Wed, February 19, 2025

by: CNN

Defense officials fear impending Pentagon firings could break law and hurt military readiness

Some defense officials responsible for drafting lists of civilian Pentagon employees to be terminated as soon as this week are raising concerns with their superiors that the summary firings could break the law and potentially harm US military readiness,

by: abc3340

Elon Musk says saving taxpayer money requires 'competence' and 'caring'

President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk sat for a joint interview on Fox News Tuesday.

by: Slate

The Terrible Trump Idea That Should Have Stayed in Vegas

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by: BBC

Musk and Trump defend Doge cuts, say they plan to 'restore will of the people'

Multiple groups including unions and state attorneys general have sued Doge and the wider Trump administration over their plans, and Democrats accuse them of tampering with funding approved by Congress that is outside the president's scope. The White House denies that the work has broken any laws.

by: dailymemphian

Why Elon Musk chose Memphis for xAI facility

At the end of a product-release broadcast on X, Elon Musk explained why xAI chose the Bluff City and the former Electrolux building in Southwest Memphis.

by: Click2Houston

The Latest: Trump signs executive order to study how to expand IVF

Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order meant to expand access to and reduce costs of in vitro fertilization.

by: abc7NY

Meet Dale E. Ho, the second-year judge weighing the future of NYC Mayor Eric Adams' corruption case

Ho, an Ivy League-educated former civil rights lawyer and law professor, has shown no signs of being a rubber stamp - one way or the other - in a case with serious implications for Adams' future as mayor.

by: WPLG

Americans' confidence in air travel safety dips slightly after Washington plane crash: AP-NORC poll

A new poll finds Americans' confidence in air transportation and the federal agencies tasked with maintaining air safety has slipped a little from last year.

by: Politico

Florida Man keeps returning. Republicans follow.

Trump's properties also continue to be a draw for political events. Last month, House Republicans spent their policy retreat at Trump National Doral near Miami. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans held their winter meeting at the Breakers Palm Beach, also joining the president for dinner at Mar-a-Lago.

by: Couriermail

'Needs to stop': Elon Musk and Donald Trump speak out in joint interview with Fox News

Elon Musk has sat down for a joint television interview with Donald Trump, in which he defended his role as head of the US President's sweeping cost-cutting initiative within the nation's government.

by: ABC

Trump 2nd term live updates: Trump falsely claims Ukraine started war with Russia

As Elon Musk's DOGE continues to target federal agencies like the Social Security Administration and Internal Revenue Service, the world's richest man has now set his sights on U.S. gold reserves at Fort Knox.

by: Tuko

Meru Politician Forcefully Ejected from Kithure Kindiki's Karen Meeting: "Aende, Aende"

Politician Edwin Kiongozi attended Deputy President Kithure Kindiki's event in Karen and attempted to sit at a reserved seat, causing tension among the attendees.

by: scrippsnews

Judge rejects request to block Elon Musk, DOGE from accessing government data

A federal judge has declined to grant a request for a temporary restraining order against Elon Musk and DOGE. State attorneys general argue his making government changes is unconstitutional.

by: Reuters

Trump says Musk will not take part in space-related government decisions

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will not let billionaire Elon Musk take part in any space-related government decisions, when the president was asked about Musk's potential conflicts of interest amid his drive to cut government spending.

by: MSN

Musk calls himself 'Tech-Support' for Trump, slams US bureaucracy for "fighting against people's will"

Tesla CEO and DOGE Head, Elon Musk, opened up on the delay in the implementation of the executive orders signed by US President Donald Trump, blaming the US bureaucracy for it and said they are "fighting against the will of the people".

by: MSN

Switzerland: Kara-Murza: US-Russia deal on Ukraine will bring more repression and aggression

The agreement that Russia and the United States could reach on Ukraine in talks that begin on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia could lead to greater repression of the Russian political opposition and future aggression by Moscow against other European countries,

by: MSN

Egypt's five-year plan for Gaza reconstruction includes safe zones and independent Palestinian agency

Gaza Details of an Egyptian plan for the reconstruction of Gaza were revealed on Tuesday, with sources involved in the process telling The National that the proposal includes the creation of safe zones within the territory during a five-year rebuilding period.

