Elect a Clown, Expect the Circus

"Trump yesterday signed a memorandum directing the White House counsel and the Attorney General to investigate the executive decisions of former President Biden and his staff. The order asserts, without evidence, that Biden’s “cognitive decline” and alleged use of autopen to sign documents may have “implications for the legality and validity” of some of Biden’s actions as president. Biden rebuked the claim he was not making decisions during his presidency, calling Trump’s suggestions “ridiculous and false.” Chris Cameron reports for the New York Times; Brett Samuels reports for the Hill.

The White House’s Office of Management and Budget on Tuesday told the Transportation Department to disregard the Government Accountability Office’s ruling that the Trump administration violated law by freezing electric vehicle funding. In a letter to the DOT, OMB’s General Counsel Mark Paoletta called GAO’s ruling “wrong and legally indefensible;” a GAO spokesperson said the agency stands by its ruling. Chris Marquette reports for POLITICO.

The Trump administration this week notified Congress of a plan to shrink the Voice of America’s staff count from 1,400 journalists and administrative staff to less than 20, according to a letter dated Tuesday addressed to Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Minho Kim reports for the New York Times.

The Education Department yesterday said it had notified Columbia University’s accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, that the school is no longer meeting the accreditation standards after failing to protect Jewish students from harassment. The move threatens Columbia’s ability to receive federal student aid. Bianca Quilantan reports for POLITICO.

Trump has nominated Vice Adm. Brad Cooper to take over as the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East and Air Force Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson to head U.S. Africa Command, the Pentagon announced yesterday. Lolita C. Baldor reports for AP News.

The Trump administration’s cuts to the Education Department’s civil-rights office are stalling the investigations and resolutions on thousands of complaints involving students with disabilities and those facing discrimination, parents, lawyers, and conservative activists say. Ken Thomas reports for the Wall Street Journal.

Trump’s approvals of disaster relief funds are not being notified to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, leading to confusion, communication breakdowns, and delays in the provision of assistance to disaster-hit communities, FEMA officials say. Gabe Cohen reports for CNN.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics yesterday announced it is cutting back its collection of data on consumer prices, and that it had stopped gathering data entirely in Buffalo, New York; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Provo, Utah. The agency did not give a specific reason for the cuts, which economists warn may further worsen the quality of the statistical system’s data. Ben Casselman reports for the New York Times."

"Trump yesterday threatened Elon Musk’s federal contracts, saying, “The easiest way to save money in our Budget … is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.” As White House aides signal a possible détente, Trump’s remarks represent the increasing implosion of the former political alliance, with the relationship deteriorating rapidly since Musk left the White House last week. Gregory Svirnovskiy reports for POLITICO.

In an unprecedented move, the Trump administration yesterday imposed sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC). “As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel,” a statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio said — referencing the tribunal’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and former Defense Yoav Minister Gallant, and its previous investigation into alleged war crimes by U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Humeyra Pamuk and Stephanie van den Berg report for Reuters. 

The Trump administration is ending its “Quiet Skies” traveler surveillance program, a counterterrorism operation that sought to increase airplane security, Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem announced yesterday. Karoun Demirjian and Julian E. Barnes report for the New York Times. 

Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, placed one of her senior advisers in a position within the Office of the Inspector General for the intelligence community, officials say. The move, which raises concerns about the potential compromise of the watchdog’s independence and integrity, comes as the office investigates the use of the Signal messaging app by senior government officials. Meryl Kornfield and Ellen Nakashima report for the Washington Post."

"Elon Musk would “pay very serious consequences” if he were to start funding Democratic candidates, Trump told NBC News on Saturday. Trump did not specify what such “consequences” might be. Kristen Welker and Alexandra Marquez report.

The White House is struggling to find a new chief of staff and senior advisers to work for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with at least three people already having turned down potential roles under Hegseth, according to current and former officials and a GOP congressional aide. Gordon Lubold, Courtney Kube, and Katherine Doyle report for NBC News.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Friday said that she is seeing “progress” from elite universities like Harvard and Columbia on the Trump administration’s demands. Vaughn Hillyard and Alexandra Marquez report for NBC News.

The White House has asked federal agencies to review a broad swath of California’s federal funding and develop rationales for the cuts, including by citing noncompliance with Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity efforts and steps to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse from the government, according to federal officials and records obtained by the Washington Post. Hannah Natanson, Emily Davies, Maegan Vazquez, and Ian Duncan report.

