The First 100 Days
Trump order aims to outlaw most government unions on ‘national security’ grounds
An as-yet unpublished executive order purports to utilize a little-used provision allowing the president to restrict collective bargaining for national security reasons to exempt most federal jobs from union protections.
Dems call for Bisignano to withdraw as SSA tweaks controversial plan
The Social Security Administration announced Wednesday that the plan to end phone service for benefits applications and direct deposit changes will no longer apply to Americans filing for disability payments.
Intelligence officials remain defensive on Signal debate
House testimony followed release of full group-chat transcript — including attack times and weapons.
HUD won’t grant rehired probationary workers back pay, FEHB benefits, despite law requiring it
Title 5 of the U.S. Code mandates that when a federal employee is reinstated following an improper adverse personnel action, their employing agency must grant them back pay for their time spent off the job.
Senators grill Bisignano about contact with SSA and DOGE officials
The nominee to lead the Social Security Administration acknowledged knowing one DOGE operative for 20 years, but denied improper contacts with officials prior to his confirmation, despite whistleblower accounts to the contrary.
DOD cuts $580M in programs, contracts and grants
The latest round of Pentagon spending cuts — which include a delayed HR software program — brings the department’s running total of eliminated programs to $800 million since the start of the Trump administration.
House Dems cite ‘fundamental conflict’ of Rubio’s acting appointments atop USAID and National Archives
Lawmakers’ concerns stem from a March 11 memo instructing USAID employees to prepare for mass destruction of agency records.
FEMA set for elimination, Noem says, amid bipartisan House reform proposal
The disaster response and recovery agency has been repeatedly criticized by President Donald Trump.
GSA names new deputy administrator
The agency’s second in command had been serving as an advisor to the acting administrator.
Judge bars DOGE access to sensitive personal information at 3 federal agencies
OPM and the Education and Treasury departments are subject to a temporary injunction barring them from disclosing certain information to DOGE while a privacy lawsuit is ongoing.
DOGE's attempt to be a force for genuine reform will depend on its decision-making
COMMENTARY | The Elon Musk-backed efficiency initiative should rely on sound decision-making as well as selecting sustainable preferences, argue two scholars.
Trump memo grants governmentwide firing power to OPM
Experts speculated that the measure is intended to address recent judgments against the administration’s workforce actions or to grant DOGE-aligned officials the ability to fire resisters.
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USPS plans to use AI to enhance customer service
USPS Vice President for Customer Experience Marc McCrery said the agency is looking to switch its call center platform to a cloud-based application this summer, which he said will be “the start of our AI journey.”
Regional boards for federal agency coordination officially disbanded
A recent Trump executive order mandated the end of federal executive boards, which have been around since 1961.
Trump order put states at the forefront of cyber and natural disaster response
The executive order signed this week is part of a wider push to put the onus on states and localities to prepare for disasters, rather than the federal government.
GSA to ‘quadruple' in size to centralize procurement across the government
The head of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service told employees at a Thursday meeting that the agency will “do about $400 billion” in procurement management under this effort.
Trump signs order directing the Education secretary to shut down the department
The order is sure to draw legal challenges.
SSA cancels telework with just a weekend’s notice
Union officials said the sudden and indefinite suspension of most bargaining unit employees’ telework agreements amounts to a de facto termination, despite acting Social Security Commissioner Leland Dudek’s promise to honor labor contracts.
Updated
VA blocks its benefits employees from speaking freely to the department’s lawyers
Attorneys at VA, who play a key role in helping veterans receive benefits, are the latest in the Trump administration to face potential sidelining.
The Pentagon is asking 364 fired probationary employees to come back
So far, about 65 have been reinstated, according to a Wednesday court filing.
SSA head’s 3-month plan touts workforce reductions while calling for identity and AI investment
The acting commissioner at SSA said that he has “made some mistakes” and promised to learn from them in an email to staff Tuesday.
