:
The Hill

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, Fox News, USA Today, Reuters, DNyuz, Chalkbeat and The Post Millennial
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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, NPR, Politico, Washington Examiner, USA Today, New York Post, RedState, Raw Story, Jewish Insider, The Guardian, Townhall, Scripps News and The Gateway Pundit
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, Forbes, Mercury News, The Independent, The Root, Daily Mail, The Gateway Pundit and The Hill
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What is USAID and why is Trump reportedly poised to close it?
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Forbes, New Republic, LewRockwell, CBS News, Reuters, The Daily Caller, Associated Press, Blaze Media, Al Jazeera, Fox Business, UnHerd, Daily Mail, Mashable, Common Dreams, NPR and USA Today
Kate Knibbs / Wired:
Elon Musk's DOGE Is Still Blocking HIV/AIDS Relief Exempted From Foreign Aid Cuts
Elon Musk's DOGE Is Still Blocking HIV/AIDS Relief Exempted From Foreign Aid Cuts
Discussion:
NBC News, C-SPAN.org, Global Dispatches, Mother Jones and Washington Examiner

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:
Politico, Reuters, Detroit Free Press, DNyuz, Breitbart, Daily Mail, The Guardian and USA Today
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Trump backs off tariff threat with Mexico, digs in on Canada
Discussion:
Bloomberg, The Guardian, New York Post, NBC News, New York Times, Washington Post, CNBC, Kyodo News+, West Virginia Watch, DNyuz, Global News, Blaze Media, American Greatness, Al Jazeera, The Gateway Pundit, The Independent, WNYW-TV, Texas Standard, New Republic, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, Boston Herald, Semafor, Scripps News, HotAir, E&E News, NPR, CBS News, The Verge and Raw Story
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, Raw Story, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, DNyuz and Axios
Politico:
The trade war in Trump's mind
The trade war in Trump's mind
Discussion:
Metro.co.uk, Washington Examiner, DNyuz and Breitbart
Sam Sutton / Politico:
The oracle of Biden's inflation woes has a warning for Trump
The oracle of Biden's inflation woes has a warning for Trump
Discussion:
Fortune, Fox News, Business Insider, New Republic and E&E News
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, Associated Press, New York Times, Global News, The Guardian, DNyuz, The Floridian, Business Insider, New York Post, UPI, Raw Story, Chicago Tribune, WHYY, Axios, freebeacon.com, IJR, The Post Millennial, Ace of Spades HQ, CBS News, Politico and Variety

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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Judge Further Blocks White House Spending Freeze
Discussion:
Civil Discourse …, Law & Crime and DNyuz
Politico:
Judge signals plan to further block Trump spending freeze
Judge signals plan to further block Trump spending freeze
Discussion:
Ohio Capital Journal, WUSA, WTTG-TV, Raw Story, USA Today, Reuters, Axios, Bloomberg, E&E News and Associated Press
Elena Moore / NPR:
Federal judge issues restraining order blocking federal spending freeze
Federal judge issues restraining order blocking federal spending freeze
Discussion:
Raw Story, RedState, Roll Call, Advocate and Scripps News
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 …

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:
Fox News and 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:
Washington Examiner, New York Post, Newsbusters and Daily Mail

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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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, Associated Press, Mediaite, The Independent and Rolling Stone
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CFPB halts work after Trump appoints Bessent as acting head — The consumer watchdog agency was formed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Elon Musk wants to “delete” it. — President Donald Trump on Monday appointed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as the acting director …
Discussion:
Bloomberg Law, Reuters, The Independent, NBC News and New Republic, more at Techmeme »
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Laurel Wamsley / NPR:
Treasury Secretary Bessent, tapped to run CFPB, orders staff to halt work
Treasury Secretary Bessent, tapped to run CFPB, orders staff to halt work
Discussion:
CNBC, Scripps News, consumerbankers.com, Consumer Financial …, New York Times, UPI, RedState, Wall Street Journal, Fox Business, The Daily Caller, Bloomberg and Daily Kos
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 …
Discussion:
Bangor Daily News, RedState, Washington Examiner, Townhall, Fox News, New York Post, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit, DNyuz, Raw Story, CBS News, Blaze Media, The Daily Caller, New York Times and Politico
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Trump Hints at Curbs on Musk's Powers After Billionaire Shakes Up Washington — The president said Musk won't have the unfettered ability to dismantle the government, but for now their relationship is holding firm — WASHINGTON—President Trump on Monday said there were curbs in place …
Discussion:
Tennessee Star, Bloomberg and Reuters
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Musk Says He's ‘Deleted’ Popular Free IRS Tax Filing Program — WHO ASKED FOR THIS? — The online tax filing option on the IRS website had a strong bipartisan 76% approval rating from registered voters. — Kanye West's Naked Grammys Stunt Could Cost Him $20M — THE NAKED TRUTH

Trump orders creation of US sovereign wealth fund, says it could buy TikTok — U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday ordering the U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments to create a sovereign wealth fund and said it may purchase TikTok. — “We're going to stand this thing up within the next 12 months.