by: MSN

Trump and Musk awkwardly called 'two brothers' as they seek to justify DOGE cuts in joint Fox News interview

Trump and Musk awkwardly called 'two brothers' as they seek to justify DOGE cuts in joint Fox News interview - The president has previously been trolled with claims that he is only a co-president - or

by: NDTV

Amid Language Row, Udhayanidhi Stalin's "Will Lose Mother Tongue" Warning

The battle between Tamil Nadu's DMK and the BJP - over the 'imposition of Hindi' - ramped up Tuesday after Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin raged that "states that had accepted Hindi today stand to lose their mother tongue".

by: MSN

"BJP, Congress and CPI(M) are together against me": Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday slammed the opposition for deliberately preventing her from speaking in the State Assembly.She accused the BJP, Congress, and CPI(M) of ganging up against her,
Tue, February 18, 2025

by: CNN

US and Russia discuss Ukraine war as Trump's federal overhaul takes shape

Trump administration and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia for talks on ending the Ukraine war as President Donald Trump continues to forge ahead with his overhaul of the US government. Follow for live updates.

by: WPLG

Senate GOP pushes ahead with budget bill that funds Trump's mass deportations and border wall

WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans pushed ahead late Tuesday on a scaled-back budget bill, a $340 billion package to give the Trump administration money for mass deportations and other priorities, as Democrats prepare a counter-campaign against the onslaught of actions coming from the White House.

by: Slate

Meet the Disabled Vets, Cancer Researchers, and Nuclear Techs Fired by Elon Musk "For Cause"

Musk's vulture-capitalist approach to dismantling the federal government may be opening the door to wrongful termination lawsuits.

by: Slate

I Just Figured Out What Elon Musk's DOGE Really Is

It's how things worked when you went to the Cosa Nostra to ask for protection for you and your family in exchange for some portion of your own resources.

by: scrippsnews

Judge won't place restraining order on Elon Musk and DOGE in state AG case

A federal judge has declined to grant a request for a temporary restraining order against Elon Musk and DOGE. State attorneys general argue his making government changes is unconstitutional.

by: Slate

Is This a Constitutional Crisis? Wrong Question.

The legalists just want to have a big old fight that lands up at the Supreme Court about the unitary executive and big conservative principles, and the monarchic view of the presidency they've been pushing for a very long time.

by: Oregonian

Republicans worry Trump's firings of federal workers will hit red states hard

The DOGE push to downsize government employees will hit the coalition that elected Trump,' a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, wrote.

by: Slate

What Happens Next in the Eric Adams Case? It's Up to One Judge.

Judge Ho will have a hearing on Wednesday to determine whether to accept the DOJ's motion to dismiss the case against the New York City mayor.

by: Newsweek

Social Security's COBOL Software Comes Under Scrutiny

Elon Musk's investigation of federal government systems highlighted Social Security's reliance on software developed in the 1950s.

by: PBS

Looking to slash Medicaid funding, Republicans consider cutting billions of dollars

Republican lawmakers could try to siphon billions of dollars from the nearly-free health care coverage offered to the poorest Americans.

by: CNN

'Good luck with that.' Trump administration terminates privacy officials at agency overseeing government hiring and firing

The Trump administration has quietly fired multiple members of the "privacy team" and other officials from the office that oversees the hiring of federal workers, a move that limits outside access to government records related to the security clearances granted to Elon Musk and his associates,

by: Newsweek

Steve Bannon Escalates Feud With Elon Musk: 'Parasitic Illegal Immigrant'

The former Trump adviser accused the Tesla CEO of using his influence to push an agenda that disregards American traditions.

by: AOL

Analysis-France's latest pensions battle could ignite fresh political crisis

President Emmanuel Macron braved strikes and street protests to force through a deeply unpopular reform in 2023 raising France's retirement age by two years to 64, saying it was the only way to keep the generous but costly pension system afloat.

by: KPBS

White House says Elon Musk is not in charge of DOGE - legally, anyway

by: Sky

England's top judge condemns Starmer and Badenoch comments on Gaza family coming to UK on Ukraine scheme

The Labour and Conservative leaders spoke out in PMQs against an immigration tribunal allowing a Gazan family to come to the UK under the Ukraine scheme.

