Defense One
Army secretary nominee talks drones, recruiting, and lawful orders at confirmation hearing
Driscoll has bipartisan support from the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Pay & Benefits
Figuring out the ‘Fork in the Road’
The Trump administration’s “deferred resignation” offer has federal employees scrambling for answers and facing tough choices.
Defense One
Hegseth stands up anti-DEI task force
Some of the task force’s targets, like quotas and discriminatory promotion policies, don’t exist.
Route Fifty
Federal tech grant recipients sweat future amid ongoing uncertainty
The federal Office of Management and Budget’s memo pausing grants caused massive uncertainty, including for technology efforts reliant on the money. Recipients say their work will continue, but be harder, without federal help.
Contracts
Where can GovCon find clarity in the Trump transition turbulence?
Contractors, their government customers, and pretty much everyone across the public sector ecosystem is trying their best. But here are some steps and action items that companies can follow.
Workforce
Employee groups, Democrats, experts warn feds not to accept ‘deferred resignation’ offer
The lack of a legal underpinning for the purported eight-month severance package, and Elon Musk’s history of offering—and then revoking—severance payments have many federal workers wary of the measure.
Contracts
ANALYSIS: Signs of small business shifts to watch out for
It's unlikely that the Trump administration will completely abandon small business contracting, but a change in who those dollars go to appears likely with DEI efforts being rolled back. In this analysis, we establish a baseline for where the spending is today.
Transition
Breakneck pace of executive orders and lagging, unclear guidance leave contractors guessing
The Professional Services Council president and CEO said that contractors may not know the criteria spending programs are being reviewed under or who’s doing them while they wait.
Updated
Transition
White House rescinds widespread freeze on federal funds that caused chaos inside agencies
The revocation follows public outcry and an injunction in court.
Workforce
EPA employees told to pause most external communications and cancel meetings with outside parties
The agency joins several across government at which the Trump administration has issued at least a partial gag order. An agency spokesperson has denied that a pause is in place.
Transition
DEI and diversity: Is there a difference?
COMMENTARY | One long-time civil servant urges those charged with implementing Trump’s DEI executive order to not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Updated
Workforce
Trump reportedly will offer 'buyouts' to all 2 million federal workers
The White House’s plan to offer “deferred resignations” that pay departing federal employees their salary through Sept. 30 will likely run afoul of rules governing buyout payments.
Transition
2 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Democrats fired
Their removals by President Donald Trump leave the EEOC without a quorum.
Oversight
Court temporarily blocks Trump's spending freeze; government's top watchdog is reviewing whether it is legal
GAO has enforcement options if it deems the Trump administration is violating the law.
Contracts
GSA procurement pause sparks confusion
A new memo halts all General Services Administration-funded contract awards, a move that raises questions about scope and legality as industry leaders look for clarity.
Companies
Lockheed's CEO: Efficiency push is 'an opportunity' for both industry and government
In talking with Wall Street, Jim Taiclet sought to connect the Department of Government Efficiency's push for change with what he has talked about since becoming Lockheed's leader in 2021.
Transition
Chaos reigns across government as Trump freezes large swaths of federal spending
"It is blatantly unconstitutional," one senator says as agencies grapple with pausing nearly all grants and loan programs.
Nextgov
OPM’s new email system sparks questions about cyber compliance
Until very recently, the Office of Personnel Management lacked the capability to send mass emails to all federal employees, a person familiar said, fueling concerns that the agency bypassed procurement rules.
Route Fifty
Iowa floats first state-level ‘Department of Government Efficiency’
Gov. Kim Reynolds said the new task force would build on the state’s previous efforts to consolidate agencies and technology, which has already saved millions of dollars.
Updated
Transition