No. of Recommendations: 2
It's even worse than most could have imagined. Or, if you are on the side of Project 2025 and fascism, so much better than could have been imagined.
Trump Cuts FDA Staff Handling Bird Flu Outbreaks
What Happened: Around 140 staff were fired from the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, including those overseeing the federal response to the ongoing bird flu outbreaks.
Why It Matters: These layoffs gut the FDA’s ability to manage and contain animal disease outbreaks like bird flu, which has already spread to household pets. This endangers public health, weakens food safety protections, and prioritizes political ideology over science.
Source: USA Today
HHS layoffs hit Meals on Wheels and other services for seniors and disabled
What Happened: The Department of Health and Human Services fired over 40% of staff at the Administration for Community Living, jeopardizing Meals on Wheels and other programs for seniors and disabled Americans. Entire teams, like the Division of Energy Assistance, were eliminated—threatening programs like LIHEAP that help 5.9 million low-income households afford heating and cooling.
Why It Matters: With the ACL gutted and no clear replacement plan, programs supporting tens of millions of vulnerable Americans will collapse. The layoffs will leave seniors, disabled people, and the poor to face rising costs, food insecurity, and health risks without federal aid.
Source: NPR
Transportation Dept Sends New Buyout Offer to Workers
What Happened: The U.S. Transportation Department offered voluntary buyouts to thousands of employees—excluding public safety and cybersecurity personnel. Workers must decide by April 7 to accept the offer.
Why It Matters: This second-round buyout, driven by Musk, accelerates Trump’s federal purge. While safety workers are exempt, critics warn that hollowing out transportation infrastructure staff will impair oversight and weaken regulatory enforcement.
Source: USA Today
‘Chaos’: Trump cuts to Noaa disrupt staffing and weather forecasts
What Happened: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is reeling after Trump cut over 1,000 staff and compromised the agency’s operations. Firings affected critical roles, including hurricane trackers, some of whom were later hastily rehired. NOAA’s switch to an unsecured email server led to staff being flooded with spam. Meanwhile, weather forecasting tools like balloon launches have been scaled back.
Why It Matters: NOAA is vital for public safety during extreme weather events. The cuts and disorganization jeopardize hurricane and tornado warnings, risking lives. The chaos illustrates the dangerous consequences of politicizing science and slashing federal expertise.
Source: The Guardian
Princeton Says Trump Is Halting Research Grant Funding
What Happened: Princeton University became the fourth Ivy League school to have federal research funding suspended by Trump. President Chris Eisgruber said several dozen grants from agencies like the Energy Department, NASA, and the Defense Department were halted.
Why It Matters: This is part of Trump’s war on universities—punishing schools for protests and views he doesn’t like. It’s a blatant attempt to suppress academic freedom and weaponize federal funding to enforce political loyalty and enact Trump’s ideology.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Federal Firings and Office Closures Create Concerns for Miners
What Happened: Nearly 900 staff at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health were fired. The closures include critical offices in Morgantown, WV, and Pittsburgh, PA, which support coal miner health, including black lung screening and silica dust monitoring.
Why It Matters: The United Mine Workers of America says these cuts threaten coal miner safety and health. With offices that handle black lung diagnosis and silica exposure monitoring shut down, miners will lose access to life-saving research, screenings, and benefits.
Source: The Hill
🌐 Imperial and Geopolitical Watch
White House Studying Cost of Greenland Takeover, Long in Trump’s Sights
What Happened: Trump is preparing a formal cost estimate for turning Greenland into a U.S. territory, exploring how much it would cost to provide services for its 58,000 residents and what revenue could be extracted from its natural resources. This follows Trump’s repeated assertions that the U.S. should “get” Greenland — by purchase or potentially force.
Why It Matters: This is reprehensible—a brazen imperialist move that mirrors Putin. By trying to buy or seize sovereign land from a NATO ally, Trump will destabilize global alliances, undermine international law, and drag the U.S. into a diplomatic crisis.
Source: Washington Post
🌍 Far-Right & Russian Influence Watch
Senior Russian Official to Visit Washington for Trump Talks Despite Sanctions
What Happened: Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and Putin’s wallet, is expected to visit Washington this week for talks with Steve Witkoff. Trump temporarily lifted U.S. sanctions to grant Dmitriev a visa.
Why It Matters: This is an outrageous normalization of a sanctioned Putin operative and war criminal. Trump continues serving Russia—and opens the door for more Russian war criminals to be welcomed in Republican circles.
Source: CNN
Rightwing Groups Push Library Book Bans in Culture War Expansion
What Happened: Conservative groups across the U.S. are backing new state-level legislation to restrict access to school and public library books deemed “obscene” or “sexually explicit,” with a focus on LGBTQ+ themes and racial content. At least 112 such bills are active, and classics like The Color Purple and Slaughterhouse-Five are among the targeted titles.
Why It Matters: The bans would undermine intellectual freedom and aim to impose conservative ideologies on public institutions. The bills censor diverse perspectives, strip librarians of their autonomy, and infringe on parental rights for families who support inclusive education. Some laws have already been ruled unconstitutional—but the censorship push is accelerating.
Source: The Guardian
Top Trump USAID Staffer Accused of Violent Outbursts, Racist Remarks
What Happened: Jeremy Lewin, a 28-year-old Trump and Musk operative serving as deputy administrator of USAID, is under scrutiny for a troubling past—including alleged racist comments, violent behavior, and a police report accusing him of threatening a girl with a knife.
Why It Matters: A man accused of racist outbursts and violent behavior now controls what’s left of America’s foreign aid apparatus. This is in line with many other Trump officials and staff.
Source: Rolling Stone
💵 In Trump Economic Downturn News
EU Has a ‘Strong Plan’ to Retaliate on Trump Tariffs, Says von der Leyen
What Happened: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that the EU is prepared to impose €26 billion in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods—including jeans and Harley-Davidsons—following Trump’s steel and aluminum tariff hikes. More tariffs could hit semiconductors, pharma, and timber, with options on services and tech also on the table.
Why It Matters: Trump’s trade war will fracture transatlantic relations and trigger a global economic backlash. The EU says it didn’t start this confrontation but will defend its industries. Retaliation could escalate into a full-blown trade standoff, with tech, agriculture, and auto sectors caught in the crossfire.
Source: The Guardian
Trump’s Tariffs Are Coming, but at a Cost to U.S. Alliances
What Happened: Trump’s upcoming so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs have rattled global allies. Germany is preparing to shift away from U.S. defense ties, Canada has declared the military alliance “over,” and Poland is considering acquiring its own nuclear deterrent. Greenland’s prime minister rejected Trump’s attempt to claim the island, saying, “We decide our own future.”
Why It Matters: Trump’s reckless tariffs and fealty toward Moscow are unraveling decades of U.S. alliances. Allies are forging new ties without Washington, while Trump lashes out with threats of massive retaliation. The damage to America’s credibility, trade, and global security leadership will be lasting—and self-inflicted.
Source: New York Times
Tariff Woes Depress US Manufacturing, Erode Labor Demand
What Happened: U.S. manufacturing contracted in March for the first time in three months, according to the Institute for Supply Management. New orders dropped to their lowest level since 2023, factory layoffs increased, and job openings fell by nearly 200,000. A key measure of input prices hit a three-year high.
Why It Matters: Trump’s tariffs are driving up costs, shrinking demand, and eroding confidence. Manufacturing is slowing, inflation is rising, and economists warn of stagflation. The Fed is stuck—with fewer tools to stabilize a weakening economy.
Source: Reuters
