Former HHS secretary, Rep. Donna Shalala talks impacts of DOGE cuts
CBS News Miami's Jim DeFede interviewed former Rep. Donna Shalala about cuts made by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE.
Shalala, who was also the president of the University of Miami from 2001 through 2015 and the former HHS secretary during the Clinton administration, shared how the cuts, orchestrated by Musk, will impact not only her former department but also everyday Americans.
In March, HHS announced plans to cut an additional 10,000 full-time workers and consolidate its divisions as part of President Donald Trump's DOGE efforts.
In a statement, the department said it would also "streamline" department functions by reducing the number of divisions from 28 to 15, which includes the addition of a new Administration for a Healthy America, and slashing the number of regional offices in half, from 10 to five. HHS cited "redundant units" as its motive for cutting the divisions.
The new job cuts add to existing departures from early retirements to those who accepted a deferred resignation offer known as "Fork in the Road." When taken together, they bring the total size of the department from 82,000 full-time workers down to 62,000, according to the agency.
Guest: Donna Shalala/Former HHS Secretary
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40 minutes ago
Military parade set to kick off in nation's capital as protesters around the country decry Trump
WASHINGTON -- Tanks, troops and marching bands assembled in the nation's capital Saturday for a massive parade of American military power requested by President Donald Trump, a show that was met by thousands of Americans around the country displaying another kind of power: protest. Hours before the parade honoring the Army's 250th anniversary was set to start, demonstrators turned out in streets and parks around the nation to decry the Republican president as a dictator or would-be king. They criticized Trump for using the military to respond to those protesting his deportation efforts and for sending tanks, thousands of marching troops and military aircraft out for a show in the U.S. capital. In Washington, anti-war protesters unfurled signs that said 'Homes not drones' not far from a display of armored vehicles, helicopters and military-grade equipment on the National Mall set up to commemorate the Army's birthday. Vendors outside the festival sold gear marking the military milestone. Others hawked Trump-themed merchandise. Trump has been wanting a military parade in Washington ever since he watched one in France in 2017 and his dream is set to be finally realized on a day that coincides with his 79th birthday. Doug Haynes, a Navy veteran who voted for Trump, attended the daylong festival to celebrate the Army's 250th birthday, but said that the parade scheduled for later 'was a little over the top.' Pointing at a nearby tank, Haynes said that having them roll down the street is a 'very bold statement to the world, perhaps.' The military procession was set to step off from the Lincoln Memorial later Saturday, under the threat of stormy weather and to the accompaniment of protests elsewhere in the city. Trump brushed off the possibility of both disruptions, with a social media post Saturday morning that said the 'great military parade' would be on 'rain or shine.' The protests, he said earlier, "will be met with very big force.' Hours ahead of the parade, crowds of protesters with anti-Trump signs marched toward the White House, escorted by police vehicles and officers on bicycles. Some held a giant banner that read: 'TRUMP MUST GO NOW.' The parade was added just a few weeks ago to the planned celebration of the Army's birthday and has drawn criticism for its price tag of up to $45 million and the possibility that the lumbering tanks could tear up city streets. The Army has taken a variety of steps to protect the streets, including laying metal plates along the route. About 6 in 10 Americans said Saturday's parade was 'not a good use' of government money. The vast majority of people, 78%, said they neither approve nor disapprove of the parade overall, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The daylong display of America's Army comes as Trump has shown his willingness to use the nation's military might in ways other U.S. presidents have typically avoided, inviting an array of lawsuits and accusations that he is politicizing the military. In the last week, he has activated the California National Guard without the governor's permission and dispatched the U.S. Marines to provide security during Los Angeles protests related to immigration raids, prompting a state lawsuit to stop the deployments. He similarly sought to project military strength during his first presidential term, saying in 2020 that he wanted forces to 'dominate' the streets following racial justice protests that turned violent and warning governors that he was prepared to send in active-duty fighters if they did not call out the National Guard in their states. Earlier this week, Trump raised eyebrows during a speech at Fort Bragg when members of the 82nd Airborne Division, who were directed to stand behind Trump, booed and cheered during his incendiary remarks, including condemnation of his predecessor, Joe Biden. There also was a pop-up 'Make America Great Again' merchandise stand nearby selling souvenirs to troops in uniform. The Defense Department has a doctrine that prohibits troops from participating in political activity while in uniform. Members of Congress and military leaders have expressed concerns about the political displays during the speech at Fort Bragg. Saturday's pageantry was designed to fulfill Trump's expressed desire for a big parade that he tried to get done in his first term after seeing one in Paris on Bastille Day in 2017. Trump said after watching the two-hour procession along the famed Champs-Élysées that he wanted an even grander one in Washington. Saturday's event is expected to include about 6,600 soldiers, 50 helicopters and 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks, as well as possibly 200,000 attendees and heightened security to match. The parade will wind down Constitution Avenue, lined with security fencing and barriers. Army helicopters and aircraft will fly above, and the march will be capped off by a parachute jump, a concert featuring 'God Bless the U.S.A.' singer Lee Greenwood and fireworks. It remained unclear whether any protests would disrupt the parade, though several hundred demonstrators assembled in the hours before. Officials have said they had no indication of any security threat. 