People
Official who safeguards whistleblowers drops lawsuit protesting his firing by Trump
An appeals court had allowed the Trump administration to remove Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger while it heard his case.
Emerging Tech
Democrats move to defend CHIPS following Trump’s calls for its removal
Following President Trump’s congressional address lambasting the landmark Biden administration bill, Democrats sounded off on Monday in its defense.
Cybersecurity
Democrats open investigation into DOGE access to national security information
Multiple media reports have indicated DOGE has accessed classified or highly sensitive data across the government.
Digital Government
Trump DOGE order directs agencies to build tech to track government spending
The executive order directs agencies to build centralized tech systems to “record every payment” issued under grants and contracts.
People
21 legacy USDS staffers resign rather than work for DOGE
The employees cited the compromise of core government systems, significant security risks and their re-interview experiences in their rationale for leaving the team.
People
‘What did you do last week?’ Feds get mixed signals on whether to respond
Responses to the new governmentwide email system are meant to be voluntary, as OPM has advised agencies, but billionaire Elon Musk has said feds risk their employment if they choose not to respond — and some agencies are still telling feds to do so.
People
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.
People
Dozens of employees at U.S. DOGE Service dismissed
Personnel from Elon Musk's efficiency service were the latest to be dismissed.
Emerging Tech
National Labs have seen mixed impacts from Trump spending freeze
During a House hearing, four directors of different U.S. national laboratories offered insight into how federal funding interruptions have shaped their work.
People
Democrat lawmakers question DOGE’s access to personal data
House and Senate Democrats have sent a slew of letters to federal agencies and White House officials expressing concerns about the level of access that Elon Musk’s DOGE unit has to sensitive information.
Artificial Intelligence
Vance calls for more open AI policy at Paris summit
Vice President JD Vance laid out the Trump administration’s priorities on artificial intelligence policy with an emphasis on unleashing American innovation via lighter-touch regulations.
Updated
People
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.
Digital Government
Senate Democrats call for DOGE to halt until details are provided
The letter to the White House chief of staff and counsel notes that some of billionaire Elon Musk’s actions via DOGE “may be illegal or unconstitutional.”
People
Musk’s DOGE efforts pose a ‘constitutional crisis,’ experts warn
Elon Musk has spent the first two weeks of the Trump administration parachuting into government offices, leaving extensive — and some say legally prohibited — changes in his wake.
Updated
Digital Government
Agencies ramp up pressure on their workers to quit
New guidance continues to defend its deferred resignation program as legal, though it fails to address its apparent violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act.
People
Senior Democrat wants to know who in the Trump White House got Top Secret clearance without a complete background check
Trump issued a memo providing temporary security clearances for certain personnel, arguing delays in their vetting were "unacceptable."
Ideas
5 things government agencies must consider for a holistic approach to next generation digital transformation
A new administration may merit new approaches to digital transformation.
Defense
Trump’s ‘Iron Dome for America’ plan would put weapons in space, at a big cost
It’s a Cold War concept for a mission whose threats and tools have long since changed.
People
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.
People