by: BBC

US Social Security boss steps down after reportedly clashing with Doge

Michelle King left because of a reported disagreement over Elon Musk-led Doge staffers accessing sensitive data.

by: Politico

Platkin and the resistance

While I very much doubt that Platkin wanted Trump to be elected, he is now part of a group of Democratic attorneys general who have arguably been the only effective resistance so far to the new administration.

by: ABC

Trump 2nd term live updates: Musk sets sights on Fort Knox gold reserves

In recent days, Musk repeatedly posted to X about wanting to "make sure" the gold is still at the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

by: CapX

Lawyers are good at politics - but not if you want growth

In a lecture titled 'Politics as Vocation', the philosopher Max Weber noted that: 'To an outstanding degree, politics today is in fact conducted in public by means of the spoken or written word.' It was true when he said it, in 1918; it is even more true now.

by: Sky

London mayor Sadiq Khan to tell EU diplomats 'Brexit was a mistake' and argue for stronger EU ties to fight Trump tariffs

London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan is to tell EU diplomats "Brexit was a mistake" and argue stronger ties with the bloc would help fight Donald Trump's tariff threats. He will say the UK's withdrawal from the EU "continues to have a negative impact" and will promise to make the case for "being bold" to seek closer alignment.

by: MSN

Amir of Qatar receives Guard of Honour, ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan

Amir of Qatar, Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani received the Guard of Honour and a ceremonial welcome in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday. He was received by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with senior ministers from the government.

by: MSN

Costa Rica offers to receive deported Indians and central Asian migrants from US

Costa Rica has agreed to repatriate 200 illegal immigrants from Central Asia and India, following President Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. This makes Costa Rica the third Central American country to collaborate in this effort,

by: CNN

US and Russian officials meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss Ukraine war deal

Trump administration and Russian officials meet in Saudi Arabia for talks on ending the Ukraine war. Follow for live updates.

by: MSN

Musk is not a DOGE employee and "has no actual or formal authority," White House says

Elon Musk is not the administrator of DOGE and nor is he an employee of the department that's overseeing massive cuts to the federal workforce and agencies, either, per a Monday night White House court filing.

by: MSN

"Their anxiety increases as Sanatanis come together...": BJP's Gourav Vallabh hits back at Akhilesh Yadav

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Gourav Vallabh came out heavily against Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for his criticism of the Yogi Adityanath government over Maha Kumbh arrangements, and accused him of engaging in appeasement politics.

by: CNN

US and Russian officials to discuss Ukraine war deal in Saudi Arabia

Trump administration and Russian officials to meet in Saudi Arabia for talks on ending the Ukraine war. Follow for live updates.

by: MSN

Elon Musk's role in DOGE uncertain after recent filing from White House

In an affidavit filed in federal court Tuesday, a White House official said Elon Musk is not the administrator of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

by: ABC12

Trump begins firing FAA staff weeks after Washington, D.C. plane crash

Probationary workers were targeted in late-night emails Friday notifying them they had been fired, according to David Spero, president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union.

I Just Figured Out What Elon Musk's DOGE Really Is

It's how things worked when you went to the Cosa Nostra to ask for protection for you and your family in exchange for some portion of your own resources.

The article from Slate, written by Dahlia Lithwick, discusses the bizarre and troubling intersection of Elon Musk's influence, cryptocurrency, and political figures like Donald Trump, through the lens of a hypothetical scenario where Musk's Dogecoin becomes a central element in a political scandal. It explores how Musk's ventures, including his acquisition of Twitter (now known as X Corp), his promotion of Dogecoin, and his interactions with figures like Trump, could potentially lead to a scenario where cryptocurrency becomes a tool for political manipulation or corruption. The piece uses a satirical tone to critique the merging of tech moguls' power with political influence, suggesting a future where traditional political accountability might be undermined by the whims of tech billionaires and the volatile nature of cryptocurrencies. The narrative weaves together real events, like Musk's tweets affecting Dogecoin's value, with speculative fiction to illustrate the potential for chaos and corruption in this new digital-political landscape.

Read the Full Slate Article at:
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/02/elon-musk-doge-trump-mafia-dahlia-lithwick.html