'No Kings' rallies — organizers picked the name to support democracy and speak out against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration — unfolding in hundreds of cities — were meant to counter what organizers say are Trump's plans to feed his ego on his 79th birthday and Flag Day. Ahead of a rally and march toward the White House on Saturday afternoon, about 200 protesters assembled in northwest Washington's Logan Circle and handed out signs and danced to upbeat music from a local street band, including 'This Land Is Your Land.' The mood was celebratory as the group chanted 'Trump must go now' before erupting in cheers. A larger-than-life puppet of Trump was wheeled through the crowd, a caricature of the president wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet. Other protesters waved pride flags and hoisted signs, some with pointed messages such as 'I prefer crushed ICE,' referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Other messages were: 'The invasion was HERE Jan. 6th, NOT in L.A.' and 'Flip me off if you're a FASCIST." With rain expected, there was a chance the parade could be interrupted by thunderstorms. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend the festival and parade. The parade is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. EDT, but parts of it — including the horse-drawn caissons and other units — start at the Pentagon, head over a bridge and meet up with some of the heavier tanks and equipment. Officials did not want the more-than-60-ton M1A1 Abrams tanks and Stryker vehicles crossing the bridge. Timed down to the minute, the march will be divided into sections by history — with equipment and troops in full dress from each period. It will include a total of 6,169 soldiers and 128 Army tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery, while 62 aircraft fly overhead. At the end of the parade, Trump will swear in 250 new or reenlisting troops, and the Army's Golden Knights parachute team will jump onto the Mall. That will be followed by a concert and fireworks. ____
Hamilton Spectator
43 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Military parade set to kick off in nation's capital as protesters around the country decry Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tanks, troops and marching bands assembled in the nation's capital Saturday for a massive parade of American military power requested by President Donald Trump, a show that was met by thousands of Americans around the country displaying another kind of power: protest. Hours before the parade honoring the Army's 250th anniversary was set to start, demonstrators turned out in streets and parks around the nation to decry the Republican president as a dictator or would-be king. They criticized Trump for using the military to respond to those protesting his deportation efforts and for sending tanks, thousands of marching troops and military aircraft out for a show in the U.S. capital. In Washington, anti-war protesters unfurled signs that said 'Homes not drones' not far from a display of armored vehicles, helicopters and military-grade equipment on the National Mall set up to commemorate the Army's birthday. Vendors outside the festival sold gear marking the military milestone. Others hawked Trump-themed merchandise. Trump has been wanting a military parade in Washington ever since he watched one in France in 2017 and his dream is set to be finally realized on a day that coincides with his 79th birthday. Doug Haynes, a Navy veteran who voted for Trump, attended the daylong festival to celebrate the Army's 250th birthday, but said that the parade scheduled for later 'was a little over the top.' Pointing at a nearby tank, Haynes said that having them roll down the street is a 'very bold statement to the world, perhaps.' The military procession was set to step off from the Lincoln Memorial later Saturday, under the threat of stormy weather and to the accompaniment of protests elsewhere in the city. Trump brushed off the possibility of both disruptions, with a social media post Saturday morning that said the 'great military parade' would be on 'rain or shine.' The protests, he said earlier, 'will be met with very big force.' Hours ahead of the parade, crowds of protesters with anti-Trump signs marched toward the White House, escorted by police vehicles and officers on bicycles. Some held a giant banner that read: 'TRUMP MUST GO NOW.' The parade was added just a few weeks ago to the planned celebration of the Army's birthday and has drawn criticism for its price tag of up to $45 million and the possibility that the lumbering tanks could tear up city streets. The Army has taken a variety of steps to protect the streets, including laying metal plates along the route. About 6 in 10 Americans said Saturday's parade was 'not a good use' of government money. The vast majority of people, 78%, said they neither approve nor disapprove of the parade overall, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research . The daylong display of America's Army comes as Trump has shown his willingness to use the nation's military might in ways other U.S. presidents have typically avoided, inviting an array of lawsuits and accusations that he is politicizing the military. In the last week, he has activated the California National Guard without the governor's permission and dispatched the U.S. Marines to provide security during Los Angeles protests related to immigration