Tuesday Clown Show summary:

"“What Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has done to the Centers for Disease Control is … unlike anything we had ever seen at the agency and unlike anything our country had ever experienced,”nine former CDC directors or acting directors wrote in a New York Timesop-ed yesterday, adding that they are worried about the impact of Kennedy’s actions on United States’ health security.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has fired two dozen FEMA IT employees over allegedly neglecting security protocols in a manner that allowed a “threat actor” to breach the agency’s network, the DHS said on Friday. According to the department’s press release, the breach was detected before the actor extracted any sensitive data. FEMA officials say the top IT leaders ousted by Noem were “extremely competent” and “highly respected.” Gabe Cohen reports for CNN.

Kari Lake, the Senior Advisor for the Voice of America’s parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, on Friday issued termination notices to 532 remaining USAGM employees. Virtually all VOA staffers have been on administrative leave since March. Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing reports for POLITICO.

Trump on Saturday said that he plans to issue an executive order that would mandate voter IDs to be used for all U.S. elections and reiterated his intention to restrict mail-in voting. It is unclear what legal authority Trump would use to issue the order, as the Constitution gives the president no explicit authority to regulate elections. Yan Zhuang reports for the New York Times.

The Trump administration on Friday announced it is cancelling or withdrawing $679 million in federal funding for ports intended to support the U.S. offshore wind industry. Lauren Sommer reports for NPR.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s decision to strip the security clearances and publish the names of CIA analyst and undercover agent last week has alarmed the CIA’s workforce, according to multiple current and former intelligence sources. Two former government officials suggest that Gabbard’s move was an attempt to regain Trump’s approval after she disagreed with his claims on Iran’s nuclear capabilities earlier in the summer, and reflected continuing tensions between her and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Dan De Luce and Andrea Mitchell report for NBC News.

Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove has continued working at the Justice Department despite being confirmed to an appeals court post last month, sources say. The code of conduct for federal judges does not appear to apply to Bove at present, as he has not yet been sworn in. Devlin Barrett reports for the New York Times.

The White House is actively drawing up plans to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War, according to a White House official. Trump has repeatedly raised the idea since re-taking office. Annie Linskey reports for the Wall Street Journal."

Thursday Clown Show Summary:

"More than 1,000 current and former Health and Human Services Department employees yesterday released a letter demanding the resignation of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. from his position as the HHS Secretary. The letter argues that Kennedy’s actions endanger the nation’s health, including through his appointment of “political ideologues who pose as scientific experts” and role in the firing of the Senate-confirmed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, Susan Monarez and the resignations of multiple top CDC leaders. Kennedy will face scrutiny from the Senate Finance Committee early today, amid reports of plummeting morale at the agency. Liz Essley Whyte, Jennifer Calfas, and Sabrina Siddiqui report for the Wall Street Journal. 

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is considering appointing seven members to the new CDC independent vaccine advisory panel, at least three of whom have a history of questioning the safety of messenger RNA vaccines against Covid-19, according to an internal list seen by POLITICO. Kennedy fired all of the previous appointees on the panel in June and replaced them with members who are more closely aligned with his own vaccine sceptic-views. Sophie Gardner and Lauren Gardner report. 

The Director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Vinay Prasad, overruled assessments from staff scientists when deciding to significantly restrict the availability of Covid vaccines made by Moderna or Pfizer, the New York Times reports. Both pharmaceutical companies yesterday issued statements saying they would release more data on the vaccines’ safety. Christina Jewett reports.

The Government Accountability Office “should not exist,” the Office of Management and Budget Director Russel Vought said yesterday,describing it as a “quasi-legislative independent entity.” The GAO  released multiple reports finding the Trump administration to be in breach of federal law this year, including a report finding that Vough himself violated the Impoundment Control Act by blocking investments required by law. April Rubin reports for Axios.

