Subject: ...and so much more....
...madness and Republic destroying idiocy.
The DOGE Takeover Is Worse Than You Think
What Happened: Elon Musk has fired thousands of federal workers, gutted agencies like USAID, CFPB, and NOAA, and terminated nearly 10,000 foreign aid contracts. Mass layoffs, automated firings, and deep cuts to scientific research, social security, and disaster prevention are accelerating, with catastrophic consequences.
Why It Matters: This isn’t about efficiency—it’s about dismantling the government to serve Trump and Musk’s authoritarian agenda. The damage will be irreversible, crippling public services, eroding democracy, and handing unchecked power to unelected elites.
Source: WIRED
Trumpworld Power Couple Aiding Musk’s DOGE Takeover
What Happened: Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, and his wife, Katie Miller, unauthorized FAKE DOGE’s top comms official, are key liaisons between Musk and the White House. Stephen, described as Trump’s “prime minister,” ensures Musk’s mass firings and agency cuts align with Trump’s agenda.
Why It Matters: Musk isn’t acting alone—Trump’s inner circle is orchestrating Musk’s destruction, making it more systematic and harder to stop.
Source: WIRED
Trump Order Mandates DOGE-Controlled Payment Tracking System
What Happened: Trump signed an executive order forcing agencies to use unauthorized DOGE IT systems to track all contracts, grants, and expenditures. Agency heads must work with Musk operatives to justify payments, with the authority to pause or cancel contracts. Travel and government credit card use are frozen unless explicitly justified.
Why It Matters: This cements Musk’s grip on federal spending, giving his operatives oversight of every dollar spent. With universities and foreign entities under targeted scrutiny, this order accelerates the purge of government functions while consolidating financial control under Trump’s handpicked enforcers.
Source: Fed Scoop
Inside Patel’s First Week: FBI in Turmoil
What Happened: New FBI Director Kash Patel’s first week has been marked by upheaval. A planned purge of over 100 senior employees, mostly linked to January 6 cases, faced backlash from former FBI agents, leading Trump to appoint right-wing commentator Dan Bongino as Patel’s deputy.
Why It Matters: Patel, facing skepticism over his Trump loyalty, is struggling to gain credibility within the FBI. The agency is consumed by internal discord, raising concerns that adversaries like Russia and China will exploit the instability.
Source: CNN
Trump wants to cut the State Department’s size, reach and focus
What Happened: Trump is pushing a drastic overhaul of the State Department—closing embassies, cutting diplomacy programs, and shifting focus to transactional deals and security. Agencies have been asked to rank embassies based on their importance, with a quarter expected to receive low scores, making them targets for closure.
Why It Matters: This will cripple U.S. global influence, ceding ground to Russia and China, which has expanded its diplomatic footprint. Programs promoting democracy, human rights, and scientific collaboration are at risk.
Source: Politico
⚖️ In Weaponization of Institutions News
FBI Investigating Trump EPA Claims of “Fraud” in $20B Biden Grant Fund
What Happened: The FBI is probing allegations by Trump’s EPA chief that Biden’s $20B Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund was awarded with little oversight. Career prosecutors and judges rejected requests to freeze funds, but Citibank has locked down billions without explanation.
Why It Matters: Trump is weaponizing federal agencies to sabotage Biden-era climate initiatives, using the DOJ to seize funds without legal justification. This unprecedented financial crackdown is part of a broader effort to dismantle clean energy investments and redirect resources.
Source: The Washington Post
Justice Dept. Drops Cases on Discriminatory Police, Firefighter Hiring
What Happened: Trump abandoned cases challenging biased hiring in police and fire departments, including a Maryland State Police settlement over tests that disproportionately disqualified Black and female applicants.
Why It Matters: The DOJ is actively dismantling civil rights protections, greenlighting discrimination in law enforcement and firefighting while erasing decades of progress in fair hiring. By abandoning these cases, Trump’s regime is emboldening departments to continue exclusionary practices with impunity.
Source: Associated Press
DOGE Work Risks 'Extreme Ethical and Legal Violations,' Says Former Employee
What Happened: A former federal employee warned that unauthorized DOGE is compromising sensitive government data, mismanaging Social Security records, and dismantling critical public services. This comes after 21 employees resigned in protest, citing concerns over privacy violations and the misuse of federal systems.
Why It Matters: Musk has aggressively taken over government IT systems under Trump’s directive. The former employee claims the agency’s actions will expose Americans’ sensitive data to foreign actors and cross legal and ethical boundaries.
