Donald Trump has sweeping plans for a second administration. Here’s what he’s proposed

[phkrause]

War heroes and military firsts are among 26,000 images flagged for removal in Pentagon’s DEI purge References to a World War II Medal of Honor recipient, the Enola Gay aircraft that dropped an atomic bomb on Japan and the first women to pass Marine infantry training are among the tens of thousands of photos and online posts marked for deletion as the Defense Department works to purge diversity, equity and inclusion content, according to a database obtained by The Associated Press. Read more.

Why this matters: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had given the military until Wednesday to remove content highlighting diversity efforts in its ranks following President Donald Trump’s executive order ending those programs across the federal government. One official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that have not been made public, said the purge could delete as many as 100,000 images or posts in total.   The vast majority of the Pentagon purge targets women and minorities, including notable milestones made in the military. But a review of the database also underscores the confusion among agencies about what to remove following Trump’s order.   In some cases, photos seemed to be flagged for removal simply because their file included the word "gay," including service members with that last name and an image of the B-29 aircraft Enola Gay.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Bragg to Liberty and back again: Ceremony to rechristen Army post once named for a Confederate   WATCH: DC's Black Lives Matter Plaza going away   A 40-day Target boycott began this week. What to know about the protest

[phkrause]

Elon Musk tells Republican lawmakers he’s not to blame for federal firings Billionaire Elon Musk is telling Republican lawmakers that he is not to blame for the firings of thousands of federal workers, including veterans. Instead, he said in private talks this week that those decisions are left to the various federal agencies. Read more.

Why this matters: The message from one of President Donald Trump’s most influential advisers came as Republicans publicly support Musk’s work at the Department of Government Efficiency digging up waste, fraud and abuse, but are privately raising questions as personnel cuts ripple through communities across the nation.   On Thursday, Trump said he instructed department secretaries to work with DOGE but to “be very precise” about which workers will stay or go. “I don’t want to see a big cut where a lot of good people are cut,“ Trump later told reporters in the Oval Office. Trump suggested that Cabinet and agency leaders would take the lead, but Musk could push harder down the line.   The comments come amid mounting legal disputes over Musk’s attempts to centralize management of the government workforce and bypass the traditional role of Congress to appropriate federal dollars.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Judge orders Trump administration to speed payment of USAID and State Dept. debts   Federal judge reinstates labor board member fired by President Donald Trump   Judge stops immediate shutdown of small US agency for African development   CIA lays off some recently hired officers as Trump shakes up intelligence community   Fired head of federal watchdog agency says he’s ending his legal battle over his removal by Trump   Trump signs executive order to establish government bitcoin reserve   FDA nominee sidesteps questions on abortion pill, agency layoffs and other issues   Canada’s tariffs to remain despite Trump postponing tariffs on many imports from Canada for a month   European Central Bank cuts rates again as threat of trade war with Trump weighs on economy   China’s foreign minister criticizes US tariffs and accuses the country of ‘meeting good with evil’   Trump’s erratic trade policies are baffling businesses, threatening investment and economic growth   The US has withdrawn from a climate agreement that helps developing nations, South Africa says   Georgia lawmakers pass bill allowing Trump and others to recover costs of election meddling case   California’s Gavin Newsom opposes trans athletes in women’s sports, splitting with progressives

[phkrause]

Trump wrote to Iran’s leader about that country’s nuclear program and expects results ‘very soon’

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, seeking a new deal with Tehran to restrain its rapidly advancing nuclear program and replace the agreement he withdrew America from during his first term in office.

https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-trump-letter-khamenei-f78aeb869d146978b6d377184e236ef9?

Trump says he sent a letter to Iran's leader proposing nuclear deal

President Trump said he sent a letter on Wednesday to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei and stressed that he wants to reach a deal on the country's nuclear program.

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/07/trump-iran-nuclear-deal-letter?

[phkrause]

Trump yanks $400 million from Columbia over allegations of antisemitism

The Trump administration announced Friday it's immediately pulling about $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia University.

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/07/trump-columbia-antisemitism-protests-federal-money?

Diplomacy dies on live TV as Trump and Vance gang up to bully Ukraine leader

US president said his horrific blow-up would make ‘great television’ – the White House has never seen anything like it

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/28/trump-zelenskyy-shouting-match-oval-office?

Trump says Putin launching massive strike on Ukraine is ‘what anybody would do’

Donald Trump has said Vladimir Putin was “doing what anybody would do” after Russia launched a massive missile and drone strike on Ukraine days after the US cut off vital intelligence and military aid to Kyiv.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/07/trump-says-it-is-easier-to-deal-with-russia-and-putin-wants-to-end-the-war?

ps:So who's side is he on?????

