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Exclusive | DOGE Staffer Resigns Over Racist Posts — A staffer for Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency whose access to U.S. Treasury payment systems was approved by a federal judge on Thursday has links to a deleted social-media account that advocated for racism and eugenics.
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The US Treasury Claimed DOGE Technologist Didn't Have ‘Write Access’ When He Actually Did — Sources tell WIRED that the ability of DOGE's Marko Elez to alter code controlling trillions in federal spending was rescinded days after US Treasury and White House officials said it didn't exist.
Discussion:
Diplomatic,, Talking Points Memo, Roll Call, The Post Millennial, Daily Kos, New Republic, CNN and Beyer
ProPublica:
Elon Musk's Demolition Crew — On President Donald Trump's authority alone, Elon Musk, the world's richest man, has been unleashed on federal agencies. Employees from Musk's companies and those of his allies, as well as young staffers he's recruited, are wresting authority from career workers and commandeering computer systems.
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The National Interest, Reuters, Rolling Stone, Raw Story, USA Today, Business Insider, Just Security, NJTODAY.NET and Wired

DOGE follows longtime Musk pattern — and turns attention to Social Security Administration — The News — Elon Musk's DOGE shuttered USAID. It has searched Medicare payments and gained access to a sensitive Treasury Department payment system. Its initial Labor Department presence prompted a lawsuit.

Senate Confirms Russell Vought as Office of Management and Budget Director — Mr. Vought, an architect of Project 2025 who served in the first Trump administration, will be at the center of President Trump's plans to upend the federal bureaucracy. — The Senate voted along party lines …
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Senate confirms Project 2025 architect Russell Vought to lead powerful White House budget office
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Tony Romm / Washington Post:
Senate confirms Russell Vought to lead White House budget office
Senate confirms Russell Vought to lead White House budget office
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Daily Kos
Reese Gorman / NOTUS:
GOP Lawmakers Are Already Annoyed by Trump's Chaotic Governing Style
GOP Lawmakers Are Already Annoyed by Trump's Chaotic Governing Style
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New York Times, Washington Post, ABC News, CBS News and Associated Press
NBC News:
Senate Republicans confirm Project 2025 co-author Russell Vought as White House budget director
Senate Republicans confirm Project 2025 co-author Russell Vought as White House budget director
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Fox News, The Independent, DNyuz, The Gateway Pundit, He/Him, US/Canadian …, Associated Press and E&E News
Riley Rogerson / NOTUS:
‘The Clock Is Ticking’: Republicans Are Unexpectedly Careening Toward a Government Shutdown
‘The Clock Is Ticking’: Republicans Are Unexpectedly Careening Toward a Government Shutdown
Discussion:
Raw Story

Recall of USAID's global workforce causes havoc and distress — Employees stationed overseas are struggling to navigate the sudden upheaval, having received little clear information from the Trump administration. — The Trump administration's abrupt decision to repatriate the U.S. Agency …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit and New York Times
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Trump administration to keep only 294 USAID staff out of over 10,000 globally, sources say
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Wired, New Republic, New York Post, IJR, Business Insider, The National Pulse, ZeroHedge News, Forbes, Raw Story and The Hill
Samantha Power / New York Times:
I Ran U.S.A.I.D. Killing It Is a Win for Autocrats Everywhere.
I Ran U.S.A.I.D. Killing It Is a Win for Autocrats Everywhere.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Washington Examiner and Politico
Ellen Knickmeyer / Associated Press:
Trump administration plans to slash all but a fraction of USAID jobs, officials say
Trump administration plans to slash all but a fraction of USAID jobs, officials say
Discussion:
Reuters, Washington Examiner, CNN, NBC News and The Independent

Conservative film critic who called child trafficking movie a ‘call to action’ arrested for child molestation — In 2023, Aaron Craig Gleason wrote a review for the conservative publication the Federalist about The Sound of Freedom, an indie hit and a favorite among right-wing circles.

Scoop: Trump orders key government agency to cancel all media contracts … - The discovery, made through a U.S. government spending database that has long been publicly available, triggered erroneous theories on X about the Biden administration “funding” anti-Trump media.
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New York Post, RedState, Fox News, The Post Millennial, Mediaite, KRDO and The Gateway Pundit, more at Mediagazer »
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Note to Our Readers — POLITICO has been the subject of debate on X this week.
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Poynter, Townhall, PolitiFact, Twitchy, DNyuz, ZeroHedge News, Dark Maga Returns and The Hill, more at Mediagazer »
David Bauder / Associated Press:
Trump promotes misleading claims about federal government's media subscriptions
Trump promotes misleading claims about federal government's media subscriptions
Christian Paz / Vox:
What a wild conspiracy theory about Politico tells us about how Trump governs
What a wild conspiracy theory about Politico tells us about how Trump governs
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DOGE Emails Went Out to Federal Judges by Mistake — One of the people who received an email from allies of — was a federal judge overseeing a lawsuit aimed at blocking these messages. — “I, like probably every other judge in the country, also received the [Office of Personnel Management] …
Discussion:
Axios, WUSA, CBS News, ZeroHedge News, Computerworld, Reuters and Nextgov/FCW