The Defense Department is considering leasing out parts of California’s Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton for commercial use in order to fund the Golden Dome missile defense project, according to a current and a former defense official. The Marine Corps describes the camp as the “largest undeveloped portion of coastline in Southern California.” Courtney Kube and Gordon Lubold report for NBC News.

The U.S. Navy has overturned Rep. Ronny Jackson’s 2022 demotion and restored his retired rank of rear admiral, Jackson announced yesterday. An inspector general’s report that led to Jackson’s demotion found that he had made "sexual and denigrating" comments about a female subordinate and violated alcohol policies while he was a physician to Trump and former President Barack Obama. Konstantin Toropin reports for AP News.

The Justice Department’s Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division, Andrew Warner, has recently sought access to voting equipment used in Missouri during the 2020 election, according to two Republican clerks who received the request. The two clerks say they rejected the request. Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Patrick Marley report for the Washington Post."

Friday Clown Show summary:

"Trump is expected to nominate Lt. Gen. William Hartman to lead the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, sources say. Hartman has been the acting leader of both agencies since Trump fired Gen. Timothy Haugh from the role in April. Daniel Lippman and Maggie Miller report for POLITICO.

Trump is also set to sign an executive order changing the Department of Defense’s name to the Department of War later today, a senior administration official confirmed. A separate source suggested that the White House is exploring ways to implement the name change without an act of Congress. Paul McLeary, Jack Detsch, Connor O'Brien, and Joe Gould report for POLITICO.

In a pair of whistleblower complaints, two prominent scientists on Wednesday said that they had been removed from National Institutes of Health leadership positions after objecting to the Trump administration’s policies, including efforts to undermine vaccines, evade court orders, withhold research money, and politicize the grant-making process, according to the New York Times. Benjamin Mueller reports.

Trump yesterday expressed support for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, telling leading tech CEOs gathered for dinner at the White House that Kennedy “got some little different ideas” and “we want to listen to all those things.” Ben Johansen reports for POLITICO.

The Justice Department has opened a criminal mortgage fraud investigation into Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, U.S. officials say. Brian Schwartz, C. Ryan Barber, and Will Parker report for the Wall Street Journal.

DOJ officials have discussed ways to block transgender individuals from buying guns by leveraging laws that restrict mentally ill people from owning arms in the wake of last week’s Minneapolis shooting, sources say. However, the Justice Department has since assured at least one influential gun rights advocate that it would not be moving forward with the plan, a source adds. Zusha Elinson and C. Ryan Barber report for the Wall Street Journal.

FBI agents seized computers, phones, and a range of documents during their search of the home and office of former national security adviser John Bolton, according to court papers unsealed yesterday. Some of the folders seized by the FBI were labeled “Trump I-IV” and “statements and reflections to allied strikes,” the records suggest. Jeremy Roebuck reports for the Washington Post. 

Trump’s pick for the vacant seat on the Federal Reserve’s Board, Stephen Miran, yesterday told the Senate Banking Committee he plans to take an unpaid leave of absence from his position as the chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors while serving out the Fed Governor’s term, which expires Jan. 31, 2026. Yun Li reports for CNBC.

Trump is in preliminary stages of exploring ways to take federal control of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, two White House officials suggest. Tyler Pager and Graham Bowley report for the New York Times."

Tuesday Clown Show summary:

"Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has threatened to punch Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Bill Pulte “in the f---ing face” during a private club dinner attended by dozens of administration officials and Trump’s aides last week, a witness and sources say. Bessent also accused Pulte of badmouthing him to Trump, the sources suggest. Rachael Bade reports for POLITICO.

The White House Council of Economic Advisers is drawing up a report laying out alleged shortcomings of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ jobs data, sources say. Trump has alleged the Bureau is manipulating the jobs figures to hurt him politically and fired the Bureau’s head after the release of the July jobs data. Brian Schwartz and Matt Grossmann report for the Wall Street Journal.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine yesterday visited Puerto Rico, according to a social media post by Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón (R). According to U.S. officials, the Pentagon is considering making Puerto Rico part of its counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean, possibly using the territory as a base for military flights. Dan Lamothe, Noah Robertson and Tara Copp report for the Washington Post.