Trump administration briefing: defending Putin, Columbia cuts and Doge’s power over EPA spending

Donald Trump has said he finds it it “easier” to work with Russia than Ukraine and that Vladimir Putin was “doing what anybody would do” after Russia launched a massive missile and drone strike on Ukraine days after the US cut off vital intelligence and military aid to Kyiv.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/08/president-trump-administration-news-updates-today?

US support to maintain UK’s nuclear arsenal is in doubt, experts say

Britain’s ability to rely on the US to maintain the UK’s nuclear arsenal is now in doubt, experts have warned, but working with European states to replace it will be costly and take time.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/08/us-support-uk-nuclear-arsenal-in-doubt-trident-france?

ps:The hell with our allies!!!!!

[phkrause]

Trump's Taiwan mystery

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Getty Images

President Trump's dismantling of the U.S.-led global order has injected deep uncertainty — and perhaps fresh opportunity — into China's timeline for a potential invasion of Taiwan, Axios' Zachary Basu reports. Why it matters: U.S. officials have long been fixated on 2027 as the year Xi Jinping would be ready to move on Taiwan, citing military modernization goals tied to the 100th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army. ? Trump — while acknowledging a Chinese invasion would be "catastrophic" — has been purposely opaque about whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan in such a scenario. "I never comment on that," Trump said this week when asked if it was his policy that China will never take Taiwan by force. "I don't want to comment on it because I don't want to ever put myself in that position." Screenshot via X Beijing has stepped up its saber-rattling toward Taiwan, pledging at the annual National People's Congress this week to "firmly advance the cause of China's reunification" and boost defense spending by 7.2%. In a sign of mounting tensions, China's embassy in the U.S. warned this week that "if war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we're ready to fight till the end." The big picture: U.S. presidents have had a long-running policy of "strategic ambiguity" on the question of military intervention to protect Taiwan. But under Trump 2.0, it has become a true mystery. Trump's approach toward Ukraine has dispelled the notion that he would defend Taiwan solely for the sake of shielding a democracy from authoritarian aggression. ? Zoom in: Unlike Ukraine, Taiwan plays a pivotal role in the global economy, with its crown jewel chip-maker, TSMC, manufacturing more than 90% of the world's most advanced semiconductors. Global dependence on TSMC has long been considered a powerful deterrent against Chinese aggression, but Trump has treated the company's dominance as a personal affront. "Taiwan took our chip business away," Trump told reporters last month. "We had Intel, we had these great companies that did so well. It was taken from us. And we want that business back." Keep reading.

[phkrause]

? Stephen Miller's outside army

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Stephen Miller — who is both White House deputy chief of staff for policy and President Trump's homeland security adviser — has amassed a historic portfolio of West Wing power. On top of that, a legal group he co-founded is helping drive policy changes from the outside, through legal complaints and lawsuits against corporations, Axios' Alex Thompson writes. Why it matters: Miller is a central architect of Trump's "flood the zone" strategy for sweeping transformation. America First Legal, which Miller co-founded after serving as a senior White House adviser in Trump's first term, is helping carry out his mission to make DEI programs illegal — on the argument that they violate the civil rights of white people. ⚖️ America First Legal has been aggressively filing complaints and lawsuits to try to make the federal bureaucracy comply with the new president's executive orders. The group has become a private enforcement arm of the White House's assault on DEI — or as it has billed itself, a right-wing version of the ACLU. In early February, the group petitioned the Education Department to investigate five school districts in Virginia for allegedly not complying with Title IX, which doesn't allow sex-based discrimination. The group petitioned the Labor Department to investigate whether outside federal contractors are following Trump administration rules. America First Legal also has been filing and threatening lawsuits against corporations — including Apple — over their DEI policies. Keep reading.

[phkrause]

? Trump is Ship Man

Data: UN Trade and Development; Chart: Danielle Alberti/Axios President Trump is ship obsessed, Axios' Colin Demarest reports. He's texting about rust into the hours of the morning, according to John Phelan, his pick to be Navy secretary. In Trump's address to Congress, he announced plans for a White House shipbuilding office, spanning both commercial and military sectors. ?? Why it matters: Amid years of American atrophy — shuttered shipyards, workforce woes accelerated by the pandemic, abandoned guns and schedule overruns — China has cornered the market. Beijing's capacity is hundreds of times larger than Washington's. That spells trouble in the Indo-Pacific, a watery region where military leaders and Beltway diviners believe a war over Taiwan could erupt as soon as 2027. Trump vowed in his address to "resurrect the American shipbuilding industry." "We used it to make so many ships," he said. "We don't make them anymore very much, but we're going to make them very fast, very soon." But details on the office — exactly how it would work and how far it would reach — are scarce. The president did mention tax incentives. ? Flashback: The U.S. built thousands of cargo ships during World Wars I and II, according to a 2023 congressional report. "In the 1970s, U.S. shipyards were building about 5% of the world's tonnage, equating to 15-25 new ships per year." "In the 1980s, this fell to around five ships per year, which is the current rate of U.S. shipbuilding." Keep reading.