Source: NPR
Trump Launches ‘END DEI’ Website, Threatens School Funding
What Happened: The Department of Education launched EndDEI.Ed.Gov, a website for reporting “discrimination” as it enforces Trump’s crackdown on DEI. Schools must comply with new anti-DEI policies by Feb. 28 or risk losing federal funding. The move follows a letter from the DOE’s civil rights office declaring DEI practices illegal.
Why It Matters: Trump is weaponizing federal funding for an extremist ideological agenda, targeting marginalized communities and chilling free speech in education.
Source: ABC News
DOJ’s Epstein File Release is a Stunt, Not a Revelation
What Happened: Attorney General Pam Bondi handed right-wing influencers binders labeled "The Epstein Files: Phase 1," claiming to declassify DOJ records. However, the documents contained mostly old, publicly available materials, including Epstein’s address book and flight logs.
Why It Matters: The DOJ’s staged release is political theater, and it is ludicrous that the DOJ is coordinating with far-right extremist influencers.
Source: CBS News
DOGE Gains Access to Confidential Housing Discrimination, Medical, and Domestic Violence Records
What Happened: Musk has gained access to HUD’s Enforcement Management System, which contains confidential records on housing discrimination, domestic violence survivors, medical details, and financial files.
Why It Matters: Musk’s unchecked access to sensitive data raises major privacy concerns, with his operatives violating the Privacy Act and weaponizing data to gut Fair Housing protections. HUD staff fear planned workforce cuts—slashing Fair Housing enforcement by 76%—signal an intent to dismantle, not reform.
Source: ProPublica
Democratic FCC Commissioner Accuses Agency of Bullying Broadcasters
What Happened: FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez accused the FCC of using complaints to intimidate broadcasters, reinstating cases against CBS, ABC, and NBC. These include a 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris and ABC’s handling of a pre-election debate.
Why It Matters: Gomez warned that the FCC is “weaponizing” its licensing authority to pressure networks into favorable reporting. This is part of Trump’s broader attack on a free and independent press.
Source: Reuters
Trump Launches Portal to Report DEI in Schools
What Happened: Trump launched a website for reporting DEI programs in public schools just before its two-week deadline for schools to dismantle DEI or lose funding.
Why It Matters: This is an authoritarian tool for surveillance and intimidation, fueling targeted investigations. Legal challenges are mounting, with unions suing Trump for constitutional violations.
Source: The Guardian
Trump Pressures Apple to Drop DEI Policies
What Happened: Trump criticized Apple for maintaining its DEI policies after shareholders overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to end them. Trump posted on Truth Social that Apple should “get rid of DEI rules, not just make adjustments,” calling DEI a “hoax” that has harmed the country.
Why It Matters: Trump is pressuring private companies to eliminate DEI initiatives, extending his anti-DEI extremist agenda beyond the federal government.
Source: The Hill
USAID Watchdog Suppresses Reports on Trump’s Aid Freeze
What Happened: USAID’s inspector general has withheld two reports detailing the dire consequences of Trump’s aid freeze, fearing White House retaliation. One report warns that halting $300 million in aid to Gaza could endanger the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Another global audit cites increased hunger, disease, and security risks, especially in Africa.
Why It Matters: The reports, which expose the devastating impact of Trump’s foreign aid cuts, remain unpublished and hidden from Congress. USAID’s oversight office, now leaderless after Trump fired its inspector general, faces mounting pressure as the regime accelerates efforts to dismantle U.S. aid programs.
Source: The Washington Post
🛑 In Human and Civil Rights Abuses News
Trump Slashes 90% of USAID Foreign Aid Contracts
What Happened: Trump announced the elimination of over 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in global assistance. This includes cuts to programs combating Ebola and HIV/AIDS, as well as food security and counterterrorism efforts.
Why It Matters: Trump and Musk are rapidly dismantling U.S. foreign aid, gutting vital programs, and ignoring legal rulings to cement their cuts. The move threatens global stability, public health, and long-standing U.S. alliances while leaving a power vacuum for Russia and China to expand their influence.
Source: Associated Press
Iowa Approves Bill Stripping Gender Identity Protections
What Happened: Iowa lawmakers passed a bill removing gender identity from the state’s civil rights protections, making it the first state to take such action. The bill, fast-tracked by Republicans, now awaits Gov. Kim Reynolds' signature.
