Oversight

Congressional response to watchdog firings hindered by GOP control, Connolly says

A good government group fears that Trump will ignore rules about who can serve as an acting inspector general.

Pay & Benefits

SSA: It could take more than a year to implement the WEP and GPO repeal

Though Congress acted on a bipartisan basis last year to pass legislation ending two controversial tax provisions that affected some federal workers and other public servants, it failed to give the Social Security Administration any money to implement it.

Workforce

EPA employees told to pause most external communications and cancel meetings with outside parties

The agency joins several across government at which the Trump administration has issued at least a partial gag order. An agency spokesperson has denied that a pause is in place.

Transition

DEI and diversity: Is there a difference?

COMMENTARY | One long-time civil servant urges those charged with implementing Trump’s DEI executive order to not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Pay & Benefits

OPM unveils its major plans and policy goals for federal health care in 2026

The Office of Personnel Management's 2026 Federal Employees Health Benefits program roadmap focuses on cutting red tape for feds and retirees while staying committed to key health care priorities—here’s what it could mean for you.

Updated Workforce

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.

Transition

2 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Democrats fired

Their removals by President Donald Trump leave the EEOC without a quorum.

Management

Getting mail to your door is just one part of what the postmaster general does

Alongside the business of mail delivery, the U.S. Postal Service also dwarfs the General Services Administration's real estate footprint.

Transition

Chaos reigns across government as Trump freezes large swaths of federal spending

"It is blatantly unconstitutional," one senator says as agencies grapple with pausing nearly all grants and loan programs.

Updated Transition

Inspectors general’s role as independent government watchdogs in question after Trump firings

Many inspector general offices will be headed by acting leaders in the interim, which could weaken the effectiveness of their oversight.

Tech

Gregory Barbaccia named federal CIO

The Palantir alum has also served in the Army and as an intelligence analyst.

Workforce

White House collects lists of federal DEI office employees as punishments begin

Agencies are starting to take action against DEI-tasked employees and pass lists of those workers on to OPM and the White House.

Transition

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.

Workforce

New Schedule F guidance shows the Trump White House is rearing for a fight

Trump administration officials elected to bypass the regulatory process to rescind Biden-era rules aimed at barring Schedule F’s revival, setting up a bigger fight over the president's authority.

Transition

Here’s a look at the busy week ahead for Trump’s Cabinet nominees

Things could get even more dicey this week in the narrowly GOP-controlled Senate, as multiple Cabinet picks set to testify have raised eyebrows among senators on both sides of the aisle.

Workforce

Agencies to soon detail how they will overcome unions, office space issues to bring all staff in-person

The White House and OPM are asking for specifics in how agencies will comply with Trump's return-to-office order.

Oversight

Trump fires multiple agency inspectors general

Sen. Grassley and a top watchdog said Trump did not adhere to congressional notification requirements about such removals.

Management

Trump suggests eliminating FEMA while touring disaster site 

It’s unclear what actions the president could take to reorganize the agency without congressional approval.