Trump Tax Priorities Total $5 to $11 Trillion — In a closed-door meeting with House Leadership today President Trump reportedly outlined his tax priorities. According to press reports, they included extending the expiring pieces of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA); …
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Econbrowser, Axios and Breitbart, more at Techmeme »

EU chiefs chastise Trump for sanctioning the ICC — In a first jab at the White House, Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa said the U.S. president's move to target the International Criminal Court undermines global justice. — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen …
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Trump Fires Head of Federal Election Panel, But She Won't Leave — Commissioner Ellen Weintraub says procedures weren't followed — Weintraub, a frequent Trump antagonist, joined the FEC in 2002 — The chairwoman of the Federal Election Commission posted a letter from President Donald …
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Federal Election Commission Chair Says Trump Has Moved to Fire Her
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Reuters, New York Post, Daily Mail, Fox News, Business Insider and Forbes
Rebecca Falconer / Axios:
FEC commissioner says Trump has moved to fire her
FEC commissioner says Trump has moved to fire her
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Raw Story, Washington Examiner, The Hill, The Guardian and Daily Mail

FCC Investigates SF Radio Station for ICE Reporting, Sparking Press Freedom Fears — The Federal Communications Commission is investigating San Francisco-based KCBS for its coverage of immigration enforcement actions in San José last month, sparking concerns from press freedom advocates …
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Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Standard, Techdirt, New York Post and Newsbusters

Yes, My Name has Changed... ...but my focus on center-right economic policy will continue — Hi everyone, well, this is awkward. I have always been comfortable presenting my economic research in meetings, speeches, national TV interviews, and Congressional testimony.

Houston man pardoned by Trump arrested on child sex charge — Andrew Taake received a six-year sentence for assaulting officers on Jan. 6. He was arrested Thursday on an outstanding charge of soliciting a minor. — A Houston man who was recently pardoned by President Donald Trump for his role …
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Raw Story, Houston Public Media, The Hill, Mediaite and New York Post

NCAA announces transgender student-athlete participation policy change — Men's category open to all eligible student-athletes, women's category restricted to student-athletes assigned female at birth, schools directed to foster welcoming environments on all campuses.
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PJ Media, The 19th, Associated Press, The Daily Wire, PinkNews, CNN, Reuters, Al Jazeera, UPI, DNyuz, CBS News, NewsNation, Daily Mail, Advocate, NBC News, The Hill, Fox News, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, WRIC-TV, Axios, al.com, The Post Millennial, RedState, FIT IS A FEMINIST ISSUE and Breitbart
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Juliet Macur / New York Times:
N.C.A.A., Following Trump's Order, Excludes Transgender Athletes From Women's Sports
N.C.A.A., Following Trump's Order, Excludes Transgender Athletes From Women's Sports
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Townhall, HotAir, DNyuz, Fox News, NCAA.org, Grabien, Lawyers, Guns & Money, WTOP News, Washington Examiner, Washington Post, IJR, Metro.co.uk and USA Today
Sarah Fortinsky / The Hill:
Sotomayor hits presidential immunity decision in first public comments since new Trump admin — Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Wednesday doubled down on her opposition to the presidential immunity decision last summer and expressed concern about public confidence in the high court.
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Associated Press, Patterico's Pontifications and WTOP News

Do Democrats Have a Plan? — Senator Brian Schatz on how the Party should be responding to Donald Trump's breakneck assault on the government. — Three weeks into office, President Trump has issued a slew of controversial executive orders, fired officials across government agencies …
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Semafor, Mediaite, Associated Press, New York Magazine and HotAir

Trump energy secretary allowed 23-year-old DOGE rep to access IT systems over objections from general counsel — A representative from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, was granted access to the Energy Department's IT system on Wednesday by Energy Secretary Chris Wright …

Michigan legislator says she underwent sterilization to avoid pregnancy during Trump presidency — Hundreds gather at the Michigan Capitol to protest Trump's politics — Hundreds of people gather on the steps of the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 5, 2025 …
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Washington Examiner, The Detroit News, Breitbart, Daily Mail, New York Post, Twitchy, IJR, Louder With Crowder, HotAir, freebeacon.com and The Gateway Pundit
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Casey DeSantis considers running for Florida governor amid push from top donors — The wife of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has long been rumored as a potential 2026 candidate, but the prospect is inching closer to reality. — TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Republican donors at a gathering last week …
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al.com and Boston Herald