The Education Department will soon institute new guidelines on the right to prayer in public schools, Trump announced yesterday, claiming that there are “grave threats to religious liberty in American schools.” Cheyanne M. Daniels reports for POLITICO."

Wednesday Clown Show summary:

"Education Secretary Linda McMahon yesterday announced she is halting $350 million in federal funding for programs aimed at supporting Black, Native, Hispanic, and Asian American students across the country,alleging that the programs were discriminatory. Danielle Douglas-Gabriel and Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff report for the Washington Post.

The Land Management Bureau yesterday proposed to repeal a Biden-era rule that, according to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, “the potential to block … energy and mineral production, timber management, grazing and recreation across the West.” Maxine Joselow reports for the New York Times.

Harvard University yesterday said that it had “begun to receive notices of reinstatements on many of the previously terminated federal awards from a range of federal agencies,” though the award payments have not been made yet. A judge last week ruled the Trump administration could not continue to withhold the money from the school. Lexi Lonas Cochran reports for the Hill."

Monday Clown Show summary:

"Trump administration health officials plan to link Covid-19 vaccines to the deaths of 25 children, sources say. The findings appear to be based on information submitted to the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which contains unverified reports of side effects or bad experiences with vaccines. The officials plan to include the claim in a presentation to influential Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisers this week, a source adds. Lena H. Sun, Rachel Roubein, and Dan Diamond report for the Washington Post.

The Treasury Department will share financial documents linked to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend and co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, with the the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the Committee’s chair, Rep. James Comer (R-KY), said on Friday. Aaron Pellish reports for POLITICO.

The University of California, Berkeley, on Friday announced it had provided the names of approximately 160 students, faculty, and staff linked to cases of alleged antisemitism to the federal government earlier this month. Francesca Regalado reports for the New York Times.

The Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin on Friday proposed ending the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, a long-standing requirement for refineries, power plants, oil wells, and landfills to report their emissions without risk of penalty. Zeldin described the program as “bureaucratic red tape.” Matthew Daly reports for AP News.

Federal investigators had grounds to believe they would find classified records while searching former national security adviser John Bolton’s home due to what they learned about a foreign adversary hacking his email years ago, a search warrant affidavit released on Friday shows. Katelyn Polantz, Zachary Cohen, and Kristen Holmes report for CNN."

Wednesday Clown Show summary:

"Trump administration officials, including Trump himself, are pressuring federal prosecutors in Virginia to bring charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, sources say. According to several sources, there is at present no sufficient evidence to support such charges, as federal prosecutors have yet to uncover clear evidence that James knowingly made false statements to a financial institution to secure favorable terms on a mortgage. Officials pressuring the prosecutors to seek an indictment include Ed Martin, the head of the DOJ's Weaponization Working Group, and Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Peter Charalambous, Katherine Faulders, and Alexander Mallin report for ABC News.

“Anyone that was terminated at the FBI was done so for failing to meet the standards, uphold their constitutional oath and effectuate the mission” and morale at the agency “has never been higher,” FBI Director Kash Patel testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday. In a recent lawsuit, three former FBI agents alleged that Patel summarily fired them after they were targeted by right-wing influencers. Ryan J. Reilly and Victoria Ebner report for NBC News; Glenn Thrush and Alan Feuer report for the New York Times.

Attorney General Pam Bondi yesterday appeared to backtrack on her Monday comments that the Trump administration would “target” hate speech and that employers have an “obligation” to “get rid of people …  who are saying horrible things.” In a social media post, Bondi said that her remarks referred to “hate speech that crosses the line into threats of violence” that she claimed was being “normalized” by “the radical left.” Separately, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche suggested there is “potential” to investigate “organized efforts to inflict harm and terror and damage to the United States” of people noisily protesting against Trump. Dareh Gregorian reports for NBC News; Josh Gerstein reports for POLITICO."