The Trump administration will pay $4.975 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of Ashli Babbitt, a January 6 rioter who was killed by a U.S. Capitol Police officer, according to the details released by the advocacy group that represented Babbit’s estate and family members. Ali Bianco reports for POLITICO."

"Secretary of State Marco Rubio last month signed off on a recommendation for the Treasury Department to investigate whether Harvard University violated federal sanctions by collaborating on a health insurance conference in China that may have included officials blacklisted by the U.S. government, according to sources and documents reviewed by the New York Times. It is unclear whether the Office of Foreign Assets Control, which assesses sanctions compliance, opened an investigation in response. Michael C. Bender and Michael S. Schmidt report.

The Justice Department has closed about “half of the open investigations” into allegations of bribery by U.S. businesses overseas and will target "misconduct that undermines American companies and our global standing” when launching future investigations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced yesterday. Glenn Thrush reports for the New York Times.

Trump yesterday said he plans to “wean off” the Federal Emergency Management Agency after the 2025 hurricane season, the clearest timeline to date of his administration’s plan to dismantle FEMA. Gabe Cohen reports for CNN.

The acting head of enforcement at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Cara Petersen, yesterday announced her resignation in an email to her department, stating that she “[has] never before … seen the ability to perform [the Bureau’s] core mission so under attack.” Stacy Cowley reports for the New York Times.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin will today announce the repeal of the Biden-era federal limits on power plant climate pollution, multiple sources say. Jean Chemnick and Zack Colman report for POLITICO.

Trump has the authority to abolish national monuments intended to protect historical and archeological sites, the Justice Department assessed in a legal opinion released yesterday. The opinion disavows a 1938 determination that monuments created by previous presidents under the Antiquities Act cannot be revoked. Matthew Brown reports for AP News.

The Trump administration is considering cutting federal education funds to California, sources say, adding that a decision on the issue has not yet been made. Rebecca Carballo, Juan Perez Jr., and Eric He report for POLITICO.

Trump yesterday announced he plans to restore the names of seven Army bases that once honored Confederate leaders by renaming them after soldiers who share the same last names. Jack Detsch and Paul McLeary report for POLITICO."

"The Trump administration plans to eliminate a Department of Homeland Security terrorism prevention program as it “does not align with DHS priorities,” according to the DHS budget submitted to Congress last month. Former government officials and experts say the program has helped thwart violent lone-wolf attacks in the United States. Ken Dilanian reports for NBC News.

The Office of Management and Budget last week directed several agencies to freeze upward of $30 billion in spending in a bid to lock in DOGE cuts without Congressional approval according to sources and emails reviewed by POLITICO. The agencies affected include the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, the Interior Department, and Health and Human Services. Scott Waldman and Cobin Hiar report.

SpaceX’s role in Trump’s Golden Dome missile shield program is in question after last week’s dramatic fallout between Elon Musk and Trump, sources say. Marisa Taylor and Nandita Bose report for Reuters.

Trump yesterday moved to withdraw from a Biden-era agreement in a decades-long legal battle with Pacific Northwest tribes over dams that had prevented fish from spawning. In its announcement, the White House portrayed the issue as revolving around “speculative climate change concerns” and did not mention the dams’ effects on tribes. Chris Cameron reports for the New York Times.

Army officials raised concerns over a vendor selling Trump-branded merchandise in Fort Bragg ahead of Trump’s Tuesday rally-style appearance at the base, sources say. The officials were concerned about the vendor’s presence undermining the Army’s commitment to political neutrality and were shocked when the vendor later appeared at the event, the sources add. Steve Beynon reports for Military.com.

Martin Kulldorff, one of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointees to the influential Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, has worked as a paid expert witness in litigation against Merck’s HPV-caused cancer vaccine, court records show. Kennedy justified his firing of the previous members of the committee by claiming they had “persistent conflicts of interests.” Chad Terhune and Dan Levine report for Reuters."

"The Department of Homeland Security yesterday told staff it was revising its guidance, issued last week, that exempted farms, hotels, and restaurants from immigration raids. ICE agents have now been told to continue conducting enforcement operations at those businesses, despite concerns about negative impacts on the industries. Carol D. Leonnig, Natalie Allison, Marianne LeVine, and Lauren Kaori Gurley report for the Washington Post.