raids, prompting a state lawsuit to stop the deployments. He similarly sought to project military strength during his first presidential term, saying in 2020 that he wanted forces to 'dominate' the streets following racial justice protests that turned violent and warning governors that he was prepared to send in active-duty fighters if they did not call out the National Guard in their states. Earlier this week, Trump raised eyebrows during a speech at Fort Bragg when members of the 82nd Airborne Division, who were directed to stand behind Trump, booed and cheered during his incendiary remarks , including condemnation of his predecessor, Joe Biden. There also was a pop-up 'Make America Great Again' merchandise stand nearby selling souvenirs to troops in uniform. The Defense Department has a doctrine that prohibits troops from participating in political activity while in uniform. Members of Congress and military leaders have expressed concerns about the political displays during the speech at Fort Bragg. Saturday's pageantry was designed to fulfill Trump's expressed desire for a big parade that he tried to get done in his first term after seeing one in Paris on Bastille Day in 2017. Trump said after watching the two-hour procession along the famed Champs-Élysées that he wanted an even grander one in Washington. Saturday's event is expected to include about 6,600 soldiers, 50 helicopters and 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks , as well as possibly 200,000 attendees and heightened security to match. The parade will wind down Constitution Avenue, lined with security fencing and barriers. Army helicopters and aircraft will fly above, and the march will be capped off by a parachute jump, a concert featuring 'God Bless the U.S.A.' singer Lee Greenwood and fireworks. It remained unclear whether any protests would disrupt the parade, though several hundred demonstrators assembled in the hours before. Officials have said they had no indication of any security threat. 'No Kings' rallies — organizers picked the name to support democracy and speak out against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration — unfolding in hundreds of cities — were meant to counter what organizers say are Trump's plans to feed his ego on his 79th birthday and Flag Day. Ahead of a rally and march toward the White House on Saturday afternoon, about 200 protesters assembled in northwest Washington's Logan Circle and handed out signs and danced to upbeat music from a local street band, including 'This Land Is Your Land.' The mood was celebratory as the group chanted 'Trump must go now' before erupting in cheers. A larger-than-life puppet of Trump was wheeled through the crowd, a caricature of the president wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet. Other protesters waved pride flags and hoisted signs, some with pointed messages such as 'I prefer crushed ICE,' referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Other messages were: 'The invasion was HERE Jan. 6th, NOT in L.A.' and 'Flip me off if you're a FASCIST.' With rain expected, there was a chance the parade could be interrupted by thunderstorms. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend the festival and parade. The parade is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. EDT, but parts of it — including the horse-drawn caissons and other units — start at the Pentagon, head over a bridge and meet up with some of the heavier tanks and equipment. Officials did not want the more-than-60-ton M1A1 Abrams tanks and Stryker vehicles crossing the bridge. Timed down to the minute, the march will be divided into sections by history — with equipment and troops in full dress from each period. It will include a total of 6,169 soldiers and 128 Army tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery, while 62 aircraft fly overhead. At the end of the parade, Trump will swear in 250 new or reenlisting troops, and the Army's Golden Knights parachute team will jump onto the Mall. That will be followed by a concert and fireworks. ____ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Michelle L. Price, Nathan Ellgren, Lea Skene, Olivia Diaz, Joey Cappelletti, Ashraf Khalil and Tara Copp contributed to this report. Error! 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Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Trump relishes troops in American streets while shunning conflict overseas
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The seemingly disparate postures of recent days -- strongman at home, peace-seeker abroad -- speak to Trump's complicated relationship with the military. He has ordered more troops to Los Angeles and Washington than he currently has stationed in Syria and Iraq combined. He seems more willing at the moment to use the military against Americans than against Iranians. He celebrates a show of force on U.S. soil even as he denounces 'endless wars' outside its borders. Advertisement Trump has always been a contradictory commander in chief, one unlike any other in American history. A graduate of a high school military academy, he never actually served in the armed forces, avoided being drafted for Vietnam thanks to a dubious bone spurs diagnosis, publicly denigrated Sen. John McCain's wartime heroism and was quoted privately dismissing veterans as 'suckers' and 'losers' (which he denied). Advertisement Yet as president, Trump has used the military to serve his political goals. He surrounded himself with 'my generals' and purged those he deemed insufficiently loyal. He entertained a recommendation to impose a form of martial law to overturn the 2020 election that he lost. In recent days, he has given speeches at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Fort Bragg, North Carolina, that sounded like campaign rallies. Trump enjoys strong support among many active-duty service members and veterans who appreciate his vocal backing and admire his unvarnished bravado, according to polls and analysts. Yet some career officers said the president clearly does not understand the ethos of service or the nonpartisan tradition of the U.S. armed forces. 