Friday Clown Show summary:

"In an 8-3 vote, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices yesterday issued a recommendation to delay the administration of a combination measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox vaccine, given to about 15% of children, until a child is at least four. The recommendation is the first change to the routine immunization schedule under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who hand-picked the panel’s members. The Committee is expected to hold further votes on hepatitis B and Covid-19 vaccines today. Lena H. Sun and Paige Winfield Cunningham report for the Washington Post.

Trump is expected to fire the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Erik Siebert, after he did not press criminal charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James and his office did not uncover evidence that James committed mortgage fraud, sources say. The administration plans to appoint an attorney who would more aggressively investigate James to the post, sources say. Katherine Faulders, Peter Charalambous, and Alexander Mallin report for ABC News.

Defense Department leaders are considering launching a new, Charlie Kirk-centred military recruitment campaign, officials say. According to the officials, the “idea would be to frame the recruiting campaign as a national call to service.” Some DOD leaders have opposed the proposal, warning that the campaign could be perceived as the military trying to capitalize on Kirk’s death, the sources added. Courtney Kube reports for NBC News.

Trump yesterday suggested that “maybe” the licenses of networks giving him negative coverage “should be taken away,” adding that he would leave the decision to Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr. Andrew Pantazi reports for Axios.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr yesterday questioned if the FCC should review whether ABC’s daytime talk show “The View” “still qualifi[es] as bona fide news program” and is exempt from the equal opportunity regime, which requires stations to give equal airtime and access to competing political candidates. Faith Wardwell reports for POLITICO."

Actually if Congress had some spine and the Supreme Court as well, we would not be getting run over by CHEETO.  But the design for internal friction (compromise-one of George Carlin's seven dirty words ) has been run out of our government.  Hopefully this is a short-term deal but the mid-terms are looming ever larger.  

Tuesday Clown Show summary:

"President Trump yesterday signed an executive order purporting to designate Antifa as a “domestic terrorist organization” and directing “all relevant agencies” to “utilize all applicable authorities to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations … conducted by Antifa, any person claiming to act on behalf of Antifa,” or those who financially support it. Legal experts point out that the United States does not have a “domestic terrorism” designation. Antifa, a shorthand for anti-fascists, is a diffuse political ideology and not a unified organization. Chris Cameron reports for the New York Times; Aaron Pellish reports for POLITICO.

Trump yesterday claimed that the use of a common pain reliever, acetaminophen, in pregnant women causes autism. He did not present evidence backing his claim. In a POLITICO op-ed that announced new research into the root causes of autism and endorsed a B-vitamin-based drug to treat the disorder, Food and Drug Agency Commissioner Marty Makary, National Institute of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz were more circumspect, noting that family control studies “have failed to find a correlation” between acetaminophen and autism. Azeen Ghorayshi reports for the New York Times.

The Agriculture Department yesterday put a team of federal economists and researchers responsible for producing the government survey that measures hunger in the United States on indefinite paid leave, the employees’ union said. According to a notice seen by the Wall Street Journal, USDA officials said the leave is “not a disciplinary action”. The staffers were told they were placed on leave while an “unauthorized disclosure” was being investigated, a union representative said. Dan Frosch and Patrick Thomas report. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently formalized new restrictions on when, where, and how the military and Pentagon leaders can engage with the public. Hegseth’s memo states that the Pentagon will prioritize “engagements with organizations that comport themselves professionally” and will make a “concerted effort to engage” with institutions representing differing perspectives. Colin Demarest and Sara Fischer report for Axios.