[phkrause]

Revisiting the shameful legacy of family detention

Around a decade ago, when I was a young lawyer, I hopped in my little truck and drove across the stormy summer desert to see about a family detention center. Even though five years earlier,  President Obama had made a show of closing the T. Don Hutto Detention Center and ending our country’s shameful legacy of detaining immigrant families, he had quietly started detaining families again during the summer of 2014 at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center  in Artesia. I was invited to come participate in a rapid legal response for the detained families. What I saw and experienced there broke my heart. 

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/revisiting-shameful-legacy-family-detention?

America’s worst idea

Firing the hosts of our public lands is not in the public interest, in Alaska and across the country

https://alaskabeacon.com/2025/03/03/americas-worst-idea/?

U.S. Housing Agency Considers Launching Crypto Experiment

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is considering taking a first step to using cryptocurrency, according to a meeting recording and other materials reviewed by ProPublica and three officials familiar with the matter. Two officials told ProPublica they believe the initiative may be a trial run for the use of crypto across the federal government.

https://www.propublica.org/article/hud-considers-crypto-blockchain-stablecoin-housing-urban-development?

The Plan To Make America Hazardous Again

Trump’s EPA could stop states from warning people about potentially dangerous chemicals sprayed on their food.

https://www.levernews.com/the-plan-to-make-america-hazardous-again/

 

? Trump's economic shock therapy

President Trump believes it's worth risking pain to achieve his medium-term goal of rewiring the U.S. economy. He's attempting a form of economic shock therapy, while accepting there could be collateral damage, Axios chief economic correspondent Neil Irwin writes.

• Why it matters: That willingness to shrug off risks of inflation or recession is now rattling financial markets and confidence — and has emerged as the biggest near-term economic risk.

The administration has embraced that the economic disruption it envisions could be painful.

• That adds to the risk that if the economy starts to falter — and it hasn't so far, at least according to the high-level data — no cavalry will be coming from Washington to contain the damage.

? The big picture: Trump is seeking to rapidly undo a global economic order that has been decades in the making. Americans enjoyed the fruits of cheap goods made around the world, at the cost of a diminished domestic manufacturing base.

• He envisions an economy with fewer bureaucratic paper-pushers and much more factory work.
• He seeks to bring down the deficit while keeping taxes low — which only pencils out if major cuts are made to America's social welfare programs.

Coming "detox": "Could we be seeing this economy that we inherited starting to roll a bit? Sure," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday on CNBC's "Squawk Box."

• "There's going to be a natural adjustment as we move away from public spending," Bessent added. "We've become addicted to this government spending and there's going to be a detox period."

? Context: The mainstream view among Wall Street economists and Fed officials is that Trump inherited an economy that was in sound shape.

• The unemployment rate was low (4% in January). Inflation was far below its recent highs (2.5% for the 12 months ended January).

The Trump team rejects that view completely, arguing that Biden handed over an economy so terrible that it demands a wholesale rebuild. "Biden left him a pile of poop," as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick put it on Bloomberg TV last week.

⚡ Reality check: Economic change is often painful; just ask the U.S. manufacturing workers who lost their livelihoods amid the China shock of the early 2000s.

• Trump wants to change the fabric of the global economy at hyperspeed — which comes with political peril.

[phkrause]

‘Florida seniors have a lot to lose’: Medicaid cuts could devastate the state’s elderly in nursing homes

In nursing homes across Florida, elderly residents have much to lose from the spending cuts proposed in Washington, D.C.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/03/09/florida-seniors-have-a-lot-to-lose-medicaid-cuts-could-devastate-the-states-elderly-in-nursing-homes/?

Here’s How Much the Guests at Trump’s Crypto Summit Donated to His Inauguration

The cryptocurrency investors and executives who crowded into the White House for a summit with Donald Trump on Friday represented billions in net worth.

https://theintercept.com/2025/03/07/white-house-crypto-summit-trump-donors/?

[phkrause]

Trump’s Vision for America: I Am God

In an address to Congress on Tuesday, President Donald Trump once again cast himself as a divine savior of the American people.“I was saved by God to make America great again,” he claimed as he recounted the failed assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. 

https://theintercept.com/2025/03/07/briefing-podcast-trump-christian-right-talia-lavin/?

