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Management
State Dept. cuts poised to be more severe than previously outlined with 3,400 employees on the chopping block
There were bipartisan concerns from lawmakers about a planned break-up of the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, according to meeting notes. Office eliminations are expected by June 2.
Management
IRS reverses staffing gains made under Biden
The tax agency has shed over 20,000 employees through the deferred resignation program, and more significant cuts are still expected.
Management
Justice Dept. rescinds rules safeguarding media from government seizures
The rules, first issued under former Attorney General Merrick Garland, gave members of the press protections from legal mechanisms to obtain sensitive data linked to their reporting.
Tech
Top intelligence lawmaker fears China may exploit DOGE’s changes to government
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., also called out the Trump administration on the recent firing of NSA Director Timothy Haugh, a move he viewed as “puzzling.”
Tech
User with Russian IP address tried to log into NLRB systems following DOGE access, whistleblower says
The blocked login attempts, detailed in an extensive whistleblower complaint filed to the Senate Intelligence Committee and others, may indicate foreign adversaries have begun leveraging DOGE inroads into sensitive federal systems.
Workforce
Top homeland security lawmaker calls for cautious cuts to CISA
“We have to be very careful about who and what we cut, because [the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] does have a mission to overwatch our critical infrastructure and make sure the bad guys aren’t getting in,” said Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn.
Management
NSA firings stoke fears of Trump installing a partisan loyalist to lead spy agency
“We saw it’s possible, without adequate oversight, for our spy agencies to do inappropriate things,” a former senior intelligence official said, referencing the 1970s congressional investigations that revealed many spying abuses against Americans.
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Workforce
CISA to make comprehensive staff cuts in coming days, people familiar say
The nation’s premier cybersecurity agency, which sits in the Department of Homeland Security, has been in the Trump administration’s crosshairs for some time.
Transition
Trump fires head of NSA and Cyber Command
Gen. Timothy Haugh’s removal was spurred by far-right activist Laura Loomer, who, earlier Thursday, reportedly urged the president to terminate multiple National Security Council staffers.
Tech
Signalgate spurs government interest in chat-archiving services
Top staffers across the government have reached out to Whiterock Technologies about its electronic communications preservation service amid a court ruling tied to last week’s Signal chat with top administration officials that accidentally included The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg.
Defense
Judge orders agencies to preserve discussions in airstrike Signal chat
The directive targets communications in a Signal chat with top intelligence and national security officials between March 11 and March 15 that discussed strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. The Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief was inadvertently added to that chat.
Management
Experts fear global media agency’s gutting will strip key tools against foreign propaganda
U.S. Agency for Global Media programs serve a critical function in the face of U.S. adversaries’ efforts to wage information warfare against American allies and regions of critical interest, an influence operations analyst said.
Workforce
CISA works to contact probationary employees for reinstatement after court order
Trump officials have vowed to downsize the nation’s leading cybersecurity agency. Ex-officials have said the moves would be harmful to national security.
Tech
US spy chief probing classified chat rooms to pursue leakers
Tulsi Gabbard said recent examples of unauthorized leaks involve data about Iran, Israel, U.S.-Russia relations and activities in ODNI’s counterintelligence office.
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Workforce
CIA is terminating some probationary employees
Recent U.S. intelligence has signaled that foreign adversaries are increasing efforts to recruit disgruntled federal employees in sensitive national security roles.
Management
Agency guidance on ‘five accomplishments’ email still inconsistent
Bureaus inside DHS are still reviewing past submissions from staff and have instructed their workers to hold off on sending more updates.
Management
GSA lease terminations hit GAO offices doing national security work
Some of the terminated leases include buildings with spaces designed to exchange classified information on defense programs.
Workforce
168 employees fired at the National Science Foundation
“Panch has been conveniently absent throughout this whole time,” said an internal email an NSF worker sent to fellow colleagues, referring to Sethuraman Panchanathan, NSF’s director.
Transition
Federal workers decry recent firings in Presidents’ Day protest
“All I ask is that [the White House] follow f****** federal employment laws,” said one Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employee.
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Workforce
OPM fires its own probationary period staff
Employees’ physical and IT system access was deactivated at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday. On-site staff were also asked to quickly exit the Office of Personnel Management’s premises.
