Presidential Transition
Trump’s plan to slash the federal workforce isn’t the first, it’s just the worst
COMMENTARY | The triple-meat-cleaver approach to workforce “reform.”
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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Federal judge blocks USAID leave notices and reinstates workers
Attorneys representing the Trump administration confirmed Friday that upwards of 2,200 employees, many of whom are stationed overseas, would have been put on administrative leave Friday night, absent the court’s intervention.
Trump signs order setting up DOGE with a focus on government tech
Trump is wielding — and renaming — the US Digital Service in service of the DOGE.
Trump axes Biden’s AI executive order
President Donald Trump vowed to repeal the order during campaigning and in his presidential platform.
2 CIOs elevated to acting agency heads as Trump takes office
The tech leaders at USDA and USAID will head their agencies in an acting capacity until the Senate confirms Trump’s nominees for the permanent roles.
TSA head who oversaw pipeline cyber rules pushed out by Trump
The TSA under David Pekoske oversaw sweeping pipeline and rail cybersecurity directives as part of a broader Biden-era push to bolster U.S. cyber posture. It’s unclear why he was asked to leave.
Trump’s DHS pick says CISA is ‘far off-mission’ and should be smaller
Current South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem wants CISA to be “refocused” on critical infrastructure and to no longer address mis- or disinformation efforts online.
Trump’s pick for OMB chief defends removing civil service protections, withholding appropriated funds
Russ Vought laments "weaponized bureaucracies" as he draws bipartisan criticism for declining to commit to following spending laws.
Trump’s Treasury pick pledges to keep IRS Direct File open this tax season
Scott Bessent, Trump’s pick for Treasury Secretary, said that he would have to study the long-term future of the tool. Republicans on Capitol Hill, however, have panned Direct File.
Trump pick for CIA chief pledges to remain apolitical amid past controversies
John Ratcliffe was questioned over whether he’d remain an impartial national security official after past incidents as Trump’s former director of national intelligence.
US ‘has to win’ the AI innovation race, OpenAI exec says
Senior Vice President of Global Affairs Chris Lehane commended a recent executive order opening federal land to AI data center development and posited ways to encourage states to back AI development.
IRS Direct File to open a week after Trump’s inauguration
Republicans on Capitol Hill have asked the incoming president to scrap the free tax filing service developed during the Biden administration.
Top Oversight Democrat says he’s open to collaborate with the DOGE
The new Department of Government Efficiency — which, despite the “department” referenced in its name, is an advisory effort, not a government department — has aims to trim the federal workforce and hunt efficiencies in tech and fraud reduction efforts.
Federal R&D needs sustained funding, OSTP head warns incoming Trump admin
OSTP Director Arati Prabhakar said the U.S. is “at a pivotal moment for federally-funded R&D” as misinformation and proposed budget cuts threaten government-driven innovation.
Trump announces more tech policy team members
President-elect Donald Trump tapped four people — some returning to the White House after serving in his first administration — to serve on his technology policy team.
ServiceNow CEO says DOGE has Washington ‘inspired and fired up’
Bill McDermott believes there is genuine momentum building behind President-elect Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency.
Could Biden’s recent strategy to streamline government hiring be scuttled under Trump?
One of the purposes of the administration’s federal hiring improvement plan is to make agencies aware of hiring tools they already have access to.
OMB releases federal tech impact report as Biden admin winds down
Clare Martorana, the federal CIO, says she expects federal IT to stay bipartisan.
Ernst’s report documenting telework ‘abuse’ obscures more than it reveals
The Iowa senator and head of a new caucus related to President-elect Trump’s planned government efficiency commission misrepresented key statistics regarding telework’s usage at federal agencies.