[phkrause]

Trump's secret power protection plan

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Anyone who thinks President Trump's mesmerizing hold over the GOP will slip if his poll numbers slide is missing one of his biggest innovations in American politics: The creation of a cash-flush political operation that has raked in around a half-billion dollars — about the same amount the GOP's House and Senate campaign arms spent during the entirety of the last midterm campaign, Axios' Alex Isenstadt writes. Why it matters: It's unheard of for a president not running for reelection to raise that kind of money. But the cash is just one piece of a bigger power play that's arguably the most powerful, well-funded political apparatus ever. The day after Election Day, Trump — at a time most presidents-elect are scrambling to get their transitions rolling — started calling major donors to start building an enforcement machine for his agenda. "Right now, there's a huge price to pay by crossing Donald Trump," said Republican strategist Corry Bliss, who formerly led the Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC. "When you combine a 92% approval rating among Republican voters with unlimited money, that equals: 'Yes, sir.'" ? Zoom in: Two Trump-aligned outside groups, MAGA Inc. and Securing American Greatness, are poised to play big in 2026, including by helping Republicans expand their congressional majorities. The groups also have another focus: Reward Republicans who support Trump — and punish those who don't. Elon Musk has his own super PAC, America PAC, which he can use to target Republicans who cross Trump. ?️ The big picture: Trump lacked a well-funded political operation after the 2016 election, hampering his ability to put pressure on Republicans who waffled over backing his agenda and to support or oppose candidates of his choosing. Trump advisers say that won't be the case this time. Now, combine Trump's super PACs with Musk's resources, then toss in Musk's control of X plus Trump's control of Truth Social. Any GOP skeptics or critics could instantly face a dangerous primary challenge — and unending waves of critical messaging. Elon Musk and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles leave the Oval Office with President Trump on Friday. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images How it works: Chris LaCivita and pollster Tony Fabrizio, who held top roles in Trump's '24 campaign, are spearheading the effort. MAGA Inc. and Securing American Greatness are closely aligned with the White House political team, which is led by chief of staff Susie Wiles and deputy chief of staff James Blair. The groups were founded during the campaign by Taylor Budowich, now a White House deputy chief of staff. Trump's team hasn't dipped into its war chest yet, but it's prepared to. It cut ads aimed at pressuring Republican senators to confirm Pete Hegseth, Trump's then-nominee for secretary of Defense. But once it became clear Hegseth had the support he needed, the ads were sidelined. ? Behind the scenes: Two weekends ago, Trump hosted a dinner for major contributors at Mar-a-Lago. Minimum cost of entrance: $1 million. The dinner was attended by Republican mega-donor Miriam Adelson, who spent more than $100 million to bolster Trump last year. Trump had to woo donors during the 2024 campaign. But now many are flocking to him in hopes of winning access.

[phkrause]

? Lingo: Trump sees economic "transition"

President Trump said the U.S. economy will experience a "period of transition" as new trade and other policies take effect — but didn't answer about a full-blown recession, Axios' Ben Berkowitz writes.

• Why it matters: Markets suggest a recession is more possible now than it was even a few weeks ago.

Asked by Fox News' Maria Bartiromo if he's expecting a recession this year, Trump said: "I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition, because what we're doing is very big. We're bringing wealth back to America — that's a big thing."

? On "Meet the Press," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said: "There's going to be no recession in America. ... Donald Trump is bringing growth to America. I would never bet on recession. No chance."

 

?? Trump intelligence reversal

President Trump told reporters on Air Force One yesterday that the U.S. is close to lifting the pause on intelligence sharing with Ukraine, Axios' Barak Ravid writes.

• Why it matters: The pause, which mostly focused on intelligence sharing regarding offensive operations against Russia, created significant difficulties for the Ukrainian military.

It was a key factor in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to publish a statement expressing regret for his public spat with Trump at the White House and stressing his willingness to engage in peace talks with Russia.

? What to watch: Trump said he thinks Ukraine will sign a mineral deal with the U.S., but stressed he wants Ukraine "to want peace ... and right now they haven't shown it to the extent that they should. But I think they will be, and I think it's going to become evident over the next two or three days."

 

Entire FL-Dem congressional delegation warns Trump to avoid cuts to hurricane forecasting

All eight members of Florida’s Democratic congressional delegation are calling on the Trump administration to reconsider its announced workforce reductions at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS), saying that they pose “an immediate and severe threat to hurricane preparedness and response in Florida and across the nation.”

https://floridaphoenix.com/briefs/entire-fl-dem-congressional-delegation-warns-trump-to-avoid-cuts-to-hurricane-forecasting/?

[phkrause]

Trump insists ‘good people’ shouldn’t lose their federal jobs, despite mass firings

WASHINGTON — With thousands of federal workers already laid off, President Donald Trump said Thursday that he wants his Cabinet members to “keep good people” and does not want to “see a big cut where a lot of good people are cut.”

https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/03/07/repub/trump-insists-good-people-shouldnt-lose-their-federal-jobs-despite-mass-firings/?

ps:Fire and than see if they are good workers!!!!!

