Veterans Affairs reverses course on large-scale layoffs
In a news release, VA said that it was on pace to reduce its total staff by nearly 30,000 employees by the end of this fiscal year, a push that the department said eliminates the need for a 'large-scale reduction-in-force.' The announcement marks a significant reversal for the Trump administration, which had planned for months to cut VA by roughly 83,000 employees, according to plans revealed in an internal memo circulated to agency staffers in March. At the time, VA Secretary Douglas A. Collins said in remarks shared to social media that the cuts were tough but necessary.
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Fox News
34 minutes ago
- Fox News
Ellen DeGeneres backs Rosie O'Donnell after Trump threatened to revoke her U.S. citizenship
Ellen DeGeneres is showing support for Rosie O'Donnell. One day after President Donald Trump threatened to revoke O'Donnell's U.S. citizenship following her move to Ireland earlier this year, DeGeneres - who also reportedly fled the country after Trump was elected president - gave her fellow comedian a public shout out. "Good for you," DeGeneres, 67, who reposted Trump's threat and O'Donnell's lengthy response on Instagram. On Saturday, Trump referred to O'Donnell as a "threat to humanity." "Because of the fact that Rosie O'Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship," Trump wrote in a post to his social media platform Truth Social. "She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!" he added. O'Donnell quickly responded to Trump's jab in several posts that she shared on her social media pages. The "A League of Their Own" star posted a collage of photos centered around a screenshot of Trump's post on Instagram and blasted the politician in the caption. "The president of the USA has always hated the fact that i see him for who he is - a criminal con man sexual abusing liar out to harm our nation to serve himself," she wrote. "This is why i moved to Ireland - he is a dangerous old soulless man with dementia who lacks empathy compassion and basic humanity." "I stand in direct opposition [to] all he represents- so do millions of others - u gonna deport all who stand against ur evil tendencies - ur a bad joke who cant form a coherent sentence," O'Donnell added along with the hashtag "never trump." The former talk show host later shared a screenshot of her Instagram post on TikTok, where she slammed Trump in the caption, writing that he was a "disgrace to all our beautiful country stands for" and a "danger to our nation." O'Donnell went on to bash Trump as a "mentally ill untreated criminal," claiming that he "lied to America for a decade" during his time hosting the hit reality TV series "The Apprentice." "Had u grown up in NY - as I did - u would know what a total fool he is. Add me to the list of people who oppose him at every turn -it's now or never America," she wrote. Representatives for the White House, DeGeneres and O'Donnell did not respond to Fox News Digital's immediate request for comment. Despite Trump's post, O'Donnell's citizenship is unlikely to be in jeopardy. The 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to any person born in the United States and the actress was born in Commack, New York. In addition, many legal experts agree that the government cannot unilaterally revoke the citizenship of a natural-born citizen. One exception is if the government was able to prove that citizenship was obtained through fraud in the case of naturalization. In addition, citizenship can be revoked if an individual commits certain actions, including treason, serving in a foreign military engaged in hostilities against the U.S., or renouncing citizenship. O'Donnell confirmed her move to Ireland in March, saying she left the U.S. days before Trump's inauguration, and explained the new location would be a good fit for her 12-year-old son, Clay. DeGeneres, much like O'Donnell, left the country recently to establish a new life with wife Portia de Rossi across the pond. In April, O'Donnell admitted that while she hasn't been in touch with DeGeneres lately, she was "shocked" to hear why the former talk show host fled the United States. "I've never really known Ellen to say anything political in her life, so I was surprised to read that she left because of President Trump. Like, that shocked me, actually," O'Donnell told Us Weekly. "I've been a political person my whole life, not better or worse, it's just a different way to be in the world." "I was very clear about the reason why I was leaving, and I don't think it came as a surprise to anyone. We're not really in each other's worlds, and it's been kind of awkward but you know what? I wish her the best. I wish that she has peace and love in her life and that she is OK." While they've never had a strong relationship, O'Donnell insisted she harbors no ill will for the comedian. "I don't want to fight against another gay woman. It's not like we're tenaciously opposed to each other," O'Donnell told the outlet. "We're just very different people. We have had some stuff in the past that we never resolved. And not in any way as, as partners or lovers or anything like that, just as friends and comedians, but I wish her the best. I seriously do." She added, "I think that there's enough room in the world for all of the gay comedians, and we all need to stick together because gay people are the next group to be threatened. And the way they attack trans people is absolutely terrifying."
