Trump to fire 2,000 USAID employees as allies tell federal staff to ignore Musk’s DOGE demands: Live

The concept to take some financial savings from billionaire Elon Musk’s drive to chop authorities spending and return it to taxpayers has acquired President Donald Trump’s enthusiastic endorsement.

If Musk’s goal of $2 trillion in spending cuts is achieved by subsequent yr, supporters of the thought say that about one-fifth of these funds could possibly be distributed to taxpaying households in checks of about $5,000.

The administration can also be inserting all however a choose few personnel on administrative go away.

Staff of USAID, the company that gives humanitarian and different assist domestically and globally, have been focused by Trump and his right-hand man Elon Musk who’ve misrepresented the company as wasteful.

“As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, all USAID direct rent personnel, excluding designated personnel accountable for mission-critical capabilities, core management and/or specifically designated packages, will probably be positioned on administrative go away globally,” the notices, obtained by AP, stated.

In an all-caps Fact Social message, Trump congratulated the conservative get together in Germany for his or her predicted victory, claiming it was a “nice day for Germany and for america” below his management.

Trump claimed the individuals of Germany “bought uninterested in the no widespread sense agenda, particularly on power and immigration”

“THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR GERMANY, AND FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF A GENTLEMAN NAMED DONALD J. TRUMP.”

Trump didn’t title the get together, the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, in his publish.

Whereas CDU is a conservative get together in Germany, Elon Musk and endorsed the far-right Various for Germany get together earlier than the election. Vice President JD Vance additionally met with an AfD co-leader.

AfD made enormous features within the election, a sign of sturdy assist for a far-right get together since World Struggle II.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris used her first public speech since leaving the White Home to slam President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, chief of the Division of Authorities Effectivity.

“This chapter will probably be written, not just by whoever occupies the Oval Workplace, nor by the wealthiest amongst us,” Harris stated. “The American story will probably be written by you, written by us, by We the Folks.”

Harris was honored Saturday night with the Chairman’s Award on the 56th NAACP Image Awards. The award honors those that “excel in public service and leverage their distinctive platforms to ignite and drive significant change.”

Director of Nationwide Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard turned the newest Trump administration official to order staff to not observe Elon Musk’s orders to electronic mail their work accomplishments prior to now week.

Becoming a member of FBI Director Kash Patel and leaders within the State Division, Gabbard requested intelligence group officers to not reply the e-mail, citing sensitivity considerations across the work.

“Given the inherently delicate and categorized nature of our work, IC staff shouldn’t reply to the OPM electronic mail,” Gabbard wrote in an electronic mail obtained by the New York Occasions.

A gathering of anti-Trump conservatives in Washington DC was evacuated on Sunday after receiving what officers with the group referred to as a “credible bomb menace” they stated was despatched in by an account claiming to symbolize Enrique Tarrio, former chief of the Proud Boys.

Video of attendees being evacuated was posted to Twitter together with a press release from summit organizers. An preliminary model of the assertion recognized Tarrio — who’d been on the summit on Saturday “harassing” households of officers who defended the Capitol on January 6, per organizers — as having despatched within the menace.

Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie in contrast the federal government’s present administration to that of a “clown automotive” and accused Elon Musk of overreaching his authority.

Christie, a former Trump ally who has damaged away from the president in recent times, stated Musk is probably going overstepping his authorized authority in asking authorities staff to clarify their work or resign.

Talking with ABC’s This Week on Sunday, Christie referred to as Musk’s effort a “full overstep.”

Christie stated each job “varies from week to week” so it will be unfair to guage an individual’s work from one week.

He additionally criticized Musk and his Division of Authorities Effectivity group, claiming they have been poorly managing the federal government. He used FBI Director Kash Patel’s current electronic mail asking federal staff to disregard Musk’s directive for example.

“The sort of thought, of Musk coming in there with the chainsaw he was famously brandishing at a political occasion in Washington D.C. this week, it’s much more difficult than that. Working authorities is much more difficult than that and hopefully they get their act collectively sooner or later,” Christie stated.

Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth blamed Democrats for “mischaracterizing” the firing spree carried out by President Donald Trump on the Pentagon and stated on Sunday that the army’s prime brass was not liable to political reprisals.

Steve Witkoff, the particular envoy to the Center East, stated on Sunday that Russia shouldn’t be completely blamed for invading Ukraine as a result of they have been “provoked” by Ukraine’s need to affix NATO.

Witkoff took the place that President Donald Trump has lately taken, claiming, “The warfare did not must occur. It was provoked. It would not essentially imply it was provoked by the Russians.”

“There have been every kind of conversations again then about Ukraine becoming a member of NATO. The president has spoken about this. That did not must occur. It mainly turned a menace to the Russians,” Witkoff stated on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday.

“These are actual information”