Could Trump tariffs apply to electricity? Confusion reigns

When President Donald Trump’s administration announced on March 3 that it was moving forward with sweeping tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods, it ignited anger above the northern border and confusion below it among the organizations that manage the electric grid in parts of both countries.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/03/09/repub/could-trump-tariffs-apply-to-electricity-confusion-reigns/?

[phkrause]

Trump fuels Greenland’s independence fight with his talk of seizing the island President Donald Trump pushed Greenland into the spotlight by threatening to take it over. That has ignited unprecedented interest in full independence from Denmark — a key issue in a parliamentary election on March 11. Read more.

Why this matters: Many in this semi-autonomous territory are worried and offended by Trump’s threats to seize control of their mineral-rich homeland, even by force, because he says the U.S. needs it “for national security.”    Greenland is vital to the world, though much of the world may not realize it. Global powers covet its strategic location in the Arctic; its rare earth minerals needed for telecommunications; its billions of barrels of oil; and its potential for shipping and trade routes as ice keeps retreating because of climate change.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ A look at the history of Greenland, from Viking raiders to Donald Trump   WATCH: Greenlanders face key election to decide their future amid Trump interest   Most Greenlanders are Lutheran, 300 years after a missionary brought the faith to the island

[phkrause]

JD Vance Slammed by His Own Cousin Who Fought in Ukraine Over Zelensky ‘Ambush’

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have refashioned the United States into “Vladimir Putin’s useful idiots,” the VP’s cousin alleged in the wake of the Trump administration’s recent abandonment of military and intelligence support for Ukraine.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/putins-useful-idiots-jd-vance-slammed-by-his-own-cousin-nate-who-fought-in-ukraine/?

Musk Has Triggered A Corporate Deregulation Bomb

A Delaware bill would award Elon Musk $56 billion, shield corporate executives from liability, and strip away voting power from shareholders.

https://www.levernews.com/musk-has-triggered-a-corporate-deregulation-bomb/?

[phkrause]

Trump’s EPA to prioritize AI, lobbyists and staff cuts in ‘mission to traumatize’

New EPA administrator Lee Zeldin’s pillars pledge to help auto industry and have no mention of the climate crisis

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/06/trump-epa-lee-zeldin?

Outcry as Trump withdraws support for research that mentions ‘climate’

US government stripping funds from domestic and overseas research amid warnings for health and public safety

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/21/trump-scientific-research-climate?

Scientists brace ‘for the worst’ as Trump purges climate mentions from websites

Trump administration pulling references online ‘won’t make crisis’ stop affecting Americans’ lives, say experts

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/04/trump-climate-change-federal-websites?

Outrage as Trump cites ‘emergency’ to fast-track fossil fuel projects

Activists warn new designation for projects such as pipelines threatens US wetlands and waters

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/19/trump-fossil-fuel-climate?

Trump purge raises extinction threat for endangered species, fired workers warn

Scientist sounds alarm over ‘canary in the coalmine’ species including beetles and spiders

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/endangered-species-trump-federal-worker-firings?

[phkrause]

Ontario slaps 25% increase on electricity exports to US in response to Trump's trade war

Ontario’s premier, the leader of Canada’s most populous province, announced that effective Monday it is charging 25% more for electricity to 1.5 million Americans in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war. Ontario provides electricity to Minnesota, New York and Michigan. Read More.   Secretary of State Rubio says purge of USAID programs complete, with 83% of agency’s programs gone Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday the Trump administration had finished its six-week purge of programs of the six-decade-old U.S. Agency for International Development, and said he would move the aid and development programs that survived under the State Department. Read More.   Leader of student protests at Columbia facing deportation after arrest by immigration officials Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Palestinian activist who helped lead protests at Columbia University, is facing deportation. His lawyer said the agents who took him into custody over the weekend initially claimed to be acting on a State Department order to revoke his student visa. But when informed that Khalil was a permanent resident with a green card, agents said they would revoke that documentation instead. Read More.   Meet the federal worker who went rogue: ‘I hope that it lights a fire under people’ To billionaire Elon Musk and his cost-cutting team at the Department of Government Efficiency, Karen Ortiz may just be one of many faceless bureaucrats. But to some of her colleagues, she is giving a voice to those who feel they can’t speak out. Read More.   Trump loves the Gilded Age and its tariffs. It was a great time for the rich but not for the many The desire to recreate the Gilded Age is fueled by President Donald Trump’s fondness for tariffs and his admiration for the nation’s 25th president, William McKinley. Experts on the era say Trump is idealizing a time rife with government and business corruption, social turmoil and inequality. Read More.

[phkrause]

Dow falls by almost 900 points in market rout after Trump says he won’t rule out a recession

US stocks plunged, bitcoin stumbled and Wall Street’s fear gauge hit its highest level this year as concerns about President Donald Trump’s economic policy led to a widespread market selloff on Monday.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/10/investing/us-stocks-drop-after-trump-says-he-wont-rule-out-a-recession/index.html?