White House border czar Tom Homan did “absolutely nothing wrong” and “never took the $50,000”, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said yesterday, describing the FBI probe into Homan as “another example of the weaponization of the Biden Department of Justice against one of President Trump’s strongest and most vocal supporters.” The New York Times reported on Saturday that FBI agents last year made an audio recording of a meeting in which Homan appeared to promise to help the agents, posing as businessmen, to secure federal contracts related to border security. Devlin Barrett reports.

The Treasury Department will no longer carry out additional vetting of the members of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel, with the panel’s work returning to “business as usual,” according to an email obtained by POLITICO. Danny Nguyen reports."

Thursday Clown Show summary:

"Under pressure from the White House, the new U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Lindsey Halligan, is racing to seek an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey ahead of a statute of limitations deadline next week, officials say. Career prosecutors working in the Eastern District of Virginia previously informed the Department of Justice that there was insufficient evidence to bring charges. The office was investigating whether Comey should be charged with lying to Congress in connection to the FBI investigation of Trump’s 2016 campaign’s ties to Russia. Glenn Thrush and Maggie Haberman report for the New York Times; Katherine Faulders, Alexander Mallin, Peter Charalambous, and Luke Barr report for ABC News.

Federal prosecutors are struggling to put together a criminal case against former CIA Director John Brennan in relation to the CIA response to Russian election interference in 2016, senior administration officials say. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard’s decision to revoke the security clearances of current and former national security officials who could have testified against Brennan has particularly hampered the inquiry, some of the sources said. Other sources asserted that the DNI has provided huge amounts of material to prosecutors, and that the prosecutors were looking for a “scapegoat” to blame for the inquiry stalling. Marc Caputo reports for Axios; Julian E. Barnes, Maggie Haberman, and Devlin Barrett report for the New York Times.

The White House Office of Management and Budget yesterday instructedfederal agencies to prepare for another potential round of mass firings during a possible government shutdown. In its letter, the OMB told agency leaders to prioritize eliminating positions where funding has expired that are “not consistent” with Trump’s agenda if a deal is not reached. Sophia Cai reports for POLITICO.

Director of the DOJ Weaponization Working Group, Ed Martin, yesterday retracted a letter in which he suggested a FBI agent who responded to the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre was being investigated in relation to his participation in a defamation lawsuit against Alex Jones.Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche ordered Martin to retract the letter, sources say. Kaitlan Collins, Hannah Rabinowitz, and Katelyn Polantz report for CNN.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich will leave the administration for the private sector later this month, according to a source. A long-time Trump ally, Budowich is currently a top deputy to Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and holds a large portfolio that includes oversight of the offices of communications, public liaison, cabinet affairs and speechwriting. Alex Isenstadt reports for Axios.

During the deadly Texas floods in July, FEMA officials could not reach FEMA’s acting administrator, David Richardson, for approximately 24 hours, the Washington Post reports, citing several current and former officials. Combined with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s introduction of a new rule that requires her approval for any expenditure over $100,000, Richardson’s absence contributed to the delay in FEMA’s response to the floods, the officials said. Richardson is frequently away from FEMA headquarters and regularly absent from meetings, according to the officials. Brianna Sacks reports."

Monday Clown Show summary:

"During an extraordinary gathering of hundreds of U.S. generals and admirals in Quantico, Virginia, tomorrow, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is planning to address the army leaders on military standards and the “warrior ethos,” according to multiple sources. Trump yesterday said he would attend the meeting, saying that “It’s really just a very nice meeting talking about how well we’re doing militarily, talking about being in great shape, talking about a lot of good, positive things.” According to a former defense auditing official, the likely cost of the army leaders’ travel to the event is in the millions of dollars. Tara Copp, Ellen Nakashima, Dan Lamothe, Alex Horton, and Noah Robertson report for the Washington Post; Yamiche Alcindor and Alexandra Marquez report for NBC News.

