On Thursday, a judge ruled that the Trump administration may persist with the widespread layoffs of US federal employees, dismissing an attempt by labor unions to halt the president’s aggressive job cuts impacting many of the 2.3 million individuals employed by the government. The IRS initiated layoffs of approximately 7,000 workers on the same day.
In his 16-page ruling, US District Judge Christopher Cooper remarked that Trump’s executive actions had “led to, some assert by design, disruptions and chaos across many sectors of American society.”
Here are the key developments in US politics from Thursday, February 20.
Judge permits Trump administration to proceed with mass firings
A federal judge determined that the Trump administration can continue its mass firings of federal employees, rejecting a request from labor unions aimed at stopping Donald Trump’s significant reductions to the federal workforce, which includes roughly 2.3 million individuals.
The unions are attempting to prevent eight agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, from carrying out mass layoffs.
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Trump official advises Ukraine to cease criticism
A White House official urged Ukraine to refrain from disparaging Donald Trump and to sign a deal that would transfer half of the country’s mineral wealth to the US, warning that failure to comply would be deemed unacceptable. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News that Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, should “tone down” his criticisms of the US and carefully consider the deal, which proposes transferring $500 billion worth of natural resources, including oil and gas, to Washington.
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Vance reaffirms his stance on Ukraine and Europe
JD Vance reiterated his assertion that unchecked immigration poses “the greatest threat” to Europe and the United States during a speech at CPAC. The vice president also dismissed concerns regarding the Trump administration’s position on Ukraine as “moralistic nonsense.”
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Kash Patel appointed as FBI director
The US Senate has confirmed Kash Patel as the new FBI director, despite his inability to definitively state whether he would use his role to target Donald Trump’s political adversaries. Patel was confirmed in a closely contested vote of 51-49, highlighting the divisive nature of his nomination.
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Trump considers distributing checks to Americans from Doge budget cuts
Donald Trump has suggested a plan to share a portion of savings from US government spending cuts made by Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge) with all US households through checks, raising concerns about potential inflation. Trump indicated that this would encourage Americans to “participate in the process of saving us money” by reporting suspected government waste to increase their own share of the cutbacks.
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Mitch McConnell announces he won’t seek Senate re-election
Senator Mitch McConnell has declared he will not run for re-election next year, marking the end of a lengthy career for a Republican leader who navigated his party through numerous administrations with a singular focus on power that irritated critics and pleased supporters. McConnell made this announcement on his 83rd birthday.
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7,000 tax workers facing layoffs
The IRS is expected to lay off approximately 7,000 employees in Washington and across the nation beginning Thursday, coinciding with the period when millions of Americans file their annual tax returns. The layoffs will predominantly impact probationary employees with around one year or less of service at the agency, primarily affecting those in compliance departments.
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Court denies reinstatement of birthright citizenship ban
A US appeals court has rejected a Department of Justice emergency request to reinstate a ban on birthright citizenship. On his first day in office, Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship for children without US citizen or legal permanent resident parents. A court blocked the order, and a federal court ruled that the DOJ did not demonstrate an urgent need to overturn that decision.
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US transports 177 deportees from Guantánamo to Honduras, headed for Venezuela
The US government has transported 177 deportees from Guantánamo Bay to Honduras, from where they are set to be sent to Venezuela, effectively clearing the military facility of migrant detainees.
This move on Thursday followed human rights lawyers filing a lawsuit seeking access to dozens of individuals previously held at the US naval base.
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Other notable developments today:
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Trump expressed that he anticipates being sued by the Associated Press for blocking the news organization’s access to the Oval Office and Air Force One, stating, “It’s just something we feel strongly about.”
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Trump also addressed the White House’s Black History Month reception, where he appeared alongside golfer Tiger Woods. He struck a conflicting tone in celebrating Black History Month while criticizing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
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Musk spoke at the Conservative Political Action Committee, brandishing a chainsaw gifted to him by the far-right Argentinian president Javier Milei, and reiterated the president’s critiques of Ukraine.
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Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon took the stage after Musk, celebrating Mitch McConnell’s retirement and Kash Patel’s confirmation.
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New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced she would not immediately remove the embattled New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office but will push for enhanced oversight of City Hall during a press conference today.
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Reports suggest that more than 50,000 individuals may be laid off at the Department of Defense under the Trump administration’s mass firings, according to an unnamed US official, as reported by UJ.