Why It Matters: This move erases legal protections for transgender individuals, opening the door to discrimination in housing, employment, and public services. It’s part of a broader GOP assault on LGBTQ+ rights.
Source: Associated Press
Alabama Lawmakers Advance Bill to Shield Police from Excessive Force Lawsuits
What Happened: Alabama legislators advanced a bill granting expanded legal immunity to police officers who use excessive force or kill in the line of duty. The bill would create additional immunity hearings, making it harder to prosecute or sue officers.
Why It Matters: This effectively puts police above the law, making it nearly impossible to hold them accountable for brutality. Civil rights advocates warn it will give officers near-total legal protection.
Source: Associated Press
Trump Expands Military Targeting Authority, Loosening Rules on Raids and Airstrikes
What Happened: Trump has removed Biden-era constraints on U.S. airstrikes and special operations raids, allowing commanders greater flexibility to approve strikes and broaden the range of targets. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed the directive during a recent overseas trip, reducing oversight.
Why It Matters: The shift marks a return to Trump’s first-term counterterrorism strategy, which risks increasing civilian casualties.
Source: CBS News
Ice contractor plans for surveillance boom under Trump migrant crackdown
What Happened: The GEO Group, a major contractor for ICE, is ramping up its surveillance capacity to track hundreds of thousands—potentially millions—of immigrants.
Why It Matters: GEO, which operates ICE’s electronic monitoring program, is investing millions to expand GPS ankle monitors and surveillance tools while preparing for indefinite monitoring under the Laken Riley Act.
Source: The Guardian
Trump's assault on USAID leaves plant that makes peanut butter for malnourished kids scrambling
What Happened: Trump abruptly canceled contracts with MANA Nutrition, a Georgia-based plant that produces lifesaving peanut butter paste for malnourished children worldwide.
Why It Matters: The sudden contract terminations leave MANA with millions of dollars in unused products and no clear answers from USAID, which has been gutted. Aid experts warn that this decision will lead to preventable child deaths due to malnutrition.
Source: CNN
📉 Government Services Disruption and Collapse Watch
FDA Cancels Meeting to Select Flu Strains for Next Season’s Shots
What Happened: The FDA abruptly canceled its advisory committee meeting scheduled for March to select strains for next season’s flu vaccine without explanation. This follows the postponement of a CDC vaccine advisory meeting days earlier.
Why It Matters: The canceled meeting will delay flu vaccine production, impacting availability for the upcoming season amid a severe flu outbreak that has already claimed 19,000 adult and 86 child lives. The decision adds to concerns that HHS Secretary RFK Jr. —an anti-vaxxer— is undermining the U.S. vaccine regulatory process, potentially leading to preventable disease resurgences.
Source: NBC News
IRS to Close 110+ Taxpayer Assistance Centers Amid Trump Cuts
What Happened: Trump plans to shut down over 110 IRS offices that provide in-person taxpayer assistance, according to a letter from the General Services Administration. The closures come at the height of tax season and follow recent layoffs of 7,000 IRS employees.
Why It Matters: These centers help taxpayers with complex issues like identity theft and audits. Their closure will leave many Americans struggling to access critical tax services.
Source: The Washington Post
Hundreds of Weather Forecasters Fired in Latest Wave of DOGE Cuts
What Happened: Trump and Musk fired 880 NOAA employees, with some National Weather Service meteorologists among those affected. Many were probationary employees, terminated just weeks before their probation ended.
Why It Matters: Slashing meteorologists and climate experts will cripple America’s ability to predict and respond to natural disasters, putting lives and property at risk.
Source: Associated Press
Trump quietly shutters online form for student debt repayment
What Happened: Trump removed online applications for income-driven repayment plans and loan consolidations, following a court ruling pausing Biden’s Save program.
Why It Matters: Millions of borrowers now face uncertainty, unable to adjust payments. This unnecessary move is harmful, worsening financial strain for students.
Source: The Guardian
DOGE’s Cruelty: Veterans Bear the Brunt of Musk’s Government Gutting
What Happened: The Department of Veterans Affairs has fired 3,700 employees, including PTSD specialists and crisis line staffers, with up to 50,000 veterans expected to lose their jobs. Musk has also slashed $2 billion in VA contracts, devastating veteran-owned businesses.
Why It Matters: This is not about efficiency—it’s about dismantling the VA to justify privatization. Veterans, who risked everything for their country, are being discarded as collateral damage while Musk and Trump wage war on public services for profit.