Trump on Friday called for Microsoft to “immediately terminate the employment of” Lisa Monaco, Microsoft’s head of global affairs, alleging without proof that Monaco is a “menace to U.S. National Security.” Monaco served as Deputy Attorney General under the Biden administration. Separately, Trump also said he “would certainly imagine” the DOJ is investigating former FBI Director Christopher Wray, whom Trump accused of doing “a terrible job.” Sebastian Herrera reports for the Wall Street Journal; Yamiche Alcindor and Alexandra Marquez report for NBC News.

Tulsi Gabbard’s Office of the Director of National Intelligence  last month eliminated the group that writes the Global Trends report. The report, published every four years, outlines the future risks to the United States and the world. The Office said that it found the draft 2025 report to “violate professional analytic tradecraft standards in an effort to propagate a political agenda” and that the group “had neglected to fulfill [its] purpose.” According to former officials, some of the report’s warnings, in particular on climate change, had become politically inconvenient. Julian E. Barnes and Helene Cooper report for the New York Times.

The Energy Department has added “climate change,” green,” “emissions,” and “decarbonization” to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s “list of words to avoid,” according to a Friday email seen by POLITICO. Other words to avoid include "energy transition,” “sustainability/sustainable,” “‘clean’ or ‘dirty’ energy,” “carbon/CO2 ‘Footprint’” and “tax breaks/tax credits/subsidies.” Zack Colman reports.

The White House is developing a plan that could give universities that pledge to adhere to the values and policies of the Trump administration an advantage in the award of federal research grants, according to two White House officials. Laura Meckler and Susan Svrluga report for theWashington Post."

Wednesday Clown Show summary: (lots to read)

"President Trump yesterday told hundreds of top U.S. generals and admirals that U.S. cities should be used as “training grounds” for the military and that “quell[ling] civil disturbances” is going to be “a major part for some people in this room” because “it's a war from within.” In a largely partisan speech, Trump also praised his own policies and criticized former President Biden. Helene Cooper, Eric Schmitt, and Shawn McCreesh report for the New York Times; Melissa Quinn reports for CBS News. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who spoke before Trump, told the military leaders that he would overhaul the Pentagon channels that allow troops and defense personnel to file whistleblower complaints and report toxic leadership. Hegseth also said he is rolling out ten new directives involving physical fitness, new grooming requirements, and a return to “the highest male standard.” Hegseth also told the leaders to resign if “the words [he’s] speaking are making [their] hearts sink.” Tara Copp and Noah Robertson report for the Washington Post; Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali report for Reuters.

Trump and Hegseth’s addresses to the military leaders were “more like a press conference than briefing the generals,” according to a defense official who spoke with POLITICO. “Could have been an email,” the official said. A second official said the summit was “on the spectrum of loyalty to ideology” and a “total waste of money.” Jack Detsch and Leo Shane III report.

The White House has withdrawn the nomination of E.J. Antoni, the former chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, sources say. Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) reportedly refused to meet with Antoni, prompting concerns about the strength of his nomination. CNN earlier this month reported that Antoni operated a Twitter account that contained “sexually degrading attacks on Kamala Harris, derogatory remarks about gay people, conspiracy theories, and crude insults” aimed at perceived critics of Trump. A White House official indicated Trump would soon nominate a new candidate. Kristen Holmes, Adam Cancryn, and Andrew Kaczynski report for CNN; Paul Kiernan, Alex Leary, and Brian Schwartz report for the Wall Street Journal.

The Office of Management and Budget last week informed the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, a federal office that supports the government’s 72 inspectors general, that it would block the congressionally-approved money that would fund its operations through the next fiscal year. On Monday, Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME) and Chuck Grassley (IA), who chair the Appropriations and Judiciary committees, wrote to the OMB calling for explanation and a “prompt” reversal of the move. Meryl Kornfield reports for the Washington Post.

The Environmental Protection Agency yesterday announced that it is planning to relax a Biden-era rule that requires grocery stores, air-conditioning companies, semiconductor plants, and others to reduce the use of “super pollutant” hydrofluorocarbons in cooling equipment. Lisa Friedman reports for the New York Times.

