Thousands of HHS workers being laid off at NIH, FDA

Thousands of employees in the government’s Health and Human Services Department are being laid off.
The layoffs are expected to affect up to 10-thousand people, many of whom weren’t notified until they showed up for work Tuesday morning and couldn’t access their buildings. The cuts include researchers, scientists, doctors, support staff, and senior leaders at the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and other agencies. Some senior-level NIH employees in the DC area were offered a possible transfer to Alaska and were given 48 hours to respond.

Trump administration deported man to El Salvador in “error”

The Trump administration admits to mistakenly deporting a Maryland man to an El Salvador prison.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says U-S officials made a mistake when the administration arrested and deported the man, who had protected legal status. Despite the “clerical error,” Leavitt says there are no plans to return the man because of his alleged gang ties. However, the man’s attorneys say he has no gang ties and that the government has not produced evidence to support that claim.

Markets, businesses brace for Wednesday’s Trump tariffs

Markets and businesses are bracing for the announcement of new Trump tariffs. The president has dubbed Wednesday “Liberation Day.” It’s when he will raise U-S tariffs to match what other countries charge. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says the president is “doing this in the best interest of the American worker.” Businesses are unsure what the tariffs’ impact will be. The stock market has tumbled over the past few weeks. And Goldman Sachs raised its forecast for inflation.

Scientists warn that Trump funding cuts are damaging research

White House: U.S. deports 17 more dangerous gang members

FCC to investigate Disney, ABC TV over “DEI discrimination”

President Trump’s Federal Communications Commission is opening an investigation into the Walt Disney Company and its ABC TV network. In a letter to Disney’s CEO, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said the investigation will see whether the company is “promoting invidious forms of DEI discrimination.” He said he has “significant concerns” about Disney’s practices. The Trump administration has taken aggressive action against the media by shutting down Voice of America and limiting AP’s White House coverage. The FCC currently has open investigations into ABC, CBS, and NBC News.

Trump says he’s considering a third term in office

President Trump says he’s considering ways to serve a third term. The president told NBC News that he’s “not joking” about exploring ways to overcome the U-S Constitution, which limits presidents to two terms in office. He talked about it later with reporters aboard Air Force One, saying “I have had more people ask me to have a third term.” The 22nd Amendment says no one can be elected president more than twice.

Trump angry with Putin, threatens more sanctions

Historic White House tree to be cut down

Social Security Admin backtracks on part of new ID plan

The Social Security Administration is partially backtracking on its plan to require in-person identity checks. The SSA recently announced that it would require all new and existing beneficiaries to travel to a Social Security field office to verify their identity. After a public outcry, the agency made some changes to that plan. It now says people applying for Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare, or Supplemental Security Income who are not able to use the agency’s website, can complete their claim over the phone. But other SSA applicants will still be required to verify their identities at a field office.

Trump pulled UN ambassador pick to boost House GOP

President Trump pulled the nomination of his pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations — even though his nominee wasn’t controversial. There was no scandal and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s nomination was expected to easily win Senate confirmation. Her nomination was withdrawn because of math. Republicans barely have a majority in the House and need more breathing room to pass the president’s agenda. So the White House decided to keep Stefanik in Congress, even though her nomination advanced out of committee. Donald Trump wrote on social media that it’s “essential” his party maintains “every Republican seat.”

Trump says U.S. needs Greenland for “international security”

President Trump continues to talk about the United States taking control of Greenland. As Vice President Vance and a U-S delegation visited an American military base in Greenland on Friday, the president once again said the U-S needs the island for “international security.” During his visit, the vice president said military force would not be necessary, insisting that the people of Greenland will want to partner with the U-S.

Trump to end collective bargaining with federal labor unions

President Trump is ordering the end of collective bargaining with most federal labor unions. Citing a 1978 law, the president said he has the authority to end collective bargaining with federal unions in agencies because of their role in safeguarding national security. The executive order affects most of the federal government, however police and firefighters will be exempt. The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents more than 800-thousand government workers, said it is “preparing immediate legal action.”

White House withdraws UN Ambassador nomination

The White House has withdrawn President Trump’s nominee to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The decision to pull Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s nomination was not made based on her ability to win confirmation. She had already won approval from the foreign relations committee and was seen as among the least controversial Cabinet picks. The White House decided to withdraw Stefanik’s nomination because Republicans need her in the House, which has an extremely tight majority, to help pass the president’s agenda.

Appeals court upholds order to rehire thousands of federal workers

An appeals court is upholding a judge’s order requiring the Trump administration to rehire thousands of federal workers. The government argued that judges can’t “micromanage” federal worker policies. But a split 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel turned back the emergency motion. At issue was a lower court judge’s order requiring the Trump administration to rehire thousands of probationary workers who were let go in mass firings. The judge found legal problems with the way the firings were carried out.

Trump defends Signal chat group, bashes journalist

President Trump announces 25% tariffs on auto imports

The Atlantic released entire Signal chat among Trump officials

Greenland not happy about Friday’s U.S. delegation visit

U.S. says Russia, Ukraine agree to Black Sea partial ceasefire

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to expand their partial ceasefire to include the Black Sea. The United States announced the agreement as it wrapped up three days of talks with Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Saudi Arabia. The White House said the two sides have “agreed to ensure safe navigation [and] eliminate the use of force” in the Black Sea. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy praised the talks as the early “right steps” toward a peaceful settlement of the 3-year-old war. GC, Wash.

Trump downplays mistaken sharing of military plans with journalist

President Trump is downplaying the sharing of Yemen attack plans to a group chat that included a journalist. Democrats and Republicans alike criticized the incident as a serious national security breach, but the president called it “the only glitch in two months” of his administration. He claimed on NBC News that it didn’t turn out to be a “serious” matter and he expressed confidence in his national security adviser. Earlier this month, the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic received details of a U-S military attack in a secure messaging app two hours before the airstrikes began.

Trump national security team mistakenly texted war plans to a journalist

Trump national security officials mistakenly texted war plans to a magazine editor. The editor-in-chief for The Atlantic reports that he received war plans for military strikes in Yemen two hours before the March 15th attack. Jeffrey Goldberg was included in a group chat in a secure messaging app. The National Security Council said the text chain “appears to be authentic” and was looking into how a journalist’s number was added to the chain in the Signal group chat. President Trump, when asked, said he was unaware of the incident.

Judge blocks DOGE from accessing sensitive information

Trump asks Supreme Court to halt judge’s order to rehire fired workers

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to halt a lower court ruling that orders the rehiring of thousands of federal workers. Some 16-thousand probationary employees were let go in mass firings across several agencies as a result of President Trump’s orders to slash the size of the government. A California-based judge found the firings didn’t follow federal law, and he ordered reinstatement offers be sent as a lawsuit plays out. But in an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, the administration argued the ruling should be put on hold because the judge didn’t have the authority to reinstate the workers.