Source: Rolling Stone
DOGE’s Chaos Reaches Antarctica
What Happened: Musk’s cuts have hit the U.S. Antarctic Program, with NSF staff firings disrupting critical climate and astrophysics research. Scientists fear the long-term impact could cripple U.S. Antarctic presence, with other nations—like China and Germany—already recruiting American researchers.
Why It Matters: These cuts threaten vital scientific work and the U.S. geopolitical standing in Antarctica. If stations shut down, they may never reopen, leaving room for foreign powers to take over.
Source: WIRED
Top DOJ Spokesperson Resigns, Citing ‘Toxic Work Environment’
What Happened: Joshua Stueve, a senior communications adviser and spokesperson for DOJ, resigned citing a “hostile and toxic work environment.” His departure follows a wave of resignations from DOJ officials protesting the Trump regime’s corruption and politically motivated investigations.
Why It Matters: The resignation underscores growing unrest within the DOJ amid Trump’s second term. Musk has aggressively targeted federal agencies with mass firings and constant employee surveillance.
Source: Newsweek
The Defense Department Is Anticipating Musk Cuts. The Chain of Command Is Left in the Dark.
What Happened: Musk is disrupting the Pentagon’s chain of command, with high-ranking officials left in the dark about looming personnel cuts and policy changes. Orders bypassing traditional leadership channels have created confusion, with employees receiving major directives via social media and news reports.
Why It Matters: The uncertainty has left civilian employees, critical to military continuity, fearing mass layoffs. An unelected billionaire who bought the White House is endangering America's national security.
Source: NOTUS
🌍 Far-Right & Russian Influence Watch
Andrew Tate Returns to U.S. Amid Human Trafficking Charges
What Happened: Controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan arrived in Florida after Romanian authorities lifted their travel restrictions. They remain under investigation for human trafficking, rape, and organized crime in Romania, where they were arrested in 2022.
Why It Matters: Trump is using U.S. government influence to aid extremists like Tate and his brother. Trump’s ally Ric Grenell allegedly pressured Romania to lift Tate’s travel ban, despite his pending human trafficking and rape charges. The brothers also face tax evasion and sexual violence allegations in the U.K., where they were set for extradition after Romania’s legal proceedings.
Source: NPR
Trump says Putin would keep his word on a Ukraine peace deal
What Happened: Trump asserted that Putin would “keep his word” on a Ukraine “deal.” Meanwhile, Russia can end its genocidal war at any moment by simply withdrawing from Ukraine.
Why It Matters: Trump is backing war criminal Putin, openly trusting him while undercutting Ukraine. His comments to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer further prove his loyalty to Putin.
Source: The Guardian
Right-Wing Talk Radio Listeners Air Frustrations With Trump
What Happened: Callers to right-wing talk radio shows are voicing frustrations over Trump’s policies, including mass federal layoffs, cuts to veterans’ jobs, aid to Ukraine, and cancer research funding. Hosts like Sean Hannity and Brian Kilmeade are struggling to defend the regime’s actions as listeners push back.
Why It Matters: Cracks are forming in Trump’s right-wing media support as even loyal listeners feel the impact of his policies. As discontent grows, it signals potential fractures within his base, challenging the narrative of unwavering Republican unity.
Source: Media Matters
👊🏼 In Resistance News
Consumers Plan Nationwide Economic Blackout on Feb. 28
What Happened: Consumers and activist groups are calling for a 24-hour economic blackout on Feb. 28 to protest corporate greed, the rollback of DEI initiatives, and Trump’s elimination of federal DEI programs. The boycott urges people to avoid all spending, at major corporations like Amazon, Walmart, and Target, for the day and support local businesses if necessary.
Source: USA Today
Judge Rules Mass Federal Firings Were Likely Illegal
What Happened: A federal judge in San Francisco found that Trump’s mass firing of probationary federal employees was likely unlawful. The court ruled that the Office of Personnel Management had no legal authority to order terminations across multiple agencies, issuing temporary relief to affected workers.
Source: Associated Press
Judge Orders DOGE Employee to Testify in Lawsuit Against Trump
What Happened: A federal judge ruled that Musk’s operative testify in a lawsuit filed by labor unions against the Trump regime. The unions argue that unauthorized DOGE’s access to sensitive Labor Department data violates federal privacy laws.
Source: NBC News