The Education Department and Health and Human Services Department’s civil rights offices yesterday accused the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League of violating Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to participate in girls’ sports. The offices said the state has 10 days to voluntarily accept a list of conditions to reverse its sports policies or risk imminent enforcement action. Steve Karnowski reports for AP News.

The Trump administration is close to striking a deal with Harvard University, Trump said yesterday. The deal would include Harvard making a $500 million payment and “operating trade schools,” Trump said, without offering further details. Nandita Bose, Nate Raymond and Kanishka Singh report for Reuters.

Trump administration lawyers are trying to quash fired federal workers’ ability to appeal their firings to the Merit Systems Protection Board by arguing that the quasi-judicial agency must follow DOJ guidance in adjudicating the workers’ complaints, the Washington Post reports. The administration made its arguments in the case of two immigration judges who successfully argued that they were not given due process in their dismissals. Meryl Kornfield reports."

Friday Clown Show summary:

"Trump said yesterday that he would meet with the Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, to determine which “Democrat agencies” he could cut and whether the “cuts will be temporary or permanent.” Trump referred to the shutdown as an “unprecedented opportunity” to achieve his agenda in the same social media post. In an interview yesterday, Trump said “we could cut projects that they wanted, favourite projects”, adding “I am allowed to cut things that should have never have been approved [...] and I will probably do that.” Tony Romm reports for the New York Times; Reuters reports.

A third of White House staff will be furloughed during the shutdown, while all 45 DOGE officials and most Office of Management and Budget staff will continue working as their compensation comes from a source other than annual appropriations, according to a contingency plan posted online yesterday. Sophia Cai reports for POLITICO.

Senior federal officials have advised several agencies against firing employees during the shutdown, warning that the strategy might violate appropriations law, two sources told the Washington Post. Plans for such firings have been developed across several agencies, according to two federal officials. A senior White House official said those plans outline firings for fewer than 16,000 people, a smaller reduction in force than the White House previously projected. Emily Davies and Hannah Natanson report for the Washington Post.

The Justice Department is set to close the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, an inter-agency office created in the 1980s to tackle major drug cartels, according to documents seen by Reuters. The documents show the DOJ will also shutter the Community Relations Service, focused on mediating racial and ethnic tensions in the United States, and the Office for Access to Justice, which works on access to legal aid. Sources say that current and former officials said they are surprised by the plan to close the Task Forces, as the type of cases it oversees is aligned with the Trump administration's efforts to pursue major drug-trafficking organizations. Sarah N. Lynch reports.

Trump is considering providing over $10 billion to U.S. farmers due to the economic fallout sparked by his tariffs, sources told the Wall Street Journal. Sources said that Trump and his team are thinking about using tariff revenue to fund the majority of the aid, with much of it going towards soybean producers. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that the government would make an announcement next Tuesday regarding support for U.S. farmers in light of China’s refusal to buy soybeans. Brian Schwartz, Patrick Thomas, and Natalie Andrews report; Reuters reports.  

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has stopped the release of hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency preparedness grants, requesting that states prove their population counts before receiving the money, FEMA told CNN. States started receiving notices on Tuesday that they must submit a population certification, outlining their methodology, and confirm those deported under US immigration laws are not included in the count. Gabe Cohen reports. 

The University of Texas said yesterday it would be eager to sign up to the Trump administration's list of demands in return for favourable terms for government financial aid. Most of the eight other institutions that were approached have not indicated whether they would agree to the terms. Anemona Hartocollis, Michael C. Bender, and Alan Blinder report for the New York Times.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy has fired Dr Jeanne Marrazzo, leading scientist at the National Institutes of Health, three weeks after she filed a whistle-blower complaint against the Trump administration, according to her lawyer and copy of the termination letter. The dismissal letter did not provide any explanation. Dr Marazzo’s lawyer has said that the firing was retaliatory. Benjamin Mueller reports for the New York Times."