The Trump Presidency : Year V

February 02, 2025, 10:35 PM

lkdr1989

Members of any properly ran organization would be expected to be able to explain their work and job role. The is news coming out about GSA, USAID, Treasury and other agencies did confirm most people's opinion about government corruption and waste but not the level of corruption & waste currently being exposed.

Looking to be worse than Iran Contra, especially since USAID has been linked to indirect funding of members of Congress and other Americans.

quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
Normally, this would alarm me, but, right now, it doesn't concern me in the least.

The WIRED article referenced in the tweet. I won't use their headline or tag line: https://www.wired.com/story/el...ent-young-engineers/

https://x.com/WCdispatch_/status/1886247529399951491

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is being spearheaded by 20 year old autists, per Wired.

These young engineers are reportedly forcing high level GSA employees on calls to, "go over code they had written and justify their jobs."

Despite their limited experience, these individuals have been granted official A-suite level clearance.

One of these young engineers reportedly just graduated high school.

Imagine being a 30 year veteran bureaucrat and being fired by a 17 year old autistic engineer with a laptop.

Simply Incredible.

[

February 03, 2025, 07:36 AM

Sig2340

quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:

Imagine being a 30 year veteran bureaucrat and being fired by a 17 year old autistic engineer with a laptop.

Would the 30 year bureaucrat be fired better by a high functioning 65yo autistic?

If so, sign me up! I'll fire them gently.
-------------------------------------

ETA: I can start here...

quote:
WTOP.com: USAID staffers told to stay out of Washington headquarters after Musk said Trump agreed to close it

The Associated Press

February 3, 2025, 8:02 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Staffers of the U.S. Agency for International Development were instructed to stay out of the agency’s Washington headquarters on Monday, according to a notice distributed to them, after billionaire Elon Musk announced President Donald Trump had agreed with him to shut the agency.

USAID staffers said they also tracked more than 600 employees who reported being locked out of the agency’s computer systems overnight. Those still in the system received emails saying that “at the direction of Agency leadership” the headquarters building “will be closed to Agency personnel on Monday, Feb. 3.”

The developments come after Musk, who’s leading an extraordinary civilian review of the federal government with the Republican president’s agreement, said early Monday that he had spoken with Trump about the six-decade U.S. aid and development agency and “he agreed we should shut it down.”

“It became apparent that its not an apple with a worm it in,” Musk said in a live session on X Spaces early Monday. “What we have is just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It’s beyond repair.”

“We’re shutting it down,” he said.

Musk, Trump and some Republican lawmakers have targeted the U.S. aid and development agency, which oversees humanitarian, development and security programs in some 120 countries, in increasingly strident terms, accusing it of promoting liberal causes.

Over the weekend, the Trump administration placed two top security chiefs at USAID on leave after they refused to turn over classified material in restricted areas to Musk’s government-inspection teams, a current and a former U.S. official told The Associated Press on Sunday.

Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, earlier carried out a similar operation at the Treasury Department, gaining access to sensitive information including the Social Security and Medicare customer payment systems. The Washington Post reported that a senior Treasury official had resigned over Musk’s team accessing sensitive information.

Democratic lawmakers have protested the moves, saying Trump lacks constitutional authority to shut down USAID without congressional approval and decrying Musk’s accessing sensitive government-held information through his Trump-sanctioned inspections of federal government agencies and programs.

USAID, whose website vanished Saturday without explanation, has been one of the federal agencies most targeted by the Trump administration in an escalating crackdown on the federal government and many of its programs.

“It’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics. And we’re getting them out,” Trump said to reporters about USAID on Sunday night.

Musk’s and Trump’s comments came with Secretary of State Marco Rubio out of the country, in Central America, on his first trip abroad in office. Rubio has not spoken publicly about any plans to shut down USAID.

The Trump administration and Rubio have imposed an unprecedented freeze on foreign assistance that has shut down much of USAID’s aid programs worldwide — compelling thousands of layoffs by aid organizations — and ordered furloughs and leaves that have gutted the agency’s leadership and staff in Washington..

Peter Marocco, a returning political appointee from Trump’s first term, was a leader in enforcing the shutdown. USAID staffers say they believe that agency outsiders with visitors’ badges asking questions of employees inside the Washington headquarters are members of Musk’s DOGE team.

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren said in a post on Sunday that Trump was allowing Musk to access people’s personal information and shut down government funding.

“We must do everything in our power to push back and protect people from harm,” the Massachusetts senator said, without giving details.

February 03, 2025, 08:14 AM

chellim1

quote:
“It’s been run by a bunch of radical lunatics. And we’re getting them out,” Trump said to reporters about USAID on Sunday night.

The Trump administration and Rubio have imposed an unprecedented freeze on foreign assistance that has shut down much of USAID’s aid programs worldwide — compelling thousands of layoffs by aid organizations — and ordered furloughs and leaves that have gutted the agency’s leadership and staff in Washington..

Trump is disrupting Washington... which is exactly what we need. No more business as usual.

February 03, 2025, 09:19 AM

12131

Useless swamp creatures that have leeched off the American taxpayers for so long will no longer have their swamp to dwell in. Glorious!

USAID's 10,000 employees face the chop

February 03, 2025, 09:40 AM

PASig

quote:
Originally posted by Pavilion:
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Washington D.C. for a high stakes visit with U.S. President Donald Trump and his new administration to discuss a series of critical issues surrounding the Gaza War and regional diplomacy.

https://allisrael.com/netanyah...-the-circle-of-peace

And I'm sure Trump will pull out all the stops to show him the highest respect unlike how Osama Obama shamefully made him enter and leave the WH by a back entrance walking past bags of garbage. 100% intentional too.

