White House
Trump: Telling troops to refuse illegal orders is 'seditious behavior'
"Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders,” six Democratic lawmakers said in a video. "TRAITORS!!!" Trump responded.
SSA abandons planned disability program overhaul expected to cut benefits for thousands
Trump administration officials informed the co-founder of a nonprofit disability advocacy group that a proposed rule — which would have updated decades-old occupational data, in addition to changing eligibility considerations — will no longer be moving forward.
Upcoming White House cyber strategy to seek more involvement with private sector
The Trump 2.0 cyber strategy is in development, National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross said, though he did not elaborate on when it would be released.
Trump’s latest order requires strategic plans reflective of presidential ‘priorities’ to resume hiring
While experts agree that agencies should seek to address new skills gaps created by the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the federal workforce, language enshrining “administration priorities” into those plans could politicize hiring of career workers.
Multiple CISA divisions targeted in shutdown layoffs, people familiar say
CISA units including its Stakeholder Engagement division are believed to have been hit. A DHS spokesperson said that the RIFs are meant to help get CISA “back on mission.”
Cabinet leaders detail how the government shutdown is impacting their agencies
President Donald Trump on Thursday reiterated his threat that he would use the appropriations lapse to justify cutting “Democrat programs.”
Senate again votes against ending shutdown, something White House said would trigger layoffs
There is still no path toward reopening government and Trump reiterates RIF threat.
Bisignano to lead IRS in addition to SSA duties, raising questions about the Senate confirmation process
Experts warned that the move could further facilitate the consolidation of Social Security and IRS databases for use in immigration enforcement.
White House: Shutdown layoffs are just days away
So far, just one agency has pursued RIFs while others have largely followed normal shutdown procedures.
Judge blocks Trump’s anti-union executive order for IFPTE-represented workers
U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman said the president “clearly” exceeded his authority when issuing an edict stripping two-thirds of the federal workforce of its collective bargaining rights.
Sides remain divided, White House predicts shutdown will occur on eve of funding lapse
Democratic leaders say “large differences” remain after meeting with President Trump.
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GAO: Forest Service upgrades to wildfire communications and tracking imperiled by Trump’s workforce downsizing
The U.S. Forest Service neither agreed nor disagreed with a recommendation to develop a strategic plan for upgrading systems to track wildfire fighting resources, instead taking issue with the title of the government watchdog’s report.
Labor groups warn of ‘gaping hole’ in First Amendment if court OKs Trump’s anti-union orders
The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit will reexamine a prior decision allowing the White House’s effort to strip two-thirds of the federal workforce of their collective bargaining rights to go into effect.
Trump’s reported use of the FBI against political opponents reflects earlier controversies from the J. Edgar Hoover era
COMMENTARY | Recent developments involving the agency have sparked comparisons to earlier episodes in the agency’s history.
Bill to nullify Trump’s union executive orders introduced by 48 senators
All Senate Democrats and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have signed on as sponsors of the Protect America’s Workforce Act, while the measure is just two signatures away from guaranteed floor debate in the House.
Cuts to CFPB staffing could complicate enforcement of Trump’s executive order on ‘debanking’
An executive order seeking to stop banks from discriminating against customers could be undermined by the administration’s gutting of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which had been investigating the practice.
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ODNI expected to shrink counterintelligence, counterterror centers
The steps are the latest in a series of moves that several current and former officials see as enabling broad vulnerability to foreign espionage attempts.
‘Whole-of-nation’ effort needed to deter nation-state hackers, new White House cyber director says
Newly confirmed ONCD director Sean Cairncross wants to work with the private sector to develop a toolkit for stopping foreign hackers and boosting U.S. cyberdefenses.
Agencies and industry announce efforts to further Presidential AI Challenge
The Trump administration is angling to leverage private sector partnerships and an all-hands agency approach to establish a robust U.S. AI workforce and education platform.
OPM lays out early plans for law enforcement-only pay raise
Federal employee groups decried President Trump’s plan to raise pay for most civilian employees by just 1% next year while giving military service members and law enforcement officers 3.8%.