'As in all things Trumpian, there is a fundamental contradiction in how he looks at the military,' said James G. Stavridis, a retired Navy four-star admiral who served as NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe. 'He loves the uniforms and the pomp and circumstance, and the ability to apply direct power without boundaries,' Stavridis said. 'But he also thinks that those who serve in the military could be making a lot more money and gain more prestige in the civilian world, and I think he wonders what drives their sacrifice.' Advertisement Trump and his aides have long insisted that he has deep respect for service members and contend that his eagerness to showcase hardware and troops marking the Army's 250th birthday -- and, in what they call a coincidence, his own 79th birthday -- demonstrates pride in the history and accomplishments of the U.S. armed forces. 'This parade will honor all of the military men and women who have bravely served our country, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedom,' Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, said in a statement. 'No event can fully capture our gratitude for those who have worn the uniform, but this grand parade will ensure our veterans and active-duty service members are recognized with the respect and magnificence they deserve.' This is the day Trump has coveted for years. He wanted a similar display of military might for his first inauguration in 2017, and when that did not work out, he grew even more fixated on the idea later in the year when he visited France for its Bastille Day celebration. But military officers, including his second White House chief of staff, John Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, resisted, convinced that it was not in keeping with American tradition and would instead evoke the kinds of displays favored in autocratic countries like Russia, North Korea and Iran. Kelly concluded that Trump had a warped view of the military. The president grew frustrated that senior officers were not in his view loyal to him politically and personally. 'Why can't you be like the German generals?' he once asked, referring to Adolf Hitler's generals, according to Kelly. Once, during another trip to France, he skipped a visit to a cemetery for U.S. troops killed in World War I, saying it was 'filled with losers.' Trump denied both accounts. Advertisement In the final year of his first term, he wanted to invoke the Insurrection Act to send active-duty troops into the streets of cities where protests against the murder of George Floyd had become violent, only to be rebuffed by Mark Esper, his defense secretary, and Gen. Mark Milley, his chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After the 2020 election, retired Gen. Michael Flynn and other allies showed up at the Oval Office urging him to order the military to seize voting machines and rerun elections in states where he lost, an idea he considered but did not follow through on, knowing that Milley would resist. Yet while he opted against using the military to reverse the election results, he did not use it to protect them. When a mob of his own supporters rampaged through the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to disrupt the certification of his defeat, Trump did not order the National Guard to respond, according to the bipartisan congressional investigation. Instead, the Pentagon eventually the Guard on its own authority. In this second term, Kelly, Esper and Milley are all gone, and Trump feels freer to pursue his own instincts. In sending troops to Los Angeles, he federalized the California National Guard over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom, the first time any president has done so since the civil rights era. Trump has vowed that he will do the same elsewhere around the country if protests merit it, raising the prospect of a wider military presence in American cities. Advertisement To critics, Trump, who uses words like 'invasion' and 'occupation' to justify the troop deployment to Los Angeles, is manufacturing fake wars at home to suppress domestic dissent, heralding what some fear is a creeping military dictatorship. What is striking is that Trump does not seem to worry about giving that impression. He has done nothing to dispel it or reassure Americans that his use of the military against domestic unrest is a limited effort that should not concern them. 'They say, oh, that's not nice,' Trump said of his critics during his speech this past week at Fort Bragg. 'Well, if we didn't do it, there wouldn't be a Los Angeles.' He added: 'Under the Trump administration, this anarchy will not stand. We will not allow federal agents to be attacked, and we will not allow an American city to be invaded and conquered by a foreign enemy. And that's what they are.' Yet the demonstration of military might on American streets this past week feels jarring coming at the same time as a full-blown Middle East crisis in which the United States has taken a backseat. Trump has been trying to negotiate an agreement with Iran to end its nuclear program peacefully, only to be overtaken by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, who decided to take matters into his own hands with a ferocious bombardment. Trump publicly complimented the Israelis on their success Friday but did not endorse further military action, instead reaching out to Iran to resume talks. Some Republican hawks expressed consternation that he would not be willing to more directly support Israel's military campaign. 'Trump is more focused on his birthday parade, or so it seems, than on helping Israel and the West to eliminate a serious nuclear threat,' said Charles M. Kupperman, who served as Trump's deputy national security adviser in his first term. 'Trump can keep mouthing 'peace through strength,' but just mouthing doesn't make it real, and words don't eliminate threats. Actions do.' Advertisement This article originally appeared in
