Donald Trump has offered over two million US government employees eight months’ pay to quit as part of his administration’s ambition to cut $1 trillion from the federal budget.
Federal workers received an email with the subject line “A Fork in the Road” from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management on Tuesday evening. Those who were willing to accept the “deferred resignation,” which would be effective immediately with pay and benefits until September 30, would simply have to reply to the email with one word: “Resign.”
The email came after a federal judge temporarily blocked the president’s freeze on federal grants and loans. U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan blocked the action on Tuesday afternoon, just minutes before it was scheduled to take effect, pausing the plan for a week and setting a hearing for Monday morning.
A White House official told The Independent that administration officials were still “digesting” the decision before deciding on what – if any – response to the issue.
Robert F Kennedy Jr is the next controversial pick for Donald Trump’s cabinet to face a grilling from Senators, as he prepares for his confirmation hearing Wednesday morning as for Department of Health and Human Services secretary.
Key Points
- Trump offers 2 million federal workers pay to resign
- Judge temporarily blocks Trump’s federal spending freeze
- Transgender service members sue Trump over military executive order
- Trump tasks Elon Musk to ‘go get’ stranded astronauts ‘as soon as possible’
- RFK Jr branded a ‘predator’ by cousin ahead of HHS Secretary confirmation hearing
Tim Walz claims 'President Musk' gave Nazi salute: 'Of course he did'
10:30
,
James Liddell
Trump offers 2 million federal workers pay to resign
10:09
,
James Liddell
Donald Trump has offered over two million US government employees eight months’ pay to quit as part of his administration’s ambition to cut $1 trillion from the federal budget.
Federal workers received an email with the subject line “A Fork in the Road” from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management on Tuesday evening.
Those who were willing to accept the “deferred resignation,” which would be effective immediately with pay and benefits until September 30, would simply have to reply to the email with one word: “Resign.”
Staff will be expected to meet four criteria: Five days a week in the office; updated performance standards to ensure “excellence at every level”; department downsizing; enhanced conduct standards to ensure “trustworthy,” “reliable” and “loyal” employees.
The scheme is exempt for personnel of the Army, Postal Service, and those in national security and immigration positions.
Staff who opt to stay cannot guarantee their jobs, as per the OPM email.
RFK Jr to face the Senate today as raft of Trump’s controversial picks hope to be confirmed
09:50
,
James Liddell
Robert F Kennedy Jr is the next controversial pick for Donald Trump’s cabinet to face a grilling from Senators, as he prepares for his confirmation hearing Wednesday for head of the federal Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy is facing a predictably skeptical reception from both sides of the political aisle as he pursues his bid to become HHS Secretary, owing to his long history of comments and activism against vaccines — which he has falsely blamed for causing autism in children.
Also on Wednesday, Pam Bondi is due to be considered for the role of Attorney General; Howard Lutnick as Commerce secretary; and Kelly Loeffler to lead the Small Business Administration.
On Thursday, Daniel Driscoll is set to be considered as secretary of the Army; Kash Patel as FBI director; Tulsi Gabbard as National Intelligence director; RFK Jr (again); Elise Stefanik as Ambassador to the United Nations; and Russell Vought as director of Office of Management Budget.
Trump appointees asked about the moment of their ‘MAGA Revelation’
09:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Potential appointees to Donald Trump’s new administration are reportedly being asked to prove their past loyalty to the president, including by sharing the moment of their conversion to the Make America Great Again movement.
Trump officials, reportedly mocked by some in government as Soviet-style “MAGA commissars” are reportedly fanning out across federal agencies and asking staff about their political positions and whether they previously backed Trump or supported his campaigns.
Applicants have also been asked to prove their “enthusiasm” for the Trump agenda and share the moment of their “MAGA revelation,” the Associated Press reported.
Not even slightly cultish...
Here’s Josh Marcus’s report:
09:10
,
James Liddell
White House confirms Mandelson to be accepted as ambassador
Lord Peter Mandelson will be the next British ambassador to the United States after Donald Trump agreed to accept his credentials, ending a weeks-long standoff with the new US administration over the Labour grandee’s appointment to replace Dame Karen Piece as the UK’s top diplomat in Washington.
David Maddox and Andrew Feinberg report.
Trump tasks Elon Musk to ‘go get’ stranded astronauts
08:50
,
James Liddell
Donald Trump has tasked SpaceX owner Elon Musk to “go get” two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station for more than half a year.
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stuck in space for the past seven months after problems with the Boeing Starliner concerned NASA, leaving them stuck on the ISS. The trip of the two astronauts was originally meant to be around eight to ten days.
The SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon was originally planned to retrieve the astronauts in February, but it was moved to at least late March.
