Daily Briefing: DOGE denied
Federal workers who received an email with a demand by Elon Musk that they list the work they did in the last week don't have to reply, the Trump administration's Office of Personnel Management said. President Trump's selection of Dan Bongino as the FBI's deputy director is sparking concern among some bureau veterans. All Joann stores are set to close.
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Trump admin tells workers replying to Musk email 'voluntary'
The federal Office of Personnel Management notified workers they could ignore Elon Musk's latest DOGE directive, a reversal for the billionaire adviser to President Donald Trump who sought to remove workers who didn't reply.
The Department of Government Efficiency emailed an estimated 2 million workers via the Office of Personnel Management on Saturday with the subject line, "What did you do last week?"
- The email instructed all federal workers to share "approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished." "Failure to respond," Musk wrote in a post on X Saturday, "will be taken as a resignation."
- The original email gave workers a deadline of midnight Monday to reply. But an updated email Monday said the response was "voluntary."
- More than a dozen agencies had already told employees they didn't have to respond because Musk, the world's wealthiest man, isn't their boss.
FBI veterans say new bureau deputy director has worrying lack of experience
President Donald Trump’s announcement of a rightwing media figure as the FBI's deputy director has some bureau veterans worried that the new second-in-command lacks the experience to help lead a key agency responsible for keeping Americans safe. The selection of Dan Bongino also has fueled criticism from Democrats and some on the right about the direction Trump is taking the bureau. Bongino hasn't worked at the FBI before. He served as a police officer in New York City and spent 12 years with the Secret Service, leaving the agency 14 years ago and rising to fame as a conservative pundit. Read more
More news to know now
- Europe's Trump-whisperer Macron makes the case for Ukraine over Putin.
- Pope Francis shows "slight improvement," is working from the hospital, Vatican says.
- "A political decision": Los Angeles official slams mayor's ousting of fire chief.
- Elon Musk's X supported far-right German party celebrating historic election gains.
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Judge blocks transfer of transgender women inmates to male prisons
A federal judge on Monday blocked the Justice Department from transferring 12 transgender female inmates to male prisons, in a setback for President Donald Trump’s executive orders denying recognition of transgender people. The inmates filed their lawsuit Jan. 30 because of concerns they would lose access to medical treatment if transferred to prisons that didn't recognize their gender identities. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said he was unpersuaded the inmates would be safer at a low-security men’s prison than in their current facilities, as the government proposed. Read more
Death toll from Kentucky flooding rises to 22
The death toll from widespread flooding and extreme weather that battered Kentucky earlier this month has risen to 22, officials announced Monday. The latest confirmed death is a man who died of hypothermia in Marshall County, Gov. Andy Beshear said. The announcement follows six additional deaths that were reported over the weekend, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. "This has been a painful, difficult disaster," Beshear said. "There aren't many natural disasters where we lose 22 people. After the widespread flooding in 2022 and the tornadoes in 2021, this is one of the most deadly disasters certainly since I've been governor." Read more
Today's talkers
- Eagles will celebrate at the White House if President Trump invites them.
- Watch A-Rod make a $10,000 half-court shot for a lucky student at this college game.
- Who is the best supporting actress Oscar winner ever? We rank them.
- See Trump's unusually long handshake with French President Emmanuel Macron.
All Joann stores are set to close
All Joann locations are set to close after the fabric and craft retailer was auctioned off to a new ownership group after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time within a year. Retail liquidator GA Group and Joann's term lenders won the bidding. In collaboration with the new ownership group, the Hudson, Ohio-based retailer announced it will shut down operations at all stores after conducting going-out-of-business sales at each location. According to federal court records, the auction results are expected to be formally approved Wednesday. Read more
Photo of the day: Life in Ukraine after 3 years of war
Three years ago, Russian troops surged into neighboring Ukraine, starting the biggest and bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II. Tens of thousands have died, with Russia and Ukraine suffering heavy casualties. Ukraine has continued to fight back, with support from the U.S. and European allies. Still, there's no end in sight to the conflict.
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