On Monday, uncertainty persisted regarding Elon Musk’s requests directed at federal employees. Only hours after the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) informed agencies that responses to its emails were optional, Musk once again issued a threat to federal workers.
He posted on X, the platform he owns: “At the discretion of the president, they will receive another opportunity. Failure to respond a second time will lead to termination.”
Earlier on Monday, President Donald Trump expressed his support for Musk, just two days after OPM sent an email requesting federal employees to list five of their recent accomplishments. Various government agencies, including the FBI and State Department, have advised their workers not to reply.
Here are the major headlines in US politics for Monday, February 24.
Disarray over Musk’s latest requests for federal employees
Labor unions and advocacy organizations have petitioned a federal court to shield government employees from retaliation after Musk demanded that they outline their job responsibilities in bullet points or face termination. This recent email targeted millions of employees and marked another front in Musk’s campaign, endorsed by Donald Trump, to significantly reduce the federal workforce. Multiple federal agencies reportedly instructed their employees not to engage with the email.
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Concerns grow as Trump appoints podcaster as FBI deputy director
Anxiety regarding the future of the FBI has escalated following Trump’s announcement that far-right podcaster Dan Bongino, who has no prior experience with the bureau, will serve as its next deputy director. Bongino is renowned as a conservative commentator and has openly supported Trump’s debunked claims about the 2020 presidential election being fraudulent.
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Trump states Putin would welcome European peacekeepers in Ukraine
Donald Trump claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be open to having European peacekeepers in Ukraine in a potential agreement to conclude the three-year conflict. Trump made this statement alongside French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House as they sought to mend transatlantic relations for peace talks. This meeting coincided with the US voting against a United Nations resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, siding with nations like North Korea, Belarus, and Sudan instead of European allies.
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Judge halts Doge’s access to Americans’ personal information
A federal judge has temporarily barred Elon Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) from accessing sensitive personal details of millions of Americans, delivering a swift setback to the controversial government downsizing initiatives of the second Trump administration.
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Exclusive: Neo-Nazi organization plans resurgence as Patel leads FBI
An international neo-Nazi terrorist organization with origins in the US appears to be rapidly rebuilding its ranks, both globally and within the US, based on information gathered by the Guardian from its online accounts. This resurgence coincides with the Trump administration’s policy shift away from monitoring far-right extremism and the appointment of Kash Patel—a MAGA supporter who has praised January 6 attackers and propagated QAnon conspiracy theories—to head the FBI.
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‘Doge’ assertion regarding USAID funding for India ignites political controversy
Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” has been accused of igniting a political uproar in India after it asserted that the US government had been dispatching millions to support the Indian electoral process.
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Apple reveals $500 billion in US investments over the next four years
Apple has announced plans to invest $500 billion in the US over the next four years, including the establishment of a massive factory in Texas for artificial intelligence servers and the creation of approximately 20,000 research and development positions nationwide. This announcement follows reports that Apple CEO Tim Cook met with Donald Trump last week.
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US judge upholds Trump’s AP Oval Office ban over Gulf of Mexico naming dispute
A federal judge on Monday denied the Associated Press’s request for immediate restoration of full access to presidential events for its journalists.
US District Judge Trevor McFadden declined to grant the AP’s request for a temporary injunction to restore its access to the Oval Office, Air Force One, and White House events. The Trump administration restricted the outlet’s access earlier this month due to its continued reference to the Gulf of Mexico after the president renamed it the “Gulf of America.”
Judge McFadden, a Trump appointee, noted that the limitations on “more private areas” utilized by Trump differ from prior cases where courts have intervened against government officials revoking journalists’ access.
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Other notable events from today:
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A federal judge blocked immigration agents from carrying out enforcement operations in houses of worship for certain religious groups, as reported by the Associated Press.
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Trump indicated that the US and Ukraine are “very close” to finalizing a rare earth minerals agreement during comments made alongside French President Emmanuel Macron amid rising European concerns about the US stance on Ukraine.
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The Trump administration announced it was placing nearly all USAID staff worldwide on paid administrative leave and cutting about 2,000 positions in the US, as the swift dismantling of the organization heads towards its conclusion.
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A federal judge has barred the government downsizing team Doge from accessing sensitive data held by the US Department of Education and the US Office of Personnel Management.
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A federal judge has broadened protections for transgender women in prison. The judge prevented the Federal Bureau of Prisons from executing Trump’s executive order aiming to transfer three incarcerated transgender women to men’s facilities earlier this month, extending these protections to nine additional women.