February 03, 2025, 09:55 AM

FenderBender

https://x.com/Breaking911/status/1886440679791837451

February 03, 2025, 10:26 AM

sjtill

Wretchard (Richard Fernandez) has written on X that this feels like a “revolutionary moment”—like 1776, 1860, 1945. It’s heady, but comes with a lot of uncertainty as to success.
My way of looking at it, if Trump continues to build success on astounding success at this rate, he will be so wildly popular that resistance will be futile.
Because you know all those grifters (“If we don’t win, we don’t eat”) are not going to go quietly.

February 03, 2025, 10:32 AM

chellim1

quote:
this feels like a “revolutionary moment”—like 1776, 1860, 1945. It’s heady, but comes with a lot of uncertainty as to success.

Yes, and necessary.

Speaking of 1945: We've been living in a post-WWII era ever since. After WWII, US manufacturing and American know-how dominated the world. That is NOT the case anymore and so we have to adjust.

February 03, 2025, 10:33 AM

braillediver

Trump is gutting the shadow government. The unelected bureaucrats who ran the country as they saw fit but were never elected to do so.

Amazing times and Yes Revolutionary.

February 03, 2025, 10:44 AM

PASig

Apparently this unfunny douchebag didn't get the memo that Trump is killing it right now while it's no longer fashionable to be a Democrat:

Trevor Noah's anti-Trump jokes fall flat at Grammys as artists roll their eyes while he tries to score laughs

February 03, 2025, 10:44 AM

Pipe Smoker

quote:
Originally posted by 12131:
Useless swamp creatures that have leeched off the American taxpayers for so long will no longer have their swamp to dwell in. Glorious!

USAID's 10,000 employees face the chop

'It became apparent that it's not an apple with a worm it in,' Musk said of the six-decade U.S. international aid and development agency. 'What we have is just a ball of worms. You've got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It's beyond repair.'

Nicely put.

February 03, 2025, 10:52 AM

6guns

https://lists.theepochtimes.co...3SBI8Sbkr/Q6g5Bleu3H

Trump Says Deal Reached to Delay Tariffs on Mexico for 1 Month

Trump said he agreed to ‘immediately pause’ tariffs on Mexico. Tariffs on Canada and China are still set to take effect on Tuesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Feb. 3 that they reached a deal to delay 25 percent U.S. tariffs on Mexican goods that were due to take effect on Tuesday.

Sheinbaum said on X that Mexico and the United States reached a series of agreements, saying that Mexico would immediately send 10,000 members of its National Guard to the U.S.–Mexico border targeting the trafficking of illicit fentanyl.
Trump said in a social media post that the the Mexican troops “will be specifically designated to stop the flow of fentanyl, and illegal migrants into our Country.”

The one-month pause will allow for “negotiations headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and high-level Representatives of Mexico,” Trump said.

Sheinbaum said that the United States also “committed to working to prevent the trafficking of high-powered weapons to Mexico.”

“I look forward to participating in those negotiations, with President Sheinbaum, as we attempt to achieve a “deal” between our two Countries,” Trump said.

The Epoch Times has reached out to the White House for further comment.

Trump on Saturday signed an order directing 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico over border security, fentanyl trafficking, and trade issues, as well as 10 percent tariffs on China. The tariffs on Canada and China are due to take effect at midnight.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

February 03, 2025, 11:07 AM

smlsig

quote:
Originally posted by FenderBender:
https://x.com/Breaking911/status/1886440679791837451

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Do you remember the saying “ Walk softly and carry a big stick”?

Well we’ve been tip toeing around for far too long long and carrying a twig.

Those days are over!

February 03, 2025, 11:09 AM

nhtagmember

Looks Like the DoJ has launched an investigation into Chuck Schumer for his threats against the Supreme Court members

from Bongino

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched an investigation into Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) after he allegedly threatened conservative Supreme Court justices. Schumer’s remarks have drawn sharp criticism from both parties after interim D.C. U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. quickly aligned his agenda with President Donald Trump’s political views. Since his appointment on January 20, Martin has directed top officials to review how prosecutions related to the Capitol riot were handled, particularly following Trump’s mass pardons, while cautioning subordinates against disclosing or criticizing his actions.

According to a “letter of inquiry” Martin addressed to Schumer, the attorney is investigating comments Schumer made in 2020 at a pro-abortion rally.

Schumer reportedly warned conservative Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh that they would “pay the price” for overturning Roe v. Wade—a decision they made two years later.

“I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price,” Schumer said. “You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”

In his letter, Martin warned Schumer that he takes threats against public officials very seriously.

While the Trump administration will likely praise Martin’s probe, per the Washington Post, career prosecutors say the attorney is politicizing the office.

Martin’s actions are likely to be welcomed by Trump and allies, who assert they were unfairly targeted by the past administration. But career prosecutors who have served under presidents of both parties say Martin is politicizing the office and potentially breaking with 50 years of Justice Department policy and practice intended to shield criminal prosecutions from political considerations. They warn that an exodus of veteran prosecutors will threaten public safety and national security, leaving a more pliant institution that could enable Trump’s avowed desire to punish his foes in a second term.

Schumer acknowledged that he should not have made such threats, claiming that “they didn’t come out the way I intended to. I’m from Brooklyn. We speak in a strong language. I shouldn’t have used the words I did, but in no way was I making a threat.”

Despite this, Schumer declined to apologize for his comments. Instead, Chief Justice John Roberts seemed to speak out on his behalf.

“Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous,” Roberts said.