Trump has ordered ICE to  “do all in their power” and “expand efforts to detain and deport” undocumented immigrants in Democratic-run cities, such as “Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. Rebecca Falconer and Russel Contreras report for Axios.

Trump on Friday fired a member of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the independent federal agency that oversees U.S. nuclear reactors. Christopher Hanson, who led the agency during the entirety of the Biden administration, said Trump fired him without reason “contrary to existing law and longstanding precedent regarding removal of independent agency appointees.” Chris Cameron and Claire Brown report for the New York Times."

"The Justice Department is unlikely to appoint an outsider to serve as special counsel to oversee politically sensitive criminal investigations, but it will likely assign a U.S. attorney to manage such cases if the need arises, a source told CNN. The news follows Trump repeating his call for a special prosecutor to investigate former President Biden, as he echoed his unsubstantiated claims of election fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Paula Reid and Casey Gannon report. 

Social Security has stopped publicly sharing key performance metrics, including benefit processing and wait times for its 1-800 number, data which customers and advocates have used to track the agency’s struggling customer service. The changes, which also include customers being urged to use an online portal for services rather than calling or visiting a field office, mark the latest sign of struggle amid Trump’s funding cuts. Meryl Kornfield and Hannah Natanson report for the Washington Post."

DoubleEgger said:

JohnInCarolina said:

He’s nothing more than Dan Quayle with a couch fetish. 

The Trump administration is increasing its negotiating efforts with Harvard University in a bid to end its months-long battle with the school, with a deal expected by the end of the month, according to a White House official. Emily Davies, Justine McDaniel, Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, and Susan Svrluga report for the Washington Post.

"The Office of Management and Budget on Wednesday recommended terminating U.S. funding for nearly two dozen programs that conduct war crimes and accountability investigations globally, according to sources and internal documents seen by Reuters. The State Department can appeal the OMB’s decision. Humeyra Pamuk and Anthony Deutsch report.

The Homeland Security Department has restored counter-terrorism funding and reimbursement for security at major events to Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, and other cities that brought a legal challenge to the Trump administration’s attempt to withhold the funds, officials say. Shia Kapos reports for POLITICO.

The Justice Department has demanded that the University of Virginia removes its president, James E. Ryan, to help resolve a DOJ investigation into the school’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and preserve the university’s federal funding, sources say. Michael S. Schmidt and Michael C. Bender report for the New York Times.

The DOJ yesterday opened an investigation into whether California’s plan to build a university system that more closely reflects the state’s racial and ethnic diversity violates anti-discrimination protections. The DOJ’s investigation was announced a day after the Education Department declared that California breached federal law by allowing transgender girls to compete on female sports teams. Michael C. Bender reports for the New York Times."

"Trump yesterday signed an executive order lifting most of the U.S. economic sanctions on Syria in a move that scraps decades of U.S. policy toward Damascus. Michael Crowley reports for the New York Times.

Trump yesterday also signed a memorandum reversing the Biden administration’s late-term efforts to ease some U.S. restrictions on Cuba, and threatened to unilaterally impose a new tariff on Japan if it does not agree to accept more U.S. imports. Megan Messerly, Ari Hawkins, and Daniel Desrochers report for POLITICO.

The Trump administration yesterday informed Harvard University that it considers the school to be in “violent violation” of federal anti-discrimination law due to alleged failures to address the harassment of Jewish students on campus. In their notice to Harvard, officials from four federal agencies threatened “the loss of all federal financial resources” if the school does not make “adequate changes immediately.” The university said it “strongly disagrees with the government’s findings.” Michael C. Bender and Alan Blinder report for the New York Times.

The federal government will withhold billions in federal education grants from states and local schools that were expected to be available todaydue to an ongoing review of the funding, according to notices the Education Department sent to federal grantees yesterday. Juan Perez Jr. reports for POLITICO.

The Homeland Security Department, in partnership with DOGE, has created a searchable national citizenship data system, designed to be used by state and local election officials to ensure only citizens are voting. The system is the first centralized national citizen database of its kind, and some legal experts express concerns about its creation without a transparent and public process. Jude Joffe-Block and Miles Parks report for NPR. "