Wall Street fears

Data: Financial Modeling Prep. Chart: Axios Visuals Stocks plunged today — their worst day of 2025 — as recession fears spread. The S&P 500 fell 2.7%. The Nasdaq dropped by 4%. The Dow was down 2.1% (890 points). ? What we're watching: Wall Street is increasingly concerned that tariffs and general economic chaos will cause stagflation — stagnant growth and high inflation — Axios Macro co-author Neil Irwin writes. ? Between the lines: Usually, if the economy starts to worsen, help from the government — fiscal stimulus action and interest rate cuts from the Fed — can be counted on to buffer the impact. But Trump administration officials appear willing to tolerate some economic pain as the price of their sweeping policy agenda. The Fed may not be willing or able to cut rates significantly, because inflation has already been well above its target for four straight years. ? Reality check: If the economy really does start to deteriorate in a meaningful way, the White House's attitude could change quickly. Stock market crashes and spikes in unemployment have a way of getting any president's attention. Go deeper.

[phkrause]

NASA eliminates chief scientist role, other offices

NASA has cut its office of the chief scientist and its Office of Science, Policy, and Strategy, among other entities, the agency said in an internal email that Axios has viewed.

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/10/nasa-eliminates-chief-scientist-role-offices?

Government suspends free COVID test distribution program

The federal government's free at-home COVID test distribution program has been suspended and is no longer accepting orders.

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/10/free-covid-test-program-suspended?

⚖️ Perkins Coie has hired another elite law firm, Williams & Connolly, to fight back against Trump's efforts to punish the firm, the N.Y. Times reports (gift link). Trump recently signed an order making it difficult for Perkins Coie to represent clients doing business with the federal government, due to the firm's work with Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign.

 

Fear for the future

Workers in the wind industry are worried as President Donald Trump brings the once-booming business to a standstill. He paused federal permits and leasing for onshore and offshore wind projects and ordered a review of existing leases.

[phkrause]

A Vision Under Threat

As the head of the Office of Special Counsel, Hampton Dellinger had a triple target on his back from the start of Donald Trump’s presidency: He was a Joe Biden appointee, he was the head of one of the independent regulatory agencies that the Trump administration is targeting, and his duty was to fight to protect the jobs of tens of thousands of civil servants the president has tried to fire.

So when Dellinger received an email on Friday, February 7, telling him that he’d been dismissed, he wasn’t surprised. He also wasn’t going to quietly concede. Under a law that’s stood for decades, the special counsel serves a five-year term and “may be removed by the President only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” The following Monday morning, Dellinger filed a suit challenging his firing, and by that night, a federal judge had temporarily reinstated him.

During the following month, Dellinger led a bifurcated life that he joked was “like a Severance episode, except I was always at work”: one workplace “where I was advocating for others, and that was the place I wanted to be completely focused,” he told me on Friday. “But then the other side of it was trying to keep my job.”

OSC is a classic post-Watergate creation, designed to insulate the functioning of the federal government from political and other improper interference. It’s charged with protecting whistleblowers inside the executive branch and with identifying violations of the Hatch Act, which prohibits politicking by government officials. If OSC believes that federal employees have been improperly fired, it can file a case with the Merit Systems Protection Board.

This makes an otherwise obscure office very important right now, because the Trump administration, with Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service leading the charge, has laid off huge swaths of the federal workforce in apparent defiance of laws designed to protect them, with more cuts promised. Last Wednesday, Dellinger won a major victory: The MSPB ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture must temporarily rehire nearly 6,000 probationary employees while an investigation proceeds into whether they were wrongfully fired. He told me that he was ready to try to get tens of thousands more probationary employees reinstated.

Instead, Dellinger found himself out of a job a few hours later. On Wednesday night, a panel of judges on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled for the administration and against Dellinger, declaring that he would be removed while he pursued his appeal. The next day, Dellinger announced that he was ending his fight.

“I knew it would take at least a year to get a final decision” in court, he told me. “It may well have gone against me, and by that point, seeing the damage that’s taking place on a daily basis at federal agencies, I knew there would be almost nothing I could do should I ever get back into my job.”

In his statement ending his challenge, he wrote: “I strongly disagree with the circuit court’s decision, but I accept and will abide by it. That’s what Americans do.” That was a pointed response to comments by several government officials, including Musk and Vice President J. D. Vance, who have questioned whether the executive branch has to follow judicial rulings. “I think the key to our country is respect for the rule of law, and I think there’s been too much disrespect of late,” he told me. “So I wanted to make it clear that just because I’m unhappy with the decision, I in no way contest its binding nature.”

