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
Trump reportedly will offer buyouts to all 2 million federal workers
The White House’s plan to offer “deferred resignations” that pay departing federal employees their salary through Sept. 30 will likely run afoul of rules governing buyout payments.
People
Musk visits OPM following workforce assignments for DOGE
Amanda Scales, a former employee of Elon Musk’s AI company, was recently tapped to be the chief of staff at OPM.
Artificial Intelligence
Trump signs AI executive order
The order calls for the development of an AI action plan and sets up a process for revoking actions taken under President Biden’s previous AI executive order signed in October 2023.
Exclusive
People
U.S. Digital Service employees are being re-interviewed under DOGE transition
Some employees who were in the U.S. Digital Service already when it became part of the DOGE fear the interviews are an assessment of their loyalty.
Emerging Tech
Industry group calls on Trump to appoint a quantum czar
A letter sent to President Donald Trump also called for a reauthorization of 2018’s National Quantum Initiative Act.
Artificial Intelligence
Industry launches $100B AI-infrastructure effort to keep ahead of China
Oracle, OpenAI focus on data centers as AI race begins to turn on computing power instead of math.
People
Tracking Trump’s national-security conflicts of interest
Experts say the businessman-turned-president has even more entanglements this time around.
Artificial Intelligence
Trump axes Biden’s AI executive order
President Donald Trump vowed to repeal the order during campaigning and in his presidential platform.
People
What Trump’s inaugural address means for federal employees
Many of Trump’s expected Day 1 executive orders will impact government workers.
Cybersecurity