Late on Tuesday, Donald Trump publicly asked Musk to return Williams and Wilmore to Earth.
“I have just asked Elon Musk and @SpaceX to ‘go get’ the 2 brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration,” he wrote on Truth Social. “They have been waiting for many months on @Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!”
Hours before Trump’s message, Musk preemptively accepted the challenge, tweeting: “The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so. Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.”
ANALYSIS: Karoline Leavitt faced down the White House press in her first briefing. It was Trump’s voice that followed
08:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Gustaf Kilander writes:
Well, at least she avoided Sean Spicer’s fate.
The youngest White House press secretary to date, 27-year-old Karoline Leavitt, took to the podium for the first time on Tuesday with a similar obsequiousness to President Donald Trump, but unlike Spicer, thanks to last Monday’s indoor inauguration, was not forced to lie about the crowd size.
Leavitt quickly made clear that the James S. Brady briefing room will not be a place for contrition, backtracking, or apologies, beginning with an opening statement lauding Trump’s first week as historic. It was like her words were coming in through an earpiece connected to the Oval Office.
Continue reading...
Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration’s federal spending freeze after nonprofit groups lawsuit
08:00
,
Oliver O'Connell
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Donald Trump’s administration from freezing federal grant funding across government agencies, dealing a setback to the White House’s plan to pause federal programs that don’t align with the new president’s political ideology.
US District Judge Loren AliKhan issued the two-day temporary restraining order after a brief hearing in Washington on Tuesday.
The order, which is meant to preserve the status quo while legal proceedings continue, follows a lawsuit from a coalition of nonprofit organizations and small businesses that warned in court documents that the order “will have a devastating impact on hundreds of thousands of grant recipients” who depend on the steady flow of grant money that they’ve already been awarded and “deprive people and communities of their life-saving services,” including health care services, LGBT+ community support and services to support small businesses.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent.
Andrew Feinberg and Alex Woodward report.
What will Trump critic Jim Acosta do after leaving CNN?
07:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Hours after signing off from CNN for the final time following his rejection of the network’s proposal to take his news program to the “graveyard” midnight shift, Jim Acosta revealed that he is “going independent” and launching a new show on Substack.
Justin Baragona has the details.
In scathing letter to senators, Caroline Kennedy calls cousin RFK Jr a ‘predator’ who’s ‘addicted to attention’
06:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, is a hypocritical “predator” who is “addicted to attention and power,” his cousin Caroline Kennedy warned senators ahead of the activist’s confirmation hearings on Wednesday.
“I have known Bobby my whole life; we grew up together,” Kennedy, a former U.S. ambassador to Australia and Japan, said in a letter and accompanying video statement. “It’s no surprise that he keeps birds of prey as pets because he himself is a predator.”
Josh Marcus has the full story.
ANALYSIS: Trump’s funding freeze pushes Democrats over the edge
05:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Eric Garcia reports on how Democrats, having offered little pushback to Trump since he won, are now preparing for battle.
White House confirms Mandelson to be accepted as ambassador
04:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Lord Peter Mandelson will be the next British ambassador to the United States after Donald Trump agreed to accept his credentials, ending a weeks-long standoff with the new US administration over the Labour grandee’s appointment to replace Dame Karen Piece as the UK’s top diplomat in Washington.
David Maddox and Andrew Feinberg report.
Remember the drones over New Jersey?
03:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump’s spokesperson used her first briefing to end the mystery surrounding the drones seen over New Jersey in recent months.
New White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, 27, took to the podium for the first time on Tuesday, boasting of Trump’s achievements from his first week back in office.
“I do have news directly from the President of the United States that was just shared with me in the Oval Office, from President Trump directly, an update on the New Jersey drones,” said Leavitt.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
What will Trump critic Jim Acosta do after leaving CNN?
03:00
,
Oliver O'Connell
Hours after signing off from CNN for the final time following his rejection of the network’s proposal to take his news program to the “graveyard” midnight shift, Jim Acosta revealed that he is “going independent” and launching a new show on Substack.
Justin Baragona has the details.
Transgender service members sue Trump over executive order pushing them out of military
02:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Six active-duty transgender service members are suing President Donald Trump, newly sworn-in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other administration officials following the commander-in-chief’s order that effectively bans trans people from serving in the U.S. military.
The federal lawsuit was filed in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, one day after Trump issued an executive order that opens the door for the Pentagon to remove trans troops by categorizing their gender identity as a physical and mental impediment to their military service.
Alex Woodward reports.
Trump appointees asked about the moment of their ‘MAGA Revelation’
02:00
,
Oliver O'Connell
Potential appointees to Donald Trump’s new administration are reportedly being asked to prove their past loyalty to the president, including by sharing the moment of their conversion to the Make America Great Again movement.
Trump officials, reportedly mocked by some in government as Soviet-style “MAGA commissars” are reportedly fanning out across federal agencies and asking staff about their political positions and whether they previously backed Trump or supported his campaigns.
Applicants have also been asked to prove their “enthusiasm” for the Trump agenda and share the moment of their “MAGA revelation,” the Associated Press reported.
Not even slightly cultish...
Here’s Josh Marcus’s report:
Report: Elon Musk told staff X is ‘barely breaking even’
01:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Banks are preparing to sell off debt used to help Elon Musk purchase X as the tech tycoon tells employees the company is “barely breaking even.”
According to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, bankers at Morgan Stanley are planning to offload roughly $3bn in debt during a sale next week and are already contacting investors.
Bank of America and Barclays are two other big lenders that helped Musk make the $44bn Twitter purchase in 2022, which needed $13bn in financing. In August 2024, the outlet said it had “turned into the worst merger-finance deal for banks since the 2008-09 financial crisis”.
Michelle Del Rey has the story.
Snoop Dogg’s Instagram followers plummet after Trump crypto ball performance
01:00
,
Oliver O'Connell
Snoop Dogg has lost more than half a million followers on social media in the wake of his recent performance at the Crypto Ball, which celebrated the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
Inga Parkel has the story.
Trump again publicly muses about serving a third term: ‘Am I allowed?’
00:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump is once again weighing a third term - despite what the Constitution says.
Speaking at a Congressional Republican conference at his resort in Doral, Florida, on Monday, Trump asked House Speaker Mike Johnson whether he was “allowed” to run again.
“I’ve raised a lot of money for the next race that I assume I can’t use for myself, but I’m not 100 percent sure,” Trump said. “I think I’m not allowed to run again.”
Kelly Rissaman has the full story.
Pro-Trump host gushes over how ‘great’ Karoline Leavitt looks at first briefing
00:00
,
Oliver O'Connell
Brian Glenn, a fringe far-right cable channel host who also happens to be MAGA congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s boyfriend, ushered in White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s first press briefing by fawning over how “great” she looked.
The sycophantic greeting came shortly after Leavitt announced the Trump administration was rolling out a new policy that would allow “new media” outlets and social media influencers to have seats in the press briefings, claiming it was because “Americans trust in mass media has fallen to a record low.”
Justin Baragona reports.
Immigration officers are operating with a new sense of mission. Now, 'nobody gets a free pass'
Tuesday 28 January 2025 23:30
,
AP
A week into Donald Trump’s second presidency and his efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, federal officers are operating with a new sense of mission, knowing that “nobody gets a free pass anymore.”
A dozen officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement gathered before dawn Monday in a Maryland parking lot, then fanned out to the Washington suburbs to find their targets: someone wanted in El Salvador for homicide, a person convicted of armed robbery, a migrant found guilty of possessing child sexual abuse material and another with drug and gun convictions. All were in the country illegally.
“The worst go first,” Matt Elliston, director of ICE’s Baltimore field office, said of the agency’s enforcement priorities.
Continue reading...
Report: State Department told to ‘downplay’ Black History Month
Tuesday 28 January 2025 23:15
,
Oliver O'Connell
The State Department will “maintain” the “spirit” of President Donald Trump’s order rescinding DEI programs - a move that will likely leave the agency downplaying Black History Month, according to a report.
As part of Trump’s efforts to drastically scale back diversity programs, federal departments have been asked to shut down DEI departments, rescind DEI guidance and put all DEI workers on leave.
An email, obtained by the Wall Street Journal, offered State Department officials vague guidance for Black History Month imploring staff to highlight “valuable contributions of individual Americans throughout U.S. history, while ensuring our public communications maintain the spirit of the directive eliminating DEI programs”.
Ariana Baio reports.
Trump offers all federal workers a buyout with 7 months’ pay in effort to shrink government
Tuesday 28 January 2025 23:03
,
Oliver O'Connell
The Trump White House anticipates that up to 10 percent of federal employees will resign under a buyout program it is about to announce. A government-wide email will soon inform employees about the requirements of full-time office work, stating that the “deferred resignation program” starts today for all federal employees and concludes on February 6.
“If you resign under this program, you will keep all pay and benefits, regardless of your daily workload, and will be exempt from all applicable in-person work requirements until September 30, 2025 (or earlier if you decide to accelerate your resignation for any reason),” the email states.
Personnel in the military, postal service, immigration enforcement, or national security will not be eligible for the voluntary buyout program.
According to the email, employees must agree to a “smooth transition” during their remaining time in government.