Washington Post
34 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Defense Department to begin using Grok, Musk's controversial AI Model
The U.S. Department of Defense will begin using Grok, the AI chatbot built by Elon Musk's start-up xAI, the company announced in a post on Monday. The announcement came as Grok unveiled what it called 'Grok for Government,' a suite that allows agencies and federal offices to adopt its chatbots for their specific uses. President Donald Trump has encouraged more rapid adoption of artificial intelligence tools since taking office in January. Elon Musk was a member of the Trump administration, overseeing the U.S. DOGE Service, until he departed in late May. He has since become a critic of Trump's signature tax and spending legislation. On Monday, xAI said its products would now be 'available to purchase via the General Services Administration (GSA) schedule,' allowing 'every federal government department, agency, or office' to buy them. Grok came under fire last week after launching into an antisemitic rant and invoking Adolf Hitler after it was a programmed to be less politically correct. The incident prompted the company to say it would improve its model. A day later, xAI unveiled a sweeping update that it claimed put Grok on the cutting edge of AI development. The Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This is a developing story and will be updated.
Fast Company
38 minutes ago
- Fast Company
How to lead in the new world of work
We're in an era of hyperinnovation, full of rapid technological advancements in artificial intelligence and beyond. This environment is creating a new world of work, one that offers both opportunities and challenges. What are business leaders to do in such exciting, volatile times? That was the focus of Fast Company's recent New World of Work Summit in partnership with HP, which included a panel discussion on how to lead in this new era, featuring experts from different fields. Here are three takeaways from their conversation. (Some comments have been edited for length and clarity; scroll to the bottom to watch the entire panel discussion.) 1. Two factors are shaping this new world: hybrid work and AI. Hybrid work is here to stay, despite return-to-office mandates over the past few years, said Dave Shull, president, HP Solutions. He cited research from digital collaboration firm Vyopta showing that the number of virtual meetings has not declined, even as in-person meetings more than doubled as people returned to the office. 'We thought hybrid was going to go away, and it hasn't,' Shull said. 'That's a reality and a real challenge that I think we as companies need to address.' Meanwhile, AI is also changing the face of work in multiple ways. For one, it can help people work cross-functionally and better understand other roles within the business, said Tobias Chen, CEO of Volumetric Camera Systems, which creates immersive video content for film, TV, and other media. He provided an example from the visual effects industry, in which technical backend workers historically had very separate tasks from artists—yet both sides are needed to make projects come to life. 'Now with AI tools, if you're in a technical role, you can use AI to pre-visualize what those creative graphics could look like,' Chen said. 'And those in a creative role can use AI to do those technical steps for you. That cross-pollination helps the whole organization better understand what everyone's doing.' AI also enables team members to experiment and iterate with concepts before deciding on the best solution. This iterative process allowed Volumetrics to create a project for The Sphere, an immersive entertainment arena in Las Vegas, in just one month—a deadline that, Chen said, would have been 'impossible' otherwise. 'Through AI, we're able to create a lot of concepts and different ideas, then test them out really quickly and iteratively before locking in something and going through the final process.' 'It's the intersection of those two points—hybrid work and AI—that defines the new world of work,' Shull added. 'And the challenge for all of us is to figure out how to solve for our employees.' 2. Tools must foster connection to fuel productivity. The panelists discussed the tension between engagement and productivity, with some noting that too many tools with too little guidance can undercut the employee experience. If employees do not feel engaged, their productivity will plummet. Shull noted that technology is now so baked into the employee experience, that the IT function is as critical as the HR function. 'IT working hand-in-hand with HR will allow companies to work through AI and hybrid in a very different way,' he said. 'IT is key to the employee experience: Are we taking care of that employee experience as the primary metric? And how are we making sure our employees are as impactful as possible, whether they're at home or in the office?' As a result, the chief information officer and chief people officer roles are converging, Shull said. He recommended close collaboration between these two leaders and functions, including joint projects like an 'early warning system' that flags the beginnings of waning employee engagement. 'There's going to have to be a reinvention of IT,' Shull said. 'It's being charged in a strategic way like never before: 'Take AI and transform the company.' It is now a driving force for growth.' 3. Leaders must trust team members to choose the best way to execute their tasks. Brian Elliott, the CEO at Work Forward, an advisory group dedicated to helping leaders build better ways of working through data, said the rapid pace of change and emergence of new tools is causing many executives to fall back on 'command and control.' Rather than putting more policies in place in order to figure things out, he said they should be asking, 'How do I align people around purpose, because that's what's going to [engage] them.' Elliott's advice is twofold. First, leaders must get their own hands on AI and other new tools if they expect their team members to adopt them. Too often, he pointed out, this isn't the case. When employees see that their leaders are learning and adapting alongside the rest of the team, it inherently builds trust. Second, Elliott recommends that leaders ensure they remain focused on business outcomes. Rather than dictate use of a certain tool or process, present it as one tool of an entire arsenal that team members can use to achieve that outcome. Trusting them to execute will engender trust in you as a leader. 'Give them a little bit of latitude instead of command and control,' he said. 'Say, 'Look, these are the big audacious goals we've got, but I want you to figure out how we're going to get there. That's why I've hired you.' ' Watch the full panel:
