DOGE Has Work Left to Do
Given Elon Musk's departure from the Department of Government Efficiency, where should DOGE go from here? The Trump administration created the department to reduce government fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement. As a special government employee, Mr. Musk was prevented by law from working more than 130 days a year in that role—but that doesn't mean the effort should end with his exit.
Since January, DOGE has conducted a review of a range of government information systems, and the team's work has significantly increased public concern over waste and abuse in the federal government. Building on the work done by the Government Accountability Office and the inspectors general of various agencies, DOGE's efforts have reinforced the need for updated information systems, stronger internal controls and modern management practices.
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CNN
29 minutes ago
- CNN
About 700 Marines being mobilized in response to LA protests
More than 700 Marines based out of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in California have been mobilized to respond to the protests in Los Angeles, and the troops will join the thousands of National Guard members who were activated by President Donald Trump over the weekend without the consent of California's governor or LA's mayor. The deployment of the full Marine battalion marks a significant escalation in Trump's use of the military as a show of force against protesters, but it is still unclear what their specific task will be once in LA, sources told CNN. Like the National Guard troops, they are prohibited from conducting law enforcement activity such as making arrests unless Trump invokes the Insurrection Act, which permits the president to use the military to end an insurrection or rebellion of federal power. The Marines being activated are with 2nd battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine division, according to US Northern Command. The activation is 'intended to provide Task Force 51 with adequate numbers of forces to provide continuous coverage of the area in support of the lead federal agency,' NORTHCOM said in statement, referring to US Army north's contingency command post. One of the people familiar with the Marine mobilization said they will be augmenting the guard presence on the ground in LA. Over 2,000 members of the California National Guard have been activated by the president, but only about 300 have been deployed to the streets of LA so far. Those initial 300 people were on a routine National Guard drill weekend when they were mobilized, which is why they were able to arrive so quickly, the person familiar said; it can take up to 72 hours for other guardsmen to be mobilized. The Marines are expected to bolster some of the guard members who have been deployed to LA in the last two days, this person said. And while the person familiar stressed that the Marines were being deployed only to augment the forces already there, the image of US Marines mobilizing inside the United States will stand in contrast to National Guardsmen who more routinely respond to domestic issues. While some Marines have been assisting in border security at the southern border, one US official said Marines have not been mobilized within the US like they are in California now since the 1992 riots in Los Angeles. While the Marines' tasks have not been specified publicly, they could include assignments like crowd control or establishing perimeter security. Lawyers within the Defense Department are also still finalizing language around the use-of-force guidelines for the troops being mobilized, but the person familiar said it will likely mirror the military's standing rules of the use of force. California Gov. Gavin Newsom described the involvement of Marines as 'unwarranted' and 'unprecedented.' 'The level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented — mobilizing the best in class branch of the U.S. military against its own citizens,' Newsom said in a statement linking to a news story about the Marines mobilizing. Newsom disputed the characterization as a 'deployment,' which the governor described as different from mobilization. US Northern Command said in their statement, however, that the Marines will 'seamlessly integrate' with National Guard forces 'protecting federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area.' Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell called for 'open and continuous lines of communication' between all agencies responding to protests in the city ahead of the deployment of US Marines. McDonell said in a statement that his agency and other partner agencies have experience dealing with large-scale demonstrations and safety remains a top priority for them. That communication will 'prevent confusion, avoid escalation, and ensure a coordinated, lawful, and orderly response during this critical time,' McDonnell stressed. This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.
Axios
31 minutes ago
- Axios
Democrats target farmers on Trump's DOGE cuts
Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) will hold a "shadow hearing" Thursday to draw a direct link between President Trump's plans to cut foreign assistance and the farmers that sell their crops to the programs. Why it matters: Democrats are looking for ways to make Trump's DOGE and budget plans uncomfortable for farm state Republicans and want to appeal directly to their constituents. The Trump administration has called for deep spending reductions for international food programs run by the United States Agency for International Development and the Department of Agriculture. Those programs buy agricultural products from U.S. farmers to the tune of $2 billion a year, according to Shaheen. Some farm state Republicans have questioned administration st officials about programs like Food for Peace. Zoom out: Democrats are trying to broaden their case against the Trump administration's budget, which will receive its first official vote this week, when the House brings up Trump's rescissions package, which cuts funding for NPR, PBS and USAID. Zoom in: On Thursday, Shaheen, the ranking member on the foreign relations committee, and Klobuchar, the ranking member of the agriculture subcommittee on nutrition and forestry will host a group of experts to detail the effect of the cuts to foreign aid on U.S. farmers.
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
GOP lawmakers uneasy about package to codify DOGE cuts ahead of House vote this week
Multiple Republican lawmakers are voicing concerns about backing a high-profile measure later this week to codify Elon Musk's DOGE cuts – raising questions about whether it can pass the House at all. Two Republicans – Reps. Mark Amodei of Nevada and Nicole Malliotakis of New York – separately told CNN they have concerns with the White House's push to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 'Still mulling,' Amodei said when asked if he would support the package of cuts. 'The impact on local PBS stations appears to be significant.' Other Republicans have heartburn about how it could cut the Bush-era program, PEPFAR, devoted to fighting HIV and AIDS globally. 'If it cuts PEPFAR like they're saying it is, that's not good,' GOP Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska told CNN last week. House GOP leaders plan to put the package of cuts, totaling $9.4 billion, on the floor as soon as Thursday, according to two people familiar with the plans. But Speaker Mike Johnson will need near unanimity in his conference for the package to pass the House, where he can only lose three votes. Johnson said on Monday that he's 'working on' getting enough votes for the Department of Government Efficiency spending cuts package he hopes to bring to the floor this week. 'The only concern I heard initially was some wanted a little more specificity and detail on what was in the package,' Johnson continued. Asked how he would persuade members that wanted more specificity in the package, Johnson replied, 'I'm gathering up all their questions and we'll try to get them all answered. I mean, that's what we do in every piece of legislation.' If it can survive the House, it will face major obstacles in the Senate. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine told CNN on Monday that she has major misgivings about the global health cuts, including PEPFAR. 'I think we can change it. We're still figuring out what the set rules are,' Collins said. The White House sent its long-awaited spending cuts request to Congress as it seeks to formalize a slew of DOGE slashes to federal funding. The $9.4 billion package – known as 'rescissions' on Capitol Hill – would claw back previously appropriated government funding. The move to cancel the funding through Congress would insulate the administration from legal challenges related to its cuts to federal funding. Johnson said on Monday, 'We'd like to do multiple rescissions packages, and this first one I'm sure will be successful.' This initial request, however, is far more limited in scope than the more than $1 trillion in spending cuts that DOGE has promised. The lengthy time it took the White House to send over a first round of cuts underscores the uphill battle for even a Republican-led Congress to codify DOGE's work. CNN's Molly English contributed to this report.