The scheme could see up to hundreds of thousands of people leave their jobs. The administration believes the buyouts could ultimately save taxpayers up to $100 billion a year.
As ICE deportation raids ramp up, federal agents told to be ‘camera-ready’
Tuesday 28 January 2025 23:00
,
Oliver O'Connell
Personnel with at least two agencies assisting immigration officials with arrests across the U.S. have been instructed to be camera-ready and clearly wear their agency’s logo in case they’re filmed, according to CNN.
This instruction, reported by CNN and attributed to multiple sources familiar with the policy, comes as President Donald Trump’s administration quickly ramps up its wide-ranging immigration crackdown, which includes mass deportations and arrests across the U.S.
Katie Hawkinson reports from Washington, D.C.
Whistleblower raises alarm that Kash Patel ‘broke protocol’ over hostage rescue
Tuesday 28 January 2025 22:50
,
Oliver O'Connell
Kash Patel, the Trump loyalist tapped to lead the Federal Bureau of Intelligence, reportedly broke national security protocol in 2020 by publicly speaking about a hostage rescue in Yemen without authorization – the latest concern among Democrats already questioning his judgement during high-stakes moments.
Patel, who served as a senior advisor to the acting director of national intelligence Ric Grennell, allegedly “inserted himself inappropriately” in the hostage recovery mission that took place in October 2020 and disclosed information about it to the Wall Street Journal “several hours” before the hostages were confirmed in U.S. custody.
That’s according to an unnamed whistleblower who disclosed the “highly credible information” to Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, CBS News reports.
Ariana Baio has the story.
Scott Bessent is sworn into his role as treasury secretary
Tuesday 28 January 2025 22:43
,
AP
South Carolina investor Scott Bessent was sworn into his role as treasury secretary on Tuesday by Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh.
His first day of work included meetings with senior Treasury officials, according to a Treasury news release.
He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on a 68-to-29 vote, Monday, with 16 Democrats voting in favor of making him the nation’s 79th treasury secretary.
Bessent’s position puts him on a delicate balancing act of cutting taxes and curbing deficits while putting forward a plan on tariffs that doesn’t jeopardize growth.
The treasury secretary is responsible for serving as the president’s fiscal policy adviser and managing the public debt. He is also a member of the president’s National Economic Council.
Among his responsibilities will be investigating the feasibility of creating an External Revenue Service to collect tariff revenue from other nations.
Full story: Caroline Kennedy calls cousin RFK Jr a ‘predator’ who’s ‘addicted to attention’ in scathing letter to senators
Tuesday 28 January 2025 22:40
,
Oliver O'Connell
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, is a hypocritical “predator” who is “addicted to attention and power,” his cousin Caroline Kennedy warned senators ahead of the activist’s confirmation hearings on Wednesday.
“I have known Bobby my whole life; we grew up together,” Kennedy, a former U.S. ambassador to Australia and Japan, said in a letter and accompanying video statement. “It’s no surprise that he keeps birds of prey as pets because he himself is a predator.”
Josh Marcus has the full story.
Full story: Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration’s federal spending freeze after nonprofit groups lawsuit
Tuesday 28 January 2025 22:23
,
Oliver O'Connell
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Donald Trump’s administration from freezing federal grant funding across government agencies, dealing a setback to the White House’s plan to pause federal programs that don’t align with the new president’s political ideology.
US District Judge Loren AliKhan issued the two-day temporary restraining order after a brief hearing in Washington on Tuesday.
The order, which is meant to preserve the status quo while legal proceedings continue, follows a lawsuit from a coalition of nonprofit organizations and small businesses that warned in court documents that the order “will have a devastating impact on hundreds of thousands of grant recipients” who depend on the steady flow of grant money that they’ve already been awarded and “deprive people and communities of their life-saving services,” including health care services, LGBT+ community support and services to support small businesses.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent.
ANALYSIS: Karoline Leavitt faced down the White House press in her first briefing. It was Trump’s voice that followed
Tuesday 28 January 2025 22:15
,
Oliver O'Connell
Gustaf Kilander writes:
Well, at least she avoided Sean Spicer’s fate.
The youngest White House press secretary to date, 27-year-old Karoline Leavitt, took to the podium for the first time on Tuesday with a similar obsequiousness to President Donald Trump, but unlike Spicer, thanks to last Monday’s indoor inauguration, was not forced to lie about the crowd size.
Leavitt quickly made clear that the James S. Brady briefing room will not be a place for contrition, backtracking, or apologies, beginning with an opening statement lauding Trump’s first week as historic. It was like her words were coming in through an earpiece connected to the Oval Office.
Continue reading...
Watch: Tapper and Miller clash over Trump’s inspector general firings
Tuesday 28 January 2025 22:11
,
Oliver O'Connell