What is at stake right now is not just the fate of whistleblowers and probationary employees but also the underlying principle of independent agencies within the executive branch. Such bodies have existed since the 1930s and are written into laws passed by Congress, but as I wrote recently, Trump allies have argued in Project 2025 and elsewhere that independent regulatory agencies are unconstitutional because they limit the president’s control of the executive branch. They have promised to politicize traditionally detached parts of the government.

If courts conclude that this independence is unconstitutional, then most existing protections for whistleblowing seem doomed. Congress concluded when passing these laws that the executive branch needed internal watchdogs. They are generally presidentially appointed—like Dellinger, and like inspectors general inside major departments—but, once in place, insulated from pressure. Without them, whistleblowers have no clear recourse besides going to Congress (no easy feat for all but the most major scandals) or the press. Either path is uncertain and fraught with dangers of retaliation.

Gutting the current regime may result in more of the problems that Musk is supposedly fighting, Dellinger argued. “I think it’ll mean that government is less effective,” he told me, because fewer routes will exist for employees to shed light on failures. “I think it may lead to an increase in waste, fraud, and abuse. And I think we’re not going to know for sure what it means, because you don’t have these independent watchdogs who are able to make their work public.”

The entire existing vision of the executive branch, constructed by an idealistic liberal vision of government held accountable by legal structures and processes, seems currently under threat. Dellinger is a fitting figure to be in the middle of this fight. He’s spent his career moving between government service and practicing law in the private sector. (He’s also contributed to The Atlantic.) His father, Walter Dellinger, served as the acting solicitor general in the Clinton administration and was regarded as one of the most brilliant Democratic lawyers of his generation. Hampton Dellinger told me he remains hopeful that the decades-old vision of the federal government is not dying.

“The fact that people are resisting unlawful orders, I think, is vital,” he said. “I still have faith in the judiciary, even if my case didn’t succeed. I have faith in generations younger than me.” If the federal government is to run on anything other than patrimonialism, those generations will have to find a way to rebuild it after the current assault.

 

[phkrause]

Anti-terrorism hiring freeze

Recruitment for anti-terrorism posts at the Treasury Department was halted last month, despite a carveout in Trump's hiring freeze for national security jobs.

Why it matters: Treasury's Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI) office tracks terrorist and criminal financing and is responsible for enforcing a wide range of government sanctions.

• Democrats pushed Treasury last month to detail the extent of the freeze, as we scooped.
• Treasury rescinded all job offers at the TFI office for people who were scheduled to start after Feb. 8, according to a letter sent from the department to Senate Democrats late last week.
• Treasury has begun to reassess the interest of candidates for jobs that fall within the national security exemption for the hiring freeze, it said in a letter to Senate Democrats that we've obtained.

The big picture: Democrats have hammered Trump and Elon Musk for their approach to slicing federal agencies, arguing the administration has cut positions and programs without a clear understanding of the consequences.

• "Instead of hiring key national security personnel, Treasury appears to be following directives from Elon Musk's DOGE to leave key positions unfilled, threatening the Department's mission to keep the American people safe," Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told us in a statement.
• Warren joined Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) last month in asking Treasury whether the hiring freeze was affecting its national security posts.

— Stephen Neukam

[phkrause]

? Senator's Ukraine horror stories

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) spent the weekend in Ukraine gathering harrowing information on the impact of Trump's pause on military aid and information sharing. Kelly spoke with one Ukrainian in a hospital who had suffered multiple amputations, asking what the soldier made of the sudden shift in U.S. policy. The soldier responded: "What the f***?" Why it matters: "When you negotiate the end of a conflict, you want to be negotiating from a position of strength," Kelly said. "What the administration did — cutting off weapons to Ukraine and cutting off intelligence — is the exact opposite of that." Kelly posted about his experiences on X, and was called a "traitor" by Musk.   Zoom in: Kelly told reporters this afternoon that in just a matter of days, the pause on intelligence sharing has hurt Ukraine's ability to defend itself. "There is stuff they don't get that they need that changes their ability to defend against attacks — and those attacks happened on Friday night and Saturday night when I was there," Kelly said. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One yesterday the U.S. is close to lifting the pause. — Stef Kight ps:What a sick, sick administration!!!!!

[phkrause]

The Trump administration has paused at least $60 million in funds for affordable housing developments. Here’s our data-driven guide on subsidized housing and home affordability. 
 
President Trump has also signed an order for the government to retain bitcoin, a type of cryptocurrency, that it’s previously seized in criminal and civil proceedings.  

 

Measles cases have continued to spread in Texas and New Mexico. We’ll have more on vaccinations next week, but you can get a sneak peek at childhood vaccination data right now.

[phkrause]

Trump plays with fire — by choice

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Getty Images

They did it delicately, privately and belatedly. But some Cabinet members and top confidants warned President Trump that two pillars of his flood-the-zone strategy could backfire: tariffs and Elon Musk's budget-gutting, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write in a "Behind the Curtain" column. Why it matters: Both moves hacked off allies — some Hill Republicans and Cabinet officials with cuts, Canada and Mexico with tariffs — and created the impression and reality of uncertainty or outright chaos. Now, the public is weighing in: Markets hate uncertainty and chaos. The S&P 500 is down 6.4% since Inauguration Day, and 3% since Election Day — one of the worst-performing major indices in the world. Most market signals are negative — partly because of a tech meltdown that's not entirely Trump-driven. But the uncertainty is the critical element. The uncertainty is the point. Consumers are already losing confidence and pulling back on spending. Several polls show a slump in Trump's popularity since he took office and launched his shock-and-awe plan to remake the U.S. government and the world order. ?️ Today is Day 51 of Trump's term — halfway through the opening 100 days. "Ever since the election, Trump has been the master of the narrative," a Trump adviser told Axios' Marc Caputo. "We won every day. But this stock market fall is just different, no control. But it's just a detox — it'll get better." A senior White House official tells us: "The market isn't great, not gonna lie. But the vibes are still good otherwise." Another White House official said Trump and his team "are adept at playing the long game, and we will not be dictated by a snapshot in time when there are so many indicators that show we're building a strong economy with staying power." The White House yesterday republished a Reuters list of a dozen companies looking at opening or expanding in the U.S. as tariffs loom. Data: Financial Modeling Prep. Chart: Axios Visuals ? What we're hearing: House and Senate Republicans are hyper-focused on avoiding a government shutdown at midnight Friday. "If the stock market looks like this in three weeks, we've got a problem," said a top consultant to Republican Senate and House candidates. "There's time. It's early." Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) posted on X with a bear-red graphic of yesterday's indexes: "The stock market is comprised of millions of people who are simultaneously trading. The market indexes are a distillation of sentiment. When the markets tumble like this in response to tariffs, it pays to listen." ? Behind the scenes: Trump's team remains confident and aggressive, and contends not a minute has been wasted. The number of migrants trying to reach the U.S. by trekking through the Darién Gap jungle into Central America plunged 99% last month from February 2024, Bloomberg reports. Trump and his aides are taking risks with eyes wide open — and we're told they're determined to persevere. They think the first 50 days couldn't possibly have gone better. An emboldened Trump is leaning into his instincts on every front. Trump's team cares most about the MAGA base, which is beyond delighted with the pace and scope of his move-fast-and-break-things approach. Trump and his advisers recognize "that changing the globalized economic system, which has deindustrialized the United States, will create friction in the real economy," a top Republican insider told us. "To rebuild the U.S. civilian and defense industrial base that the globalists gave away to China will cause economic and market dislocation in the short term," the insider added. "It's a play for long-term results — like Reagan on deficits to win the Cold War." Today's New York Post cover. ? Reality check: Some Cabinet members and congressional Republicans fear this painful "transition," Trump delicately labeled it Sunday in an interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo, could stall his agenda. It was that quote — Trump refusing to rule out a recession — that helped fuel Monday's market swoon, as fears rose about a U.S. economic slowdown and the possible pocketbook effects of tariffs. Between the lines: There's a messaging gap that's confusing the market, too. The same morning Trump was hedging on a possible recession, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was on NBC's "Meet the Press" guaranteeing: "There's going to be no recession in America." Investors like one message from government — not a menu. Axios' Ben Berkowitz and Marc Caputo contributed reporting ...

[phkrause]

☢️ Trump's nuclear split screen

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

President Trump told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo on Sunday that nuclear weapons "sitting in shelves in various countries ... are big monsters that can blow your heads off." But he may be ushering in a world of more nuclear powers and fewer nuclear guardrails, Axios' Dave Lawler writes. Why it matters: Trump reiterated his urgent hope to halt the nuclear spiral in which China, Russia and the U.S. are developing ever-more sophisticated tools to end life on Earth. He also revealed that he'd written to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei expressing his desire for a new nuclear deal — while warning that without one, he'll have to take "the other option" to ensure Tehran never gets a nuke. Trump's first weeks back have been peppered with nuclear warnings, including his desire to avoid "World War III" over Ukraine. Data: Arms Control Association. Chart: Axios Visuals ?️ The big picture: Trump's withdrawal of U.S. support for Kyiv has U.S. allies debating whether to develop their own nukes, rather than depend on Washington. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday that his country would have to explore "opportunities related to nuclear weapons" due to the "profound change of American geopolitics." French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that he would consult with European allies like Germany about including them under the French nuclear umbrella. Trump's ally-bashing has also turbocharged the debate in South Korea over whether a domestic nuclear program is needed to counter nuclear-armed North Korea.